Bloom!

  Happy Friday, lovelies! This Sunday is the first week of Advent, so with that in mind we have some special Christmas links for you this week.... "1% of this year's Christmas spending could mean 1 million rescue operations." Check out the Advent Conspiracy - a video by International Justice Mission about the heart of Christmas. When You're Looking for a Christmas Miracle:  Ann Voskamp writes, "They say that the most glorious mess is at the foot of the tree on Christmas Day. But there are frank people who will just straight out tell you that the whole thing can be a bit of a mess." "Do you ever feel like you don't know what to say to someone who is suffering? Are you ever tempted to avoid the person who is going through a trial?" Carolyn Mahaney offers some advice on How to Help the Hurting. 

I realized something cool near Thanksgiving. I realized that it’s called thanks giving. It’s like a gift we give for the gifts we’ve been given! It’s neat to think that gratitude is giving. Speaking of Thanksgiving, check out the Psalms for some great verses on praise and gratitude. Some examples are Psalm 147:7, which says “Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; sing praises to our God on the lyre.”   Two more examples are Psalm 148 and Psalm 65 , which talk about how God blesses the earth.                  God has also been showing me lately that I need to surrender completely to Him and His will. I had the opportunity this summer to go on a Journey to the Heart, an intense Christian retreat in the upper peninsula of Michigan. There, I was challenged with surrender, and when I got home have been, again and again, confronted with this need. This type of surrender is full of seeming paradoxes. ...

  Cold weather has arrived here in the West Coast. The leaves are slowly and marvelously turning in different colors of red, brown, yellow and dark green. The streets are getting filled with holiday festivities and families. The holiday season is near, and in the midst of it, is a reminder to give thanks. While driving in the rain this week, I remembered the lyrics to an old song:   Give thanks with a grateful heart; give thanks to the Holy One.  Give thanks because He’s given Jesus Christ, His Son.  And now, let the weak say "I am strong, let the poor say I am rich." Because of what the Lord has done for us.  Give thanks. This song is one that I grew up singing and it is a great reminder of the Source of all our hope, especially in this season. I had just moved to the United States three years ago, and this holiday warmed my heart almost immediately because it emphasizes getting together and fellowshipping with family and friends in order to give than...

A heroine is defined in the dictionary as a woman who is well-known for courage and daring action.  It's further described as someone who is noted for a famous achievement in a particular field or situation.  In our Christian faith, we come across stories of women whose testimonies and actions have radiated Christ in their own lives and have inspired others to see that Light as well.  The beauty is that these faith heroines point us to Christ and encourage us to live a life worthy of the calling we have received. With fiery red hair, as well as an equally fiery spirit, and a petite frame, Mary Slessor wasn't exactly who you pictured to be braving the dense African jungle to share the Good News.  God, however, often uses those we may not expect or those who seem weaker or smaller.  Such was the case with Mary. Mary was the second oldest of seven, born to a poor family in Scotland.  Her father was addicted to alcohol and did not st...

Here at Bloom! we are passionate about encouraging you, our readers, in Biblical womanhood and loving Jesus.  Through this vision flows our desire to share the Good News around the globe, in our own country and around the world. Maybe you didn't have the opportunity to minister in another country this year.  Don't worry, because there is still time left to do so, without even taking a plane ride! Introducing Operation Christmas Child (OCC)! A ministry of Samaritan's Purse , OCC was started in 1993 with the vision to reach children around the world with the love of Jesus.  With this objective, they have sent millions of shoeboxes filled with toys, school items, and a book in the child's native language sharing the Gospel.  This year OCC will hit the 100 million shoebox mark and we encourage you to be a part of this great cause in sharing God's love! To find out how to pack a shoebox, where to drop it off (collection week is November 12-19!), faq, and more, ...

A time of praise, a time of light, A time to thank God for His might, A time for gladness, time to pray For help on through the narrow way, A time to sing through darkening nights. And as the days wing by in flight, Oh, let us thank God for the sight Of autumn, time of golden days, A time of praise. A time to help, a time to fight The war of Love, to help the plight Of those who need to find their way. A time to share. The time - today, A time of praise.