Heal our Land

O beautiful for pilgrim feet, whose stern impassioned stress

A thoroughfare for freedom beat, across the wilderness

America, America, God mend thine every flaw

Confirm thy soul in self control, they liberty in law.

America the Beautiful, verse 2

Hi Friends,
America has been going through difficult times. I pray daily that we can be united rather than divided, that this nation will repent and turn to Jesus. As the song lyrics say that "God mend thine every flaw." Because all the faults of the U.S., everything that's wrong, can be answered and made right in Jesus. Simply, He is the answer. If we all lived the way He wants us to, there would be no inequality, division, or unrest. I pray that God will heal our land both spiritually and physically. We should not be fighting each other. We need to remember who the real enemy is. It's not people who don't agree with us. It's not one political party or the other. It's not people who don't look like us or live like us. We are not each other's enemy. Satan is the enemy. And he is behind all of this. This is a spiritual battle, and we need to remember that. We need to put on the armor of God and fight for Him. America can be a such beautiful nation when we're following our Lord and Savior.

Page Details: This page was inspired by one Amanda Hargrove had done. I used the following Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps sets: God Bless America, Women of Praise, All in All, and Healer of my Heart. To make the mountain background, I used distress oxides and torn paper. I started with the red sky, then placed the torn paper on the page, and started sponging the mountains. I started from the torn paper and brushed onto the hymnal page. Diane Noble showed this technique in a video on the Creative Worship FB page. Click here to see the video. This technique is about 10 minutes into the video. I then stamped the words and highlighted them with a Uni Posca white pen.

Pray for America, my friends! Have a blessed week. Andrea

Way Maker

"Teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in the plain path, because of mine enemies." - Psalm 27:11

It's not clear exactly when Psalm 27 was written - whether it was early or late in David's life - but one thing is for certain, David faced his fair share of trouble during his whole life. Some of his trouble was brought on by his own foolish choices, but some was brought on by circumstances completely out of his control. 

In Psalm 27:11, David prays for the Lord's divine guidance in his life. He acknowledges his own lack of understanding, and asks the Lord to show him the way. This prayer shows David's humbleness and obedience of heart. He knew he couldn't make it through the trials of his life on his own - He needed God to show him the way. 

I read this passage in my devotional time the other day and was so convicted. I'm really good at going my own way. I decide what I want to do and then do it. It's very difficult for me to stop and seek guidance and direction from others, even the Lord. I want to have a heart like David. One of humble obedience that seeks the Lord's guidance and direction in every area of life. 

It's fun to create big, elaborate, messy pages, but sometimes simple is best. This page is a simple page using only stamps, washi, and a paperclip. I used the Women of Praise and brand new Way Maker stamp sets to create this page. (Side note: if you're like me and have had the song "Way Maker" stuck in your head for weeks, you should definitely pick up this stamp set!! 😉)

 

Much love in Christ, 

Janelle

@journalingjoy

Rest, You're in Good Hands

How lovely is your dwelling place,

O LORD Almighty.

I long, yes, I faint with longing

to enter the courts of the LORD.

with my whole being, body and soul,

I will shout joyfully to the living God.

Even the sparrow finds home there,

and the swallow builds her nest

and raises her young----

at a place near your alter,

O LORD Almighty, my King and my God!

How happy are those who can live in your house,

always singing your praises.

Psalm 84:1-4 NLT

 

I love the imagery these verses painted in my head.  The Psalmist longs to be in the house of the Lord, so much so that he envies the sparrows and swallows that built their nests in the eves of the tabernacle.  These birds have found safety to raise their young in God's house, more-so than in the wilderness. 

How wise we would be, if we followed the example of the birds who build their homes and raise their young near the alter of God.  We can find peace and comfort when we nestle in close to the Father.  We can find rest in the nail-scarred hands of Jesus. 

Page Details:

 I started this page by masking off the limb and stamping one of the birds on the page from the Beautiful Birds set.  I found a photograph of a hand online and printed it the size I thought it needed to be to hold my little bird.  I added some line detail to the hand picture and placed it behind my bible page and adjusted the placement, until I was happy with it.  Then I traced the lines I had made on the picture on to my bible page.  I added a nest for the bird to sit in and used watercolor to color in the image. I decided I wanted to add color to the back ground, so I used watercolor to smoosh all over the page.  I really, REALLY over-wet this paper!  I added color, then dried and added more...several times.  I stamped the title using the Art Deco Alpha and words from the Bitty Mini Alpha and Women of Praise sets.  When I finished that, I felt like my page needed something on the right.  I remembered seeing Amy White, who is also on the design team, do this nifty trick of stamping on vellum and using it to create reverse images of your stamps.  So, I could have the same bird stamp facing the opposite way!  Yay!  Thank you, Amy!  So I stamped out the image and colored it and glued it on to my page.  

I love how it came out and it's such a lovely reminder to seek and find rest in the hands of the Lord.

Until next time, catch up with me on Instagram @simplyjillsjourney.

Jill 

 

 

What the Lord Builds Up

I made it beautiful with the multitude of its branches, and all the trees of Eden, which were in the garden of God, were jealous of it. Ezekiel 31:9

Hi Friends,
Today we're in Ezekiel 31. God told Ezekiel to give a message to Egypt, a message of judgment. In this message, God used Assyria as an example of what was to happen to Egypt. God likened Assyria to a large, beautiful cedar tree. This tree was greater and more beautiful than any other tree. It gave shelter to the birds and beasts. But, it was proud. It believed that its greatness came from what it had done. But, of course, God had made it what it was. So because of its pride, God tore it down (verse 11.) This picture of Assyria as a tree was a picture of Assyria's judgment. God used Nebuchadnezzar to judge Assyria when he conquered it. Assyria was very similar to Egypt- proud, self-confident, giving glory to itself rather than God. So, God's message to Egypt was what happened to Assyria will happen to you.

What's the message for us? Whatever we accomplish, it is God-given. He has given us our talents and skills. He has given us opportunities. So, we shouldn't become prideful. And if we do, if we don't give the glory to Him, He can take away what He's given. What God builds up, He can also tear down. That can be a hard message to hear, but everything on the earth and in our lives is God's. We are just His stewards. So, it's within His right to give. And it's within His right to take away. And through it all, He is good.

The message to Egypt was that their pride had brought on God's judgment. As believers in and followers of Jesus Christ, we are free from God's wrath and have eternal life. But, if we choose to be prideful or sinful, we will have to accept God's consequences. And, sometimes, God takes away not as a consequence, but for His purpose and glory. Either way, He is just. He is good. He is right.

Page Details: I used the following Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps sets: Scene Silhouettes: Trees, Bitty Minnie Alpha, Women of Praise, Texture Tiles 1, Texture Tiles 3, & Chunky Alpha. For the background, I applied distress oxide inks with sponge daubers. I used Chipped Sapphire, Barn Door, Rusty Hinge, and Spiced Marmalade. I highlighted the words with a white Sharpie.

Have a blessed week! Andrea

Love Each Other

We are just a few days away from Valentine's Day, so I thought it was a perfect time to talk about "LOVE". 

Love is defined in the Oxford dictionary as "1.  An intense feeling of deep affection. 2. A great interest and pleasure in something."  It is a word I use often.  I love my family and friends. I love chocolate, I love to have crafting time and I love the beach.  But what I want to look at, is the Biblical meaning of love. 

There are 4 types of love in the Bible:

Storge - Empathy Bond
Philios - Friend Bond
Eros - Romantic Love
Agape - Unconditional "God" love

My challenge to you and myself this Valentine's Day is to love everyone with Agape love, as God loves us.

The Bible actually calls for us to love others, like God loves us. Mmm...that can be more than a little difficult, am I right? Am I supposed to love a co-worker who tried to sabotage my career, or a rude cashier, or a driver that made a not-so-nice hand gesture to me because I was turning in the parking lot too slowly for their liking?  YES!!!  Because that's how God loves us.

8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 

Romans 5:8 NIV

7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

 1 John 4:7-11 NIV

 1 See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

 1 John 3:1 NIV

16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.

1 John 4:16 NIV 

10 Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed," says the Lord, who has compassion on you.

Isaiah 54:10 NIV

4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions-it is by grace you have been saved.

Ephesians 2:4-5 NIV 

 26 Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endures forever.

Psalm 136:26 NIV 

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16 NIV 

The love we have been shown through the sacrifice of Jesus is a love like no other!  So this Valentine's Day and everyday, let us not only love those we find easy to love....let us love EVERYONE, so that we can glorify God!

Page Details:
I created this page by stamping out several people, with the Brotherly Love & Girl Power stamp sets.  I had fun making each one unique, just as God made us.  I colored them in with watercolors and cut them out with my Brother Scan & Cut (my Christmas present from my hubby).  I used the people to create at tip-in at the bottom of the page, so I could still read the scripture underneath.  I traced and colored a large heart in the center, to represent God's love for us.  I used the hearts from the Women of Praise set to create a background. My title is a combination of the new Loop da Loop Alpha and Bitty Mini Alpha. 

Here's a short video clip, showing how the tip-in works:

These are the sets I used to create my page:

Until next time, catch up with me on Instagram @simplyjillsjourney.  I hope you all have a Happy Valentine's Day!

Jill Norris

Salvation and Righteousness

You heavens above, rain down My righteousness; let the clouds shower it down. let the earth open wide, let salvation spring up, let righteousness flourish with it; I, the Lord, have created it. Isaiah 45:8

Hi Friends,

In chapter 45, God through Isaiah tells the people that He will return the Jewish people to the Promised Land from the Babylonian exile through Cyrus. God makes it clear in verses 1-8 that God is in complete control. It's not by Cyrus' power or because of him that the Jewish people are restored. It is by God's power and because of Him. He, and He alone, is sovereign.

I just love the word pictures in this verse 8! God, of course, created the heavens and the earth. He can make it rain literally, in the natural sense, but He can also rain down on us in a spiritual sense. When He rains down His righteousness, the only response is salvation! Again, God is telling the people, their restoration is from Him, and Him alone.

There is a lesson in this verse for us as well. Our restoration is also only found in Him. Righteousness and salvation are tied together. God sent Jesus, our Righteousness and Salvation. When we accept Jesus as our Savior, we receive salvation and He clothes us in His righteousness. Just think about that- God rained Jesus on this world, on me, on you. Because of that, salvation sprung up in me when I accepted Jesus. But, not only that, righteousness also grows in me because of Jesus. And the same is true for any of us who accept Jesus. WOW! WOW! WOW! We serve such an awesome God!

Page Details:
I used the following Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps sets: Delightful Daisies, Armor of God, Women of Praise, Refresh My Soul, & Sweet & Simple Alpha. I used Salty Ocean Distress Oxide for the background. I applied the ink with a sponge dauber. I stamped the daisy on an address label and colored it with alcohol markers. Then I cut it out and stuck it to the page. I did this as alcohol markers will bleed through Bible pages, and that way it would look crisp against my blue background. I finished the page by highlighting "up" and "flourish" with a white pen.

 

Have a blessed week, my friends! Andrea

"Step Out"

Hello and Happy New Year friends!

Let me start by introducing myself. My name is Jill and I'm one of the newest members of the Creative Worship team. I received my first journaling Bible in August 2017 for my birthday. My twin sister had introduced me to this amazing form of art worship just a week or so earlier. I've never known people who wrote much in their Bibles, and I've never known anyone who painted and stamped and created such beautiful pages. I was instantly hooked. Let me clarify that Bible journaling, for me and most of the community, is not about the art. The art is an outward expression of what I have read and studied, and the artwork I create on my pages help me remember the lessons I've learned. It was those beautiful pages on Pinterest and Instagram that intrigued me at first, however. I am grateful that my sister introduced me to it and for the amazing community of ladies that God has brought into my life because of it. Journaling has me in the Bible and studying the Word more than I ever have in my life.  I am so excited that Korin asked me to join this amazing group of super talented, God-fearing ladies on the Creative Worship team. If I'm being honest though, I'm also pretty nervous.  I’ve always been a bit of an introvert and have never really liked stretching the limits of my comfort zone. I tend to over-think anything I put out there for others to see, so the fact that this is my very first blog post...EVER, has me second guessing everything I type! 😂    

That brings me to how I chose my “One Little Word” for 2020. Have you heard of OLW? Much of the Bible Journaling community and other crafters, choose a word at the beginning of the year to focus on. We use it throughout the year to study, write about, craft with and reflect upon. I’ve been praying for weeks, for the word or phrase that God wanted me to focus on for the year.  Last year, I heard “Change” as clearly as if someone spoke it out loud to me.  This year, I’ve received much more subtle nudges.  I made a list of the words that I felt God was laying on my heart.  They include: Move, Grow, Purpose, Action, Intentional, Start, Begin, Do, Equipped and finally, Step Out.

I can definitely see a pattern in the words God has given me.  He’s calling me to step out of my comfort zone.  He’s reminding me that over and over in the Bible, He uses people who feel unworthy of the calling He has bestowed upon them.  He’s asking me to face my fears and trust Him to equip me for what lies down the road. He's giving me a call to action, to do more for His glory. Wow! That's super scary!

As I sat down to journal, I was led to Matthew 14:22-33

²² Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. ²³ After dismissing the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. Well into the night, he was there alone. ²⁴ Meanwhile, the boat was already some distance from land, battered by the waves, because the wind was against them. ²⁵ Jesus came toward them walking on the sea very early in the morning. ²⁶ When the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost!” they said, and they cried out in fear. ²⁷ Immediately Jesus spoke to them. “Have courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” ²⁸ “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter answered him, “command me to come to you on the water.” ²⁹ He said, “Come.” And climbing out of the boat, Peter started walking on the water and came toward Jesus. ³⁰ But when he saw the strength of the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me!” ³¹ Immediately Jesus reached out his hand, caught hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” ³² When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. ³³ Then those in the boat worshiped him and said, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

Just as Peter had to leave the relative safety of the boat to go to Jesus in the raging sea, when we choose to walk in faith, we may have to leave our comfort zones for something that seems scary. BUT GOD...He's there, right beside us, waiting to catch us if we fall. Stepping out in faith requires us to trust God and His infinite wisdom, to guide us safely on our journey. We may have to let go of what we think we control and trust the one that made it all.

My prayer for 2020, is that I will not be afraid to “Step Out” in faith, trusting that Jesus is there to cover me in grace, even if I stumble.

Page Details:

I did a simple watercolor background for this page and used Chunky Alpha, Mini Grunge Type Alpha, and Women of Praise stamp sets from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps to create my title and stamp the silhouette of the girl in the water.  I used some white acrylic paint on a Q-tip to create the foam in the water.

You can catch up with me on Instagram @simplyjillsjourney

Until next time, I wish you many blessings,

Jill