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Friday, November 19, 2021

Scripture Series: And Not Be Silent Card---There's Still Plenty of Time to Join our Inspirational/Anything Goes Challenge at Word Art Wednesday!

 Hi there, everyone!  More than a week ago, we started another Anything Goes/Inspirational Challenge at Word Art Wednesday (WAW) as we feature another great Scripture Word Art (free for you to download at the WAW site). It comes from Psalm 30:12 which says, "To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever." 

God did not promise us a world without trials and persecutions.  From the Fall of Man in the Garden of Eden through disobedience and betrayal of God by Adam's alignment with Satan, the world and everyone who dwells in it had been under curse.  No human being could ever escape the consequences of that  sad event in mankind's history which leads to everlasting torment---a life without the presence of God, the Source of all things good.  Mankind was doomed!  Justice calls for the harshest punishment for those that bit the hand of the One that created them. For God is True, Holy and Righteous! If we can only fathom the depth of His attributes, you will realize why none of us deserve pardon---not on our own abilities, strength and merits.  We have continued in the ways of this world, in bondage with Satan---with no way out! Gotquestions.org shared this, "Humanity is corrupted by sin, and that sin is always directly against God. As a result, all sin requires an eternal punishment. God’s holy, perfect, and infinite character has been offended by our sin. Although to our finite minds our sin is limited in time, to God—who is outside of time—the sin He hates goes on and on. Our sin is eternally before Him and must be eternally punished in order to satisfy His holy justice."
 
But God is also a God of Love and Mercy.  God knew what man would do before He created them yet He still chose to bring them to life.  Psalm 30:5 says, "For his anger lasts only a moment but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning."  For God had the greatest plan to save mankind from their bondage way before He established time.  But God didn't magically repair the damage mankind did.  It would require Him to sacrifice His One and Only Son to die a horrific death to pay the fine of such a horrific Sin. Here, we can see how God view Sin. The universal principle of sowing and reaping is in effect and a Just (fair and righteous) God had to show His creation the grave penalty of Sin---death on the Cross by a sinless Man.  Only God is without Sin and He had to come in the flesh as a Man to redeem mankind.  Psalm 8:4-5 says, "What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him? For You have made him a little lower than the angels, And You have crowned him with glory and honor." Imagine what the Father had to endure to see His guiltless Son taking unto Himself the sins of the world---Sin that His holiness cannot tolerate.  It was harsh, it was painful!  Even in our very limited understanding as parents to our children, such burden would be hard to bear.  But it happened because John 3:16 said, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." And because Jesus conquered the Cross, everyone who puts their faith in His gift of salvation received everlasting life (freedom from eternal damnation).  Solely our faith in Christ (Born-again, John 3:3) and His finished work at the Cross could brings us back to the eternal presence of our Creator as if the breach never happened.  Because Jesus lives inside every believer, the Father honors the sacrifice of His Son on our behalf and considers us His children.  Hence we can call  Him, "Abba, Father!"

So when people ask "how can a sovereign God allow suffering to take place and how can He send people to hell?", we have an answer.  Every choices we make here on earth have consequences---good or bad.  The disobedience of the first man (Adam) invited the curse of Sin and Death to wreak havoc in this world that affects the life of every human being that caused us to rebel against God, living a life of Sin. The biggest choice we have to make in our lifetime is the one that would affect not only this earthly life but our life beyond. God gave us the free-will to choose to remain in our fallen state (we had since birth) or to turn over our lives to Jesus Christ.  Before we release our final breath, a choice should have already been made.  My prayer is that you choose wisely;  for blessed are those who willingly put their faith in Jesus Christ.  In Him  is a life without death, pain nor suffering.  One day, we will live the life God promised us without the presence of Sin.  But until then, this is not the time to be silent and fearful.  Let us proclaim to the world in all boldness Acts 4:11-12, "Jesus is “‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’ Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” God's love extends His mercy in this Period (Ark) of Grace (Church Age).  Step right in---don't delay!  For when the door shuts (Rapture of the Church), God's wrath and justice will pour out mercilessly on those left behind.

For this Card, I used an image that I got from Amazon and watercolored it using my Stabilo 68 markers.  The base is Kraft, cut and scored to make a 5.5 inches center step design.  The DP is from Paper Studio, the layered flowers are from Prima, the brad from Recollections and the nail head gems are from Imaginisce.  I also used a couple of shape dies from Nestabilities to frame the image and a border flower die from Sizzix.  The leaves are punched with Fiskars punch, the glitters from Stickles (Crystal) and finally, I ran several panels for some wonderful stitching to enhance this project.  Love it!


AND NOT BE SILENT CARD


AND NOT BE SILENT CARD LAYERS


AND NOT BE SILENT CARD INSIDE


AND NOT BE SILENT CARD WITH ENVELOPE-BOX


This Card is entered into the following Challenges:
 
2 Sisters---ATG
A Bit More Time---ATG  
Ching-Chou Kuik---Thankful/Thankgiving/Thanks 
Craftyhazelnut's---Patterned Paper
Creatalicious---ATG/Ribbon or Twine 
Creations in Pink---Mainly Pink
Creative Craft Cottage---Add some Sparkle
Daisy Chain---Add Sparkle
Dream Factory---Limitless 
Happy Little Stampers---ATG with Dies
If You Give a Crafter a Cookie---Picture Inspiration (love the colors and leaves)
LeAnns World---ATG 
MIUCB---ATG/3D Projects 
Scor-pal---More Than One Score 
Sognando---ATG
Crafting Challenge---Stitching 
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 each week.  A wonderful prize awaits our winner from our lovely sponsor for this Challenge---Really Reasonable Ribbon (Ribbon Club Assortments).  So excited to see what you come up with.  Anyway, be very vigilant, pray always and practice your God given rights.  As long as God is seated on the throne, we are never without hope.  We are part of His plan in this world. While there is still time, let's share the Gospel to those who are willing to listen.

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Wednesday, November 17, 2021

Fall Series: Thankful for Everything Card---Join Our Monthly Anything Goes Challenge Happening at 613 Avenue Create!

Hello everyone...It's a bit late but I'm here to feature my card for our 613 Avenue Create Anything Goes, November Challenge.  I tackled the optional twist which is "Thanks/Thankfulness."  I bought a couple of Thanksgiving inspired stamps a month ago and I used one of them on this project. I love it!  I hope you join us and have some fun crafting and creating.

So many things are happening around us today.  The evil that is hovering in our country and in the world in general are very alarming that brings many to hopelessness, fear and desperation.  The endless attack on our liberty and pursuit of happiness which has been endowed to us by God, our Creator, is threatened by demonic agenda to force many to choose between what they believe is right or to lose their means of livelihood. Each day, we are compelled to make a choice---to stand firm on God's Word with consequences or to compromise for advancement so as to avoid losing everything.  I am not discounting the fact that some choices are easy and that some are life threatening.  No matter what, a true believer of Jesus Christ (Born-again, John 3:3) should not think as the world does---selfish, self-serving and living just for the "now."  Jesus gave His life to free us from the bondage of Sin Nature (slavery to Satan) so that we can be with Him---in His presence now and for all eternity!  Jesus told us in John 16:20-22, "Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy."  Likewise in John 16:32-33, Jesus gave us both warning and encouragement saying, “A time is coming and in fact has come when you will be scattered, each to your own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”  

The truth of the matter is this:  The degree of obedience and perseverance we give to the Word of God determines the depth and quality of our relationship with the Lord.  God revealed Himself in His Word (Written Revelation) and through Christ (Personal Revelation).  Jesus, Who is the Word of God, came alive to redeem us and had been with us since then through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. The deeper our relationship with Christ, the less likely we'd fall for the threat of the enemy and the worldly system he is using.  Early this year, I experienced some form of spiritual crisis.  Nothing noticeable in the surface but it was a battle within; a case of spiritual anxiety that attempted to steal my peace of mind.  Discerning what the enemy was trying to do, I pleaded to God for a double portion of His peace---the kind that surpasses all understanding. I want a  heart so peaceful that sees the hand of God even in difficult and trying situations in my own life and as a child of God in this fallen world---resilient and firmly grounded in God's Truth!  I fell asleep and when I woke up, I never felt the same.  Praise God for He instantly answered my prayer and gave me great peace and a new pair of eyes to see what's beneath the daily headlines.  I found a deeper understanding of God's Word in Philippians 4:6-7 which says, "Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus."  Contrary to what others may think as complacency, I still do everything that God asked me to do for His kingdom but without the weight of the world on my shoulders.  For this is the will of God toward me in Matthew 11:28-30 which says, " Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”  Are you struggling with something today?  Call upon the Lord Jesus.  What He did for me, He will also do for you.

For this Card, I used an image from Stamping Bella called "Teeny Tiny Townie with a Pumpkin Pie" that I colored with the Paper Studio Brush markers.  The base is white CS, cut and scored to make a 5.5 inches square card.  The DP's are all from Paper Studio, the layered flowers are from Prima and the brad is from Recollections.  The leaves were punched from a couple of punches from Fiskars and EK Success. I added some glitters from Stickles (Crystal) and stitched all over this project for added dimension.  


THANKFUL FOR EVERYTHING CARD


THANKFUL FOR EVERYTHING CARD LAYERS


THANKFUL FOR EVERYTHING CARD INSIDE


THANKFUL FOR EVERYTHING CARD WITH ENVELOPE-BOX

This Card is entered into the following Challenges:

2 Sisters---ATG
Ching-Chou Kuik---Thankful/Thankgiving/Thanks 
Craftyhazelnut's---Patterned Paper
Creatalicious---ATG/Ribbon or Twine 
Creative Craft Cottage---Add some Sparkle
Daisy Chain---Add Sparkle 
Dream Factory---Limitless 
Girlz Rebel---Autumn Colors 
If You Give a Crafter a Cookie---Picture Inspiration (love the colors and leaves)
LeAnns World---ATG 
MIUCB---ATG/3D Projects 
Sognando---ATG
Crafting Challenge---Stitching  
Four Seasons---Fall 
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. Remember to put your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ always and in His Word to stay in the right course.

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