Fall Series: Thankful for Everything Card---Join Our Monthly Anything Goes Challenge Happening at 613 Avenue Create!

Hello everyone...It's a bit late but I'm here to feature my card for our 613 Avenue Create Anything Goes, November Challenge.  I tackled the optional twist which is "Thanks/Thankfulness."  I bought a couple of Thanksgiving inspired stamps a month ago and I used one of them on this project. I love it!  I hope you join us and have some fun crafting and creating.

So many things are happening around us today.  The evil that is hovering in our country and in the world in general are very alarming that brings many to hopelessness, fear and desperation.  The endless attack on our liberty and pursuit of happiness which has been endowed to us by God, our Creator, is threatened by demonic agenda to force many to choose between what they believe is right or to lose their means of livelihood. Each day, we are compelled to make a choice---to stand firm on God's Word with consequences or to compromise for advancement so as to avoid losing everything.  I am not discounting the fact that some choices are easy and that some are life threatening.  No matter what, a true believer of Jesus Christ (Born-again, John 3:3) should not think as the world does---selfish, self-serving and living just for the "now."  Jesus gave His life to free us from the bondage of Sin Nature (slavery to Satan) so that we can be with Him---in His presence now and for all eternity!  Jesus told us in John 16:20-22, "Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy."  Likewise in John 16:32-33, Jesus gave us both warning and encouragement saying, “A time is coming and in fact has come when you will be scattered, each to your own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”  

The truth of the matter is this:  The degree of obedience and perseverance we give to the Word of God determines the depth and quality of our relationship with the Lord.  God revealed Himself in His Word (Written Revelation) and through Christ (Personal Revelation).  Jesus, Who is the Word of God, came alive to redeem us and had been with us since then through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. The deeper our relationship with Christ, the less likely we'd fall for the threat of the enemy and the worldly system he is using.  Early this year, I experienced some form of spiritual crisis.  Nothing noticeable in the surface but it was a battle within; a case of spiritual anxiety that attempted to steal my peace of mind.  Discerning what the enemy was trying to do, I pleaded to God for a double portion of His peace---the kind that surpasses all understanding. I want a  heart so peaceful that sees the hand of God even in difficult and trying situations in my own life and as a child of God in this fallen world---resilient and firmly grounded in God's Truth!  I fell asleep and when I woke up, I never felt the same.  Praise God for He instantly answered my prayer and gave me great peace and a new pair of eyes to see what's beneath the daily headlines.  I found a deeper understanding of God's Word in Philippians 4:6-7 which says, "Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus."  Contrary to what others may think as complacency, I still do everything that God asked me to do for His kingdom but without the weight of the world on my shoulders.  For this is the will of God toward me in Matthew 11:28-30 which says, " Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”  Are you struggling with something today?  Call upon the Lord Jesus.  What He did for me, He will also do for you.

For this Card, I used an image from Stamping Bella called "Teeny Tiny Townie with a Pumpkin Pie" that I colored with the Paper Studio Brush markers.  The base is white CS, cut and scored to make a 5.5 inches square card.  The DP's are all from Paper Studio, the layered flowers are from Prima and the brad is from Recollections.  The leaves were punched from a couple of punches from Fiskars and EK Success. I added some glitters from Stickles (Crystal) and stitched all over this project for added dimension.  

THANKFUL FOR EVERYTHING CARD

THANKFUL FOR EVERYTHING CARD LAYERS

THANKFUL FOR EVERYTHING CARD INSIDE

THANKFUL FOR EVERYTHING CARD WITH ENVELOPE-BOX

This Card is entered into the following Challenges:

2 Sisters---ATG

A Bit More Time---ATG 

A Perfect Time---ATG

Ching-Chou Kuik---Thankful/Thankgiving/Thanks 

Classic Design---ATG

Crafts Galore Encore---ATG 

Craftyhazelnut's---Patterned Paper

Creatalicious---ATG/Ribbon or Twine 

Createful Heart---ATG

Creative Craft Cottage---Add some Sparkle

Daisy Chain---Add Sparkle 

Dream Factory---Limitless 

Girlz Rebel---Autumn Colors 

If You Give a Crafter a Cookie---Picture Inspiration (love the colors and leaves)

LeAnns World---ATG 

Let's Craft and Create---ATG/Twine 

Love to Craft---ATG 

Love to Scrap---ATG 

MIUCB---ATG/3D Projects 

Morgan's Artworld---ATG

QKR Stampede---ATG

Sognando---ATG

Crafting Challenge---Stitching  

Creative Crafters---ATG

Four Seasons---Fall 

Worldwide Open DT---ATG  

YSP---ATG

This is it for now, guys.  Make sure to join us at our neighborhood---613 Avenue Create---for an Anything Goes Challenge.  If you want to be challenged, take on the Optional Twist.  But there's really no reason for you to miss it. Can't wait to see what you create. Remember to put your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ always and in His Word to stay in the right course.

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