True Friends are the Rainbows Center Step Card---Visit our Neighborhood---613 Avenue Create for Another Anything Goes Challenge with an Optional Twist!

Good morning, Crafty Peeps!  This post is a day late...I hope and pray that every one of you are greatly blessed by God's goodness today.  The fact that you wake up this morning is enough evidence that you still have a purpose in this world and is capable of making a choice to make a difference...To shine the light that God has placed upon your life and to lead those who are blind to the Only Source of Light and Life---Our Savior, Jesus Christ!  God didn't purpose for us to do His work on our own.  He connects us with other believers (Born-Again, John 3:3) to encourage us, to provide help and ease our burdens or simply an ear to listen.  We are to surround ourselves with friends who does not only tell us nice things but that which can tell us the truth (no matter how hard it is to accept at times).  We are to be accountable to each other.  We are imperfect individuals under God's transformation and until the moment we see God face to face, it's very likely we'll commit mistakes from time to time.  Yet God told us in 1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." God can work with us if we surrender everything to Him.  He has given us free will and if we allow Him total control by accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of our lives, He can use us to fulfill the divine purpose He has created us for in the first place.  Friends with the same accountability with God can be used by Him to talk to us and lead us to His path.  While on earth, we are on a roller coaster ride---dealing with many different trials and triumphs. Godly friends are there with us through thick of thin.  They rejoice with us in victories but also remind us of God's grace and goodness in times of need.  If you have trustworthy friends given by God, we are to be grateful for every single one of them.  At this day and time, they are hard to come by.  On the other hand, we are to ask ourselves whether we are also a blessing to somebody's life.  We are to give---not just receive!  When we've gone through difficulties in life and God delivered us from all of them, this is not something we just keep to ourselves.  The testimony of God's goodness can be a beacon of hope to those who are enduring similar hardships.   I don't know with you but when someone comes to me and tells me of their trials and difficult situations, I try to put myself in their place to have a better understanding of what they might be going through and ask the Lord how may I impart hope in that person/friend's life.  Yes, we can give an arsenal of scriptures but without genuine concern, we are missing the target!  Sometimes, it is better to give a listening ear or a shoulder to cry on to demonstrate the love of God to our friends.  I cannot describe how valuable it is when I know that someone is there to devote some time to listen and pray for me and my family.  Each of us can make unwise decisions at a spur of a moment and end up regretting them for the rest of our lives.  Galatians 6:1-3 tells us, "Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."  Rejoice in the Lord if you have Godly friends surrounding you.  They are not only there to encourage you with nice words but also to deliver correction and instructions of righteousness when needed.  Anyway, here are important scriptures to guide us in our relationships:

"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching." (Hebrews 10:24-25)

"Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all." (Ephesians 4:2-6)

"My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other."  (John 15:12-17)

For this Card, I used an image from one of our sponsors---A Random Fan called "Travel Bug" and colored it with my ProMarker/Prismacolor/Chromatix markers.  I also incorporated a sentiment called "True Friends" from our other sponsor---Eureka Stamps.   The base card is a white CS that is cut and scored to make a 5.5 inches center step card.  The DP's and CS' are all from my scraps from many wonderful companies.  I made the border fence by using an MS Punch and created a scallop circle using my Nestabilities.  The circles were cut using an MS Circle Cutter.  The layered flowers were from Prima that I added glitters on using Stickles-Crystal and adhered some ribbon.  You'll also see a couple of brads, yellow nail head gems on the image's headlight as well as some white nail head gems.  Lastly, I did some fancy and regular stitching all over.  I think it came out pretty good.

 TRUE FRIENDS ARE THE RAINBOWS CENTER STEP CARD:

 TRUE FRIENDS ARE THE RAINBOWS CENTER STEP CARD LAYERS:

 TRUE FRIENDS ARE THE RAINBOWS CENTER STEP CARD SIDE VIEW:

 TRUE FRIENDS ARE THE RAINBOWS CENTER STEP CARD INSIDE:

TRUE FRIENDS ARE THE RAINBOWS CENTER STEP CARD WITH ENVELOPE-BOX:

This Card is entered into the following Challenges:

Crafty Girls---ATG
Crafty Little Faeries---Spots and Stripes
Cute Card Thursday---Perfectly Pink
Delightful Challenges---All Tied-Up (Use Ribbon, String or Twine)
Paper Crafting Journey---Perfect in Pink
ScrapbookerPHD---Die-Cuts (Used my Cuttlebug to cut the Nesties)
Southern Girls---Sparkle, Shine with a bit of Bling
Time Out---Summer (Optional twist-Flowers)
Dazzling Diva---Vellum/ATG
Crafting by Designs---ATG
Crafty Creations---It's all About "S" ( I used Stitching here)
Creative Moments---ATG/Monochromatic
Digistamps4Joy---Girly/Feminine
Hambo Hoedown---Here Comes Summer
I Love ProMarkers---Digi Does It
Nutcrafters---Animals/Insects
Paper Shelter---Flower Power
Scrapper's Delight---ATG with a Twist:  Layer It Up
Whimsy Stamps---Tic Tac Toe (Summer/Die-Cut/Sentiment)

There you have it, folks!  Don't miss the opportunity to join our Anything Goes Challenge at 613 Avenue Create featuring an optional twist, "Bestfriends Day."  There's wonderful prizes awaiting the winners from our lovely sponsors for this week---A Random Fan, Vectoria Designs and Eureka Stamps.  Can't wait to see what fabulous projects you're going to highlight this week.  I hope you have a wonderful week filled with the divine inspiration of God's Word and friends to share it with.  Hugs, always!