God is my Confidence

"Your promise still stands, great is Your faithfulness...I'm still in Your hands. 
This is my confidence: You've never failed me yet!"  Elevation Worship, "Do it Again"

Heya!
Deeds here :D

Goodness me!  The day before the new month, and we're already on a new release for Sweet n Sassy Stamps!  It's exciting to see what the designers come up with, and if you would just join me in a quick "SHOUT OUT" for all their love and efforts, that would be awesome!
GIRLS, YOU ROCK IT!
I hope you were able to watch the release yesterday - it was pretty exciting!

During this time of transition from October to November, I'm sure I'm not the only one who has experienced a bit of "labor pains" of new routines or revamped schedules.  When Fall falls, we all get the sense that things are gonna change for sure.  We grow fond of our leafy decor, pumpkin patches, PSL's, foliage ventures, and fun sayings hanging above our stoked fireplaces. 
Our hearts tend hopeful as we go from a long and busy summer to a cooler, tempered autumn.  It's not easy to readjust to the new norm of activity, events, rainy days, and sick kids.  But, it's a lot easier with a cup of hot something or other and a fun, full scarf!
What I'm saying is, transition is good, interesting and sometimes difficult.  It can be helpful, awkward, or wonderful, or all three!
We've had a bit of changing around here, recently.  It's been good, bad, ugly and exciting all wrapped up into one hot mess.  Some call it, "life."
Not perfect. 
Not terrible.
Doable.
Life.

I needed ALL the space to place my Charles Spurgeon notes inside this page,
so I made sure to keep the background simple with ink smooshing.

With such transitions,  I exercise my emotional "muscles" in this little world of mine - flexes from  overwhelming joy to overwhelming overwhelmed-ness.  I don't know how else to say it.
But, as one who claims the Lord Jesus as Savior, I'm learning what it means to lean.  I'm understanding a bit more of what the good Lord means by, "trust in the LORD with all of your heart."

God is gracious.  That is certain.
God is faithful.  That is forever!
Keep that in mind, Deeds.

As hindsight took a 20/20 these last couple of weeks, I came to understand - AGAIN - the working of God's character in all situations.  It hasn't been the best of 2 weeks.  In fact, the sinful nature of my heart kicked and screamed against some of the happenings that God allowed, namely, physical injuries, personal insults, sick children, and the like. 
Even still, we have yet to reach the mountain crest again, and when we do, I've elected to look with fondness at the passing of the valley.  
I don't like the valley.
I don't like the shadows in the valley.
I don't like the idea of the valley.
I don't like the possibilities of the valley.
I don't like the presence of the valley.
It's hard in the valley.

What did we say before?
God is gracious.  That is certain.
God is faithful.  That is forever.

I highly recommend reading Charles Spurgeon's notes on Psalm 44!
They are wonderful!!

I read Psalm 44 somewhere in the middle of what I would call "a siege."  Fairly timely, as per usual for God.  What a read!
Here, we have 8 full and worshipful verses speaking to God's care, control, deliverance, power, Kingship and authority.  It's beautiful.  It's what I would say from any peak! 
It's also a surprising lead to verse 9 and following, where we get an immediate turn about - the exact opposite sentiments of the prior 8 verses.  This point of the chapter brings weightiness to my heart.  Most likely because it's this last half or so of the Psalm that I resonate with the most. 
God, where are you?
Have you forgotten me?
Have you forsaken me?
Do you love me anymore?
Is my life hidden from your sight?

Oh, friends, it's hard in the valley.  It's hard to systematically work through the bitter edges of the puzzle, trying to put pieces together that make any sense whatsoever. 
It's hard in the valley. 
As I talked with my insta-bestie, Colleen (@stirthesoul), we shared with one another the expression, "count it all joy," as it pertains to our lives currently.  We encouraged each other with this:
"It's in the valleys we become closest to God."  YES!
It's in the valleys we learn our total and utter dependence on the rightful Keeper of our faith. Amen!

How are we to have joy in the pits?
Why are we to have joy in the deep ravines?

Because, Psalm 44:1-8
Read it...rejoice in it...

O God, we have heard with our ears,
    our fathers have told us,
what deeds you performed in their days,
    in the days of old:
² you with your own hand drove out the nations,
    but them you planted;
you afflicted the peoples,
    but them you set free;
³ for not by their own sword did they win the land,
    nor did their own arm save them,
but your right hand and your arm,
    and the light of your face,
    for you delighted in them.

⁴ You are my King, O God;
    ordain salvation for Jacob!
⁵ Through you we push down our foes;
    through your name we tread down those who rise up against us.
⁶ For not in my bow do I trust,
    nor can my sword save me.
⁷ But you have saved us from our foes
    and have put to shame those who hate us.
⁸ In God we have boasted continually,
    and we will give thanks to your name forever.  Selah

Amen!?

 

I went ahead and created an insert for my "loved" Bible, so that someone else may see and read for herself:
God is gracious and faithful!

As life transitions, changes, falls where it may, there can be dark periods wherein we MUST persist!  The way we do this with anticipation, joy and hope, is by praising God through His immutable characteristics!  There are many, but what did we say before?
God is gracious.  That is certain!
God is faithful.  That is forever!

Moving through valleys brings a clearer view of our powerlessness compared to an all-powerful God!
It brings us to a humbled place before our Sovereign Lord.
It moves us to a contriteness before our merciful Savior.

Not convinced?
Re-read verses 1-8 again. 
The psalmist writes of a history.  A history of his people.  His fathers.  His ancestors who knew and saw the glory of God.  It's a record.  A remembering.  A recalling of facts of Almighty God.

We do not need to be on the mountaintop to see that God is gracious.  That is certain!  His present touch and handle on your life and mine is as close in proximity as when we're walking tippy top, sunshine warming our face!
We do not need to fear the valley; God is faithful.  That is forever!  His never-changing person brings a hope in who He has been from the beginning of time. 

I like the precious moments He sends to reassure me: I am His. 
The other night, during youth group worship we sang the song, "Do it again," by Elevation Worship.  I listened to every lyric, attempting to capture each one in my heart and feed it to my soul. 
Good stuff.
Stuff that helps bring a soul up to worship; lift it up to song and praise.

I've seen You move!  You move the mountains! 
And I believe I'll see You do it again!

The refrain, "but you have never failed me yet," holds dear to me, and as I await the next peak of sunshine, I want to remember: "great is Your faithfulness, Your faithfulness!  Your promise still stands, THIS IS MY CONFIDENCE, YOU'VE NEVER FAILED ME YET." 

In this low, I am high with confidence in a God that never fails. 
In this ache, I am healed with confidence in a God that never fails.
In this darkness, I am guided with confidence in a God that never fails.

Never.
Not. Ever.

Much love,
Deeds

IG: @mercies_journaled


Thanks for reading, friends!  I encourage you to dive into Psalm 44 today and read of God's character.

Jesus Paid it All

This is a journaling card made with Faber Castell Pitt brush pens & inserted into a compact Bible that will be given away.

"He has destroyed what was against us, a certificate of indebtedness expressed in decrees opposed to us.  He has taken it away by nailing it to the cross." (Col. 2:14)

Hello again, Tuesday!

Happy Tuesday, sweet creatives!
The weeks go by so fast, don't they?  Feels like I was just here to share a bit of what the Lord has laid on my heart for ministry, and poof! Here I am again! 

Seems like there's always a lot going on, but for a moment, I just want you to look at the simple lyric above.  "Jesus paid it all; all to Him I owe."
The sweet melody that accompanies this does nothing compared to the truth that is set in front of us here in Colossians.  But, before I get ahead of myself...

I have had a weekend full of everything from downright discouragement to complete joy.  I have had a weekend full of one surrender after another, giving what is rightfully God's and laying it at His feet.  I have a hard time explaining how sorrow and joy can coexist, but I will do my best.

Jesus paid it all, friends.
What do I mean by that?  What does the BIBLE mean about that?
What is the explanation behind joy in sorrow; behind contentedness through suffering?

The position the Bible takes on "Jesus paid it all," lays heavily into the aspect of "all."
All is all.
All means all.

All has large implications and has no exclusions.
I've been convicted in this department as I've held on to a bit of my past that I didn't know I hadn't trusted Christ to pay for.
In my attempts to be as simplistic yet realistic as possible, Jesus stretched His arms out ALL the way.
His death was not untimely; it was planned.
His sacrifice was not unwarranted; rather, necessary.

His life was not in vain; rather, perfect.

Colossians 2:13-14

When you see something like, "Jesus paid it all," I wonder how many of us do not believe the full extent of this gospel header.  I wonder if we are harboring a sliver of shame, guilt, weight, that was perfectly accounted for as the Father nailed it to the cross in the ultimate act of Love.
I learned this past weekend, in the Revive Out Hearts conference 2019, baggage comes at a great cost- not just at the airport - but as the figurative weight of a decision to carry something that is not ours to carry.   A burden not ours to bear.
As a Christian, my life is hid in Christ.  All sins that created the "crimson stain" in my soul are washed clean and I am white as snow.  Knowing the Savior I know, my heart has been changed and my life renewed.  But what I also found out is I am unable to receive grace because of un-confessed sin in my life.

The Word of God is clear about salvation.  It says in Romans 10:9,
"...if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." 

It is clear that confessing sins is not part of obtaining salvation.  However, when it comes to obtaining a clear conscience and blessed stance of closeness with our Lord, confessing sins is a necessary part of receiving the gospel; the magnificent gospel of grace in time of need.
Jesus is our Advocate to the Father, constantly interceding on our behalf.  We have been granted an Intercessor as part of our journey in Christ!  It is not for salvation that we bring our heavy-laden hearts to the Father; it is for sanctification!  And the more we practice this posture of need, bringing our brokenness before the Throne, the more we see the over and abundant grace that is sufficient for us!
Friends, Jesus paid it all.
All to Him we owe.
We need not harbor the weight of what Jesus bled and died for.  If we "confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."  (1 John 1:9)  We are washed white as snow, to be sure, but are also commanded to stay in step with the Holy Spirit.  Part of daily drawing nearer to Almighty God is by way of confession.  Again, not to be saved, for that has happened upon the moment of belief!  But rather, for the growth of the "new man" who is saved and being prepared for the eternal glory ahead.

I am not in the habit of doing this.  I am not in a regular cycle in my prayer time of confessing my anger, my bitterness, my resentment, my envy, my jealousy... my so much more.
But I will tell you, without a doubt in my soul, that upon confession of these things, the barriers that lie between me and my precious Savior fall.  The vertical relationship is freed up for further intimacy; the horizontal relationships, likewise. Oh, beautiful grace!

This tiny bloom is part of the set called, "Succulents" by Rebecca Rios.

Oh praise the One who paid my debt,
who raise this life up from the dead!
JESUS!

Much love,

Deeds

PS - Only sneak peeks of the October release for now.  Full release for October will be available next week.  Keep your eyes on the lookout! :D
PPS - Please use my affiliate link here to shop at the Sweet n Sassy Stamps Store!  

In The Morning

"In the morning when I rise, give me Jesus!"

Hello, sweet blogger friends!  ✋

Deeds here, ready to lay it on us!  Ready to bring it; gonna bring the Word!
As I sit here giggling at my feeble attempts to be funny, I just want to say that although the Word of God is a serious matter, I am still thankful that God gave us humor and the ability to laugh.
This has nothing to do with the topic for today, but I did want to let you know: this gal likes a good hearty laugh, and a good hearty laugh often!  It's good for the soul, amen?

Ok!  This is a bit different of a post as it brings something too close to home; close enough that I debated with God about even writing/sharing it. 
I'm not thrilled at my lack of discipline when it comes to three basic necessities of the Christian faith: prayer, study, and meditation.  But declaring a weakness - confessing sins to my siblings in Christ - is part of healing and repentance. 
I'm talking about spending time in the Word.
Spending time with God.

Spending time being with God in prayer.
Spending time - sacrificing time - to give your first and early moments of the day to God.

I used to sing that song, "Give Me Jesus," a lot.  I used to play it loudly from my car as I painfully navigated my divorce.  I used to cry the lyrics to the Lord in hopes that He would indeed meet me in that safe and sacred place, wherein I could behold my first Love and allow His embrace to erase my depression.
However, I didn't realize that the phrase, "in the morning, when I rise," was so key. 

Tip in created in my process video with the "'reverse smooshing technique." :D
(Neo-color crayons and "In the Morning," stamp)

Now, please don't misunderstand; ANY time in the Word of God and ANY time spent with Him is wonderful.  It's all good.  All fruitful.  All a blessing. 
But recently, I have been burdened by my humanity, understanding that if I DO NOT GET THOSE FIRST MOMENTS OF MY DAY WITH THE LORD, I cannot guarantee a good day.  I cannot be sure that I will perform well.  Goodness me, I cannot promise that I will look/sound/act like a Jesus lover. 
In fact, I can almost 100 percent count on a misplaced trajectory, and an unsaturated heart for the Lord.

Bookmark created with wet on wet technique (neocolor crayons & "In the Morning" stamp).

My hope is that by writing this very personal (and somewhat embarrassing) piece of blog, I will be held accountable, for one.  But also, that this will encourage you to do what I have tried to establish as a course of action every single day: in the morning, when I rise, be with Jesus. 
There's such a difference in all around behavior.
There's such a contrast between when I do and when I don't, it's unreal.
There's such a blessing for others around me when I've elected to sit down first thing and be with Jesus.

There are plenty of scriptures to help inspire us to praise and petition in the morning:

"Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you." Psalm 33:22
"They rose early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord;" 1 Sam. 1:19

"O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch." Psalm 5:3
"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." Psalm 59:16

There's more of this on my Youtube process video!

Sing!
Rejoice!

Praise!
Pursue!

Get Jesus, and get Him in the morning!

Much love,

Deeds

"In the Morning" stamp available at the Sweet n Sassy Shop!
affiliate link: http://www.sweetnsassystamps.com?aff=7

"Fruit of the Spirit" Bible Verse Mini Flip Book

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." 

(Gal. 5:22-23)

I've had the chance over the last couple of months to do an in-depth study of the Fruit of the Spirit.  What I've discovered is that each fruit is an example of God's character represented in our lives, when we are walking and living by the Holy Spirit.  When I received my new Fruit of the Spirit stamp set, I decided to make a Fruit of the Spirit mini flip-book, with a key verse for each one.  

I started with some flat card fronts that I cut in half (you could easily use unlined index cards).  I started by stamping a fruit image onto each card, and then I adding one of the fruit words.

To do this I used a variety of alpha sets, including the new Chunky Lowercase, Skinny Minnie, Bitty Minnie, and Script Outline sets, as well as the Life in Jesus set.  

I added detailing to some of the letters with a while Uniball Signo Gel Pen. I also made a title card with all the fruit images around the border of the card.  

Next, I added color to each card by smooshing the ink from various Pitt Big Brush Markers. The point was to make the color look juicy and wet and spilled. 

I made an extra full card with the smooshed color, and then punched out tabs for my fruit cards. I hand-lettered each tab with the corresponding fruit, and attached it with a tiny stapler. 

Next, I splattered black watercolor paint to the cards with a thin paintbrush to contrast with the bright fruity colors. 

After that, I stamped the verse reference onto labels with the Bitty Minnie alpha, and embellished with some colorful enamel shapes. 

I then wrote out the Bible verses onto the backs of each card.  Finally, I punched holes into the corners of the cards, attached them together with a ring binder, and tied some colorful fabric bows onto the ring.

This mini-book can help me memorize and reflect on the key verses for each Spirit-fruit.  I love the finished product.  As a matter of fact, if you are planning on attending the Creative Worship Bible Journaling Retreat in September, I'm going to be leading a class on how to make these mini-books!  

May God bless you as you learn to grow and walk in the Spirit, and produce character fruit for Him! 

--Julie