Not a Card but a "Child is Born" CHRISTmas Decorated Candle---It's Another Inspirational Challenge at Word Art Wednesday!

Hi there, Crafty peeps!  This year I would say, is my busiest Christmas ever.  Time is flying by so fast, I am just amazed.  It seems like less and less is getting done each day that the Christmas presents have not been wrapped yet, oh my!  I got to get caught up pretty soon---like by tomorrow!...LOL  Though we may be caught up in all the hustle and bustle of the season, I don't allow myself to be side tracked by merely traditions.  I want to give honor to whom honor is due!   That one faithful day, a Child was born for the sole purpose of redeeming man from the depths from which they had fallen.  It was so deep that there was no possible way out unless God Almighty provided a way.  The good news is that God whose the Alpha and Omega (Beginning and the End) already knew everything that would happen before He laid the foundations of the earth.  Before everything was ever created, He had our salvation in mind!  Many would ask, "If God knows man will turn their back on Him, why create them in the first place?"  The Bible tell us in Colossians 1:16, "For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him."  This tells us that were created for His great pleasure.  We are not made to entertain God because He's not bored or lonely.  Without man, He will still be God.  Our God is a creative Being and it delights Him to make creations that have the ability to know Him (He made us after His own image and likeness) and in that knowledge of Him---to respond with love, worship, service and fellowship.  It is only in the knowing of "Who God truly is" will we have appreciation of  "Who we are" and give due reverence to the One who made us.  Many of us don't see ourselves valuable in our own eyes nor the world's eyes but I would like to tell you that God values you more than you would ever value yourself or anything else in this world.  Knowing what the future holds before He even began creation, He considered all the troubles we're going to create to still be worth creating us.  He was not looking at all our frailties---He was looking on "Who we are destined" to become!  For this sole purpose, He sent His One and Only Son, JESUS CHRIST, to suffer a horrific death (represents the ugly and brutal consequences of our rebellion from Him) so that we can again live in the joy, freedom and authority He originally gave us.  Jesus completed/finished the "death sentence" that we all are supposed to suffer.  But not only that, He didn't stay dead!  He triumphed over death and all its powers for all eternity.  The Bible tells us in 1 Corinthians 15:21-22, "For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.  For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive."  Adam fell into sin and plunged all of humanity under the ruling of Satan but Jesus paid the price for what Adam did and took us back from the hands of the enemy.  We all have to make the ultimate decision in our lifetime--- the only decision that would impact eternity!  "Are we going to accept the ultimate sacrifice that Jesus already accomplished or reject what He has done and still carry the punishment that Adam has plunged us into?  I made my decision---I accepted the free gift of salvation and restoration by simply placing my faith in the finished work of Christ and I don't have to carry the burden Adam had placed on me.  I am truly FREE!  And all thanks to JESUS who is the true meaning of this season.  If you want to make the same decision I made, you can go HERE.  Jesus satisfied the void in my heart!  Even though trials come my way, I know where my help comes from which causes me to hope, to believe, to love, to rejoice!

Anyway, we have another Anything Goes/Inspirational Challenge at Word Art Wednesday (WAW).  I want to feature my decorated candle as an inspiration project using the free Word Art (by Karen Murray) that you can download at the WAW site. The verse comes from Isaiah 9:6, "  For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." All of us who came to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ (John 3:3) and have followed the prophecies in the scriptures know why Jesus is deserving of all these great titles in this verse.  But the time will come when the fulness of the prophecies will come to pass and everyone (even the unbelievers) will see the Majesty that is in Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior!  When Jesus rules His Kingdom on earth (Millennial Reign of Christ) for a thousand years (Satan is locked up in the bottomless pit), we will truly have a taste of God's Kingdom where the Ruler reigns with absolute Truth and Justice.  The good news is that all who have died in Christ and those that are living in Christ that were taken through the Rapture of the Church will all reign with Christ in that Kingdom with the glorified/eternal bodies God is giving us.  So you see, our talents and gifting will not be put to waste.  We will be able to use every single one of them to glorify God as we reign with Him in that Kingdom.  If you wish to read more about the Millennial Kingdom, read HERE.  For this project, I used a Mo Manning image called "Ragged Angel" and colored  it with my Promarker/Prismacolor markers.  I used some glitters (Stickles---Diamond and Stardust) for the snow and the wings of the angel.  I transferred the image and Word Art to the candle and attached some gold/red ribbon for a final touch.  I am pretty happy with the results. 

 A CHILD IS BORN DECORATED CANDLE:

A CHILD IS BORN DECORATED CANDLE CLOSE-UP:

This Candle Project is entered into the following Challenges:

Addicted to Stamps and More---ATG
Christmas at Sweet Stampin'---Let is Snow
Crafter's Cafe---Make It Sparkle
Crafting by Designs---It's All New (New Candle and Word Art)
Crafting for  all Seasons---Anything Christmas but a Card
Crafty Creations---ATG
Creative Belli---Christmas
Creative Moments---ATG/Winter Wonderland
Digistamps4Joy---ATG
Divas by Design---ATG
Inky Impressions---Merry Christmas
Nutcrafters---Snow
Paper Playful---ATG
Rhedd and Rosie---Let It Snow
Ruby's Rainbow---It's Christmas
Scrapper's Delights---It's Christmas Time
Simon Says Stamp---Bling It On (Glitters on the angel wings and ground)
Sisterhood of Crafters---All that Glitters
Stamp n Doodle---ATG
Stamping Chef---ATG

Well, this is all I have at the moment.  Please don't forget to link up your projects to the WAW site.  You can submit up to 5 projects as long as it's family friendly, inspirational and/or uplifting projects.  Our goal for our Challenges is to honor God Almighty so, we have set up some rules that moves toward that goal.  If you have any questions, please read our Challenge Rules.  As much as we don't want to, any project that does not meet the criteria will be deleted.  Anyway, we have a couple of wonderful sponsors this week---The Scrapping Center and Stamp Art Designs by Kathryne.  I am excited to see what you have in store for us this week.  Have a blessed day and always remember that JESUS  is the reason for this season.