About Us
The writers of this site are ordinary women who seek an extraordinary God. We mess up daily, and need God’s grace and mercy as much as anyone else. We are moms, wives and women seeking a deeper walk with the Lord, and we’re on a mission to encourage your heart as we share ours. All of us have experienced heartaches, hurts, victories and failures and are a product of God’s redemption. We pray that as you come here daily you will be inspired to walk in the beauty of the Lord, and be “In Bloom”!
Denise Thompson: Founder/Co-Editor/Co-Creator
Denise is a wife and homeschooling mom who resides in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. She and her family live a simple and fulfilling life on nine acres in a 100 year old farmhouse. Days are never dull with three boys and a constant home improvement project in the works.
Most of all Denise loves Jesus, who has set her heart free. As a result of her past experiences, Denise has a passion to gather women and encourage their hearts. She desires to see others find their true identity and beauty in the Lord. You can find Denise running things around here and also writing at her personal blog Denise In Bloom. She is grateful that you have come to be a part of Sisters In Bloom and prays that you will find refreshment for your soul.
Lori Ramsey: Co-Editor/Co-Creator
Lori is a married christian work at home mom of 6 children. She is a freelance writer, and you can find her blogging at LA Ramsey. She is a novelist and author, and loves to write Christian romances and fantasies. Lori loves to find a way to work from home while caring for her home and family and has a passion to encourage other moms to do the same. You can find her on Twitter as @loriaramsey and on Facebook.
Susan Pardoe: Guest Post Editor
Susan is a wife, mom, daughter, sister, and daughter of the one and only true King. She keeps busy home educating her two precious daughters, taking care of her husband and home, and writing at her blog, Busy ‘Lil Homemaker where she shares delicious recipes, homemaking tips, and her faith. Susan loves coffee, chocolate, and her family. In all her “spare” time she loves to piece quilts and sew simple things and spend time with loved ones. Reach her on Twitter and Facebook.
Cherie Froelich: Special Features Editor
Cherie is enjoying her life to the fullest alongside her best friend and husband Scott. They’ve been married 15 years and are raising three wonderful girls together.When she’s not hanging out with the family, Cherie loves dabbling in graphic design, scrapbooking, stamping, photography, gardening, and reading. You’ll find her blogging at Heart and Soul Reflections, where she writes to honor her King Jesus. You can also find her on Twitter as @MySoulReflects.
Sarah Ronk: Book Club Coordinator
Sarah Ronk and her college sweetheart have been married 8 years and they have two little ones, Aaron (4) and Lydia (2). Sarah is a quiet friend striving to glorify God and live life as natural as possible. Her days are full of all things homemaking, from playing games on the floor with her children and reading many, many books aloud to growing kombucha, grain soaking and cloth diapering. She also enjoys photographing everyday blessings, reading great literature with her book club and abstract oil painting. Find her blogging at Simply Sarah or on twitter.
Amy Bayliss
Amy is a small town Cajun girl living life in the big city. She and her husband Ryan have four children, all boys, ranging in age from toddler to teen! Amy is a full-time blogger and consultant and owner of Homemaker’s Challenge. You can visit her at her personal blog, Cajun Joie de Vivre or you can follow her ramblings on Twitter and keep up with her mischief on Facebook.
Amy Dane
Amy is a scattered single mom of four who’s learning to cling to Grace. Redeemed at seven, it wasn’t until tragedy struck at age thirty-seven that God blew her away with His amazing love for her. A Texas school librarian who dreams of becoming a full-time writer some day, she is passionate about sharing His love with those who are lost, wandering, and without hope. Amy blogs regularly about her adventures as an accidental missionary at Amy in Wanderland. You can also connect with her on Facebook or follow her on Twitter.
Ashlie Oestreich
Ashlie is a wife to her high school sweetheart, mommy of two little girls, dreamer, thinker, thrift store shopper, recovering perfectionist, and sinner saved by grace. Ashlie’s heart is to encourage fellow sojourners in the midst of her own struggles. Seeing others discover His vast love and grace makes her do a happy dance! She endeavors to seek God’s truth in the journey while finding His grace in the mess, knowing that at the end of the day, it really is all about Him. She loves winding gravel roads, muddy romps, and country life, yet Starbucks, skinny jeans, and pedicures hold a special place in her heart, too. This creates a bit of a conundrum that she is still trying to figure out. Lovely word pictures, insane amounts of coffee, silly times with her family, and chocolate make her world go ’round. Visit her at One Small Town Girl, where writing through her journey gives her a place to breathe. She tweets as @AshlieWrites and can be found on Facebook as well.
Christina Gilliland
Christina hails from the cheese-obsessed, Packer-loving state of Wisconsin, is wife to her worship pastor husband, James, and mom of two beautiful girls. When she isn’t playing princesses and picking up small, little toys, she enjoys reading and connecting with friends. If she ever wins a million dollars, she would spend it traveling around the world. You can find her quiet thoughts at her blog Momma Day by Day and she is also found on Twitter and Facebook .
Cyndi Spivey
Cyndi blogs at Walking in Grace and Beauty and is passionate about sharing God’s grace because she has been lavished with it. She loves sharing tips on fashion, makeup and beauty but believes true beauty begins on the inside with a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Cyndi is a Pastor’s wife and feels blessed to serve alongside her husband in ministry. They have two grown children, a son-in-law and most importantly a grand baby that has stolen their heart. You can also find Cyndi on Facebook and Twitter.
Daniele Evans
Daniele is a woman seeking grace in this journey of intentional living. While pursuing a biblically-based marriage, grace-filled parenting and a peaceful home, she is more than aware of her lack and dependence on the God who provides, encourages, supports and grants grace. A pastor’s wife, a homeschool mother of five and a passionate defender of children who need an advocate, Daniele and her family live out their days in Central Pennsylvania where she enjoys cooking, writing, reading and photography. Daniele takes pleasure in documenting family memories and nurturing the spirit of fellow believers on her blog, Domestic Serenity .
Eryn Hall
Eryn Hall is making the most of every single wonderful day according to Ephesians 5:15, and blogging all about it at MamaHall.com. She and her husband are raising their two children in Fort Worth, Texas. Eryn relies heavily on Jesus, her husband, coffee, the power of prayer, friends, and her iPhone. She loves arts and crafts, coffeeshops, nail polish, being at church, party planning, taking pictures, worship music, every day miracles, homeschooling, being with family, and the Lone Star State. Eryn is also on Twitter and Facebook.
Jacque Watkins
Jacque resides in Southern California with her civil-engineering-general-contracting husband, and her five energetic children, ranging in age from 4-16. When not enjoying their new homeschooling adventures, she works as a labor & delivery RN, where she never tires of the miracle and wonder of birth! She travels along life’s road, amidst daily missteps and failures, yet is relentlessly caught by God’s mercy and restored by His grace. Jacque’s heart is to encourage others to see God’s mercy and grace in everyday moments, and be healed and set free from guilt and shame, through the freedom Christ brings. You can find her writing at Mercy Found Me, Facebook and on Twitter as @Jacque_Watkins.
Jana Driggers
Jana is an ordinary woman grateful for the extraordinary grace of her Heavenly Father. She is proud to call herself wife to one, mommy to three, and friend to many. Her life is loud and happy, and she loves to read, write, cook, laugh with friends, and drink copious amounts of creamy coffee. A huge fan of authentic friendship, she strives to encourage transparent, heart-to-heart connections. Most of all, she loves discovering God’s grace in the everyday mess and longs for a quiet moment to sit at Jesus’ feet. You can usually find her in the carpool lane, singing loudly and embarrassing her kids. Jana writes about faith, family, and encouragement for the journey at Grace for My Mess. You can also follow her on Facebook and Twitter.
Jennifer Camp
Jennifer Camp, voice finder and the wife of a heart warrior, in N. California, mothers three children and leads My Girls, in her home on Monday mornings. She writes at her blog, You Are My Girls, where she writes to remember the truth of her identity in the Father’s eyes and to encourage other women to remember, too. Come on over to connect with her at You Are My Girls Community, on Facebook, or at twitter as JenniferCamp1.
Jenny Yarbrough
In Jenny’s own words: “I am a wife and a mother to one wonderful daughter and two precious sons. I am a follower of Jesus and strive each day to be the faithful wife and mother that He desires. Some days this is easier than others. It is a humbling job, to say the least, as I prove time and time again that I am not capable of doing this in my own strength! Aside from these duties I blog at The Southern Institute and am the author of “Unbound Birth: How to have a natural birth in the hospital.” I teach childbirth education and I’m involved in our women’s Bible Study as well. One of my passions is empowering women to be the best that they can be, in whatever area, while resting in the knowledge that they are enough in His eyes.”
Jessica Mueller
Jessica is a nomad and reluctant sojourner—she wrestles between longing for Home and the comforts of this world. She believes grace is deep and wide enough for us all and redemption is her favorite word. She’s wife to a seminarian and mom to two wild and free boys.
She writes about the everyday life, faith, mercy and justice, as well as her passion for writing at The Reluctant Sojourner. For now, she sets up her tent in Louisville, Kentucky.
Juanita Philben
Juanita has been married to her high school sweetheart for 17 years. Together, they have 3 amazing children and live in the beautiful state of Colorado. She is head over heels crazy in love with her God and strives to live in the grip of HIS grace daily. Juanita is passionate about connecting women in authentic Christ based relationships and has recently partnered with 3 incredible women to launch a women’s ministry in Denver know as The {DEPENDS} Girls. Through the ups and downs of her own friendships she has learned the vital importance of being able to connect with others in a real, transparent way. Juanita encourages women to step out in faith… and reach for the hand of a God who passionately pursues us. She shares stories of her faith and her journey at Joy Times Five
Kamille Scellick
Kamille passionately believes that gathering around the table is where the body, mind & soul will be nourished. It’s around the table where you’re sure to find her on any given day…eating, talking, listening & sharing life with her husband & two girls. You can find her sharing stories, hospitality & food with friend & stranger at her blog, Redeeming the Table. You’re invited to pull up a chair & sup with her.
Kris Camealy
Kris is just a girl who loves Jesus with her whole heart. She is a stay at home mom, MOPS Coordinator and an Advocate for Compassion International. Kris winds through her days, homeschooling 4 kids, and playing wife to her amazing husband.The floors are covered in crumbs and the washing machine never stops running (never!) but she counts each day as a gift! In her spare time (ha ha ha!) she writes, reads and plays with her camera. You can follow her musings at her personal blog, Always Alleluia and on twitter and Facebook.
Kristin Lemus
Kristin is a wife to an amazing and loving husband and mother to 7 precious children. Together they have 5 daughters and 1 son that they are raising and another son who is in heaven. He was born prematurely due to pregnancy complications and lived 6 precious hours before going home into his loving Savior’s arms. It was a very difficult loss for them but God was very near and faithful.
Kristin is on a mission to be purposeful in all she does. To her, purposeful doesn’t just mean having a plan but it means sitting at the feet of the One who knows the beginning and the end and allowing Him to transform her from the inside out. She is passionate about the deep freedom she has found in Christ and longs for women everywhere to walk in that same freedom. She writes about being purposeful and living in freedom at Purposeful Homemaker. She can also be found at Mommy Kudos where she shares mommy tips, deals and great finds for moms, babies and kids.
Kristin is usually happiest when she is talking deeply one-on-one or in a small group, taking pictures of her sweet kiddos, writing what is on her heart, reading a good book (on a rainy day with some chocolate is best!), baking something yummy, cooking with whole, organic foods, or shopping for a good deal on great things for kids or moms.
Momma Kristi
Kristi is a Jesus-girl, wife to her best friend, and mom to three amazing little boys. She works full time as a pharmacist at a local hospital on the weekends and is a stay at home mom during the week. Kristi lives in suburbia but dreams of moving with her husband and boys to the country. She blogs at Momma Kristi where she shares her faith filled journey through motherhood. Kristi is also creator of Must Love God -a blog and community focusing on wellness and wholeness for Christian women, which is one of her greatest passions.
Leigh Dusek
Leigh is madly in love with her handsome and super funny husband, her 3 rambunctious children and our God. She stays home with her children, but keeps busy by writing and creating over on her blog. She is passionate about advocating for her autistic boys, creating a home that is Christ based, and a marriage that is as strong as a rock. Her desire is to speak to women about marriage and about their relationship with Christ. She is writing a book that she hopes will be used for Gods will and bless others. She would love to spend her days curled up in bed watching movies, taking long naps and drinking massive amounts of coffee. With her husband of course. Visit her blog Funky Faith Girl. Connect on Twitter @ funkyfaithgirl and Facebook.
Natalie Snapp
Natalie is a late thirtysomething gal who writes a about the everyday glimpses of faith seen while raising her brood of three young children, her husband, and a diva of a dog. She is a speaker and a writer with a passion to share God’s grace with those around her and encourage others to keep their eyes on the cross while being pruned to bear more fruit. Her life is an ashes to beauty story from the point of her conception until now and she’s thankful to be now be standing in His light made anew and washed by the water. She lives in the Midwest where she finds Jesus as she folds laundry, searches for lost socks, and finds green beans on the top step. Don’t ask. You can read more of Natalie’s writings at Mommy On Fire.
Rachel Martin
Rachel lives in the half-a-year frozen land of Minnesota. She’s a Christian home schooling momma to seven fabulous kids, and is the wife to an amazing cancer-surviving husband. In January 2011 her youngest son, Samuel, was diagnosed with Celiac Disease so you’ll also find her talking about gluten free living and Celiac Disease awareness. Between home schooling, blogging, running her family, and, of course, drinking coffee, she’ll be driving her girls to classical ballet or her boys to soccer. She’s passionate about seeking joy and living a faith filled, intentional life. You can find Rachel blogging at Finding Joy as well as on twitter or facebook
Richella Parham
Richella is a writer, editor, and speaker. She is on the Ministry Team and Board of Directors of Renovare’, a ministry devoted to Christian spiritual formation, and is a member of the leadership team at the church that she and her husband helped to plant. Most treasured of all her roles is that of wife to her college sweetheart, Jack, to whom she’s been married for more than 26 years. Richella and Jack have three wonderful sons, ages 20, 18, and 14. Richella blogs about home, family, and faith at Imparting Grace.
September McCarthy
Hello, my name is September McCarthy, and I am blessed to find myself introducing myself to you today. I am wife to the Man that protects my heart, and has for 22 years. I am mom to 10 children that I home school, and am inspired by the work that Jesus Christ is doing in my life daily.
It is by God’s Amazing and bountiful, undeserved Grace that I can see the plan He has for my life- through the loss of 7 of our babies, losing some dear and close friends, changing ministry paths after 20 plus years, and more.
I have been busy serving the Lord as a Writer, Speaker for numerous Woman’s Ministries, Educator for Bible Classes in the Public School System, Children’s Ministry Director, Ladies Fellowship and Bible Study Leader, Pregnancy Loss Counselor, Home -school Community Group Director, and First and Fore-most- A help-meet to my wonderfully -supportive and encouraging husband, and Homeschooling mom to my children.
I seek to Honor the Lord with my words and actions, and write with that prayer. My joy comes from serving, and am careful to follow His promptings to encourage others. I make mistakes, and find that when I let go, and let God.. I am able to be used in a greater way, than in my own thought and ability.
Blessings to you… I can’t wait to meet you! My blog is One September Day , I am also on Facebook and Twitter @ Septemberanne
Stacey Thacker
Stacey is Mike’s wife and the mother of 4 vibrant girls. She is a Writer,Girl who loves God’s Word and connecting with women. You can find her blogging at 29lincolnavenue where she hopes to encourage your heart, grow in faith together, and talk about the stuff of life. In July 2010, God led her and a group of amazing women to create the MODsquad blog, a community of moms who daily seek to raise their daughters with purity, character, and hearts for God. Follow her on Twitter as @stacey29lincoln.
Stefanie Brown
Stefanie Brown is the wife of Dan Brown, Executive Director of LIFT Ministries. She is a graduate of Berea College in Berea, KY where she received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing. She practiced nursing for 10 years before leaving the profession to stay at home with their son, Alex, now 8. During her time at home she started ZERO2THREE Pediatric Rehab Services, a company, which provided therapy services to children ages birth to 3 with developmental delays. She recently passed this Kentucky-based company on after 9 successful years of service.
She and Dan, who are coming upon 10 years of marriage, re-located their ministry to the Dallas Metroplex in 2009. She and her family reside in Plano, TX and are partnering with Canyon Creek Baptist Church, Richardson, TX.
Her writing began after an encounter with the Lord in the summer of 2010. It was in that moment she knew writing was her ministry, her calling, her element. Her blog, UpLIFTing Words was birthed out of that encounter. She can also be found on Twitter at stefanieybrown as well as facebook, Stefanie YoungBrown.
Teri Lynne Underwood
Married to her talented Worship Pastor husband and momma to her silly {and slightly hormonal}tween girl, Teri Lynne is living out her own happily ever after. Finding glimpses of holy in the most mundane places, Teri Lynne’s one desire is to invite others into this journey toward a life where the sacred and secular collide. She writes at a little white desk and studies in a big not-so-white-anymore chair in between loading the dishwasher, putting out the dog, and sitting in the car line. Grace grabbed hold of her life and since it did, she’s never been the same. You can join her on her blog and on Twitter.
Traci Little
In Traci’s own words: “I’m a curly-headed dreamer who loves my Savior, adores my best friend called Hubby, and my three children! I never knew how much I would love being at home full time with my kids, but I do! What a privilege and high calling. I love to blog, take pictures, cook, decorate cakes, and make my home cozy and inviting! It is my desire to glorify God through encouraging and edifying other women. It is my heart’s cry to motivate you to be a lover of God, respect your spouse, and raise your little ones to love and know the love of Christ. God’s grace captivates me in such a way that I want my life to make a difference for His glory.”
Traci’s blogs at Ordinary Inspirations. You can also follow her on Facebook.
Misty Krasawski
Misty Krasawski is the overly-blessed mom of eight children whom she homeschools in sunshine-y Florida. She has been clinging tightly to the hand of her Lord since she was knee-high to a grasshopper, homeschooling for the past fifteen years, and has fifteen more years of homeschooling ahead of her with the children who are glad she will have done most of her experimenting on those who went before. Her wonderful husband Rob has much treasure laid up for him in heaven for having been called to such a daunting task. She also is the Community Director and a writer for MomHeart Online, hostess of an online mentoring program for moms called Titus 2 University, has written articles for both an upcoming devotional book from Group Publishing and Home Educating Family Magazine, and is a regular contributor to Heart of the Matter Online and Sisters in Bloom. Blog: Encouraging Hearts at Home | Facebook | Twitter
