Saturate Your Soul with Scripture

"How happy is the one who does not walk in the advice of the wicked or stand in the pathway with sinners or sit in the company of mockers! Instead, his delight is in the Lord's instruction, and he meditates on it day and night. He is like a tree planted beside flowing streams that bears its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. The wicked are not like this; instead, they are like chaff that the wind blows away. There the wicked will not stand up in the judgement, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to ruin." - Psalm 1:1-6

As we begin this new year, can I challenge you to saturate your heart, soul, and mind with scripture the whole year through? Psalm 1 talks about two paths and two destinations, the path of faithfulness or the the path of faithlessness to God. It's up to you to choose which path you will take. The path of faithfulness leads to God's joy, contentment, and favor; the path of faithlessness leads to worthlessnes and eternal judgement. Choose wisely!

When you sow a thought, you reap an action. When you sow an action, you reap a habit. When you sow a habit, you reap a character. When you sow a character, you reap a destiny.

You can't expect to grow spiritually this year if you are not daily feasting on the Word. The Bible pertains to all aspects of life. It guides and directs (Proverbs 3:5-6), it brings good success (Joshua 1:8), it overcomes fear by instilling faith in God's presence and power (Joshua 1:9), it gives stability (Psalm 16:8), it gives peace (Isaiah 26:3). 

What we dwell on, what we focus our mind on, that is what we become. Friend, let me just encourage you with this truth - God's Word is the best thing you can fix your mind on this new year. 🧡

Be scripture saturated!

Page Details

I created the background of this page with watered down acrylic paint. I just painted and watered until I got the look I wanted. I then used stamp ink and texture paste with the Script and Delightfully Delicate stencils to add some more dimension to the page. Once that was done, I put down the adorable chair and side table images which I had already pre-colored with alcohol markers. I was really trying to "set the scene" so to speak with this page. 

(Tip: I picked up some cheap alcohol markers from Amazon last year and have so much fun relaxing and coloring at the end of a long day! I pre-stamp a bunch of images and then color them throughout the week. Then they are all ready to go when I want to create a Bible page or card 😉)

Once I had the layout how I wanted it, I stamped my page title: Saturate your soul with scripture!

  

  

My prayer is that you will saturate your heart, mind, and soul with scripture today and every day this year!!

Much love in Christ, 

Janelle

**I'd love to connect with you on Instagram! You can find me here: @journalingjoy

Uncontainable

Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. John 21:25

Hi Friends!

As this new year begins, I want to focus on Jesus. Not the world, not Covid, not the craziness going on in my country, not my problems, but Jesus; He is my starting point and my ending point and everything in between. John is one of my favorite books of the Bible. When I first read it, I couldn't get enough! I remember that desire to just read more and more about Jesus. I want that feeling all the time. But over time, if I'm honest, I've lost some of that desire to know Jesus more, to read the Bible more and more.

The Bible gives us a glimpse of Jesus' life on earth. And that's really all it is, a glimpse, as John 21:25 points out. I absolutely love that verse. Like, it's one of my very most favorites. Because it tells us that Jesus is BIG. He is wonderfully incomprehensible. He cannot be contained or explained. He doesn't fit neatly into a little box. And I will spend the rest of my life learning more about Him and never know Him completely. Why? Because He's God. And our God is more than our human minds can understand. And that's okay! I wouldn't want a god that I completely understand. That would mean I was somewhat of an equal. I love that I will always be able to learn more about Jesus. I love the idea that if everything He had done while on earth had been written down, the world would be completely overwhelmed. 

Our Jesus is AMAZING. Human words don't justify how amazing He is. And that's pretty cool because not only is He big and amazing and God, but He is our Savior. Jesus, the Creator of everything, the Alpha and the Omega, the one true God, loves us SO much He was willing to leave the glory of heaven, become human, be abused by His creation, and hang on a cross. He certainly didn't have to do it. He could have stayed in the throne room in heaven, and we would have all died in our sin as we rightly should. It's hard to imagine why He loves us enough to give His life for us. He took our sins on Himself and paid the price for our sin so that we might be redeemed, and fellowship with the Father might be restored. All we have to do is confess and repent of our sins and accept Him as our Savior. Then we will have eternal life with Him.

I might not know my Savior, Jesus, completely. But I know He deserves all honor and glory and praise. I await the day when all of creation praises Him. "And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, 'To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.'" Revelation 5:13 And I suppose, the world itself won't be able to contain that worship either.

Page details: I used the fabulous new set Let's Get Cozy from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps. (There's even a die set for it!)This set is so versatile with images that you can use alone, or together to make a scene. I love the little stack of books included in the set. And I thought that it would be perfect to illustrate this verse. I stamped the chair and table first. I then made a mask of each image by stamping the images on a sticky note and cutting around each image. I placed those masks on top of the chair and table on the Bible page so that I could stamp the books and it would look like the books were behind them. I stamped the lamp next and made a mask for it as well. Then I started stamping the books, lots and lots of books, LOL! I made a mask for the books so that I could make the stacks of books taller. Lastly, I added the cat, and drew in lines on the floor to make it look like hardwood floors. To color, I used water colors. It was a fun page to do reflecting on how great our Jesus is!

Have a blessed week! Andrea

Wait Quietly...

Hi friends,

I recently had the opportunity to have a couple of days of retreat in silence and solitude and it was wonderful. I didn't have any phone signal or WiFi, so I couldn't get distracted by my phone and social media. This time away allowed me to switch off from the usual distractions and focus on being still before God, reading, journaling, and just being with him. I took my Bible journaling supplies (well, some of them!) and created some pages while I was there, including this page. The couch that I sat on in the living room to read and reflect was grey and had a red blanket, so I used those colours on this page as a reminder of this time.

It's hard to describe just how much I needed this time out, particularly at the end of a busy year. Too often we think of this kind of time of solitude, silence, and retreat, as a luxury rather than a necessity. But I am becoming more convinced, not just from my experience but also from Scripture, that these kind of times are a necessity for a life of flourishing with God and others. There are many times in Scripture where we see people taking time to wait on God, to be silent before him, to go away by themselves to pray. In Psalm 62 we read David's instruction to himself in the midst of turmoil. I love how the NLT translates this: "Let all that I am wait quietly before God" (v5).

How often do we take time to wait quietly before God? If and when we do, is all that we are being present and quiet with God? I know for me, it's easier to get my body to be quiet than my mind. It's easier to sit quietly externally than to be calm and quiet internally. But David recognises that it is his whole being that needs to wait quietly before God. I am personally challenged by this example, and know I need to make more time for this. How about you?

 

I had fun mixing a bunch of stamp sets together to create this page, colouring this images with Inktense pencils and an aquabrush. I used the new Let's Get Cozy set for the chair and Botanical Branches for the leaves, along with Made New for the butterflies. The verse was stamped using a combination of Ellis Square Alpha, In His Image, Print Blocks Alpha, Bitty Minnie Alpha and All in All. 

Let's prioritise taking the time to bring our whole selves to God and wait quietly before him.

Be blessed...

x Amy x

Live in your Bible

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."

Psalm 119:105

Well, it's a brand new year - 2022. Finally!

For most people, it's a time for reflection of all the experiences of the past year, as well as looking forward to plans for the upcoming year. If you are still setting your goals for the new year, can I just encourage you to make being in your Bible a top priority? And I don't just mean reading your Bible to check something off your to-do list. ✔ I mean soaking in the Word as a means to get to know your Lord in a personal, intimate relationship.

This quote from Charles Spurgeon is one of my favorites:

"Visit many good books, but live in the Bible."

A recent survey showed that only 11% of professing Christians read their Bible every day. Eleven percent! 

Devotionals wonderful, Christian books are wonderful, podcasts are wonderful - but none of those things are substitutes for God's Word in your heart. The Bible is God's Word to us, and the majority of Christians don't even read it! How sad. 

This year, make spending time with the Lord your top priority and see how it will change your heart and life. Whether your reading a good old-fashioned Bible, electronic Bible, or audio Bible, make it a point to get the Word in your heart every single day!

Page Details

I created this page using the new Let's Get Cozy stamp set, Delightfully Delicate stencil, colored pencils, and gelatos. I hand-lettered the Charles Spurgeon quote. One of my favorite things is to curl up in my armchair with a fuzzy blanket and my Bible. This page perfectly represents that, don't you think?! 😊

 

Have a very blessed New Year, friends!

Love in Christ, 

Janelle

IG: @journalingjoy

 

Names of God Advent Calendar

 Hello Friends!

I have always enjoyed doing advent calendars with my daughters since they were little. My favorite advent calendars focus on Christ. Last year, I made my first advent calendar using faithdex cards and the names of Jesus. This year, I used the names of Jesus again, but made 2 hanging advent calendars for my daughters. They are 18 & 21 now, and this was a fun craft to make for them. I was shopping and found some clothespins with small wood slices and numbers on them. That's what got me started! I got some burlap bags, found 2 sticks in my yard, and already had the twine. I tied the twine to the sticks so that it hangs down and the bags can be clipped haphazardly to the twine. It was really easy to make! I stamped each bag with a name of Jesus. Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps has some sets of names and that made the stamping go really quickly. See the end of the post for the stamp sets used. I was under a time crunch, so I didn't have time to stamp the verse that goes with each name on the bag. But I plan to add the verses. I filled the bag with little goodies and hope the girls will read the verses each day and soak in who Jesus is. 

Jesus is known by many names. Some of these are characteristics. Some explain who He is. As we study these names of Jesus, we should contemplate how Jesus manifests Himself as each of these in our lives. By studying and understanding these names, we know our Savior better.

Here is the list of names I used:

1. Light of the World, John 8:12
2. Messiah, Daniel 9:25
3. Prince of Peace, Isaiah 9:6
4. Alpha and Omega, Revelation 22:13
5. Bread of Life, John 6:35
6. Creator, Nehemiah 9:6
7. Wonderful Counselor, Isaiah 9:6
8. Deliverer, 2 Samuel 22:2
9. Narrow Gate, Matthew 7:13
10. Everlasting Father, Isaiah 9:6
11. Emmanuel, Isaiah 7:14
12. Faithful & True, Revelation 19:11
13. Good Shepherd, John 10:11&14
14. Redeemer, Job 19:25
15. Yahweh, Isaiah 45:24
16. Lamb of God, John 1:29
17. True Vine, John 15:5
18. King of kings, 1 Timothy 6:15
19. God Almighty, Isaiah 9:6
20. High Tower, Psalm 18:2
21. Savior, Acts 13:23
22. Jehovah, Joel 2:27-28
23. Christ, Matthew 16:16
24. Word of God, John 1:1&14

I used the following Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps sets: His Name, I Am, He Is.

Have a blessed Christmas focused on our sweet Savior. 

Andrea

Rescue me!

Hi friends,

We've recently been watching a tv series which is centred around a father and daughter, where the daughter doesn't know that this man is her father, but the father keeps coming to rescue her when she is in danger. Although her father is actually a dangerous criminal, he will stop at nothing to protect his daughter. There are other movies and tv shows which feature a storyline of a father going to rescue his daughter and crossing seemingly impossible barriers to do so. When I came across this line from Psalm 119:94 recently, it made me think of these kinds of stories: "I am yours; rescue me!" 

The reason the psalmist could cry out to God in their distress is because they knew they belonged to the one who heard their prayer. Much like many earthly fathers will do anything to keep their children safe and rescue them when they are in danger or distress, our Heavenly Father watches over us and we can call to him when we need to be rescued. When Peter tried to walk on water and in a moment of doubt began to sink, he called on Jesus and Jesus took hold of him and rescued him. Jesus shows us what God is like - God is ready to rescue his children in their times of trouble.

I stamped the image from My Friend on this page and watercoloured it. When it was dry I then added some acrylic paint in shades of blue with some grey and white using a palette knife to create the waves and sky. The text was stamped with My Friend and Love Ya Like a Sister Alpha. 

Let's be people to cry out to our Heavenly Father to rescue us when we are in distress, trouble, or danger. He hears our call and comes running.

Be blessed...

Amy

Cord of Hope

Behold, when we come into the land, you shall tie this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and you shall gather into your house your father and mother, your brothers, and all your father's household. Joshua 2:18

Hi Friends!

I hope y'all had a blessed Thanksgiving, telling the Lord how grateful you are to Him. Believers share something we can all thank God for- HOPE. This world is not a place that instills hope. In fact, it's often the opposite of hope. But because believers know Jesus as our Savior, our hope is in Him- not anything or anyone in the world. So, our hope is sure. The definition of hope is "a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen" or "a feeling of trust." In Hebrew, the word for hope is "tikvah." It means expectation, but it also means cord or rope, with the root word meaning to bind or wait for/upon. 

In Joshua 2:18, tikvah is used and translated "cord." Joshua had sent 2 spies to Jericho to check things out. They went to Rahab's house, and she protected them when the king of Jericho came after the 2 spies. Rahab told them that she, and all the people in Jericho, had heard all that God had done for the Israelites and it scared them. They were probably feeling a bit hopeless. Rahab asked the spies to promise that when Jericho was conquered, that she and her family would be spared. They told her to tie a scarlet cord (tikvah) in the window, and she and her family would indeed be spared. In this story, the scarlet cord was a literal cord. But it also illustrates what hope looks like. The cord was Rahab's only guarantee that she and her family would be saved. But, she had to wait for the realization of the spies' promise. Rahab didn't have a personal relationship with God at that time, but she hoped in Him and knew her physical salvation was tied to trusting in Him. 

How do we stay hopeful when things seem so dismal? How do we wait and wait and wait? God is the answer, of course! We must focus on Him and be in an active relationship with Him. When we are connected to God, it's like we are clinging to a very strong rope. Keep your hope in Him, my friends. And cling to Him as you would a scarlet cord hanging out a window.

Page details: I used the following Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps: Peace Be Still, Texture Tiles 2, Skinny Caps, Teeny Alpha, and Mini Grunge Alpha. I stamped the cord, masked it, and stamped the bricks. I lightly watercolored the bricks, and then stamped the words.

I based this post on information I found in an article by Dori Halbert, refugecounseling.com.

Have a blessed week! Andrea