Faith it 'til You Make it with Anna Golden

*This transcript was auto-generated*

Kim Gravel: Coming up on the Kim Gravel Show. You know, when I heard that it was in a time, I'm gonna get emotional. It was in a time in my life where I was really waiting on God. I can't tell you how poignant it is for today, too. What made you write that song?

Anna Golden: When I was younger, I really struggled with shame.

Kim Gravel: What's the one thing about men that simply baffles you?

Anna Golden: The audacity.

Opening Introduction: Let's just go on and spill the tea. This is The Kim Gravel Show. This is one of the realest persons I've ever met in my darn life. You gotta watch this. My mission is to encourage every single woman, we're here to lift y'all up. There's no one more effective than moms. You mess with the bull. You going to get the horns. I need coffee. I need Jesus and I need therapy. If you can bring a smile to people's faces, why would you not? We love our kids. We love our husbands. What a blessing. We're gonna dedicate this to you in finding your superpower. Okay girl. True confidence is knowing who you are and why you're here.

Kim Gravel: Hey y'all, Kim Gravel here, and we're in our new studio. I love it so much, but this season we are leveling up our lives. We are coming together. We are locking arms and we are doing this thing and we're doing it together this week. We're leveling up too. We're delving it up, Zac, because we're going to be talking about faith.

Oh now let me tell you something. You want to level up your life, put a little faith in it. And I always say, you know, people say, fake it till you make it. I say, faith it till you make it. There is something about having a strong faith that changes not only your perspective, but your trajectory in life.

It can move you to this place of, eh, mediocrity, to excitement, to success, and to peace, all in a matter of what you believe. And why you believe it. To me, my faith has Zac. It is the foundation of who I am. And in. You know, I, I've completely a thousand percent know that everybody doesn't believe like I believe in my faith, but I do think there is something for everyone in believing and having faith.

 So whatever that means to you and today, Zac, have you listened to Anna Golden songs?

Zac Miller: I started listening to Anna Golden because you loved her so much. And you just like. Introduced me to her and I just her music is intoxicating. It is intoxicating and I'm totally not one for worship music, but like She's got something that you just want to listen to.

Kim Gravel: It's a, it's a deep, it's a deep, it's a deepness. She's an old soul, but I want to tell you this, like she has this, this song and I want to play this when we come back from break. I want to play the song, the song changing me, in 2016, really. Did it change you, Kim? Oh, it did. Did it change you? I mean, I'm not trying to be corny.

But it really, it changed my perspective of the way, the way I was seeing my faith at the time. So when we come back, we're going to talk about faith and we're going to dig in a little bit to Anna Golden and her, singer songwriter gifts and calling, you know, because she is definitely walking her calling and you know what?

You gotta have faith, faith, faith. Uh huh. Right after this.

Are you stuck? Are you at a place where? You know, there's more for you. You don't know what that is. You don't even know if you've got the confidence to step out to even figure out what it is. If that is you, pick up Collecting Confidence, my new book. I'm telling you, if you, if you don't have a compass, if you don't have a true north, if you're saying, Kim, I don't know why I'm here and what I'm here for, but I know it's something, grab this book and read it.

It's a light. Easy read, but I'm telling you, it'll give you nuggets and, and reveal things about yourself that you didn't even know. It's not only just my story, it's our story. It's that story of struggle to find out what we're called to do and why we're here. Pick up the book and read it. Then let me know how you, you know, hit me up on email and social media and let me know what you thought about it.

But let me just tell you something. You have a calling, you have a purpose and you can walk in the confidence to fully embrace. That call. I love you guys. And remember, walk boldly in your collected confidence. Okay, everybody. I have, I'm a super fan of this young woman, Zac. Remember when you called me and said, do you know Anna Golden?

She wants to be on the show. People call. I'm like,

Oh my god, Anna Golden!

Zac Miller: Yeah, and you were immediately like, Yes! I want her on the show. Oh my gosh, she's such a huge fan.

Kim Gravel: Well, and you were kind of shocked because, you know, you were like you knew, you had heard her music and you didn't know that I was a super fan.

But, I fell in love with her In 2016, I'm going to tell you why here, but let me just give you a little brief introduction to her. She's from St. Louis. She's from St. Louis. She's a singer songwriter. She's a worship leader. She's, she might be one of our youngest, guests ever. And her new album is called Church and it was just released in August, but she's, she's recorded so much music.

She lives in Dallas where she's a worship leader at Shoreline City Church. We'll get into that. She started her own clothing line with her sister called the Dallas Club. She got to send me some stuff. Anna Golden. Welcome.

Anna Golden: I love that. Can I take that out of you a bit when she's everywhere? I want that every when I walk in a room.

Zac Miller: Right. Right.

Kim Gravel: Oh my gosh.

Anna Golden: I'm so happy to be here. Your introduction is just like blown me away. I'm kind of floored. It means that world to me 2016. That's crazy.

Kim Gravel: 2016. Okay, let me set it up for everybody because everybody knows that I'm such a strong woman of faith and You know, I love the Lord and I love worship music.

I love worship leaders. I've been in church my whole life. But Anna, there was a song that you came out with in 2016 and you know which one I'm going to tell you. Changing Me. Wow, that song y'all. And I wanna play a little bit of it. Can we play a little bit of it before we get into it? Sure. This is the song that really, and I wanna play it for everybody 'cause I want everybody to down 'cause it truly changed me in a moment in my life where I needed it.

Ah, Anna.

Anna Golden: This is like bringing me all the way back. This means so much to me.

Kim Gravel: Girl, listen to this first line, everybody, and go download this song. Waiting for you, and I'm not gonna move till you show up. Anna, when I heard that, it was in a time, I'm gonna get emotional. It was in a time in my life where I was really waiting on God.

Yeah. And girl, I can't tell you how... Poignant. It is for today to what, what, what, what made you write that song.

Anna Golden: Man, I am like digging into my archives. Now. I, this song was actually one that I had written by myself, which is super special. Cause I think the more that you get into things and you get to collaborate with people and do co writes and things, but I, I really, I think I wrote that when I was maybe 17, man, I am like digging into my archives.

Now I, this song was actually one that I had written. By myself, which is super special because I think the more that you get into things and you get to collaborate with people and do co writes and things, but I, I really, I think I wrote that when I was maybe 17, and it was the Lord. And I, it started with the bridge, which was the, how can I not be changed when your spirit's in this place?

How can I not be moved when you're all around me? And then I kind of took that back and was just sitting at the piano and I was like, man, there were so many times where I felt that where I was like, man, God, do you feel are you far away from me? And I would just sit down and i'm like i'm gonna wait I'm gonna wait until I can feel you because I know you're always so faithful too I think I love that about the character of God that When I was younger, I really struggled with shame I struggled with things that I did and I felt like they would separate me from the Lord I felt that way when I was if things that have happened, like he wouldn't come and he wouldn't show up, and there was this moment where the Lord was like, man, whenever I show up, it's never dependent on what you've done or what you did.

It's just because you were already bought in. I love you and I love communion with you. So I was like, you know, I'm just going to wait here and I'm going to sit until you show up. Cause I know that you do. Cause you're faithful that way. Even the amount of times I've stood you up, like you still wait and you still,

yeah, that was really, that was a big, big, big one for me, growing up and it means so much to me.

Kim Gravel: Well, it means so much to me, too, because I think, I think when you write music, and you might have to, you know, answer this for me, but I would think as a, as a songwriter, when you're writing these things, really, from your point of view, are you always blown away, Anna, how many, how it touches people right where they are, because where you were saying how you wrote that, sitting there, when, when you, when you sang the song, I'm not going to move till you show up, I was at a place where like, Dadgummit, I'm not moving.

You know, it was more of a like, I'm digging in, you're coming for me, and I'm not, you know, it was almost like a defiant, like, uh uh, I need more of you. What does it feel like when you have such an emo people have such an emotional reaction to your work?

Anna Golden: Man, it never gets, Common. I think that even with the release of this new record, it never, it's always going to floor me.

The fact that people have been able to respond the way that they do and connect to their stories. Because I always say that I feel like the Lord gives us our gifts and talents for us first. Kind of like how the body is designed to heal itself. And we have the, we have the mechanism in our body to be able to heal our skin when we get cut.

And I think that the Lord gives us our talents in our art. Especially as creatives, like as a way for us to heal first. So I feel like the Lord gives me songs for myself and then the way that he lets me release them and, and I see how it happens for others. It like is never not the most shocking thing.

And it also just makes you realize like. Man, everybody is so innately human and experiencing so many very same things. And we like can get in this place where like, I'm so misunderstood. I'm so alone when it's like, man, that's not the case at all. There's so many others who, are waiting on you to get that revelation too, so that they can be set free through that as well.

So it's like this whole like 360 that never does not floor me.

Kim Gravel: It forced me to because I think we're all the same in different ways. I mean, I'm sitting here like I'm probably, possibly 20, 30 years older than you, but isn't it funny how we're still connected? We're all the same in different ways. Okay.

So you said, you said earlier in your younger years that you struggled with shame, do you mind delving a little bit? Cause there's so many of us that carry burdens that we ain't don't have any business carrying.

Anna Golden: Totally. I mean, I think especially I grew up extremely sheltered. I grew up in church all my life and I kind of grew up, a bit under the doctrine of a lot of things were told to us, but a lot was not explained.

And then I think that I actually read this quote the other day, which was, which was. I don't know, kind of awakening to me. And it was like, rules without relationship leads to rebellion. And I think it also leads to a lot of shame based. Cause I wasn't the kind of kid that was like, I wanted to rebel out of what I knew.

I just was like, Oh, this is all I know. And if I do anything outside of that, I don't know where grace lies. And I think that I felt so privileged that the Lord came to me in such a way when I was like 14, 15, 16, I think, cause obviously like him knowing every. Facet of my life. And yeah,

Kim Gravel: I grew up in a church, you know, you knew all the rules, you knew all the goods, you know, every, you know,

Anna Golden: everything you shouldn't do.

And I think that obviously, like looking back is coming from a place of love people before me who, who do the things that they did, but I think that I didn't know how to handle all of that. I had such a level of perfectionism on my life that, I was like, I can't ever mess up or do anything. And then with the way that that flooded over to worship leading, it was like, man, Lord, if I have sinned and I've done something that I know you haven't asked me to do, and I'm standing on a stage asking for your presence to come, I just don't think you're going to show up.

Kim Gravel: Oh, oh, that's what he shows up the most.

Anna Golden: And that was like, and it really had to switch my mindset of man, there's nothing that I could do, say, no note that I could hit or sing that is actually going to make Holy Spirit flood the room. It's truly just that place of realizing, Hey Lord, I am broken. Would you let your Would you let your presence and your anointing fill in every gap that, that I have?

Kim Gravel: You know what, Anna, I love you saying that because, in, in this podcast and really my life's calling in, in work is to edify, to lift and to build. And I think we all have our callings. And you had mentioned that earlier when you allow him to use your gifts and talents, but isn't it funny that, that everything conspires against us walking in our purpose and our calling.

Do you feel, I mean, it feels like literally, and like, even to the point we use, we beat ourselves up. We don't even need the world. We don't need bullies. We don't need internet trolls, any of that. Cause we do beaten up of ourselves pretty good.

Anna Golden: There's nothing you can say to me that I probably haven't said to myself.

Kim Gravel: I know. And so everybody listening to this, Anna. Especially like, cause you're so, you're such, you're such a young person and such an old soul, first of all, I can tell. Second of all, Anybody listening out here that has daughters, you know, sons that are grandparents listening. What do we say to young people?

I know you get this question a lot, girl. What do we say to the young people who are feeding? Themselves, because as, as adults were doing it, but I can't even imagine your generation and younger living in this, in this world today.

Anna Golden: Man, I think like this is going to go, it's going to feel churchy, but I promise it's not, it's honestly getting into scripture and knowing what.

Kim Gravel: You know, I don't think it's churchy.

Anna Golden: You know, it's really knowing what the Lord says about you, if you actually take away what the gospel is and it's like, man, There was a holy man who died on a cross because he saw me as worthy of it.

I don't have time to be insecure.

Kim Gravel: But you know what, Anna? Being insecure, to me, I have learned as at 52, being insecure has helped me place my security in the proper. Totally. Totally. So our insecurity really is that need for security and you only find it in him.

Anna Golden: I love that moment when I go up on stage to lead worship because I'm like, everybody asks me, like, do you still get nervous?

I'm like, definitely. I'm like, there will never be a moment where I'm like, Lord, and I used to get so annoyed by it. I used to get so, I'm like, why haven't I conquered this? And I just felt like the Lord was like, never forget that you're dependent on me. Dependent. There should never be a time where I'm like, I'm going to kill this, I got it, because then that's in my own strength.

That's a scary place to be. I struggled with insecurities this morning.

Kim Gravel: Yeah.

Anna Golden: But it really is that driving force of like, I'm innately human, and every morning I'm going to wake up human.

Kim Gravel: And you know what, if you have, if anybody listening, right, if you have insecurities, I love what you said, Anna.

We're not alone. We have each other. We're all in that boat. And two, that's a really good place to be. It's a really good place to be.

Okay. I got to talk to you about this because, you know, I'm a fan, big fan of you. Everybody go follow Anna. I'm telling you download her music. Social media. Okay. So we all know, we all know that social media is prevalent and necessary. I'd say evil and a blessing all at the same time, but girl, you had a video that went viral.

10 million views with none other than the Selena Gomez, in 2020. Tell me how that went down. You and Selena look tight.

Anna Golden: Oh, man. That's just so sweet. I actually, at the beginning of quarantine, my sister was living with her and, my family was also in California. So we were kind of just all quarantining together.

 And Selena loves the Lord and she had heard the blessing and she was like, Hey, I would love to do a video like this. And then we kind of like, we'd worshiped with it and we filmed it before. And then we weren't sure if we were going to post or not. And then she ended up posting it. And I think it, it blessed so many people.

Cause I think it did. So many people, have seen that side of her necessarily, but it was. Super beautiful. And just like people being able to hear those songs and in such a, like a moment of like, what's going on to sing a song that's so comforting.

Kim Gravel: We needed it. We needed it, but, but you know what?

I love it because you and I are, you know, you're a worship leader and, you know, I do television. I say I'm in the world, but not of it. I say that all the time. And it's, it's one of those things where, You know, we all have our spot. We all have our calling. We all have our place. And it's out of that overflow of his love that that keeps us going.

All right. The new album. We got to talk about it. Yes. What inspired this new album, Church?

Anna Golden: Man. Honestly, I think I've I've talked about this story quite a bit and on my record before one of my songs been asked, I kind of go into this a little bit. I've been in full time ministry since I was 16. So now I'm 27 and we're looking at 11 years.

 I'm so young, but it's been most of my life. I grew up in church. I've always been in church, but working in church is different than being in church for anyone who's listening to this and it's like, hand up.

Kim Gravel: Yeah, I get it.

Anna Golden: It's a kind of seeing a bit behind the curtain and a little bit in the kitchen.

 And I think that. Over time, there are maybe some things that I carry that have been, you know, just not great notions about what I knew the church to be and then what I was experiencing in my everyday life and then what I know that the Lord says about it in scripture. And I think that it became like this disparage of like, Okay.

What is what? Lord, how do you feel about the church? I transitioned off of the church staff in 2020, and I kind of just looked at myself and was like, I've always loved your church, Lord. I've built my life around your church, but right now it is hurting me.

And what do, and what do I do with this? And I think that the Lord was so kind with me and, and I. Took weeks in counseling and, like did a retreat, got away for it. I'm like, I'm like, listen, do the work. It's hard to sometimes do it, but do the work. There's so many things that we can put a lot of how we feel on certain experiences. When I'm like, man, that started so much, so much earlier than we thought it did.

Kim Gravel: Let me ask you something, Anna, did it affect your mental health? Cause let me just say everybody watching church is church and it's full of people and people are flawed. So let's just get that on the table. That is, that is, it's, that is just hashtag truth. People are flawed. I'm flawed. You're flawed. Anna, Zac, we all have our issues, but mental health has been such a hot button.

 And I think, I think. For many reasons. And look, I'm not a counselor psychologist, but I know that to be true just from my own personal life and younger generations are so much more like your generation is so much more open to seek counseling and talk about it. I wonder why that is. Would you, would you give me your perspective on that?

Anna Golden: Man, I think that the awareness around it now is beautiful. Growing up, there was really no talk of, like, mental health. And, like I said, I was kind of in that sector of, like, pray it away. Which I believe in the power of prayer. I think that's Me too. I think that's the strongest thing we have here on earth.

 I also do believe in the power of talking. I think that there's a reason in scripture when the Lord said to confess your sins to one another, because that's actually not confessing your sins to one another is not actually getting right with God. But I think that there's so many things in scripture where the talks about mental, like, yeah, it's actually healing to get something outside of your body and to release it to someone else too, and to get a different perspective.

So, I think it's beautiful what's going on. I think there's still so much work to be done in that space. I am actually OCD, which is a mental illness called obsessive compulsive disorder, which basically like for those who don't know what that means, it's really just like my mind can go on loops and get stuck on things.

So when I was growing up and I was dealing with all this shame and it would put me in these like holes, I didn't understand like the way that my mind works or. the way that maybe like there were different practices and routines that could actually help with that. So I think now learning those practices, just how, like, if you find out you don't have one of the discs in your back, you'd go to the chiropractor, you'd get something figured out.

I think that we're now starting to see the mind just as important as the body because it is a part of, and there's things that we can help that, Figure those things out. So it's super beautiful that way. And it really helped me to a lot of my healing journey.

Kim Gravel: We have to do the work. We have to, we have to, you know, I, I, I have two children of two teenage boys and I just see them all the time.

Anna just struggling with, with where do I fit and what's my calling and what's my purpose. Can you, can you. Speak to as, as such a strong leader in your generation and such a brilliant songwriter and vocalist that has found her calling young, what a blessing. What would you say to someone, even, even at my age, that's still looking, why am I here?

And what should I be doing? Would you, do you have any advice?

Anna Golden: I love this question because this was something that my whole life. I feel like I constantly asked myself. And I say, Literally starting from the age of six because my family, we started in the entertainment industry, super young. So I felt like I've had a career since I was a little kid.

So I'm at every, at every angle. I'm like, am I in the will of God? Am I in the purpose of my life? Like what is this? Yes. And I think that the most beautiful thing to be reminded is like the call of God on anybody's life. It's in Christ. Jesus is Matthew 25 of man. When I was hungry, you gave me something to eat.

When I wasn't clothed, you gave me something to put on. When I was in prison, you visited me. The assignment on our life changes per season to season, like there could be a season where the Lord is like, you know what, I want you to be planted in church and not be traveling and, and leading worship, or it could be something completely different.

And I think that right now in our generation, and mine in particular, This desk, this, this desperation of where's my purpose is there's not a grounding in the difference between my call, my purpose, and then my assignment of what the season is, because if you find your identity and your trade and what you do, and then you go into a season of being a mom, you're like, man, I'm not in the call of God.

Kim Gravel: Who am I? Who am I?

Anna Golden: If I, if all my identity was leading worship on stage. And then in 10 years, I'm sitting down and have two babies and I'm like. I'm out of the will of God. And it's like, no, that you're something that's always going to change. The call of God is never going to change to be like Jesus, to be

Kim Gravel: that's it.

That's it. The call never changes, but the season you're in does, and it doesn't expire either. It's always, there's always a fresh wind. There's always a fresh wind, but it is per season. So I gotta, we got, you know, we have something in common, right? Something really big in common. Okay, is that we both have clothing lines.

Tell me about your club. I mean, let's just talk about the Dallas club here.

Anna Golden: So my sister had this idea because we both moved to Dallas and she was like, what if we did like a Dallas based apparel line for people here? And we made it. Like we pulled on all

the roots of Dallas, which is like what, when people think of like Dallas for worth, they always think of like country and Western and cowboy, yes, all the things, pageants, all the things that exactly, but in taking that and putting it also with some street wear with some more, because Dallas has now become like a metro area with a lot of professionals and all these things.

So kind of having a brand. That matches both together. And we have our next collection, which drops, very soon and we're doing a photo shoot with it tomorrow. So super excited about the cowboy collection, which is so fun. So we're doing like a modern twist on a lot of cowboy things.

Kim Gravel: I love it. So you're a singer, songwriter, worship leader, healer, you know, and now a clothing designer guys.

I'm telling you, this is it. You're in your season. Okay. Anna, before I let you go, I just want to tell you that. I love you. I'm praying for you. I'm a fan of you, and I'm proud of you and the young woman that you are. Wow. Thank you. Very proud. Oof. You're trying to make me cry before I get off. Yeah, because babe, big things are ahead of you.

You are definitely walking in your calling. That's why I wanted you on here because I want people to see that, that walking in what you're called and God given gifts are is not easy. And, and it's struggle. And if you don't have struggled in something, right, you got to check that. But I, I just, I absolutely adore you, your spirit, your kindness.

But before you leave, I do something every single time that you're going to have to do too. Okay. And this is called rapid fire. Now. I'm hoping that you're a little younger than some of our other guests, that you will understand what the word rapid fire is.

Anna Golden: I'm going to go as quick as I possibly can.

Zac Miller: No judgment, Anna, just whatever.

Kim Gravel: No I have high hopes, Zac, I have high hopes.

Zac Miller: This is a safe space to say whatever comes out.

Kim Gravel: Okay, so I'm going to ask you a question. I don't want you to go. Ah, everybody thinks don't think just pop off at the mouth. Okay. Here we go. These could be great. Here we go. Okay. Here we go. What is the top of your bucket list?

Anna Golden: Uh, swimming with sharks.

Kim Gravel: See? That's a good one. What's the ideal way to spend 30 minutes?

Anna Golden: Uh, listening to music.

Kim Gravel: Yes. In a man, smarts or looks?

Anna Golden: Smarts.

Kim Gravel: See, I'm going for looks. In my age, I'm going for looks. I think this is where I put up a picture. We gotta go on it. We gotta go real, bae. This is where I put up a picture of Travis and just let the audience decide. We're going for love, we're going for love.

Let us decide. And we're not saying anything else about that. We're moving on. Here we go. What's the one thing about men that simply baffles you?

Anna Golden: The audacity.

Zac Miller: What does that even mean?

Kim Gravel: Hold on. I don't know, she has to explain. Oh, Anna. No, you've got to explain that one.

Anna Golden: So often, if men have nothing else, they have the audacity.

Zac Miller: I buy that.

Kim Gravel: That's true girl.

Anna Golden: I'm literally just like what is the audacity to do so many things.

I'm like, wow, this is crazy Well, it's like good for you.

Kim Gravel: Yeah for you. Um we could have a whole podcast on that. So we're gonna move on what is what? What are you most looking forward to right now?

Anna Golden: Oh, man, I am leaving to go see some friends this weekend.

I'm very excited about that right now, in this moment.

Kim Gravel: Where are you going?

Anna Golden: I'm going to Atlanta, and then I'm going to, Vegas. My friends have a church out there. Their names are Jay Ben and Shannon Chavez, and they're like the absolute, like, best people. We're doing their service.

Kim Gravel: Oh, my gosh! So fun.

You're, you're coming through the ATL. You should give me a holler. So what is the one thing you wouldn't, wouldn't do for a million dollars?

Anna Golden: Probably so many things. I mean, I feel like, what wouldn't I do is the better question.

Kim Gravel: What wouldn't you do for a million dollars?

Anna Golden: This is funny. Probably get married to someone.

I was I was engaged to a very wealthy man.

Kim Gravel: Hey, he must not have been he must not have been that smart He must have had looks and no money and no smarts. That's all i'm gonna say about that That's all I'm gonna say. Look, let me tell you something. Let me give you a piece of advice, Miss Anna. Before you get married, you just better get right with God and pray, because it's the hardest work.

It's most rewarding, but marriage ain't easy. People think, oh, just get married and be in love. We're gonna have five kids. It's gonna be great. Let me tell you something. Look at my face. Here's my answer to that. Okay, here we go. What, okay, well let me ask you this then. What would you do for a million dollars?

There we go.

Anna Golden: What would I do for a million dollars? Probably do like a fear factor kind of show.

Kim Gravel: Uh huh. Would you like eat like crickets or bugs or? Laying, like snakes could slither all over you, do that?

Anna Golden: I'm so competitive with things like that, I just black out, so I would do that. I'd probably do that for the sheer, I'd probably do that for the sheer prize of just knowing I won.

As in, as horrible as that is.

Kim Gravel: Oh my god. I love it.

Zac Miller: No million dollars needed. We should do a reality show with Anna where we just make her do stuff.

Kim Gravel: No, if the apocalypse happens, I'm looking up Anna. Thank you for saying that. I'd like to believe that I thrive in that. Okay. You and I tag team girl. We will.

Okay. What movie do you just sit down and watch when it's on TV? Like you don't even miss it. It's just like, and you've seen it a million times,

Anna Golden: Runaway bride.

Kim Gravel: Oh my God. I just saw that the other day. Yeah, that's actually really good.

Anna Golden: I literally am convinced that Julia Roberts is one of the most beautiful people on the face of the earth.

Kim Gravel: I agree. I agree. Every movie she does. My best friend's wedding. Pretty woman. I mean, so anything, Julia Roberts, really anything, Julia Roberts, truly. Okay. What is the hardest thing you've ever had to say no to besides your fiance? What is the other thing you've ever had to say?

Anna Golden: Oh, man, that's so hard to say no to probably sweets.

Kim Gravel: Mmm, what's your favorite, my love?

Anna Golden: I think I'm currently on a fast with our church and I'm like, why is it the first thing that's coming to my mind? My favorite? Okay, I want to tell every person who's watching this. Tell me. There is an ice cream sandwich at Trader Joe's. It's like a cookie ice cream sandwich.

And I'm not even hyping it up. It's a little too good. It's like a little too good.

Kim Gravel: Why? I gotta go. I'll be back. No, shut up! Hold on! Is it chip witch worthy? Or is it better than chip witch? It's Do you remember chip witch?

Anna Golden: Yes. I would like to say that it's the best that I've ever had. And I like to be a connoisseur of these things.

It's two cookies in a With ice cream Vanilla ice cream in the middle. And it's like covered in chocolate chips where the ice cream is.

It's so good.

Kim Gravel: Okay. I feel a Trader Joe's run after this show is over.

Zac Miller: I feel a song. I feel like you could do a song about this sandwich.

Anna Golden: I know, honestly. I feel like that's what's up.

With it this fast, I feel like I could write a song about it.

Kim Gravel: Girl, when it's over, you're gonna get a whole box and eat six of them just sitting there. It's gonna be game over. And don't think I couldn't do it either. Don't, don't. Don't think I couldn't. I could sit and hit the whole box. Okay, Zac has to know this.

Has Selena Gomez spilled the tea about what is going to happen in the season of Only Murders in the Building?

Anna Golden: Oh, no. No. I'm such a fan of the show, I have to watch it how it comes.

Kim Gravel: Can you find out?

Anna Golden: I'm still watching.

Zac Miller: I want to know. I love that show so much.

Anna Golden: I'm watching season 3 right now.

I just got into it. And I'm like, Oh, it's so good. And they're adding so many people to the cast, like Meryl Streep. Oh, it's such a great show.

Kim Gravel: Okay, so if you ask her, tell her we want to know, ask her what, if you can, people are wanting to know, people want to know. Okay, what would you put on your mixtape?

Anna Golden: Ooh, probably some Drake.

Kim Gravel: Ooh, which one? Which one?

Anna Golden: Any of them honestly, his Take Care album is the best album. Okay. 1975.

Kim Gravel: I can't believe you know 1975, good girl.

Anna Golden: Oh, oh, yes. I love. Okay.

Kim Gravel: What about any of your any eighties music? Cause you know what? I didn't know.

Like my kids are 16. He, my kids and he's listening to eighties music. I heard him in there jamming to like Tony, Tony, Tony. I mean, I was like,

Anna Golden: no, especially like the punk era, like James now is very into like Joan Jett and all those things. And I'm like, what are you guys listening to James Brown. But. I don't know.

Wow. I feel like I, I love, I love good music. I always say that. Because people ask me what genre of music I like, what air you like, good music. I'm like, if it's good, it's good. So I mean, like from, like music that's more back then, like my dad was a classical guitar, so I grew up on like Carol King and like James Taylor.

Oh. And like you could just, you could just literally take me away with all of that. I'm like Joni Mitchell. Yeah, Fleetwood Mac.

Kim Gravel: Oh, Fleetwood Mac. I'm convinced that you are an old soul. Okay, your celebrity crush.

Anna Golden: Probably Paul Mescal. Which is like, he's like a little more niche. He was in that show, like, Normal People.

So cute. I think he's so cute.

Kim Gravel: I'm looking him up. Look him up. Okay. Do I know him? Hold on. Hold on. Look him up. Paul Mescal. I don't even know how to spell that last name. Okay, yeah, yeah, I know him. Oh, he is a cutie. He's very cute. He's nerd chic. Nerd chic. Okay, here we go. Say, okay, don't tell him I said it.

Zac Miller: That's what I am.

Kim Gravel: Zac, you are so nerd chic. Football or baseball?

Anna Golden: Baseball. Ooh, okay. I grew up in St. Louis. Well, technically, when I grew up, we had the Rams and the Cardinals, but I was always a baseball girl, for sure.

Kim Gravel: The food is better at the baseball field.

Anna Golden: Food's better. I, people who think baseball's boring to me, it's like, so interesting, because I'm like, football to me, I know I'm gonna get, like, I feel like I'm gonna get shot.

Football to me is very boring. I'm like, we pause the game every six seconds. No, it's not.

Kim Gravel: Wait a minute, Anna. The audacity of those guys.

Anna Golden: Oh. Oh, I'm in football nation right now.

Kim Gravel: I love it. Okay. Favorite junk food?

Anna Golden: Okay, Cheeto Puffs. The puffs. The puffs, and I put them in my mouth, and I just kind of suck on them, and they like, they deflate.

Cheeto Puffs and a Coke Zero from a 7 Eleven is game over.

Kim Gravel: Or a Coke Icy. Okay. Listen, clearly we are connected in music and in food. Here we go. Last question. What does your faith mean to you?

Anna Golden: Man, we're going from such a transition.

Kim Gravel: Chetto puffs, don't they go hand in hand, don't they? Go hand in hand.

Anna Golden: I love it. Man, I would say everything really.

I think that it's really just weaved into every part of my entire life. And I, I feel so like privileged that I've gotten to know the Lord through my entire life and that I got to borrow my parents faith when I was young to eventually kind of walk out my own. I, I look at the world that we're in today and I don't know how how I would be able to keep going if I didn't have this like blessed assurance this like Faith that's like man in any season or thrill.

I can be real in peace No matter what's going on outside of me like to know that I know the end of the story That like the enemy's been defeated and I get to walk in And I get to walk in like I'm a royalty. I'm part of a bloodline that's just conquered everything. So I, that's literally everything.

That's my answer to that question. It's everything.

Kim Gravel: Okay, everybody. Anna's new album is called Church and her website is AnnaGoldenOfficial.com. And you can follow her on social media. At Anna Golden Music, listen to her music and her message. Anna, when I tell you, sweetheart, I say this with, you know. the sisterhood here, okay? You're anointed, you're appointed, and you're blessing people with your gift. And I know it comes straight from God and never falter and never fail it. Look, everybody doesn't believe like you believe or we believe, but the encouragement and the, the spirit in which you deliver and live out your call, your God given call in your life, girl, that can't be denied.

I love you. I love you.

Anna Golden: I love you. You guys are like family now. We need to go get some ice cream sandwiches together.

Zac Miller: Wait. While you were doing all that, so Anna, me and Kim have this like weird sort of fascination, fascination with chat GPT and like all this generative AI stuff.

I had it write a gospel song about ice cream sandwiches. Just, just right now. And I'm gonna share, I'm gonna share my screen with you.

Anna Golden: Oh my gosh, this is fantastic! Honestly, this is so funny.

Kim Gravel: Read it, Anna! Read it!

Anna Golden: Oh, the gift of ice cream sandwich. A divine gift, so sweet. A taste of heaven, a grace we gladly greet. Cookies with angels and ice cream soap. You're in this frozen treasure. God's love doesn't door

Honestly, I feel that it's like that just ministered to me.

Kim Gravel: I love you my lord how many stands it's like a helm they got 14.

Zac Miller: Honestly, the bridge is pretty good to like,

Kim Gravel: read the bridge, read the bridge, read the bridge,

Anna Golden: Anna, in every layer. There's a message profound of joy and mercy. And each round is a reminder of a simple blessing to be fine. And the ice cream sandwiches love is intertwined.

Zac Miller: I mean, we're not going to make you sing it, but like, if you wanted to release this, just let us know.

Kim Gravel: We can do a collab. Me, you, and AI right?

Zac Miller: I told Kim at the beginning of this, before we started recording, like, any episode that she sings in, I'm into it, so I try to plant that seed.

Anna Golden: Oh my god. If I could secure, like, a Trader Joe's sponsorship. I'd sing any song they want me to sing.

Kim Gravel: We, listen, let's make that happen. Let's make that happen, Anna. Alright, girl, you gotta come back and be with us. I've already downloaded everything you've got. It's on... Oh, man. Y'all go download her music, Anna Golden Music.

Do it. You are golden, my love. Love you.

Anna Golden: Oh, love you. Thank you guys. Mm.

Kim Gravel: Ah, I told you. Isn't she fantastic?

Zac Miller: She is awesome. I, I know. I mean, she like, To me, her message is so powerful and she just like, she is her and she just puts it out there and she's not afraid to just go with it, right? She doesn't censor it.

Kim Gravel: Well, this is the thing. I love it because like, look, everybody doesn't believe like everybody else, right?

Right. And the beautiful thing about... Us as human beings is that we come together. We have more similarities than we do with so many things that unite us than that separate us. And I like how Anna, even though her experiences, you know, in her faith and in the church, you know, I've been challenging, which, hello, life is challenging.

There's, there's not any experience you're going to live, faith or not, that is not going to be You know, the human experience.

Zac Miller: And I liked what you said too, Kim, because it was like, you're just with people. Like this is just human. You're with any group of humans trying to work toward any goal, trying to do anything together.

It's going to be tough at times.

Kim Gravel: But this is, this is what I love about it because faith to me is, is not about. A relationship that you have with everybody else, or even a building or a church faith is a relationship you have with your maker with God. And to me, the healing that has to go on in our lives.

There's so many people that have been hurt. And pain is pain. I say this all the time. And if you were at home experiencing Let me say this. If you're listening to this right now and you're experiencing pain, whether it could be health, financial, you've been betrayed, you're going through divorce, you're having, you know, you're having to struggle with your children, you're trying to find a partner, you know, a mate in life, whatever you are going through, whatever that thing is, and listen, if you're human, You're going through, I always say, you're either heading into a storm, in the storm, or coming out of one.

That is the cycle. Whatever that is, is that not true?

Zac Miller: Or you have like three storms coming your way.

Kim Gravel: Or you are in a tornado. Okay, whatever it is, you gotta have faith. You gotta have some faith, because I promise you, if you do, you will come out on the other side better, stronger, and more empowered. And as Anna says, if you're a dude, you're gonna come out with a lot of audacity.

That was the best rapid fire question of all time. My goodness.

Zac Miller: And can I just say, like, you know, I'm Look, I'm Jewish, right? So, so it's like I come at it from a very different place. Sure. And, you know, I've never been that, like, frankly, that religious of a person. But I also feel this message of faith. And I feel a message of like, having faith in You know, myself, faith and community, faith in those around me.

And I think that is also really powerful. And I think that

Kim Gravel: well, and Anna, Anna, you know, she's had her bouts with her faith. You know what I'm saying? I don't think she's talking about a religiosity of it all. She is talking about that relationship and that faith and wherever you are in your faith. I hope this has encouraged you.

I hope you feel a little bit encouraged by this and challenged and, and, and, and hopeful. That it doesn't all fall on you. Your mistakes are not your messes. They're your message. Your insecurities are pointing you towards the security you can have in your faith. Right? There's so many different ways to look at it, but the most important thing I want to leave you with.

It's I'm going to Trader Joe's and I'm getting him ice cream sandwiches.

Zac Miller: So, Kim, I want you to take the show out and I want you to sing the ice cream sandwich song written by Chad GPT. Here we go, Kim.

Kim Gravel: Okay, let me think. So that, Oh, and I'm gonna do a country. I'm gonna do a country. Oh, the ice cream sandwich, a divine gift.

So sweet. A taste of heaven, a grace we gladly meet with cookies like angels and ice cream. So pure. In this frozen treasure, God's love endures.

Zac Miller: Yes! Yes. Yes. Wait, here we go. I need to do it. We need this. We need this so badly. Yes. There you go, Kim. What a way to take it out.

Kim Gravel: I love y'all. All right.

Till next time. I'm Kim.

Zac Miller: I'm Zac.

Kim Gravel: And we love y'all. Bye y'all.

Zac Miller: Bye.

Kim Gravel: Hey, Zac. I'm not hearing anything. You're not hearing that? I think Zac froze on us. Hold on.

Zac Miller: Oh, I froze on you.

Kim Gravel: See? The little gremlins are at work, Anna.

Zac Miller: Wait, I'm here.

Kim Gravel: My sister just sent me this. When you talk to mom, she is totally in a good mood, and as soon as you ask her for a favor, her voice changes.

It's like night and day, because Allisyn asks for a favor every single second. It's always like, hey girl! Can you?

The Kim Gravel Show is produced and edited by Zac Miller at Uncommon Audio. Our associate producer is Kathleen Grant, the Brunette Exec. Production help from Emily Bredin and Sara Noto.

Our cover art is designed by Sanaz Huber at Memarian Creative and Mike Kligerman Edits the show and a special thanks to the team at QVC. Head over to kimgravelshow.com and sign up for our mailing list. Again, we can't do this without you, so thank you for listening, and we love you.