Share God's Love

 Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Hebrews 13:1

Hi Friends!

Are you feeling the love? Yeah, me neither. The church has missed the mark on the whole "love" thing. As a whole, we haven't done well with loving those outside the church. And we haven't even been able to love each other within the church very well. Think of all the divisions within the church. This verse is speaking to believers loving one another. There should be unity in the church because we're unified in Christ. And we should love each other not only for our own sakes, but as a testimony. The world is watching. Believers are going to have differences. And that's ok. In fact, God doesn't want us all alike. Those differences are normal and healthy and make us a stronger body- if we let them. We can use those differences to reach the world. The church should be a group of vastly different people who are unified in our diversity by our love of Jesus.

So how do we love each other? 

• We accept one another as they are. They are sinners, but we are too. We all need a Savior.
• We are subject to one another. Instead of always trying to get our own way, surrender to God's will and let Him use each of us within the context of the church for His great purpose.
• Pray for each other- especially other believers we dislike or are bothered by.
• Forgive each other.
• Serve one another.
• Encourage each other..
• Comfort one another.
• Bear each other's burdens. We're all busy. But take the time to really care for others.
• Admonish one another. Be willing to lovingly confront other believers who are living in disobedience. But do it humbly and with the motivation to restore their intimacy with God.

Let's love each other. Let the world see our love. It will draw them to Jesus.

Page details: I used the following Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps sets: Happy Mail, Send Me, and Trust in the Lord. I used colored pencils to color in the images. Quick tip: Use Gamsol to blend in colored pencil lines so it looks smooth.

Have a blessed week! Andrea

*source: "How to Love One Another...Even Other Christians" Whitney Hopler

Praise God

Praise the Lord. Praise God in His sanctuary; praise Him in His mighty heavens. Praise Him for His acts of power; praise Him for His surpassing greatness. Praise Him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise Him with the harp and lyre, praise Him with timbrel and dancing, praise Him with strings and pipe, praise Him with the clash of cymbals, praise Him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. Psalm 150:1-6

Hi Friends!

What is our purpose? We often ask ourselves that. Why am I here? What am I supposed to be doing? Friends, our purpose is simple. Our purpose is to praise God and glorify Him. No matter what we are doing, what circumstances we may be experiencing, no matter how we feel...our purpose doesn't change. We are to PRAISE HIM. We are to GLORIFY HIM. 

So, I ask myself. Am I fulfilling my purpose? Do I praise Him daily and throughout the day? In those moments where something doesn't go the way I want, am I praising Him anyway? Not always, probably not most of the time, if I'm being honest. Do I glorify Him daily? Do I work in a way that glorifies Him? Does what I do in my free time glorify Him? Dear ones, I'm not pointing fingers. I think we can all agree each of us, especially me!, has room for improvement. And we have an awesome God who meets us where we are. So, let's praise Him. Let's glorify Him. He definitely deserves it!

Page details: I used the following Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps sets: All of Me Alpha, Send Me, Note This, and Grunge Dots Stencil. I applied distress oxides with blender brushes, stamped, and then used the stencil. Easy, peasy! :)

Have a blessed week! Andrea

One of a Kind

 There is none like You, O Lord; You are great, and Your name is great in might. Jeremiah 10:6

Hello Friends!

Today I'm in Jeremiah 10; and we're going to talk about how great our God is! Jeremiah 10:6 tells us that there is no one like our God. Do you believe that? It's a question we should ask ourselves. The fact is just that. There is no one and no thing like our God. But do we live in a way that proves we believe that?

No one, nothing, should have our attention, our devotion, our worship, our hearts, except for God Himself. Daily, believers are tempted to put their trust and their allegiance in worldly things. But, friends, the Lord will continually show Himself to be superior. There is none like Him! 

Don't let the world sway you from Him. Don't let the world put Him in a box or wrap Him up like a pretty little package. Don't let the world tell you who He is. Go to the Bible and let God tell you who He is. And let me tell you, He's pretty great!

Page Details: I used the following Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps sets: God is Faithful, Send Me, Faith Wordfetti Too, Let's Do This, and the Grunge Grid stencil. I applied distress oxides to the page with blender brushes for the background. I added texture to the background with the stencil and some back ground stamps. With the Faith Wordfetti Too set, I arranged a few of the phrases on a stamp block and stamped them together for the background words. I colored the earth with colored pencils. 

Have a blessed week! Andrea

Go and Tell

Hi Friends!

The state of our country and our world is constantly on my mind. So many people are hurting. So many people are lost. So many people need Jesus, and many or most don't even realize it. And, the church- who should be loving people and helping these people find Christ- is all too often the reason people turn away from Him. It's simple. We are called to share the gospel: Matthew 28:19, "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. We are called to love: Mark 12:31a, "The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself." and John 13:35, "By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another." 

If we don't love those we're sharing the truth with, odds are they won't hear the truth. They will just feel judged. There is right and there is wrong. But it's not our place to beat people up with the Bible. We are all sinners; everyone of us. And we believers were all at one time unbelievers. So, we are no better than them. And their sin is no worse than ours in God's eyes. So, let's share the love- HIS love. And, let's share the gospel- HIS gospel.

Go and Tell (vs 1 & 3) by C. Austin Miles

Go and tell unto all the gospel story, 

They wait for the light of His Word;

They wait for the Messenger of glory,

Of whom they as yet have not heard.

Refrain

O who will tell the story of old'

The story of redemption ever new?

O who will bring them to the fold?

The Lord is waiting for you.

There is One who is standing, waiting, pleading,

He points to His hands and His side;

His wounds for the world are interceding,

Go save them for whom He has died.

Page details: I used the following Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps sets: Nature Silhouettes and Send Me. For the background, I tore strips of paper, placed the papers on the page one at a time and sponged distress oxides on to make it look like mountains. Then finished the sky last. It's a simple technique that gives an interesting look to the page.

Have a blessed week! Andrea

Be Glad

Satisfy us in the morning with Your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. Psalm 90:14

Hi Friends!

Recently, I came across a company called DwellDifferently that picks a verse each month to memorize & makes a scripture design that includes the first letter of each word in the verse to aid in memorization. (Great idea, right??!!) One of their designs last year was based on Psalm 90:14. And with everything that has been going on in the world- Covid, shut downs, social and political unrest- this verse really got me thinking. Psalm 90 is a Psalm of Moses written when he and the Israelites were in the wilderness. The wilderness was rough! Moses knew that their responses to the hard times had angered God at times. But he also knew God, our loving and merciful Father. And, he cried this prayer out to God in the midst of his pain. So let's look at this particular verse.

"Satisfy us"- Satisfy is defined as "to make happy or contented," "to give sufficient or ample provision," "to fulfill the desires, expectations, or needs of a person," "to give full contentment to." Moses is looking to God for all this. And we should too.

"in the morning"- The NLT version says "each" morning. We should begin our days, each day, with God. Even if it is just for a few minutes, that time with Him is crucial.

"with Your unfailing love"- His love is what satisfies us. And His love is unfailing- unconditional, reliable and constant, never ending, never changing.

"that we may sing for joy"- This is the result of us being satisfied by His love- we sing for joy. Our level of joy shouldn't be based on our circumstances. His unfailing love is what we should base our joy on!

"and be glad all our days."- Along with joy, His love brings gladness, not to just some of our days, but to ALL of our days. Yes, all- even the day I lose my job or get a diagnosis or lose someone I love or when the world seems like it's falling apart around me. His love is still there. And it can still bring us joy and gladness.

There are numerous verses in the Bible that speak to joy in hard times. As I thought about this particular verse, what stood out to me was the reason I can sing for joy & be glad all my days. It's because of His unfailing love. That's all I need. It's all any of us needs. No matter what, He loves us. No matter what, we can rest in His love. No matter what, we can hope in Him. No matter what, we can sing for joy and be glad all our days.

Page details:

I used the following Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps sets for this page: Lollipop Alpha, Send Me, All in All, Fruits of the Spirit, Faith Wordfetti, and Healer of My Heart. I stamped the earth, then masked it with a mask I made by stamping it onto a post-it note and cutting it out. I then applied distress oxides to the page with sponge daubers. I used 2 stencils and darker distress oxides to create the sun rays and the stars. I colored the earth with Prismacolor pencils and used Gamosol to smooth out the pencil lines. I wanted the Lollipop letters to pop. So I stamped them onto sticker paper and cut them out. I stamped the rest of the wording and adhered the letter stickers to the page.

The page opposite of this page just happens to be the page I journaled when the first "shelter in place" orders were made. Good reminder to find joy and gladness through it all. 

Join me and choose joy this week! Blessings! Andrea

SEEK THE LOST

"For the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost."  (Luke 19:10)

We find this quote from Jesus at the end of one of the most beloved and well-known Bible stories:  Zaccheus. It’s a story of seeking and saving. Zaccheus sought Jesus by climbing a tree so he could see the Savior pass by. Jesus sought out Zaccheus, stopping in front of the tree, and invited Himself to his home. Not worrying about what the pharisaical crowd thought of His mingling with “sinners”, Jesus exclaimed that His purpose on this earth was to “seek and save the lost.” 

Brothers and Sisters, we are sinners, and Jesus has sought us out in order to save us!  Praise God!  I am a sinner set free, just as Zaccheus and his entire family were saved and set free.  When we open our hearts to His love, seeking Him diligently and whole-heartedly, Jesus enters our lives with His saving power. And just as Jesus sought for sinners to save, so must we have the heart to seek and save the lost.  There are so many people around us that are lost, and in need of Jesus:  family members, neighbors, co-workers, friends, perhaps even our spouses or children. And then there are the countless lost souls in our communities, cities, and around the world.  The more we seek and encounter Jesus in our daily lives, the more we’ll be equipped and ready and passionate about seeking the lost.  Our job is to seek them, and then love them with the Gospel and share its simple truth. God's job is to do the saving, nor ours.  

I created this Bible journaling page with several stamp sets, spray inks, and watercolor pencils.  First I stamped the words and images on my page, masking the people off so the color wouldn’t cover them.  Some of the color seeped through though, but I didn’t mind too much.  Next, I spritzed and splattered the sprays onto the page, using water to activate and blend the colors. After I dried the background, I used watercolor pencils to color the people and the hearts.  Finally, I added some detailing with a white pen.  I love vibrant colors, and the shimmery shine of these paints makes my heart happy!

SEND ME

    

SURROUNDED IN PRAYER

FAITH WORDFETTI

BITTY MINNIE ALPHA

Fight the Good Fight

Fight the good fight of the faith. 1 Timothy 6:12a

Hi Friends,

Today we're in 1 Timothy 6 where Paul directed Timothy to "fight the good fight of the faith." What exactly did Paul mean by that? To fight the good fight of faith is to stand firm in Jesus by abiding in His Word, no matter what we may feel or what we think we understand. Our feelings can get us into trouble. Many people say,"Follow your heart." That's the last thing we need to be following! The Bible tells us in Jeremiah 17:9 that the heart is deceitful and sick. We don't need to follow our hearts. We need to follow Jesus and stand firm in Him. How do we fight the good fight? Ephesians 6:10-18 is a good place to start.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.

We must be strong in the Lord. We can't fight on our own. We need to depend on Him 24/7. We must put on the armor of God. This is the only way to fight for Him. We must believe in His authority and in His promises. As I said earlier, our hearts and our feelings can lead us astray. Feelings aren't truth. God's Word is truth no matter what we may be feeling or think we know. And we must pray. We need to pray for His help, His strength, His wisdom.

Our world is hurting so badly. Some people think the fight is against each other. We need to remember who it's really against. Stand firm. Fight the good fight.

Page details: I used the following Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps sets: The Lord's Battle, Send Me, Walk by Faith, Be a Flamingo, Mighty Fortress, and Itty Bitty Blossoms. The Lord's Battle is part of the August release and it's fantastic! Don't ya love the boots??!! I added a flower and heart to these boots. Who says military boots can't be cute? I keep my pages pretty simple most of the time. This was just stamping and using watercolor crayons to add color.

Have a blessed week! Andrea

Perfect Peace

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27 

Dear Friends,

Peace. It's what we all want, right? There are different definitions for peace. One is freedom from disturbance or tranquility. Another is a state in which there is no war. It's probably safe to say we'd like both. The peace Jesus is talking about in this verse is the freedom from disturbance- no matter what's going on in the world. In this context, peace is not the absence of trouble, but the presence of God.

From gotquestions.org: Peace is a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22). When the “God of all peace” comes to live inside a believing heart (1 Corinthians 6:19), He begins to produce His own characteristics in that life. Inner peace comes from knowing that circumstances are temporary and that God is sovereign over all (Isaiah 46:9–11). Peace comes from exercising faith in the character of God and His Word. We can have peace in the midst of challenges when we remember that “all things work together for the good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). We can choose peace rather than give way to fear and worry. Inner peace resulting from a relationship with God allows us to keep things in proper perspective. We can accept difficult situations on earth by remembering that our citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20). We are commanded to “live in peace” with others, as far as it is up to us (Romans 12:18; 2 Corinthians 13:11; Hebrews 12:14). To live at peace means we interact with those around us in accordance with our own wholeness of mind. Our reactions to circumstances can bring peace to an otherwise chaotic situation. Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God” (Matthew 5:9). And James 3:18 says, “Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.” God’s desire is that we who know Him learn to live in peace within ourselves first. Then we can radiate that peace to others, bringing calmness and wisdom to tense situations, and in so doing be lights in the world (Matthew 5:14; Philippians 2:14–15).

The world is pretty chaotic right now. But Jesus gives us perfect peace. We just have to rest in Him, and share His truth with others. And, boy, does this world need His truth now more than ever. Rest in Him. Love others. Share Jesus. Be at peace.

Page Details: I used the following Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps sets: Way Maker, Send Me, Gear Up, Texture Tiles 1, and Faith Wordfetti. I stamped the texture stamps around the world to symbolize the division and chaos that seems to be consuming us. I used watercolor crayons and Prismacolor pencils.

Have a blessed week. Andrea

In the Beginning

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1

Dear Friends,
Our God is very creative! He made all that is- the earth, the heavens, and everything that fills both. Those of us who are creative can relate to His creativity. But, where we have materials to use to create, He created from NOTHING. That's huge! He's in a class all His own! God created all things by speaking them into existence. And when we read John 1, we see that Jesus is the Living Word. Jesus was there at creation. Everything came into being through Him. And, the Holy Spirit was there too (Genesis 1:2.) Each Person of the Trinity had a part in creation.

God is the Creator. Satan doesn't create. He only perverts God's creation. People don't truly create because we must start with something that's already been created. Everything originates with Him. Everything belongs to Him. And that's why everything must submit to Him. Yes, He gave humans free will, but someday, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord (Phil 2:10-11.)

This first sentence of the Bible only has 10 words. But, what a huge thing it's describing! It's really incomprehensible the magnitude of what He did. But, that's our God. A God who is mighty and can do amazing things. Rest in Him.

Page Details:
I used the following Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps: In His Image, Faith Wordfetti, and Send Me. I love both these sets! I also used watercolor crayons and a white pen.

It's pretty amazing that the Creator of all things loves us as much as He does. Rest in that truth. Have a blessed week! Andrea