Come & Adore Him

Hello Sweet 'n Sassy Friends!

 My page today isn't based on just one verse, but on a passage in Luke 2. Luke 2:22-38 tells us of the time when Jesus was presented at the temple as a baby. Joseph and Mary were following the Law of Moses and making the sacrifice needed for the firstborn son. That day, they encountered two people, Simeon and Anna, who knew who their Son, the Messiah, was. Simeon took Jesus into his arms and prophesied over Him. Anna was a prophet and never left the temple. When she saw Jesus, she approached them and gave thanks to God and "spoke about the Child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem." (Luke 2:38) Imagine all the people in the temple that day. Imagine all the people who passed by Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus that day and didn't even notice them. Imagine all the people who didn't realize that their Messiah was RIGHT THERE. Only two people (TWO!!) out of all the people at the temple that day recognized Jesus for who He was. The rest of the people were busy doing what they needed to do, checking off things on their to-do lists. They missed it. They missed HIM. This is a lesson for me. I don't want to miss it. I don't want to miss Him! I don't want to be one of the people who doesn't recognize my Messiah. He's right here, always present! Lord, please don't let me get so busy and distracted that I miss YOU. I pray that for you as well, sweet friends. Come and adore Him each and every day!!

For the page, I painted the background with acrylic paints. I used the following Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps sets: All Your Heart and Furry Friends. I colored/highlighted the words with a Sharpie White Extra Fine Paint Pen.

And why the mouse? Because he's just cute!

Wishing you Christmas blessings and that you can rest in our Savior's presence now and in the new year. Merry Christmas! Andrea

Jump For Joy

Blessed are you when men hate you, and ostracize you, and insult you, and scorn your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man. Be glad in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven. For in the same way their fathers used to treat the prophets. Luke 6:22-23

Friends, did you catch that? Jesus said to leap for joy when you are hated, ostracized, insulted or scorned for His sake. Is that your first response- jumping for joy? I know it's not mine! 

I have read these verses many times. But I hadn't really caught the joy part. These verses are part of the Beatitudes listed in Luke. Not only should we be filled with joy, but we are blessed. And when I think of it, what other purpose but to stand for my Savior is more worthy of being hated, ostracized, insulted or scorned for? I should be filled with joy no matter my circumstances when I'm standing firm in Christ...just like the New Testament followers were.

Peter: But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when His glory is revealed. 
1 Peter 4:13

Paul: For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:10

James: Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:2-4

I used the following sets: Chunky Alpha, Furry Friends, Words of Life: Common Words 1, and a NEW alpha set called Rebecca Script. It's being released TOMORROW along with 2 more alphas! I love them all! and they are great for Bible journaling or card making. Make sure to visit Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps to check out the new stamps!

Jump for joy, my friends, jump for joy. I'll be jumping right along with you. Be blessed! 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

Deep Roots

Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. 

Colossians 2:7

We can all agree that our world is changing. On social media I have seen people express feelings of fear, worry, anger, and so on, but there is one thing that has struck a cord with me observing all this. 

What my heart aches for is the feeling of hopelessness in so many of our neighbors across our country. Do you see it? Do you see that so many people have placed their hope in human beings? Hope seems lost because their candidate lost or they weren't happy with the choices to begin with.

Here's the thing, humans will always fail us, but Jesus never will. Our times and leaders are ever changing. Jesus remains the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Hebrews 13:8) Jesus promises us hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11) Our neighbors are in desperate need of this hope. Now is our time to share the unwavering love of Jesus and the hope He brings in every season and circumstance. 

Don’t put your confidence in powerful people;
    there is no help for you there.
4 When they breathe their last, they return to the earth,
    and all their plans die with them.
5 But joyful are those who have the God of Israel[a] as their helper,
    whose hope is in the Lord their God.
6 He made heaven and earth,
    the sea, and everything in them.
    He keeps every promise forever.

Psalm 146: 3-6

Where are your roots being planted? Let them be planted in Jesus. Your roots dug deep in Him will weather any season.  

With love,
Lynzee



Stamps used:
Furry Friends
http://www.sweetnsassystamps.com/furry-friends-clear-stamp-set/
Scribble Flowers
http://www.sweetnsassystamps.com/scribble-flowers-clear-stamp-set/