the YOU of Isaiah 26:3

Hello dear friends!  

Welcome back to the Creative Worship Blog for Sweet n Sassy Stamps!

Today, I put together a bit of a tutorial as to how to make a tip-in that looks like a small piece of artwork for your Bible, for a frame, for a friend...
Let me tell you that it is NOT difficult, it is NOT complex, it IS fun, and it DOES help when it comes to learning how to work with water and pigment. 
I pulled a couple Distress Oxides from the shelf and began working in a watercolor technique by just adding water.  Simply, you stamp the entire pad onto a smooth working surface (craft mat, piece of acetate, etc.) and spritz  water into the pigment until it's nice and wet.  Don't over water; you could potentially lose all that wonderful color!  

Begin by masking the edges for a straight border

Add water to the Distress Oxide and apply liberally, using more
pigment in places than others.

Then start painting like you would with actual watercolor discs, crayons, or pencils.  They work pretty much in the same way, only for some reason I LOVE how easy and fast it is to work with Oxides.
Blending colors is big - make sure that when you use a blue, you also incorporate a bit of the blue into the other colors used, particularly when trying to achieve a sunset/sunrise.  Most sunrises/sunsets are not one color on top of another, but rather several colors intertwined to produce a beautiful sighting of God's glory!

I used Landscape Silhouettes and Sweet and Simple Alpha
(Affiliate link below)

I filled in the bottom of the image with a Faber Castell brush pen
to produce a greater horizon.

Layering is key, so after the initial color is laid down, allow it to dry (or use a heat gun) and continue to add more color as you desire.  Typically I use a deep blue, a nice purple, a yellow and a red for an image like this one.  Once that step is done, you can begin stamping those lovely silhouette images for a drastic contrast and lovely portrait!

Sisters and brothers, a couple weeks ago, God handed me yet another verse that blew me away though I'd read it and thought on it numerous times beforehand:
"YOU will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is dependent on YOU, because it trusts in YOU."  (Isaiah 26:3, emphasis mine to help us see the centrality of this verse)

Can I tell you something God's Word says about God's Word?
"The Word of the Lord is living and active.  Sharper than a double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. "  (Hebrews 4:12)

So when the Lord hands over a piece of His heart, you know that it can only mean one thing: it's GOING TO WORK!
This working had its place in me; a timely word spoken!  A necessary word breathed straight into my marrow!  The life that it gave me at that time was enough to take a heart full of trouble and a mind full of lies, clean them up, and set them back up again.  I was burdened - OVERLOADED - with thoughts that were simply not true, and worries unfounded as, according to the Bible, those that have no place!
The verse in Isaiah was what brought a mind whirring with doubts about the future back into focus on God's love. 
Perfect love casts out fear, and as promised, those who fear only God will indeed have peace. 

I used a white gel pen to give a highlight to the word, "YOU"

Remove the masking and trim down to the desirable size card.

When I posted a page from my Bible a couple weeks back, I asked two questions:
The pre-occupation of my heart…who is it?
The thoughts of my mind…what are they?

IF the answer to EITHER of those questions is ANYTHING other than the Lord God Almighty, then I WILL NOT have peace; this promise will go waiting for me to grab hold and make it mine. 
When giving ourselves over to "what if's" and "who knows," our minds become the very place our adversary - the Devil - can play the game he's always played with the souls of man: doubt God, and deny God. 
BUT if we are staying our minds - thinking on "whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable if anything is excellent or praiseworthy," (Phil. 4:8) - on the eternal, loving Father, we will be at peace.
We WILL have peace.
WE will HAVE peace.
We will have PEACE.

Just think about the last time you encountered something disconcerting, terrifying, confusing, destroying, disappointing…
Were your thoughts about His truth?
Were your thoughts right?
Were your thoughts lovely?

Refusing our natural inclination to worry already sets us ahead of the situation and the ploys of the one who wants to devour us. 
Rejecting the lies our enemy sets as snares, to listen to God's voice on a matter, places us in the hands of the One who can fight and win!

Peace comes to us by keeping our preoccupations on His word, because His yoke is easy. 

Peace comes to us by letting the Lord do His work, because ultimately it pleases Him to do so.
 

Today, are you worried?
Ask yourself, what are you thinking? 
Who are you thinking about?
Remember, peace for a troubled heart comes by way of fixing our eyes - our very THOUGHTS - on the Lord that loves you, and cares for your precious heart so very much!

Much love,

Deeds
IG: @mercies_journaled
Affiliate Link for stamps: http://www.sweetnsassystamps.com?aff=7  (Thank you very much in advance!)

Landscape Silhouettes

Sweet and Simple Alpha Stamps

"Be Fruitful" Bible Journaling

Hellooooo Friends!

Hope you're finding blessing and inspiration in the pages you've seen - and the CARDS being made!  Oh my goodness - the August release from Sweet 'n' Sassy Stamps is all too good!

Here's the link to get your hands on some of what you're seeing; you really don't want to miss out!

"Fruit of the Spirit" & "Chunky Lower Case Alpha" Stamps used.

My journaling is in John 15 today.  Like so many entries, I usually don't know what I’m doing when I start, but after I lay some acrylic paint down, I'm ready to go!  Acrylic and I are tight when it comes to documenting in my Bible :D
So really, it's simple: I put down a few layers of white, then some smoky grey.  The reason for the basic coloring is to contrast the very colorful fruit images I put down later.  I definitely want them to stand out! 

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Oh, friends, bearing fruit, according to Jesus, is much harder than we think; doable, but hard. 

There are a couple things that I learned while going through commentaries and studies of this passage.  My flesh would like to ignore certain areas of this passage, but I also know that ignoring this passage equates to mishandling the Word of Truth - this God-breathed book of Life!

1. Bearing Fruit is a product of abiding in Christ, and is only possible when we are "in the vine."
2. Bearing Fruit is a product of God's faithful and loving process called, "pruning."

Abiding in Christ (by using practical methods of staying close to Him, like bible study, prayer and Sunday services) is okey dokey with me!  I love gaining knowledge about my Savior and Friend.  I look forward to God's fashioning my heart in the mornings, or times when I can sit and rest in His Word with the added bonus of caffeine stimulant.
The part I want to ignore?  The pruning.  Honestly, who wants that??  I've seen pruning shears and they're wickedly sharp, even when dull!  Not to mention the sinister shape of their jaws.  Yikes! 
But, I think I have it backwards where I believe that in some way God is going to produce much fruit through me if I am comfortable, stationary, and basically sedentary.  Would my husband feel honored and respected by my complacency in our marriage.  What about my kids?  Are they going to understand the love of God through my over/under reactions to difficult situations?  Similarly, God requires action on my part to deepen and nurture our relationship.  I not only need to meet with Him for devotions during quiet times; I need to meet Him in the difficulties He uses to shape my character and walk.

My husband longs to be pursued regardless of ahem…hormones or "moods."  And for my kids, seeing mommy handle a situation with grace and dignity - abiding in the promises of God - will bring them a lot closer to knowing the beautiful heart of Jesus, than would if I never went through trials.  And trust me, we've had some doozies.

Used Arteza Watercolor Brush Markers to achieve this blended look.

In my core, I WANT to bear fruit for Jesus.  I long to be a bearer of His image and torch of His gospel.  But the one way to doing that is to remain in His word, regardless of the present circumstances.  It's E.S.S.E.N.T.I.A.L.  Though we want to resist hurts to my heart, or problems in my family, or issues in relationships, they certainly aid in becoming a light, even if a small one.  Even while I write this, I'm smiling because it's something that I ask for with eyes squeezed shut and fingers practically crossed.  Hard times are, well, HARD!  The God-breathed book accounts for this, and says, "Brothers, consider it all joy when you encounter various trials…" (James 1:2-3)  Trials produce some of the most heavenly-imfused fruit we could ever imagine!  Part of the "fruit" is just being known and identified as a true disciple of God. (John 15:8)  

Then later in James we are encouraged to suffer with patience.  "Be patient…until the coming of the Lord.  See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains.  You also, be patient." (5:7-8)

Is bearing fruit easy?  In no way.  In every sense, bearing fruit takes action.  It takes work.  It takes intentionality and it takes time.  BUT GOD is faithful in His working to produce in me - in you - the fruit of His Spirit.  

Love.  Joy.  Peace.  Patience.  Kindness, and you know the rest. 

Spend time in God's inspired Word to us.  Spend time praying, meditating, and reflecting.  Spend time coming to understand who He says He is, so that when the trials, tribulations, and temptations come, you are ready, and you will be fruitful!

Much love,

Deeds

Abide in Him

 But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, 

and you have no need that anyone should teach you. 

But as his anointing teaches you about everything, 

and is true, and is no lie—

just as it has taught you, abide in him.

And now, little children, abide in him, 

so that when he appears we may have confidence 

and not shrink from him in shame at his coming.

1 John 2:27-28

The entire chapter of 1 John 2 is worthy of our study.  There are so many beautiful and vital treasures here.  The concept of abiding with Christ is truly the heart of what it means to have a personal relationship with him.  Many....MANY...people give intellectual assent of varying decrees to the existence and worth of Christ.  Some say he was a great teacher and his life of kindness and gentleness is worthy of emulating.  Some will verbalize belief that he is the son of God and recount the historical accuracy of his virgin birth, ministry, death and even his resurrection.  They know in their heads who he is.  But until Christ settles into the heart, making his home there, a person does not have an abiding relationship.  This is crucial.  The Spirit of Christ must dwell in the heart of a believer for salvation, transformation and relationship to occur.  When the Spirit sets up residency in our spirit, he sanctifies, but he also teaches.  Abiding with Christ is more than relationship...we allow Christ to live in us and through us.  We relinquish our right to control our lives and we turn that over to Christ.  We give him the keys to our heart. In this way, we are empowered to live the Christian life, surrendering our desires and taking up his.  When we abide with him, we know and do his will.  While we will never be perfect this side of heaven, we will be pleasing to him and we will not have to have any shame in our hearts when we see him face to face. 

I went a little shabby chic with this page and had a ton of fun.  I just kept layering.  I worked with the flowers first, then sponged the entire page (even over the flowers) using Vintage Photo Distress ink from Tim Holtz.   I used stencils and more of that same ink to create some texture.  I had this wonderful film ephemera and taped it to the page.  I accented with a postage stamp sticker and a butterfly rub-on. 

Sets Used:

What a Savior

 Rebecca Script 

(so easy to string together for cohesive wording)