WHOA That's Good Podcast - When Self-Doubt Keeps You from Saying 'YES' to God | Sadie Robertson Huff & Annie F. Downs

Episode Date: August 3, 2022

This heartening conversation with Queen of Fun Annie F. Downs leads Sadie to share a deeply personal story about hearing God's voice and the amazing thing that happened when she obeyed. Annie and Sadie talk about how having fun can attract people to Jesus, how to start telling ourselves the truth about why we do what we do, and the key to being brave. Sadie reveals a recent epiphany about God's purpose for her, and Annie offers advice on how to let go of insecurity and be confident in what God is doing through you. Plus, Annie's story about a visit to Dairy Queen will have you thinking about your own God moments. "Chase the Fun: 100 Days to Discover Fun Right Where You Are" by Annie F. Downs is available now. - Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What's up fam welcome back to the world. That's good. Hi cats. Happy Wednesday everybody. Y'all we are one week away. Well one week maybe two weeks away I guess from our L.O. sister conference. I already broken to the conference merch and got my original sweatshirt on today because

I just couldn't wait. I'm so excited. I can't wait for all of you able to get there. It's gonna be awesome. But that's in two weeks, okay? We gotta talk about today. Today I have a super special friend on the podcast. She's a guest, but she's a friend.

She's almost becoming a regular on this podcast, and I'm so thankful because she is the queen of fun, and I love any time I get to have my good friend, Annie, down on the podcast. So Annie, thanks for coming back and we are just glad that the teacher of fun is back to Grace's with her presence. She is here.

Thank you for having me. Not to mention with a new devotional, Chase the fun. Come on, girl. Yes, it's so fun. I mean, listen, who gets to write debos about fun? Right? Like, let's go. That's true listen who gets to write debos about fun, right? Like let's go. Oh

This is working out It really is so fun to like talk to you and to see the books and stuff that you're writing and putting out all about fun Because okay, like it's fun, right? Obviously, but it's not a light message like it's a real message of like no like let's actually have Fun and what does fun mean and what does it look like. So we're going to talk about fun, but I just love it. It's so needed and it needs to be taught. And so, way to teach it, girl.

Thanks. And you know, part of the fun of it and a lot of our friends live this life too of like, we want to be out in the mainstream world attracting people to Jesus. And when people fall in love with the people of God, they will fall in love with God. I mean, that's just how it goes, right? And so we get to do these resources and these products that then these books that may not look as serious on the outside. I want it to look beautiful on Instagram. I want people to want to tick talk about it because I want the cover to attract someone who may not pick up a book

that is deep but this one will bridge them to that. So I love my seat, man. I love my leg. It is so fun. We're such a good, that is so who you are. You bridge the gap for so many people and that's a gift and that is a calling and I love it so much. I was an original prayer we used to pray so much when Ella started was that we would bridge the gap for people, for people who have never and would never even think about walking into a church building to those who are absolutely on the front row, praising the Lord as long as they can.

It's like how do we bridge the gap? And you know, we've been able to do that through podcasting and through books and everythings and you do the same thing and it's just awesome. So I think that one of the things that we get to do and all of our friends listening get to do is go what is my life? Yeah. Right? Like not everyone is a Bible teacher and not everyone is the person

who needs to be doing the mainstream work as a faith person. Like our buddy Tim Teebo, right? Tim and Jimmy are really in the mainstream world. Yeah. Right? They do a ton out there. Y'all do a ton out there in the mainstream world, right? They do a ton out there. Y'all do a ton out there in the mainstream world. Not everybody's called to that. And so figuring out your lane and going like,

Paul said to run the race, it's smart for me, right? And so it takes time before you go like, is talking about fun immature or is it my lane? Wow. It's like, oh, this is my lane. This is how God made me. Like this is something I get to do for the kingdom that's different than anybody else is doing.

I love that. Come on, girl. I'm so glad that you just went with that because I was about to botch a question. I was going to ask you. I was going to ask you a question. And I was like, literally thinking about how am I going to phrase this? And then you answered the question, I would have botched. So thank you. Right. What I was like literally thinking about how am I going to phrase this and then you answered the question I would have blocked so thank you right what I was

What this is a lot we I don't know professional five-caster so sometimes my questions don't come out smoothly But listen this is this is a thing I was literally gonna ask you because when people have already been on the podcast I don't always ask them what's the best piece of advice to've ever been given but sometimes I'll shape it or like to that person and As I'm sitting here, I'm like man, I could ask her about leadership and I could ask her about Writing but I could ask her about podcast. I mean, I could ask your advice for some way different things because you do you're teaching pastor I you like you do all these things and then you just throw out this piece of advice of know what your lane is and like That is literally it. That's it right there.

That is the piece of advice that I would want to learn from you. And that's what I see you live so beautifully is owning that. And you're right. So many people, they either compare themselves to someone else's lane wanting to be that person or they compare themselves in such a way that they're like, well, what is fun? It needs to be bigger, it needs to be deeper, it needs to be more thought out. But if everybody did that, we wouldn't have the message that everybody truly needs, which is, how do you have fun in a world that has obviously forgotten the art?

And so I just love it. That's great. I love how it and the book. It's important. It is important. And the book you actually talk about fun being a spiritual thing Talk to me. Talk to me about that. So let's let's just talk about the deeper level of what fun is Yeah, I think it I really enjoy talking about this particularly with you because you and I have run around this together

This concept but but there is this this feeling that fun is supposed to be Escapism but there's this feeling that fun is supposed to be escapism. Like it is fun. Like there are people who go like, well what's fun to me is just drinking until I don't remember. Right? Like I just wanna drink until I don't remember.

And that is actually escapism, that is not fun. And so we need to look at the behaviors we're doing, whatever it is, right? Like so I'll give you an Oreo example. And so we need to look at the behaviors we're doing, whatever it is, right? So I'll give you an Oreo example. I can go buy Oreos and have them in my house, and it can just be fun and release. And I can have two Oreos,

or I can go buy a box of Oreos, and what I'm actually doing is escaping from my life because I'm sad or I'm and what I'm actually doing is escaping from my life because I'm sad or I'm lonely or I'm frustrated and it is the same behavior with two different reasons, right? And so that's what we get to do with fun, the things we're doing that we think are fun as we say, why am I doing this? Yeah. I'm just doing this because I love being with my people.

I'm just doing this because I think it's fun to be outside. I'm just doing this because I've always wanted to travel to this country or I'm doing this because I'm trying to get away from feeling the blank. Okay. So fun is a spiritual thing because when you actually define why you're doing what you're doing, you actually have a run in with God. And you go, oh, oh, I'm doing this because I'm trying

to escape from that pain I feel at my job or in that relationship that just ended or whatever. And so you go like, oh, okay, God, I need to talk to you about this. I actually need to sit down and have this conversation with God that my counselor, Sadie, says a lot to me, said to me yesterday.

She said, I don't actually care so much about what you do. I care why you do it. Wow. Because I was going like, why do I keep struggling with this? And she was like, yeah, yeah, I want you to confess what you need to confess with me. But I mainly want to know why. What were you feeling? And so if we think of our fun, the things we do for fun,

and we go like, why am I doing that? Am I going to that concert because I love being with those people or am I going because I'm trying to impress somebody? Yeah. Right? And either way, honestly, say, it's not that one's right and one's wrong, it's just tell yourself the truth. At least tell yourself the truth about why you're doing

what you're doing. If you're drinking until you don't remember, just tell yourself why. Yeah. You eventually, that is enough of a, that will make you pump the brakes enough that you often stop the behavior that's actually bad for you. That is so good.

Wow, that is so good. I've never heard of that. It's just fun. We're talking about fun. I love it, and then it ends up stopping you. I love it, because I haven't really thought about that. It's like, the Oreo analogy was so great because yeah you can go get Oreos and one way it can be a really healthy

thing and it's fun. You eat too. That's just great. It's a good time. But then you you get or the goes in a different place of your life and it's actually just indulgence and then you're just trying to numb pain and then you're trying to control. I mean it's like whoa that is so true and I was actually thinking about this last night so so funny you said that so me and Christian we watch it we are like big rom-com people okay and like we love watching like cheesy TV shows it's kind of like our thing and it's like so funny because literally last night we turn on our show that we like to watch.

I won't say it, because you know, just whatever. It's just a cheesy, it's just a cheesy show. But we turn it on and Christian goes, all right, let's watch the show that we don't really like. And I was like, laughing, because I was like, it's so true. Like, we don't even really like this show and we love to watch it.

And I was thinking, why do we do this? And we do it, though, because it's so fun to us, because we don't like the show, but we, like, Christian imitates all the people, and we imitate the accents, and we laugh at each other, and that's fun, you know? And it's really not about the show. It's more just about, like, me and Christian,

as a couple, that's our thing we do before bed. Like, that's fun. And so it's true, but then there's other times in my life where I'm watching a show that I don't really care about and that's just to escape what I really need to do. And so like that, there's the difference of like why am I doing this? That's so good.

Because often a thing you can pay attention to in yourself when you're doing something that sounds fun to you is this time that I'm doing this, is it breeding connection or is it isolating me? That's good, that's a good distinction. So you and Christian watching these shows together, that's breeding connection, who cares if you hate it? I mean, you can watch Food Network

and like make fun of the recipes and not like anything, but it's breeding connection. And then when you're trying to procrastinate from something you meant to do, or all your friends have gone out and you feel left out, so you binge a TV show, you're breeding isolation.

Yeah. And that's not healthy. And so we go for what's, I mean, that's the trick about fun. Is I actually think, along with everything else, we make space for everything in our life that makes us healthy or happy.

And hopefully it's both. But sometimes it's not. And so if you wanna have fun, you've gotta put it on your calendar and treat it just like everything else that is part of a healthy life free. True, I love that. I love how you talk about, I like planning fun

because you even said like, even if you don't know what you're gonna do, just like put it on your calendar, Saturday I'm gonna have fun. And you actually talk about how, a lot of times you don't know what you're gonna do just like put on your calendar Saturday I'm gonna have fun and you actually talk about how a lot of times people don't have fun because they don't know what to do and so you said start with planning when you're gonna have fun and then plan what you're gonna do when you have a lot that is such good advice so say you're the person that's like okay I'm just gonna have fun Saturday like what okay, I'm just going to have fun

Saturday. Like, what is that actually look like to prepare to have fun, but not really know what that looks like yet? Yeah, so a lot of our friends, you and I share a lot of the same type of friends of people who are busy, people who are active, and people who have a lot going on, not everybody, but there's a bell curve, right? And so fitting that time in really matters. So I really just say start with 30 minutes. But you don't have to make it your whole Saturday because I was so intimidating.

That's intimidating. That's like, remember when we used to babysit, when you have a child now, so you don't babysit, but when we used to babysit, and you'd be like, oh my gosh, we played all the games that I've been here one time. And I've got four more hours, right? I mean, that could happen on a day if you tell yourself,

we've got to have fun all day. But if you say, hey, I'm 30 minutes on Saturday or 30 minutes on Sunday, I'm gonna do something fun. And then what ends up happening, you alluded to, what ends up happening is during the week when you're sitting with your roommates or when you're sitting with your family or sitting with your boyfriend or your husband

and you go, hey, Saturday afternoon, we've got a 30 minute window of fun. What are we gonna do? What sounds fun to you? That's good. Is the question. That's good, I like that. And what you start doing is you go like,

oh, here's what sounds fun to me. Here's what sounds fun to you. And if you will ask what sounds fun to you, and then kind of say why a couple of times, you get this real heart answer. And a lot of times it has to do with what people miss about their childhood.

Wow. And so you're learning something really innocent about each other, and then you try it on Saturday. You go, I, so for example, a friend of mine gave me a blow up kayak this summer, and because there's a bunch of girls who kayak together, and I was like, I would love to do that, and they gifted me an inflatable kayak. That's awesome. And so I've tried it once, and it was fine. And there, but you know what I did,

this was the surprise you'd all say, he could you know me so well. I like blew it up and I threw it in the water and I got it. And then I was like, well, I should have like tried it on land one time because now if I tip over, I'm swimming versus, and it was like, I had put too much air in it and I wasn't comfortable,

but then I was out in the middle of the lake and I couldn't fix it. So my first time of doing the thing that I thought't comfortable, but then I was out in the middle of the lake and I couldn't fix it. So my first time of doing the thing that I thought was fun, I liked it and I knew I wanted to make some adjustments. That's good. So this weekend, I'm making some adjustments and doing it a little bit different. And that's what we get to do if we will just put it on our calendar and inviting other people in, even if it's one friend, where you say, hey, I'm going to do something fun

on Saturday. I'm going to do it by myself because I've been with people all week. But will you help me brainstorm up what I should do with this 30 minutes? I mean, it's getting a coke icy, it's going on a walk, it's going to your favorite store and just perusing any of that.

You know, anything, it doesn't have to be big and expensive, it can be really simple. I love that. That just takes the pressure off because it's true. It's like, weirdly fun does add pressure sometimes because you don't know what to do.

I remember when Honey was, I mean, she had to have been maybe two months old. I mean, it was like eight weeks. She was not old at all. She was like, baby, like, all she does is, you know, spit up and eat and sleep in that stage. And I am kind of like a doer. Like, I'm like, let's go do something. Let's go hang out. Let's go. Oh, I go and I remember seeing the couch are there just holding her and literally Googled what to do with an eight week old

I'm like am I supposed to be doing something like can I make it more fun for her? Can we like bond like you know in some other way than just If I'm making her smart enough I need to to be reading. She should not be reading books, but she doesn't even, like, even though her eyes are closed, like, I'm like, what do I do? And I remember just, it was funny, because a lot of people had Googled stuff like this,

and it's really not a lot to do. I mean, it was just like little things, you know? Talk to them, you know? It was, get something that's black and white, and let them see it, you know? Let them see your face, and there's just no pressure in it. And I was like, okay, good, I actually don't have to go do something crazy.

It's not the time yet to go blow up a swimming pool. It's not the time yet to go by balloons or bubbles even. It's just the time to sit and to talk and to show our little shapes. And it took the pressure off. And I think that's a lot of the things of what you're talking about. It's like, sometimes you think, well, it should be more fun

because you're comparing your fun to what you see on social media, you're comparing your fun to what someone else's fun is instead of your fun just being simple. Your fun just being that. Okay, what do you think about this? So I think a lot of college students, especially, would say like, okay, sleep is fun, right?

Because you don't sleep. Or even people that travel a lot, like we do, the sleep is so fun, I just want to sleep. Do you think that is fun? Or do you think that's a necessity that we're depriving ourselves from? Is that like, is this something that should be our fun? Or is it something that we need to actually sleep?

Yeah, I mean, I think it can be both, right? Like, I think a nap on a picnic blanket out at a park for 30 minutes is like so fun for me. Like, it's like such a gift, you know? But when I think about, if I have the list of things that I can't live without, that I'm absolutely necessary for me to feel like the best version of Annie, it is sleep, it is food,

it is moving my body, it is community, and it is fun. I mean, that like, so to me, yes, that all is part of the same thing, but an interesting thing that, when you're talking about honey, that is along the lines with this, is I bet there are friends of ours who are listening, who they are in bed, and they've been in bed for a long time because they're depressed or they're anxious

or they are sick in some way, and they think, well, I can't have fun because I all I get to do is sleep. Yeah. Right? And one of the things you said that I just fit so beautifully into this, Sadie is when you said, she all you needed for honey was something black and white. Yeah.

Right? And so for any of our friends who wear sleep is the fun right now because it's all their body can do, all you need is something black and white. You don't need something in color, right? So just get a deck of cards and learn how to play a card game that you can do by yourself in your hands. Or just start cross stitching. Or just start doing something.

If you're able, if the reason you that sleep is your fun is because of mental health, can you get up and go on a 10 minute walk? Maybe not, maybe five, but to me, you said it beautifully, that's the black and white. That's great. That's the simple eight week old,

it doesn't have to be complicated, it can start with a five or 10 minute walk, it can start with cross stitching, it can start with playing cards, it can start with something so simple that has space to grow But if sleep is your ultimate fun right now, let's bring in something and eight and eight-week-old version of What else fun could be. I love that. That is so good. Yes

I know so many people that are speaking directly to you So get get the black and white get get the simple things out Yeah, and learn to have fun with those things. It's awesome. Okay, so I gotta tell you, you recently got to do something that I was like, oh my gosh, that is so cool.

You do a lot of things that I think are so cool, but you didn't interview with Joyce Meyer, which I think is so cool. She's so cool. She's so cool. She's so cool. I've never met her. I mean, that feels like our grandmother in the face, right?

It does. It does. I would be geeking out to talk to her just because I've listened to so many of her talks and she's a grandmother in the face. She really is. Okay, so y'all talked to me first of all just how was that was that cool yes so they her podcast there are three other hosts and

then they kind of zoom her in or zoom quotes of hers and so she wasn't actually there for me I mean I've met her but she wasn't there for me it was her voice was there but it's still unbelievable, because you're like, Joyce Meyers knows I am a person. Like, I'm sure why, why she is like Joyce Meyers. It's amazing, their team is incredible. She's one of the people that, that people like you and I, I feel like we should be able to go on

professional development field trips to her office and be like, how do y'all do this? Yes. Like, how can we impact? Because you and I both have this hope to make a massive impact with our lives, and that doesn't have to be numbers. Everyone listening wants to impact with their lives.

Absolutely. But she has figured out a way to let her resources and her gifting go a long way by empowering a lot of people. Yeah. And I'm like, teach me how, teach me how, joy, smile, but so her team is awesome. They're like so kind and so fun.

It was awesome. We really should do stuff like that, because even when you're like, oh yeah, she has three different people you talk to. I mean, like she's just organized something, so her team has like so like efficient. That's awesome. And everyone feels on mission.

That's true. That's true in y'all's office. It's true in my office to be like, we are so lucky that the people who work alongside the thing God has put in us, are like, yes, that is a mission. Exactly. And her whole team is like that.

It's awesome. That's when you get stuff done. It's when you have a team behind you, your team around you. And for those listening, you might be like, why don't you have a team? Your team is your community. Who are the people around you who are on the same mission in life as you? So I want to ask you because you all talked a lot about bravery and it made me

think about just your bravery in life. I mean, you've obviously had a lot of brave moves. You move literally from Atlanta to Nashville. I mean, you've had moves and stuff like that. But your bravery even start your podcast and start writing and start doing all your stuff because like so many people look at you and they're like, that's Annie Downs, like she's my favorite. I love her podcast, I love her books,

but like Annie Downs had to start it at some point too. Like you had to have a start. So, you know, take us back to when you started and just the bravery to believe in yourself and what God was doing. And you're just saying, I'm going to put this out there. Yes. I'm going to use Honey again in that it starts black and white, right?

It starts really small. And all of it, you know, like I wrote my first book as a, the first book that's called Perfectly Unique that came out 10 years ago, literally 10 years ago this month. And it's, I wrote it for a group of high school girls that were meeting in my living room once a week. And every week I just wrote them a lesson and they would come over and read it. And then at the end of the semester one of the girls said, hey, Annie, would you like print one more of these and staple it like a book so I can give it to one of my friends

and I was like, like a book. and staple it like a book so I can give it to one of my friends and I was like Like a book. Did I just write a book? I mean, that's literally I didn't start to write a book I started by serving my local church Right, and so everything starts small and that is good if you come and one of my fears for Some of our friends who are influencers right away because of, you know, their parents do something or they get discovered on TikTok, right? Like, part of me is afraid that they don't know what it's like for small beginnings. And small beginnings really matter. Now, what a lot of those people will tell you is, I used to make YouTube videos that nobody watches right or have this too. And so everybody's had a version of that. But so for me that's what the Courage of Tech is will you do the next right thing right?

Will you do the next little step and I'm sitting in it again at say that's the that's the reality that I want all of our friends to hear and you know that too like we make a decision here and we say yes to this and we start writing. And then we start podcasting because one person wanted me to interview them and I enjoyed it. And so then I called a bunch of my friends in Nashville and said, can I bring my microphone to your living?

Yeah. Right? And two times, I didn't record the conversation correctly and had to go back and redo it with the guests. Yeah. I mean, awful. That is awful. Luckily, the one time that happened to me

where I pressed the wrong button and didn't record it, it was the interview I did with my grandma. So it wasn't too detrimental. That's a true story. I said, uh, two mama. We have a problem. I hit the wrong button. Man, you know my famous story about two mamas.

She taught me how to tie a bow. And I have, every time I put a dress on that has any kind of bow on it, I'm always like, okay, what did two mamas tell me to do? You're wedding. It was at your wedding. She pretied the bow on my dress at your wedding. That is amazing. That is amazing. She's awesome.

That is so funny. She's amazing. That is so cool. So that's what it is. Is it small beginnings and being okay with that. And then what happens is the next beginning is a little bit bigger, but it's still smaller than what you're going to end up doing. And here I sit 10 years into my career, and I've just come off of three weeks

where I'm telling you the Lord said to me the most, wisdom and courage, wisdom and courage. And those have to go together. Like the way you and I wanna lead, and the way you and I wanna do ministry for the rest of our lives, and be in relationship with our friends on the other side of our work,

is with wisdom and courage. Cause you can be brave and not be and not be wise. You can say a lot of stuff that's really controversial and really push and you're not afraid of what people are going to say, but if it's not wise, it's a waste. And you can have wise words and not have the courage to actually say it. And so I want to be both, but that takes me being brave. Even a podcast I recorded today, I had to ask a couple of questions to the guests that were a little more challenging than I usually am because I needed her wisdom and I had to

be brave enough to ask. So it doesn't stop. That's the trick about courage. Is it doesn't stop asking you? It just says, okay, you know how your muscles were this strong? To lift that thing. There was 10 pounds. Here's the 15 pound version. Here's the 20 pound. I mean, you know how your muscles were this strong? To lift that thing, there was 10 pounds, here's the 15 pound version.

Here's the 20 pound, I mean, you know this, you know this in your work and in your life. Absolutely. Like it's one level of courage to marry Christian, it's another level of courage to have a kid. That's true, yeah. And you know, you don't, it just keeps growing. It's true and it really is like,

it's the same with working out, you grow muscles which you don't always see the process. You know, some people do. My husband, he does. He has big muscles, but sometimes you don't. Like, I work out too, and I don't, that doesn't happen to me like it happens to him, you know? But I know I'm getting stronger

because I'm lifting heavier weights. And it's the same in life. It's the same in ministry, it's the same with my family. It's the same with where all things. It's like the more you put into something, even if you cannot see the outcome, you are growing, you are getting stronger. And I love that wisdom and courage saying because you know what, it is actually very dangerous to be brave and to not be wise.

I was just thinking about that. That's actually very dangerous because think about it like this. If you're going to skydiving and you have all the bravery in the world to jump out the plane but you don't get the parachute because you're not wise enough to press, you're going die, you know, like that's just less the fact. And so to be fearless and to not have wisdom

is completely reckless, you know? But then again, to be wise and to not be brave I mean you can't you can't go what away. So anywhere So that is the bet. That is a great combination my Christian I we always pray words over honey and a lot of times the words would be contradicting like right now Like we pray that she would be sweet and strong which that might seem like a contradiction You know because a lot of people that are very strong are not very sweet, and vice versa. We pray that she would be confident and humble all the time. You know, these two things. And so I'm going to start praying that she would be wise and that she

would be courageous, because that is such a good combo of it. Man, this is good. This is good. I love talking to you. It just... Well, that's good. Well, that's good. See, this is what the podcast is called, that it just naturally comes up. It is. So, and I'll tell you for all of us, every single one of us that are you and I and all of our friends listening, everyone's on the internet. And if we can be wise and courageous on the internet, that's what's going to change the world. That's right. If we're just going to be using our social media to be brave, but not be wise, you are going to blow up your public life and your online world.

Whether you have 10 followers or 10 million followers. Yeah. And so, man, we've got to put them together. And actually what I'm doing right now in my like morning study in scripture is I'm trying to find where Bible characters were wise and courageous at the same time. That's cool.

That's cool. They had to put those together. That's what I'm looking for that right now. When are you doing this series? Because we are going to be listening. We're going to be a cross-point online. That's right. Who are you going to be listening to? You know how this goes?

We got to live it first and then we'll teach it. That's true. I'm still trying to learn to live it. Next year, send us the link. Next year. To the series, that's so good. I love it so much. When you, okay, so you write a book kind of accidentally

and you staple it together, you give it to the girl. When was it that you said, oh wow, like I'm actually an author. Like, did you have a moment where you like had this, like, you saw it for what it was, because you know what's crazy? This is, people are not gonna probably leave this, but this is true. You know what is crazy?

I have been doing what I'm doing for seven issues now, as far as like speaking and stuff, six maybe, six years. Yeah, six years. 19 was when I spoke for the first time really, I'm 25, six years. And okay, so we were just talking about how I started Six years. 19 was when I spoke for the first time really I'm 25 six years and Okay, so I just we were just talking about how I started the website six years ago kind of started a lot of stuff six years ago And what's crazy is that I've been speaking a lot since then I've been podcasting right and books all stuff

But it really didn't hit me that like oh, I'm like God Made me to do this until yeah this God made me to do this until this year at passion when I had COVID in the flu. And I watched my message be given to a room of 65,000 people. And I was weeping. And I was like, God put me on earth to do this. Like it was like, which you would think, say, how did you not have that before? And I'm sure I've had that before.

I've had moments of that before. But I've always had a lot of insecurity tied to that. Or even that false humility in the sense of saying, like, no, it's not about me. It's not about me. It's not just allowing me to say for a second. Actually, it's not about me, but it is what God's done at me. It is what God's created in me. And it is what He's called me to. And He's what He's walked with me to stay for a second. Actually, it's not about me, but it is what God's done at me. It is what God's created at me, and it is what He's called me to, and He's what He's walked with me to do. And I think

for so long, I just like didn't own that. And when I was watching Passion this year, it was such an out-of-body experience because I'm watching what God was doing through me, and set, because whenever I'm like on the stage, and I'm preaching out, no you it's like you're thinking about you're thinking about that moment you think about so much of what you're doing and then later you're like okay I hope you know God was able to just use that and whatever way he wanted to but in this moment I'm passionate I'm I have the flu of come out so I'm watching from afar and I'm like whoa like God's actually doing something through me like this is so powerful and it wasn't that I was like, whoa, like God's actually doing something through me. This is so powerful. And it wasn't, like I said, it wasn't

that it was the first time that I was like, oh, you know, God's coming to do something. It was just the first time that I saw what he was doing in my life. And I was like, whoa, okay, I need to be confident in what he's doing. And I can see that now, and now I'm just going to run and go for it.

And it felt just like a new chapter and maturity for me because it was like letting go of some of the insecurity, letting go of some of that. Did you have a moment for you where you like saw it? Like this is what God's doing in my life that you kind of owned it. Because I think for a long time you can be like, oh no, no, no, no, I'm not really an author, I'm not really this, but then it comes to a point where it's like,

no, you actually totally are. You know, like you put put out a couple books, you have a podcast, did you have a moment where you just kind of own what God was doing? Yeah, I mean, that is such a cool story, Sadie. I, and I think you're right, I read in a book this weekend that John Eldreddrow, and he says, God is most concerned with our maturity, right?

And so he lets us experience things that make our muscles stronger in a lot of ways and set us up for whatever's coming next. So part of me, like if we were sitting at lunch or something might be like, so why? Why did you need that? What do you think's coming?

Because whenever God gives me an Ebenezer stone moment like that, it usually means I need you to remember this so that when we are there, you won't forget, right? You won't forget that this is me, right? So I, you know, I think the one that's coming to my mind is the, when I first, I've done two legs of our, that sounds fun podcast tour. And we didn't know if it would work. We had never done anything like, you know, like we don't know if a live podcast recording works with my friends on the other side of work.

Like, we don't know if we had a standup comedian with us. Was he gonna be funny? I like talk at the beginning and then there's a comedian and then we do a thing called fun coaching and then we do a live podcast. And we were in Charlotte. And I remember I came off stage when it was over and I grabbed my manager by both her shoulders

and I was like, this is the most anything we've ever done. I was like, this is it, this is it. And so the reason that matters is because it was a new thing that I didn't know. And as we've kept doing it, there have been shows that have been just that great and there have been shows that have been really hard. I mean, I had to do one show with my grain the whole time.

So I'm like almost puking. When I am off stage, my head, I'm laid down on the ground when I'm off stage. And then they're like, you've got five minutes, and I was like, Jesus, Jesus, take the wheel, right? Like, we've got to do it right. Right there. And so I think like, Jesus, Jesus, take the wheel, right? Like, we've got to do it right. Right. And so I think there are times, like, so we're giving

two really interesting examples for people to bring into their own stories of like, sometimes when you start something new, God goes, yes, yes, yes, yes. Don't give up, pin this, pin this text from God, because you need to remember as you're starting something new that this is right and it will get hard and it will get easier and it will get bigger, but you gotta do it. And then there's other times like with you

where you're in the middle of it and God goes, new levels, I'm giving you new levels and I need you to see what everyone else sees. And it is, and so what a gift when he does that for us. Yes, because I think what it was for me, and he's like, you gotta stop being, you gotta stop doubting what I'm doing. Like, get on board with it.

Get on board this, ladies. It's like, get on board, which obviously I'm on board, like obviously I'm all in, but like, but talk like, like, but act like a talk like it, believe in it, and I think what it was for me, is like, okay, for instance, this week, this week, I'm with Louis and Shelley, who most of you guys know, they're leaders at Passion City Church.

I love Louis and Shelley. But like, I always will be like a little bit nervous around mentors in mind. You know, like, I'm not gonna tell them what I have going on. Like, they're to ask, and I'm gonna, I'm gonna underplay it. I'm gonna whatever. It's past week, I was with them, and I was like, I gotta show y'all my new L.O. worship stuff that we're working on.

And because this is something I'm really excited about. Now that's something I would have never said before, because I would have been too nervous. I would have been like, well, what if they don't think it's good or what if, well, all the excuses? But like, I know that something God's moving on I know that someone God's breathing in so I want to tell them no hear this like listen to this and what was so cool is They were so excited to listen to it and they're like say to you. This is incredible

That God is so in this and I think that's what it is. It's like say to you you like invite people in to see what God's doing, because it isn't about you. You're not even making it about it, because you can't even make it about you. You know, and so I think like for people who are listening to this, I know that this is an interesting example, because not everybody's gonna go speak in fashion. Not everyone's gonna do what that sounds fun can't.

But it's like, what is God doing in your life that you need to get on board with, that you need to stop being insecure about, stop trying to hide from people, but just own and let people see because people aren't seeing you, they're seeing God. People aren't seeing your weaknesses or seeing his strength. People aren't even seeing how good you are because you're seeing how good God is. You know, it's like, what is that for you?

And so I just love it. I mean, I should spend an interesting thing. I walked through this year. And I think for you, it's like, I was so interested in that for you because you do so much and you're so humble and you're so kind, but you also invite everybody in. That's really kind.

To see, like, you're like, no, this is good because this is God. I don't want you guys to be a part of this fun stuff. I want you guys to listen to this podcast because it's so good. You know, I think it's cool. Yeah, I mean, you're saying such an important thing because there are times where it is really easy

for all of us to say, I'm all in on Jesus. I'm all in on Jesus. I'll do what he says. I'll go where he tells me to, but it is another level of maturity and, and health to say, I am all in on how Jesus is using me. That's it, that's it. Cause for me, as you say, I'm all in on Jesus.

I just have not been all in on him using me. Cause I'm like, why me? But at the end of the day, it's like with Moses said, why me guy, he's like, I am who I am. It's not about you, it's I am the great I am. And so like I just always get stuck in that like I'm all in on you. I'm just on all it on me. I'll tell God I'll tell God all the time. I don't doubt you. I don't me. You know like I'm not stressed about you coming down stress about me coming through. I

100% like you're not the problem here, God. I am very sure of the problem here. It is me. You need to pick someone else. You need to pick somebody else because you're gonna do this right and I'm gonna screw this up somehow. So you better be sure. And what is consistently true about God is that he is like,

I am not worried about where you can mess things up because that is actually where God shines. That's beautiful. Is the cracks where we don't. And so let him let him let it. The last thing it was for me at Passion this year, it was being okay with God using me. It was saying, okay, God, I don't know why you chose me.

I really don't, but if you did in this way, here I am. I say yes, you know, I'll keep saying yes, and I'm okay with it, you know, and I love it I'm grateful for it. It's just cool. It's just so cool. I love what you said about how you know There was this moment where you said this is the most anything ever But then you had hard moments after that. That is so real. Here's the thing friends those who are listening. Just because it gets good doesn't mean it doesn't still become hard. There are so many... There's a challenge every day for for me. There's a challenge every day for everybody. There's a challenge no matter how how good your life looks and been through it so this other day. That it was so good. He said, there are some moments that I will go and I will preach and people will literally stand up,

get say it will be amazing. And there are some places I will will go and I will preach and people will literally stand up, get said, it'll be amazing. And there are some places I will go and speak. And I don't know if literally anybody heard a single word, as said. He said, but it's not about the outcome. It's really about the obedience is what I'm responsible for. And I thought that was so good.

It's like friends, whatever you're wanting to start, whatever you're wanting to go after, whatever you feel like, God created you're wanting to start, whatever you're wanting to go after, whatever you feel like, God created you to do this thing for. It's really not about what all you'll do, it's about will you obey? Will you say yes? Will you have the faith to believe him for it,

even when you can't see it? And you know, when you stapled those pages together and gave it to a girl, I mean, I can't imagine, you really thought that was gonna turn into a couple of books and, you know, come on, God. Can I tell you a ridiculous story about dairy queen real quick? I would love that, because I'd find myself there often. Thank you, I wish this was about Whole Foods,

but it's not, it's about dairy queen. But I went to dairy queen a couple of weeks ago, and there's this one in town on West End, if you remember, and you have to walk into it. And so I'm walking into it and I'm getting my Oreo blizzard and as I am ordering this girl walks in behind me and she's crying and she's by herself. And I ordered and I stepped to the side

and immediately this would happen with a lot of our friends listening. Immediately my god, radar goes up immediately my like God like radar goes up Like my Holy Spirit radar goes up of like oh, man. I was just trying to come to Dairy Queen And now there's like a ministry thing here, right? Like now there's a woman crying in the Dairy Queen And what am I gonna do and I was like nah, I'm just gonna walk out. I'm just gonna walk out She's not she didn't trying to get bothered by me if you're crying in a Dairy Queen. There's something going on, right? And and so I get my blizzard and she's ordering,

she's standing back and she's still teary. And I go to walk out and I mean, as sure as I'm sitting here, the Lord is like, go back. And I was like, oh man, I'm gonna be that girl who bothers this girl in the dairy queen. So I pretend like I'm going back for napkins and I go back and get my napkins and I walk over to her and I'm like, hey, my name's Annie, are you all right?

She's like, yeah, it's just, I'm really sweaty. I've just been working out. And I was like, okay, I mean, are you sure? Cause I like, we both ended up at dairy queen at the same time. So if there's anything you wanted to say or anything you need to talk about, she said, nope, I'm fine.

And I left. And I have no idea if I'll ever see, there's not like a great ending, right? Of like, and then she got saved. And then the next Sunday she was a church. And then she posted on Instagram, I have no idea whatever happened with her. But what I do know is that God gave me the opportunity to obey him and never know the results.

That's so good. Right? So I had to talk to the girl that was crying at the dairy queen. She may have just been working out, but listen, I'm 42 years old. I know what it looks like with some of my cries. She's crying. But you know, so what Ben Stewart said is so deeply true because that experience may have been for the girl crying at the dairy queen or it may have been for me to practice.

Can I obey God when it doesn't make sense and can I still believe it was obedience when I don't get a result that I thought I would get. That's so good. Right? And we just still do. Still talk to the crying girl at the dairy queen because one time it will make a difference in a way that you'll know. That's so good. And it's true because I think a lot of people even in that situation, they would go to downing if they really heard God. You know, it's like, well, maybe, you know, did I really hear you say that?

But like, you know you heard him say that. And it's like, you don't need her to have the response that you thought she would respond to for you to be a firm that that's really what God said to do. You know, it's like God's doing something that you can't see and whether that's in her or whether that's in you and trusting that that's enough. I mean, it's so true. I've had moments where I've gone and spoken and it's been great and it's been awesome and I've had moments where I've gone up to someone and tried to have a conversation and I didn't go anywhere and I was like, okay, you know, I had a very similar situation where a mom

really wanted me to go talk to her daughter. Like she was like, I just, she's going through a hard time. I really think you can, you can help her and I really believed I could too. And I was like, this is gonna be great. That conversation did not really go anywhere. You know, it just, no, it just didn't. You know, I mean, I tried and I taught, but she was just really setting her way. And she was choosing to go down the path she was going to go down. And there is really nothing I could do or anybody could do. I mean, literally she was going to have to allow herself to be convicted by the Lord. You know? And so it's like Ecclesiastes 11 talks about, I'll tell you about this a lot, how it's like, you know,

you don't know the ways that God's moving. This is a lot of paraphrasing, but you don't know the way that God's maybe it says, but continue to sow your seed in the morning and don't be idle with your hands in the evening. I quote that all the time, because it's so helpful to me. I don't know what God's doing in the situation. I don't know why I'm here. I don't know why you're responding like that, but I'm gonna sew my seed, you know?

And the evening I'm not gonna be out of the minutes. I don't have to see how it prospers. I don't have to know what happens, but like God, you're gonna do whatever you wanna do with that seed, you know? And that's just been so, that's been so huge for me. And such a good word. And it's so true about the dear queen thing too. It's like, hey, look, you know? And that's just been so huge for me. And such a good word. And it's so true about the dear Queen thing too. It's like, hey, look, you're so in your seed.

And God can move on. God wants to move in that. So good. And when we get to practice listening to him, right? Like one time he'll, we'll hear the whisper turn left instead of turn right. And it's because turning left saves our lives. That's true.

Right? And so he gives turning left stays our lives. That's true. Right. And so he gives us a lot of opportunities. He gives me a lot of opportunities. And I think you to I think this is a common thing he does for people who are listening to him. He gives us opportunities to practice hearing him when it's when it's not game time. You know, like just like a football team who runs the plays Monday through Thursday. So that Friday night under those Friday night lights, they can run the place. He lets us practice running the plays like that conversation you have with that girl. We run those plays on the practice field.

And sometimes you're like, is this a game or not? And he's like, done matter, run the play. I love that. And then sometimes you're like, I am in the game. I can tell I'm in the game. And so I'm glad I practiced. Because here's the thing that's so true. The girl that I went to and talked to about that

didn't do anywhere. But I've been in a very similar situation with another girl that I baptized at the end of the night in the bathtub at the house. So it's like, you gotta run the play. You don't know what's gonna happen, but you got that is so good. And it's so true about hearing the voice run the play. You don't know what's gonna happen, but you got that is so that's so good And it's so true about hearing the voice of the Lord like I heard the Lord say something to me recently and

I literally said that was like God no He basically I felt like the Lord was telling me This is just funny because my teammates are gonna listen to this but to wash wash my team's feet, like to get on my knees and wash their feet and teach them, teach them how to lead by serving. And literally when I heard that on the plane I was like, no God, I'm not doing that. I was like, I'm like, no. And it wasn't because I think their feet are stinky. It's not that.

It was just, I was like, that's gonna make everybody feel so awkward. Like, I just, I don't want to like that That's just I don't think so God and God kept saying wash your feet wash your feet and I was just like Man which ended up being something so much deeper in me that I needed to talk out with God about leadership and It's a personal conversation, but I being transparent with you enough to know that what happened as I did wash their feet and There is like not a dry eye in the room and we prayed over each other and a wash their feet and honestly I feel so connected to my team and so on mission with our team We are we are on mission together and you know what?

I'm so glad I heard his voice and I obeyed and I didn't leave it with God that would be awkward like just so you could have been like I'm not going to ask her why she's crying that could be weird but it's like you don't know what that leads to and sometimes it leads to those moments where you say I don't know what that was and

sometimes it leads to the most incredible moments of your life so man Annie I love it every time we talk it just is incredible to see where the conversation goes. I have one more quote for you from you that I feel like it's very relatable to this moment. It says, your feelings can ride, but they don't get to drive. And I'll just love that.

And I think that's true with listening to the voice of God. It's like, you can have those feelings of saying, like, yeah, this is awkward, or that's gonna feel weird. That's gonna be, you know, uncomfortable. But that doesn't get to drive what I'm actually gonna do. Cause at the end of the day, that has to bow to what I'm called to do, what the Lord call me to do. And so thanks for being just a great leader, a great friend,

a friend to so many people and the chief of fun. We sure do love having you on the podcast. Thanks, friend. I love getting to talk to you too. Every time I walk away better. So thank you. I love you so much. Love you! you