Birthday Tops the Charts Card---My Final GDT Card for The Outlawz Challenge!

Happy Memorial Day, everyone!  Let us not forget the men and women who have courageously put their lives in harms way so we can live free in this country.  I pray for every perfect blessing from the Lord to shower our military personnel and their families all the days of their lives and that you all  may know the hope and peace that is found only in the knowledge of the One, True God! I also pray this prayer to every Missionary from here and around the world who are tirelessly fulfilling the great Commission and putting their lives in danger for the sake of reconciling people to God.  I pray for the power of God to be demonstrated in your lives, freedom for those who were being tortured in prison and the strength and power of God for the persecuted  Sadly, today, we are bombarded not just by those who wants to physically and economically harm us but those who attack the very Constitution that America was governed since it was adopted in 1787.  It was based on a Judeo-Christian principles that have Biblical foundations.  Many people don't know the value of freedom because they have never experienced living in a country whose rights were suppressed either by their forms of government, their religions or the belief system that prevailed in those countries.  We will not know the value of freedom till it is taken away from us and if you look at what is happening nowadays, we can see how we are being robbed of our Godly heritage daily.  Throughout my life, I have watched documentaries on rise and fall of nations and paired with the knowledge God has allowed me to possess through His Word, people are set to repeat history by simply not learning from the mistakes of the past.   The Bible talks about the oppression the Israelites faced under the hands of the Egyptians in the Book of Exodus.  He sent Moses to free His people from this bondage and slavery and through the process---God has shown  how He cared for His people.  Miracles upon miracles---Cloud by day, fire by night!  He has given them the Mosaic Law which reveals God's Holy Ways which we can never fulfill.  It was not given as a checklist for man which will gain him salvation---that would be impossible.  It was given for us to realize the depth from which we've fallen from the ways of God and to point us to a desperate need---A Savior!  Jesus Christ was the promised seed (her seed) in Genesis 3:15 which states, "And I will put enmity between thee (Satan) and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel."  Consider this, right after the Fall of Man, God has spoken of a coming Savior, one that will bruise the power of Satan and take back the God-given authority that he has stolen from Man.  The Bible and everything on it speaks of that Savior, a Messiah that would come to save His people and that anyone who confesses their faith in Him is part of His Body---the Church and is saved (Romans 10:9).  From Genesis to Revelation, there is only One Story---how Jesus Christ fulfilled the will of the Father and was faithful to the end.  He resurrected and took back what we've lost as He delegated to His Church the preaching of the Gospel (Good News) which consist of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  This is the Source of every believer's power here on earth.  Because Jesus triumphed, He will be the One to judge the living and the dead at the coming of age.  What a blessing to be at the side of the Victor!  Though our situations look different as we see the rise of rebellion, lawlessness and depravity not just in this nation but all over the world.  Kids being brought up without the knowledge of and accountability to God, the slaughter of the unborn by the millions and hailing sexual depravity at the fore front while forcing everyone opposing to not discriminate but to tolerate.  This is what the world is battling with today and they may not involve physical weapons but the scripture told us in Ephesians 6:12-15, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.  Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace."  I know it is hard to deal with those people that were being used by the enemy to bend the Truth of God to suit their fleshly desires but we are told to pray of them and extend compassion while standing up for the Truth of God---knowing that they are under the deception of the enemy, like we were, before we were freed by Jesus Christ through faith in Him.  Thus, we say, "we love the sinner but will always hate the sin."  I want to share this comforting Word of God for whatever struggles you may have at this time:

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."  (Galatians 6:9)

"For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline." (1 Timothy1:7)

"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." (John 16:33)

"And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:7)

I hope we all took courage and understanding from those powerful scriptures.  So, here's my inspiration card for Memorial Day.  As GDT for The Outlawz Challenge this month, we were asked to make a Masculine Vintage Birthday card and here's what I came up with.  I am not into making vintage projects but I can say I tried my very best (with the Lord's help, of course) to aged this project to perfection.  I used a wonderful digi image called "Big Guy Grilling" from one of my fave artist---Mo Manning.  I tried to color it with Sepia combinations in mind thus a lot of brown shades using my ProMarker/Prismacolor/Spectrum Noir markers with some paper-piecing of the shirt and applying Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Walnut Stain) to the edges of my DP's.  My base card is a Kraft 5.5-inch square, the 3 DP's were from DCWV, together with some gems from Imaginisce.  The wonderful sentiment is a freebie I got from Create with TLC.  It was so much fun making this and hope you enjoy it too. 

 BIRTHDAY TOPS THE CHARTS CARD:

 BIRTHDAY TOPS THE CHARTS CARD LAYERS:

 BIRTHDAY TOPS THE CHARTS CARD INSIDE:

BIRTHDAY TOPS THE CHARTS CARD WITH ENVELOPE-BOX:

*** WANT THIS CARD?  AVAILABLE AT MY ETSY---HERE! *** 

Enjoy all the wonderful things you have planned today.  Don't forget to join us at The Outlawz Challenges .  You must be a registered member in order to post and comment but it's super easy to join and lots of prizes to be won.  Have a blessed day and let us continue to fight for what is right in God's Word.