I will Sing!

Ever have one of those days (weeks) where you just want to cry and then a wonderful friend does something that reminds you that you don't have to do everything alone? You just know that God has placed them in your life for a reason (even if it is just to listen or to insist you go see a movie you didn't think you were emotionally ready to see - The Shack)

After the week we'd had, my dear friend said "I really want to see this and I think we should see it together. It will be good for us." While it may not be "completely accurate", it certainly spoke to me and reminded me that God is "particularly fond of me" and He is with me during all of my times of stress (and sadness, and anger, and frustration, and happiness, and...) so how can I not see his presence in it somehow?

As I was preparing my Bible journal for today, I was feeling a little lighter than yesterday and found Psalm 59:16-17. I think it is perfect for how I am feeling!

16 But I will sing of your strength; I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning. For you have been to me a fortress and a refuge in the day of my distress.17 O my Strength, I will sing praises to you, for you, O God, are my fortress, the God who shows me steadfast love.

I used color pencils and the Sing Loud and Chunky Alpha sets.

I hope you are having a blessed week and if you are not know that God's steadfast love is yours too! And know that someone from Georgia has you in their prayers today! Thanks from stopping by!

lyn

Jesus Loves You...No Matter What!

Immediately, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed. The Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had told him, “Before a rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly. Luke 22:60-62

We all know this story. Peter denied that he knew Christ and followed Him. Three times Peter denied Jesus. And we ask ourselves, "How could he do that?" And, yet, if I'm honest with myself, I should ask myself how many times I've denied Jesus myself. I love that we see the ups and downs of Peter in the Bible because it gives me hope! God can still work through all my ups and downs!

What I love about this passage is that after Peter denied Jesus and the rooster crowed, Jesus turned and looked at him. With judgment? No, I think He looked at Peter with love and compassion. He knew Peter would deny Him before Peter did it. But He also knew what Peter would go on to do in His name. We all fall. We all turn away from God. But He died for us anyway! We have a truly amazing God!!

And coming full circle, John 21:15-17 tell us how Jesus restored Peter. "So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My lambs.” He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Tend My sheep."

Jesus gave Peter three chances to declare his love for Him. He wanted to restore Peter. And He wants to restore us too. Don't run from Him. Instead run to Him. He will meet us with open arms because He loves us no matter what. 

I journaled this page in my interleaved Bible. For the page, I used watercolor for the background and a white sharpie pen for the highlights. I copied the rooster from an online image and drew him with Micron pens. The Sweet 'n Sassy Stamp sets I used are: Shake It Off Caps and Shake It Off Lower Alphas, Chunky Alpha, Rebecca Script, Just Be, and His Name.

  

  

Remember He loves you more! Blessings, Andrea 

Take Refuge But Don't Fear

I'm so happy to be rejoining Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps as part of the Creative Worship design team.  I took some time off to move and get settled into our new home, and unfortunately my craft room was the last to be organized.  It's wonderful to be creating again with the SNSS stamps designed specifically with Bible journaling in mind.  There were so many options in the November releases, but I'd been drawn to the focal passage below anyway, and I love to design according to my worship first and find stamps that fit the bill.

We are living in tumultuous times from several vantage points. But God's people have experienced unrest and troublesome circumstances, even devastating circumstances throughout the centuries. God's Word points us directly to Him when we are in trouble.  Again and again, God tells us to lay our worries and fears at His feet and take refuge in Him, because He is sovereign.  God shows us what fear and faith look like in His Word.  Regardless of our circumstances, God is good and the one who takes refuge in Him, His character, His promises will be blessed. 

   

For my DT submission, I used the fabulous new set, Faith Quote Blocks, the delicious Chunky Alphabet and a couple of stamps from the new Furry Friends set. They all pulled together to accurately express my heart's response to the passage of scripture in Psalm 34 and 35.  I'd been looking at these chapters anyway, and when I saw the stamp for Ps. 34:8 and C. H. Spurgeon's quote...well, they were perfect.  I love the way the passage describes "trying out" God as "taste and see."  If we only come to Him, give Him a place in our minds and hearts to work, He will take all our fear and replace it with assurance, comfort and a place of refuge.  We really do not have to worry.

Laying down worry doesn't mean we will not experience hardships or times when ungodly people come against us.  As a matter of fact, if we are following Christ, we are certain to make enemies.  It's normal to have times of fear, but we can't hang onto them.  We have to trade our fear for faith and let God work through our circumstances.  He can ALWAYS do a better job anyway.  He does a PERFECT job!  (You can see more photos and detail on my backgrounds on my blog.)

  

Faith Quote Blocks                         Chunky Alphabet

 

Furry Friends

Check out more stamps that are perfect for your Bible journaling artwork in the Creative Worship section of Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps.  Thanks for stopping in!

Diane's Daydream Designs Blog