Word Mapping Psalm 149:4

The Lord takes pleasure in His people. He adorns the humble with salvation.

Psalm 149:4

Hello Friends!

I have to be honest. When I saw the SNSS Word Mapping set, I thought it was cool, but I wasn’t sure what to do with it. I had never word mapped before. And Deeds creates beautifully detailed word mapping pages. I just wasn’t sure I could do the stamp set justice or muddle through the word mapping. Lol. So, I’ve started small. As I share my word mapping pages, you’ll notice that I pick out a few elements to focus on. I can do that. It helps me not get overwhelmed. And of course, I’m learning about these Hebrew and Greek words which is the whole point, right?! For this verse, I picked out 2 words- in the ESV, they are translated “adorns” and “salvation.” It was interesting to see the Hebrew words and how they are translated in different versions. To my surprise, “salvation” or “victory” in other translations was the word “yesua”with the “e” upside down. (I discovered the upside down e denotes a Hebrew shwa- it indicates either the phoneme /ə/ or the complete absence of a vowel. But I digress.) This word is a feminine noun, but I recognized that it was very close to a  proper male name- Yeshua (Jesus in Greek.) The name Yeshua or Jesus means salvation. It comes from a verb meaning to save or deliver. Jesus is our salvation. He is our victory. Sooooo…The humble are adorned or beautified in Jesus. All that learned just by searching out a couple of words! 😊

Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps sets used: Word Mapping, God the Father, God is Sovereign, Grunge Dots Stencil. I used distress oxides for the background.

Happy word mapping! Andrea

They Will Know

By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. John 13:35

Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and it not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Hello Friends!

Today, I wanted to share a portion of a devotional I found on crosswalk.com. It’s called Will They Know Us By Our Love? By Debbie Holloway. I found it very applicable and definitely something we need to work towards in today’s world.

The following is the excerpt: These two passages are arguably the most famous Bible verses about love. Love is a concept promoted by Christians, Jews, Buddhists and Muslims. It is a thing acknowledged by atheists and agnostics. Something every man, woman, and child strives to obtain every day. Love is something we all know about and all desire. But so often it seems to be the most difficult thing for us to practice. As Christians, we have no excuse for not knowing what love is. First Corinthians chapter 13 tells us in no uncertain terms. And Christ tells us in John 13 that the world will know that we belong to Jesus if we practice this love. But how often do we truly think of those two scriptures as one command? How often do we piece together the “how?” and the “what?” of love in our own lives? The ramifications of doing so present a clearly defined, but difficult life. If we combine 1st Corinthians 13 and John 13, what would our lives look like? How would people come to recognize Christians? Well, they would know us by our patience. They would know that we are Christians by our contentment, modesty, and humility. They would recognize us, for we would not be rude. We would seek the best for others, be difficult to make angry, and refuse to keep count of how many times we've been hurt. They would know us because evil makes us sad, and truth makes us happy. They would know us because we protect the defenseless and we do not live in suspicion of others. They would know us by our hope. They would know us by our perseverance. That is what love looks like. Those should be the marks of Christ’s disciples. 

Page Details: I used the following Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps sets: New Life, Resurrection Words, & Sweetpea Alpha. I used blending brushes to add distress oxides to the page for the background.

Our Glorious King

 On His robe and on His thigh He has this name written: King of kings and Lord of lords. 

Revelation 19:16

Hi Friends!

Today I'm in Revelation 19. I love Revelation. This book can seem daunting with the prophecy, and judgments, and some pretty weird stuff going on, but at it's core, it is revealing Jesus to us. Throughout the book, Jesus is described in various ways and He is in His rightful place, glorified and praised. It is amazing! I just love it. And every time I read this passage in chapter 19, it just speaks to me. It is so powerful. I’ve journaled these verses many times. I love reading the descriptions of Jesus in all His glory.

Verse 11 begins with a rider on a white horse. That rider is Jesus. But He's not the lovey-dovey Jesus some people make Him into these days. Here's how Revelation 19:11-16 describes Jesus:
I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice He judges and wages war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on His head are many crowns. He has a name written on Him that no one knows but He Himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following Him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Coming out of His mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter." He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On His robe and on His thigh He has this name written: King of kings and Lord of lords.
Wow! Jesus is pretty fierce! This is Jesus at His second coming, and He's ready to fight. His holiness demands justice. And His sovereignty demands victory over the ungodly who tried to usurp His throne. I want to focus on the names given to Him in this passage:

• Faithful and True: Jesus Keeps His promises and all truth comes from Him.
• The Word of God: Jesus is God's Word personified, the Father reveals Himself through Jesus. That sword coming out of Jesus' mouth in verse 15 is Jesus' powerful spoken word- like the Bible is described as a sharp, two-edged sword (Heb 4:12.) Just as the spoken word of Christ has the power to create, it also has the power to judge.
• King of kings and Lord of lords: This is Jesus' exalted and victorious name.He will reign over all.

We serve a Savior who is very loving. But I think we sometimes forget that He is also fierce, and at His second coming will judge those who chose the beast rather than Him.

Page Details: I used the following Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps supplies: Typewriter Alpha, Birch Forest Stencil, Texture Tiles 9, Gear Up, and Trust in the Lord. I applied distress oxides to the page with blending brushes for the background. I then used a stencil and applied white acrylic paint through the stencil with a baby wipe. Then I stamped.

Have a blessed week! Andrea

Come, Lord Jesus

He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. 

Revelation 22:20

Hello friends!

I hope 2023 is getting off to a good start for you. Today our verse is from one of my very favorite books of the Bible, Revelation. Yep, you heard that right. I LOVE Revelation. Yes, it has some pretty scary, crazy stuff that happens in it. But it also has letters to us from Jesus and it shows us Jesus in all His glory. And Jesus, my friends, is outright amazing.

After John gives us Jesus’ letters to the churches, describes God’s throne room, what will happen in end times, and Jesus’ return after the great tribulation, he ends the book with a plea. Come, Lord Jesus. It’s not an unwarranted plea as Jesus has just said He would come soon. So it’s a hopeful plea. Come, Lord Jesus.

God’s timing is perfect. But for me, Jesus won’t come too soon. I’m tired of this world. I’m tired of struggling with my own sin and flesh. I’m tired of watching the world celebrate its sin and flesh. Do you feel tired too? Sometimes it feels hopeless. That’s why truth isn’t tied to our feelings. That’s why joy isn’t tied to our feelings. Because it’s NOT hopeless. And when we’re tired, Who can give us rest? Who invites us to that rest? Jesus is our Savior, our rest, our All in All. He will help us in this world until He comes again. Oh how I look forward to His coming! Come, Lord Jesus! Please come soon.

Page details: I used the following Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps supplies: My Savior’s Love, Funky Textures, Print Blocks Alpha, Armor of God, and Jumbled Hexies Stencil. I applied distress oxide ink to the page with blending brushes for the background and then used the stencil and stamped.

Have a blessed New Year!

Andrea

Give to Get

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: “They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever.” Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. 2 Corinthians 9:6-11

Hi friends!

Last week my pastor preached on this passage. Verse 6 tells us that if we give generously, we will receive generously. The prosperity gospel pastors often use this verse to further their cause. But Paul isn’t saying give more to get more to store and keep it. In verses 8-11, Paul tells us why we should give generously to receive generously- so that we can turn around and give more! God wants us to use what He gives us for the kingdom. Giving generously isn’t a certain amount, it’s in proportion to what you have to give. And giving generously doesn’t always have to be money, it can be time and skills or talents as well. Verse 7 tells us that when we give, we should give cheerfully. We shouldn’t give just because we’re “supposed” to. God doesn’t NEED our help. He wants us to want to help. When my pastor came to our church, he stopped having the plate passed around during the services. This caused giving to go down. The church lost a significant amount of money. But he didn’t want people giving out of compulsion. He wanted them to give out of their love for God. And since he’s been pastoring the church, God has worked in amazing ways. So remember: Give cheerfully generously and receive bountifully so that you can give even more. I have to be honest, I’m not always a cheerful giver. And I could definitely be a more generous giver. So this message hit home for me.

Page details: I used the following Sweet ’n Sassy Stamps products: Get to the Point Alpha, Living Water, To Do List, Script Stencil, Grunge Gears Stencil, and Chicken Wire Stencil. I created the background with distress oxides and stencils. I colored the letters with a colored pencil. 

Have a blessed week! Andrea

Bold

The wicked flee when no one is pursuing them, but the righteous are as bold as a lion. Proverbs 28:1

Hi Friends!

Today I'm in Proverbs 28. Verse 1 is perfectly illustrated using the new Lion of Judah set from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps. And as I was journaling the page, I was thinking about the meaning of this verse. Who are the wicked? Who are the righteous? Do I flee or am I bold? Hmmmm....

Well, we know that the wicked are people who haven't put their faith in Jesus. And the righteous are people who have put their faith in Jesus. Because the righteous aren't righteous by their own doing. Jesus gave them HIS righteousness. So, we, those of us who have put our faith in Jesus, can now claim righteousness through Him. We once were wicked, but now we are not because of Him. 

Now the question is do we flee (& thereby act like the wicked) or are we bold? I think unfortunately, we often flee. We don't rely on Jesus, on His Spirit that is ever-present within us, on His power. Instead we try to rely on ourselves and that doesn't work out so well. Instead, we should be dependent on Him and through that dependence we find our boldness. Because if we are in Him, we have nothing to fear. As Paul said, "If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31) The woes of this world are great. But our Savior is greater. He is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. Let's be bold in Him.

Page details: I used the following Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps supplies: Lion of Judah, Knit Stencil, Mixed Up Stencil, Bubbles Stencil, & gel plate. I inked up my gel plate with distress oxide. I wanted to try that instead of paint, and I like the result! I just tapped the ink pad directly onto the gel plate and pressed the inked gel plate onto the Bible page. I then used stencils to add to the background. I finished the page with the images stamped in black. If you haven't tried gel plates, I'd encourage you to give them a try. You can do all sorts of cool things with them and Korin has some in the SnSS store!

Have a great week! Andrea

Trust Him

When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a Son. And he gave Him the name Jesus. Matthew 1:24-25

Hi Friends,

We tend to overlook Joseph. He's in the background. He's a supporting character. But think about what it must have been like for him- first thinking Mary had been unfaithful and then being visited by an angel with an even more astonishing message. Even when he thought Mary had been unfaithful, Scripture tells us that he did not want to disgrace her. He didn't act out in anger towards her or try to shame her. And after the angelic message, Joseph was faithful to complete God's plan. He didn't check out and say, "I didn't sign up for this!" He took Mary as his wife and raised the Son of God. Not much is said of Joseph in Scripture; but what is said shows that he was a godly man who trusted God even in difficult and scandalous circumstances. Sometimes God sends us things in our lives that we didn't sign up for. But let's trust Him like Joseph did. His purpose is good.

Page details: I used the following Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps supplies: Let Us Rejoice and the Rise & Shine stencil. I stamped the images and colored them with watercolor crayons. The stenciled the rays with distress oxides.

Have a blessed week! Andrea

Jump for Joy

 Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. Luke 6:23

When you were a kid, did you jump in piles of leaves? If you did, do you remember the simple joy it brought? When we follow Jesus, our reward is joy. Joy to help us through the hardest of days. It's not a joy that comes and goes, the joy from Jesus is one that is ever present. It doesn't mean we never feel sad or hurt or angry or defeated. It means that no matter what we feel, we have hope in Jesus. And that hope brings joy. We can rejoice no matter what because our God is sovereign over all. He works everything for the good of those who love Him. There is purpose in every situation and circumstance we find ourselves in. Let Jesus' joy get you through the good and the bad.

Page details: I used the following Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps sets: Happy Scarecrow, Falling Leaves, and Playful Alpha. Falling Leaves is FREE with a $65 order in September! And Happy Scarecrow has a die set available. I used watercolor crayons to color the scarecrow.

Have a joy-filled week! Andrea

It's Grace

 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1

Hi Friends!

Today we're in Romans 8, the very first verse. And we may take it as granted, but it's pretty amazing what Jesus did for us. For those of us in Christ, there is no condemnation- no punishment. If when we die, we have taken Jesus as our Savior, it won't matter if we murdered someone, if we stole, if we hurt others, no matter how we sinned, we won't be punished. Is that fair? No, it unquestionably is not. It's grace. And I'm thankful in this instance that God is not being fair. Aren't you?

When my girls were growing up, I heard that phrase- it's not fair!- a few times. They had a hard time understanding why certain things happened or why one got something the other didn't. We can have a hard time understanding God's ways too. His ways are not our ways. And we should be thankful for that! While I've never murdered anyone, and I may think my sin is less offensive than someone else's sin, God's grace covers it all. So, it may not be fair. And we should thank God it's not. Because without His grace, we'd all be condemned.

Page Details: I used the following sets from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps: Down on the Farm, Grace Upon Grace, and Mini Bold Print Alpha. I used watercolor crayons to color the images and background.

Have a blessed week! Andrea

Work Hard

 Do not love sleep or you will grow poor; 

stay awake and you will have food to spare. 

Proverbs 20:13

Hi Friends!

Today we're in Proverbs 20. Verse 13 is talking about work. Sometimes, we think of work as a bad thing. Something that we do only because we have to. But, biblically, work is seen as beneficial- and not because it's financially beneficial! We see work in Genesis with God being the Worker, busy creating the world. When God created Adam and Eve, He put them to work over the garden of Eden. When Adam and Eve sinned, unfortunately one of the consequences is that work became hard. The work itself was still good, but it would be more difficult, and the result would not always be positive. The important thing is that we should involve God in our work, whatever it is. As 1 Cor 10:31 tells us, we should glorify God in whatever we do. Our jobs should be our ministries.

This verse also speaks to work ethic. The Bible condemns laziness. While there are times when someone may not be able to work, or take care of themselves (and we are called to help those people,) if we are able, we are to work. This verse made me think of farmers. I have never farmed myself. But both of my grandfathers were farmers. And farmers work hard! There are many times that they work from sun up to sun down. They have to get up and stay awake and because they are willing to do that, they produce food for themselves as well as others.

No matter what you do, do it for the glory of God. Remember, work has no value unless God is in it.

Page details: This super cute Down on the Farm set from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps was perfect for this verse! There are matching dies as well! I also used 2 alpha sets: Old Fashioned & Playful. I colored the page with watercolor crayons.

Have a blessed week! Andrea

Don't Play Church

But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heat to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land?" Acts 5:3

Hi Friends!

Today, I'm in Acts 5. You may be familiar with the story of Ananias and his wife, Sapphira. It's a pretty unsettling story. In summary, they sold some property, kept some of the proceeds, and took the rest to the apostles implying that what they brought to the apostles was the entire amount of the proceeds. They got caught in the lie, and both died. Just fell down dead. Right there. It left the people who witnessed it unsettled. And it should leave us unsettled too.

My pastor spoke on this passage last week. And he said the problem wasn't that they kept a portion of the proceeds. The problem was that they lied about it. Even Peter said that it was theirs to do with what they wanted. But they lied- not to man, Peter said, but to God. And my pastor said they were suffering with what he called "perception management." See, they want to be perceived a certain way. Just before this episode, we see in Acts 4:36-37, a man sold some land and he brought the money from the sale to the apostles. Ananias and Sapphira wanted to be like that guy. They wanted everyone to think they were just as generous and just as faithful. It's all about perception, right? Here's the thing though- we might be able to trick people, but we cannot trick God. He knows our hearts, our motives, our faith. He knows.

It's easy to sit back and think that we'd never do something like that. But don't we? Don't we all have "perception management" issues? We want people to see us a certain way. Have you ever been fighting with your family before church but when you get there you all plaster smiles on your faces as you walk in? No? Just me? We all do it. We do it when we edit photos before we post them. We do it when we only post the good stuff on social media. We do it when we give time or money because we're "supposed" to. We do it when we try to keep up with the Joneses. But God knows. He knows our hearts and our motives. So let's not worry about what people think. Let's worry about what God thinks. Don't just put on a show. Don't just play church. Let's BE the church Jesus wants us to be. When we struggle with perception management, we must pray for God's help to overcome it. I pray that we can have enough faith in our great God to give Him our ALL, not just some, but all.

Page details: I used the following Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps sets: Marker Alpha, Skinny Minnie Alpha, My Father's House, Knit Together, Texture Tiles 8, and Serene Silhouettes. I used distress oxides for the background. I stamped the church on a hymnal page. The letters didn't ink evenly, and I ended up liking that look, so I left them that way.

Have a blessed week! Andrea

Share God's Love

 Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Hebrews 13:1

Hi Friends!

Are you feeling the love? Yeah, me neither. The church has missed the mark on the whole "love" thing. As a whole, we haven't done well with loving those outside the church. And we haven't even been able to love each other within the church very well. Think of all the divisions within the church. This verse is speaking to believers loving one another. There should be unity in the church because we're unified in Christ. And we should love each other not only for our own sakes, but as a testimony. The world is watching. Believers are going to have differences. And that's ok. In fact, God doesn't want us all alike. Those differences are normal and healthy and make us a stronger body- if we let them. We can use those differences to reach the world. The church should be a group of vastly different people who are unified in our diversity by our love of Jesus.

So how do we love each other? 

• We accept one another as they are. They are sinners, but we are too. We all need a Savior.
• We are subject to one another. Instead of always trying to get our own way, surrender to God's will and let Him use each of us within the context of the church for His great purpose.
• Pray for each other- especially other believers we dislike or are bothered by.
• Forgive each other.
• Serve one another.
• Encourage each other..
• Comfort one another.
• Bear each other's burdens. We're all busy. But take the time to really care for others.
• Admonish one another. Be willing to lovingly confront other believers who are living in disobedience. But do it humbly and with the motivation to restore their intimacy with God.

Let's love each other. Let the world see our love. It will draw them to Jesus.

Page details: I used the following Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps sets: Happy Mail, Send Me, and Trust in the Lord. I used colored pencils to color in the images. Quick tip: Use Gamsol to blend in colored pencil lines so it looks smooth.

Have a blessed week! Andrea

*source: "How to Love One Another...Even Other Christians" Whitney Hopler

Thrive

This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: "Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper." Jeremiah 29:4-7

When people think of Jeremiah 29, they often think of verse 11. But just a few verses before that, there is a beautiful passage of how to live in circumstances in which you might not want to be. You see, Jeremiah was writing to the Jewish people who had been sent into exile. And that exile lasted 70 years! Yep, not 7, not 17, but 70 years. And God told them to flourish, to build houses and plant gardens, to marry and have families- to build a life, a good life. We may not be living in exile, but there are probably circumstances of your life that are difficult. You may not be living where you want to live. You may not have the life you expected to have. Your community may not be thriving. But God is there just like He was there for the Jews these verses were written to. And He wants you to thrive anyway.

He also told them to pray for their community. The cities they found themselves in, in exile, they were to pray for peace and prosperity. So what should we do? We should PRAY!!

These instructions, although given to the Jews a long time ago, can be applied in our lives. My nation has been struggling and the state of this nation isn’t where I want it to be. But nonetheless, I am to make the best of my circumstances, to build a house and a family, to plant gardens of love and unity and Jesus’ light, to pray for my city, my state, my country- peace and prosperity for them all regardless of whether I voted for the people in office or not. Plant gardens, my friends, and pray. If your city/state/nation prospers, you too will prosper.

Page details: I used the following Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps sets: Boss Lady Alpha, Welcome Home, and Love Your Neighbor. To shadow the words, I used a pencil. I love using a pencil because you can erase it if you mess up and make it darker or lighter depending on what you want it to look like.

Thrive wherever you are because God is there too. Andrea

Set Free

 Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free. 

John 8:32

Hi Friends,

I'm sure most of you have heard the phrase, "the truth will set you free." Many schools and universities use it as a motto. But Jesus was the One who said it and He wasn't talking about academia. He also wasn't talking of political freedom. That's how the Jews took what He said, but they missed His point. Jesus was talking about spiritual freedom. 

Jesus is Truth. When we know Him, we are free from sin, free from condemnation, and free from death. So friends, are you living free? For many of us, we think of freedom as personal independence- being able to do what we want when we want. But Jesus wasn't setting us free do do whatever we want. He was freeing us to fellowship with Him and the Father, and that means we live in a way that we obey Him and choose His will for our lives. As we submit to Christ, to Truth, sin has less power over us. We make choices that glorify God most of the time. We can live knowing that Jesus doesn't condemn us and that while we will experience physical death, we won't experience spiritual death. That is freedom only Christ can give us!

No matter what happens in the world, we will always be free in Christ. 

Page details: I used the following Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps sets: Freedom in Christ and Mixed Up Stencil. I used distress oxides for the background.

Have a blessed week! Andrea

Just Enough

 For thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, "The jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty, until the day that the Lord sends rain upon the earth." 1 Kings 17:14

Hi Friends,

Have you ever felt desperate? I think that's probably what this widow was feeling when Elijah spoke to her. She had so very little that she was planning to prepare the last meal for herself and her son. And Elijah asked her to use what she had on him. When we're desperate, we often don't think about others outside of our closest family and friends, certainly not a stranger. But when Elijah made his request, he also gave her a promise from God. She would have just enough. Just enough flour and just enough oil to make it through until the end of the drought. And she had just enough faith to do what Elijah asked.

Just enough. We often think that "just enough" is not enough. In the western world, it's all about excess. We want more and more. We have to keep up with the Joneses. We need the newest, the biggest, and the brightest.

I think this story is beautiful in the fact that God provided for them but it wasn't all at once. It wasn't in excess. It was just enough. God can certainly give us more than enough and He often does. But sometimes we need to be satisfied with just enough. And when we've got just enough, aren't we more dependent on God? Aren't we more likely to go to Him? When we have more than enough it's easy to begin thinking we are self-sufficient.

Just enough can be hard for those of us used to more than enough. But what a rich experience it can be!

Page details: I used the following Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps sets: Boss Lady Alpha, Watch Your Mouth, and In His image. Simple page of stamping. I used a pencil to shadow the letters.

Have a blessed week! Andrea 

As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. Psalm 103:12

Dear Friends,

This is one of my favorite verses! I've journaled this verse many times, and even written a blog on it before. And here it is again! LOL 

This verse shows how amazingly forgiving our God is. It tells us how far God separates us from our sin when He forgives us. Have you ever thought of how far the east is from the west? Think about it. If you travel north, you eventually get to the North Pole and start going south. However, if you travel east, no matter how far you travel, you will NEVER start going west! And if you travel west, you will NEVER start going east. So, that's how far God has removed our sin from us- it can't be measured because it's never ending! Wow! Wow! Wow!

It can be hard for us to understand just how forgiving our God is because we tend to be just a bit less forgiving, right? I know I'm far, far less forgiving than Him. But Colossians 3:13 tells us "as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive." Eeeek!  OK, so God wants me to forgive when someone says they're sorry. Yes. But, what about when they aren't sorry? Guess what, God still wants us to forgive them. Our forgiving others is NOT dependent on whether they are sorry or necessarily deserving of that forgiveness. We need to forgive others solely because God forgave us, pure and simple. And honestly, when we forgive, it does as much good for us as it does the other party because we can let go of the bad feelings. Is it always easy to forgive? No. But remember, God is with you. He has removed your sin as far as the east is from the west!! He will help you to forgive others just as He has forgiven you.

Page details: I used a brand new alpha set from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps called Boss Lady Alpha. It's great! I love all the alphas!! And there are dies to go with it!!! My black ink was a little funky. I didn't get good coverage on all the letters for some reason. That's what you see in the photo (the letters that look shiny), but I just decided to go with it. :) I also used 2 SNSS stencils: Starry Night and Sunburst. The Starburst is a 2 step stencil and really cool!

Have a blessed week, and remember how forgiven you are! Andrea

Praise God

Praise the Lord. Praise God in His sanctuary; praise Him in His mighty heavens. Praise Him for His acts of power; praise Him for His surpassing greatness. Praise Him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise Him with the harp and lyre, praise Him with timbrel and dancing, praise Him with strings and pipe, praise Him with the clash of cymbals, praise Him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. Psalm 150:1-6

Hi Friends!

What is our purpose? We often ask ourselves that. Why am I here? What am I supposed to be doing? Friends, our purpose is simple. Our purpose is to praise God and glorify Him. No matter what we are doing, what circumstances we may be experiencing, no matter how we feel...our purpose doesn't change. We are to PRAISE HIM. We are to GLORIFY HIM. 

So, I ask myself. Am I fulfilling my purpose? Do I praise Him daily and throughout the day? In those moments where something doesn't go the way I want, am I praising Him anyway? Not always, probably not most of the time, if I'm being honest. Do I glorify Him daily? Do I work in a way that glorifies Him? Does what I do in my free time glorify Him? Dear ones, I'm not pointing fingers. I think we can all agree each of us, especially me!, has room for improvement. And we have an awesome God who meets us where we are. So, let's praise Him. Let's glorify Him. He definitely deserves it!

Page details: I used the following Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps sets: All of Me Alpha, Send Me, Note This, and Grunge Dots Stencil. I applied distress oxides with blender brushes, stamped, and then used the stencil. Easy, peasy! :)

Have a blessed week! Andrea

One of a Kind

 There is none like You, O Lord; You are great, and Your name is great in might. Jeremiah 10:6

Hello Friends!

Today I'm in Jeremiah 10; and we're going to talk about how great our God is! Jeremiah 10:6 tells us that there is no one like our God. Do you believe that? It's a question we should ask ourselves. The fact is just that. There is no one and no thing like our God. But do we live in a way that proves we believe that?

No one, nothing, should have our attention, our devotion, our worship, our hearts, except for God Himself. Daily, believers are tempted to put their trust and their allegiance in worldly things. But, friends, the Lord will continually show Himself to be superior. There is none like Him! 

Don't let the world sway you from Him. Don't let the world put Him in a box or wrap Him up like a pretty little package. Don't let the world tell you who He is. Go to the Bible and let God tell you who He is. And let me tell you, He's pretty great!

Page Details: I used the following Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps sets: God is Faithful, Send Me, Faith Wordfetti Too, Let's Do This, and the Grunge Grid stencil. I applied distress oxides to the page with blender brushes for the background. I added texture to the background with the stencil and some back ground stamps. With the Faith Wordfetti Too set, I arranged a few of the phrases on a stamp block and stamped them together for the background words. I colored the earth with colored pencils. 

Have a blessed week! Andrea

Surrender to Hope

 But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope. Lamentations 3:21

Hi Friends,

I don't know where you find yourself today- if you're having a good day or a bad day; but today, I want to talk about hope. We could all use a little! Hope is not found in this world and its messiness. Hope is not found in power or privilege. Hope is not found in worldly identities. Hope is not found in trying to control things. Hope is found by letting all the worldly stuff go, by surrendering to Jesus. After all, Jesus is Hope. 

In Lamentations 3:1-20, Jeremiah speaks of his afflictions. But then is verse 21, he says this: "But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope." In the midst of all his afflictions, in the midst of difficulty, he has hope. And he spends the rest of the chapter telling us what he remembers that gives him hope. And here it is:

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases.

His mercies never come to an end.

They are new every morning;

Great is Your faithfulness.

"The Lord is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I hope in Him." Lam 3:22-24

For the Lord will not cast off forever,

But though He cause grief, He will have compassion according to the abundance of His steadfast love;

For He does not afflict from His heart or grieve the children of men. Lam 3:31-33

Let us test and examine our ways, and return to the Lord!

Let us lift up our hearts and hands to God in heaven. Lam 3:40-41

You see, Jeremiah had hope because he knew God and was surrendered to Him. He knew the Lord's love was unconditional, that He was merciful and faithful, and compassionate. The Lord was more than enough for Jeremiah. Well, God doesn't change. Jesus is God, so He doesn't change. Jeremiah may not have known Jesus like we do, but he knew Jesus because he knew God. And he surrendered himself to Hope. We can do the same.

Page details: I used the following Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps sets: God is Sovereign, Landscape Silhouettes, Nature Silhouettes, and Texture Tiles 3. I started by painting the background with watercolor crayons. When using watercolor crayons, I usually get my brush super wet and dab color from the tip of the crayon. Then I dab the color onto the page. I dab the paint rather than brushing the paint across the page because I like how the dabbing looks dry. Then I stamped the horizon, then the flowers in the forefront. I used a texture stamp to make the water look more like water. And lastly, I stamped the words.

Have a blessed week! Surrender to Hope. Andrea

Happy or Holy?

 He replied, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God 

and obey it. Luke 11:28

Hi Friends!

Have you heard or seen, "God wants you happy." or "God wants you holy." or "God wants you holy, not happy." I have. In fact, I've journaled a few pages with "happy" crossed out and focusing on "holy." And here's the thing. I believe 100% that God wants us holy. Why, because He tells us so again and again in the bible- 1 Peter 1:15-16, Romans 12:2, and 2 Timothy 1:9 to name a few. The world on the other hand, tells us to do what makes us happy. And therein lies the problem. What we think might make us happy usually is fleeting if we are looking to wordly things to make us happy. See, I think God wants us holy AND happy- but not happy because of worldly things, not happy because we're doing whatever we want. We find true happiness by following God's way which, of course, is holy. Holiness, being set apart for God, leads to happiness. Happiness and holiness are both found in Christ!

So, if my answer to my question is that God wants us both happy AND holy, let's talk about happiness. We often hear believers say that there is a difference between joy and happiness. In fact, I've said that myself. But in studying this verse, I came across this from gotquestions.org: "It is common today to hear believers speak of a difference between joy and happiness. The teaching usually makes the following points: 1) Happiness is a feeling, but joy is not. 2) Happiness is fleeting, but joy is everlasting. 3) Happiness depends on circumstances or other people, but joy is a gift from God. 4) Happiness is worldly, but joy is divine. 

But there is no such distinction made in scripture, and forcing a distinction between two words that are so obviously close in meaning is unnecessary. If a person is joyful, then he or she is happy. There's no such thing as glum joy. We cannot drain joy of emotion and still call it "joy." When God's Spirit gives us joy, then we are happy people."

As I said before, there are different places we can find happiness. So the choice is ours. Will we look to the world for happiness/joy? Or will we look to God for it?

You might be saying, Luke 11:28 doesn't even have "happy" or "joy" in it! The word translated as "blessed" in this verse is the Greek word, "makarios." It is most often translated as "blessed" in our English Bibles. But it also means "happy," and is translated as such a few times- John 13:17, Acts 26:2, Romans 14:22, 1 Cor 7:40, 1 Peter 3:14, and 1 Peter 4:14. 

So what is Jesus saying here in Luke 11:28? HAPPY are those who hear the word of God and obey it. Believers should be happy and holy because they hear God's Word and live it.

Page details: I used the following Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps sets: Beautiful You, Trust in the Lord, In His Image, Mini Bold Print Alpha, Mini Grunge Type Alpha, Decorative Frame Toppers, Grunge Dot Stencil, and Chicken Wire Stencil. I applied distress oxides to the page using a craft brush. Then I used the stencils to add to the background and stamped the words on top.

Have a HAPPY and Holy week! :)  Andrea