Scripture Series: Every Good Gift Card---Check Out This Week's Inspirational/Anything Goes Challenge at Word Art Wednesday!

Hello there, fellas!  Just want to greet y'all A BLESSED AND HAPPY THANKSGIVING!  I know that most of us are so busy today preparing for the family get-together tomorrow and I am just so glad I don't have to do any of that as my brother in law will do all the cooking---Yippee!  We are asked to bring some pies and even that was purchased---LOL.  Now, if I can only help myself from eating the Pecan pie till tomorrow comes---hmmm!  Anyway, we have new Scripture Word Art that you can download for free at our Inspirational/Anything Goes Challenge at Word Art Wednesday (WAW).  It's found in James 1:17 which says, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning."  As one who had been washed clean (Born-Again, John 3:3) by the precious blood of Jesus Christ and a recipient of His grace, forgiveness and boundless love,  I can appreciate every wonderful gifts I receive everyday.  Not only for the physical and material gifts but especially the gifts that are of the Spirit.  Among them are wisdom, understanding, faith, hope, love and compassion.  In today's twisted world, we need all the blessings, gifts and covering of the Holy Spirit to survive the insanity happening all around us.  It baffles me how people's minds have become so sick that they are no longer able to differentiate between sane and insane, good and evil, Truth and lies!  I hear others saying, "What were they thinking?" and I am overtaken by sadness knowing that the path that these people are taking and is passed on to our children is the way to destruction---both in this life and the eternal life!  I often find myself so overwhelmed and asking, "God, what can one person like me do to change the course of this nation and our world?"  People have become worst than animals in their thinking and their love for themselves and their worldly pleasures have given them over to depravity where they not only flaunt their sins and are proud of it but also encourages others to do the same.  In moments like these, the Holy Spirit of God never fails to comfort and provide me with answers and revelations.  I can see God in everything that surrounds me and He provides me with vital teachings in both simple and complicated occurrences of life.  Hey, I've learned vital lessons from the falling and dried leaves on the ground!  In the wonderful, dancing lights we see during Christmas season as well as the love and kisses I give/receive from my son.  God does speak!  The question is whether we are willing to listen or are way too busy to even bother.  He impressed upon my heart the need to follow His lead in all circumstances remembering that "my life is no longer my own."  No task is too big or small in His eyes.  All He requires is a heart that obeys.  I hold the scripture in Galatians 2:20 very dear to my heart and it says, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."  As God has given me many gifts to equip me for the challenges that lies ahead, it is imperative that I only move towards His leading.  God didn't want me to accomplish things all on my own but more importantly, He wants me to completely rely on Him for my next and every move.  Yes, I am responsible for the wonderful and perfect gifts God has given me and He wants me to use them as I go through every doors He will open to bring a person, community, nation and the world to His saving grace.  As I freely received---I should freely give!  I am blessed and so, I am to be a blessing to others!  And that to the Lord is PERFECT!   God is our Light Source and in Him there is no darkness at all.  He is the same yesterday, today and forever and those that have placed their trust in Him have placed their feet on the immovable Rock of all Ages!  Here are some verses we can meditate on.  I must say,  God is awesome!

"Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen."  (1 Peter 4:10-11)

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship.  Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.  For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.  Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function,  so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others."  (Romans 12:1-5) 

"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.  Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure. Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.  But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin." (1 John 3:1-5)

For this Card, I used an image from one of my fave companies, Bugaboo Stamps, called "Scarlette  Presents" which I colored with my ProMarker/Prismacolor markers.  I also used an image from one of our sponsors this week, Robyn's Fetish, called "Ornate Frame" and paper-pieced it with a DP from my scraps.  The base card is a white CS measuring 5-5 inches square.  I applied some glitters (Stickles-Crystal) to parts of the images and incorporated some pink brads from Recollections. Lastly, I stitched all over this card.   I usually don't leave lots of empty space in my project but this one feels great the way it is with all the colors pooping up from the white base.  It brings focus on the Scripture Word Art...I love it!

 EVERY GOOD GIFT CARD:

 EVERY GOOD GIFT CARD LAYERS:

 EVERY GOOD GIFT CARD INSIDE:

EVERY GOOD GIFT CARD WITH ENVELOPE-BOX:

This Card is entered into the following Challenges:

Catch the Bug---Photo Inspiration
Creative Moments---ATG/Make It Sparkle
Inspiration Destination---ATG
Paper Shelter--Metal Somewhere
Penny's Paper-Crafty---ATG
Ruby's Rainbow---Just Because
Scrapper's Delights---ATG/Traditional Christmas
Simon Says---ATG
Wonderful Wednesday---ATG
Mema's Crafts---ATG
My Craft Creations---ATG
Not Just Cards---ATG
Little Miss Muffet---CAS  (Image from Bugaboo)
A Crafty Mess---ATG
Creative Romance---Something Old (The image and the DP are quite old)
Get Creative---ATG/Add Glitter
TTCRD---ATG
Scrapbook Stamp Society---ATG/Glitter

Make sure you join us at WAW Challenge.  You can use the free Word Art in your creation and link it to our Challenge but is not a requirement.  As long as it's family-friendly, uplifting and inspirational, you can enter up to 5 times this week.  Lots of prizes to be won from our two wonderful sponsors---My Craft Spot ($10 GC) and Robyn's Fetish (3 Digi Images).  So excited to see what you come up with.  Anyway, cheer up and let the joy of the Lord overtake you today while being sensitive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.  I serve a good and faithful God---Jesus Christ!