Scripture Series: I Have Replenished Easel Card---It's Anything/Inspirational Goes at Word Art Wednesday! Join our Challenge...

Hi everyone!  Last Wednesday, we started another bi-weekly Challenge at Word Art Wednesday (WAW).  As always, you can join us with an inspirational project or use our Scripture Word Art (you can download for free at the WAW site) and let it inspire you to create---just like I did in the card sample below.  Our Scripture Word Art for this Challenge comes from Jeremiah 31:25 which says, "For I have satiated the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul."

There's so many things to be grateful about in this life.  The reality that the presence of God (His Holy Spirit) lives inside of me provides me comfort and security not only here on earth but in the eternal life promised by my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!  The very reason why we're still waking up each morning with hearts beating 24/7 is because God's not done with His purpose for us here on earth.  As a believer of Jesus Christ (Born again, John 3:3), I am not exempted from the emotional roller coaster of life when we are faced with many challenges not only from our family but also the effects of political, economic and social environment we live in.  If we hear of wars and calamities happening in other countries, we feel sad but when it happens closer to home, we are so emotionally invested knowing that such calamities and unrest may personally knock on our doors.  That's why it is so hard for me to understand how privileged American youth of this generation can participate in terrorism, arson, looting and destruction and have allowed themselves to be radically charged to the  point that they made it their personal goal to destroy their own country, state, cities and even their families for the sake of insane/failed ideals.  How did our youth come to this point of utterly sanctioning their own destruction?  I am unsure whether they understand that they're  the ones inheriting this country and that they will have to suffer the horrible consequence of their savagery and rebellion.  The only CURE to this social upheaval is to bring back the Word of God in our schools, the Bible study and prayer meetings too and Churches need to preach the Truth of the Scripture boldly and bravely no matter what. 

Everyday, we wake up to Fake News that makes people bow to FEAR.  The social media's emphasis on the negative is conditioning people's minds to go lock themselves up and hide.  And why it's an easy sell?  Because people are afraid of DEATH.  And though everyone knows that we all have to face it one day (unless RAPTURE comes first for the Body of Christ), people are trying to do everything in their power to delay the inevitable.  But some who professed to know God have allowed themselves to be paralyzed by fear too.  Sad but true!  Psalm 139:15-16 tells us, "My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body;  all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."  Proper understanding of the Word is important to counteract deceptive mandates that seeks to immobilized us with fear.  The antidote to fear is FAITH and when you know that everything that happens to you is under the watchful eye of the Father and that He holds you in the palm of His hand in every situation, fear will no longer dominate your life.  You are able to live in the JOY and PEACE that comes from the Lord.  Personally, I have turned over my life wholly to JESUS that whether I live or die, I know I have the victory.  When we are afflicted with all kinds of sicknesses and diseases, pain is present in different degrees and honestly, some felt unbearable.  God has seen me in my weakest and strongest moments.  He is the One I call to when words can't describe the pain (physical, emotional and even spiritual) that I deal with inside.  I encountered depression many times in my life and though I was not physically incapacitated, it took away my zest for life.  Truly a different kind of pain!  I needed God to snap me out of it everytime.  Imagine suffering from debilitating sickness, inundated with physical pain and depression, we need so much  more than our human abilities to pull us from such turmoil.  When the load seemed overwhelming, I'm reminded that I need not carry it all  on my own.  Matthew 11:28-30 says, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” My Life Application Bible provided a wonderful explanation for these verses that I needed to share with you.  It says, "A yoke is a heavy wooden harness that  fits over the shoulders of an ox or oxen.  It is attached to a piece of equipment the oxen are to pull.  A person may be carrying heavy burdens of (1) sin, (2) excessive demands of religious leaders (Matthew 23:4, Acts 15:10), (3) oppression and persecution, or (4) weariness in the search for God.  Jesus frees people from all these burdens.  The "rest" that Jesus promises is love, healing and peace with God, not the end of all labor.  A relationship with God changes meaningless, wearisome toil into spiritual productivity and purpose.  In what sense was Jesus yoke easy?  The yoke emphasizes the challenges, work and difficulties of partnering with Christ in life. Responsibilities weigh us down, even the effort of staying true to God.  But Jesus yoke remains easy compared to the crushing alternative.  Jesus does not offer a life of luxurious ease---the yoke is still an oxen's tool for working hard.  But it's a shared yoke, with weight falling on bigger shoulders than yours.  Someone with more pulling power is up front helping.  Suddenly you are participating in life's responsibilities with a great Partner---and now that frown can turn into a smile and that gripe into a song."

For this Card, I used an image that I got from "Wish" site a few months ago and watercolored it using my Tim Holtz Distress Inks.  I also layered some Prima flowers and added brads from Recollections.  I also added some Washi tapes and stamped heart border from Stampendous and the inside sentiment is from Studio G.  Lastly, I stitched all over this card for added dimension. 

 I HAVE REPLENISHED EASEL CARD

 I HAVE REPLENISHED EASEL CARD LAYERS WHEN CLOSED

 I HAVE REPLENISHED EASEL CARD WITH MESSAGE SPACE

I HAVE REPLENISHED EASEL CARD WITH ENVELOPE-BOX

This Card is entered into the following Challenges:

Crafty Creations---ATG
Creative Moments---ATG
Fab n Funky---Use Real Stamp (No Digis)
House that Stamps Built---ATG
Little Red Wagon---Spots and/or Stripes
Paper Shelter---Summer
Paper Funday---ATG and the Great Outdoors
A Place to Start---Flowers
Colouring in Scrapland---ATG/Summer
Crafting Happiness---ATG/Summer
Incy Wincy---Summer Colors
Jan's Digi Stamps---ATG
PIP---ATG
Use Your Stuff---Summer Fun
Digi Choosday---ATG
Everybody Art---Summer Girl
Lemon Shortbread---ATG
TTCRD---ATG
Angie's Digi Stamps---ATG
Dragonfly Dreams---No Patterned Paper
Penny Black---In the Garden
Corrosive---ATG


Hope you enjoyed my featured project today at WAW...I am looking forward to see your projects linked to our Challenge.  You can include the free Word Art in your projects to link,  but not a requirement.  You can submit any inspirational, uplifting, family friendly creations (up to 5 each week) for more chances to win our prize from our sponsor this week---CAS-ual Fridays Stamps ($20 GC). Okay guys, let us remember to count all our blessings and give glory to the Lord always in season and out of season. He is worthy to be praised!

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