Start Today and Every Day with Jesus

"O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch." -Psalm 5:3

A couple years ago I read an article about successful people making their bed every morning and decided I was going to give it a try. It's important to note that I never made my bed. Not when I was younger and definitely not as an adult. My bed was just as messy when I went to bed as it was when I woke up that morning. But, this article said that the most successful people in the world had a habit of making the bed and I thought, "Why not give it a try?"

The first couple weeks were tough. I usually forgot and had to go make my bed right before I ran out the door for work. But after that, it got easier and easier and I began to fall into a routine. Now, I make my bed every single morning. It's the first thing I do when I wake up and I don't feel like I can get on with my day until my bed is made. It sounds a little weird, I know, but it makes me feel like I've accomplished one task first thing in the morning and I can't do anything else until that one thing is done. I don't know that it's made me more successful in life in general 😅 but it has made me more productive in the morning. 

Thinking about how consistent I am with this morning habit has convicted me in my morning prayer life. Am I this diligent in spending time with Jesus every morning? Am I this committed to speaking to Him in prayer, and hearing from Him through His Word every morning? Oftentimes the answer is simply, 'no, I'm not.' 

Spending time with Jesus to start my day is far more important than making my bed and has eternal significance; yet, I sometimes feel like it's a chore that can be pushed down on my list of things to do for the day. I took the time and effort to create a habit to make my bed - should I not also take the time and effort to create a habit spend time with my Lord in the morning?

How about you? Do you have a habit of starting each and every day with Jesus? We are only halfway through the second month of the year. It's not too late to start creating a habit of spending time in prayer and in the Word every morning before you head out the door. Will you join me in creating a habit to start each day with Jesus? 🌞

Page Details

I used acrylic paint, stamps, printer paper, colored pencils, and a stencil to create this page. I painted the background with acrylic paint. Once dry, I used a star stencil and sponged over the background with Distress Oxide in Wild Honey. I stamped the page title and sun rays on the page, then stamped the Bible and clock images on plain printer paper, colored with colored pencils, fussy cut and taped them to the page. 😊

Here is the link to the brand, new Good Morning stamp set from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps. I'm loving it!! 💛

May we all start each and every day with Jesus this week. 🌄

Janelle

@journalingjoy

All Things New

 "And He who was seated on the throne said, 'Behold, I am making all things new.' Also He said, 'Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.'” (Revelation 2:5)

We've had one week of 2021 now. We all hoped that 2020 was behind us, and that 2021 would bring some normalcy back. But this year is already starting with craziness and chaos. The events of this week have pushed back any idea that life would get back to normal. But God never promised us "normal" and problem-free living. He only promised to be with us in whatever we face. When life is too normal, we get too comfortable and complacent. I don't know about you, but 2020 taught me to keep more focused on things above, because things of this world were just too depressing and worrisome.

Revelation 2:5 promises us that God is making all things new, even if 2021 isn't the answer, and of course it isn't. The Bible tells us that this world will only get more challenging as we suffer its sin-sick consequences, and expectantly wait for the Second Coming.  But that day is coming, and THEN He will make all things new. No more Covid-19, no more masks, no more sickness and death. No more political division, no more social and financial instability, and no more racial unrest.  God will make a perfectly problem-free world where we can dwell with Him forever. Until that time, though, we must hold to His promises and His gain strength from His word.  

I created this page while I was at a camp with my family for the New Year's weekend.  Getting back to nature is always restorative and renewing for me, and that's just what this time away provided for me.  Camp Kulaqua is in north Florida, and the weather was typical Florida-winter mild.  The leaves crunched under my feet as I walked outside in the woods.  On two separate occasions, I saw a group of seven young deer. Their spotted backs and small size spoke of a newness and innocence.  How trusting these sweet fawn were as they eyed me from behind the trees.  

Like these younglings represent, we will soon enough see the newness and rebirth of life on this earth.  I pray daily for His soon return, and for the hearts of those who yet need to be reached.  

For this page, I used the fun, new Lollipop Alpha stamp set.  I also used Fur-ever Friends which includes this fawn image.  I masked the deer and the leaves so the image lines didn't intersect, thereby creating a more realistic and uniform picture.  I colored everything with watercolor pencils and then blended them with a wet paint brush.  I finished with a simply drawn border, washi tape, a tab, and splatters.

You can check out how this page came together in a process video over on my YouTube channel or by clicking the video link below.  The products I used are linked below the video (some are affiliate links).  

https://youtu.be/HGDPFFe8jyA

Fur-ever Friends

Lollipop Alpha

Products Used:

Watercolor Pencils

ESV Interleaved Bible

Tonic Studios Glass Media Mat (SBC) or Amazon

Water Brushes:

(Scrapbook.com)

(Adornit)

Versafine Onyx Black Ink

Stamp Shammy Cleaner

Heat Tool

Illustrating Bible Mat

Clear Acrylic Blocks

Precision Pens

Signo Uni-ball White Gel Pen

Craft Scissors SBC or Amazon

Illustrated Faith Date Stamp

Tab Punch SBC or Amazon

Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher (Mini-Stapler) SBC or Amazon

Illustrated Faith Watercolor Paint set

Signo Uni-ball White Gel Pen

Pitt Big Brush Pens (White #101)

Washi tape from stash

Flee to Christ

Hello, sweet souls!
This has been an interesting time of new resolutions, or perhaps just a wonderful time of resolute faithfulness in the church body. 
All around me and in me, more and more hearts are seeking to redefine who we are and determine to follow Christ, in context of the Gospel.  This is AMAZING, and we should be encouraged!

How the Lord has been gracious to help us see a bit more clearly the fervor under which our faith must be established! Christ the Lord has mercifully guided and lovingly opened the eyes of us who - for a time - shut ourselves into complacency and ritualism, daily motions and routines. 
Praise be to God, for in Christ, we have all we need, not the least of which is the continual outpouring of the Holy Spirit.  But by this Spirit, our faith has been tried, tested, purified.  God, in His wisdom, continues to call us out of stagnant religiosity into brilliant work for His glory!

2020 marks nothing less than a Refiner's fire to bring us as a church back - jerk us awake - to the reality of what is truly important and what is truly at stake.  It's a merciful call from God when we go through trials of various kinds.  A call to repentance, to returning, and resolving to continually flee to Him as our sole salvation, sole refuge, and soul rest.

15  For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel,
“In returning[c] and rest you shall be saved;
    in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.”
But you were unwilling, 16 and you said,
“No! We will flee upon horses”;
    therefore you shall flee away;
and, “We will ride upon swift steeds”;
    therefore your pursuers shall be swift.
17 A thousand shall flee at the threat of one;
    at the threat of five you shall flee,
till you are left
    like a flagstaff on the top of a mountain,
    like a signal on a hill.

18 Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you,
    and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you.
For the Lord is a God of justice;
    blessed are all those who wait for him.

Studying Isaiah has been an eye-opener as it stands timeless with what is happening today.  The remarkable similarities between the outcry of said prophet and the status of our world are no question: we are most certainly living in perilous and indicative times. These are times of labor, as the Scripture puts it, which have steadily grown more intense and more frequent as we prepare for the triumphal entry of our King Jesus!  Oh LORD, come quickly! The coming of our Lord Christ is pending! 
To what - to whom - are we fleeing? 
Who will hide us in the day of judgment and the fury of God's wrath? Can we depend on our health?  Our wealth?  Our intellect?  Our religiosity?  Our strength?  What about our power?  Our connections?  Our status?  In the day of Christ's return, will we truly find solace and peace in any of these?

My page today does not reflect as much of an artistic process as it does a personal, spiritual process.  I didn't use anything more than an alpha stamp set to illustrate the attitude of Isaiah.  For this time, it suffices to say that there is something a bit more urgent than modeling a watercolor technique or honing a blending style - the eternity of all who have not yet fled to the immovable, steadfast, gracious positioning of our Lord Jesus.
Personal insert:
It moves me to tears watching my father succumb to colon cancer.  As we look on the slow decay, we are reminded of the inevitability of the separation of body and soul.  It's coming, though slowly, and one day he too will bear the curse of death on mankind.  But the heart-wrenching pain in my heart is that of his soul which has not yet hurried to the safety and security of His Savior.  The One who bled and died for him is patiently waiting, beckoning, "Come."  My father's life, marked by self-reliance, self-idolatry, self-motivated ambition, self-sustenance, is not yet covered by the "I AM" who is all-sufficient in life and godliness, under whose banner we all must flee for our very lives.  
But this slow and gruesome cancerous process has also awakened me to a far bigger plan and purpose of being a child of God, saved by grace.  

Matters of true importance - above elections, above pandemics, above sexual orientation controversy, above social status and degrees, follows and shares - are the eternal welfare of each person that continues in darkness though the Light has come.  My neighbors, my friends, colleagues, family...
Nobody wants to talk of judgment - least of all, me! - but this is what happens when Christ comes to cleanse the world of all evil for the final time, and replace it with a people and kingdom of eternal glory.  
Nobody wants to speak of MORE pain - least of all, me! - but it is sure to happen as God continues to purify a people for Himself, the perfect Groom.
Nobody wants to speak of hell, fire and brimstone - least of all, me! - but isn't it the place of finality for those we love who haven't yet seen, heard, or experienced Christ in us?

Continue sisters (and brothers), to look outside the home and Christian "bubble" to those on the outside of the family of Christ.  Continue to avoid blending personal pursuits with your walk in Christ, that your witness may have its full efficacy! Continue to resolve to know "Christ crucified" and only Him, for it is in Him that we live and have our being.  Continue to resolve to love God and love people, for He died not only for our sins, but that of the entire world!  Continue to speak the Good News of Great Joy to all people though it may seem unpopular, uninvited, unfamiliar, or unfriendly.  We don't know the soul God is drawing to Himself; far be it from us to withhold His light!

At all costs, flee to Christ.
At all costs, show others the way to, the need to, the urgency to, and the blessing to fleeing to this ultimate, overall Rock of Salvation.

"Rock of ages cleft for me let me hide myself in Thee
Let the water and the blood from Thy wounded side which fload
Thee of sin the double cure save from raft and make me pure
Let me hide myself in Thee!"
(Rock of Ages, Augustus Montague Toplady)

Much love and hope,
Deeds

Christ is Born

Hello, friends & Merry Christmas!!!

2 And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. ² This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. ³ So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.
⁴ Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, ⁵ to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. ⁶ So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. ⁷ And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
⁸ Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹ And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. ¹⁰ Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. ¹¹ For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. ¹² And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”
¹³ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:
¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

Let's talk about why we celebrate Christmas.  The true meaning of Christmas is certainly not found in the over-commercialized holiday that every ad on tv throws at you.  It's not Santa.  It's not found in the presents and food.  The true peace and joy of Christmas is not found in anything earthly.  

The true meaning of Christmas is to celebrate the birth of Christ, our Messiah.  The Son of God, who swapped his celestial seat for a meager manger.  So, why was the Savior and King born in a stable?  And why was he placed in the animals' trough?  Certainly, God's Son was worthy of a high-profile birth, surrounded by elegance.  Instead, though, God's Son made His appearance on earth in the lowliest of circumstances.  His humble birth sends an amazing message to us:  The all-knowing, all-powerful God came down to us to meet us where we are.  He didn't come as a pampered, privileged ruler.  Jesus was born to humble parents, in meager surroundings to show that He is approachable, accessible and available to all of us.  He longs for a relationship with us and that is where you will find true hope and joy. 

This is why we celebrate Christmas.  I pray that we all keep Jesus at the center of our hearts and homes, not only at Christmas time, but always.  I pray each of you have a Christ-filled Christmas, no matter what the season looks like for you this year.  I pray you are each safe & healthy and filled with peace.  Amen.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!  

O, Holy Night

Art Deco Alpha

Marker Alpha

Rebecca Script Alpha

 

Good News

 

Hello and Happy Advent, friends! 

Advent means "Coming" in Latin.  We are celebrating the upcoming birth of Jesus, but not only that.  We also should be in hopeful anticipation of His second coming in to this world.

8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” 15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

Oh, the thrill of hope, the shepherds must have felt as they traveled to Bethlehem.  

I don't know about you, but after the year 2020 has been, we could use some hope, huh?  But the truth is, we do!!!  Jesus is coming again!   We should be living with the hopeful anticipation of our Messiah's return.  

To create this page, I used my Cricut to cut out some masks for the shepherds, their flock and the angel.  I blended distress oxides on the page to create the meadow and night sky.  I stamped some grass at the bottom of the page using Scene Silhouettes: Tall Grasses.  I stamped my title with Script Alpha and Mini Grunge Type Alpha.  I added some stars from the Way Maker set and some white paint splatters to finish off the page and to mark my verses.  

Until next time, 

Jill

 

Give Thanks

 Hello and Happy Thanksgiving, friends.

This Thanksgiving will look far different from what many of us are accustom to.  Concern and worry over spreading the virus will keep gatherings smaller and the distance between us greater.  

The Bible says in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18:

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 

 It says, "give thanks in ALL circumstances", not just in situations where we are happy or comfortable.  So, no matter what our meal plans end up looking like this year, we are to give thanks.  

Just pause for a moment and tell God a few things you can see around you that you are thankful for in this moment.  As I type, I can see my husband and our sons.  We are all gathered in our living room, doing our own things, but we are together and there is love in this room and for that, I am grateful.  I am thankful for our home and the warmth it is providing on this chilly evening.  I am thankful for this online community that I have met through Bible Journaling and for being apart of this creative team for Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps.  And to make this super relevant for 2020, I'm thankful I got my toilet paper order from Costco sitting by the door, waiting to be put away.  😂

Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has plenty; not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.  -Charles Dickens

I hope your Thanksgiving is full of just that....giving Thanks to God for His abundance, counting your blessings and at least being able to talk to your family and friends and letting them know how much you love them.  

Page details:

I wanted a simple page that reminded me of fall and harvest time, so I used watercolors to paint this field of wheat.  I stamped my title with my all time favorite alpha from Sweet 'n Sassy. (All of Me Alpha)

I hope you have a Happy & safe Thanksgiving!

Jill

 

Walk in the Light

Then Jesus said to them, "A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light." 

Jesus is described as the Light of the World in John 8, and in chapter 12 He implores his disciples to walk in the Light while the Light was with them. While we don't have Jesus living bodily among us today, we do have the Holy Spirit living within us to help guide and direct us to walk in light rather than darkness. 

Gelatos are not my favorite medium, but I decided to give them a try in this "Walk in the Light" themed page. I followed a YouTube tutorial from the wonderful Deeds in which she walks through how she uses gelatos and it was actually fun! I used gelatos for the gray background and glow of the lights, and then my Tombow dual brush markers for the Chinese lanterns as I really wanted those to pop. I embossed the title in black embossing powder to make that pop as well. I love how it turned out!

Launch day is always exciting at Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps, but this launch day is even more exciting because November is SNSS 13th birthday month! Stay tuned for special surprises all month long! I used the Shine Your Light stamp set to create this page, and you can scoop up this stamp set in the November Early Bird Bundle through November 9th. 

  

Have a blessed week, 

Janelle

@journalingjoy

The Time is Now

 Hello, friends!  I want to talk about time today, both the passage of it, how we use it and I want to pose a question to you.  What are you waiting for?

Many people believe they will have time to "get right with the Lord" before they die, but that's not always the case.  We've all heard some version of the saying, "you are not promised tomorrow".  The Bible says it in Proverbs 27:1, "Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring".  Basically friends, we all have appointments to leave this world and to go on to what is next for us.  We don't know when our time here is up.  Where you go after you leave this world is all dependent upon whether you 1) know and confess that you are a sinner, 2) believe that God sent His Son, Jesus to save us and 3) that He saved us by dying on the cross, redeeming us with His blood.  

Please, if you're not saved, don't put it off another day, for we are truly not promised tomorrow.  The time is now.

Now for the saved, I pose the same question to myself and to you....what are you waiting for?

Paul says in 2 Corinthians 6:1-2:

Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For he says, 

"In a favorable time, I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you."  

Behold, now is a favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

 

Paul is talking to fellow Christians and urging them to get to work for God.  David Guzik said this in a study guide, "God has an acceptable time for us to work with His grace.  God has a day of salvation that will not last forever. This is no time for Christian lives consumed with ease and comfort and self-focus.  It is time to get busy for the Lord and to be workers together with Him." 

Mmmm, that stepped on my toes and gave me a reality gut punch.  I mean, souls are at stake and what am I doing to save them???  I tend to live a life at ease and comfort and self-focus.  But here's what I've realized, you don't have to be a missionary, traveling to distance lands to save souls.  There are souls all around us, every day that need to hear the good news.  We all have family members or neighbors or co-workers that we could share the gospel with.  The time is now.

Artsy details:

I began this page by stamping the large peony from Encouraging Peonies at the bottom of my page.  I found this beautiful hour glass image online and printed it to a size that would fit nicely on my page and trace it.  I used Old Fashioned Alpha to stamp out my title.  It was beautiful with just the black and white ink detail.  I debated on coloring it, and finally decided I would watercolor the image.  I love how it turned out.

I pray you are safe and well.  Until next time, catch up with me on Instagram and Facebook @simplyjillsjourney. 

Jill

Is Not My Word Like Fire?

Hey friends!  I want to talk about fire this week and how God's Word is like fire, just as He says here in Jeremiah 23:29.

“Is not My word like a fire?” says the Lord,

“And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?"

First, fire purifies and cleanses.  Wildfires clean out the dead and decaying underbrush and trees in forest, allowing for new, healthy plants to take root and grow.  Much the same way, God's word clears the decay out of our lives and makes room for fresh starts and new growth.  Psalm 119:9 says "How can a young man cleanse his way?  By taking heed according to Your word" and in John 15:3, Jesus says, "You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you."

Fire also provides light.  Before electricity, homes were lit by candle light and oil lamps.  God's word also lights our paths and drives out darkness. The Bible points us to salvation, which God wants for us all.  Psalm 119:105 says, "Your word is a lamp to my feet
And a light to my path."

Fire can also burn.  God's word touches our conscience and burns our hearts when we behave in ways that are displeasing to the Lord.  It allows us to feel what grieves Him.  Does your conscience burn when you read Matthew 5:43-48?  Mine does!  

One of my favorite attributes about fire is that it warms us when we are cold!  There's nothing better than coming in from the cold and being able to warm up by a crackling fire.  God's word does that for us as well.  It encourages us when we are down, it melts our cold hearts when this fallen world attempts to harden them and it warms our souls.  Psalm 34:10 says, "...But those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing."

I wanted to do a stained glass look for this page, so I found an image of one online that I liked and used Procreate to roughly trace it, changing up the shape of the flames in several places.  I printed it and traced it in my Illustrating Bible.  I stamped my title and heat embossed the lettering using black embossing powder.  Then I used an embossing pen to trace my lines and used black embossing powder on my image as well.  I colored it in with watercolor and added a white outline to my lettering.  I used a new set, called Old Fashioned Alpha and my favorite, All of Me Alpha to create my title.

Thank you for checking out my post & until next time, catch up with me on Instagram & Facebook @simplyjillsjourney.

Jill