The Smallest Things Card---Another Wonderful Anything Goes Challenge with a Twist Happening at 613 Avenue Create! Join us...

Hi there, friends!  This is coming out a day late as I had quite a busy day yesterday.  Lots of things going on and I feel like there is not enough hours in a day to come close to accomplishing everything I want to do.  These days are full of challenges for our family and no matter how many times we go through trials, it's never easy.  But one thing we know for certain---that Jesus has control over everything and anything!  Things may be in shambles, chaos, and nothing seem to work for us at times.  Our emotions are saggy, and our hearts and minds are filled with hopelessness.  When there's a million things going on inside my head, I choose to quiet myself down and let the voice of the Spirit living inside of me have His way.  You see, a life of a believer is full of battles!  Not just from the outside circumstances that affects our daily routine but from all the suggestions and decisions we need to sift through before we turn every single one of them into action.  It is very important for every Christian to advance from the initial experience of coming to know Christ to becoming a mature believer with a biblical and eternal worldview.  The Word of God builds our faith and equips us with His promises to triumph against all kinds of situations that seek to destroy us.  Spend some time reading and let your spiritual man grow, strengthened and nourished by the power of God's promises.  We need to see the great and eternal plan of God beyond our present circumstances in order to avoid drowning from the storms and trials heading our way.  Oh yes,  God's promises are "life" to me and it never fails to give me the strength to face the unpredictability of each day.  I want to share the following verses to strengthen you today and give you hope for the bright future God has prepared for those who have received Him (Born-again, John 3:3).  Be blessed!

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,  and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade--kept in heaven for you,  who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.  In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.  These have come so that your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.  Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,  for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.  Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care,  trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.  It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.  Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.  As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.  But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do;  for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."  Since you call on a Father who judges each man's work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear.  For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers,  but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.  He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake.  Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.  Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart.  For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.  For, "All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall,  but the word of the Lord stands forever." And this is the word that was preached to you"  (I Peter 1:3-25)

Anyway, we have our newest Challenge happening at our neighborhood---613 Avenue Create!  As always, it is "Anything Goes with an Optional Twist" (use a Winnie the Pooh quote).  There are several Word Art at the Challenge site that you can download for free.  I used a very cute quote for the image and project I had in mind and it says, "Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart."  One of the most wonderful experience of my life is when I gave birth to my gorgeous son, nine years ago!  It was so much more than "love at first sight" or "a match made in heaven."  That tiny baby was inside of me and a part of me.  Seeing through his wide opened eyes, holding his fragile hands/feet and protecting him in my arms gave me a glimpse of the love of God towards me.  Something deeper and magical at the same time yet no words to describe exactly.  That small baby is God's gift to me and so as every little child in a mother's womb.  I would never understand the ugliness of any human being that chooses to hurt these little children.  NEVER!  Every little child is important in the eyes of God and that is all that matters.  Though my little baby has grown into a handsome little man today, he will continue to be this little person that takes up the most room in my heart forever.  For this Card, I used an image from one of our sponsors this week---Sami Stamps.  It's called "Stroller Mom" and I did some paper-piecing and colored it with my ProMarker/Prismacolor markers.  The base is white CS, cut and scored to make a 5.5 inches square card.  The DP's are from American Crafts.  I rounded two opposing corners using my Corner Chomper and die cut a scallop circle and the circle using my Spellbinders dies and Cuttlebug.  I also layered some Prima flowers and added a button and glitters (Stickles-Crystal) to the flower and the stroller.  I attached several gems to compliment the image and stitched all over this project.  For the sentiment, we are supposed to use quotes by Winnie the Pooh so, I computer generated this wonderful saying to go with my creation.  I just love how the colors came together.  I  am very happy with this card and thanking the Lord Jesus for direction and inspiration.

THE SMALLEST THINGS CARD:

 THE SMALLEST THINGS CARD LAYERS:

THE SMALLEST THINGS CARD SIDE VIEW:

THE SMALLEST THINGS CARD INSIDE:

THE SMALLEST THINGS CARD WITH ENVELOPE-BOX:

This Card is entered into the following Challenges:

Sami Stamps---Use Glitter
Fairytale Stampers---Flowers
Glitter n Sparkle---Cute
Jellypark Friends---Bling It Up
OSAAT---ATG with Something New (Image is new)
Scribble and Scrap---ATG
Sentimental Sundays---New Beginnings
Stamping Sensations---Dies/Punches
That Craft Place---Love/Valentine
Crafting from the Heart---ATG
Craft Your Passion---ATG
Get Creative---Anything New (New Image and Word Art Sentiment)
Imagination Crafts---ATG
Love to Scrap---ATG
My Creative Moments---New Something (New Image and Word Art Sentiment)
My Craft Creations---ATG
Not Just Cards---ATG
Paper Nest Dolls---ATG
The Pink Elephant---ATG
Whoopsi Daisy---ATG
Crafty Calendar---What's New?  (New Image and Word Art Sentiment)
Paper Creator's---ATG
Dragons Lair---New Beginnings

There you have it, folks!  Don't miss the opportunity to join our Anything Goes Challenge at 613 Avenue Create.  There's wonderful prizes awaiting the winners from our lovely sponsors for this week---Sami Stamps and Fitztown.  Can't wait to see what fabulous projects you're going to highlight this week.  I hope you have a wonderful week and know that through faith in what Jesus accomplished through the Cross, we have complete victory always!