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Simply Bloom Co.

Where Passion & Purpose Collide

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What Others Are Saying

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“Joy has such a magnetic and endearing spirit that I was drawn to her way before she ever spoke a word. But then she got on stage and took her shoes off. I was SOLD.  There’s something about broken beautiful people that attracts broken people striving to be beautiful. Joy pulled us on stage with her and allowed us to look into her eyes, see her past, and marvel at her present beauty. Hers was truly a Story of Grace.  

By the next day I had already told 2 friends who head up women’s groups that they absolutely MUST do themselves a favor and invite Joy to speak at their upcoming conferences or bible studies- not to mention, buy her book, let her design their material, and purchase some candles!  Love the gift that the Father has allowed us to enjoy in Joy McMillan.”

Glenda Williams, Genuine Worship {Grand Rapids, Michigan}

 

“Joy is a gifted speaker who presents a perfect mix of humor, interesting life experiences and biblical inspiration to all she ministers to.  She knows how to take those experiences and relate them beautifully along with scripture.  She is sure to become a much sought after women’s speaker.  

I would highly recommend her for any group with regard to seeking God’s heart and how that applies to each and every woman attending your event.”

Cheri Carlson, Youth Haven Ranch {Rives Junction, Michigan}

 

“Joy is an engaging speaker for all audiences no matter the gender or age.  She approaches each speaking engagement with the perfect combination of grace, confidence, boldness, knowledge; and humor; delivering to each audience exactly what the occasion calls for.”

Pastor James Applegate, New Life Vineyard {Midland, Michigan}



“I had the privilege of hearing Joy speak for a ladies day breakaway class. That hour together flew by and I wanted more of her! She’s confident, informative, down-to-earth and has a terrific sense of wit.

She’s definitely a JOY to listen to.

And to top it off, she has a glamorous accent that makes her interesting and intriguing to listen to. What she shares she has gleaned from the Word. So whether it’s concerning wellness, parenting or marriage, you can be sure that what she shares not only comes from her heart, but also from the Lord.”

Marsha Baker, The Better Baker Blog {Pioneer, Ohio}

 

“When I think of Joy’s speaking gift…an image comes to mind. I see a face that has just been washed with the most cleansing soap. Her simple words leave you feeling clean, smooth and radiant. Clean because she lives a life that strives to get at all of the muck. She doesn’t hide her dirt. Smooth because she allows us to walk with her down the rough roads. Radiant because we see the joy that has come.

We see where Jesus himself has joined her in the journey. He has led her to the smooth places and we walk there too. Please, ask her to speak!”

Megan Pool, Royal Oak Vineyard Church {Royal Oak, Michigan}
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“I had the pleasure of hearing Joy speak about intimacy in marriage.  It is such an important subject that rarely gets talked about.  She was able to cover the topic with humor as well as biblical based facts. She was very real about the challenges that couples, especially those with children, have when it comes to intimacy but gave you very practical ways around those hurtles.   If every couple heard her talk the divorce rate would go down for sure!”

Jaime Williams, Riverview Church {Holt, Michigan}

 

“To know Joy  — is to have Joy!  Joy McMillan is a very unique person/speaker who enthusiastically but gently shares her own joy with her listeners.   Her joy is contagious and comes through her cheerful, positive personality.  JOY, JOY, JOY!!! I can’t wait to hear her again!!

Pat Kuehne, Apple Blossom Orchard {Midland, Michigan}

 

“What an exceptional speaker! Joy McMillan offered the ladies at our conference this past weekend more than witty humor and insights; she artfully wove Scripture throughout her talk in an engaging, modern, and transfixing way! She had each of the women laughing, nodding their heads, and reaching for their pens to capture the pearls of wisdom she had that can only come out of time listening to the Father. We look forward to inviting her back!”

Erin Reynolds, Lansing Vineyard Christian Fellowship {Okemos, Michigan}

 

“Joy is an exceptionally gifted speaker!  While I am her mother, you might think, “Oh, all mother think that of their children!”, but I have read reports from others, heard their praise, and even had some ask whether she has received special training as a speaker.  Not only is she gifted as a speaker, she is also a natural communicator.  Her transparent and honest sharing has her audiences thinking, laughing, tearful, challenged, encouraged and always desiring to reach further, higher and deeper.  She speaks with ease to children and adults alike on a wide range of topics and would be a valuable asset as a guest speaker at retreats, conferences, or workshops!”

Mary Douglas, Alma Vineyard Church {Alma, Michigan}

 

“Our Mom to Mom group found Joy’s talk “Red Hot Monogamy” both challenging and encouraging. This is a talk that every married woman probably needs to hear at least once a year! Joy’s maturity in her walk with the Lord does not keep her from being real about the struggles we face as tired, busy, stressed-out women. She addresses a delicate topic with humor, grace, and discreet transparency. Rooted in the principles of God’s Word, she addresses the practical and emotional obstacles that can keep us from loving our husbands as God designed them to be loved. Invite Joy into your midst. You will make an immediate and meaningful connection that will touch your heart and impact your life.”

Pam Koehlinger, Mom to Mom Coordinator {Midland, Michigan}

 

“I had the pleasure of hearing Joy and her mother speak at a women’s retreat in November of 2010.   I was really struck by Joy’s grace and authenticity.  She spoke with confidence and the authority of scripture, but it was all tempered with humility and honesty which made me feel like she really understood how challenging life can be.  Her love for Christ was so very apparent and I was encouraged to hear from a woman who obviously knew God, not just about God.  A group of women prayed for me after one of the sessions and God used Joy to speak a word to me that I desperately needed to hear.  I had been believing lies that who I was…  Joy looked me in the eye and shared with me what she saw when she looked at me.  I felt like God himself was giving me a glimpse of how He sees me.  It was so different than the corrupt view I held.  I was overcome with peace and started to understand how much God loves me.  I’ll always be grateful to Joy for hearing from the Lord and not being afraid to share his truth with me.  I’d drive miles and miles to have the opportunity to hear her speak again. ”

Rebecca Gould, Daily Rebecca {Harper Woods, Michigan}

 

“… was very inspiring and enlightening of what God expects from us, and what he does for us… that there are things we have to go through before we get to where God wants us.  You made it easier to understand and accept the changes we are going through.  Also the message that if we wake up in the morning, that God has a purpose for us that day and we need to find out what it is…the whole evening was a very moving experience.”

Bill Fleming, St. Patrick’s {Merrill, Michigan}

 

“Joy’s speaking skills are simply a gift – a gift for her to glorify God with and a gift to her audience as we grow by hearing them. Her light shines brightly as she speaks and her accent is delightful to listen to.  She has a story that is intriguing to learn about and unique experiences that have humbled her. Her depth of knowledge is vast, yet she translates it all to seem so simple.”

Shannon Martin {Saginaw, Michigan}

 

“I have been blessed to hear Joy speak on not throwing the stones of judgement. It was one of the best messages I have heard on the subject.
Joy did a great job delivering it using word pictures that really made it come alive. My only disappointment was that it wasn’t recorded, would like to have it to listen to again and to pass on.”

Gary Gager {Breckenridge, Michigan}

 

 

 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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What if grace has been waiting for you where perfe What if grace has been waiting for you
where perfection never could take you?

This week on Oh, Good Grief, we wrap up our exploration of the 9 Enneagram types, and how each one engages grief, with Type One: The Reformer.

We'll explore the gift of integrity, the burden of the inner critic, and the freedom that comes when we stop striving to earn what God has already given.

The Enneagram may reveal the stories we've believed to survive.
But only grace tells us who we've been all along.

🎧 Episode 038 is available wherever you listen to podcasts.
From the front, our little apple tree is living he From the front, our little apple tree is living her best life: laden with fruit and bursting with life.

But that’s only half the story.

Take a walk around the backside and you’ll see something entirely different: a large branch, nearly a third of the tree, black and barren. Clearly diseased. Clearly dead. Clearly in need of pruning.

And yet, every time I walk past it on our evening loop around the campground behind our house, it catches me off guard. I forget it’s even there.

Maybe because I prefer to look at the fruitful side.

And isn’t that a little like us?

We’re pretty comfortable displaying the beautiful parts: the wins, the answered prayers, the accomplishments, the parts of life that look healthy and fruitful.

The broken parts? The grief. The struggling relationships. The things we’ve neglected. The places where we’re tired or hurting or simply not okay?

Those we tend to tuck around the backside, hoping no one notices.

But here’s the thing: what we hide still needs tending.

We don’t have to be ashamed of the barren branches. We don’t have to pretend they aren’t there. And we certainly don’t have to wait until everything looks beautiful before we allow ourselves to be honest.

Maybe growth does look like good fruit.

And maybe sometimes it looks like finally walking around back, taking an honest look, and saying, That needs to go.

Pruning isn’t failure.
It’s making room for what’s still alive.

And if you’ve got a few dead branches of your own right now, take heart. You are not the barren branch. You are the whole tree. 🌿

#SimplyBloomCo
If you are a Nine, my prayer is that you would nev If you are a Nine, my prayer is that you would never lose your gift of bringing calm, compassion, and steadiness into a fractured world.

Those are beautiful reflections of the heart of Christ.

But may you also discover that your voice is not an interruption, your needs are not an inconvenience, and your presence is not optional. May you become the kind of peacemaker who tells the truth with love, receives love without shrinking, and lives fully awake to the life God has entrusted to you.

May you know, deep in your soul, that you don't have to disappear to belong.
What if the peace you've been protecting has come What if the peace you've been protecting
has come at the cost of your own presence?

This week on Oh, Good Grief, we're exploring Enneagram Nine: The Peacemaker.

Nines have an incredible gift for helping others feel safe, seen, and understood.
But somewhere along the way, many learned that staying connected meant staying quiet.

What if healing isn't about becoming louder?
What if it's about believing your voice already belongs in the room?

🎧 Episode 037 is available wherever you listen to podcasts.
Permission Granted. In case you needed someone t Permission Granted. 

In case you needed someone to tell you: yes, you should absolutely make the impromptu stop at the roadside farm stand and buy the $5 bouquet of flowers.

No, you do not need a reason.

No, you do not need to be buying them for someone else (although that is a perfectly lovely thing to do, too).

Buy them for yourself.
Put them in your kitchen.
Smile every time you walk past them. 🌸

And support your local flower growers and farm stands while you’re at it.

That is all.

You may now return to your regularly scheduled scrolling.
If you are an Eight, my prayer is that you would n If you are an Eight, my prayer is that you would
never lose your fierce love for justice, your courage,
or your willingness to protect those who cannot protect themselves. 

Those are holy gifts.

But may you also discover the freedom of being protected yourself.
May you find people with whom you no longer need armor. And may you know, deep in your bones, that the God who fights for you is inviting you to rest...
not because you're weak, but because you were never meant to carry every battle alone.
The year we moved into this house, a peach tree sp The year we moved into this house, a peach tree spoiled us thoroughly. It produced more peaches than we knew what to do with—cobbler, galette, crumble, smoothies, fruit leathers, and basket loads given away.

Our expectations for peach season were high.

Turns out, that tree was throwing itself a retirement party.
It died the following year.

We’ve since planted two more. The one that has always been unproductive surprised us this summer with these gorgeous, generous peaches. The healthy, established tree that usually produces? One. Single. Peach.

Fruit-bearing is an interesting thing.
Unpredictable. Relatively unmanageable.
Sometimes delicious and sometimes disappointing.

And maybe that’s why I love the reminder it offers:
performance isn’t always a good indicator
of what’s happening beneath the surface.

Take heart, dear one.

Some seasons, you’ll crush the to-do list,
accomplish the goals and have plenty to show for yourself.

Other seasons, you’ll simply keep showing up.
Quietly. Consistently. Faithfully.

And that is enough, too. 🌱
What if your greatest strength was never meant to What if your greatest strength
was never meant to become a hiding place?

This week on Oh, Good Grief, we're continuing in our Summer Enneagram Series by exploring the Type Eight: The Challenger.

Many Eights learned early that strength was safer than vulnerability.
But what if healing isn't about becoming less strong?

What if it's about discovering that courage
and tenderness were never meant to compete?

God isn't asking you to lay down your strength.
He's inviting you to lay down the armor you no longer need.

🎧 Episode 036 is available wherever you listen to podcasts.
If you identify with the Enneagram 7, my prayer fo If you identify with the Enneagram 7, my prayer
for you is that you would never lose your capacity
for wonder, laughter, creativity, and hope.

Those are sacred gifts.

But may you also discover the freedom of staying present
when life feels heavy. May you trust that joy does not disappear
when sorrow arrives. May you find that God is not only present
in the moments of celebration, but also in the quiet,
painful places you once tried to avoid.

The One who created your joy can also hold your grief.

You are loved.
Follow @SimplyBloomJoy

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