Even as a Hen

"Jerusalem! Jerusalem...How often would I have gathered your children together, even as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, and you would not!" (Matthew 23:37)

Have you ever watched a mama bird with her little baby birds?  She guides them along their path, encourages them to try new things, and protects them under her wings.  God longs to protect us and guide us.  This passage in Matthew 23 equates God to a Mama Bird.  I love this text, because it brings out the maternal characteristics of our loving God.  It's sad, really, because the verse says that God's people have continually rejected His watch-care.  How tragic for us, to miss out on the blessings of His love and mercy and grace.  But He continues to offer His shelter and refuge.  I don't know about you, but being all snuggled under His "wings" of love sounds pretty inviting to me.  

For this page, I blended two colors of Ranger Distress Oxides:  Barndoor and Mustard Seed.  I activated the ink with some water to give them a speckled, layered effect.  Then I stamped the title with the alpha stamps, added some texture stamping, and finished off with washi and a tab.  

I pray that you will find shelter under His loving wings!

Bitty Minnie Alpha

His Wings

 

Mustard Seed Distress Oxide

Mus

Chunky Lowercase

Barndoor Distress Oxide Ink

Texture Tiles 1

Teaching me to pray...

Hi friends,

Can I be honest? I find prayer difficult at times - too many times. I know I need to pray, and goodness knows there are so many needs to bring before the Lord, but when it comes down to it, sometimes I go blank... I struggle for the right words... my concentration can wane. Can anyone else identify? This is why I am SO grateful for the teaching of God's Word on prayer. Not only is there so much rich teaching on prayer, there are also amazing examples of prayers that we can pray. When I received the sweet Stop, Drop & Pray single stamp, I looked up the word prayer in my bible and made a list of references that give examples or teaching on prayer - such an amazing study to do!

I'm sharing three pages with you that I created recently as part of my study on prayer, each using the Stop, Drop & Pray stamp. This first one is on one of my favourite verses...

James 1:5 - If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given to him.

What an awesome prayer to pray and promise to claim. Whenever I am lacking in wisdom (which is rather frequently) I can ask God and he promises to give me generous amounts!

This next page is a verse I came across that I hadn't paid much attention to before, but contains an amazing example of prayer...

Colossians 4:12 - Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God.

I looked this verse up in a few translations and liked the way the Message translated it. What a great prayer to pray for ourselves and others!

This last page focuses on Matthew 9:38 when Jesus tells his disciples to "pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborors into his harvest." The thing to remember when praying this one is that the Lord of the harvest may send us - and we need to be ready to say 'yes'...

I hope you've been encouraged to dig into the Bible and allow God's Word to teach you when it comes to how and what to pray. I know I have already grown through this study and look forward to creating and sharing further pages from my study on prayer.

Here are some of the sets I used for these pages:

      

Be blessed,
x Amy x

Master of the Sea

Good morning, crafty friends! I'm so excited to be sharing on the Creative Worship blog today. Although I've been on the Sweet 'n Sassy design team for a number of years, this is the first time I'm posting for the Creative Worship team. 

Bible journaling is a relatively new experience for me, as I recently gifted an art journaling Bible, which lays out the pages with wide margins that are perfect for adding images, quotes, and notes. I have found that Bible journaling is helpful for focusing on a particular Scripture text or doctrine as your mind can't help but ponder the words you're that inspired your art.

Today's passage focusing on Jesus' power over nature and the text of how He immediately calmed the storm. While we can see literally see how God brings about and calms storms, and all of our weather, figuratively He can also calm the trials (storms) that come into our lives. Jesus' miraculous works while physically on the earth, was to demonstrate that while He was fully human, He was also fully God and the creator of man and the elements. These simple, but powerful truths should comfort us as we face various trials. Not only is He fully in control of all that happens, but He is also the one who will be comfort in the midst of the trial, and the one who will bring it to an end. Amen and amen!

My layout started with a wash of color from Pan Pastels. Pan Pastels is one of my favorite mediums for adding color to Bible pages; the color applies easily, goes on smoothly, is transparent, and doesn't bleed through the pages. When using Pan Pastels, you will need to set the chalk when you're finished applying the color. I just use a light mist of hair spray. LOL!

I used a die cut circle to mask a sun and added stamping using coordinating die ink colors.  The boats and anchor were stamped on a piece of cardstock, colored, and attached with glue to my pages. When added die or hand cut images to Bible pages, it's best to use a lighter cardstock and anything heavy weight will add bulk to the thin pages. My text was added using a variety of alphabet sets and words from other Bible journaling sets (see supply list below). I love mixing fonts! Below are a few more close up photos of my spread. Happy crafting!

Supplies:
Master of the Sea

Skinny Lower Case

Skinny Upper Case

His Wings

As for me...

Hi friends,

I'm sharing a page with you today that I had marked in my bible a long time ago as a really profound verse that I wanted to meditate on:

Psalm 73:28
But as for me, it is good to be near God.
I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge;
I will tell of all your deeds.

I love this simple declaration: as for me, it is good to be near God. Other people might choose to be near many other things or people, but for me, I want to be near God. What a wonderful thought! Being near to God means making Him our refuge in every season of life, allowing Him to be our  shield and protection. As much as it is good to be near family and friends (and even a radiator in this cold British weather!), no one else can ever be as faithful and strong as our God. Let us draw near to Him, make Him our refuge, and declare His deeds to those around us.

I created this page by layering acrylic paints in the background, then creating the verse over the top using alphabet stickers and a combination of Sweet n Sassy stamp sets, including Good Shepherd, God is Good and His Wings. I also added some flowers with Scribble Flowers and coloured them with gelatos. I can't seem to resist adding butterflies so I added this lovely washi tape.

Check out the gorgeous Scribble Flowers set:

Did you know that you have a chance to win this stamp set until this Thursday, 30th of November? Just head over to the @sweetnsassystamps Instagram page or our Facebook page and find out how to enter!

Have a blessed week!

x Amy x

He will shelter you...

Hi friends,

There is such shelter, safety and security when we find our refuge and dwelling place in God. No matter what storms may be swirling around us, no matter what the enemy tries to throw at us, no matter where our choices may have led us, the shelter of the Most High is always ready to envelop us under His wings in loving care and protection.

Psalm 91:1-4

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High

will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress,

my God, in whom I trust."

Surely he will save you

from the fowler's snare

and from the deadly pestilence.

He will cover you with his feathers,

and under his wings you will find refuge;

his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

 

 

I love this image of God covering us, sheltering us with His wings, like a bird covers and shelters her little chicks. Our Heavenly Father longs to nurture and protect us with His lovingkindness and faithfulness. All we need to do it to dwell in that place of refuge and to declare our trust in Him. We don't have to defend ourselves, to desperately try and figure out how everything is going to work out... No, we just need to dwell and declare.

 

 

 

I used the beautiful His Wings stamp set to create this page, with a little help from Words of Life: Collection 2 and All Your Heart. Did you know that today (11th of November) you can get His Wings at 25% discount when you buy two or more sets from the gorgeous silhouette range of stamps? Just quote 2SIL25 at the checkout!

 

 

I pray you would be encouraged today to find shelter under the wings of our Most High, Almighty God, and that in that secret place of refuge you would find comfort and rest.

 

x Amy x





Under His Wings

For my Bible journal page today, I am still in the book of Psalms - 91:4.

"He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge..."

I love the image this brings to my mind. I think about a movie or a book when danger occurs and the protector throws themselves over the innocent to keep them safe. 

While life doesn't often bring explosions and such, we do have upsets and disappointments and knowing that when we are in need of protection, God will tuck us under His wings and keep us safe, is so comforting to me. It is such a blessing going into each day with this picture in my mind.

For this page, I used Sweet N Sassy Stamp Set - Creative Worship: His Wings. I also used a few Alphabet Sets Chunky Alpha, Skinny Caps Alpha, and Skinny Lowercase Sets.

I stamped the feathers onto the page with Versamark ink and heat embossed with clear powder. I then used distress inks (Rusty Hinge, Antique Linen, and Vintage Photo) for a water color wash. I Inked up the words with Archival Jet Black Ink.

I hope you are inspired and that your day is a blessed one! Thanks for stopping by!

Lyn

Serve God

Proverbs has a lot of wisdom, last week I was reading in Proverbs 23 and I wanted to journal about this message. 

‘Do not wear yourself out to get rich; do not trust your own cleverness.
Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.’ (Proverbs 23:4-5)

We’re worrying about a lot of things that are happening in our lives. And money is often one our worries. When I read this I had to think of the stamp set ‘His Wings’. Because while we’re worrying, God will spread His wings around us and take care of us (of course this idea was inspired by the saying about the eagle ;)). So we have to remember who we’re serving. God or the money? We have to serve God and not worry (too much) about all the other things. 

I prepared my page with clear gesso (the Dutch bible has very thin pages) and stamped the images with black ink. I masked the images before I made the background with Distress inks but I didn’t like the hard white edge, so I added a little bit of yellow around the feathers to make the contrast a little les hard. The word ‘serve’ was a little bit too long to fit next to the feathers so I stamped it on vellum and colored it with a watercolor marker. I adhered it with a piece of washi tape and stamped the word Him underneath it. 

I used the stamp sets 'His Wings' and 'All your Heart'.

- Lucinde

Why I Sing for Joy!

"...my mouth will praise you with joyful lips

when I remember you upon my bed, 

and meditate on you in the watches of the night; 

for you have been my help,

and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.  

My soul clings to you; 

your right hand upholds me."

Psalm 63:5-8

Think back to something God has done...something that would not have happened had it not been for his intervention, guidance, presence or power.  We can name many instances, can we not?  Psalm 63 is one of my favorite, and there are actually several portions of it that could be highlighted.  It is so rich! But I've chosen these verses for the joy they bring as I meditate upon them remembering God's goodness and many, many mercies toward me.  

What a wonderful place to abide...in the shadow of God's wings...under his protective and watchful eye, close to his heart.  That alone is great reason to be joyful.  As believers we are blessed with this close position to God through his grace alone.  He has invited us to be in relationship and the benefits of that relationship are like no other.  No doubt we can recount story after story of when he was our help.  Once we trust in God's son, Jesus, we desire a close, abiding relationship...we literally CLING to Jesus.  

During many nights I could feel his right hand holding me close, holding me tightly, reassuring...steady...strong.  Who wouldn't cling to that, right?  God often wakes me in the "watches of the night" to pray for someone, to commune with him, to search his Word for wisdom and help.  I feel especially close to him at night.  I know he watches over me, protects me, and prepares the day in front of me so I will see him working on my behalf. 

One of the many reasons I sing for joy, is that I know my God defends me, fights for me.  I know there have been numerous times the enemy would creep into my night seeking to frighten, discourage, and bring despair.  But God fought for me.  There have been times in my life when people...people whose hearts were bent toward evil and destruction came against me.  I LOVE the passage in Psalm 64 on the facing page.  Here David describes enemies coming against him, setting traps of ambush, shooting arrows with bitter lies and destructive words.  I've known people like this.  Being in full-time ministry places you in enemy territory many times.  People will gnash their teeth against those proclaiming the gospel and reaching the lost for Christ.  My husband, a pastor, and I have experienced warfare many times.  But God has come to our defense in every single instance.  We see him dealing with those who come against us.  We don't have to do a thing but trust in him.  What a cause for joy!  

I pray that you find shelter under the wing of the Most High God, that you find many reasons to remember and celebrate with joy the times he has come to your aid, upheld you with his right hand.  Knowing he has been there for us, faithfully providing and protecting, gives us full assurance he will ALWAYS be there for us.  And that indeed is a reason to sing for joy!

Sets Used: 

His Wings

       

                                          His Name                                     Note This

Pray for our Leaders

It's something I'm terrible at. I really only think to do it when there is a special event or when the pulpit leads me to. But according to the first few verses of 1 Timothy 2, it IS something I should be doing. I should be lifting up those above me in leadership & those in high positions. My president, my pastor, my boss, my husband. Even if I don't agree with their decisions. *gulp* Especially in these uncertain times leading up to another presidential election, I should be asking God to give those important people wisdom.....that we might live in peace. Because when our leaders make wise decisions, hopefully some "good consequences" will flow down to my life as well.

I used the His Wings set to create a colorful feathered background. I think it's a perfect backdrop and adds interest to the page, while tying in with old Mr. Owl. He reminds me to pray for wisdom for my leaders! Be blessed, y'all!

Hope & Pray...and Wait!

All my life my family has used the phrase, "hope and pray" when looking for the best in every situation.  I'd hear something akin to, "I just hope and pray you don't catch a cold," or "Let's hope and pray everything turns out ok," to "I hope and pray I shut the garage door."  We uttered the phrase rather casually not knowing for years that it is a God-breathed word of encouragement and instruction in scripture!  Romans 12:12 says, "Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer."

The hope we have as believers is not a whimsical wish as the world views hope.  Websters dictionary defines it, "to want something to happen or be true and think that it could happen or be true."  The Bible says if this is the only kind of hope we have, we are to be pitied. (1 Corinthians 15:19). The Christians hope far surpasses that.  1 Peter 1:3 describes a living hope, rooted in the certainty of our resurrection.  In other words, our hope is focused on heaven, not earth.

 I chose the verse in Romans to celebrate our certain hope, which helps us wait on God when we are in trials--difficult circumstances.  The hoping and praying--those are the easy parts of the formula!  It's the patience...the WAITING that gets hard.

Patient in tribulation?  Waiting is harder than we sometimes imagine.  And the more serious our circumstances the harder it is to wait.  So I came up with an acrostic for to help me remember what my time of waiting should look like.

W.A.I.T.  

W=Worship God for who He is in my life.

A = Advance in obedience to revealed truth

I = Imitate Christ before a watching world

T = Thank God in the midst of my need 

**I have more devotional thoughts on this on my blog at 

dianesdaydreamdesigns.blogspot.com

If we wait upon God, He has an amazing blessing in store for us.  We will be filled with joy and peace, and the Holy Spirit Himself will fill us with abundant, certain, unfailing hope.  I think that IS awesome!

I used acrylic paints on the left page and paper pieced words from the Seek Him set, and used water-based inks on the right page.  Here are the Sweet 'n Sassy stamp sets I used....all EIGHT of them!  You can find them all right HERE.

Fill Me Up