Bloom!

Here are two of our favorite links from this month... Autumn is here! Check out the GirlTalker's recent autumn post for a yummy pumpkin recipe and a poem, too.  Their recipe for Colonial Pumpkin Bars sounds like a great one to share with family and friends or to give away! Music Looking to add another song to your repertoire of uplifting and Christ-centered songs?  Amazon is currently offering a deal where you can get a song (priced $1.29) for a nickel.  So hurry on over and pick one up that will encourage you and keep your focus on Jesus! May Jesus shine brightly through you this weekend! Joanna, Megan, Krista, Emily & Victoria

Today we're sharing an interview we did with Rachel.  May you be encouraged and blessed in your walk with the Lord! A note from Joanna:  Rachel is a dear friend and sister in the Lord.  God has used her to be a huge blessing and inspiration in my life.  There have been times when she said the exact thing I needed to hear - because God was shining through her to minister to me. When I first asked Rachel if we could interview her for Bloom! , her response was this:  "I am honored but do not really see what would be so wonderful to tell about my life. I guess that's just it, you don't want to know about my life but what He's done in it."   Rachel got it right - we don't do the Sisters of the Faith section to show how great a certain girl is or how nice she is but rather that Christ be lifted up and you all be encouraged.  May He receive the glory and honor from Rachel's life and you be blessed through it! Rachel, when did you come to Christ...

I see a thousand dandelions, Blowing in the breeze; Giving themselves to the wind, Scattering their dreams. But I know that’s not the end- It isn’t as it seems. Because someday, there will be Ten thousand flowers from those seeds. And I see so many souls, Going through such pain; Battered by the winds of life, Dashed by pounding rain. But even in the storms, Bending with the blows, Each soul that sings through the thorns Shall bloom into a rose.

Friends. What a subject to embark upon! Like me, I'm sure you've been in seasons where you didn't have many friends (or any!). Truly, a good friend can be hard to find. But then again, maybe years later (like me!), you find yourself surrounded by an incredible group of friends. I know that God answered my prayers more than I could have ever thought! And He certainly answered them in a different way than I expected...for instance, not one of my friends is my age. The age range of my very dear friends ranges from a year younger to six years older! That's quite a jump, isn't it? But today, rather than merely examine my own friendship story, I want to discuss godly friendships. What are they, who are they, and how can we find them? Let's start with the first question - What are they ? Well, this could take many posts itself, so I can only answer it very briefly. Our idea of a best friend might be someone who has the same tastes in everything from movies to fo...

After going on ten mission trips over the years, my heart is full of real life accounts of hearts renewed, families strengthened, lives made whole, people being healed by the Lord's miraculous hand, children singing hymns and prayers being answered in ways beyond my wildest dreams.  You've joined me when I shared about the leper lady's story and her crawling to church; you encouraged me as I sought to Listen and Follow the Lord even when it wasn't perhaps "convenient" or easy; when only a pair of shoes changed my perspective; when one scary night almost took my life but my King answered in a mighty way. I must share their stories, what the Almighty is doing in all corners of the globe.  I have witnessed too hearts being captured by His, seen too people healed before my eyes, heard too many fervent prayers, and hugged too many malnourished children to be silent about how our great God is working. Introducing... Stories from the Field !  Join me now ...

Title: Courageous Rating (1=lowest, 5=highest):  5 Stars Produced by : Sherwood Pictures Synopsis: Courageous i s the heartfelt story of a group of police officers who challenge each other to truly lead their families. Each officer has a different background and situation, but they are all learning that God has a higher calling for them. They have to choose to not only be courageous on the job, but at home with their families too. Language: Unlike most movies today, this film has no profanity. You can actually enjoy the movie, as opposed to flinching every time the Lord's name is taken in vain. The Good:   This movie keeps your focus on God. It is not about human glorification. It's about trusting God and truly living for Him. The Bad: Honestly, there is nothing "bad" about this movie! It's great! However, I would caution younger viewers to have a parent watch Courageous first and give permission. This movie is about a group of police officers...

I’m retracing the familiar paths and routines: power-walking my way across campus to be in class by 9:05 a.m., scheduling interviews for my feature writing internship and meeting up with friends for lunch and coffee. I’m back at college for my senior year, and I feel a sense of excitement and urgency for this year like never before. There’s a lot of hard work waiting for me over the next few months, and some pretty big life changes at the end of them.   I wonder about that future, about where and what my job will be and how my friendships will look different after graduation and how I’ll adjust. But I don’t want to live in that future: this is my last year on this campus, my last year with these friends at college, and my last chance to pass on my faith to the girls I’m mentoring. And I get to be here, at Penn State, in a time of confusion and change, with lots of emotions and policy changes and unknowns because of the scandal. And I’m overwhelmed by the sense that...