Hi, Sammie here! I first off want to thank you for clicking on this website. I pray that the following blogs are encouragement to you through your walk with the Lord. I thought before starting blogs it would be nice for you to learn how Virtuous Bloom came to be.
I grew up in church and accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior at a very young age. My parents worked in ministry and I was always at the church. Growing up I was constantly hearing about Jesus and his goodness. Looking back I didn’t realize how fortunate I was to be surrounded by that. Even though I was surrounded by it I didn't appreciate it. As I got older I started to drift away from the Lord. In college, I was going out to bars, drinking way too much, hanging with the wrong crowd. Even in the wrong place the Lord still had mercy for me. I met my husband, Tyler, at one of those bars, and he has been a wonderful blessing to me. After Tyler and I got married we continued to party and have fun together the way we knew how, and then I hit a rock bottom when my dad passed away from COVID in August of 2020. It took a toll on me. I was depressed, bitter, and truly did not recognize who I was anymore. I had lost the purpose of who God created me to be. Once churches began to open back up, Tyler suggested for us to start going. It was very hard at first. I was mad at God for dad passing and I felt like I had let God down for being so far away from him. I felt unfit or unable to be used for his kingdom. The Lord continued to convict me, and I rededicated my life in June of 2021. When I rededicated my life to the Lord I felt a whole new purpose upon me. I began to dream again, have goals, and have purpose. Tyler and I began cleaning up our lives and started volunteering at the church. We began singing which I hadn’t done in years, and helping in whatever projects the Lord laid upon our hearts. As I grew closer to God and felt his love for me I began to love myself again. Tyler and I began to take care of our health. I lost the weight that I had carried from the party days and the grief. I started to be confident not in what I could do, but in what God could do through me. So in November 2024 I thought we had life figured out. I was teaching, healthy, and felt like maybe we should move onto the next step of marriage which was having kids. Even though that's where the world was telling us to go I didn’t believe God was telling me to do that yet. One day in prayer I was confused and frustrated that I wasn’t being called to motherhood, the Lord laid upon my heart to start a boutique. As an elementary school teacher I know nothing about starting a business, so I just thought it was me thinking and not God. The Lord kept pushing. It continued to be on my mind in prayer. I even had written out to the side note of my bible Virtuous Blooms which is where the name originated. The Lord gave me the vision of a Christian boutique that encourages women to remember who they are in Christ. When I finally came around to the idea that I could maybe sell some dresses, then he laid on my heart to write blogs based on his word to encourage, share the gospel, and share who He is. The issue was I had never taught the Bible. Amazingly enough in January 2025 Tyler and I were asked to take over the middle school youth group. This was out of our comfort zones, but I was trusting God. We began teaching the word and working in ministry, and I finally felt like I belonged. I loved teaching the word. The Lord truly has a way of equipping us.
I can't promise that these blogs will be amazing or perfect. I have not gone to a bible college, and I am not a preacher. I am just following God in obedience of what he has called me to do. I hope Virtuous Bloom encourages you to do the same.
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