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Three years ago, I started writing a book. Well, I started thinking about a book as I walked the streets of New York City. Before I knew the book, I knew the title. Before I knew the words on the page, I saw the cover.

In 20 years of writing, over 15 books and printed resources, I have NEVER seen the cover in my mind before it existed. But standing in the @metmuseum in November 2023, I saw it in my mind. I went home and I drew it on canva. I handed it over to the publisher- “I’ll send you the book at some point, but here’s this cover. THIS is the cover.” (Swipe to see- clearly I’m an *artist*! 😆)

And now you can see how the cover designer took my vision and made the perfect cover that tells the whole story of what you’ll find in the book.

That has been this whole process with Don’t Let That Hold You Back- once I got going, I knew the whole thing. I knew what I wanted to tell you and I knew now was the time to share this particular story. And it exists behind this incredible cover.

Don’t Let That Hold You Back releases on September 15th, but because the cover is all over the internet 😂 and because other people and places are about to announce it too, I wanted to show you the cover first, my friends, and tell y’all how this cover came to be.

This is the book I had to walk around New York City to find. This is the life I had to live 45 years to find. This is what is about to find you- real hope that you won’t be held back anymore. 💛

(You are welcome to go ahead and pre-order the book from anywhere you can find it- we’ve linked a bunch of places on dontletthatholdyouback.com!)

Three years ago, I started writing a book. Well, I started thinking about a book as I walked the streets of New York City. Before I knew the book, I knew the title. Before I knew the words on the page, I saw the cover.

In 20 years of writing, over 15 books and printed resources, I have NEVER seen the cover in my mind before it existed. But standing in the @metmuseum in November 2023, I saw it in my mind. I went home and I drew it on canva. I handed it over to the publisher- “I’ll send you the book at some point, but here’s this cover. THIS is the cover.” (Swipe to see- clearly I’m an *artist*! 😆)

And now you can see how the cover designer took my vision and made the perfect cover that tells the whole story of what you’ll find in the book.

That has been this whole process with Don’t Let That Hold You Back- once I got going, I knew the whole thing. I knew what I wanted to tell you and I knew now was the time to share this particular story. And it exists behind this incredible cover.

Don’t Let That Hold You Back releases on September 15th, but because the cover is all over the internet 😂 and because other people and places are about to announce it too, I wanted to show you the cover first, my friends, and tell y’all how this cover came to be.

This is the book I had to walk around New York City to find. This is the life I had to live 45 years to find. This is what is about to find you- real hope that you won’t be held back anymore. 💛

(You are welcome to go ahead and pre-order the book from anywhere you can find it- we’ve linked a bunch of places on dontletthatholdyouback.com!)

🚨IT IS HAPPENING! CUE THE CONFETTI!🚨

@edwardoreddie and I are coming to you this summer and it is time to get all our buddies in a room and have a blast! We did a real photo shoot and everything! 😂

Here’s why to expect (but also you know us- who knows what will actually happen each night):
• hot takes on random topics
• at least 7 minutes of serious, but probably more, and some convos about HOPE because the world is hard right now
• special guests? Maybe?!? Probably?
• a DJ to get the whole party started!
• laughs upon laughs upon laughs
• every show will be different
• no shows will be live streamed or recorded
• I will take a joke too far
• Eddie will bring up some topic and we will publicly discuss whether we can actually talk about that live or not… then we’ll probably just do it.

It’s a fun evening that is hopefully a huge exhale for all of us. We need to hang out. Friendship helps.

Here’s the list of tour dates:
📍 05.15 — Keller (Fort Worth), TX
📍 05.16 — Colorado Springs, CO
📍 06.05 — Orlando, FL
📍 06.07 — Charlotte, NC
📍 06.12 — Trussville (Birmingham), AL
📍 06.13 — Nashville, TN

Tickets go on sale FRIDAY but there’s lots of details at thebuddiestour.com! So start the group texts and make the plans and listen to @thatsoundsfunpodcast on Thursday to get access to a pre-sale! 😏

Coming tomorrow… a new season, a new theme, a new purpose on @thatsoundsfunpodcast.

How many times do you think Waffles’ name comes up during the Buddies Tour? Guess you’re going to have to join us to find out! Are you coming out?!

📍 06.05 — Orlando, FL
📍 06.07 — Charlotte, NC
📍 06.12 — Trussville (Birmingham), AL
📍 06.13 — Nashville, TN

www.thebuddiestour.com

The floors of our dreams!

So thankful to @flooringmetronashville for taking my call when I said, “ummmmm thank you so much for the new floors after my ceiling collapsed and ruined them… and I’m sure this light brown kinda orange stain we picked out is lovely in many homes buttttt we kinda hate the color so can we pay you to come back and make them Jacobean again?”

And they did. Thanks be to God and this amazing team.

112 days after the burst pipe, we are one solid afternoon of work away from putting my house back together and being allllll the way done with renovations. Phew. 😮‍💨

The day the pipe burst, I felt the Lord whisper, “I’m going to teach you about HOME.” And over the last 112 days, He has. My safety is not in a house that I treat like an emotional fortress, God is my fortress. Home is not just a place, home is now where @j.w.jaeger is.

For my whole adult life, particularly since I bought this house in 2018, I have made it my safest place. Those original definitions of “home” and “safety” are notuntrue, it’s just my understanding of those words is expanding as my heart expands.

And all that I have learned has been beautiful and also THANK GOD FOR THESE GORGEOUS DARK WOOD FLOORS AND CAN MY HOME PLZ GO BACK TO NORMAL NOW. 😂😂😂

A powerful word from Pastor @aarongrahamdc about the difference between guilt and shame and the lie that can twist our sense of worthiness.

Full conversation on episode 1060. Don’t skip this one.

Big questions. Real stories. Conversations that matter. ✨

Heartfelt conversations about relationships, faith, grief, purpose, fear, and everything in between. 🤍

I Gotta Ask with Annie F. Downs —
Exclusively on Wonder Project May 28th, 2026.

My friend Pastor @aarongrahamdc and I have a FASCINATING conversation today about confession on @thatsoundsfunpodcast. As I wrote in my blog post on SpirituallyStronger.com, I thought I knew exactly what Pastor Aaron was gonna say about how we confess to God in order to be spiritually stronger.

NOPE.

He really surprised me. And changed my posture on confession. @thatsoundsfunpodcast Episode 1060 is an excellent listen and most likely a 🚨NOTE TAKING EPISODE🚨.

Don’t miss @aarongrahamdc’s new book Unshakable Faith- it was so helpful to me.

Can’t wait to hear your thoughts on this episode! Phew. 😮‍💨

My friend Pastor @aarongrahamdc and I have a FASCINATING conversation today about confession on @thatsoundsfunpodcast. As I wrote in my blog post on SpirituallyStronger.com, I thought I knew exactly what Pastor Aaron was gonna say about how we confess to God in order to be spiritually stronger.

NOPE.

He really surprised me. And changed my posture on confession. @thatsoundsfunpodcast Episode 1060 is an excellent listen and most likely a 🚨NOTE TAKING EPISODE🚨.

Don’t miss @aarongrahamdc’s new book Unshakable Faith- it was so helpful to me.

Can’t wait to hear your thoughts on this episode! Phew. 😮‍💨

My friend Pastor @aarongrahamdc and I have a FASCINATING conversation today about confession on @thatsoundsfunpodcast. As I wrote in my blog post on SpirituallyStronger.com, I thought I knew exactly what Pastor Aaron was gonna say about how we confess to God in order to be spiritually stronger.

NOPE.

He really surprised me. And changed my posture on confession. @thatsoundsfunpodcast Episode 1060 is an excellent listen and most likely a 🚨NOTE TAKING EPISODE🚨.

Don’t miss @aarongrahamdc’s new book Unshakable Faith- it was so helpful to me.

Can’t wait to hear your thoughts on this episode! Phew. 😮‍💨

My friend Pastor @aarongrahamdc and I have a FASCINATING conversation today about confession on @thatsoundsfunpodcast. As I wrote in my blog post on SpirituallyStronger.com, I thought I knew exactly what Pastor Aaron was gonna say about how we confess to God in order to be spiritually stronger.

NOPE.

He really surprised me. And changed my posture on confession. @thatsoundsfunpodcast Episode 1060 is an excellent listen and most likely a 🚨NOTE TAKING EPISODE🚨.

Don’t miss @aarongrahamdc’s new book Unshakable Faith- it was so helpful to me.

Can’t wait to hear your thoughts on this episode! Phew. 😮‍💨

My friend Pastor @aarongrahamdc and I have a FASCINATING conversation today about confession on @thatsoundsfunpodcast. As I wrote in my blog post on SpirituallyStronger.com, I thought I knew exactly what Pastor Aaron was gonna say about how we confess to God in order to be spiritually stronger.

NOPE.

He really surprised me. And changed my posture on confession. @thatsoundsfunpodcast Episode 1060 is an excellent listen and most likely a 🚨NOTE TAKING EPISODE🚨.

Don’t miss @aarongrahamdc’s new book Unshakable Faith- it was so helpful to me.

Can’t wait to hear your thoughts on this episode! Phew. 😮‍💨

My friend Pastor @aarongrahamdc and I have a FASCINATING conversation today about confession on @thatsoundsfunpodcast. As I wrote in my blog post on SpirituallyStronger.com, I thought I knew exactly what Pastor Aaron was gonna say about how we confess to God in order to be spiritually stronger.

NOPE.

He really surprised me. And changed my posture on confession. @thatsoundsfunpodcast Episode 1060 is an excellent listen and most likely a 🚨NOTE TAKING EPISODE🚨.

Don’t miss @aarongrahamdc’s new book Unshakable Faith- it was so helpful to me.

Can’t wait to hear your thoughts on this episode! Phew. 😮‍💨

My friend Pastor @aarongrahamdc and I have a FASCINATING conversation today about confession on @thatsoundsfunpodcast. As I wrote in my blog post on SpirituallyStronger.com, I thought I knew exactly what Pastor Aaron was gonna say about how we confess to God in order to be spiritually stronger.

NOPE.

He really surprised me. And changed my posture on confession. @thatsoundsfunpodcast Episode 1060 is an excellent listen and most likely a 🚨NOTE TAKING EPISODE🚨.

Don’t miss @aarongrahamdc’s new book Unshakable Faith- it was so helpful to me.

Can’t wait to hear your thoughts on this episode! Phew. 😮‍💨

A lot has changed over the years, but this crew and these friendships still feel the same.

Turkey Hat keeps growing, in size, in people (welcome @j.w.jaeger we stinkin love you), and in all the best ways. And honestly, we couldn’t be more thrilled.

Night one of the Annie and Eddie Keep Talking Tour was everything you want it to be and then some!

🦃 🎩

The Buddies Tour kicked off beautifully last night- a few hundred friends laughing together for a few hours. @edwardoreddie is a level of unhinged when we are live and aren’t recording that is a true delight. 😂

The @singlepurposeleague hang after the show was a total highlight to me. We had SNAX FOR DAYZ (Cheetos! Bless God!), LaCroix for each gal, @goodranchers beef sticks (thank you Good Ranchers!!) and just so many great conversations.

My favorite part of the after party was watching SPL gals who came to the event alone chatting together and making new friends. SPLers are uniquely gifted at helping everyone feel welcome, and I watched it for 30 minutes last night. It was the sweetest.

Listen. If you’re in @singlepurposeleague, don’t miss coming to these shows. Come alone. Bring a friend. Come with other SPLers. We’ve got a party just for you and I can only speak for one night, but so far, so great.

TheBuddiesTour.com

(And if you’re not single or in SPL, we still have a seat for you at The Buddies Tour! 😂 Thus is just an SPL appreciation post. We are in Colorado Springs tonight! Then Charlotte, Orlando, Birmingham, and Nashville!)

✨ Annie F. Downs is bringing her heartfelt, faith-filled conversations to TV with 'I Gotta Ask'—and it already feels like the comforting show we all need right now. 👉️ Swipe to read more!

#womansworld #anniefdowns #igottaaskanniefdowns

✨ Annie F. Downs is bringing her heartfelt, faith-filled conversations to TV with 'I Gotta Ask'—and it already feels like the comforting show we all need right now. 👉️ Swipe to read more!

#womansworld #anniefdowns #igottaaskanniefdowns

✨ Annie F. Downs is bringing her heartfelt, faith-filled conversations to TV with 'I Gotta Ask'—and it already feels like the comforting show we all need right now. 👉️ Swipe to read more!

#womansworld #anniefdowns #igottaaskanniefdowns

Wellllll…. Ya girl went and got herself a TV SHOW!

Starting May 28 (TWO WEEKS!!), you’ll be able to watch “I Gotta Ask with Annie F. Downs” — each episode is a roundtable conversation, with friends, celebrities, and coaches, helping us dig deeper into topics like fear, money, dating, grief, faith… you know, the easy stuff.

I think you’re gonna be blown away by the wisdom and humor of each episode.

Sooooo where’s the watch party happening for the first two episode of season 1 that will BOTH release on May 28?!? :)

I Gotta Ask with Annie F. Downs coming May 28th exclusively with a Wonder Project subscription on Prime Video.

(I promise between now and then, I will make SURE you know how to watch the show!! I will not let you miss this! It’s tooo fun and our guests are toooo good!)

#IGottaAskAnnieFDowns

In the words of all of us: WOWIE ZOWIE! 🤎

Wellllll…. Ya girl went and got herself a TV SHOW!

Starting May 28 (TWO WEEKS!!), you’ll be able to watch “I Gotta Ask with Annie F. Downs” — each episode is a roundtable conversation, with friends, celebrities, and coaches, helping us dig deeper into topics like fear, money, dating, grief, faith… you know, the easy stuff.

I think you’re gonna be blown away by the wisdom and humor of each episode.

Sooooo where’s the watch party happening for the first two episode of season 1 that will BOTH release on May 28?!? :)

I Gotta Ask with Annie F. Downs coming May 28th exclusively with a Wonder Project subscription on Prime Video.

(I promise between now and then, I will make SURE you know how to watch the show!! I will not let you miss this! It’s tooo fun and our guests are toooo good!)

#IGottaAskAnnieFDowns

In the words of all of us: WOWIE ZOWIE! 🤎