Scripture Series: Strength Refuge Shadow Card---Join Us for An Inspirational Challenge at Word Art Wednesday!

Good Wednesday morning, everyone!  I'm here to feature my latest card creation for our Anything Goes Challenge at Word Art Wednesday (WAW) this week.  Anyway, the past few days has not been easy for me as the enemy tries to discouraged me in every kind of way.  Whoever thinks that a Christian life is a "bed of roses" is living in a fantasy world because the Truth is, our faith and obedience is tried every step of the way.  The more you are pressing towards the things of God, the greater resistance the enemy places in your life. We all know that Jesus, the Son of God, was not spared from the trials and persecutions to the point death.  At this day and time, I know that every Born-Again believer, washed by the blood of the Lamb (Jesus) is already experiencing hardships and perils just standing on their faith in Christ.  It's now evident, more than ever, here in America as many people continue to turn away from the Biblical foundations of this nation (embedded in our Constitution) and seeks to promote lawlessness.  What amazes me is that despite the urgency of the perils surrounding us, many Christians remains passive.  IT'S TIME TO WAKE UP!  We have been sleeping for a long time as the enemy of the Gospel continues to rob us of the freedom the founders of this country fought with their lives for us to enjoy.  We might say, "I have my own problems to care for, hence, I don't have the time to be involved in the affairs of my community/city/country/world." I, too, am familiar with that.  I encounter personal trials daily and it's never been easy but to be confined within the scope of myself and not care for the things that's happening around me (which will eventually affect me and my family in the long run) is utterly disheartening.  I may not be able to respond to every issue this country/world faces but I keep myself available when God quickens me to act on something.  I know He is able to lead me and make me aware when there's something He needs me to do.  We are the Temple of God here on earth (He lives inside every person that placed their faith in Jesus Christ) and we carry out the will of our Father which is in heaven.  Our road map is the Word of God that always leads us to the right path (path of righteousness).  Our authority comes from the finished work of Jesus Christ and because our Father knows the beginning from the end, we already know of the victory that is ours---ETERNAL LIFE IN CHRIST!  

So, when the storms of life comes (both personal and worldwide), I cling to the promises of God in His Word.  I still get frustrated at times,  but because of the Word of God, hope springs as faith arises and choke every frustration I harbor inside.  I have a God who loves me and never gives up on me, no matter what!  He is still the same Savior I prayed to many years ago, not to let me out of His guiding hands.  He is faithful, He is true, He is Mighty God!  If you are encountering trials in your personal life right now,  don't let that trial stop you from being a blessing to your community.  The less we focus on ourselves, the less frustrated we are.  Give it all to Jesus and fulfill what He wants you to do outside of your box and you'll see God come through in all areas of your life.  That's what I decided to do at this very moment and I know He will see me through.  I would like to share with you these wonderful scriptures to encourage you:

"But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." (Isaiah 40:31)
  

"We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you."  (2 Corinthians 4:8-12)

 

^"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.  For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,  neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:35-39)

So, here is the card for your inspiration today.  It features the free Word Art that you can download from the WAW Blog.  The scripture is in Isaiah 25:4 which says,  "For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall."  This simply tell us that God is our "all in all."  He is our strength, our refuge, our shadow in every season of our lives.  He is there in our rejoicing, in our weeping, in our distress, in our frustrations.  He never leaves us nor forsakes us.  All He ask is that we TRUST IN HIM!  One of our sponsors this week at WAW is Robyn's Fetish which provided me with this very cute image called "Five Little Froggies" and I definitely had fun coloring them with my ProMarker/Prismacolor markers.  The base card is a white CS measuring 5.5-inches square.  The DP's are all from My Mind's Eye, the lacy scallop (biggest) is from Nestabilities that's cut using my Cuttlebug, the flowers are from Recollections  and the leaves are cut with an MS Punch.  I added some glitters to the image, flowers and leaves using Stickles (Stardust) and adhered my favorite white gems from Imaginisce.  Lastly, I stitched all over this project.  It surely turned out great.  Would love to hear your comments.

 STRENGTH REFUGE SHADOW CARD:

 STRENGTH REFUGE SHADOW CARD LAYERS:

 STRENGTH REFUGE SHADOW CARD INSIDE:

STRENGTH REFUGE SHADOW CARD WITH ENVELOPE-BOX:

This Card is entered into the following Challenges:

HIMCR---Early Cherry Mist (Color Challenge)
Make It Monday---ATG
Paper Shelter---Punches and Dies
MilkCoffee---Show Us Your Coloring Skills
Crafty Calendar---ATG
Digi Sketch---ATG
Digitally Sweet---ATG
Crafts and Me---ATG
Sister Act---ATG
Challenges 4 Everybody---ATG
My Heart Pieces---Stitching (Real or Faux)
Dis Digi Designs---Stitching (Real or Faux)
2 Sisters---ATG
By Lori Designs---Designer Paper
Hanna and Friends---ATG
Crafty Bloggers Network---Favorite Things (Love my Lacy Die and white gems)
Crazy Challenge---ATG
Lady Anne's---ATG (Must use stamp)
Paper Pretties---Designer Dudes (2 or more patterned papers)
Perfect Sentiment---Favorite Technique (Sewing/Fussy Cutting)
Whimsical Designs---ATG
City Crafter---Polka Dots
Loves Rubber Stamps---ATG
Papertake Weekly---ATG

Make sure you join us at WAW Challenge.  You can use the free Word Art in your creation and link it to our Challenge but is not a requirement.  As long as it's family-friendly, uplifting and inspirational, you can enter up to 5 times this week.  Lots of prizes to be won from our two wonderful sponsors---Mark's Finest Papers and Stamps and Robyn's Fetish.  So excited to see what you come up with.  Anyway, cheer up and let the joy of the Lord overtake you today.  I serve a good and faithful God---Jesus Christ!