Mature thinking...

Hi friends,

I came across this verse in 1 Corinthians 14:20 a while ago and it really struck me:

"Do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature."

There are some things we are supposed to be childlike in: this verse tells us clearly that one of those things is evil. We are also supposed to be childlike as we come to Jesus (Matthew 18:3-4) and we are to find our identity as children of God (Ephesians 5:1, 8). But there are also important aspects of life in which we need to be mature. One of those is in our thinking.

When I was meditating on this concept of maturity in thinking, two images came to mind that could illustrate this. One is solid and strong trees that have grown and been established over many years, which cannot be blown down in the storms of life and continue to provide shade to others. The way we think needs to develop in like manner. Mature thinking takes time to learn and develop, but when it has flourished and been established, it guards us from being blown around by every wind of doctrine (Ephesians 4:14) and it provides wisdom and protection for others.

The other image was that of a butterfly. The process of transformation a caterpillar goes through to become a butterfly includes a lot of hiddenness and shedding of old skin. The result is a creature that is no longer bound to the earth, but can fly through the air with beauty and grace. In reflecting on becoming mature in our thinking, I realised that this process involves being hidden in Christ, and often times hidden away from the spotlight of prestige and the world's accolades. It also includes shedding old ideas and ways of thinking that belong to childhood (oh how I've been learning this painful lesson over the past two years as I have studied theology!). The result though, after the hiddenness and loss of old identity, is a wondrous new ability to fly like never before, and to demonstrate the exquisite beauty of God's wisdom when lived out on a daily basis.

I used both the butterfly and tree images on my page (from Made New and Thrill of Hope) and created the text from the new Sweet & Simple Alpha as well as His Love. The background was created using gelatos and blended them with a baby wipe. I added some subtle background texture using a couple of stamps from Texture Tiles 1. Here are the sets I used:

Can I encourage us all to embrace God's work in our life in bringing us to maturity in our thinking? We can be intentional about this call in the way we occupy our minds and what we feed them daily. Food for thought? I think so!

x Amy x

Hello, My Name Is

Advent. (n) the coming or second coming of Christ. 

My prayer during this advent season is that I would spend my time celebrating the birth of Jesus and having great expectancy that He is coming again. As I’ve been reading and studying, my heart has just been filled to overflowing with great joy!

A familiar passage came up in my study the other day, and this time, it leapt off the page in a new way and I was compelled to journal it.

Isaiah 9:6 reads “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” 

Often, I get so caught up in the first part of that verse, that I don’t focus enough on the ending. That baby, that tiny baby, that was born in Bethlehem in a stable was going to be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. What? How in the world was a baby going to be all that? Well, it’s because He wasn’t just any baby...He was, and is, the Son of God!

Wonderful Counselor
When I need someone to talk with, and I need advice, there is no one better than going straight to Jesus. He is always there and ready to listen. He’s even got an entire book of advice for me on any given situation. 

“Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.”
‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭33:3‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Mighty God
Our God is not just any God. He is the mightiest warrior that ever walked. There is no one or no thing that can defeat Him. And the best part, we don’t have to even do anything but stand still. He fights our battles for us.

“You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.' Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, and the Lord will be with you."”
‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭20:17‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Everlasting Father
To know that there is nothing that God separate us from the love of God is amazing. My God allows me to run straight in to His arms and called him Daddy. I am the child of the everlasting Father. The one who runs to me with open arms, and embraces me, and kisses me is my Daddy God.

“And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭15:20‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Prince of Peace
Peace is the thing in the world that I believe everyone is looking for. Peace from the busyness of life. Peace from the stress of day to day. Peace from the million things tugging at our hearts and minds. Peace. Deep peace. He is our Peace. When we choose to think on the right things instead of the things of the world, Peace is ours.

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:8-9‬ ‭ESV‬‬

During this time when we celebrate the birth of Jesus, and wait with great hope for His second coming, I encourage you to celebrate all that we have because of who He is.

Hello, my name is “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace!” 

Art behind the story:

The Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps set Hello My Name Is was the perfect set for this page. I stamped the tags on cardstock and fussy cut them. My sweet team mate, Colleen (stirthesoul on IG), gave me the suggestion for the background. I used gray watercolor and made a light wash. Then I pulled out all types of stamps (I’ll list them below) from several of our sets to add visual depth and interest to the background. Lastly, I splattered brighter watercolors on it. Then I glued the tags down, added a bit of washi, and did my journaling.

My prayer for all of you is that this page will encourage you to dig in, study about the birth of Jesus and the prophecies surrounding Him. Also, that you’ll be waiting with great hope and expectancy. He is coming again!!

Much love,
Gayle
Patio Ponderings

close up of background textures

Hello My Name Is

Doves of Peace

O Holy Night

Texture Tiles 1

Texture Tiles 3

Grunge Elements 2

Thrill of Hope

Do you remember being small - elementary age - and counting down the days until holiday vacations from school?  

Clear as day in my brain, I remember being 7, in Mrs. Henry's class, looking toward the chalk board (yes, I'm that old), and seeing her 4 foot calendar marked with numbers and pictures.  Each one, of course, resembled days, special events, seasons, etc.  Very bright, very colorful, very exciting!!

Each day, Mrs. Henry would remind her class which day of the week it was, so to help us understand time a bit better, ESPECIALLY when it came to the next vacation from school! 

I would look ahead and do my best to formulate the days left until Thanksgiving; Christmas; Spring break; Summer, and everything in between! With each approaching "day off" came that much thrill and anticipation of something to come!  

It's interesting how looking forward to something to come brings us hope, excitement and thrill!  Our entire being longs for this type of hopefulness! 

"Galaxy" tutorials can be found on Youtube everywhere!

I use watered down, white acrylic paint to achieve the "stars."  I feel that
this technique worked better to give me the brightness I was looking for.

As we live day-to-day, though we may not realize it, we really do pine.  We yearn.  We are exceedingly hopeful for more; better; brighter; happier.  Something to fulfill our desires, satisfactorily, completely, perfectly. 

This goes for all humanity. 
Even for Christians - those who have given themselves to the mercies and grace of God - there's an aching in the soul for a glorified, sinless, painless state.

The Bible uses language like the following verses to help qualify the need we feel. 

"For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.

"Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies." Romans 8:22-23

Let me break it down a bit more…

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.  Everything He created, He saw as very good.  Not one blemish; not one problem.  Humanity's beginning enjoyed perfect union with God!  OH HOW HEAVENLY!  Then…

Man sinned. 
A union severed.

The world corrupted.

Since then, said world has been deteriorating; since then, each born human is subject to a darkened nature.  Bad replaces good.  Dark replaces light.  Lost replaces belonging. 
As the aging world falls further into desperation, humanity falls further into depravity.

BUT GOD…

See, we are still sinful.  We're still dark.  The world is still groaning.  However, Jesus entered this gloom and doom, and as our Redeemer, bought back what sin stole:

Light.

Belonging.

Hope.

Our souls!

The "Thrill of Hope" stamp collection can be found on the Sweet 'n' Sassy
website as part of the October release!

 
With His entrance into humanity, the "thrill of hope" was born.  And the weary world rejoiced!
Jesus!

Our Savior.

The Messiah.

Our Friend.

THE Hope.

Now, we wait.  We wait in anticipation!  We wait with eagerness!  We wait with hopefulness!  Our Christ is coming again, and so we wait!

Friend, if you're sitting on the fence of whether or not to enter into community with God's Son, please wait no longer; He IS coming. 
If you're struggling with God, or questioning His goodness, struggle no longer; He IS coming!

If you're wondering whether or not your life means something to the Lord; wonder no longer; He IS coming!

My prayer is that you will look at the gospel of Jesus - the good news of grace! - and turn to this Loving Father!  He has sent Him who is without sin to be sin for you and me, taking all sins to the cross for the glory of His throne.

Jesus is King - our Thrill of Hope - and He IS coming again!

Much love,

Deeds

New releases can be found here.  Hurry!  It's almost Christmas!

White as Snow

Hi everyone I am back today to share some beautiful Christmas stamps with you. Christmas is right around the corner, the chill is in the air ...at least up here in Iowa it is. I can hardly wait to start decorating the house, create Christmas cards and baking all those delicious goodies. While I wait I thought it might be fun to find a creative way to use these Christmas stamps.

This set reminded me of the scripture of how Jesus washes us white as snow. I began by first using script outline and sunshine girl alpha stamp sets stamping them in Versafine embossing ink then dusting them with white embossing powder and hitting them with my heat gun. Next I used the same process to stamp the snowflakes from the thrill of hope set in random areas on the page. Finally I created a night sky with deep blue watercolor. The embossed areas on the page resist the watercolor and making the stark white areas pop off the page.

I did a little research on this passage from Isaiah 1:18 "though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool." Scarlet and crimson in the Bible refer to dye obtained from the eggs of tiny insects. In those days clothes had to be double-dyed in this bright red color so the color would become permanent or fixed to the fabric. Sin is a lot like this. Human effort can not remove the staining caused by our sinful choices. Only through Jesus's sacrifice can we receive what no one else can give us - a pure heart. I pray you find comfort in knowing you are not too dirty, and stained to be redeemed and cleaned pure. Our Father loves you and is waiting with open arms to wash you clean as if you had never sinned.

Love and prayers,
Jenn @creativegurl85

God's Voice

Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness. The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord, over many waters. The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty. The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars; the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon. He makes Lebanon to skip like a calf, and Sirion like a young wild ox. The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire. The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness; the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh. The voice of the Lord makes deer give birth and strips the forest bare, and in His temple all cry, "Glory!" The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord sits enthroned as King forever. May the Lord give strength to His people! May the Lord bless His people with peace! Psalm 29:1-11 (emphasis mine)

Dear Friends,

As I write, Hurricane Michael is pummeling the southeast coast. I'm praying for all those affected.

Psalm 29 is a poetic hymn about a storm, and how God is present in the storm. Storms can be scary and destructive. But God is there in the middle of storms to sustain and help us. The world was created just by Him speaking it into existence. There is such power in His voice. And, of course, one of Jesus' names is the Word of God. Jesus IS the Word of God. This psalm begins with a call to praise. It then describes God's power over nature and people. It ends with a prayer of strength and peace to be given to His people. I think this psalm is beautiful. And God's power just resonates throughout it. He is more powerful than any storm. And He will work His purpose through any storm's destruction. We live in a fallen world. But our God is supreme; and He is good.

For the page, I used a new Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps set called Thrill of Hope. This set was just perfect to make a landscape that represents the trees, water and deer spoken of in the psalm. I also used three alpha sets: Shake It Off Caps, Shake It Off Lowercase, and Bitty Minnie Alpha. The background and images were done with distress inks. You can get these inks on the SNSS website as well as the sponge daubers I used to apply the background ink! I used a white pen to detail the letters.

May you experience God's strength and peace, my friends. Andrea