How do you fight your battles?

"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart."
Hebrews 4:12

We are in a battle every day, and that battle is won or lost in our mind. While the enemy cannot take you from God's family if you are a child of God, he can defeat and discourage you and make you completely ineffective in your spiritual life. Sometimes the battle is external - a conflict, a disagreement, a physical ailment - but often it is internal, and it stems from our own sinful heart. This is not a battle that can be fought with physical weapons. The only way to fight back is with truth from God's Word. 

The Bible tells us in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 that:

"All scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work."

You can't trust your heart ("The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked" Jeremiah 17:9), you can only trust what God's Word says is true. And the only way to know what God's Word says is true, is to get His Word in your heart and mind ("be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God." Romans 12:2). 

So when you find yourself in a battle for your mind, solidify yourself with God's truth. 

God's truth about worry:

• John 14:27, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give unto you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be trouble, neither let them be afraid."
• Matthew 6:25-26, "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?"
• Psalm 59:16, "But I will sing of your strength; I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning. For you have been to me a fortress and a refuge in the day of my distress."
• Matthew 6:34, "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."
• Psalm 4:8, "I will both lay me down in peace and sleep: for thou O Lord only maketh me dwell in safety."

God's truth about discouragement:

• Joshua 1:9, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."
• John 16:33, "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."
• 1 Peter 5:7, "Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you."
• Romans 15:13, "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may about in hope."

God's truth about body image:

• Psalm 139:14, "I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well."
• Proverbs 31:30, "Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised."
• Ephesians 2:10, "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."
• Genesis 1:27, "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them."
• 1 Samuel 16:7, "But the Lord said to Samuel, 'Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees; man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart."

God's truth about forgiveness:

• Ephesians 4:32, "Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you."
• Mark 11:25, "And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses."
• 1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
• James 5:16, "Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working."

What battles are you fighting today? Are they external or internal? Are you trying to fight them on your own power, or are you relying on truth from God's Word? I encourage you to take a few minutes today to see what the Bible says about your specific battle. The enemy is the Father of Lies (John 8:44) and will do all he can to defeat and discourage you. Don't let him win the battle for your mind today! Fight your battle with TRUTH. 

Page Details

Getting messy with Distress Oxides and stamps really is my happy place. I used Distress Oxides in Peacock Feathers, Picked Raspberry, and Wild Honey to create this page. I first prepped the page with gesso so I could get the fun water effect, then taped off my scripture passage with washi tape (careful when you pull it off at the end so you don't rip the page!). I then used daubers to apply the ink to the page and immediately spritzed with water. It's fun to spritz the page, then tip the page up so the water runs down the page - gives it a really great effect. I then stamped the page using the following stamp sets: Fall in Love with Jesus, The Lord's Battle, Marker Alpha, and the Texture Tiles 1 and Typewriter Text Background stamps. 

    

These two background stamps sets are probably my most used stamp sets ever! They are great for adding dimension and depth to any page. 

  

I pray you use the Word of God to fight all your battles this week. 💛

Love in Christ, 
Janelle
Let's connect on IG: @journalingjoy

Be United

1 Corinthians 1:10

"I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, 

in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 

that all of you agree with one another in what you say 

and that there be no divisions among you, 

but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought."

Currently, our nation is divided and torn apart by disagreement. There are so many things that everyone is "choosing sides" on right now that it is mentally and emotionally exhausting! If you turn on the news, the only thing they seem to highlight is all the chaos and hate happening. But that is NOT the whole picture. I KNOW it's not, and I refuse to believe that the whole country hates each other. There are so many of us that love each other, despite their views on politics, mask wearing, and whatever else you choose. Some people don't seem to realize that yes, it IS possible to disagree with someone but still be respectful and kind. 

I'm sure as God is looking down over his people, He is heartbroken by how torn apart we currently are. When the coronavirus first started hitting the United States and we were all closed up in our homes, it really seemed like the majority of our country was united and "in this together". Sadly that seemed very short lived. Soon, the new debate will be whether you choose to get a vaccine or not. 

The Lord wants us to be united, and to treat one another with love and respect. In 1 Corinthians 1:10 Apostle Paul writes that Jesus wants us all to agree with one another and have no divisions among us.  While the thought of that is wonderful, sadly, I highly doubt we will see a day like that anytime soon. One thing we should all be able to agree on is that we should all be treated equally in all matters, and no one held in any higher or lower regard because of the color of their skin. I tell my kids all the time, that God made his people in all shapes, sizes and colors, and that he loves each person equally. We are ALL brothers and sisters in Christ and we should be treating each other as such. 

I challenge you! Let's continue to shine our lights during these difficult and emotional times. Do something kind for someone! One kind gesture from you can lead to another kind gesture to another person. This world needs more Jesus and more kindness right now, so let's get it going!

Do something kind!

Pay for the persons order behind you in the the drive thru
Help and elderly person at the grocery store
Mail a card or a letter to someone
Call or text someone to let them know they're important to you
Have food delivered to a loved ones home
Leave positive reviews for items you have purchased online from small businesses
Let someone in front of you in the check out line at the grocery store
Leave prepackaged snacks by the door for delivery drivers
 Donate blood
Compliment or encourage a coworker
Add a positive comment into a conversation that may be turning negative
Cut your neighbors grass if they are elderly or not feeling well

There is an endless list of things you could do to brighten someones day and touch their spirit. We are all brothers and sisters in Christ! Let's start treating each other like we are!

xoxo,

Stephanie Gammon

IG: @faith.and.creativity

Fall in Love With Jesus

All in All 

Free Unity Printable
by Hillary Krippaehne
Available in the Creative Worship Facebook Group

Love & Truth

And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more 

in real knowledge and all discernment. Philippians 1:9

Hi Friends!

In honor of Veteran's Day, to all those who have served, and to those who continue to serve...thank you! Even more than the gratitude we owe you, we owe you our freedom.

Today, I want to talk about love and truth. In today's world, love is equated with acceptance of all behaviors, whether those behaviors are appropriate or sinful. The world often tells us if we don't agree with a certain behavior or lifestyle, then we are haters. But that simply isn't true.

What does the Bible tell us? My pastor has been teaching on Revelation. Here's my take away from his message on Sunday. Paul wrote in Philippians 1:9 that he prayed the church's love would be abundant in knowledge and discernment. Jesus commended the church of Ephesus in Revelation 2 for holding fast to His truth but reprimanded them for losing their first love. He also commended the church of Thyatira in the same chapter for their strong love but reprimanded them for not adhering to His truth. So, to be effective for God, the church can't be all truth and no love. But, it also can't be all love and no truth. It has to be both. The church is called to love, and it is also called to speak truth. And for some reason, humans seem to have difficulty in merging those two things. We do one of two things:

1. We embrace the truth but judge others when they don't follow God's truth. We get so wrapped up in what people should be doing or not doing and whether this lifestyle is right or wrong, that we forget to love them. People we are trying to draw to Jesus are not going to hear His message if we put them on the defensive. First, we need to have a relationship with them. We need to love them. When they feel loved and genuinely cared for, then and only then will they be open to hear about Jesus and the way He wants us to live.
2. We love others and compromise God's truth because of that love. When this happens, we begin to accept things that the Bible tells us are sinful. We compromise. We lose sight of how Jesus wants us to live. Without God's truth, love gets warped into something God never intended. Eventually, everything gets warped. And isn't our world looking pretty warped now?

So, we must love. But we also must stay rooted in God's truth. And we must speak that truth in love. May we love abundantly, and may that love be full of knowledge and discernment, just as Paul prayed.

Page Details: I used the following Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps sets: Art Deco Alpha and Fall in Love with Jesus. I also used watercolor crayons, a Micron pen, and a pencil. Yes, a pencil! Rebecca Rios shared that she uses a pencil to shadow. And I think this is an awesome tip! So, the letters are shadowed with a pencil. Whenever I try to use a gray pen, it ends up leaving a dark dot where I lift the pen up. I hate that. With the pencil- no dots! And, you can erase if you mess up. Win, win!! This month is Sweet 'n Sassy's 12th birthday! Celebrate with us by getting a 12% discount all month long!

 Have a blessed week! Andrea

Complete Love...

Hi friends,

When I read the Bible I am frequently challenged by the connection made between love and obedience, between faith and deeds. Love is not simply a feeling and faith is not simply a decision to believe in something. Love and faith are active words - they require a lived-out response.

1 John 2:3-6 is particularly challenging!

We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.

When we obey God, we are demonstrating our love for him. That is how love is made complete in us. 

It is easy when we read verses like this to feel guilt and condemnation because we all fall short of complete obedience. But the aim of these verses is not to heap condemnation on us but to encourage us to live out our love for God by following Jesus' example of obedience. That is a decision that we can make in every moment of the day, whether facing big challenges and trials or a million tiny moments where we can choose to obey God's word or do it our own way. Every time we choose obedience, God's love is being made complete in us, which is pretty amazing!

I created the background for this page by applying a few layers of gesso, then when dry I applied Distress Oxide inks using an oval makeup brush then splattered with water. I stamped the verse using a combination of the new set Fall in Love with Jesus as well as two alpha sets: Happy Alpha and Mini Grunge Type Alpha.

I pray that God's love may be completed in each one of us as we read and obey his word, seeking to follow in Jesus' footsteps.

Be blessed...

x Amy x

Grateful Heart Journaling Cards

Fall is in full swing here in the middle of the Mitten (aka Michigan 😉). The mornings are crisp and cool, and the leaves are turning all sorts of beautiful colors. Fall is my favorite season - I love the beautiful colors, the pumpkins, the apple cider, and especially the caramel apples. Yum!! 

The changing seasons reminds me of life's ever-changing seasons. Life never stays the same, it's always changing. But you know what never changes? God's love for YOU. He has said He will never leave you nor forsake you, and He is a God who keeps His promises. Fall is the perfect time to reflect on God's love for you with an open and grateful heart. 

If you've spent any amount of time on the Creative Worship blog or Facebook group, you've seen the wonderful journaling cards made by our very own Deirdre (@merciesjournaled). (You should totally check out her YouTube channel!) After returning from our CW Retreat this past week, I decided to make some journaling cards with the new Grateful Heart stamp set. I'm so thankful for all God has done and continues to do in my life, and I'm especially thankful for the new friendships I've gained because of this Bible Journaling Community. ♡

These cards are so fun and easy to make! I started with a blank piece of 9"x12" watercolor paper (simple cardstock works well too). I then splashed a couple different "autumn-ish" colored watercolors all over the page. There is no rhyme or reason to this madness, it really is just dabbing watercolor randomly all over the page. You can let dry, then do another layer of random color. I then splattered the page with some more autumnal colors. Once you have a good base color pattern, it's time to cut your journaling cards. I cut the sheet longways down the middle so I had two 4.5" sides. I then cut them into 3" cards. A 9"x12" sheet will give you eight 4.5"x3" cards. The perfect size!

I then stamped my images with my handy new MISTI Stamping Tool. This tool stamps images so quickly and cleanly, it only took me a couple minutes to stamp my cards. I just LOVE it!! 😍

These little cards are perfect to stick in your kiddo's lunchbox, give to a teacher to brighten her day, stick in an envelope with a card, or tape in your Bible as a little reminder for you. The possibilities are endless! Here is an example of a journaling card in my Bible. I wrote a short prayer on the back of this card, then paperclipped in my Bible. 💕 

I encourage you to take 20 minutes and create your own set of journaling cards, then hand them out to people who cross your path this week. Share a little bit of God's light and be a blessing to someone this week. 😉

Lots of love, 
Janelle
@journalingjoy

I used the Grateful Heart and Fall in Love with Jesus stamp sets in creating my journaling cards. The Grateful Heart stamp set is the Stamp of the Month from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps and is FREE with a $75 order. 😍

 

My God, That is Who You Are!

"And when your children ask you, ‘What does this ceremony mean to you?’ then tell them, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes when he struck down the Egyptians.’” Then the people bowed down and worshiped."  

Ex. 12:26-27

Hello!
It's Deeds with another devotional and Bible Journaling page!  This one is such a fun one to me.  A LOT of stamping; a LOT of ink; a LOT of color; a LOT of fun!

Before I start, let me just say that this is a different sort of process for me.  There wasn't the usual background smooshing I do.  There are no ornate flowers or shapes.  It's pretty simple, actually, and one of my favorite pages I've ever done.  Mostly because the page represents something amazing!  God recently used a song to help me - urge me - to become more aware of His presence and work.  After this song was introduced to me (and my church), the Lord also led me to a Bible study of Exodus 12.  

This precious section of scripture put all the words of the song mentioned into plain and solid doctrine that could find lodging in my weary heart. 
We can be weary of so many things, in so many ways.  You don't have to be going through a huge ordeal to be weary.  You don't have to be suffering in sickness or want to be weary.  Sometimes just the constant badgering of our enemy to believe age-old lies about you, and about God, can be overwhelming and especially taxing spiritually.

Following a couple Sundays of "Way Maker," and then this sweet portion of God's Word, my heart finds itself refreshed and ready to take on the day - and MORE! 
With a reminder of the Gospel of grace comes healing, repenting, restoration, revival, strength and power!  Truths in scripture lend so much perspective, insight, and truth!
1.  God is God.
2.  I am His.

Everything that follows those two amazing statements is bonus; everything that comes out of God being God, and my being His, is a supernatural outflow through the Holy Spirit. 
Because I am His, I am safe.
Because I am His, I do not want.

Because God is God, there is truth.
Because God is God, there is a way.

Because God is God, I know my own sinfulness.

Because I am His, I also know forgiveness.

There's more.  A bunch more, and all we ever need "for life and godliness," is in the pages of God's breathed-out message of a future and a hope. 

The lyrics to the song I'm referring to, go like this:

You are here
Moving in our midst
I worship you
I worship you
You are here
Working in this place
I worship you
I worship you
You are here
Moving in our midst
I worship you
I worship you
You are here
Working in this place
I worship you
I worship you

Way maker
Miracle worker
Promise keeper
Light in the darkness
My God
That is who you are
Way maker
Miracle worker
Promise keeper
Light in the darkness
My God
That is who you are

You are here
Touching every heart
I worship you
I worship you
You are here
Healing every heart
I worship you
I worship you
You are here
Turning lives around
I worship you
I worship you
You are here
Mending every heart
I worship you
I worship you

I stamped out the titles of God mentioned in this song, relating them to the deliverance of Israel from Egypt and the misery of bondage, but also to the deliverance of all people post-crucifixion and our misery in bondage!

For the Israelites:
God made a way through through the very front door of Egypt, through the chasm of separated waters in the Red Sea, to a place of freedom and worship!
God performed mighty miracles of help and solace when they began to hunger, thirst, and misplace their trust.
God made good on His promise for a future of life and prosperity under His guidance for a people who would make Him their Lord. 
God was Light in the darkness multiple times, allowing His glory to be shown to a small degree that they may see His care and provision.

For us today:
Jesus IS the Way, and beckons us to find Him, the narrow entrance to His kingdom.
Jesus IS the Miracle of hope and healing for every "weary" soul, to the glory of Almighty God!
Jesus IS the fulfillment of God's promise, and He continues to shine God's faithfulness to ALL generations.
Jesus IS the Light in our world, giving us light in a very dark place.

Yes, there is more.  Much more. 
The Bible says, however, that not every single wonder Jesus has done could be completely recorded for there is not enough space to pen them!  But we know from scripture that we CAN understand this:
He is the Way-maker,
Miracle Worker,
Promise Keeper,
Light in the Darkness.
My God, that is WHO YOU ARE!

Much love this Tuesday,
Deeds