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Book Reviews

What others are saying about XES…

 

laura“WOW! Was my first thought after the first chapter. XES is a book that will encourage you in your intimate life as well as challenge you. Here I was reading it for my “job” and to help others but instead found it helping and inspiring me!

~ Laura Laffoon, International Speaker & Author of He Said, She Said

sheila

 

 

“Joy writes a real and honest book about what Christian women need to understand about sex …why would we want to miss that?!?  An easy-to-read book, with lots of great stories, Joy delves into why we often avoid sex, why we’re sometimes scared of it, and a lot of the relational obstacles to great sex (including mommyhood!)”  

~ Sheila Wray Gregoire, International Speaker & Author of The Good Girl’s Guide to Great Sex

shannyn

“Witty and well written.  Joy McMillan speaks so freely about the taboo that we are free to consider that it may be not only super fun, but holy.  A ladies book club waiting to happen”.

~ Shannyn Caldwell, Family Life Radio Morning Show Co-Host & Author of The Healing Season

 marlene

 

 

“Real, relevant, and rubber-meets-the-road practical! With raw emotion and wit Joy challenges us to bring God’s abundant life to the bedroom! A must read for any woman, married or contemplating marriage.”  

~ Marlene Lawson, Speaker & Author of The 1st Peter 3 Girls: Sisterhood of Tragedy, Triumph and God’s Amazing Grace

.

 alisa

“Truth. Joy McMillan tackles the difficult subject of SEX in Christian marriage with candor and transparency. This is a book that I will be encouraging each of my clients to read as a way for them to understand how amazing sex can be…”  

~Alisa DiLorenzo, Author & Co-Founder of ONE Extraordinary Marriage

 

ashley

“Joy bravely weaves her own stories of brokenness throughout the pages…The words in this book will lovingly and boldly guide you to let go of anything that’s holding you back from truly unlocking the beautiful, fun, steamy marriage we all truly desire.”

~ Ashley Wells, Blogger & Author

woods

“This book reminded us that a good, healthy, uninhibited sex life is a form of worship because obedience IS worship. Just like marriage, our sex life within the marriage confines, is God ordained. Most people would not usually use the words “sex” and “holy” in the same sentence. However, since God created sex, it’d be a good idea if we were concerned about practicing it in a holy manner. Joy does a beautiful job of helping us to understand what that should look like!”  

~ Alan & Jamie Wood, Pastors of Inverness Vineyard Church (Alabama), Authors of Power Marriage, and founders of Third Cord Secret

 

dustin

“This is a fantastic book that every Christian woman should read. As someone who writes/speaks/works in the arena of marriage, it was so refreshing to find a resource that didn’t stay to just one side of the God/Sex line. God designed sex to be an incredibly joyful experience that unites couples and a taste of Heaven, and Joy totally gets it!” 

~ Dustin Riechmann, Engaged Marriage

.

tonya

“There is a movement happening in the church, and the wave starts within the pages of this book. It is time we kick the world out of our bedrooms, and let the Author of Love Himself, back in where He belongs.” 

~ Tonya Ferguson, 4 Little Fergusons blog

 

 

Pastors---Alma-Vineyard-chu

“This book took courage to write, and takes courage to read! It will challenge you, stretch you, make you laugh, make you cry, and change you! You will find wonderful treasures in every chapter – life-giving treasures that bring hope, freedom and permission to dream again.”  

~Mary Douglas, Pastor & Speaker

 photo Joy.jpg

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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As Christmas draws near, may your heart find space As Christmas draws near, may your heart find space for rest, for healing, for hope, and for the quiet ways God is making you new.

If you’re tired, be gentle with yourself.
If you’re hopeful, savor it.
And if you’re somewhere in between,
welcome to being human.
Grace meets us in all of it.
For months, I’ve been sitting with a gentle nudge For months, I’ve been sitting with a gentle nudge I couldn’t ignore.
A pull toward sharing again, but differently. Softer. Slower.
From a place shaped by grief, held by God, and steadied by healing.

And now, after years off the public stage… it’s almost time.

A new project is coming.
A conversation, really - about the hard and holy parts of being human.
About faith that’s wrestled with, not polished.
About becoming whole in the places that once felt broken.

I’m both excited and cautious, stepping back into this space with open hands, trusting the One who invited me here.

In one week, I get to share what’s been stirring.
I hope you’ll join me.
In the grace-laced words of Aundi Kolber, may we " In the grace-laced words of Aundi Kolber,
may we "try softer" this time around, 
and into the coming year.
All is grace.
As we move through this season of thanksgiving and As we move through this season of thanksgiving and inch toward the end of the year, I’ve been reflecting on what this year has held — the heartbreak and the healing, the grit and the grace, the parts we survived and the parts that surprised us. And a few things rise to the top.

I’m grateful for life — for the young one we lost too soon and the impact he made, and for my favorite one who got to stay. For the ICU team who cared for my hubby after his stroke and surgery. For his life, his healing, and the restoration we’ve witnessed.

I’m grateful for seasons — for the reminder that it won’t always be this way. Hard seasons don’t last forever, and goodness still finds its way into the cracks.

I’m grateful for friendship — for the people God has enveloped us in. For community that feels like home. For the redemptive conversations and the healing that happens around a table with people who know you and love you still. And fresh sourdough.

I’m grateful for movement — early Thursday walks with my best friend, returning to the gym after five months away… achy, winded, and 15 pounds heavier, but still showing up. For a body that’s in transition, but resilient.

I’m grateful for my kids — for our daughter’s graduation one month after the stroke and the miracle of that day. For our son, now taller than all of us, with a tender heart shaped by brutal loss. And for our bonus boy who has loved our girl well for years—and loves us, too.

And I’m grateful for the Word — for the way it’s carried, challenged, and steadied us. And for The Chosen and House of David for breathing fresh life and color into Scripture again.

There’s more, always.
But today… this is enough.

Gratitude for what was.
Hope for what’s ahead.
Grace for the in-between.
After a long stretch of quiet, I can feel a new se After a long stretch of quiet,
I can feel a new season taking shape.

It’s subtle… a little tender… and honestly, a bit terrifying.
But it also feels like grace. Slow and steady, patient and unassuming.

The last few years have held both ache and healing, unraveling and rebuilding. God has been faithful in the dark corners, gentle in the grief, and persistent in inviting me back to life in ways I didn’t expect.

I don’t have all the answers.
In fact, I’m not even sure I have most of them.
But I do know this...
Something is coming.
Something rooted.
Something honest.
Something that has been growing quietly beneath the surface.

I’ve missed this space.
I’m easing back in, one brave, grateful step at a time.

Stay close. More soon.
Grace + gratitude 🌱
I am regularly overwhelmed by the kindness of God I am regularly overwhelmed by the 
kindness of God in the small + simple.

Things like twinkle lights + Christmas jazz,
scraping out the peanut butter fudge pot
all by myself while sitting on the counter,
and walking around the corner to find my
loin fruit snuggled up together over tea.

They may fight like cats + dogs at times,
but their bond is deep and true and sweet.
Happy release day, @dralisoncook 💛 Written at the Happy release day, @dralisoncook 💛

Written at the intersection 
of faith and psychology, 
this book is yet another 
soul-nourishing,
heart-healing, 
boundary-fortifying 
gift from Alison Cook
(if you’ve had a heart-to-heart
with me in the past two years,
you know how much I loved 
‘Boundaries for the Soul’). 

As an enneagram 2 who was raised 
in the church, this book was a timely
and liberating read. Pure balm for the 
weary, recovering-people-pleaser soul. 

I am beyond grateful for the wisdom, 
compassion + experience that Alison 
brings to all she shares (and it was
such an honor to be on her launch 
team for this beautiful new book).

Need a survival guide for your growth
and healing journey? Here you go! ✌🏼

#thebestofyou #thebestofyoubook #womenoffaith #healthyboundaries #healthyyou #healingjourney
Find yourself a tribe of people who will, togethe Find yourself a tribe of people who will, 
together, spend a beautiful Saturday
morning pulling this workout off:

• 20 mile run
• 340 tire flips
• 2,000 air squats
• 1,000 pull ups
• 1,500 box jumps
• 2,200 pull ups
• 600 devil press
• 3,300 sit ups

Brutal. Amazing. 
Exhausted.
So grateful for these two - their friendship, enco So grateful for these two - their friendship,
encouragement and wise counsel over the
past decade of being our pastoral couple
has been such a gift to our family 💛

Congrats on your retirement, dear friends!!
Follow @SimplyBloomJoy

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