CAS Series: Pocketful of Sunshine Card Set---Join Us for Another Bi-Weekly Challenge at Word Art Wednesday!

Hi everybody!  So sorry for the delay in posting this project I made for our Challenge at Word Art Wednesday (WAW). Usually, I highlight the Scripture Word Art (you can download for free at the WAW site) in my featured project.  But today, I decided to use images from our Challenge sponsor (Taylored Expressions) to highlight one of their wonderful products.  Many of our DT members featured our verse in the project they created and you can view them at our Challenge site.  Our Scripture for this Challenge comes from Psalm 91:11 which says, " For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways."

It is important to know the truth about angels and who they are  as servants of the most Holy God in order to understand their role in fulfilling God's will and purpose in this world.  Gotquestions.org shared an article about them based on God's Word.  Here's what it says:  "Angels are personal spiritual beings who have intelligence, emotions, and will. This is true of both the good and evil angels (demons). Angels possess intelligence (Matthew 8:29; 2 Corinthians 11:3; 1 Peter 1:12), show emotion (Luke 2:13; James 2:19; Revelation 12:17), and exercise will (Luke 8:28-31; 2 Timothy 2:26; Jude 6). Angels are spirit beings (Hebrews 1:14) without true physical bodies. Although they do not have physical bodies, they are still personalities. Because they are created beings, their knowledge is limited. This means they do not know all things as God does (Matthew 24:36). They do seem to have greater knowledge than humans, however, which may be due to three things. First, angels were created as an order of creatures higher than humans. Therefore, they innately possess greater knowledge. Second, angels study the Bible and the world more thoroughly than humans do and gain knowledge from it (James 2:19; Revelation 12:12). Third, angels gain knowledge through long observation of human activities. Unlike humans, angels do not have to study the past; they have experienced it. Therefore, they know how others have acted and reacted in situations and can predict with a greater degree of accuracy how we may act in similar circumstances.  Though they have wills, angels, like all creatures, are subject to the will of God. Good angels are sent by God to help believers (Hebrews 1:14). Here are some activities the Bible ascribes to angels: They praise God (Psalm 148:1-2; Isaiah 6:3). They worship God (Hebrews 1:6; Revelation 5:8-13). They rejoice in what God does (Job 38:6-7). They serve God (Psalm 103:20; Revelation 22:9). They appear before God (Job 1:6; 2:1). They are instruments of God's judgments (Revelation 7:1; 8:2). They bring answers to prayer (Acts 12:5-10). They aid in winning people to Christ (Acts 8:26; 10:3). They observe Christian order, work, and suffering (1 Corinthians 4:9; 11:10; Ephesians 3:10; 1 Peter 1:12). They encourage in times of danger (Acts 27:23-24). They care for the righteous at the time of death (Luke 16:22). Angels are an entirely different order of being than humans. Human beings do not become angels after they die. Angels will never become, and never were, human beings. God created the angels, just as He created humanity. The Bible nowhere states that angels are created in the image and likeness of God, as humans are (Genesis 1:26). Angels are spiritual beings that can, to a certain degree, take on physical form. Humans are primarily physical beings, but with a spiritual aspect. The greatest thing we can learn from the holy angels is their instant, unquestioning obedience to God’s commands."

As I meditate on our highlighted verse, I can't help but be reminded of God's promises to His chosen nation, Israel.  If we look for Israel in the world map,  it's hard to understand why this tiny country could exist with unbelievable military might in the midst of grave threats from huge neighboring countries  that publicly professed to annihilate her from the face of the earth. With unspeakable hatred, many nations have conspired to destroy this country and her people all throughout history. And to this day, the terrorists attacks on them by neighboring countries under Islamic ideology and the despicable bias aimed at them by the United Nations is mind-boggling.  I grew up in the Philippines which many have considered a small country (some people could not even locate her in the map).  But to my surprise, the Philippines is fourteen times bigger than Israel both in area and population.   If I think about Israel with a worldly mindset, without spiritual and Biblical input, it would be hard for me to reconcile how Israel and her 8.3 million people continue to dominate the world scene in the area of technological advances as well as protect their sovereignty and continue to be a significant player in the affairs of this world in the midst of overwhelming oppositions.  As a human being with limited understanding, I don't have an answer!  God has supernaturally intervened in this nation that it's hard for anybody with a carnal mindset to understand.  The truth is, the hand of  Almighty God keeps His chosen nation safe!  God will deal with the transgressions of His people in His perfect time but no one can harm God's chosen unless allowed by God Himself.  The Lord assigned angels to protect His people that no enemy could overcome.  

As God works His plan in nations and governments, He also works with our leaders and uses the Body of Christ (His Church) to accomplish His purpose.  Don't ever think that we are alone in our fight for righteousness and freedom here in America.  God chose our nation to be an ally to Israel and we are not to abandon such  role no matter what.  The Lord granted us a window of opportunity by appointing us a President that loves Israel and seeks the betterment of this country and its citizens.  His leadership halted the Satanic globalist agenda being pushed under Socialism and eventually, Communism (government's use of force) had they succeeded in taking our right to bear arms (2nd amendment right).  Their goal was and still to this day---an all out rebellion from the One True God.  Using their major (evil) social media platforms, they promote lies, biases and divisions by twisting and perverting God's Truth.  They're doing everything they can to impeach God's leaders and representatives  that seeks the betterment of our nation.  But everyone who is adept in God's Word and God's prophetic move in this country knows that THEY WILL NOT SUCCEED.  GOD'S WORD PREVAILS!  I know that countless angels of God had been assigned to protect our nation and our President as well as all of us that fulfills His calling daily.  With Truth and boldness, we advance God's agenda. We declare the Word of the Lord to destroy their curses and spells.  Let us pray without ceasing as we bring every concern unto the Lord as we thank Him for answered prayers.  Remembering always what Romans 8:28-34 tells us, "And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose. For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers. And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified. What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, freely give us all things? Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is there to condemn us? For Christ Jesus, who died, and more than that was raised to life, is at the right hand of God—and He is interceding for us."  Take hold of God's promises for it will always come to pass. 

For this Card, I used images from our sponsor, Taylored Expressions, called "Pocketful of Sunshine" that I colored using  Prismacolor markers and Distress Inks.  The pocket is a die that comes with the stamp set along with all the sentiments.   The sentiment in the envelopes is from Heidi Swapp.  I created two of each design to complete a set of eight cards.  I think they came out perfect.
 

 POCKETFUL OF SUNSHINE CARD SET WITH ENVELOPES

 POCKETFUL OF SUNSHINE CARD 1

 POCKETFUL OF SUNSHINE CARD 2

 POCKETFUL OF SUNSHINE CARD 3

POCKETFUL OF SUNSHINE CARD 4

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.  An awesome GC worth $25  will be awarded to each of our two Challenge winners by our awesome sponsor---Taylored Expressions.  So excited to see what you come up with. For the meantime, serve the Lord with gladness knowing that our labor in Him is not in vain.

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CAS Series: Crazy Birds Encouragement Card Set---Join Our Monthly Anything Goes Challenge with an Optional Twist 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, "Explosion Boxes/Pop-up Boxes."  You will find some wonderful ideas on our optional theme with the projects made by my fellow DTs at our Challenge site, however, I settled for Anything Goes by highlighting a simple card set.

Last night, we were out for our midweek Bible study in my Church and we were taught "American Exceptionalism."  It revolves around what God has done to this country amidst all the challenges to fulfill His purpose for this nation and how it relates to Israel and the Body of Christ (His Church).  We also discussed how people and events come together throughout history to coincide with God's timetable.  As Americans, we are not exceptional because of our own attributes but solely because of the mandate that God bestowed upon our nation and its people to carry out God's great plan.   I was quickly reminded of the passage in Proverbs 20:21 which says, "The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes." I looked into Matthew Henry's commentary on this passage and it says, "Even the hearts of men are in God's hands, and not only their goings, as he has said in Proverbs 20:24.  God can change men's minds, can, by a powerful insensible operation under their spirits, turn them from that which they seemed most intent upon, and incline them to that which they seemed averse to, as the husbandman, by canals and gutters, turns the water through his grounds as he pleases, which does not alter the nature of the water, nor put any force upon it, any more than God's providence does upon the native freedom of man's will, but direct the course of it to serve his own purpose.  Even king's hearts are so, notwithstanding their powers and prerogatives, as much as the hearts of common persons.  The hearts of kings are unsearchable to us, much more unmanageable by us; as they have their arcana imperii---state secrets, so that they have great prerogatives of their crown, but the great God has them not only under his eye, but in his hand.  Kings are what he makes them.  Those that most absolute are under God's government; he puts things into their hearts, Rev 17:17; Ezra 7:27.  

The Lord does not set aside the Natural/Spiritual Laws He established on earth in dealing with mankind's (whom He created) situations/conditions.  One of these is the Law of Sowing and Reaping.  When we don't listen to God's Word instead continue with our rebellion under Satan (remember that if you're not under the Lordship of Christ, you are by default a slave to Satan) by choosing to fulfill the lust of our flesh, eyes and our pride of life, we are going to harvest what we planted.  When we neglect God, we get leaders that may look pleasing, cordial and descent on the outside but on the inside are ferocious wolves that does everything to destroy our country both from the outside and within.  These Satanic leaders build upon the evil foundations of their Satanic counterparts.  It is a step by step agenda of destruction!  The evil you see today just didn't happen, it was planned way before and executed in a timely fashion.  Though not everyone sees beyond the evil of our time, those who faithfully inquire of the Lord are revealed beyond the writing on the wall for it can be searched by pattern throughout history and most importantly,  in the Truth of God's Word.  Satan is not doing anything new.  It's the same old despicable tricks that He pulled from the Garden of Eden to the present---making man think he can be like God.  And because of man's selfishness, he cannot see beyond the original intent of Satan----that is to destroy humankind by robbing them of their true identity as a child of God and deny them of the very pleasure of an eternal fellowship with their Maker.  Instead, they will suffer the same fate as the one who deceived them---eternity in the Lake of  Fire with their master, Satan. 

For so many years now,  many call it a "conspiracy theory" when we talk about how many world leaders conspire to bring about a New World Order (Globalization) and how they meet in secret to plan and strategize in order to bring about their Satanic agenda.  And even to this day, many are still in denial and are so deceived  after videos and damning evidence have proven who these people were/are.  In our country,  I have heard Bush Sr., Clinton, Bush Jr., Obama and the many other members of a secret society pushed forth to support that agenda using their tenure in office and are still using their societal influence to this day.  There are many before them but in my lifetime, these leaders have systematically built an altar of rebellion against the Word of God that allowed ungodliness to flourish in this nation.  We were headed for the slaughter----BUT GOD!  Through those leaderships, the faith of those who rely on the Truth of God's Word were tested and tried. Many were blinded by the fake narrative but there were those who refused to quit and called upon the Lord---the One perfectly in control.  Though many in America have forgotten God, there are those who remembers the goodness and faithfulness of God to this country!  In the 2016 presidential election, against all odds, God answered our desperate cry for help and altered the utter destruction that we thought we would fall  into.  That moment, I wasn't sure how President Trump would govern as like many Christians, I was skeptical about him.  But that election night, I joined many in celebrating the victory of knowing we were safe from Obama's extended term through Clinton.  I tell you, going through those 8 years of Obama was a nightmare for his agenda was to systematically destroy life, promote gross immorality, propel lawlessness and divide through the grounds of fake racism and an all out war in the things of God.  As President Trump took offic and fulfilled the many promises he made amidst intense hatred, betrayal and threats from every direction along with God's Word and prophetic mandate of God in his life, I can say this with utmost certainty---it was God's intervention that stopped the destructive agenda of the enemy in this country.  Personally, I knew the Lord granted us a "window of opportunity" as part of His wonderful plan for this nation and its people to fulfill His plan for His beloved nation, Israel.  And so, I encourage everybody to study and meditate on the Word of God for in it is Truth, Purpose and Revelation.  Never ever accept anyone's teaching (doctrine) without running it through the magnifying lenses of the Scripture.  Everything we see in the news today, good or bad, fake or true, is never without an agenda.  There's good (Godly) and evil (Satanic) agendas.  It is important that we rally in support of the good agendas and go against (with prayer and action) those that are demonic.  Be bold, be Salt and Light!  Always keep in mind that no matter what happens, God will work all things together for the good of those who love Him and live according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).  For those Born of God (Born-again, John 3:3), this earthly story has a happy ending.  I don't know with you but I am happy to watch a movie based on tragedy  when I know beforehand that it's going to be a happy ending.  Many movie fans hate spoilers but in the story I called  "My Life in Christ,"  I'm glad to know beforehand, I have eternal victory! 
 
For this Card, I used an image from Stampers Anonymous called  "Crazy Birds"that I colored using my Prismacolor/Spectrum Noir markers.  The pre-cut card base is from Paper Studio and it comes with envelopes that I stamped with a Hero Art stamp in coordinating ink colors.  All the card sentiments are from Dylusions from the set called "Quote Medley."  I love the result.   

 CRAZY BIRDS ENCOURAGEMENT CARD SET

 CRAZY BIRDS ENCOURAGEMENT CARD 1

 CRAZY BIRDS ENCOURAGEMENT CARD 2

This Card Set is entered into the following Challenges:

Gem of a Challenge---ATG
Catch the Bug---Clean and Simple
Crafter's Castle---ATG/Back to School
Colour Crazy---Coloring
Scrapper's Delights---ATG
2 Crafty Critter---Add Critter
A2Z---ATG
A Bit More Time---ATG
A Perfect Time---ATG
Classic DT---ATG
Craft-Dee-Bowz---ATG
Crafts Galore Encore---ATG
Crafty Animals---ATG with Animals
Creatalicious---ATG/Humour
Colour Create Show it Off---ATG
CCC---For a Child
Digi Doodle---Birds and Beast (Include an Animal)
DL Art---ATG
Happy Craft---ATG
LeeAnns World---ATG
Love to Craft---ATG
Love to Scrap---ATG
MIUCB---ATG/3-D Project
Morgan's Artworld---ATG
Not Just Cards---ATG
Papercraft Business---Bear/ATG
Scribbles Designs---Include a Sentiment
Sognando---ATG
Tales from the Craft Room---For Kids
Creative Crafters---ATG
Tinker Dream---Sentiment
Worldwide DT---ATG
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, 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.  

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