Christ is Born

Hello, friends & Merry Christmas!!!

2 And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. ² This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. ³ So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.
⁴ Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, ⁵ to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. ⁶ So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. ⁷ And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
⁸ Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹ And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. ¹⁰ Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. ¹¹ For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. ¹² And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”
¹³ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:
¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

Let's talk about why we celebrate Christmas.  The true meaning of Christmas is certainly not found in the over-commercialized holiday that every ad on tv throws at you.  It's not Santa.  It's not found in the presents and food.  The true peace and joy of Christmas is not found in anything earthly.  

The true meaning of Christmas is to celebrate the birth of Christ, our Messiah.  The Son of God, who swapped his celestial seat for a meager manger.  So, why was the Savior and King born in a stable?  And why was he placed in the animals' trough?  Certainly, God's Son was worthy of a high-profile birth, surrounded by elegance.  Instead, though, God's Son made His appearance on earth in the lowliest of circumstances.  His humble birth sends an amazing message to us:  The all-knowing, all-powerful God came down to us to meet us where we are.  He didn't come as a pampered, privileged ruler.  Jesus was born to humble parents, in meager surroundings to show that He is approachable, accessible and available to all of us.  He longs for a relationship with us and that is where you will find true hope and joy. 

This is why we celebrate Christmas.  I pray that we all keep Jesus at the center of our hearts and homes, not only at Christmas time, but always.  I pray each of you have a Christ-filled Christmas, no matter what the season looks like for you this year.  I pray you are each safe & healthy and filled with peace.  Amen.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!  

O, Holy Night

Art Deco Alpha

Marker Alpha

Rebecca Script Alpha

 

Good News

 

Hello and Happy Advent, friends! 

Advent means "Coming" in Latin.  We are celebrating the upcoming birth of Jesus, but not only that.  We also should be in hopeful anticipation of His second coming in to this world.

8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” 15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

Oh, the thrill of hope, the shepherds must have felt as they traveled to Bethlehem.  

I don't know about you, but after the year 2020 has been, we could use some hope, huh?  But the truth is, we do!!!  Jesus is coming again!   We should be living with the hopeful anticipation of our Messiah's return.  

To create this page, I used my Cricut to cut out some masks for the shepherds, their flock and the angel.  I blended distress oxides on the page to create the meadow and night sky.  I stamped some grass at the bottom of the page using Scene Silhouettes: Tall Grasses.  I stamped my title with Script Alpha and Mini Grunge Type Alpha.  I added some stars from the Way Maker set and some white paint splatters to finish off the page and to mark my verses.  

Until next time, 

Jill

 

Give Thanks

 Hello and Happy Thanksgiving, friends.

This Thanksgiving will look far different from what many of us are accustom to.  Concern and worry over spreading the virus will keep gatherings smaller and the distance between us greater.  

The Bible says in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18:

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 

 It says, "give thanks in ALL circumstances", not just in situations where we are happy or comfortable.  So, no matter what our meal plans end up looking like this year, we are to give thanks.  

Just pause for a moment and tell God a few things you can see around you that you are thankful for in this moment.  As I type, I can see my husband and our sons.  We are all gathered in our living room, doing our own things, but we are together and there is love in this room and for that, I am grateful.  I am thankful for our home and the warmth it is providing on this chilly evening.  I am thankful for this online community that I have met through Bible Journaling and for being apart of this creative team for Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps.  And to make this super relevant for 2020, I'm thankful I got my toilet paper order from Costco sitting by the door, waiting to be put away.  😂

Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has plenty; not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.  -Charles Dickens

I hope your Thanksgiving is full of just that....giving Thanks to God for His abundance, counting your blessings and at least being able to talk to your family and friends and letting them know how much you love them.  

Page details:

I wanted a simple page that reminded me of fall and harvest time, so I used watercolors to paint this field of wheat.  I stamped my title with my all time favorite alpha from Sweet 'n Sassy. (All of Me Alpha)

I hope you have a Happy & safe Thanksgiving!

Jill

 

What Guides You?

What guides me through life?

That's a question that could be answered a million different ways.  I have certainly used experience to help me determine a course of action.  I regularly seek the advice of family and friends.  I have even allowed social media (or the media in general) to influence my feelings.

While some of these options are certainly better than the latter, my best and most reliable option for guidance is the Word of God.  

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

               Psalms 119:105

The world can be a dark and dangerous place, but the word of God is our light.  The Bible is our compass, meant to guide our steps and teach us how to walk as Christians. 

2 Timothy 3:16-17 says,

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Let's be guided by the light. 

Crafty details:

I started this page by blending some Distress Oxide inks on the page, being sure to leave a light area where my lantern was going to hang.  I stamped the beautiful lantern from the new Shine Your Light set and painted it with Tarnished Brass Distress paint.  I painted the tree using Distress paint and stamp the leaves with several shades of brown oxide inks.  The leaves, flowers and grasses are all from the Nature Silhouettes set.   I stamped my title with words from the Shine Your Light and Way Maker sets.  I added some paint splatters to finish off the page.

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

Jill

 

 

 

More Valuable than Birds

Hey Friends!

How's everyone doing?  I pray you are all safe and well.  I know so many people who have been consumed with anxiety and fear over the past several weeks.  I admit, I have had times when fear has crept in to my mind as well.  Many of our lives have been completely transformed by impacts from the coronavirus.  We are concerned about our health and the health of our loved ones, about our jobs and finances, and we are all adjusting to the new normal of social distancing.  Many people are stockpiling supplies and food and we are encouraged to wear masks and gloves when we go out of the house.

The times we are living in is surreal and uncertain, but the Bible tells us over and over again, to "fear not".  Jesus addresses anxiety and worry in this way to his disciples:

 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. For there is more to life than food, and more to the body than clothing. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn, yet God feeds them. How much more valuable are you than the birds! And which of you by worrying can add an hour to his life? So if you cannot do such a very little thing as this, why do you worry about the rest?"

Luke 12:22-26 

When you feel anxious, turn to the Word of God for comfort.  God holds us all in the palm of His hand and knows the outcome of this pandemic before it began.  He will use this for His glory.  I am praying you all find peace and rest in the Father's presence and in the knowledge that if he looks after the birds, he will certainly look after you.

Page Details:
I did a simple watercolor background for my page.  I stamped out this lovely bird from the new Beautiful Birds set on watercolor paper, colored it in and adhered it to the page.  I stamped my title using Print Blocks Alpha, Bitty Mini Alpha, and Skinny Mini Alpha. 

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

XOXO,

Jill

Suffer A Little While

Hello friends!  I pray everyone is safe and doing well.  Life is looking a little different for most of us currently thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, am I right?  We are all trying to adjust to our new routines.

Conditions in our area, are like many places...most grocery store shelves are bare, schools are closed, and restaurants are all drive-ins or open to pick up orders only.  Though there have been some inconveniences, so far things have changed little in my household.  My husband, myself and our two sons are still able to go to work as usual, we have the necessities and we are healthy.  Sadly, I know that is not the case for many people. 

As I prayed over this post, I was led to 1 Peter 5:6-11.  I hope you find it encouraging as I give my thoughts on these verses. 

6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

In verses 6-7 Peter instructs us to lay aside our pride and give our fears and worries to God, the God who loves us.  What anxieties do you have today that you can hand over to the Father about the coronavirus?

8Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

Peter warns us in verses 8-9 that the devil is on the prowl, ready to tempt us and destroy us in our suffering.  Do not be fooled.  The evil one is searching for us even now, looking to tear us down and fill us with fear.  He would love to discredit us and our testimony during this time.  Use the truths you know about God to fight the fears and lies the devil tells you.  God loves you and wants to prosper you.  He sent His only Son to save YOU.  Peter also urges us to keep strong in our faith and reminds us, we aren't suffering this alone.  Children of God around the world are all being affected by Covid-19 and are under attack from the devil.  

10And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 11To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.

God, in his unfailing grace, is using our suffering to perfect, prove, and strengthen us.  Thankfully, we get hope from this verse, that we will only suffer a little while.  He will bring us through this pandemic in His timing, which is perfect. 

Perhaps, He is even using this virus, to turn the world back to Him.  Maybe He is reminding us of the importance of the time we have and how we use it.  Through the changes in our routines, we have been pushed back in to our homes, with our families, eating around our table.  We have had to give up idols that come in the form of sporting events, concerts, movies and even our jobs in some cases.  Let's use this time, as Christians, to show the world what we are made of.  We are called to love and honor God above all else, love one another and deny ourselves, and pray continually.  We are never alone in the battles we face. 

  

Page Details:
I started this page by blending distress oxide inks on to my page. I stamped dandelions from the new Blessings in Disguise set across the bottom.  I colored the stems in with a green Faber Castell pen and used a white Uniball Signo gel pen to add some white highlights to the seeds.  I stamped a sentiment from the Peony Cluster set above my dandelions.  I used the Loop da Loop Alpha and Mini Grunge Type Alpha to stamp out my title.  I finished my page by journaling a prayer and drawing a sketchy box around my focus verses.

I pray God protects and blesses each of you in these uncertain times.  Encourage and help each other when you can.  Remember to wash your hands and say your prayers because Jesus and germs are everywhere.  

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

xoxo,

Jill

Grow Hope

Winter is a tough season for many people.  The shorter, colder days (and in some places, lots of snow) keep us from getting out anymore than necessary.  Thankfully, signs of spring are starting to pop up in many areas.  One of the earliest signs that winter is losing it's cold grip are daffodils pushing their cheerful yellow heads out of the frosty ground.  It seems this year, they are emerging earlier than usual in my area, but none to soon for my warm weather loving heart.  They were the inspiration for my page today.  

As one of the first flowers of spring, daffodils symbolize rebirth and new beginnings.  Daffodils are often given on 10 year wedding anniversaries to mean joy, cheerfulness, and happiness.  They represent hope for a cure for cancer for the American Cancer Society and are the March birth flower.  

As the daffodils grow and bloom, we have hope that the winter is coming to an end and spring is coming.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. 

Romans 15:13

Friends, we should have hope for a far greater reason than the end of winter, however.  We have hope for eternal life in Heaven!  If we believe that Jesus Christ was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, died on the cross for our sins and rose again after 3 days, we are promised a place in Heaven.  He sits at the right hand of God, covering us with His grace.  What greater hope is there?!?

If you are without hope today, pray for God to fill you up with His overflowing peace, love and joy.  Grow the hope your soul longs for by watering it with the Word of God.  Trust that He is the fountain of hope that never runs dry.  Give your fears and worries over to the one who can wash way every burden and sin.   

Page Details:

To create this page, I traced an outline image of some daffodils from a free download.  I added some line detail to the image with a micron pen and colored in loosely using Inktense blocks.  I splattered some paint on the page and used the script stamp from Texture Tiles 1 in the background.  I stamped my title using the Loop da Loop Alpha and added a dragonfly using the Dragonfly Dreams set.  I finished it off with some washi tape, a bow clip and my date stamp.

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

Praying you are abounding in joy & peace,

Jill