Bloom!

A snippet of where we've been around the web recently... FAQ on Syria - The war and refugee crisis in Syria is still happening, even though it's been a bit overshadowed in the news lately. If you need to be caught up or want more information, this handy guide from World Vision explains the impact on refugees and what they are doing to help. If you are so moved, you can also donate to their efforts here. What about Bob?  - Bob Goff's perspective on whimsy and Christianity is a favorite of ours here at Bloom!  Several of us have read and loved his bestselling book Love Does and highly recommend it. But what if you aren't, you know, a hyper creative lawyer who can wrangle with the Ugandan law for justice? Donald Miller's article on Relevant Magazine showcases some ways we can live out the vibrant and engaging love of God wherever we are. Smart Money, Smart Lady - "Managing finances is about more than just writing checks - it's about def...

Dear sisters, One particular aboriginal village here in Taiwan has stolen my heart.  I'm not sure when it happened... Maybe it was when little arms reached out for me, giving a new twist on my name, "Jo-nan-na!" Or maybe it was when I saw one girl get sent to the local store to buy her parents yet another alcoholic beverage. It might've been on my very first trip in the spring of 2013, when we shared the Resurrection account with the kids. Or perhaps the village grabbed my heartstrings when I held dirty hands, saw their torn clothing and despite it all, watched their faces transform into huge, rambunctious smiles. Whenever it was, I'm not completely sure. But I am sure of this - God knew. He knew the kiddos in this village would snuggle their way in my heart.  He knew He could shine through me in the dark streets. Don't get me wrong - it's not all romantic missionary work. It's not all smiles and happiness a...

This is the second installment in our Guy/Girl series.  In this post, Krista discusses compatibility, the truth of it, and what really matters in relationships. We live in a world where we have become used to things getting tailor fitted to us and to our satisfaction.  We buy clothes and can easily get them altered.  We can pick and choose ingredients or meal components when we eat out for dinner.  We can easily pick and choose which music we want to listen to while we are at the gym or driving. Compatibility is all around us and is fast becoming one of the priorities that people look at when finding friendships and guy/girl relationships.  Culture has also started to highly value marriage compatibility, as various media sources suggest.  It is common belief that meeting a person who measures up to certain requirements (similarities in personality and hobby) will mean that a marriage will turn out better.  However, since Genesis 3, Romans...

Guy/girl relationships from a Biblical perspective.  It's one of the top requests we received during our giveaway and survey last November.  Definitely a hot topic, one that everyone seems to be talking about and yet everyone wants to know more, too.  It's something our parents discuss, our pastors preach on, and our peers giggle about. In fact, the media loves guy/girl relationships, too.  We see movies and tv shows portraying flirtations and romance.  We pass by magazines which detail 9 ways to catch a guy, 27 ways to know he likes you, and 39 ways to dress seductively.  We delve into books where physical intimacies like kissing and such are the norm - and even expected before marriage. The problem comes when we take in these shows, movies, magazines, books and whatever else the world throws at us and allow them to shape our beliefs and actions.  When this happens, what God says on these issues falls into second place.  Definitely a prob...