Scripture Series: I Am the Vine Card---Join the Inspirational/Anything Goes Challenge at Word Art Wedenesday!

Hello Crafty pals...Welcome to another post for our Inspirational/Anything Goes Challenge that started yesterday at Word Art Wednesday (WAW).  This week, we are featuring an awesome Scripture Word Art, downloadable for free at the WAW site.  It comes from John 15:5 and it says, "I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing." No one truly understands the depth of the revelation that pertains to this powerful verse until one comes to the end of himself and begin a New Life (Born-again, John 3:3) in Christ.  In my past life, I thought I had total control of my destiny.  I bought into the idea that I could be whoever I wanted to be and I could do everything I wanted if I gave it all I had.  Yet it took several disappointing events in my life for me to realize that though I believed I had a bit of control over myself, I didn't have any control over other people's lives/choices.  And they were the ones whom I looked up to and were integral part of my support system.  I quickly learned that no matter how I tried, I couldn't fix everything that was broken in myself nor the people that surrounded me.  Those challenges led me to a great deal of frustration and depression.  All that brokenness wanted me to give-up on life at some point.  But in the  midst of the hopeless and meaningless life I would like to leave behind, God's light broke through!  He took me on a journey (one day at a time) and prepared my heart  to hear the Gospel (death, burial and resurrection) of Jesus Christ using a late night TV program.  I realized that the Holy Spirit had been cultivating the soil of my heart  and made me  ready to receive the seed of God's Word on that perfect evening of encounter with Him.  When I opened my heart and declared Jesus as my Lord and Savior, I received peace that was beyond my understanding---IT WAS SO AMAZING!  After 2 decades, I still don't have the exact words to describe fully the wonders of how a New Birth in Christ felt like.  I can say all sorts of wonderful things but will still fall short of describing this supernatural work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the redeemed...Everyday, I am reminded of the love, grace and power shown by God to me on that faithful night...

I am grateful to tell  you that to this very day, I have been held by the Vine---Jesus Christ!  Everything I need in this life flows through Him.  Without Him, my leaves would dry up and fall into the ground.  But in Him, I would continue to flourish and bear much fruit from season to season.  Jesus is my Living Water---I would never thirst again!  Isaiah 58:11 tells us, "The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail."  He is also the Light that supplies me with the necessary energy to grow, reproduce and sustain life. 2 Samuel 23:3-4 says, "The God of Israel spoke, the Rock of Israel said to me: ‘When one rules over people in righteousness, when he rules in the fear of God, he is like the light of morning at sunrise on a cloudless morning, like the brightness after rain that brings grass from the earth.’"  I am forever grateful that God called me to be among the bearers of His wonderful Truth.  I am undeserving of such love and grace.  Yet He saw the work that Jesus accomplished in me and declared me righteous in His sight. And all I needed to do is to receive everything in faith!  Words will never be able to describe the depth, width and the height of God's love for us.  Glory be to the Most High God...

In addition, I would like to share what I read from my Application Bible regarding our Scripture Word Art for this week as it truly blessed me.  It says, "Many people  try to be good, honest people who do what is right. But Jesus says that the only way to live a truly good life is to stay close to him, like a branch attached to the vine.  When a vine bears much fruit, God is glorified, for daily He sent the sunshine and rain to make the crops grow, and constantly, He nurtured each tiny plant and prepared it to blossom. What a moment of glory for the Lord of the harvest when the harvest is brought into the barns, mature and ready for use!  He made it all happen.  This farming analogy shows how God is glorified when people come into a right relationship with Him and begin to bear much fruit in their lives.  Apart from Christ our efforts are unfruitful."  If you have personal relationship with the Lord, no matter what happens everyday, we know that we are under His protection.  Fear could no longer hold us knowing we are bound for eternal life in the presence of Christ. We understand that we are living temporarily in this world and the time will come when we forever dwell in a glorious place God prepared for us.  If you don't know Jesus in a personal way, I pray you get to know Him NOW!  This is the single, most important decision you will have to face in this life.  You may think you are in control but you'll never know when death knocks on your door.  If you don't know Him by then, your destination is to suffer God's eternal wrath.  That is the Truth of God's Word!  Lastly, I want to leave you with these compelling verse to ponder on in John 3:16 and it says, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." 

For this Card, I used an image from Stamping Bella called "Uptown Girl Pippa Loves to Plant" which I colored using Tim Holtz Distress Inks, water and a water brush.  Of course, I stamped the image using Ranger Archival Ink (Jet Black) on a watercolor paper.  I am loving this coloring technique for the meantime as it's so forgiving.  You don't have to be as precise like most coloring methods.  The base is from Core'dinations, cut and scored to make a 5.5 inches-square card.  A couple of corners were rounded using my Corner Chomper.  I want to highlight the awesome verse from our Scripture Word Art this week that I went with a CAS card style.  To finish it all up, I ran it through my sewing machine and walah, all done!

I AM THE VINE CARD:

 I AM THE VINE CARD LAYERS:

 I AM THE VINE CARD INSIDE:

I AM THE VINE CARD WITH ENVELOPE-BOX:

This Card is entered into the following Challenges:

Art Impressions---Use Water-based Inks
Crafting for All Seasons---All Dressed Up/Girly
Crafty Creations---Colorful
Crafty Gals---ATG
Creative Moments---ATG
Inspiration Destination---ATG
Simon Says---ATG
Wonderful Wednesday---ATG
4 Crafty Chicks---ATG
As You Like It---Bright or Pastels?  (I can create with Pastels but I always go for Brights)
Crafty Girls---ATG
Digital Delights---ATG
DL Art---ATG
MAWTT---Leaves and/or Trees
Shopping our Stash---Go Paperless
Sweet Stamps---ATG
TTCRD---ATG

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 upto 5 projects.  Our amazing sponsors for this week are Sweet-n-Sassy Stamps ($10 GC to their shop) and Top Dog Dies (Die Cut worth $16).  So excited to see what you come up with.  Anyway, cheer up and let the joy of the Lord overtake you today as you share Him to others.  He truly loves and cares for you.  

Encouragement Series: Believe in Miracles Card---Join us for Another Challenge at our Neighborhood, 613 Avenue Create!

Hi there, guys!  It's late Sunday evening but I would like to share with you what I made for our Anything Goes Challenge this week at 613 Avenue Create.  But before that, I would like to encourage you with God's Word found in Romans 8:17-30 and it says, "Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified." 

As I meditated on the goodness and promises of the Lord in those verses and how it relates to all the struggle we have been dealing with in this world, the Holy Spirit reminded me of the countless brothers and sisters being killed all over the world while many others were dispersed from their homes and forced to run for their lives these days because they bear the name of Christ and refuse to deny their faith in Him.  My Life Application Bible shared wonderful devotions on these verses that truly blessed me so, I decided to share them with you as well.  It says, "There is a price for being identified with Jesus. Along with being "heirs of God," Apostle Paul also mentions the suffering that Christians must face.  We too must pay a price for following Jesus.  In many parts of today's world, Christians face pressures just as severe as those faced by Christ's first followers.  Even in countries where Christianity is tolerated or encouraged, Christians must not become complacent.  To live as Jesus did---serving others, to think of others first than one's self, resisting pressures to conform to the world---always exacts a price.  Nothing we suffer, however, can compare to the great price that Jesus paid to save us.  God works in all things---not just isolated incidents---for our good.  This does not mean that all that happens to us is good.  Evil is prevalent in our fallen world, but God is able to turn every circumstance around for our long-range good. Know that God is not working to make us happy, but to fulfill His purpose.  Note that this promise is not for everybody.  It can be claimed only by those who love God and are called according to His purpose.  Those who are called are those the Holy Spirit convinces and enables to receive Christ.  Such people have a new perspective, a new mind-set on life.  They trust in God, not life's treasures; they look for their security in heaven, not on earth; they learn to accept (not resent) pain and persecution because God is with them."

One day, we will see the glory of God in His fullness and everyone who humbled themselves before Him on earth will be satisfied...But on the flip side, those who rejected, rebelled and denied Him will experience the wrath of Almighty God for all eternity.  Hebrews 10:31 says, "It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."  So, while the Ark of Mercy is still wide open, I pray that everyone who hears the voice of the Lord run to the Ark of Safety---Jesus Christ!  He remains our Only Hope, now and forever.

For this Card, I used an image from Stampers Anonymous featuring "Tim Holtz Bird Crazy" that I colored using Distress Inks by watercoloring.  I immediately fell in love with these birds  the day I saw the projects created using this set. Since then, I've kept a close watch on where I could get it at an affordable price.  Several weeks ago, I found a great deal from an online seller.  Today, I am highlighting my first project with one of its adorable stamps.  I also enjoyed the watercolor technique and thought I would give my alcohol markers a bit of rest...LOL  Anyway, the card base is white CS, cut and scored to make a 5.5 inches square card.  The DP's are from Paper Studio "Barnwood Pretty" stack.  It may not be obvious but I used a stencil from The Crafter's Workshop (TCW) called "Aspen Trees" to create those winter trees in the top panel.  The border stamp inked in red is from Will N' Way, the main sentiment is from Stampabilities, the brads from Recollections and the layered flowers from Prima.  I used Fiskars punch for the leaves and Stickles-Crystal glitter to accentuate the bird and the flower.  Lastly, I stitched all over this project. I am more than happy with the results.

BELIEVE IN MIRACLES CARD:

BELIEVE IN MIRACLES CARD LAYERS:

BELIEVE IN MIRACLES CARD SIDE VIEW:

BELIEVE IN MIRACLES CARD INSIDE:

BELIEVE IN MIRACLES CARD WITH ENVELOPE-BOX:

This Card is entered into the following Challenges:

Amusing Challenge---ATG
Lacy Sunshine---ATG
Fashionable Stamping---Changing Seasons
Glitter N Sparkle---Fall/Autumn
Penny Black---Autumn Colors
Pile It On---Cute and/or Spooky
Stamping Sensations---Colors of Autumn
Corrosive---Autumn Splendor
Brown Sugar---ATG
Crafty Girls---ATG
Inspiration Destination---ATG
Love to Scrap---ATG
Penny's Paper Crafty---ATG
Simply Papercraft---ATG
TTCRD---ATG
Cute Card Thursday---ATG
Fantasy Stampers---Animal Antics
Wags n Whiskers---Fall Colors
Art by Miran---ATG
Crafting with Friends---ATG
Creative Fingers---ATG
Pattie's Creations---Fall
Polkadoodles---Add Sparkle, Bling or Glitter
Art Impressions---Use Water-Based Inks (Colored Bird with Distress inks)
As You Like It---Favorite: Brights or Pastels?  (For some reason, I just use brights more)
Crafting with Attitude---ATG
DRS Designs---Fall-ing For You
Julia Spiri---ATG with optional Twist

There you have it, friends!  Make sure to visit our Challenge Blog---613 Avenue Create to join us for our "Anything Goes" Challenge with an optional Twist (Use Subway Art).  You can do whatever you fancy with your projects and have a chance to win fabulous prizes from our sponsors this week namely Bugaboo Digi Stamps, Drawn with Character and Poppyseed Graphics.  Anyway, remember to fight the good fight of faith daily and always remember what God's Word told us in Galatians 6:9, "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."  God bless, y'all!  

Scripture Series: Call Upon Me Card---Join Us for Another Family Friendly/Anything Goes Challenge at Word Art Wednesday!

Hello there, Crafty friends!  This is coming out pretty late but I am here to share with you my inspiration project using our free Scripture Word Art for this week's Challenge at Word Art Wednesday (WAW).  It comes from Psalm 50:15 but in order to understand the message clearly, I would like to quote both Psalm 50:14-15 and it says, "Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High: And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me."  Many times, we only remember God when we are in challenging situations.  Sad but very true!  We bought into this idea that as long as there's something we can do about it, we don't want to bother God for help.   In trying times, we begin to realize that we don't have all the answers and we are not in control.

However, someone who comes under the Lordship of Jesus Christ (Born-again, John 3:3) and have received the message of the Gospel (His death, burial and resurrection) and holds God's Word as the only standard by which to live the New Life (New Birth)---knows that we can only go through each day by faith in what Jesus Christ accomplished.  Every life's trials and pain find its answer at the Cross!  Everyone that boldly proclaim the message of the Gospel has an awesome testimony to tell!  Every single one of them have gone through different kinds/levels of trials.  Some physical, emotional, mental, financial, abuse, neglect, abandonment, rejection torture, depression or combinations of all and others I may have failed to mention. Having gone through our lowest points, we have found a new meaning to life when Jesus came to free us from all our bondage.  It's not something that we just hear people say but it's a true and real experience of the love, goodness and kindness of our God!  We call it a personal encounter with our Savior!  In the Scripture, people that truly experienced God from the Old Testament and New Testament have never been the same after their encounter with Him.  There's something about the presence of the Lord in one's life that enables us to do great and mighty things.  

As we continue to walk with God, we become thirsty and hungry for more of His Word.  We tell Him of the many things we want to do to proclaim His glory through our lives.  But then, we also realize that there is nothing we can truly offer Him that was not His in the first place.  Our life, strength, knowledge and abilities all came and sustained by Him.  And we are grateful!  Upon seeing the wonderful things taking place in our lives, the unmerited blessings He bestows upon us daily---all of these brings us to rejoice and sing songs of praise to His Name!  All is well and we have every reason to celebrate God's goodness... However, life does not stay this way all the time for believers!  In fact, the devil is doing his best to discourage us in many ways, shape and form.  So we find ourselves in a predicament.  In fact, things seem to be falling apart with no help in sight... Can you see yourself rejoicing when you receive your final paycheck after losing your job?  Will you be able to sing songs of praise when your beloved child chose a wayward path?  Are you going to dance for joy after your home gets taken away due to foreclosure?  Are you going to lift your hands to thank Him after a love one passed away?  Are you shouting for joy after you learned you are terminally ill?  I submit to you, on our own, it's impossible! But the Holy Spirit lives in everyone who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ!  It is Him who will enable us to do what is impossible for  us to do.

It is extremely important that we learn to trust God in times of trouble!  It's the kind of faith that claims the victory and believes it's going to happen when we are surrounded/outnumbered by our enemies.  There's nobody that can help us anyway but Him...When we offer sacrifices of praise  unto the Lord and thanking Him regardless of our painful circumstances, we are offering Him a different breed of faith!  It's that supernatural kind of faith that only comes from the working of the Holy Spirit in our hearts.  In essence, God  is receiving the faith that is purely from Him and through Him.  When we allow ourselves to come under this marvelous revelation---no matter what circumstances we encounter in this life, we will find countless reasons to praise our God and fulfill what we promised Him to do! Therefore, we shall be living testimonies (giving glory to what the Lord has done) on how He saved us in those troubling times...I just want to share the following verses to encourage us to continue praising and trusting God no matter what life throws at us:

"In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials,  so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ."(1 Peter 1:6-7)"

 "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. "  (1 Peter 2:9)

"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us." (Romans 5:1-5)

 For this Card, I used an image from Sassy Cheryl Stamps called "Indiana Joe" (discontinued) which I colored with my ProMarker/Prismacolor markers.  The base is white CS, cut and scored to make a 5.5 inches square card.  I embossed a white panel with a Cuttlebug embossing folder.  The image background was further brought to life by layered inking using Tim Holtz Distress inks namely Broken China, Tumbled Glass and Faded Jeans for the sky as well as Antique Linen and Pumice Stone for a muddy water effect.  I added several silver metallic gems and stitched all over this creation.   I really love the blending of the distress inks for my background and how the image compliment this week's Scripture Word Art.  What do you think?

CALL UPON ME CARD:

 CALL UPON ME CARD LAYERS:

CALL UPON ME CARD INSIDE:

CALL UPON ME CARD WITH ENVELOPE-BOX:

This Card is entered into the following Challenges:

As You Like It---Bright or Pastels (I can create both but most likely prefer brights for boldness)
Crafting with Attitude---ATG
Crafty Girls---ATG
Cute Card Thursday---ATG
Digital Delights---ATG
DL ART---ATG
DRS Designs---Fall-ing for You
Creative Moments---ATG
Inspiration Destination---ATG
Wonderful Wednesday---ATG
ODBD---Seasonal Photo or Verse
Passion for ProMarker---Lots of Layers
Retarte---ATG
TTCRD---ATG
Crafty Friends---Use Gems and/or Pearls
Jo's Scrap Shack---ATG
Craft Your Passion---ATG
Crafting from the Heart---ATG
Art by Miran---ATG
Crafty Girlz---ATG

I surely hope you will come and join us at the WAW Blog.  You can upload up to 5 entries as long as it has an uplifting/inspirational message.  Wonderful prizes are awaiting the winners courtesy of our sponsors this week---Fred She Said and the Flying Unicorn Store.  Our Challenge is "Anything Goes" so you can be as creative as you want to be.  I can't wait to see what you come up with.  So, this is it for me today.  Have a blessed week and remember, in Jesus, we have complete victory. To Him all glory is given!  

Happy Winter Christmas Card---There's an Awesome New Release Called "Create Joy" this Month at Simon Says Stamp!

Good morning, everyone!  Yesterday, Simon Says Stamp released new products featuring Holiday and Winter.  There's also a Blog hop (chance to win a prize parcel valued at over $50) happening at their site today featuring many artist that made great projects from the new release.  I am honored to try a new die called "Happy Winter Christmas" featured in this "Create Joy" collection so, here's the card I made with it.  I don't really make lots of Christmas themed projects except for some that I send to love ones but I truly enjoyed making this one having combined Christmas and Winter theme in one creation.

For this Card, I also used an image from Sassy Cheryl Stamps called "Lucy Lou Princess on Ice" that I colored with my ProMarker/Prismacolor markers.  The base is a grey CS from Core'dinations, cut and scored to make a 5.5 inches square card.  The DP's are DCWV and Recollections.  The hills were created without using border dies---just good ole' pencil and scissors, lined with a DP, matted on a white CS.  I added some glitters on the image using Stickles (green), included some Liquid Pearls (White Opal), stamped and fussy cut the layered snowflakes using Fiskars stamps and added some white brads from Recollections.  Pretty happy with how this turned out.
 

HAPPY WINTER CHRISTMAS CARD:

 HAPPY WINTER CHRISTMAS CARD LAYERS:

HAPPY WINTER CHRISTMAS CARD SIDE VIEW:

HAPPY WINTER CHRISTMAS CARD INSIDE:

HAPPY WINTER CHRISTMAS CARD WITH ENVELOPE-BOX:


This Card is available for purchase at my ETSY STORE HERE****

This Card is entered into the following Challenges:

Art by Miran---ATG
Crafting with Friends---ATG
Crafty Catz---ATG
Creative Fingers---ATG
Jo's Scrap Shack---ATG
Simply Papercraft---ATG
As You Like It---Monochrome or Color?  (I love "colors" as I love the bright/vibrant effects it gives)
Crafting with an Attitude---ATG
Crafty Girls Creations---ATG
Creative Moments---ATG/Spots and/or Stripes
Fab 'n' Funky---Make it Square
Not Just Cards---ATG
I love ProMarkers---ATG
Crafty Addicts---ATG/Autumn Colors
Wonderful Wednesday---ATG
Artistic Inspirations---ATG
Mod Squad---Winter and a Die
Sweet Stampin'---Christmas Travel or Transport
Sisterhood of Crafters---Die-lirious and/or Punchy
2 Creative Chicks---ATG
Craftyhazelnut's---Christmas Theme
Craftyhazelnut's---Patterned Paper
CCC Digi Creations---ATG
Digistamps4Joy---ATG/Optional "B"  (Brads, Bird)
Natalie and Amy---Snow People
Petal Lu---ATG
Sweet Stamps---ATG
Sisters of Craft---ATG
World Wide Open Design---ATG
Your Scrapbook Place---ATG

But of course, this post will not be complete without the inspiration of God's Word.  I would like to share with you the message of the Holy Spirit through Apostle Paul that tells us that everything we have ever acquired or achieved of much worth in the world using our own talents and abilities are of no worth compared to what is in store for us in the knowledge of Christ.  True, we are destined to do good works but none of them is worth anything if we accomplished them outside of the Lordship of Jesus Christ.  To come under is to die from our affiliation with Adam (first birth, physical birth) and to be Born-again (New Birth/Second Birth, John 3:3) to the Kingdom of God.  Read John 3 if you wish to know more.  Everyone who places their faith in Christ no longer relies on things of this world but upholds the finished work of Jesus, the Gospel (death, burial and resurrection) as the only means by which we are able to deal with everything this world throws at us.  As the Lord allows us to live in this world, it is for the sole purpose of fulfilling His Will in our lives, that is to share the Good News we received to others and to transform each and everyone of us to the image of His Son. One day, we will be taken out of this world and come face to face with our Savior.  All of us who lived for Him in this present life/world shall be with Him for all eternity.  Be blessed and know you are destined for greatness through Christ! 

"Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you. Watch out for those dogs, those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh. For it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh— though I myself have reasons for such confidence. If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless. But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."  (Philippians 3:1-14) 

 

Have an awesome weekend! 

Scripture Series: Lead Me in Thy Truth Card---Another Inspirational/Anything Goes Challenge at Word Art Wednesday!

Good day, Crafty Friends! It's Wednesday once again and time for another Inspirational/Family Friendly Challenge at Word Art Wednesday (WAW).  As always, we feature a Scripture Word Art (you can download for free) at the WAW site and it comes from Psalm 25:5 which says, "Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day." Nowadays, I am always hearing people ask this question, "Why do people do such evil things?"  The senseless killing of the Jews by the Nazis many years ago, the people armed with explosives and killing many including themselves all over the world, the men that goes to a school and opened fire on anybody and killing Christians recently in our country, our government and their affiliates funding and sanctioning the killing of the unborn through Abortion and selling their baby parts for their own gain.  Barbaric, monsters, plain evil---I really don't have words for it! And the list goes on, I tell you... My son asked me the same question the other day and my only answer---IT'S BECAUSE OF MAN'S REBELLION AGAINST GOD!  

GOD is the Author of TRUTH and without Him, everything we have are LIES.  Jesus Christ was sent into this dying (without hope) world to undo the lies of the enemy, free us from the evil bondage of Satan, the Sin Nature and Death and restore us unto our original place of righteousness before God Almighty.  As we come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, our spirits gets Born-Again (John 3:3, Born from above, Second Birth) while our souls gets renewed as we take on new thoughts from the Word of God and allow ourselves to be led by the Holy Spirit.  The world have different ideas on why things are happening nowadays but those who knew God and are led by His Word knew exactly the "root" of these problems.  Many people are fighting each other for their selfish agendas.  Religions are fighting  against each other while they are all  deceived!  They are lifting the name of their false gods and have rejected the Only Way (John 14:6) by which every man should be saved.  They have been contaminated by false doctrines/teachings that adds, subtracts or denies the finished work (death, burial and resurrection) of Jesus Christ.  If you are in a religion that denies the deity of Christ (Jesus as God), denies that He is 100 % God and 100 % Man, or believes in Christ but have many ways to get to Him (saints, angels, good works etc.), you have been lied upon.  COME OUT FROM AMONG THEM!  Anyone who teaches that you must have JESUS  + (something else)  is not of God!  Acts 4:10-12 tells us, "Then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. Jesus is "‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’ Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”  God's salvation is totally satisfied by what the Son of God has accomplished at the Cross and anybody that teaches and believes more or less have given themselves to eternal destruction.  

In this world inundated with lies, only One Truth remains!  John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."  The Written Word of God (Scripture) contains everything we needed to know about the personal  revelation of God in Christ Jesus.  We will never know God till we come humbly to the redemption knowledge of His Son.  Jesus declared in John 10:9, "I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture."  Lies will continue to worsen and we will not have words to explain the madness of the people as they carry out their evil deeds.  They have allowed their hearts to be calloused and have seared their consciences that they no longer discern between good and evil.  Those of us who holds the Truth dear to our hearts must continue to pray and impart God's Truth to this darkened world for there are still many of them there that are predestined to hear.  They can be from our neighbors, our work place, our friends or even our families.  We must continue in the Word of God (Scripture) and listen to the leading of the Holy Spirit so as not to be snared by the lies going on around us.  Everything that we allow to enter our minds and hearts must be filtered by the Word of God and we are to be willing to throw away the bad and accept God's Truth in all our dealings each day.  Our focus should always be in our Savior, Jesus Christ!  Always test what our Pastors, Teachers or Leaders are teaching us against the Truth of God's Word and not just gobble up everything they say.  There are many who have been deceived because they are too lazy to check what they hear and carried out false doctrines with them.  Beware of the wolves in sheep's clothing!  There are many of them nowadays...The Holy Spirit will always lead us and teach us to the fullness of Jesus Christ alone as we rely upon Him each day. Always listen to His voice!  I want to share the prayer that Jesus made to the Father before He suffered the Cross that should encourage us to walk boldly in the faith.  Jesus is always with us (in triumphs or pain) and He will continue to be till we see Him face to face pretty soon.  God bless y'all!

John 17:1-26:

"After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.  I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled. “I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.  “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.  “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”

For this Card, I used an image from The Paper Shelter called "Sophie in the Country" that I colored with my ProMarker/Prismacolor/Spectrum Noir markers.  The base is Kraft, cut and scored at 5.5 inches square.  The DP's are from Recollections, the ribbons from my stash and the brad from Recollections as well.  I made the crochet flower (sold  in my Etsy Store), distressed the edges of each panel with Tim Holtz Distressing tool and finally, I stitched all over this creation.  I wanted a Country feel and I am pretty happy with the results.

LEAD ME IN THY TRUTH CARD:

LEAD ME IN THY TRUTH CARD LAYERS:

 LEAD ME IN THY TRUTH CARD INSIDE:

LEAD ME IN THY TRUTH CARD WITH ENVELOPE-BOX:

This Card is entered into the following Challenges:

Inspiration Destination---ATG
Not Just Cards---ATG
Crafting with Friends---ATG
Fab 'n' Funky---Make it Square
Our Crafty Corner---ATG
Love to Scrap---Ribbon and/or Lace
Inky Impressions---Make it Krafty
Color Throwdown---Color Challenge
Creative Moments---ATG/Spots and/or Stripes
I love ProMarkers---ATG
Crafty Addicts---ATG/Autumn Colors
Wonderful Wednesday---ATG
Artistic Inspirations---ATG
Crafting from the Heart---ATG
Craft Your Passion---ATG
Path of Positivity---Resilience
Stamp and Create---Brown or Kraft
Paper Nest Dolls---ATG
Use Your Stuff---Use Ribbon
Where the Heart Is---ATG/Use Stencils
Color my World---ATG
Ribbon Girl---ATG

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---V's Sweet Ideas ($10 GC at their shop) and Robyn's Fetish (3 digis).  So excited to see what you come up with.  Anyway, cheer up and let the joy of the Lord overtake you today.  I serve a good and faithful God---Jesus Christ and I am forever grateful for all that He has done for me!

You Really Are Amazing Card---Especially Requested/Made for a Friend's Birthday!

Good Monday morning, everyone!  Just want to share today's project for our Anything Goes Challenge happening at 613 Avenue Create.  I created this for a friend who wanted to surprise his wife (who happens to be a very good friend of mine) of a birthday card that would describe how special she is in his life.  I am very  pleased to say that she liked it very much and was very appreciative of his thoughtfulness. I'm thanking God for the inspiration to create always.

Anyway, I have learned something very valuable from the Guest speaker (Bro. Bud Garner) at our Church yesterday.  He is the founder of our congregation and would occasionally visit to bless us with wonderful teachings from the Lord.  Many valuable things were spoken but one thing that stood out for me  and spoke volumes in my heart was this---WE ARE TO "ZOOM  OUT" (like the lenses of our cameras) OF OUR EVERYDAY CHALLENGES IN ORDER TO VIEW THINGS IN GOD'S (wide angle) PERSPECTIVE.  This may be a simple illustration for somebody yet for me, it has profound meaning!  Nowadays, it's so easy to be trapped in the everyday challenges we are facing.  From family, relationships, work, finances, goals and the list goes on, we can easily be frustrated when things aren't happening the way we planned.  We tell ourselves, how can we even look into the problems of our community, our state, our nation and the world when we can't even find solutions to the challenges we face daily?  More often than not, we are so drowned with failure and self-pity, swallowed up by hopelessness that we are not a help to ourselves nor to anyone else. 

People who don't have a personal relationship with Christ (John 3:3, Born-Again) can only see things from around them.  Their happiness is limited to the things they can see, taste and feel.  But a person who has seen God and live by His Word has a "BLUEPRINT" of God's plan for his life, for this world and for eternity.  We have to exchange our short distance lenses to God's powerful lenses (see things the way He sees things).  In the battlefield, we can see ourselves surrounded by many enemies, their numbers seem to never end...But if we have an "AERIAL VIEW" of what's going on, we can see where the enemy's army ends and can better plan, come up with strategies to best defeat our foes.  Like everyone else, I have many concerns from personal to family life, who doesn't?  But those who have been following my Blog and take the time to read the messages I share through God's grace could see that the direction of our nation with its demonic policies and rulings and persecution of the Church remains the biggest concern in my heart.  Seeing the many people who follow others blindly---teachers that have perverted the Word of God for their own gain are sending people to their eternal destruction.  So many of their followers don't even care to validate their teacher's heretic teachings for they are lazy to do the work and therefore, get's deceived.  Not everyone who comes to the Church and sanctioned by the pastors and elders of the community are trustworthy.  There, I said it!  I don't care whether they're the biggest names, have many followers and sold millions of books.  A teacher of the Word of God needs to speak solely the Truth of God's Word, not adding nor subtracting to water down or contaminate God's message.  If we make it a habit to read the Scripture and subject the ministers of the Gospel to the written Word of God, we could have prevented many of them that drank the Kool-Aid to their death.  It is idolatrous to consider someone as authority in God's Word other than the Written Word of God alone. GOD'S BLUEPRINT FOR US IS IN EVERY PAGES OF THE SCRIPTURE.  We are to subject every preacher/teacher to the high standard of God's Word, making sure that they are delivering nothing but the Truth. As a believer, we are to  fill government positions with people who love God and hold themselves accountable to Him.  For what does ungodly man know about what is Just and True?  Anyone who does not acknowledge God is either serving themselves, the Devil or both!  Everything that is not of and for God is for the enemy.  There's no other way around this. 

Having this burden inside my heart could easily weigh me down but yesterday's message from a man of God reminded me of one of God's greatest Truth.  It is the fact that I have seen the BLUEPRINT (God's eternal design for all His creation and the victory that awaits the redeemed)!  I can walk with complete confidence and peace that all the things I'm going through and will be going through are just part of God's divine plan and are meant for my good.  Horrible things have happened throughout history to those who profess the name of Christ and many of our brothers and sisters in the Lord paid for it by their blood to this day.  But if we choose to see beyond the physical (temporary) and put on our spiritual lenses (eternity driven), we will find out that all the pain and suffering we are/will be going through in this present life is lightweight compared to the glory that awaits us who are faithful to our Master.  I would like to share the following verses to inspire us to always view life according to God's eternal blueprint.  

"Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God."(1 John 5:1-5)

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ. In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:3-15)

"Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever." (Revelation 22:1-5)

 

For this Card, I used an image from Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps called "You are Beautiful" which I colored with my ProMarker/Prismacolor/Spectrum Noir markers.  The base is dark grey CS from Core'dinations that I cut and scored to make a 5.5 inches square card.  I used some Kraft Paper for matting, the DP's are all from Recollections and the die-cuts were achieved using Nestabilities (shapesand swirls).  I layered some flowers from Prima and placed a button in its center from my stash.  The sentiment I got for free at Create with TLC (Thanks, Paulette!).  I added some glitters to the flowers (Stickles-Crystal), some white nail head gems and finally, lots of stitching.  I truly love the result.

YOU REALLY ARE AMAZING CARD:

 YOU REALLY ARE AMAZING CARD LAYERS:

YOU REALLY ARE AMAZING CARD SIDE VIEW:

 YOU REALLY ARE AMAZING CARD INSIDE:

YOU REALLY ARE AMAZING CARD WITH ENVELOPE-BOX:

This Card is entered into the following Challenges:

Not Just Cards---ATG
Crafting with Friends---ATG
Our Crafty Corner---ATG
Whoopsi Daisy---Hand-colored Image
Kraftin' Kimmie---ATG
Artistic Inspirations---ATG
Aurora Wings---ATG
Crafting from the Heart---ATG
Craft Your Passion---ATG
Stamp and Create---Brown or Kraft
Paper Nest Dolls---ATG
Where the Heart Is---ATG/Use Stencils
Color my World---ATG  

This 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 and use the free Word Art, created by our amazing Coordinator, Kathi Sylvia, inspired by the quotes of Eleanor Roosevelt.  Having the freedom to create any project, there's really no reason for you to miss it.  Our  brand new sponsor---Kitty Bee Designs is giving away fabulous prizes.  Can't wait to see what you create. The Lord is with you every step of the way so, don't be afraid of the what the future holds---we are safe in the arms of Christ always.