Photo credit- Annie Downs Twitter Profile Photo
I first heard of Annie reading one of her post on (in)courage. She was talking about her running to her comfort food (Nutella on a spoon) when she became frustrated with being alone. I could TOTALLY relate to conversation she had with God. Check out this excerpt from the post:
“I’m not hungry,” I say into the emptiness of my kitchen, “I’m just alone. And sad. And I’m about to eat this Nutella because something in my brain says that it will satisfy this hurt.”
Whoa.
My grip tightens on the spoon and I slowly close my eyes.
“God, You’re gonna have to be louder than this Nutella.”
I could so relate to her wanting that instant happiness but also struggling with reality that it wouldn’t permanently fix the problem. I knew we would have been kindred spirits if we ever meet. I quickly decided to purchase her book to read more of her work. And what a blessing Perfectly Unique was in my life. It made me pause and think about my body being God’s temple, how I can worship with my body and how to walk in a more Christ like manner. Lots of pearls of wisdom in the book. So when I decided to participate in Blog Angels I knew I wanted to be a blessing to Annie like she had been to me.
This is actually the first time I participated in Blog Angels. Like most things in my life I jumped in FEET FIRST off the high dive. They suggest you start off small first but not me. My first act of kindness was a post announcing a giveaway of 5 of her newly released book “Perfectly Unique”. I sent her a message to let her know that I wrote a post about the book. In return Annie was super nice to post it on her Facebook and Twitter page. It was SUPER COOL to see the outpouring I received with people requesting the book.
Several of the young ladies who received the books had a chance to listen to Annie at the Girls of Grace Conference so they were very excited to get the book. Each story was touching to read but the one that made me SMILE BIG came from a woman in Oklahoma who said she had been praying about getting the book for a week. She had bookmarked the book and looked at the cover daily but didn’t know how she could afford it. Here I am just trying to show Annie love while God wanted to answer a mother’s prayer in Oklahoma. Isn’t God AMAZING!
The other major thing I did as a Blog Angel was asking others to visit Annie’s blog when she was raffling off a Belle Chevre Cheesecake made out of goat cheese. I put out a call for the other Blog Angels to stop by her blog that day to enter a comment. It was extra cool to see so many angels writing comments on her blog. I LOVED IT!
And then the tragic events at Sandy Hook occurred and I was numb for a few days. It was time to write the half way post but I couldn’t find the words to write. Then I read Annie’s post and the words “Please, Jesus, come back” and it rocked my world. While others were trying to make sense of it all Annie was calling on Jesus to return so he could end all suffering. Annie is such an amazing woman of God who naturally points our focus back towards God.
You really should check out her blog (http://annieblogs.com/) and her book. I am pretty sure that you will fall in love with her just like I did. I know the purpose of the Blog Angel is for me to shower tons of love on my blogger but in my case I feel like I received more blessings than I gave.
Wow! I am so thankful to have hopped over here (I was a blog angel, too, this month!) to have discovered both you and Annie. I have just spent the last twenty minutes over at Annie Blogs being moved to laugh and cry by her stories and honest expression, sometimes both at the same time.
I also love that you hosted a giveaway with 5 copies of her book! Feet first all the way! And how neat that it was an answer to that woman’s prayer. What a gift it is for God to use us in all of our bumbling humanness to be Jesus to each other.
One of my personal hopes and dreams for 2013 is to get back into reading more; so I think I just may have to read her book. Thank you for introducing me to Annie, and I’m also thrilled to have “met” you here today.
Peace!
-Lauren
I am so glad you stopped by. The book is intended for teens and young adults but I found lots of helpful information in the book. One year I had a goal of reading 50 books in a year. I didn’t meet my goal but I learned the importance of always having a book with you. It is much easier to finish the books if it is always there
YOU CAN TOTALLY MAKE YOUR DREAM HAPPEN! Again thanks for stopping by Lauren 