Here’s what we aren’t going to talk about: the fact that a handful of college students I deeply love are graduating in a few weeks and leaving Nashville.

I can’t. Someone mentioned it Sunday at the Vandy baseball game right before we took this picture and I was a puddle before the sentence was even done. So I had to dry it up for this framer. Crazy kidz.

In the last few weeks, one conversation has dominated all my time with college students: what is next. Whether it is graduation or summer plans, jobs or songwriting or finals or relationships, there is a light cloud of stress and worry floating over them all.

But for the five or six graduating seniors? It’s a big thing.

Last week, I was lucky enough to get my paws on a copy of The Catalyst Leader by Brad Lomenick and no kidding [I am totally not getting paid to say this], I feel like it speaks to exactly what these students are going through. Thanks to a lot of airplane time last weekend, I got to read the book and I can’t tell y’all how many times I thought, “oh, the boys need to read this.” or “yes, I’m giving this to her before she moves to DC.”

I emailed Brad and said, “Dude. I’m getting this book for every college senior on the globe.” To be fair, I’m actually not doing that because it would be expensive but I really think this book is that good and relevant.

Being in college ministry must be some tiny degree like being a parent- knowing you are meant to love them smack to pieces while also preparing to let them go and hope they leave well and lead well where they end up. It’s weird. But I am grateful for resources like this that make me feel like I’m giving my little birdies a parachute before pushing them out of the Nash-nest.

My plan is to take advantage of all this free jazz that is being offered because that is a lot of really great stuff to resource the students as they prepare to lead in the worlds they are entering. If you have any college graduates in your life, or young leaders, I cannot tell you how valuable I think The Catalyst Leader would be for them. I learned a ton reading it myself and look forward to talking about it with some friends who have read it.

Pray for those you love who are graduating this spring. Pray for those who do ministry to them too. My eyes are on the verge of tears now just thinking about my daily life without these seniors. When my sophomore small group graduates in two years?

Obviously I will lock them in my basement and never let them leave.

JUST KIDDING. Probably.

. . . . .

What’s the best advice you’d give brand new college graduates?

Not just any intern. My intern. THIS intern.

Yes. Connor is a girl of grace. Truly. [Duh I made him do that.]

As you may know from my social media, Connor has been interning for me this semester. I love having interns- it helps so much to have another human working with me at Downs Books Inc. He’s a dear friend and I totally love him and his family and well, he’ll explain why he interned, but it has been a total joy.

So a few weeks ago I asked y’all if anyone had any questions for Connor when it came to his internship. So he finally answered them. It’s my fault, I have just been working him to death, so this has been the first chance that he’s had to actually sit down and blog for ya. Hand in the air, I promise I did not alter his answers at all. He is legitimately this awesome and hilarious. Would I have any other type of intern? Absolutely not. I did make a few comments during the interview [you'll know it's me], but his words are all his words.

So without further ado….

Connor, introduce yourself.

Hello AnnieBloggers! I’m Connor, I’m 22, and I’m finishing my last semester as a senior at Vanderbilt. I play baseball sometimes, eat a lot, and have a Jack Russell Terrier named Jack. I also intern for THE @AnnieDowns, she’s awesome.

. . . . .

Stephanie asks….
Why would a boy want to intern for an author for teen girls?

Well before I was Annie’s intern, I was Annie’s friend. My friend Keenan and I got to know AnnieBlogs at CrossPoint in Nashville in January of 2012, and she’s been like a sister to us ever since. I’m graduating in May, and required only 5 hours of coursework this semester to satisfy all of my requirements, cool right? So Annie and I had this crazy idea that she would let me come pack her car full of books and make sure she doesn’t forget anything before she talks to all of her fans every weekend, and do it all for free! Gah I’m lucky. No but seriously, interning for Downs Books has been awesome. My goal was to get a better feel for how a small business is managed day to day, and Annie has really helped guide my understanding of how her biz works. I’m really lucky, it’s been a blast.

. . . . .

Adam asks….
If Annie could buy you one car, which car should she buy you to honor your internship?

Hello Adam! Have we met? Good question, maybe the three of us could sit down and convince her to do so? Have your people call my people (my cell) and we’ll talk. Instead of a car, I was thinking that maybe she could buy me a tandem bicycle that I could cruise around town with all of my buddies on. Talk about a ladykiller, right? I don’t know why anyone hasn’t thought of that before.

[This? I'm laughing. And researching where to buy a tandem bike because BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU ASK FOR, KID.]

. . . . .

Tonya asks…
What does an intern do?

I do inventory before and after events, make sure she doesn’t forget anything, pick up her mail from the PO Box, eat oatmeal and drink lots of coffee. When I get really lucky, I count all of her flower pins and organize them by color. It’s awesome.

[He also forgot to tell you that he was the driving force behind the Perfectly Unique notecards and helps keep merch in stock and organized, emails companies about sponsorship opportunities, makes the ladies at the bank all giggly and weird, fully handles the company when I am out of town, reminds me not to give books away all the time, and pretty much just makes sure we don't run out of money. So. He's an important dude in this company. Also, I make him scoop glitter into envelopes before we mail them. Because I think it is funny.]

. . . .

What’s the best part about interning?

Learning about how the business works has probably been the most interesting part. Have any of you ever watched someone write a book? It’s pretty cool. Become friends with an author and try it sometime.

[What Connor is failing to mention is that there were days during the writing of Speak Love when he would have to sit across the dining room table from me while I cried from stress or concern or any other plethora of emotions related to pouring your heart out into a word document. So, lucky him for realz.]

. . . . .

What’s the worst part?

Counting flower pins.

[This? I did not know.]

. . . . .

What’s your intern schedule?

Mondays and Thursday from 9-12. We usually spend about an hour each day talking about how we can change the world so more like 10-12. Rough life, huh?

[My friend Nichole accuses us of talking more than working BUT HOW COULD THAT BE TRUE OF ME? Fine, we do like to solve the world's problems a lot in the form of verbal communication. It happens. But so does lots and lots of work. Lots.]

. . . . .

So that’s Connor! I’m not not NOT going to get mushy and emotional in this post about how great he is- at this internship and at life- but trust me. I could.

If y’all have any more questions, don’t hesitate to ask! We’ve got a few weeks left of this work setup, so you may be able to squeeze another blog post outta him.

Sometimes God gives you this glimpse into who you want to be.

Do you know what I mean?

Maybe you’ve been pregnant and watched kids on a playground and it took your breath away because you knew that was your future 0r maybe you’ve wanted to be an actress and watching someone accept an Oscar make something inside of you catch fire.

It’s like you see someone and you think, “I see what she/he is doing and I know deep in my knower that is who I want to be.”

I was supposed to be at Passion 2013 this week with my small group girls. Because of some new developments with work [eep! more info soon!], I had to back out and instead, I’ve been watching online.

Yesterday afternoon, I watched Louie Giglio’s opening session. As it came to an end, he brought his lifelong best friend up on stage, Andy Stanley.

Then they begin to discuss an influential youth leader in their lives- the impact that leader had, how that leader had given them opportunities and put up with them when they were crazy teen dudes. You could hear the love in Louie’s voice and he even said that he and Andy loved this leader so much that they may cry.

I waited to see the guy they were talking about, wondering who he was, would I recognize him from Atlanta, so on and so forth.

And then? It was a woman.

And I immediately thought of this picture from last summer.

I have this dream in my life that I don’t ever really talk about very much, but I’ve always wanted sons. I really want sons. Like really really. I have always dreamed about being part of raising boys into Godly men. I mean, it’s one of those deep-in-my-heart dreams. Until I get married and have kids, this is the next best thing- investing in the young men that God places in the ministries where I volunteer. Even once I do have kids, this right here? These boys will always have a place in my heart.

So I cried [shocking no one] when I watched the Passion livestream because I saw my future. If I do my job now, THAT is my future.

You know this if you volunteer with kids, youth, or college- but you are just constantly planting seeds. Planting planting planting. And seed bears fruit, even if we never see it. But yesterday, I watched Louie and Andy and the woman that loved them when they were teenagers, and there she stood, 83 years old, seeing the fruit.

I’m not pushing any vocation on my boys- I don’t know where they will be in fifty years – when I’m 83 – but I know this. I will stand between them in 2063, proud of how they have lived, how they have loved, and who they have become.

I’m so grateful for that glimpse yesterday of the kind of woman I want to be and what it will look like for my dream to come true.

. . . . .

Where are you planting seeds?

You know, my blog-memory isn’t so good. I just tried to look back and find my recaps from each year, thinking “in 2007, I did a TOP 7 list and in 2008 I did a TOP 8 list but for 2012 I can do a TOP 12 list and do one thing from each month!”

And then I saw my 2007 recap.

And my 2008 recap.

And realized that I’m a dufus. I’ve been giving a monthly highlight for a lot of years.

But in 2009, I didn’t want to officially recap apparently, I barely survived the stress of 2010, and in 2011 I barely survived deportation.

So 2012 deserves a legit recap. So here we go!

Psalm 126:3

The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.

. . . . .

JANUARY: After returning from Scotland in November 2011, I lived with the Giver family here in Nash while looking for my own home. Our time co-habitating was a bigger gift to me than I can ever describe.

Here’s a post about it. Also, we did puzzles. Puzzles are good for my soul.

. . . . .

FEBRUARY: I met my small group. How we have been us for less than a year I will never understand because we fit like we’ve been forever.

Here’s a post about them. And here’s a pic from our small group snoozle earlier this month. I love them so much.

. . . . .

MARCH: I signed the book deal for Perfectly Unique. 

Here’s a post about that day. Here I am signing with my gals. So grateful for them.

. . . . .

APRIL: Me and the Vandy boyz made our sibling-hood offish. They are my brothers. Amen. I love these guys so much. Don’t even get me started.

Here’s a post about it. Here we are from left to right – Keenan, my rogue necklace, me, and Connor.

[Also, to be noted, this was my first month as a full-time author and speaker, leaving my Mocha Club job on April 1 after two years. I'm so grateful to my boss, Barrett, for reminding me to be brave. I have been scared and worried and every other emotion, but I've never regretted it.]

. . . . .

MAY: The girls and I went to an Ingrid Michaelson show. While this may seem like a bizarro highlight, the truth is that this story, these girls, this history, they have all meant more to me in the last two years than I can express.

Here’s a post about it. And here we are.

[Also, I talked to John-Boy Walton on the phone. So. That made my life.]

. . . . .

JUNE: I traveled around the southeast meeting youth group gals in every corner of Dixie. 

Here’s a post about it. And here are some darling gals that I met in Birmingham with Sophie.

. . . . .

JULY: Not only did I turn 32 [with joy, I might add], but I got to return “home” to Edinburgh for a few weeks before the craziness of book release fall season began.

Here I am with three of my very best friends who live across the ocean- Esther, Leisa, and Donna.

Also, the last week of July was this year’s first Girls of Grace event in the lovely city of Phoenix. Here’s a post about it.

. . . . .

AUGUST: This began my crazy travel season, including weekends in Mississippi, North Carolina, and Oregon. 

Here’s a post about it. And here’s a shot during a Girls of Grace event!

. . . . .

SEPTEMBER: Perfectly Unique releases to the world!

Here’s a post about it. Truly, this month totally changed my life and I will never forget it. Thank you.

. . . . .

OCTOBER: I told lots of jokes.

Here’s the list. It was a hilarious month.

Also, I got to attend and speak at the Influence Conference and Allume Conference. It was mucho fun.

. . . . .

NOVEMBER: My best friend Betsy turned 30 and we celebrated Parenthood style in her hometown. 

It was a fun month with Girls of Grace and my travel season ended- my body and friends and dirty house rejoiced that I was home for a bit.

. . . . .

DECEMBER: I love the Christmas parties and concerts and time with friends that increases over the holiday season. Nashville is a hotbed for good times in December. It’s my favorite time of year.

Here’s me and some gals at the cooooooolest Christmas party in town.

Also this month, I got to spend time hanging out with Jennie Allen and we became quick besties. It was hopefully the first of many crazy brainstorming retreats.

. . . . .

It was a good year. It wasn’t pain free, disappointment free, fear free, heartbreak free, but I am sure glad it happened. There are things that happened that I will never forget- new friendships, dating relationships, new ministry opportunities, hard conversations, surprising moments, dreams coming true, all of it. Even through the hard, as the year comes to an end, my journal is almost as full as my heart.

I am grateful.

Thanks for being a part of my 2012.

. . . . .

What was the highlight of your 2012? If you write a recap post, link in the comments so we can read about your year!

[PS- I LOVE this recap of 2012 by Regi Campbell. Couldn't resist sharing it.]

I had a total other plan for this blog post today. But then last night was just one of those nights that you think you’ll never forget but you want to make sure you don’t by blogging about it.

And so I shall.

It has been exactly one year that I’ve been serving with Cross Point‘s college ministry. It is absolutely one of the joys of my life. I can’t believe it has only been a year – my small group, my Vandybros, the other leaders- it’s feels like my life has always known them. I think, somehow, my heart has.

This semester has been great but also challenging for our leadership team. Thankfully, last night seemed to be just what we needed to remember why we do what we do.

So better than my words, I want you to see them. And see what I love…..

I love my small group girls who show up early to greet and pass out nametags.

 I love how they worship when they are together.

I love standing by my VandyBro Will. He says I’m his favorite blogger. I say he’s my Favorite Will. So that worked out well.

Also, one time he said, “It’s like you’re a cool big sister. Or grandma.”

GRANDMA?

Something in me that still felt young died that day.

[Also, I'm standing on a chair. He's not the shortest baseball player in the history of the SEC. Worry not.]

I love how they love each other. Sigh. This moved me.

I love how our pastor’s kids felt welcomed and loved by the college students.

 I love how our leaders set the tables for dinner while the students worshipped.

I love how they all sat together to eat and share and laugh.

I love how our worship leader stepped off the stage and immediately began serving drinks. I mean, seriously, y’all. Isn’t that beautiful? [Also, how adorable is that couple in the front? They're engaged. We love them.]

I love that all five members of the Whittaker family spent HOURS designing and setting up the holiday decor. The room was super beautiful.

I love Minute To Win It games… including making Favorite Will gift wrap a cooler and my girl Koula wrap a lampshade. Hannah and Sara Kate got off easy- a tambourine and an umbrella. Will won. Obvi.

I love making people do ridiculous things for a laugh, like moving a cookie from forehead to mouth without using hands.

I love those little Whittakers.

I love our leadership team.

It was just one of those nights- where the students felt loved, leaders were all smack in the middle of their serving sweet spots, volunteers brought us tables and tables of food, Cross Point staff members hung out and were all hands on deck, and Jesus was the center of it all.

You know what it felt like? It felt like our whole church stopped to love on the college students. I’m just a puddle about the whole thing even as I’m writing about it today. It meant so much.

And now?

Now they take finals. And I laugh at their lives because I never have to take a final again because, according to Favorite Will, I’m a grandma.

Have mercy.

Happy Friday. I know you are expected five jokes, but really- this one is worth five jokes. So, be happy with one.

Also, we haven’t had a serious dude joke yet- so this one is it. For sures.

So I called on my favorite boyz, Connor and Keenan, to tell you a joke. You know them – I blogged about them a few months ago. I’m not going to get all sappy on a Friday joke day, but trust me, I could. I could get stupid sappy about how wonderful these guys are and how grateful I am to call them my little bros [who are "little" in age, not in height or smarts or heart].

Anyways. Enough sappy. But on top of being awesome, they tell great jokes. Please enjoy.

. . . . .

. . . .

. . . .

What is invisible and smells like carrots?

Rabbit farts.

. . . .

So those are my boys. I love them. Now you can see why.

You’re welcome.

TOP 5 FRIDAY is when we each list five of our favorite things, depending on the topic. Feel free to join in via the comments or by posting on your own blog and linking back here. Play along. It’s Friday.

. . . . .

You know, I’m learning as I go with this college dudes in my life thing. Trust me, I adore them to tiny pieces, but the boundaries for this type of ministry are high and thick and uber-important. But there is something as sweet as the day is long about having a crowd of little bros in town.

There is one thing I can do for my dudes that is always appropriate: buy them food and buy them books.

So we go, as a group, to eat burritos and talk about God stuff and baseball stuff and girl stuff and life stuff and book stuff. I love to snag books off of Amazon for them just because gifts are one of my love languages I guess, or something like that. My grandparents owned a bookstore, so maybe it’s just keeping the family business alive?

Also, I heart books. So. That plays into it as well I am sure.

But I don’t always know what kind of books guys like because I am, in fact, not a guy. So I ask around and I’ve made a little list of books that my guy friends like / a list of books I’m gonna force my college pals to read.

[Not really force. Just insist upon. That's different, right?]

Here are the top 5 books that my guy friends are reading and recommending to other fellas:

1. A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller … reminding us that we are living a story that has purpose.

2. Jesus Calling by Sarah Young … quick daily devotions that zing your heart.

3. Love Does by Bob Goff … boys like action. Bob Goff does stuff. Boomski.

4. Radical by David Platt … it is intense. But David Platt is right on.

5. Passion for Jesus by Mike Bickle … it’ll rock your life. 

Wild card: Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers … the cover is feminine, to be certain. But I cannot tell you how many guys in college read this book and it changed their lives. [I have a little more cred to earn with my fellas before I try this one. ]

. . . . .

YOUR TURN!

What books would you recommend for guys who are growing in their walk with Christ? 

A few Fridays ago, after I had posted the Top 5 Dude Websites, I ran into my friends Bill* and Bob*. Bill* said, “Hey, saw your blog today- cool links.”

But as we discussed the nuances of having a blog that is mostly read by women but a few dudes sprinkled here and there, Bob* said, “you know, dudes like pictures.”

Lucky for me [and you dudes out there], I’ve got a little something called Smile, Wednesday that appears randomly around these parts.

And today is Wednesday!

Pictures it is!!

[Caveat: I asked my friend Dave to send me some pictures that guys would like. And these are some that he sent mixed with some others mixed with a good dose of I DO NOT UNDERSTAND BOYS BECAUSE THESE PICTURES ARE WEIRD.]

Enjoy.

So there you have it.

Proof that while girls are super weird [and we are], boys have got their fair share of weird too.

Also. I must add, this video has me LOLing like crazy, with all due respect to the POTUS, of course. I don’t know if boys will laugh at this, but I bet they will.

Happy Wednesday!

*Bill and Bob are not their real names. I’m not outing these dude readers in hopes they will continue to read and give me feedback in public. But I’m grateful they are reading and sharing their thoughts! Thanks John and Jake!

Oops.

TOP 5 FRIDAY is when we each list five of our favorite things, depending on the topic. Feel free to join in via the comments or by posting on your own blog and linking back here. Play along. It’s Friday.

. . . . .

Earlier this week, I stood around a kitchen island, drinking a cookies & cream milkshake, surrounded by boys.

I know. Dreams do come true, kids. In the words of Jiminy Cricket, “When you wish upon a star…”

[Kidding, kids. Don't wish on stars.]

Anyways, we were talking about websites- about how girls and guys visit different websites and how there are some staple dude websites that I have never even heard of.

You know, I’m trying to make my fella friends feel a little more at home here at AnnieBlogs, including this classic piece of conversation from last week.

So this week, I thought I’d list five awesome dude websites.

I sent out an email to about ten of my guy friends, asking for their favorite corners of the internet- but not, like, CNN.com or ESPN.com. I wanted the real scoop, y’all. Because I am a hard-hitting journalist. Duh.

I got back a BUNCH of sites that I literally did not know existed on the world wide web. And it was surprisingly challenging to narrow their list to just five websites… mainly because I’m not a man and I do not know how to pick websites like a man.

But I did it. Sorta.

[And ladies, if you ask me, this is like reading Wild at Heart, the internet edition. We may not understand all the information, but we have infiltrated their world. And we are here to learn.]

So here are five(ish) new websites for my guy readers to enjoy. [Gals, welcome to five(ish) lessons about the dude-nation.]

. . . . .

1. http://www.grantland.com/

This one came to me from multiple guys. It’s a sports meets pop-culture blog. I’ve read a few things and learned a lot, chuckled a bit. I’m sold. Subscribed.

. . . . .

2. http://convoy.tumblr.com/

The guy who shared this one simply said, “no words,” which is the exact opposite of my blog. Oops.

. . . . .

3. http://www.theverge.com/

Ohhh…. a techy website for boyz. Be still my beating nerdy heart. To be honest, I don’t know if I would read this one, but I would date a guy who did.  [Sorry, this post isn't about which websites make me feel attracted to the readers. Sheesh. I'm terrible at this.]

. . . . .

4. http://www.valetmag.com/

Dear dude readers, read this and learn. Please. Bow ties are female kryptonite.

. . . . .

5. http://uncrate.com/

So. Many. Cool. Things. I think I’ve found about 14 things for my Dad for Father’s Day. I like this one mucho.

. . . . .

Two more, even though that is breaking the rules…..

http://bookcoverarchive.com/

http://lifehacker.com/

And for all of us, especially Southerners, please tell me you are reading Garden and Gun. Mercy. It’s amazing.

. . . . .

YOUR TURN!

What are some super cool websites for guys?

Or list your top 5 websites you read every day, no matter if you are a guy or a girl. 

Big thanks to my co-contributors today: Matt, Kyle, Adam, Bert [amazing milkshake maker], Wes, Stunks, and Luke.

I love summer. Well, we know I love my birthday [have you ever seen the pictures from my 30th birthday party?], but I also love going to the pool and floating down the Buffalo River and sleeping on the far side of the bed, away from the alarm.

[I'm such a weirdo.]

You know what’s great about summer for high school and college students? The schoolwork is gone. [Duh.] While sports or camps or part-time jobs may attempt to fill that gap, they never shall! No siree!!

Not completely at least.

[Dear adults who don't get summers exactly, you are totally welcome to keep reading. But dear anyone who is actually going to be celebrating a summer- meaning you, student, this is for you.]

Please don’t waste your summer.

I’m not meaning on facebook or twitter or pinterest though, I am certain, that we are all capable of losing months of our lives to the internet.

Here’s what I mean: with school work on hiatus and the pressures of the next test or the next book or the next football game out of your mind for a while, so much can be gained from reading books that have meaning for your personal growth, sitting in coffee shops or by the pool having conversations with some depth, taking naps in your room while non-cheesy worship music plays in the background.

Seriously.

I think summer is the perfect time to learn some new stuff about God, plain and simple. Your schedule is calmer, your mind is clearer, and God is awesome.

So, as I promised the West Cobb Church girls yesterday, here is a list of some resources that I am totally not paid to endorse, but that I think you might really dig this summer.

. . . . .

Books worth a read:

A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller - boyz love this book. So do girls.

The Divine Dance by Shannon Primicerio - for the ladies. Amazing book.

Jesus Calling by Sarah Young 

God Calling by A.J. Russell

Passion for Jesus by Mike Bickle - prepare to be rocked.

The God Chasers by Tommy Tenney - I haven’t read this one in ages, but I can’t get it out of my mind. So that must mean that one of you jokers really needs to read it.

Empty Promises by Pete Wilson

For those ladies who love fiction, let me also suggest Kristin Billerbeck or Francine Rivers.

. . . . .

Podcasts worth a listen:

Circuit Riders - All of them are awesome, but I would say, especially for you Nashvillians, listen to these two podcasts by Ray Hughes- they both talk, at points, about the spiritual history of Nashville. Beautiful stuff.

• Revivalists Remembered
• Carriers of the Sound

Pray As You Go - one short devotional for every day.

. . . . .

Worship CDs worth a purchase:

Reason To Sing by All Sons & Daughters

Aftermath by Hillsong United

Albertine by Brooke Fraser

Cutting Edge by Delirious – super oldie, but a super goodie.

. . . . .

I would also say to you, summer enjoyer, that you should spend time praying and journaling about stuff that is important to you. Get together with friends and go out to eat and talk about God for a few minutes between bites of your burrito. Hang out with your mentor. Hang out with someone younger than you, too.

Just don’t miss this chance, that goes away as soon as your schooling does, of having a season where you can focus solely on deepening your walk with God.  

Sidenote — here are ways I strongly endorse wasting your summer:

• lay by the pool
• sleep late
• eat lots of cheetos
• forget what day of the week it is
• wear the same flip-flops every day

. . . . .

Now share on, my friends. What are some of your favorite books that you would recommend for high school/college aged students? Podcasts? Albums? Movies? Resources in general?

Go.