Tailored Clothing...

Hi friends,

My sister has trained for many years to be a bespoke designer and creator of clothing, specialising in suits. She has learnt how to take exact measurements (lots of them!) and tailor suits for every size and shape so that every creation is unique to the person wearing it, and it fits them perfectly. Meanwhile, I can't even manage to thread my sewing machine!! (It's clear who got the sewing genes, if there is such a thing!)

I was thinking about this when creating this page on Colossians 3:12, where Paul writes to the church in Colosse and tells them to clothe themselves with certain qualities: compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. It struck me that these qualities are not generic 'one-size-fits-all' items that we can grab off the rack and throw on, but rather they are crafted in us and on us by God himself. You see, what patience looks like on you might be very different for what it looks like for me. For one person it may be having patience with a child who is pushing every button and boundary possible. For someone else it might mean waiting patiently for a dream to come to fulfillment in the future, while being faithful in where they are in the present. The same applies to all these qualities. There are different shapes and sizes of life that we lead, and these qualities need to be worn a little differently in our varied situations. So, what does it mean for you to put on these qualities in your life right now?

This page was fun to put together using the fabulous printables available in this month's devotional download: Sew Beautiful. I used the new In Stitches alphabet set as well as Sunshine Girl Alpha, Bitty Minnie Alpha and Go With to create the text, then stuck the images that I had printed on clear sticker paper around the stamping.

I encourage you to really meditate on this verse of Scripture and ask God what it means for you to put on these qualities in your life right now. God wants to dress us in his finest clothes, tailored specifically for us!

x Amy x

What do you see?

Hi friends,

When the people of Israel reached the edge of the Promised Land, God told them to send spies into the land to observe what was there and report back. Although these twelve men saw the same things with their physical eyes, their reports back to their people were very different. Tragically, ten of these spies saw the giants as the most significant part of the land and allowed fear to rule their response. The other two men - Caleb and Joshua - also saw the giants, but they recognised that the God who had called them to this land was more than capable of giving them the victory. They chose to look to God and His bountiful provision in this new land, rather than the obstacles that stood in front of them.

How often are we faced with the same choice? God calls us to step into a new opportunity or situation and we are faced with both amazing possibilities and daunting opposition. The question is: which one will we magnify in our sight? Others saw the giants... Caleb saw the Lord.

I watercoloured this background then added the clouds and sunrays using acrylic paint and stencils. The text was added using some of the fun new releases this month. Here are the sets I used:

     

 

I pray in whatever situation you are facing that you see with the eyes of faith the possibilities and promises God has before you, knowing that He is far bigger than any giants you may face.

x Amy x