Bloom!

Happy Summer, readers! Here's a collection of our fabulous findings this month... A craving for a delicious blueberry muffin brought about a search for the best blueberry muffins on the web. This recipe takes the cake! (er uh...muffin!) We added a sweet crumble (melted butter, brown sugar, and flour) to top these yummy muffins off. If you haven't already... Watch "God's Not Dead" the new movie, featuring the Newsboys and the Robertsons from "Duck Dynasty", about a college student's struggle to defend his faith on campus, specifically in a philosophy class taught by an atheist professor. This awesome movie deserves a review all its own. Speaking of the Newsboys, check out two of our favorite songs! "God's Not Dead" the theme song of the movie and "Restart" a great song about God's forgiveness. With so much negativity and non-Christian messages in media today we're refreshed to see these great Christia...

I was so excited last summer when I found out about a mission trip opportunity to Taiwan. I’d never been out of the country, and all the way on the other side of the globe is certainly out of the country! Also, if I went, I could visit my sister, Joanna. I was super excited, but the journey to Taiwan was a long way off - not till January. As it so happened, I didn’t find out for sure if I was going until a month before we were set to leave. When I did find out, I was happy and excited, but a bit scared too - I needed to raise $2,500 in a short period of time. It was a journey of faith for me and my family. At times I felt for sure God would supply the money, other times I wasn’t so sure - what if it wasn’t His will for me to go? I realized, though, that it wasn’t my job to raise the money, it was God’s job. I just needed to do all I could and let Him do the raising. The financial situation ended up working out amazingly! I even was given extra ...

Today we're excited to share with you this interview we recently did with Sarah.  As you read, we pray that you will be refreshed and encouraged in your own walk with Christ! When did you start living for Christ? I received the Lord Jesus Christ into my heart at the age of 5, just three days after my 5 th  birthday. I will forever be grateful for my mother who led me in prayer to receive Christ. It wasn’t until I was 12 years old that I really began to grow spiritually, and not until I was in my teen years did I begin to more fully understand what Christ did for me. At one point during those years, my family was experiencing difficulties and for the first time I questioned God and even got upset at Him. Doubts began to creep in and I thought, “Perhaps I am not really a Christian.” But as much as I tried to convince myself that I wasn’t one, Romans 8:16 came true in my life as God’s Spirit bore witness with my spirit that I was indee...

{This is the second installment in my Reflections from Cambodia  series.  For part one, click here } They stand solemnly, bare toes covered in red dirt. They have feet roughened by constant exposure to the weather and elements. And from the fact that there is nothing to protect them except flimsy flip flops. I can tell that they don't really protect the boys' feet. Their skin is still battered, with scabs and scars evident. My eyes settle on their faces. Their skin shows their youth, but their eyes reveal that they have lived more in their young lives than some adults live in their 70 years. What precious faces they have. They cannot be more than eight. I start to wonder why this duo isn't in school but then I realize the answer is already clear - their families are depending on these little ones to bring home recyclables to sell, as well as money. Probably like they do every day of the year. Probably as they have done since they were old enough to toddle around on t...