Believe in Today Center Step Card---Join Us for our Anything Goes/Monthly Challenge at 613 Avenue Create!

Hello everyone.  We have a new Challenge for this month at 613 Avenue Create that started a couple of days ago.  As always, it's Anything Goes with an optional twist, "Use Something Wooden."  I highlighted a card using stamped branches as background image to take on the twist for this Challenge.

Anyway, I am so thankful to the Lord for some much needed vacation time for mine and my son's Birthdays last month.  We couldn't justify an extravagant get-away but with what we came up with, it turned out great.  Been to some wonderful Asian restaurants and supermarkets and bought some of the food products I haven't seen for years from my country of birth, Philippines.  For my  second and third time, I tried two Airbnb accommodations and were very happy with the amenities we were provided.  We had some gloomy days with some heavy rain on a couple of the days when we were out in the coast but even that didn't stop us from enjoying the scenery.  We had lots of pictures with some dark clouds in the background but hey, it's not everyday we see them clouds...

What I really like to share is that thankfulness/gratitude does not come from having perfect life/situations.  Even in lack, there's always something to be thankful about.  I'm grateful for waking up each day, living and breathing the air that God provides.  I'm grateful for a sound body and mind, for opportunities, for food on our table, for family but most of all---for having Jesus in my life.  The other night, I experienced another battle with the enemy (demonic attack) as I was trying to get some sleep.  As I was physically laying in my bed, I felt as if I was being strangled (in the spirit). As I gasp for air, there was an overwhelming feeling of hopelessness that's trying to take a hold of me.  It tried to convince me that I would get no rest and that I would die.  In the physical, I didn't feel any pain as I laid comfortably in the same position.  But in the spirit, I was fighting an evil presence.  It's hard to explain as there are some things that can't be put into words and are only discerned spiritually.  I know what I'm talking about as this is not the first time it happened to me.  Throughout the course of serving the Lord, there were more intense situations similar to this that I experienced in between the physical and spiritual realm.  Most, if not all,  happened when God was about to  transition me to a higher level of service.  So, while I was battling the negative thoughts and the fear that goes with it in the spirit, the Holy Spirit reminded me that I didn't have to put up with this demonic influence.  That I have His power inside of me to stop and drive it out.  It was a light bulb in my spirit and right there in that instance, I spoke and said (in the spirit), "You have no power over me, Satan!  I am a child of the Most High God.  Stay away from me!"  And at that very moment---SILENCE!  Peace came through in my spirit.  The next thing I heard was my phone alarm.  I turned the alarm off and looked at the time.  I was amazed to see that I slept for 4 hours straight. And I exclaimed "Thank you Lord!"  Some may think I was only dreaming but I am not here to convince anyone to believe.  I am here to express my gratitude to the Lord for His Holy Presence inside of me that guides and protects me through both my physical and spiritual battles.  I have nothing to fear and have every reason to be thankful daily.  Praise be to His Holy Name! Just want to share the following verses to encourage us when we experience all kinds of battle:

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.  Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 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. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should." (Ephesians 6:10-20)

For this Card, I used an image from Penny Black that I had for many years now and colored it using my ProMarker/Prismacolor markers. The base is white CS, cut and scored to make a 5.5 inches center step card design.  The DP's are from My Mind's Eye, the stamped background (branches) is from Ditto and the stamped sentiment is from Stampabilities.  I punched some leaves using Fiskars punch, layered flowers from Prima, added a brad from Recollections and added some glitters using Stickles (Diamond).  Finally, I stitched over some panels.

 BELIEVE IN TODAY CENTER STEP CARD

 BELIEVE IN TODAY CENTER STEP CARD SIDE VIEW

 BELIEVE IN TODAY CENTER STEP CARD

 BELIEVE IN TODAY CENTER STEP CARD INSIDE

BELIEVE IN TODAY CENTER STEP CARD WITH ENVELOPE-BOX

This  Card is entered into the following Challenges:

Artistic Inspirations---ATG
Crafting from the Heart---ATG
PIP---ATG
Path of Positivity---Anything Positive  with optional Purple Shades
Scrapbook Stamp Society---ATG/Boys or Men
Paper Nest Dolls---ATG
Addicted to Stamps---Autumn Colors
Angie's Digital---ATG
Dare 2B Artzy---Fall
Dragonfly Dreams---Autumnal Colors
Lil' Patch of Crafty Friends---ATG
Penny Black---Autumnal Splendour
Stamping Sensations---Shades of Autumn
Corrosive---ATG
A Bit More Time to Craft---ATG
A Perfect Time to Craft---ATG
Artistic Stampers---Inktober
Classic DT---ATG
Craft Galore Encore---ATG
Craftyhazelnut's---ATG with Patterned Paper
Creatalicious---ATG/Texture
Color It Create It---ATG
Daisy Chain---Autumn/Fall
Digistamps4Joy---ATG/Use Free Stamp
Eclectic Ellapu---Fall
Happy Craft---ATG
Just Keep on Creating---ATG
LeAnn's World---ATG
Let's Craft and Create---ATG/Use Strips of Paper
Love to Craft---ATG
Love to Scrap---Fall Back
Scor-pal---More than One Score (Fall)
Morgan's Artworld---ATG
Papercraft Business---ATG
Pause Dream Enjoy---ATG
Scribbles Designs---Patterned Paper
YSP---ATG 
Crafting with an Attitude---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 (like I was), take on the Optional Twist.  But there's really no reason for you to miss it. Can't wait to see what you create. The Lord is with you every step of the way so, be at peace that you have Someone you can trust and have your back always.