BN Book Review: Bloom: Discover God’s Plan For You In Tough Seasons by Banire Adejana-Takuro | Review by The BookLady NG

You will appreciate Bloom if the following describes you: you’re not the average Christian, you’re going through tough seasons, you’re yearning to know God more and develop an intimate relationship with Him. This is not to say the book should not be read by other categories of people, however, like a case of utter misfit, it is like giving an iPhone manual to a Samsung user if you fall outside these categories and do not read with an open mind ready to be transformed. 

Let me stop mincing words and set the record straight: Bloom is not for everyone. It is a treasure trove for the discerning who really need some form of reassurance to walk through tough seasons. From a broader perspective, this could be anyone as we are all sure to go through some tough times at different stages in our sojourn on earth. Banire sets out to arm you with the tool that you can wield out of your arsenal during such moments. 

I have never been able to wrap my head around why tough seasons are inevitable in life. Why does the universe allow them? Why does God in His sovereignty permit them? Banire Adejana-Takuro did not dwell too much on these unanswerable questions but jumps right to share practical ways to accept and navigate difficult times. This she does expertly. As a person who has had her fair share of dealing with the curveballs of life, she heavily makes some of the faith-based principles she shared become flesh in the simplest forms.  

Bloom is a practical guide for life. It is a ready-made anchor lavished with biblical excerpts. The nuggets in the book are obviously not revealed by flesh and blood. Every chapter ends with an impeccable call to action that reinforces one of the central themes of the book – joy. In Bloom, you will find out that the best way to walk like one with hinds’ feet is to cultivate a constant atmosphere of worship through soul-lifting hymns and songs. Hence, every chapter in Bloom ends with a prescriptive worship song that is best suited for the theme of the chapter. What’s more, the songs are deep, ladened with meaning and aim to take you to the Father’s throne in utter surrender. 

One of my favourite quotes from the book is “Our life is an unending journey of faith.” This book is first a helpful manual to the author before anyone else. While writing Bloom, Adejana-Takuro was going through a rough patch in life. Halfway through completing the book, it got even worse. Hence, the author writes from a place of knowing and not mere observation. No doubt, she was shaken by the turn of events, she quickly realigned herself to the purpose of the season. 

The cluelessness of our dark hours should help us develop fresh curiosity and hunger that leaves us panting after the maker, eventually birthing a perfected faith. In Bloom, you will also uncover a myriad of reasons why God allows tough seasons. It is up to you to agree with them or not. Although, many of these reasons do not make pragmatic sense to me –  they almost alter my impression of God as a loving Father, I resign to the limited nature of my human mind to process. 

Adejana-Takuro sure has too much to share. She writes with a sense of urgency, making her touch on different areas that are not outrightly connected but somewhat relevant to the core of the book. For the discerning, you will experience a number of aha moments. You will also interject your reading repeatedly to simply meditate, stay still and pray your way through whatever difficult season you might be going through.