Walking With Kids Through Grief, Good News in Sad Stories + Singleness in Church (Interview with Annie F. Downs)
The Intentional Parents Podcast
Intentional
5 • 1.4K Ratings
🗓️ 12 February 2025
⏱️ 63 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
This week, we welcomed author, speaker, fellow podcaster, and overall inspiring, vibrant and magnetic human Annie F. Downs to the show.
First, we highlighted the children’s book Annie co-wrote with her sister, ”Where Did TJ Go?”, which helps kids navigate grief and loss. The story was born from personal tragedy. After her sister’s family lost a baby, Annie wrote it for her nephew, Sam, to help him understand where his baby brother, TJ, had gone. What began as a heartfelt story for one child became a beautiful illustrated book that offers comfort to many.
Annie wrote the book her family needed at the time but couldn’t find — a visual story that kids can connect to, pointing them to heaven, while acknowledging the deep sorrow they feel here on earth. Our conversation was hopeful yet honest, embracing the tension of holding both joy and suffering at once. We found comfort in the truth that “there is good news even in sad stories.”
We also discussed singleness in the church, a topic Annie is passionate about through her work in the Single Purpose League as well as within her own personal life. She instilled wisdom on ways to bridge the gap between single people and married couples within the church, emphasizing the pressing need for increased communication across the board. While acknowledging the church’s shortcomings in embracing and empowering single people, Annie continually returns to grace.
It was an absolute joy to have Annie F. Downs on the show — and we have a feeling this won’t be our last conversation!
Materials + Resources Mentioned:
Where Did TJ Go? (Released February 18, 2025)
Pastoring Singles: A Free Resource for Church Leadership
Annie F. Downs: Website, That Sounds Fun Podcast, Books, Instagram
Scripture Mentioned: Romans 5:3-5, 1 Peter 1:6, Hebrews 11:6 + Hebrews 11:1
Marriage Retreat: SOLD OUT
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Grab a Copy of Our Book:
Raising Passionate Jesus Followers (Now available in audiobook!)
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | You're listening to the Intentional Parents podcast, brought to you by Intentional. |
| 0:06.3 | Intentional is all about spiritual formation in the family. |
| 0:09.9 | We desire to bring biblical hope and practical hope. |
| 0:13.5 | Enjoy this week's conversation. |
| 0:26.9 | All right, today on the show, we have Annie Downs. Elizabeth and I just got off a call. |
| 0:29.0 | That was just such an encouraging conversation. So good. Could have gone way longer. Way longer. Annie is an author. She's a speaker. She's a |
| 0:35.8 | podcaster. She's a lot of things, she's an |
| 0:39.5 | amazing human. And we just had the most lovely conversation. And you met her in a unique way. |
| 0:45.2 | There was like some fun overlap. Yeah, we, mom and I went to an event last February. And John Mark |
| 0:53.1 | just so happened to hear that we were there and he knew the people |
| 0:56.3 | putting it on. And so he said, hey, let me see if I can get you just some seats in like the |
| 1:01.9 | reserved seating area. And so we said, sure, let's go for it. And so I get this text from John Mark. |
| 1:08.4 | He says, I've got you guys seats. And my friend Danny is going to try to say hi to you guys and introduce you to some people. |
| 1:15.5 | And I'm thinking, well, that's amazing. |
| 1:17.1 | But like, I don't want to be like the weird sister that's like, I want to meet your friends. |
| 1:23.0 | You're not that worst sister. |
| 1:24.4 | But one thing led to another. |
| 1:25.3 | Annie reaches out and is like, I've got to meet you guys. |
| 1:28.2 | And she just took time out of, she was hosting this entire massive event and just took time to meet mom and I. |
| 1:34.5 | And I was just telling Brooke before we went to record this. |
| 1:38.3 | It's like she's so warm and inviting that you immediately feel like you've known her your whole life. |
| 1:43.5 | And I feel like even in this conversation that that came across and just the gift that she is to the world |
... |
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