Scripture Series: Great and Mighty Things Card---Time for Another Anything Goes/inspirational Challenge at Word Art Wednesday!

Hi there, friends! We have another bi-weekly Challenge at Word Art Wednesday (WAW) that started a few days ago.  This time, we are using a Scripture Word Art   that you can download for free at the WAW site that comes from Jeremiah 33:3 which tells us, "Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not." 

Negative thoughts from the world or among believers of Christ (Born again, John 3:3) truly affect our spiritual well being.  We are never short of negative news daily.  When we watch TV, listen to the radio or search for information in any social media sites,  9 out of 10 stories conveys death, fear, harm and destruction.  Many people who react instinctively to the news/stories they heard are prone to do more stupid things for simply not sorting through their feelings. Others look for answers from their so-called "experts" and believe without questioning everything they're saying.  These people are lazy to search for the truth and would rather entrust their lives to someone they believed would never harm them.  And there are those who don't really care because they'd rather drown themselves with watching movies or playing games that yield no fruit, totally oblivious to what is happening around them.  But then there are those who take the time to look into the facts, analyze what is happening and asked all sorts of questions behind what is happening around them. They knew that everything happens for a reason so they ask God for wisdom and direction to lead them on what action to take as individuals and as part of the Body of Christ and be God's beacon of light into this world darkened by an evil agenda.

The Book of Jeremiah is such a great and timely read in this day and time.  Jeremiah was asked by God to be His mouthpiece to warn the people of Judah regarding their evil ways that would subject them to Babylonian captivity.  God had enough of the wickedness of His people who have forgotten Him and followed after false gods.  From one evil king to another, they have disobeyed God, built and erected idols that were an abomination to God, practiced grossed immorality and have made their children a burnt sacrifice in the altar of Baal.  They forgot their God and followed after the pagan ways of other nations.  God said in Jeremiah 19:5, "They have built pagan shrines to Baal, and there they burn their sons as sacrifices to Baal.  I have never commanded such a horrible deed; it never even crossed my mind to command such a thing!"  God's wrath was going to pour upon them that for seventy years, they would be in exile to Babylon.  Yet even in God's anger, His love was still conveyed when He revealed to His servant, Jeremiah, what would take place in the future when He uses a pagan king (King Cyrus, a Medo-Persian) to fulfill His will for His people---even before Babylon began invading Judah.  Reading God's Word in the Book of Jeremiah will open our eyes to the holiness and justice of God that would NEVER tolerate idolatry, disobedience and every evil/demonic acts.  But most importantly, we can also see His compassionate heart that seeks to save those who repented and obeyed by giving them hope for their future.

So, what lessons did we learn from Jeremiah that would help us (believers) with the challenges of our day?  As we go through this time of many uncertainties, let us not forget that GOD ALWAYS HAVE THE LAST SAY.  Believers should not act like the heathen who don't have hope---merely trusting in what man has to say no matter how "expert" or "influential" you think they may be.  We should submit everything to our Lord and that includes our every thought before we speak or act on them.  The Lord  is all powerful and all knowing.  He knows the end from the beginning.  He created everything---holds and sustains all of His creation.  If we have questions about anything, He is the One we should call first.  If He leads us to a certain individual to find some answers, that is great.  But we shouldn't act without calling upon Him first.  Having the assurance of His Word can make a big difference whether we live in perfect peace or defeated by fear in this time of many trials and uncertainty.  I love what my Life Application Bible shared with regards to our highlighted verse above from Jeremiah 33.  It says, "God would restore Jerusalem, not because the people cried, but because it was part of His ultimate plan.  The Babylonian disaster did not change God's purposes for His people.  Although Jerusalem would be destroyed, it would be restored (after the 70-year captivity and in the end times when the Messiah will rule).  God's justice is always tempered by His mercy.  God assured Jeremiah that he had only to call to God and God would answer (see also Psalm 145:18, Isaiah 58:9, Matthew 7:7).  God is ready to answer our prayers, but we must ask for His assistance.  Surely God could take care of our needs without our asking.  But when we ask, we are acknowledging the He alone is God and that we cannot accomplish in our own strength all that is His domain to do.  When we ask, we must humble ourselves, lay aside our willfulness and worry, and determine to obey Him."  What a great and awesome God we have!

For this Card, I used an image from Bugaboo Digi Stamps called "Sketchy Boy Hi" that I colored using my Prismacolor markers.  The base is white CS, cut and scored to make a 5.5 inches square card.  The DP is from Heidi Grace, the fish tail banners are from Martha Stewart Papers and  the nail head gems and heart are all from Imaginisce.  Lastly, I ran some panels of this card through my sewing machine for some fancy and regular stitching.  Came out pretty cool!

  GREAT AND MIGHTY THINGS CARD

 GREAT AND MIGHTY THINGS CARD LAYERS

 GREAT AND MIGHTY THINGS CARD INSIDE

GREAT AND MIGHTY THINGS CARD WITH ENVELOPE-BOX

This Card is entered into the following Challenges:

Angie's Digital Stamps---ATG
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends---ATG
Corrosive---ATG
Gem of a Craft---ATG
Allsorts---Dots, Stripes, Ginghams (Used Dots and Stripes)
Crafter's Castle---ATG
Crafty Friends---Add Embellishments
Di's Digi---Include a Sentiment
Craft-Dee Bowz---ATG
Crafts Galore Encore---ATG
Craftyhazelnut's---ATG
Creatalicious---ATG
Createful Heart---ATG
Creative Craft Cottage---Masculine
CCC---For the Men/Boys
LeAnns---ATG
Let's Craft and Create---ATG
Love to Craft---ATG
Love to Scrap---ATG
MIUCB---AT/Masking
Not Just Cards---ATG
Creative Crafters---ATG
Worldwide Open DT---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  Art Glitter, giving away a $50 GC to their store.  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 and His peace abides in you no matter what is happening around you.

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Scripture Series: Thy Mother Shall Be Glad Card---Join us in our Anything Goes/Inspirational Challenge at Word Art Wednesday!

Hi Crafty peeps!  So sorry for the  late posting.  HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY, EVERYONE!  As always. we have an Inspirational/Anything Goes Challenge that started a few days ago at Word Art Wednesday (WAW) featuring a great Scripture Word Art (you can download for free at the WAW site).  Our highlighted verse is an encouragement to all mothers out there.  It comes from Proverbs 23:25 which says, "Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bare thee shall rejoice."

God purposely placed us under the care of our parents in order to guide us to the right path.  Our parents also experienced childhood and the things they learned along the way became the basis on how they train their kids when they go through similar circumstances.  But we know that parenting is not as easy especially when we find ourselves in situations we haven't even encountered in life.  We may have wonderful parents but turn out rebellious in our ways.  Or we may have grown in a dysfunctional and abusive family that twisted and perverted our minds to the truth which impacted our lives in the worst way.  That kind of upbringing will be detrimental when passed on to our children.  And what if  we don't grow up in the ways of God or had never been exposed to the knowledge and fear of the Lord?  We are aware of many stories of children brought up in a Godly household but end up going their own ways, mocking and despising God with their words and actions.  But we also heard of the stories of those who came to Jesus, after they exposed themselves to destruction, and found new hope in the Lord.  They are the ones that opened their hearts to Jesus Christ and under the loving guidance of their parents or even other people (who took them under their care) made a complete turn to a Godly, productive and meaningful way of life.

As I am writing this post, God emphasized to me five words when it comes to parenting. These are acceptance, repentance, discipline, patience and love.  Whether we grew up from a Godly or dysfunctional family, we need to accept that our upbringing has profound effect on our choices and the direction of our lives  that can easily be passed on to our children.  Proverbs 22:6 says, "Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it." God wants us to bring up our children in accordance to His Word.  But even when we brought up our kids using Godly principles, they still have a mind of their own that they have to contend with.  They too have to decide between right from wrong and harvest the fruit of their choices. We are to identify our wrong doings based on the Word of God and repent from them.  Repentance is when we look back at the mistakes we made and confess them to the Lord Jesus.  The most common perversion today is believing that God loves you so much that He's okay with whatever you want to do with your life.  Yes, Jesus defied the status quo of His time by hanging out with the "sinners" but by no means approved of their Sin (Sin Nature and all its by-products).  Instead, He forgave them (after they acknowledge their transgressions) and told them to SIN NO MORE. That meant a 180 degrees turn from their old way of life.  Jesus paid all of mankind's Sin at the Cross of Calvary but in order for us to benefit from what He accomplished on our behalf, we have to put our complete faith (trust) in Him.  When we do that, we are acknowledging that we are in Him when He went to the Cross and died. We are in Him when He was buried and also in Him when He resurrected---defeating Sin and Death forever.  We acknowledge that where Jesus is right now (in the right side of the Father), that's where we are also!  Hebrews 11:6 tells us, "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." Now,  just because we are redeemed, it does not mean we are free from the challenges of life.  In fact, the biggest challenges of my life came after I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior (Born again, John 3:3). This time, I had to go through God's spiritual discipline (with the help of the Holy Spirit) in order to overcome what my body (five senses) and soul (mind, will and emotions) had known all my life that made me God's enemy.  Although my spirit (communion, conscience, intuition) was brought to life by my faith in Christ, my body and my soul needed to be renewed.  Romans 12:1-2 clearly tells us, "Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."  When we encounter all sorts of trials (pressures), acknowledge that God is always with us (inside of us) to see us through even when we don't see or feel Him working at times.  Whatever the outcome, God always have our best interest.  Trials are like weights that we need to conquer in order to develop our spiritual muscles.  Hebrews 12:2-10 says, "In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says, “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.” Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness."  This same scripture also expressed to us what patience meant when it said "endure hardship."  Patience is simply defined as, "the quality of waiting calmly without complaining."  Maybe we are not seeing the fruit of our labor and prayers in the life of our children.  I tell you that nothing saddens me more than seeing my boy wrapped up in the things of the world.  Sometimes, I felt like a broken record that no one listens to.  But Galatians 6:9 says, "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." When we speak the Word of God to our children and to whomever God directs us to, Isaiah 55:10-11 says, “The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry.  It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it."  And last but not the least, the over-all intent for all of the first four words is "love."  John 3:16 says, "For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life."  God loves us all---whether we are kids, parents or both!  God's kind of love is sacrificial, never ever selfish!  If we love our children, we would teach and lead them to seek God and His perfect ways.  And if we truly love our parents, we would love and respect the authority that God bestowed upon them to guide and light our way.  One day, the kids will become parents and the same cycle continues till the Lord calls us all home to His eternity.

 
For this Card, I used an image from Stamping Bella called "Uptown Girl Bailey Has a Baby" that I colored using my Prismacolor/Hobby Colour markers.  The base is white CS, cut and scored to make a 5.5 inches square card.  I rounded the sides using my Crop-a-dile.  The DP is from American Crafts and the die-cut from Spellbinders (Wreath Set).  I included some nail head gems from Imaginisce, glitters from Stickles (Crystal) and ran it through my sewing machine for some fancy stitching.  I'm very happy with the result.

 THY MOTHER SHALL BE GLAD CARD

 THY MOTHER SHALL BE GLAD CARD LAYERS

 THY MOTHER SHALL BE GLAD CARD INSIDE

This Card is entered into the following Challenges:

Artsystamper---Mum
Coloring in Scrapland---ATG/Splashes
Crafting Happiness---ATG/Nature
Get Creative---Make it Sparkly
Jan's Digi---ATG
Pammie's---ATG
Use Your Stuff---Flower and/or Butterflies (I chose flowers)
Colour Crazy---ATG
Creative Fusion----ATG
Creative Fingers---ATG
Pattie's---ATG
Simply Create Too---Use Flowers
Gem of a Craft---ATG
Allsorts---ATG
Crafter's Castle---ATG
Crafty Friends---Flowers
Angie's---ATG
Lil' Patch---ATG
Stamping Sensations---Say it with Flowers
Corrosive---ATG
A Perfect Time---ATG
Classic Design---ATG
Craft-Dee-BowZ---ATG
Craft Galore---ATG
Craftyhazelnut's---Patterned Paper
Creatalicious---ATG/Sparkle
HLS---ATG with Dies
LeAnns---ATG
Let's Craft and Create---ATG
Love to Craft---ATG
Love to Scrap---ATG
Mix It Up---ATG/Masking
Morgan's Artworld---ATG
Not Just Cards---ATG
Papercraft Business---ATG
YSP---ATG


I hope you'd take the time to join us at our WAW Challenge.  It's Anything Goes as long as it's family friendly with uplifting and inspirational messages, you can link up to 5 projects per week.  Our sponsor this challenge is Pink & Main giving away a $25 prize package from their shop.  I can't wait to see your projects  and leave you some encouragement on your Blogs.  Pray without ceasing and believe that God has a wonderful plan for our children!

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