You know I love to read, so there are so many authors whose books I enjoy reading.  It was hard to pick which author to start with.  So I decided to start with Annie Downs.

There are some people who just get you, you know.  Annie Downs is one of those people.  Her writing is honest and fresh and funny.  She has a way of talking about things that you wish you could talk about, and she somehow finds the words that just resonate within my being.  I don’t know how she does it.  She has a gift.  And really, who doesn’t deal with fear? Or trying to be brave?  Or trying to be confident?  Or feels like they aren’t enough at one time or another?

I think we can all relate to the stories in her books.  They are everything that good books should be.  Plus, they give hope.  Others have been there before.  We are not alone.  We can be brave, too.  We are enough.

Go.  Read her books.  Let me know what you think.

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Annie F. Downs admits she’s not exactly the bravest girl in the world. She still cries sometimes when she leaves her parents’ home in Georgia, she’s never jumped out of a plane, and she only rides roller coasters to impress boys. But Annie knows that courage resides inside each and every one of us, and she’s on a mission to triumph over her own fears while encouraging the reader to do the same. As a single young woman, writer, speaker, and blogger, Annie Downs shares her journey toward bravery with honesty and humor. Using wonderful stories from her own life, contemporary real-life examples, and fascinating historical and biblical references, Annie encourages readers to grab hold of the brave life that they desperately desire. How often does fear hold us back from the very things we most want to taste, touch, and experience? The call to be brave isn’t just for one person—it’s for everyone. Let’s All Be Brave is more than a book, it’s a battle cry. Annie challenges us to live boldly, she calls us to step into those places that require courage, and she gives us the help to take the next step forward—even when it’s scary. This non-fiction, essay-driven book opens the door to many different views of courage—nudging, encouraging, and inspiring readers to be brave whenever given the chance.

“I want you to take every step of your life with excitement for where you are headed. And I want you to feel beautiful and confident as you do.” But how? When the enemy whispers lies that we are not smart enough, pretty enough, or rich enough? Or are you too dumb, too loud, too quiet, too thin, too fat, too much or not enough? What if you don’t have what it takes to be who you really want to be?” In “Looking for Lovely,” Annie F. Downs shares personal stories, biblical truth, and examples of how others have courageously walked the path God paved for their lives by remembering all God had done, loving what was right in front of them, and seeing God in the everyday whether that be nature, friends, or the face they see in the mirror. Intensely personal, yet incredibly powerful, “Looking for Lovely” will spark transformative conversations and life changing patterns. No matter who you are and what path God has you on, we all need to remember the lovely, fight to finish, and find beautiful in our every day!”

(Images and description from Goodreads)

And if you like those, you’ll enjoy her blog and podcast, too.