Love Inspired Series: Everlasting Love Center Step Card---Join our Bi-Weekly Inspirational/Anything Goes Challenge at Word Art Wednesday!

Hello there, friends!  I'm back to feature the second card I made for our Challenge happening at Word rt Wednesday (WAW).  As always, we featured a Scripture Word Art which I highlighted HERE and you can download free at the WAW site.  However, this card features a stamp from our Challenge sponsor, Stamp Simply which highlights God's Truth in Jeremiah 31:3 which says, "The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness."

As a child of God (Born-again, John 3:3), I was justified (made righteous) through faith in Jesus Christ.  Not of my own works nor efforts.  Is is solely by trusting in what Jesus Christ accomplished for me at the Cross.  Philippians 3:20-21 says, "But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body."  My position (while here on earth till the day I see Jesus face to face) is firmly planted in the truth that Jesus justified me.  All of Jesus' victory is my victory.  Jesus is perfect and so is everyone who trusted in Him.  Not only did Jesus justified us but He also sanctified us (set us apart for His will and purpose).  Though many times we find ourselves failing to show the likeness of God in our lives as we go through the daily struggles and old habits in this fallen world, God is changing us from glory to glory.  Our transformation doesn't happen overnight and we go though the process our entire earthly life.  The process of sanctification continues and is not based on what we see and feel but by the Word of God and the power of the Holy Spirit.   Therefore, we shouldn't allow momentary failures and transgressions to define who we are in the sight of God.  God's love for us is immeasurable and His forgiveness is boundless to those who repent and seek after Him.  We couldn't place God's love in a box---within the limits of our understanding.  He is God and we're not!  The sacrifice of Jesus Christ, God's  only begotten Son, is enough proof of what God is willing to give to bring us back into His presence.  Each waking moment, remember that JESUS CHRIST is the OBJECT of everything we received from God, the CROSS is the MEANS by which we received them, FAITH is the KEY to access God's blessings and the HOLY SPIRIT is our POWER SOURCE to accomplish everything.  His Holy Spirit inside of us seals us in His love both now and forever.  I would like to share with you this chapter from 2 Corinthians to empower us as representatives of our Lord in this world:

"Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.  It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” Since we have that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."  (2 Corinthians 4)

For this Card, I used an image from Mo Manning called "Valerie In Love" and colored it with my ProMarker/Hobby Colour/Prismacolor markers.  The base is a white CS, cut and scored to make a 5.5 inches center step design.  The DP's are from Paper Studio and the brads are from Recollections. The sentiment is from the set called "Farmhouse Scriptural Thoughts" by Stamp Simply.  Finally, I stitched all over this card for added dimension. I am totally loving everything about this creation. 

 EVERLASTING LOVE CENTER STEP CARD

 EVERLASTING LOVE CENTER STEP CARD LAYERS

 EVERLASTING LOVE CENTER STEP CARD SIDE VIEW

 EVERLASTING LOVE CENTER STEP CARD INSIDE

EVERLASTING LOVE CENTER STEP CARD WITH ENVELOPE-BOX

This Card is entered into the following Challenges: 

Addicted to Stamps---Lots of Layers

Angie's Digital---ATG/Easter

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends---ATG

Pile It On---ATG/Lots of Layers

Corrosive---ATG

A Perfect Time---ATG

A Place to Start---ATG/Three, Four or Five

a2z---Fun Folds

Classic DT---ATG

Crafts Galore---ATG

Craftyhazelnut's---Patterned Paper

Color Create Show it Off---ATG

Daisy Chain---Make it Feminine

Digi Doodle---ATG (Handcolored Image)

Happy Craft---ATG

LeAnns---ATG

Lets Craft and Create---ATG/Butterflies

Morgan's Artworld---ATG

Not Just Cards---ATG

YSP---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.  Such a wonderful prize coming from our sponsor this Challenge---Stamp Simply (stamps and or dies of your choice).  So excited to see what you come up with. Remember, nothing can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord (Romans 8:38-39).

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Scripture Series: Blessed Be God Card---Don't miss our Anything Goes/Inspirational Challenge at Word Art Wednesday!

Hello there, guys!  This is another late post.  So, we began another Challenge at Word Art Wednesday (WAW) featuring another Scripture Word Art which you can download for free at the WAW site.  It comes from 1 Peter 1:3 which says, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead."  What a great verse but I would like to share this verse in the NIV translation and incorporate the rest of the Scripture that follows.  1 Peter 1:3-9 tells us,  "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls."  My Life Application Bible shared something wonderful about these verses that truly blessed me so, I want to share it with you.  It says, "The term "new birth" refers to spiritual birth (regeneration)---the Holy Spirit's act of bringing believers into God's family.  Jesus used this concept of new birth when He explained salvation  to Nicodemus (See John 3).  This term is a wonderful metaphor of a new life from God.  You cannot be a Christian without a fresh beginning based on the salvation Christ's brings.  To be Born-again is a magnificent gift from God.  Do you need encouragement?  Peter's words offer joy and hope in times of trouble, and he bases his confidence on what God has done for us in Christ Jesus.  We're called into a living hope of eternal life.  Our hope is not only for the future; eternal life begins when we trust Christ and join God's family.  God will help us remain true to our faith through whatever difficult times we must face." 

This past week, I have been so stressed by so many things.  From deadlines, projects I needed to get done, house cleaning and organizing---I am so overwhelmed.  It just felt like I haven't had the time to sit back and relax without looking at the time and even in my sleep, I would dream of all the things I needed done.  And to make matters worst, I had to deal with my truck suddenly overheating for a couple of days now.  This morning, I went to meet up with the ladies at my Church for our monthly Women's meeting.  It's always a pleasure to not only learn about the Book of Esther (our topic) but to fellowship and get to know these wonderful people aside from the usual hustle and bustle of our Sunday services.  We also get to share wonderful and tasty meals which we are provided with each meeting.  On my way to the Church, I was so stressed seeing the temperature gauge of my truck fluctuating like crazy.  For more than 6 years, it stayed normal till a couple of days ago.  Something was wrong but I had no idea.  I just remembered going through similar issue with my previous truck and was reminded of the stress and expenses I dealt with that time.  All of a sudden, I felt frustration.  My mind was in that state when I entered the room.  I was so blessed with the smiley faces and hospitality shown to me by my sisters in Christ that allowed me to momentarily forget about my issues.  So, while I was trying to concentrate on the benefits of our meeting, I have to battle with negative suggestions the enemy is flooding my thoughts.  It's over-all theme---WORRY!  You see, trials come in different shapes and forms.  From simple to complicated and/or life-threatening.  For other people, some problems don't merit much attention for it's not life altering. At the end of our meeting, we were asked if we have a prayer request.  I must admit that I initially hesitated to bring my concern to be prayed for.  I thought to myself, "Your problem is not a big deal compared to those who are sick of cancer or those that struggle with lots of pain." Therefore, it need not be highlighted!" Wow!  But the Spirit of God snapped me out of that deception and showed me that no issue/problem (big or small) is exempted from God's outstretched hand.  The fact that it bothers and worries me is enough reason for me and my sisters in the Lord to lift it up to the mighty throne of God who promised us joy and peace in His presence.  None of us in the Body of Christ (Church) are exempted from the trials that come to the inhabitants of this world.  But unlike the ungodly, we know that we have the Holy One on our side.  His promises to us goes beyond this life to everlasting.  Yes, we have to constantly battle with fear, anxiety, worry and stress of not knowing how and when God is going to meet our need but choosing to put them aside,  we walk with faith and reliance upon His Word knowing that He loves and cares for us.  When in doubt, I look at Jesus and what He's done at the Cross for me.  How He was sent by the Father to die/pay the price (death by a holy God/Man) so that anyone who believes in Him becomes a part of the resurrection of the saints that will live and inherit the Kingdom of God in Christ Jesus.  I was spiritually dead once, born in this world in Adam, but now alive in the Spirit when I came to the saving knowledge, under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.  I have full access to the joy, peace and righteousness of my Heavenly Father while in this world.  He withholds no blessing from me---physical, spiritual and eternal.  If we only understand the benefits of our new birth in Christ, we will give no time for fear and worry.  God is always in control!  We just need to choose to TRUST HIM!

For this Card, I used an image from Mo Manning called "Wonder" and colored it using my Hobby Colour/ProMarker/Prismacolor markers.  The base is white CS, cut and scored to make a 5.5 inches square card.  I shaped the edges using a Crop-a-dile.  The DP's are from Paper Studio and the flowers I layered are from Prima.  I used a Sizzix dies for the flourish, added some glitters from Stickles (Crystal) and a brad from Recollections.  Lastly, I also did some regular and fancy stitching all over this card. 

 BLESSED BE THE GOD CARD

 BLESSED BE THE GOD CARD LAYERS

 BLESSED BE THE GOD CARD SIDE VIEW

 BLESSED BE THE GOD CARD INSIDE

BLESSED BE THE GOD CARD WITH ENVELOPE-BOX

This Card is entered into the following Challenges:

Addicted to Stamps---Lots of Layers
Angie's Digital---ATG/Easter
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends---ATG
Pile It On---ATG/Lots of Layers
Corrosive---ATG
A Perfect Time---ATG
A Place to Start---ATG/Three, Four or Five
Classic DT---ATG
Country View---Spring/Easter
Crafts Galore---ATG
Crafty Animals---ATG with Animals
Craftyhazelnut's---Patterned Paper
Color Create Show it Off---ATG
Daisy Chain---Make it Feminine
Digi Doodle---ATG (Handcolored Image)
Fabrika Fantasy---Flowers
Happy Craft---ATG
HLS---ATG with Dies
LeAnns---ATG
Lets Craft and Create---ATG/Butterflies
Morgan's Artworld---ATG
Not Just Cards---ATG
Papercraft---Easter
Pearly Sparkles---Flowers or Showers
Tales from the Craft Room---Spring/Easter
YSP---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 submit up to 5 entries per week.  Our wonderful sponsor for this week is  Stamp Simply (giving away stamp sets and/or dies of your choice).  So excited to see what you come up with.  Anyway, cheer up and let the joy of the Lord overtake you today.  If you are trusting in Jesus, you are blessed beyond measure.

Ready to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior? Find out how on the sidebar...

Fun/Humor Series: Marriage is a Workshop Easel Card---It's Time for our Anything Goes, April Challenge at 613 Avenue Create

Hello there, folks!  Hope you are having a wonderful week.  Mine was crazy busy, the reason why this post is so delayed.  Anyway, we started another monthly challenge for y'all last Sunday and we truly hope you will join in the fun at 613 Avenue Create.  As always, it's Anything Goes but if you want to challenge yourself, try our optional twist---Wedding or Anniversary.

Anyway, these past few months, we all witness an intensified war against life.  More than ever, we are bombarded daily with issues regarding people (or lobby groups) that pushes for the murder of the most vulnerable member of our society---the unborn!  They politically worded this "genocide" (mass killing) as "reproductive rights." Whether it be first, second or third trimester abortion, it still goes against the heart of God who made it clear to us in His Word that "life begins at conception."  Psalm 139:13-16 says, "For You formed my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvelous are Your works, and I know this very well. My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in secret, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all my days were written in Your book and ordained for me before one of them came to be." It's hard to understand how people could ever wish to harm a life that is growing in their own womb---their own flesh and blood.  I was watching a lady in one of the videos I saw in YouTube this week saying that at anytime the baby is in the womb, the baby is nothing more than a blob/lump of tissue.  How could someone be so foolish to accept and promote such a lie?  Truth be told, I know that deep in the heart of that lady and everyone else like her, they knew they were lying.  Nobody can dispute the scientific facts of the transformation (both physically and emotionally---both mother and baby) that happens into one's pregnancy.  Like anyone who deny the existence of God, they thought that in their refusal, they would eliminate the accountability that comes with the knowledge of truth.  I  am convinced they know in their hearts that they are living a lie but they couldn't exchange the benefits of that lie for the inconvenience that the truth would compel them to do.  Before engaging in any sexual intimacy (between a man and a woman), most of us already acquired the basic knowledge (especially at our day and time) that such act could lead to pregnancy.  Many enjoy the momentary pleasure of the act but ignores the lifelong responsibility that those actions could produce. Isn't it that in our everyday decisions from complex to simple, we are "always" confronted with a choice.  When we buy a car, a house,  or even as simple as buying clothes and food, we spend an ample amount of time to decide whether we really need them, their benefits and how are we to pay especially for those big purchases.  But why is it that when it comes to engaging in sexual acts, many couldn't accept the consequences of their selfish actions?  All of a sudden, they're worried about their future?

Okay, so the baby happened!  What can one do?  First, swallow the pride and the insults and give that little one a chance to life.  Even in that situation,  there's still a choice.  In America, there's a helpline to call for support and many agencies are set-up to help us decide to save that life.  Just recently, we heard of the most radical bill that was signed into law in the state of New York that kills the baby even to the time of birth.  That means that those that carried the baby to full term can choose (at the last minute) to terminate their pregnancies just before delivery of a full term baby. Several other states followed New York's lead allowing mothers to decide the murder of their babies at anytime in the womb and worst---even after the baby is born.  Ditching political correctness, this is called "Infanticide." We also witnessed just a month or so ago when the Democratic party blocked the "Born-Alive Survivor Protection Act" which would have required that any health care practitioner present at the time of a birth exercise the same degree of professional skill, care, and diligence to preserve the life and health of the child as a reasonably diligent and conscientious health care practitioner would render to any other child born alive at the same gestational age.  It would have threatened prison time for doctors who don't try saving the life of infants born alive during failed abortions.  Anyone in a decent frame of mind should have supported this.  Have people been this heartless to allow not only murdering babies by abortion but making sure to repeatedly kill them outside of their mother's womb  after they failed to destroy them in the womb?  It's hard to fathom the degree of depravity going on in the hearts of first---the parents (both mother and father of the baby) and those that carry out the murder itself (doctors, nurses, medical professionals or their counterparts).  God's Word  clearly warns us in Deuteronomy 30:19-20, "This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob."  Because I value God's Word, I speak in accordance to God's Truth and refuse to be politically correct to downgrade the value of an unborn life.  I detest the sin of abortion (like any other products of Sin) but have love and concern for those who are caught up in this murderous deception.  I call on the Spirit of the Lord to touch these people and to open their eyes to their own value in the eyes of the Lord.  Every life is important to God and He showed us our value when He sent His One and Only Son, Jesus Christ, to pay the ransom to save us from sure Death (spiritual, physical and eternal).  For the Lord, we are more than what our momentary pleasure and careless decisions make us.  God is able to forgive when we repent of our sins and allow Him to rule our lives. When we understand the value of our life in the sight of God, only then will we understand why every life is worth fighting for.  Every human being deserves a chance to life!  Read His Word and you will find value in life.

For this Card, I used an image from Bugaboo Digital Stamps called "Fanny Calendar June" and "Groom 4" and colored it using my Hobby Colour and Prismacolor markers.  The base is white CS, cut and scored to make a 5.5 inches square Easel card.  I embossed a couple of panels using Paper Studio embossing folders.  I also incorporated Nestabilities dies for the lacy circle and the flourishes.  The flowers I layered are from Prima, the washi tape border from Tape Works and the brads are from Recollections.  The wonderful sentiment is from TLC Creations and the glitters I used are from Stickles (Crystal).  Lastly, I stitched all over this card.  What a fun wedding card!

 MARRIAGE IS A WORKSHOP EASEL CARD

MARRIAGE IS A WORKSHOP EASEL CARD WHEN FLATTENED

 MARRIAGE IS A WORKSHOP EASEL CARD SIDE VIEW

 MARRIAGE IS A WORKSHOP EASEL CARDWITH MESSAGE SPACE

MARRIAGE IS A WORKSHOP EASEL CARD WITH ENVELOPE-BOX

This Card is entered into the following Challenges:

Addicted to Stamps---Lots of Layers
Angie's Digital---ATG/Easter
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends---ATG
Pile It On---ATG/Lots of Layers
Corrosive---ATG
A Perfect Time---ATG
A Place to Start---ATG/Three, Four or Five
a2z---Fun Folds
Classic DT---ATG
Crafts Galore---ATG
Color Create Show it Off---ATG
Creative Craft Cottage---No Patterned Paper
Daisy Chain---Make it Feminine
Digi Doodle---ATG (Handcolored Image)
Fabrika Fantasy---Flowers
Happy Craft---ATG
HLS---ATG with Dies
LeAnns---ATG
Lets Craft and Create---ATG/Butterflies
Scor-Pal---Texture
Morgan's Artworld---ATG
Pearly Sparkles---Flowers or Showers
YSP---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 the fun.  Can't wait to see what you create. Have a blessed week!

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