Reality Check with Ann Downing...

Just thinking today of where I'd be right now if certain things hadn't happened when they did.  Do you ever have thoughts along the same line? In being honest here, I have to say that there are things I wish had played out differently.  I wish I'd said "yes" some of the times I said "no" and vice versa.  However, I stand today in His grace and mercy with His promise that all things can become new.  If I am faithful to seek His wisdom, and not lean to my own understanding, it can be as if all the former things never happened.

Over Easter, I visited with my family outside Atlanta. My first night there, my niece, Scarlett, found a restaurant listed in the phone book that she thought she’d seen.   She decided she’d like to try it for dinner.   I said, “ok, I’ll pull up the address on my phone, and it’ll get us there.” I found it… the GPS showed it 8 miles from the house.   In my mind, we need only drive two blocks to the main highway and keep going until we got to the restaurant.   I knew just about where the restaurant had to be. A couple of miles from the house, the little lady in the GPS started talking about turning left…..but based on the address of the restaurant, I knew we needed to continue straight.   I kept telling my bro-in-law Jimmy not to turn left.   She kept recalculating, and with every stop sign or light, the instructions were “turn left.” Since I was SURE where the restaurant was, we kept motoring straight.   You’re probably ahead of me.   To end this little story, w

As the committee and I plan another MIDDLE TENNESSEE WOMEN’S RETREAT, I find myself asking over and over again how I got to be the one He trusted with this venture...this great ministry for women. I can name dozens of women who would be good at this…women who have great leaders’ hearts for ministering to other women.   I’ve never felt I was very good at it, but once again, I find that He’s not looking for the most talented, the most gifted leader, the youngest, or the oldest.   It is true that He is always looking for the one willing to work with Him.   OBEDIENCE! I pray that I’ll be faithful in letting God’s Holy Spirit work through me in doing what’s needed to lead a huge undertaking such as MTWR.   Now I ask you, what is it that you are fearful of… that you feel He’s asking of you?   You may think of others who could do it better (He may not agree with you).   Can you believe in His call and His promise to be with you more than you dwell on all the reasons some

If you’re like me, you miss Dr. Billy Graham already. I find it deeply painful and sad that this wonderful man of God, who because of radio, television, word of mouth, and books, has been a part of my entire life, is no longer here to help guide us along the way. Praise God for the hope of a Heaven that welcomes those who have given their hearts and lives to Jesus Christ, their Savior. So, I can rejoice that Dr. Billy isn’t just gone from here…he’s arrived into that Heaven he so eloquently and personally preached about all his adult life.   I heard it said… “He really did believe the message of Jesus, and folks believed him when he told them how much God loved them.” My questions to myself, and perhaps to you, “Do people believe me when I talk about Jesus? Do they believe I really know WHO I’m talking about?” This is just one of hundreds of examples dear Billy Graham left us to think on as we interact with our brothers and sisters all over the world. Do they believe we really do k

Sometimes I like to eat at Waffle House, especially in the evenings.   Of course there are Waffle Houses on about every corner in a big part of the United States, and that’s true around where I live. Recently, my Wednesday night Bible Study/Prayer Meeting leader challenged us to be conscious of trying to be an encourager to those we bump into in the everyday world.    He suggested that we do what we can to “value them”…say something that can brighten up their day, give them a reminder that they really do matter.   Last week, the opportunity presented itself.   You guessed it, at Waffle House.   I love the way they scramble eggs!   Karissa and I commented to each other how good they were this particular night.   I looked up and saw that the cook was looking over our way. I pointed to my plate and gave him a thumbs up, with a smile on my face…then said out loud, “These are great scrambled eggs.”   He broke into the widest grin I think I’ve ever seen.   And for the remainder of our

And just like that, it's February!  Only two weeks until Valentine's Day, and Groundhog Day is tomorrow!  Please don't flog me for saying that I really do enjoy cold winters like what we've experienced a taste of this year.  Maybe it's because I'm not a fashion guru, and I'm a big fan of fleece and sweats.  Somehow, to me, it's just easier.  When you stop and think about it, though, that's really part of God's creation that makes life fun. God created us all differently... individually.  We each have our own likes and dislikes.  Our tastebuds experience foods differently; that's why I like molasses while you may not.  Our DNA, though sharing some similarities, has as many or more dis-similarities that make you... well, you... and make me... me. In all the conversation of 2018, I want to caution us to take a careful look at the reasons we do the things we do, believe what we believe, dress the way we dress, even like what we like.  I