That Sounds Fun with Annie F. Downs

Jennie Lusko is here to kick off talking about the practice of sabbath for the next three weeks. She's going to help us think through what it looks like to find moments of rest and pause in our day to day, which is perfect because her brand new book also just came out called: Fresh Mercies Everyday, and it’s beautiful. If making space for a Sabbath is something you’ve been wanting to do, we’ve created a Sabbath Practice Guide for you that’s available over on spirituallystronger.com. It’s got a list of ideas for practicing sabbath daily, weekly, and yearly. Just some simple things to help you think through how to prepare. Find the show notes here . . . . The final episodes of season 1 of my brand new TV show, I Gotta Ask, drop THIS THURSDAY over on the Wonder Project channel on your Prime Video app. Don’t forget there’s a 7 day free trial for you, so you can binge all of them. We had the best time sitting down with experts and real life friends and just chopping it up over questions about faith and fear and business and finance and dating. For more details or a reminder on where and how to watch, visit igottaask.com! . . . . Eddie Kaufholz and I are currently on the road this month for The Buddies Tour and we want to see you there! We’re heading to 6 different cities and it is a night of just pure fun. Get your tickets at thebuddiestour.com! . . . . Thank you to our sponsors: BetterHelp: Sign up and get 10% off at BetterHelp.com/thatsoundsfun. Brodo: Head to Brodo.com/THATSOUNDSFUN for 20% off your first subscription order and use code THATSOUNDSFUN for an additional $10 off. ELIC: Head to elic.org/thatsoundsfun to learn more. StoryWorth: Order RIGHT NOW and save up to $20 at storyworth.com/thatsoundsfun. Capstone Wellness: Learn more at capstonewellness.com/thatsoundsfun. Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/soundsfun⁠. Boll and Branch: Get 15% off your first order plus free shipping at BollAndBranch.com/thatsoundsfun with code thatsoundsfun. Helix: Go to helixsleep.com/thatsoundsfun for 20% off sitewide! The Wonder Project: Subscriber support makes more great content like I Gotta Ask with Annie F. Downs possible. The Wonder Project subscription on Prime Video is available in the U.S. for $8.99/month or $89.99/year after a 7-day free trial. Visit IGottaAsk.com to learn more! NYTimes bestselling Christian author, speaker, and host of popular Christian podcast, That Sounds Fun Podcast, Annie F. Downs shares with you some of her favorite things: new books, faith conversations, entertainers not to miss, and interviews with friends. Sign up to receive the AFD Week In Review email and ask questions to future guests! #thatsoundsfunpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on the show, I get to talk with my friend and mentor, Nancy Mattingly. Her life is testament of so much joy and gratitude despite having walked through suffering in some really significant ways. In fact, just 6 months ago, we weren’t sure Nancy was going to be with us much longer because of her battle with cancer, and today it’s an honor to hear her tell her story and share it with all of us. We have a Gratitude Practice Guide available for you over on spirituallystronger.com - if you’ve never documented what you’re grateful for this is an easy step to take. You just download and print it out and you’ll have a way to document your gratitude throughout this week! Find the show notes here . . . . Have you gotten a chance to watch the first 2 episodes of I Gotta Ask yet?! YOU GUYS. I’ve loved reading your messages and emails and I’m so so thrilled this project is finally out and we can all watch it together! What a dream come true. To watch, you just visit your Prime Video app, add the Wonder Project channel and you’re ready to go! There’s even a 7 day free trial for you so definitely take advantage of that. The next 2 episodes air on Thursday, June 4 and the last 2 on Thursday, June 11 for a total of 6 episodes and I cannot wait to hear what you think about all of them! For more details or a reminder on where to watch, visit igottaask.com! . . . . Eddie Kaufholz and I are currently on the road in May and June for The Buddies Tour and we want to see you there! We’re heading to 6 different cities and it is a night of just pure fun. Get your tickets at thebuddiestour.com! . . . . Thank you to our sponsors: Thrive Causemetics: Go to thrivecausemetics.com/TSF for an exclusive offer of 20% off your first order. WayFair: Head to Wayfair.com right now to get your outdoor space ready for way less. BetterHelp: Sign up and get 10% off at BetterHelp.com/thatsoundsfun. CreaTone: Get started with 20% off your first order. Visit TONETODAY.com… Promo Code TSF. The Wonder Project: Subscriber support makes more great content like I Gotta Ask with Annie F. Downs possible. The Wonder Project subscription on Prime Video is available in the U.S. for $8.99/month or $89.99/year after a 7-day free trial. Visit IGottaAsk.com to learn more! Capstone Wellness: Learn more at capstonewellness.com/thatsoundsfun. Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/soundsfun⁠. Boll and Branch: Get 15% off your first order plus free shipping at BollAndBranch.com/thatsoundsfun with code thatsoundsfun. StoryWorth: Order RIGHT NOW and save up to $20 at storyworth.com/thatsoundsfun. Helix: Go to helixsleep.com/thatsoundsfun for 20% off site wide! NYTimes bestselling Christian author, speaker, and host of popular Christian podcast, That Sounds Fun Podcast, Annie F. Downs shares with you some of her favorite things: new books, faith conversations, entertainers not to miss, and interviews with friends. #thatsoundsfunpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on the show, Eddie and I talk about: Eddie’s strange twitches (you’re not ready) Some of the behind the scenes of The Buddies tour A little bit of wedding planning talk And the multiple uses of the word buffalo That list of randomness is also exactly how The Buddies Tour is going. We’ve had an absolute blast so far on this tour and we have 4 more shows to go. Are you coming?!? We will be in: Orlando, Florida on Friday, June 5th! Charlotte, North Carolina on Sunday, June 7th! Trussville (Birmingham), Alabama on Friday, June 12th! And Nashville, TN on Saturday, June 13th! There’s a VIP Meet & Greet before the show (except Nashville & Charlotte’s VIP are both sold out) and there’s After Party for Single Purpose League at every stop. We’re having a ball and tickets start at just $45 (that’s including the added fees). You can find the dates and details at thebuddiestour.com We cannot wait to see you there! . . . . . My brand new TV show I Gotta Ask is NOW STREAMING on the Wonder project channel on your Prime Video app… TO-DAY. The first 2 episodes are out and the next 2 drop next week…This is such a dream come true, AND an opportunity to bring hope to a whole new group of friends. What if this weekend you invite a few friends over for a little watch party? I know our Single Purpose League gals are planning to! Just pull out some snacks, turn on I Gotta Ask and then chat about what you think after you watch. Episode 1 we’re talking about dating and episode 2 about finances, so there is PLENTY for you to chop up and talk about with your friends. Head to igottaask.com or thewonderproject.com to find all the details on how to watch and start a free 7 day trial. . . . . . Want to watch this episode? Watch on your Spotify App, or head on over to our YouTube Channel and be sure to like and subscribe! We have a Substack now! Find it at spirituallystronger.com. Sign up to receive the AFD Week In Review email and ask questions to future guests! . . . . . Thank you to our sponsors! Capstone Wellness: Learn more at capstonewellness.com/thatsoundsfun. Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/soundsfun⁠. Boll and Branch: Get 15% off your first order plus free shipping at BollAndBranch.com/thatsoundsfun with code thatsoundsfun. NYTimes bestselling Christian author, speaker, and host of popular Christian podcast, That Sounds Fun Podcast, Annie F. Downs shares with you some of her favorite things: new books, faith conversations, entertainers not to miss, and interviews with friends. #thatsoundsfunpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pastor Aaron Graham is the founder and lead pastor of a thriving, multicultural church in Washington, D.C. representing more than 80 nations, called The District Church, and he’s spent years helping people navigate faith and culture. He’s also the author of a brand new book called Unshakable Faith, where he talks about how to stand firm in what we believe, even when everything around us feels like it’s shifting. Today we’re unpacking a new spiritual rhythm-- confession. Aaron helps us rethink confession…not as something heavy or shame-filled, but as an invitation back into closeness with God. Join us over on spirituallystronger.com as well where we have a confession practice guide for you to use. This is just a simple download that will help you think through what may need to be brought into the light. And if you need a place to share what you’ve been struggling with and need someone to confess to, you can always send us an email at tellmemore@anniefdowns.com. We’d be honored to read them. Find the show notes here . . . . Have you heard the fun announcement?! Ya girl AFD has her own TV show!! I cannot believe I get to say that. Season 1 of my brand new talk show, I Gotta Ask, airs Thursday, May 28th on the Wonder Project which you can find through your Amazon Prime Video app. You may have heard of The Wonder Project because they’re the ones who brought you The House of David, and I am SO honored and honestly have ZERO CHILL that I get to partner with them to make this dream come true. We’ll of course make sure you know exactly how to find the show as soon as it’s released, there’s even a 7 day free trial for you, but for now, put a little reminder in your phone or put it your calendar, because the first 2 episodes of season 1 drop on Thursday, May 28th and I cannot wait to hear what you think. In every episode, I sit down with a group of friends, some experts in their fields, some thought leaders, and some just my real life people, and we talk about things like: Why is dating so hard in 2026? How do I build a business? What do I do with fear and anxiety? And so many more questions that I just had to ask. . . . . Eddie Kaufholz and I are hitting the road in May and June for The Buddies Tour and we want to see you there! We’re heading to 6 different cities and y’all this is going to be a night of just pure fun. Get your tickets at thebuddiestour.com. . . . . Thank you to our sponsors: BetterHelp: Sign up and get 10% off at BetterHelp.com/thatsoundsfun. OurPlace: Visit fromourplace.com/TSF and use code TSF for 10% off sitewide. Brodo: Head to Brodo.com/THATSOUNDSFUN for 20% off your first subscription order and use code THATSOUNDSFUN for an additional $10 off. Ritual: Save 25% on your first month at Ritual.com/THATSOUNDSFUN. Capstone Wellness: Learn more at capstonewellness.com/thatsoundsfun. Boll and Branch: Get 15% off your first order plus free shipping at BollAndBranch.com/thatsoundsfun with code thatsoundsfun. Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/soundsfun⁠. NYTimes bestselling Christian author, speaker, and host of popular Christian podcast, That Sounds Fun Podcast, Annie F. Downs shares with you some of her favorite things: new books, faith conversations, entertainers not to miss, and interviews with friends. Sign up to receive the AFD Week In Review email and ask questions to future guests! #thatsoundsfunpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are unpacking generosity with my friend, Jon Acuff. Jon is always equal parts hilarious, honest, and incredibly helpful, and today’s conversation is one I think you’re going to love. As we talk about generosity…we’re going to talk about what it practically looks like, how it changes us, and ways to be generous with more than just our money. Jon brings so much wisdom and practical perspective to this conversation. He also has a brand new book out called Procrastination Proof, so we get into that too—how to stop putting off the things that matter most, how to actually make progress, and why procrastination doesn’t have to run the show. We also have a Generosity Practice Guide available for you over today on spirituallystronger.com We want to make sure we’re not just talking about spiritual disciplines this year, but actually putting them into practice, so we’ve created this practice guide to give you some ideas. Typically our resources are available only to our Spiritually Stronger paid substack subscribers, but we wanted to give you a peek at what these guides are like because we have 3 more coming soon. So in the spirit of generosity, today it’s free ;) Just head over to spirituallystronger.com to download it. Find the show notes here . . . . Eddie Kaufholz and I are hitting the road in May and June for The Buddies Tour and we want to see you there! We’re heading to 6 different cities and y’all this is going to be a night of just pure fun. Get your tickets at thebuddiestour.com. . . . . Thank you to our sponsors: ELIC: You can learn more at elic.org/thatsoundsfun. CreaTone: Get started with 20% off your first order. Visit TONETODAY.com, promo code TSF. This show is sponsored by BetterHelp: Sign up and get 10% off at BetterHelp.com/thatsoundsfun. Capstone Wellness: Learn more at capstonewellness.com/thatsoundsfun. Boll and Branch: Get 15% off your first order plus free shipping at BollAndBranch.com/thatsoundsfun with code thatsoundsfun. Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/soundsfun⁠. NYTimes bestselling Christian author, speaker, and host of popular Christian podcast, That Sounds Fun Podcast, Annie F. Downs shares with you some of her favorite things: new books, faith conversations, entertainers not to miss, and interviews with friends. Sign up to receive the AFD Week In Review email and ask questions to future guests! #thatsoundsfunpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Holy Week Bible Reading: Monday Matthew 21:12-22 Mark 11:12-18 Luke 19:45-48 (Read in the English Standard Version) . . . . . #TSFHolyWeek #thatsoundsfunpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on the show, I get to talk with my friend, Rabbi Jason Sobel. You may remember him from episode 1022 when we had him here during Advent to talk about the connections between the Old Testament and the New Testament when it comes to Jesus’ birth. Immediately when we finished recording that episode, I told him he had to come back and talk to us during Lent to help us also talk through Jesus’ resurrection. He has served as a spiritual advisor for The Chosen since it started and y’all went nuts for his latest book, Transformed By the Messiah. ME TOO. Rabbi Jason is a Jewish man who believes Jesus is the Messiah, and the way he connects the dots between the Old Testament and the new is like watching the story of Jesus go from regular definition to full-on high definition. Next week, we won’t be airing any new Spiritually Stronger episodes, but we are going to air a daily Scripture reading for Holy Week. I’ll read through the stories from the Gospels that correlate with each day’s events during Holy Week. We’ve made a reading plan for you too that you can check off whether you prefer to read or listen along. You can find that at spirituallystronger.com! Find the show notes here . . . . Thank you to our sponsors! Boll and Branch: Get 15% off your first order plus free shipping at BollAndBranch.com/thatsoundsfun with code thatsoundsfun. Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/soundsfun⁠. Capstone Wellness: Learn more at capstonewellness.com/thatsoundsfun. NYTimes bestselling Christian author, speaker, and host of popular Christian podcast, That Sounds Fun Podcast, Annie F. Downs shares with you some of her favorite things: new books, faith conversations, entertainers not to miss, and interviews with friends. Sign up to receive the AFD Week In Review email and ask questions to future guests! #thatsoundsfunpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices