Desert Lessons of 2020

 

Deuteronomy 8:1-5

"Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase and may enter and possess the land the Lord promised on oath to your ancestors. 

Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. 

He humbles you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not line on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. 

Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years. 

Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you."

Shew that was a longer excerpt than I usually share, but its all too good and too poignant to leave out any  of it. Am I right?! This CRAZY season we are in never seems to stop getting crazier! We had an earthquake here in North Carolina a couple weeks ago, and we never get earthquakes here! So, just add it to the crazy list of 2020. ✓

Through all of these crazy and stressful moments, you can't help but ask yourself "What can I be learning from this time?" Though hard times and difficult to go through, God does not walk us through those hard times for no reason. Dark times can be gifts from God if we let him teach us what he's trying to teach us. Our pastor shared 4 things that he thinks we can learn from this "desert" season we're in. And he called is a Desert season because the word desert means uninhabited. And we are definitely in some uninhabited/unprecedented times for sure!

 

The 4 Desert Lessons God May 

Want Us to Remember From 2020

1. We need to remember how God led us...

Just because we can't see where we are going in the future, doesn't mean God isn't leading us! He led Moses through the desert for forty years, and his people had to continue to trust him. 

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1

2. We need to remember how God tested us...

God keeps his promises and he will not allow you to be tested beyond your power to remain firm. At the time you are put to the test, he will give you the strength to endure it, 

and so provide you with a way out.

"No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so you can endure it." 1 Corinthians 10:13

3. We need to remember how God provided for us...

"He humbles you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not line on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years." Deuteronomy 8:3-4

4. We need to remember how God disciplined us...

A parent disciplines their child not because they don't love them, but because they DO! A parents job is to shape their children into good people. And sometimes that means discipline. God does the same with each of us. 

"Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you." Deuteronomy 8:5

I hope you found some value in this sermon as I did. I love to record life moments and lessons in the pages of my bibles. It will be something I can look back on tomorrow, next year or years from now and they we be just as important and relevant as they are right now. The bibles I work in are also going to be gifts to my children when they are older. So I am filling them with not only artwork, but with the knowledge and wisdom of our creator. 

xoxo,

Stephanie Gammon

IG: @faith.and.creativity

Let's Do This 

Landscape Silhouettes 

Messy Stamped Alpha

Typewriter Blocks Alpha

Classy Script Alpha

Grunge Elements 2

A Time for Everything

There is a time for everything,

    and a season for every activity under the heavens:

     a time to be born and a time to die,
    a time to plant and a time to uproot,
     a time to kill and a time to heal,
    a time to tear down and a time to build,
     a time to weep and a time to laugh,
    a time to mourn and a time to dance,
     a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
    a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
     a time to search and a time to give up,
    a time to keep and a time to throw away,
     a time to tear and a time to mend,
    a time to be silent and a time to speak,
     a time to love and a time to hate,
    a time for war and a time for peace. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

Hi Friends!
Today, we're in Ecclesiastes 3. When I was studying this passage, I came across an explanation of verses 1-8 that I'd like to share with you. The source is gotquestions.org.(https://www.gotquestions.org/time-for-everything.html) It says:

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 is a well-known passage that deals with the balanced, cyclical nature of life and says that there is a proper time for everything.In this passage, the Preacher (Solomon) says that there is a time for every matter in life. He illustrates this truth by juxtaposing opposites: fourteen pairs of contrasting activities as examples of how life is comprised of various seasons. A straightforward reading of the passage reveals several concepts:

First, the timing of our activities is important. Killing someone (Ecclesiastes 3:8) is generally considered evil and a crime, but that may change during a time of war, when defending one’s country can be considered a noble act. Dancing (verse 4) may be appropriate during a time of celebration, but it would not be appropriate for a funeral. Both our actions and the timing of our actions are important to God.

Second, these seasons in which certain pursuits are proper are appointed by God. His plan for life involves a variety of experiences and activities. Weeping may be part of life, but life is not all weeping; laughter has a place, too (Ecclesiastes 3:4). Construction is good in its time, but sometimes deconstruction is necessary (verse 3).

A key to this passage is found a few verses later: “He has made everything beautiful in its time” (Ecclesiastes 3:11). The proper activity at the right time, bringing about God’s purposes, is a beautiful part of God’s overall plan. A tapestry, viewed from the back, seems a chaotic and unlovely work; but the maker of the tapestry has a wise purpose for the placement of each thread.
Third, Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 serves as a bridge between the first two chapters and the section that follows. People are to accept each day as a gift from the hand of God (2:24–26). Why? Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 explains it is because God has a reason and a time for all things. People may be ignorant of God’s timing (3:9–11), but they are called to enjoy life in the present (3:12–13) and trust in God’s sovereignty (3:14–15).

God offers much wisdom in the saying, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” God is sovereign. Our activity in this world is meaningful as we rely on His wisdom, His timing, and His goodness.

Page Details:

I used the following Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps sets: Time Well Spent, Bold &Outline Caps, Consider the Wildflowers, Wood Backgrounds, Messy Stamped Alpha, With Love Alpha, and Sweet & Simple Alpha. Time Well Spent has clock hands; so you can make a clock out of anything! So cool! Time Well Spent is the June Stamp of the Month. You can get it for FREE with a $75 order. I used the wood background and painted the center with black acrylic paint. I embossed the numbers, and then stamped the clock hands in silver. I love SNSS alphas! If you don't like your own handlettering, or just want something different, alpha stamps are a great option. The new Bold & Outline alpha is great because you really get 2 alphas in one. You can use the solid or outline images alone, intermingled (as I did on this page), or outline the solid letters with the outline ones. It's such a versatile set as you can get so many different looks from it.

Have a blessed week! Andrea

Run With Endurance

“I am never signing up to do this again!” I scold myself as I’m half a mile into my race. “I don’t know what I was thinking wanting to get up before dawn to come out here and run this early in the morning.” If you know me, you know that I am NOT a morning person and I am definitely not an early morning exerciser. So the mere fact that I am running a race before dawn, or just after, tells you how much I love it. But right now, the road before me is long, crowded and already my legs are feeling heavy. But somewhere just beyond the first mile mark, something changes. My steps get secure. My breathing is under control and the crowd has lessened a bit. The distance before me is still daunting, but it seems do-able.

No matter what distance you run, the first mile is always the hardest. It’s crowded from the people clamored at the start line. Your pace is hard to find because you’re surrounded by people who run different speeds. And until the air clears a bit, it’s almost hard to breathe. But somewhere around that first mile mark, the dust settles some. The challenge is still there, but instead of being overwhelming, you realize that you do have the strength within you to tackle the race ahead. It’s in those moments that follow that you really begin to learn what you are made of. All of your preparation has reached a pinnacle and it’s time to put your training to the test. There’s so much that we can learn from running a race, but there are three main points I want to look at today.

1. Find a steady, but challenging pace. 
The starting line of a race is one of the most congested, chaotic places. There are hundreds and sometimes thousands of people all standing together with the same goal: get to the finish line as fast as you can. And as soon as that buzz sounds signaling the start of the race, everyone takes off. It’s crowded and hurried and often hard to find your running speed because you are surrounded by people running different paces. Sometimes you don’t realize how fast you are running until you start fighting fatigue prematurely. The key to running well is to find a pace that is steady, yet challenging. You want to find a pace that you can hold over a long period of time, yet one that will allow you to meet your time goals. 

My favorite place to start in a race is at the back. I may be one of the last ones through the starting line, but I typically don’t feel the pressure to keep up with everyone. As the race continues, the crowd clears. People are finding their own stride and are starting to lay claim to the race – it is theirs to run. The competition lies within themselves…can I do better this time than last? What can I do differently this time that I messed up on last time? 

As we are running through this life, the best thing that we can remember is to stay in stride behind Jesus. He is the ultimate pace-setter. Hebrews 12:2 tells us to “fix our eyes on Jesus.” Don’t try to run ahead when you feel strong or go around Him when the terrain seems rough. He sees the road ahead when we don’t and He knows which way is best. Follow Him. Keep your eyes focused on Him. Speed is important in a race, but more important than that is steadiness and consistency. Following Him will be challenging at times, but His steps are always secure; He is worthy to be trusted. Other paths and other people will look tempting to follow but He said, “There is only one way to the Father and that is through me” (John 14:6, paraphrased). Surrender the desire to run your own way and your own pace and stay focused on Him. Let Him guide your steps. Learn the way that He runs and mimic it. Because I can promise you one thing: He won’t let you down. 

2. When things get tough, slow down, but don’t stop.
Races are never flat. I gave up on that wish a long time ago! Pavement is uneven. Hills come and go. Running against the wind is a fight you can’t control. But one thing is certain: for every uphill you climb, there is always a downhill, or at least a flat road! Life happens. Trials come. But Jesus told us to run with endurance the race set before us. I love the definition of endurance. It is the ability to endure a difficult situation without giving way. It is the ability of someone or something to remain active for a long period of time while gaining immunity to fatigue. We are told to run with endurance the race set before us. When we place our hope in the Lord, we are told that “we will find new strength…[we] will run and not grow weary…” Isaiah 40:31. When that road ahead seems daunting, we place our hope and our trust in the Lord and He will give us the strength to endure. We press on toward the goal that Christ has called us to (Philippians 3:14). If we are in stride behind Him, we can have absolute certainty that the direction we are running is the right direction. We can know that when we encounter difficult circumstances that we are where we are supposed to be because HE has led us there. We can find JOY in the journey because we are running in step with Christ. Is He going to give us more than we can handle? YES…Because He wants to grow our dependence on Him. We run with endurance. We endure trials and suffering and pain and heartache because He is growing us and strengthening us to become more like Him. When those hill climbs are making your muscles burn, slow your steps but keep on running. He won’t run off and leave you, He still there marking out the path in front of you. Press on. The finish line is near!

3. Have a good playlist. 
As silly as it sounds, a critical component for me to run a good race is to have a good playlist. The beat of the music helps me keep my pace and when I am focused on the empowering words of the songs, I am able to mentally press through the tough times. A couple of years ago, I made the decision to only listen to Christian music while I am running. Music has such an impact on me and seems to go straight from my ears to my soul. Because of that, I made the choice that if I am going to be using music to get through tough workouts, I want it to point me to the one who can get me through all things- Christ. And there is nothing like worshipping while you’re running J

All that to say, it is vital that we surround ourselves with things that are going to uplift and encourage us on a daily basis. We need to have good, Christian friends to challenge us to be better people. We need to listen to music and read books that have positive, Biblically centered messages. We need to be involved in ministries that put Christ and others first. In our life-race, we need a good playlist to get us through the tough times. We need to be able to pull those messages from our subconscious to get us through the dark, unsteady times. The messages that you feed your mind will filter out into the way that you run and the way that you live. Make it good <3

By the time I get to the finish line I feel strong, accomplished and ready to take on the world. All thoughts of how hard the race was are gone and it’s in those moments that follow that I sign up for another race. Because there’s nothing like being welcomed back at the finish line with a loved ones arms around you, proud of you for what you have just done J Well done, faithful friends. We made it. 

Have a great weekend!
Jennifer
IG: @lifeintherace

Crafty Details
I started this page by stenciling some diamonds with Twisted Citron distress oxide and adding some texture with Texture Tiles 1 with Broken China. I printed the digital stamp Turtley Awesome and colored him with my Prismacolor colored pencils. I stamped the words with a combination of Messy Stamped Alpha and Teeny Alpha and finished with a few strips of washi on the top and bottom. 

Cleansed, NOT Consumed

 

But now, O Jacob, listen to the LORD who created you.

O Israel, the one who formed you says,

"Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you.

I have called you by name; you are mine.

When you go through deep waters,

I will be with you.

When you go through rivers of difficulty,

you will not drown.

When you walk through the fire of oppression,

you will not be burned up;

the flames will not consume you.

For I am the LORD, your God,

the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.

Isaiah 43:1-3 NLT

Have you ever wondered why God allows the trials and burdens in our lives?  I think we all have at some point in our faith walk.   The Bible never promises us a life without struggles.  Trials are inevitable.  In Isaiah 43:2, God says "when" we go through rivers and "when" we walk through fire, it doesn't say "if".  

God allows us to face these trials and hardships to cleanse and purify our hearts and to draw us closer to Him.  Just like steel, we can be strengthened in the fire; we can learn  from our struggles.  We can learn to trust more fully in the Lord.  We can learn compassion, humility, and vulnerability.  We can learn prospective and to be more thankful for the many blessings God gives us.  

The struggles we face can strengthen our relationship with the Father, if we remember that He is with us, just as He promises in the verses above.  He instructs us, "Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you".  He is our Creator and Redeemer.  He calls us His.  He promises to be with us as we walk through the fire.    

If you are in the fire, I pray you use this season to cleanse your heart and strengthen your relationship with the Lord.  I know the struggle is hard, but do not be consumed.  God will create beauty from the ashes.   

Page Details:

I started this page by painting flames, using acrylics in the lower corner.  Then I layered the beautiful black and white florals from Consider the Wildflowers over the fire and at the top of the page.  I used the  Girl Power set to stamp out an image to represent myself.  I stamped my title using the Cold Coffee Alpha and Messy Stamped Alpha.  I finished it off by adding some star stenciling and paint splatters to the background.  The blueish purple specks on the page are actually bleed through from the entry on the reverse of this page, but I decided not to let that bother me and let it be apart of the "sparks" floating up from the fire. 

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

Jill

Change is Promised...

Hi friends,

Change is an interesting phenomenon. When we are comfortable and things are going well, we don't particularly want a lot of change. I think many people are feeling a lot of discomfort right now at the amount of change that has happened in their everyday life with the restrictions imposed as a result of this pandemic the world is experiencing. When we have our lives nicely planned and comfortable, this level of change is quite difficult to handle.

There are people, however, that are desperate for change in their lives. They are oppressed, miserable, stuck in bleak circumstances and in need of deliverance. To these people, the promise of change is one that brings hope. In Ezekiel 21:26 the Lord speaks against the ruler of Israel and promises that things will not remain as they are: the low would be exalted and the exalted will be brought low. This reminds me of the saying about 'comforting the afflicted and afflicting the comfortable.'

If we are experiencing affliction and distress, God speaks words of comfort to us and promises us that things will not remain as they are. He will rescue and deliver, bringing his salvation to us. But if we are living comfortably, without challenge to the status quo that we enjoy, God may well bring change that disrupts our comfort. Not just because he can, but because he wants us to rely on him, to learn to trust him in difficult circumstances as well as easier ones. He does indeed comfort the afflicted, and afflict the comfortable, all for the purpose of drawing us close to him and making us grow more and more into the likeness of Jesus.

I created the background of this page with acrylic paints and a flat paintbrush. The verse was stamped using a combination of Mini Grunge Type Alpha, Loop da Loop Alpha and Messy Stamped Alpha. The butterflies are a digital stamp called Blue Morpho Butterfly, which I printed on clear sticker paper, cut out and stuck onto the background. Here are the stamps I used:

Let's look to the future with hope, because things will not remain as they are. God will bring transformation in his time and his way.

Be blessed...

x Amy x

This Jesus

"But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words.... 

Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel an foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.... 

This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses."

Acts 2: 14-47

I think it's safe to say that Peter was passionate, driven, and committed follower of Christ. When he went in, he went all in. And he was all in for Jesus. 

• Matthew 26:33, "Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended."
• John 13:37, "Peter said until him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake."

But then we all know what happened after that. When put on the spot, he denied having any relationship with Jesus. How heartbreaking for Peter, how heartbreaking for his friend and Lord. 

Thankfully, Peter's story doesn't end there. He has a personal conversation with his risen Lord and Savior and Peter's life is forever changed. He steps into a leadership position with the followers of Christ and in Acts 2, he has the opportunity to give the very first gospel message. 

Honestly, Peter's exposition in Acts 2 gives me goosebumps. This Jesus of Nazareth - HIM! - He is the one the scriptures told about. The Messiah, The Savior of the world. Peter clearly and passionately gave the gospel message and 3,000 souls were saved. THIS JESUS. 

Jesus gives hope. The capture and death of Christ purchased our life and freedom. This moment of sadness gave us eternal joy of heart and life. He changed Peter and he can change you. 💙

********

I had some fun playing with acrylic paint and stamps on this page. I painted, splotched, and splattered acrylic paint all over the page and then used the Messy Stamped Alpha, Texture Tiles 1, and Texture Tiles 5 stamp sets to illustrate the theme "This Jesus."

    

I encourage you to read Acts 2 and be encouraged by the truth of the gospel message today. 

Love in Christ, 

Janelle

@journalingjoy

Trust in Him at All Times...

Hi friends,

Our world is looking pretty alarming right now isn't it? Whether it's from a health perspective, economic perspective or relational perspective, things are tough for a lot of people right now. It is so easy to read the news about the spread of the virus and worry about what this means for us, for our families, our jobs or our country.

For me personally I have found it difficult that the college where I have been working and studying for the last three years was closed abruptly for 12 weeks, which meant that I had to leave with no farewell parties or even farewell hugs, because in 12 weeks I am due to have started a new job in a new city. But that requires us selling and buying a house, which at the moment is not exactly easy. There are so many reasons to become anxious about the future and what may happen, and so many emotions to process in the present.

Psalm 62:8 tells us to "Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us." This phrase "at all times" really struck me as I've been thinking and processing over the last week. Times like this are a real challenge to our faith: can we trust the Lord at all times or just in the good times? Can we trust him when things seems hopeless or when we have no control over the situation we are facing? That is the kind of relationship we are invited to have with our Heavenly Father - one of complete trust, no matter what.

As difficult as this season is, it is also an opportunity to grow in trust in God, and to practice casting our every anxiety upon him (because he cares for us!). Every time fear or worry creeps into our mind, we have the choice to entertain it and meditate on the negatives, or we can choose to fix our minds on the Lord and meditate on his goodness and his power and his faithfulness. It is only by meditating on these things that we can learn to trust him in ALL times.

I created this page in my Journaling Psalter by creating a background with acrylic paints and stencilling a clock image with white paint over the top. The pretty flowers from Lovely Lotus were stamped on watercolour paper, coloured with watercolours, then cut out and glued onto the page. The verse was stamped using a combination of Trust in the Lord, Messy Stamped Alpha and Outline Alpha. I added a dragonfly from Dragonfly Dreams which I embossed on vellum using platinum embossing powder. Here are the sets I used:

May we all seek to trust in the Lord at all times, and may his Holy Spirit guide us through this time and teach us to trust our Father in heaven with every aspect of our present and our future.

Be blessed...

x Amy x