CAS Series: Sentiment Cards---Join Our Monthly Challenge at 613 Avenue Create with Anything Goes!

Hello everyone.  We have a new Challenge for this month at 613 Avenue Create that started a few days ago.  As always, it's Anything Goes with an optional twist, "Make Sentiment the Focal Point"  You will find some wonderful ideas on our optional theme with the projects made by my fellow DTs at our Challenge site as well as the featured cards I have in here.

Anyway, I would like to share God's Word in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 which says," Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."  Have you felt so weary both physically and spiritually the past few months?   The Lord knows I've had my moments.  You see, I love Truth and Justice.  When both are under attack and perverted daily by where the "wrong" is justified by influential yet demonic spheres of our society while the "right" is vilified, you would hope for justice to kick in based on the governing laws of our nation.  But when justice is taken over by Godless and perverted minds, they no longer protect the lawful citizens but the thugs and the mobs.  I know that this fight between good and evil is first spiritual in nature and nothing happens in the physical without a spiritual origin.  I thank God for the presence of the Holy Spirit that comforts, encourages and guides me in wisdom because the physical, mental and emotional stress that we are encountering daily can be too much for many of us to bear.  Each day, we are given a toxic amount of "fear" to take in  and without a strong spiritual foundation to anchor us as we depend solely on our physical strength, it's easy to slip into hopelessness. 

I would like to share this wonderful exaltation from my Life Application Bible regarding the verses I shared at the beginning of this post.  It carries the message I want to emphasized to every true brothers and sisters in Christ and that is to "NEVER GIVE UP TRUSTING GOD NO MATTER WHAT!"  Here's what is says: "Paul has faced sufferings, trials and distress as He preached the Good News.  But he knew that they would one day be over, and he would obtain God's rest and rewards.  As we face great troubles, it's easy to focus on the pain rather than our ultimate goal. Just as athletes concentrate on the finish line and ignore their discomfort, we too must focus on the reward for our faith and the joy  that lasts forever.  No matter what happens to us in this life, we have the assurance of eternal life, when all suffering will end and all sorrow will flee away (Isaiah 35:10).   It is easy to lose heart and quit.  We all have faced problems in our relationships or in our work that have caused us to want to think about laying down the tools and walking away.  Rather than giving up when persecution wore him down, Paul concentrated on experiencing the inner strength from the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 3:16).  Don't let fatigue, pain or criticism force you off the job.  Renew your commitment to serving Christ.  Don't forsake your eternal reward because of the intensity of today's pain.  Your very weakness allows the resurrection power of Christ to strengthen you moment by moment.  Our troubles should not diminish our faith or disillusion us.  We should realize that there is a purpose for our suffering.  Problems and human limitations have several benefits: (1) they remind us of Christ's suffering for us; (2) they keep us from pride; (3) they cause us to look beyond this brief life; (4) they prove our faith to others; and (5) they give God the opportunity to demonstrate His power.  See your troubles as opportunities!  Our ultimate hope when we are experiencing terrible illness, persecution, or pain is the realization that this life is not all there is---there is life after death!  Knowing we will live forever with God in a place without sin and suffering can help us live above the pain that we face in this life."

For this Cards, I used sentiments from Cloud 9 Design.  The base is and A2 size white, CS and the DP's are from Paper Studio.  The sentiment and image used for the coordinated envelope came from Hero Arts.

 CAS SENTIMENT CARDS

 CAS SENTIMENT CARD 1  WITH ENVELOPE

CAS SENTIMENT CARD 2 WITH ENVELOPE

This Card Set is entered into the following Challenges:

Perfect Time---ATG
Classic Design---ATG
Country View---Do What Makes You Happy
Craftyhazelnut's---Patterned Paper
LeAnn's---ATG
Let's Craft and Create---ATG/Stars and Stripes
Love to Craft---ATG
Love to Scrap---ATG
MIUCB---ATG/Open Technique (Center Step Style Card)
Morgan's Artworld---ATG
QKR---ATG
Sognando---ATG/Fave Color (Pastels)
YSP---ATG

This is it for now, guys.  Make sure to join us at our neighborhood---613 Avenue Create---for an Anything Goes Challenge with optional theme, "Sentiment as Focal Point."  If you want to be challenged more, take on our Optional Twist.  But there's really no reason for you to miss it. Can't wait to see what you create.  Anyway, the works of the enemy is apparent in our day and time and just like Jesus, we are to use the Word of God to battle with the works of the enemy.  We are to study and arm ourselves with the Truth in order to discern the works of Satan and act with wisdom and power.

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