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Simply Bloom Co.

Where Passion & Purpose Collide

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Ramblings & Us {Through the Ledford Lens}

I’ve had a deliciously full week; opportunities to connect with girlfriends I don’t get to see even remotely often enough, dinner with a wonderful friend I haven’t seen in over 7 years, an out-of-town conference with my hubby {which boasted paradigm-shift-inducing teaching by Carl Medearis…he rocked our world}, and was sprinkled with precious family time {my favorite type of “busy”}.

In the mean time, I have an old friend from high school {that I haven’t seen in over 15 years} who was so inspired by my juicy RRHM post that they decided it needed to be in book form.  How cool is that?!?  I’m so excited to get my hands on it and still can’t believe someone else is doing all the tough stuff for me.  So blessed, friend!

Speaking of anticipation and paper…I’m itching to get my 2012 Woman’s {life} Planner!  I got to design the cover and assist with other little details inside, and am just giddy to see it in print and start planning the new year.  I’ve looked and looked for the ‘perfect planner’ to organize my days and my month at a glance – along with all the other wild and hairy details of life – and this planner is a dream come true!

On the news front…we got a new van!  It’s what we’ve had a crush on for many years now, and were finally able to get our hands on (only because the incredible store owner sold it to us for half of what it’s worth)!  It’s a Honda Odyssey.  And I am so ridiculously in love with it {swoon}.  Who knew vans could be so sexy?

I have been bitten by the new year’s resolution bug, disguised as the spring cleaning fairy.  I’m in mega purge mode right now and want to declutter every square inch of my home.  At least today, I do.  My kids are a little afraid.  And my husband should be {I’ve been giving some old sweaters of his the eyeball of doom lately}.  I feel like we’re in bondage to too much frivolous, unnecessary stuff, and I want to reclaim open, uncluttered space.  Arrgh!!  {I am woman on mission…here me roar!}

My hubby is currently sitting in a tree with a gun in woods far, far away.  When we first got married, I really struggled with his “hunter” status.  After years of enjoying the benefits of a freezer overflowing with cheap, healthy meat, I have embraced his ability to put fresh meat on the table while satisfying a deep, manly need to dress like a tree and hide in the woods for a few days with a deadly weapon. 

I have discovered a new obsession with homemade kettle-corn.  Coconut oil + popcorn kernels + a sprinkle of sugar and salt = the most amazing, home popped goodness imaginable!

And while I’m rambling about things I love…I love the concept of bartering.  It just makes sense to this budget-minded girl.

So when the lovely Liz approached me about trading family photos for design work, the answer was a resounding “yes and amen!”.  And considering it had been almost 2 years since we last had family photos taken…it was most certainly about time, eh?

So here we be…in all our unrefined, apple-chewing madness….

fam kids collkids coll 1boys coll  kids apples coll  kids coll 2 Mom and Ali coll

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“Rejoice with your family in the beautiful land of life!”  Albert Einstein

Related posts:

  1. Ramblings of a Sappy Mom
  2. A Daddy’s Lens & Some {Killer} Photography Tips
  3. Excuses, Updates and an ATW Guest Post
  4. At The Well: Guest Post {The Ultimate Plan Review}
«
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Simply Bloom exists to empower women to embrace their stories, live out their passion with purpose, and leave a legacy of love.
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Hello there! I'm Joy. Speaker, designer, author & coach, and creator of the #weROARproject. Welcome to Simply Bloom Co., where passion & purpose collide.

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Worship and lament were never meant to cancel each Worship and lament were never meant to cancel each other out.
They can — and often do — live side by side.
And the kind of worship that rises in the midst of pain
is a costly, sacred offering God treasures.

#WorshipInTheWaiting #OhGoodGriefPodcast
Praise isn’t pretending everything is fine, it’s r Praise isn’t pretending everything is fine,
it’s remembering who God is, even when it isn’t.
It rarely changes our circumstances,
but it always changes our perspective.

What could shift in you
if you praised God for even one thing
you’ve been tempted to complain about?

#OhGoodGriefPodcast #WonderOfWorship
Sometimes praise is the most rebellious act of hop Sometimes praise is the most rebellious act of hope we have left.

🎙️ Episode 3 of Oh, Good Grief | The Podcast is live.

In this week’s episode, The Sound of Surrender, we’re talking about what happens when we worship through the wilderness, and the way gratitude reshapes our view of God, of ourselves, and of the desert we’re walking through.

🎧 Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

#OhGoodGrief #FaithInTheFire #WondersOfTheWilderness #PraiseThroughPain #FormationOverFame
God is never careless with the pruning knife. If H God is never careless with the pruning knife.
If He allows something to fall away, we can trust His heart,
that it is ultimately for our good,
and for His glory.

#AllisGrace #OhGoodGriefPodcast
Sometimes God prunes what is still alive. Not beca Sometimes God prunes what is still alive.
Not because He is cruel, but because He is kind.

It’s unbelievably hard to walk away from something that was once deeply fruitful. But when a season ends and God lifts His grace from that role, relationship, or project, lingering often hurts far more than leaving.

Trust His heart for you in the pruning. 🌱
He cuts with purpose, and always with love.

#OhGoodGriefPodcast #SimplyBloomCo
I stumbled across the word I chose and lettered fo I stumbled across the word I chose and lettered for 2023. Held. I thought it might reopen old ache. Instead, it reminded me of the deeper song beneath our hardest seasons: even in the unraveling, we were held.

And as a new year unfolds, that truth feels like a steadying hand.

Here’s to beginnings that hum with mercy...
sunrises, blankets of white snow,
seasons turning quietly toward hope. 

Dream bravely.
Plan loosely.
Take the next small step.
Try again.

Be tender with yourself.
Honor the slow work of becoming.
And step into this year knowing—
you are held.
As we stand on the edge of a new year, remember th As we stand on the edge of a new year, remember this:
God doesn’t prune to prove a point;
He prunes to produce fruit.

Trust the precision and the heart
of the Master Gardener.

What felt like loss this past year
may have been His clearing away of the old
to make room for the new.

#OhGoodGriefPodcast #SimplyBloomCo
For the person who doesn’t love journaling but doe For the person who doesn’t love journaling but does love growth…the R•EVOLVE Journal was created to make the practice simple, sustainable, and meaningful.

Five lines a day - small enough to fit into real life, yet rich enough to capture the joys, struggles, prayers, answered prayers, and all the quiet in-between spaces.

Some seasons change us so subtly we miss the beauty of what’s unfolding. This little rhythm helps you notice it, and hold it.

All seven cover designs are available on Amazon or in the Simply Bloom Co. shop
📚 simplybloomshop.org/product-page/r-evolve-journals

If you live in Central Michigan, I'm happy to connect with you and get one into your hands so you can start journaling sooner.
Sometimes God prunes what’s still alive. Not becau Sometimes God prunes what’s still alive.
Not because He’s cruel — because He’s kind.

🍃 Episode 003 of OGG is live: Making the Cut | When Love Looks Like Loss.

We’re talking about the difference between punishment and pruning, and how the wilderness can be proof of love.

🎧 Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

#OhGoodGriefPodcast #SimplyBloomCo
Follow @SimplyBloomJoy

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