Master of the Sea

Next to my journaling bible I like to have a sketchbook for my bible studies. Right now I'm reading a book with a lot of small studies and they're not about specific messages in the bible but more about how you can involve God in your daily life. So I decided to use my sketchbook for these studies instead of my bible so I can see all the pages right next to each other. Most of the time I use watercolor paper sketchbooks but this time I choose 'regular' paper. So I don't have the advantage of better paper in my sketchbook but I give myself more room to play with different materials than I do when I'm working in my bible. I can let go of my perfectionism in a sketchbook better than when I work in my bible ;). So I just like to have something to play next to my bible journaling.

So today I want to show you one of the pages I made in my sketchbook. For this page I combined two stamp sets that are perfect for each other: Master of the Sea and Living Water. The large waves from Living Water work great with the little ship from Master of the Sea. It shows the great power of God and the great power of the nature that God created. And because He created it, He can tell it what to do. He's the Creator of the universe, the Master of the sea, He controls everything. When there's a storm in your life, He can stop it. Or He can choose to carry you. In your little boat where you feel like everything's going the wrong way but where He is still with you.

For this page I stamped the images with black ink. The waves are from the Living Water stamp set and the other images are from the Master of the Sea stamp set. I created a border around the stamped images with a black pen and wrote down some words I had to think about during the study.

- Lucinde

Awaken Me

"Therefore, prophesy to them and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: O my people, I will open your graves of exile and cause you to rise again. Then I will bring you back to the land of Israel. When this happens, O my people, you will know that I am the LORD. I will put my Spirit in you, and you will live again and return home to your own land. Then you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken, and I have done what I said. Yes, the LORD has spoken!’”"

Ezekiel 37:12-14

Do you ever feel like you're in a rut? It's like you're on a treadmill, moving but not really going anywhere. This is essentially me right now. We are nearing the end of school and it's always a crazy time of year, full of anticipation and eagerness for summer. The kids are restless, teachers are preparing for break, and everyone is just trying to survive. 

Yesterday morning I left my house in such a hurry that I forgot my coffee and immediately turned around to go back and get it. In all the bustle of the day, I need to remember to immediately turn to God for awakening. This has been my hearts cry for some time now, to simply dig deeper with God and refresh my worn out self. Lord, keep stirring. Awaken my tired bones to come alive in You. Refresh my mind and direct my focus back on You. 

Let our hearts be awakened and rejuvenated in Him. 

With love, 

Lynzee

Below I have taken a few pictures on how this page came about. I am using the "Fill Me Up" stamps and Pelikan watercolors. Link to the stamps below:

http://www.sweetnsassystamps.com/creative-worship-fill-me-up-clear-stamp-set/

Step 1: "Fill Me Up" stamps

Step 2: Stamp and box in scripture 

 Step 3: Add color, doodles, and words

Living Water

Hey friends! So life lately has been crazy busy! Extra crazy , ya know?! My bible journaling pages lately have been pretty simple and because making time to spend with Him is priority, I have found if I don't about always have some amazing, time intensive page, I can fit bible journaling into my crazy schedule!

I really love in John 4 when Jesus is talking to the Samaritan Woman and in verse 5 Jesus says to her "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have gave you living water. Then in verse 13 He says "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst." Whenever I feel stressed or anxious, I know it's because I haven't spent enough time with Him and that I'm trying to rely on myself to get through life and I don't have to! Amen! Right?!

I added some watercolors in different shades of blues to a page protector sheet (it's 2 laminated sheets together so it's clear) then i flipped the sheet over on to my bible page and just pushed the color around a little with my hands. I pulled up the sheet and then used some of the extra paint to fill in here and there. I then stamped the living water from the stamp set Living Water and added some paint splatters of a little blue and white. I circled the verse and added a tab. Simple page but what a HUGE meaning this page is! I want to make sure that I always find the time to drink His Living Water!

I thought I would share this page I did a few months ago from the same stamp set! Just stamped the waves and clouds, drew that little boat and water colored. Check out the set I sued here I hope you have an amazing week and that you remember when you are thirsty go to HIM!

Do Others See Jesus?

If someone were to be constantly taking random snapshots of our lives, then lay them out as an album of our story, what would they see?  Would they consistently see Jesus through our lives?  What story would your life tell? 

A few years ago a woman came up to me in a church parking lot following a Bible study.  I'd taught Bible studies there for many years.  She was talking specifically about my teaching and was being very gracious and encouraging.  Then she told me something that really made me think. She recounted that she'd been under my teaching a number of times, and loved our studies together.  But something I'd said to her years ago was what really stuck in her head.  We were having a casual conversation apart from any church activity at all.  She was experiencing some difficult life experiences at the time.  She relayed something that I'd told her in that earlier conversation and she said she'd never forget it.  She'd forgotten some of the critical lessons of our Bible studies, but she would never forget what I'd said to her in a casual conversation.  She told me that it caused her to see herself in a whole new light, the light of Jesus.  She said for the first time in her life she could let go of who she'd been and embrace who she was.  THANKFULLY, I'd said something encouraging to her.  But our conversation in the church parking lot shook me a bit because I was riveted on how well, how clearly she remembered some casual, personal, one-on-one conversation from years earlier.  

That time, she saw Jesus in me.  But I got thinking about all the thousands of other conversations I had, interactions with others...family and friends...strangers...and I wondered if every conversation could be described the same.  I fear not.  Sometimes I think me least "seasoned" conversations might be with family.  Just think...our family members more than likely see the REAL album of our lives, not the church one.  It's a constant challenge to put Jesus before us rather than behind us when we are being the most real with those we know the best.

I certainly want other to see Jesus in every aspect of my life.  But having the character traits of Jesus requires measured discipline, and constantly having our witness and testimony on our minds.  It's not
a burden; reflecting Christ should be a joy, a privilege.  It's easier and better to extend grace than to be bitter.  It's more peaceful to be self-controlled than it is to be in a rage.  When we are faithful, we know that pleases God and that make us feel better.

I hope this post will be an exciting challenge...to live your life in such a way that others always see Jesus.  To think before speaking, to pray before acting...and to pay attention to the Spirit of God in us as we live out our lives.

I used the Sweet 'n Sassy stamps showcased below for this two-page spread.  The photo shots are stamped on designer paper then cut out and the words are just written on the page underneath.

 Capture This Moment and The Good News

Living Word and Exclamations

 

dianesdaydreamdesigns.blogspot.com

Worship in the Pain

David noticed that his attendants were whispering among themselves, and he realized the child was dead. “Is the child dead?” he asked. “Yes,” they replied, “he is dead.” Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food, and he ate. 2 Samuel 12:19-20

Friends, this is a hard passage in Scripture. This is a sensitive subject, especially for those who have lost a child. I'm truly sorry if you have experienced that personally. I don't want to make light of any suffering and pray that my words don't cause any harm.

David was in pain because of a consequence of his sin. He was intimate with Bathsheba, got her pregnant and tried to cover it up by bringing her husband home. But then ultimately, he had her husband killed. Nathan came to David and told him that God had taken away his sin and had forgiven him, but one of the consequences was that his newborn son would die. Sometimes our pain is a consequence of our own or someone else's sin. But, other times we are in pain; and that pain is not caused by anything we or someone else did. Either way, we will have pain. Life just hurts sometimes because we live in a fallen world. We can take hope in Jesus' words in John 16:33, "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."

Verse 20 tells us that upon hearing his son had died, David went to the house of the Lord and worshiped. He what??!! I don't know about you, but worshiping God at a time like that seems hard- extremely hard. And it's easy to talk about what we should do in those situations when we're not right in the middle of them. I don't have the "how to's" on worshiping God when you're in a pit of despair, sadness, or pain. But I will say this: keep going to Him- in your grief, in your anger, in your confusion, in your guilt, in whatever you are feeling. Don't allow a difficult situation to cause distance between you and God. Keep going to Him. Cry out to Him. Cling to Him. Our God is good. He doesn't change because of our circumstances. He is always good. Hold onto that and praise Him for who He is.

 For this page, I used water color crayons for the background. I used the following Sweet n Sassy Stamps sets: Fly High, Skinny Caps Alpha, & Rebecca Script. Fly High has a stamp that says "so I can". I used that stamp to stamp "so can I" by masking off the words when inking them so that I could stamp each word in the order I wanted them. I used a similar technique to stamp "pain". I used the "don't be afraid" stamp from Fly High. I masked off the "don't be" and the "a", "f", and part of the "r" & "d" of "afraid" to stamp "PAII". Then I drew in the lines to complete the "N". I hope that makes sense! I often mask of portions of a stamp so that I can make new words or phrases with them. I highlighted the letters with a White Sharpie, and added washi tape.

In Him, Andrea

Let Faith Arise

"Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God." 

Hebrews 12:2

Friends, if you have not heard the song "God of Miracles" by Chris McClarney, do. Especially if you are in a place where you feel your faith is lacking. I'm so thankful that Jesus' grace is enough and his power is made perfect in our weaknesses (2 Corinthians 12:9). He is alive and he is the author and perfecter of our faith. I don't know where your faith may be struggling, but know that Jesus will meet you where you are and lift you up to him. 

I'm not one to YouTube or Periscope my bible journaling process for a few reasons. 1. Thats my time to listen to worship music and have my Jesus time. 2. I often go into journaling not really knowing where I'm going with it. I pray, read some devotionals/scriptures, or go off a song (this happens a lot). 3. I'm not good at multitasking and would probably be extremely boring on video. Also, you'd hear some interesting singing 😜

Anywho, I do sometimes take pictures as I go along and either add them to my Instagram story or make an Instagram post where you can flip through. Today, I'm going to share them below. 😊 I hope you enjoy. 

I had my bible page already done so I made an insert to go along with it. 

Step 1: I used watercolor paper and the Faith Quote Block stamp set

"Faith laughs at that which fear weeps over" -C.H. Spurgeon

Step 2: I added the birdies from the Give Praise stamp set 

Step 3:I added florals from the Scribble Flowers stamp set because if you've followed me long enough you know my love of florals knows no bounds 

Step 4: I cut the page to make the insert 

Step 5: Finished cut with all the lovely stamps 

Step 6: Color time. I use a variety of watercolors but for this insert I used my Pelikan set. It's always a go-to and a fave of mine. 

Step 7: Add it to your Bible 

Stamps used:

Faith Quote Blocks
http://www.sweetnsassystamps.com/faith-quote-blocks-clear-stamp-set/

Give Praise 
http://www.sweetnsassystamps.com/creative-worship-give-praise-clear-stamp-set/

Scribble Flower
http://www.sweetnsassystamps.com/scribble-flowers-clear-stamp-set/

Take care of your SELFIE!

Hello! Today is my first day sharing on the Creative Worship blog for Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps! My name is Bridgett and I live in northeastern Ohio with my hubby and 2 kids. I own a photography business and I get to work from home. You will have to excuse my photos today as my studio is actually torn down right now since I had to shoot at a dance studio and a preschool this week! My poor iphone 5c is just not so good at taking photos! When I saw the Capture the Moment set created by Rebecca Rios, I knew I needed it! How cute are the cameras and the little polaroid? I love a set that has some great handwritten words too, since I don't love my handwriting.

I journaled in 1 Corinthians 9:25-27-All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an external prize. So i run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that preaching to others I myself might be disqualified. Good stuff right? My take away from this is that Paul is saying that if we don't read the bible and hold onto God's promises we wont be able to achieve what we need to here on earth! I know if I don't make time to spend reading His Word and journaling, I quickly find myself frustrated and stressed. We need to make sure we are taking care of our Selfies! My process was pretty simple for this page. I used the Skinny Lowercase Alpha and the Capture the Moment Sets. I added a little camera washi tape and a tab at the bottom. I actually printed out a selfie and fit it into the cute polaroid! I used black watercolor to do some paint splatters cause it's just fun and I might be addicted to paint splatters!

I hope you all enjoyed my first page and a little about me! Looking forward to sharing more! Follow me on Instagram @bridgett.brainard Have an amazing day and don't forget to take care of your selfie;)

His Word Brightens My Day!

My usual style for Bible art-journaling leans toward softer colors, subtle designs.  I'm not too bold in my artwork.  I wanted to challenge myself to move out of my comfort zone and try some new background techniques. And I wanted to go BRIGHT.  I love the fact that you can never run out of new things to learn in the art form.  Plus, being in the Word of God to create is a delight as well.  I have two submissions to share for the post today.

And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 

 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.

Hebrews 12:1-2 

I love this little passage in Hebrews 12 that provides so much encouragement for our Christian walk.  Sometimes we all struggle with our faith.  The promise implied in this verse that it is Jesus who grows our faith.  He initiates faith within the heart of the believer at conversion and He is the one who will see us through the trials and temptations of life.  Our responsibility is not to grow our faith, but to keep our eyes on Jesus...to stay focused on Him.

I decided to have fun with this page, go bold, and try some new things with watercolor paints.  I just started splashing swashes of paint across the page.  The I stamped on top of the paint when it had thoroughly dried.

I had to get even more brave for this second submission, but I used some techniques I'd used with my mixed media.

Yet I am always with you;
    you hold me by my right hand. 

You guide me with your counsel,
    and afterward you will take me into glory. 

 Whom have I in heaven but you?
    And earth has nothing I desire besides you. 

 My flesh and my heart may fail,
    but God is the strength of my heart
    and my portion forever.

Psalm 73:23-26

I was inspired to do this verse when listening to a CD I recently purchased.  In short, it simply says that God is everything I need.  When I fail, when I am weak He is the strength of my heart, and He is sufficient for every need.  When this life is over, I will be taken to glory to be with Him and THAT fact is an encouragement for certain!

I scraped on acrylic paints thinned down a little with water.  I wanted the paint to remain transparent enough that I could still read the scripture through it.  I did all of the background first, then used heavy-bodies acrylic paint over a stencil to get the raised dots.  The heart is hand-drawn, and the flowers and butterflies are rub-ons.  While the page is typically not my style I really like it.  It makes me happy to see it in my Bible. 

Here's a list of the stamp sets I used for the pages shown:

 God is Good (left) and Capture This Moment (right). 

 All Your Heart

 Give Praise (left) and My Comforter (right)

His Name

 

Victory

The Lord gave David victory wherever he went. 2 Samuel 8:5,14

Dear Friends,

Are you living in victory?

2 Samuel 7 ends with David's beautiful prayer of trust and praise. 2 Samuel 8 tells us of David's victories in conquering the Philistines, Moabites, and other nations. This was a high point for David. But, as we know, he also had low points. But, David loved God. He trusted God. And we can too.

You may not feel like you're living in victory, but our victory comes from God. If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior, you can claim that victory NOW! Through Jesus, we are forgiven and redeemed. We can fellowship with our Creator. And, we can never lose our salvation. Knowing those truths, we can live in victory even in the lowest of lows. Jesus is our hope. He is our victory. Live that hope and victory no matter what your circumstances are. Is it hard? Yes! But Jesus is with with you always. Rest in Him. Trust in Him.

I wanted to also share some of the process of this page. The Sweet n Sassy Stamps set called Sing Loud has the words "LOUD" and "GLORY" in the same lettering. I wanted to use those stamps to make "LORD". I've done this before by masking the "U" in "LOUD" out and adding in the "R" from "GLORY". Well, without thinking, I stamped "LOUD" onto the page without masking out the "U". EEEK! 

Mistakes happen. And we may have to get creative to fix them! I decided to cover "LOUD" with washi tap and then I cut out the letters for "LORD" from a sticker sheet. Mess-up fixed! 

I used stamps from the following Sweet n Sassy Stamps sets: Scribble Flowers, The Good News, Words of Life: Common Words 1, and Sing Loud. I used watercolor crayons for the color.
   
Live in victory, friends! Be blessed. Andrea