All Things New

 "And He who was seated on the throne said, 'Behold, I am making all things new.' Also He said, 'Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.'” (Revelation 2:5)

We've had one week of 2021 now. We all hoped that 2020 was behind us, and that 2021 would bring some normalcy back. But this year is already starting with craziness and chaos. The events of this week have pushed back any idea that life would get back to normal. But God never promised us "normal" and problem-free living. He only promised to be with us in whatever we face. When life is too normal, we get too comfortable and complacent. I don't know about you, but 2020 taught me to keep more focused on things above, because things of this world were just too depressing and worrisome.

Revelation 2:5 promises us that God is making all things new, even if 2021 isn't the answer, and of course it isn't. The Bible tells us that this world will only get more challenging as we suffer its sin-sick consequences, and expectantly wait for the Second Coming.  But that day is coming, and THEN He will make all things new. No more Covid-19, no more masks, no more sickness and death. No more political division, no more social and financial instability, and no more racial unrest.  God will make a perfectly problem-free world where we can dwell with Him forever. Until that time, though, we must hold to His promises and His gain strength from His word.  

I created this page while I was at a camp with my family for the New Year's weekend.  Getting back to nature is always restorative and renewing for me, and that's just what this time away provided for me.  Camp Kulaqua is in north Florida, and the weather was typical Florida-winter mild.  The leaves crunched under my feet as I walked outside in the woods.  On two separate occasions, I saw a group of seven young deer. Their spotted backs and small size spoke of a newness and innocence.  How trusting these sweet fawn were as they eyed me from behind the trees.  

Like these younglings represent, we will soon enough see the newness and rebirth of life on this earth.  I pray daily for His soon return, and for the hearts of those who yet need to be reached.  

For this page, I used the fun, new Lollipop Alpha stamp set.  I also used Fur-ever Friends which includes this fawn image.  I masked the deer and the leaves so the image lines didn't intersect, thereby creating a more realistic and uniform picture.  I colored everything with watercolor pencils and then blended them with a wet paint brush.  I finished with a simply drawn border, washi tape, a tab, and splatters.

You can check out how this page came together in a process video over on my YouTube channel or by clicking the video link below.  The products I used are linked below the video (some are affiliate links).  

https://youtu.be/HGDPFFe8jyA

Fur-ever Friends

Lollipop Alpha

Products Used:

Watercolor Pencils

ESV Interleaved Bible

Tonic Studios Glass Media Mat (SBC) or Amazon

Water Brushes:

(Scrapbook.com)

(Adornit)

Versafine Onyx Black Ink

Stamp Shammy Cleaner

Heat Tool

Illustrating Bible Mat

Clear Acrylic Blocks

Precision Pens

Signo Uni-ball White Gel Pen

Craft Scissors SBC or Amazon

Illustrated Faith Date Stamp

Tab Punch SBC or Amazon

Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher (Mini-Stapler) SBC or Amazon

Illustrated Faith Watercolor Paint set

Signo Uni-ball White Gel Pen

Pitt Big Brush Pens (White #101)

Washi tape from stash

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

 

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

 

The Time is Now

 Hello, friends!  I want to talk about time today, both the passage of it, how we use it and I want to pose a question to you.  What are you waiting for?

Many people believe they will have time to "get right with the Lord" before they die, but that's not always the case.  We've all heard some version of the saying, "you are not promised tomorrow".  The Bible says it in Proverbs 27:1, "Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring".  Basically friends, we all have appointments to leave this world and to go on to what is next for us.  We don't know when our time here is up.  Where you go after you leave this world is all dependent upon whether you 1) know and confess that you are a sinner, 2) believe that God sent His Son, Jesus to save us and 3) that He saved us by dying on the cross, redeeming us with His blood.  

Please, if you're not saved, don't put it off another day, for we are truly not promised tomorrow.  The time is now.

Now for the saved, I pose the same question to myself and to you....what are you waiting for?

Paul says in 2 Corinthians 6:1-2:

Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For he says, 

"In a favorable time, I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you."  

Behold, now is a favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

 

Paul is talking to fellow Christians and urging them to get to work for God.  David Guzik said this in a study guide, "God has an acceptable time for us to work with His grace.  God has a day of salvation that will not last forever. This is no time for Christian lives consumed with ease and comfort and self-focus.  It is time to get busy for the Lord and to be workers together with Him." 

Mmmm, that stepped on my toes and gave me a reality gut punch.  I mean, souls are at stake and what am I doing to save them???  I tend to live a life at ease and comfort and self-focus.  But here's what I've realized, you don't have to be a missionary, traveling to distance lands to save souls.  There are souls all around us, every day that need to hear the good news.  We all have family members or neighbors or co-workers that we could share the gospel with.  The time is now.

Artsy details:

I began this page by stamping the large peony from Encouraging Peonies at the bottom of my page.  I found this beautiful hour glass image online and printed it to a size that would fit nicely on my page and trace it.  I used Old Fashioned Alpha to stamp out my title.  It was beautiful with just the black and white ink detail.  I debated on coloring it, and finally decided I would watercolor the image.  I love how it turned out.

I pray you are safe and well.  Until next time, catch up with me on Instagram and Facebook @simplyjillsjourney. 

Jill

Is Not My Word Like Fire?

Hey friends!  I want to talk about fire this week and how God's Word is like fire, just as He says here in Jeremiah 23:29.

“Is not My word like a fire?” says the Lord,

“And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?"

First, fire purifies and cleanses.  Wildfires clean out the dead and decaying underbrush and trees in forest, allowing for new, healthy plants to take root and grow.  Much the same way, God's word clears the decay out of our lives and makes room for fresh starts and new growth.  Psalm 119:9 says "How can a young man cleanse his way?  By taking heed according to Your word" and in John 15:3, Jesus says, "You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you."

Fire also provides light.  Before electricity, homes were lit by candle light and oil lamps.  God's word also lights our paths and drives out darkness. The Bible points us to salvation, which God wants for us all.  Psalm 119:105 says, "Your word is a lamp to my feet
And a light to my path."

Fire can also burn.  God's word touches our conscience and burns our hearts when we behave in ways that are displeasing to the Lord.  It allows us to feel what grieves Him.  Does your conscience burn when you read Matthew 5:43-48?  Mine does!  

One of my favorite attributes about fire is that it warms us when we are cold!  There's nothing better than coming in from the cold and being able to warm up by a crackling fire.  God's word does that for us as well.  It encourages us when we are down, it melts our cold hearts when this fallen world attempts to harden them and it warms our souls.  Psalm 34:10 says, "...But those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing."

I wanted to do a stained glass look for this page, so I found an image of one online that I liked and used Procreate to roughly trace it, changing up the shape of the flames in several places.  I printed it and traced it in my Illustrating Bible.  I stamped my title and heat embossed the lettering using black embossing powder.  Then I used an embossing pen to trace my lines and used black embossing powder on my image as well.  I colored it in with watercolor and added a white outline to my lettering.  I used a new set, called Old Fashioned Alpha and my favorite, All of Me Alpha to create my title.

Thank you for checking out my post & until next time, catch up with me on Instagram & Facebook @simplyjillsjourney.

Jill

I Am the Bread of Life

 "And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst." - John 6:35

I am thoroughly enjoying my study of the "I AM" statements of Jesus in John 6. This chapter is a long chapter (71 verses!), but so rich in teaching, instruction, and truth. To top it off, my pastor's wife has been teaching a Sunday School series entitled "The Lord's Prayer" which ties Matthew 6 ("Give us this day our daily bread") in with John 6 ("I am the bread of life"). Plus, I received an email from one of my Christian blogs this week with a sermon on this very topic. I love it when God does that! 😊

There is so much rich and powerful symbolism in these verses that I'm afraid I can only brush the surface. I highly encourage you to read John 6:22-59 for the full story and spend some time studying these truths on your own. It's far deeper than I ever realized! With that said, I'm going to take just a few minutes to share what I have learned and am learning from the commentaries I've studied, the teachers I've listened to, and of course, the unfailing Word of God.

The "I Am the Bread of Life" statement is the first of the "I AM" statements of Jesus. In this statement, Jesus is saying that anyone who comes to Him "to obtain what the soul craves, and as the only all-sufficient and ordained source of supply shall have conscious and abiding satisfaction" (Jamieson, Fausset, & Brown Commentary). Jesus is the bread that sustains your life and mine - not just physically, but spiritually as well.  

Friends, you and I were created with a deep spiritual need to know our Creator. God created me hungry. But my hunger goes far deeper than my physical need - it is a deep, emotional, spiritual need. It's a need that only the One who created me can fulfill. In these verses, Jesus is showing us the difference between physical fullness and spiritual fullness. The people in John 6 came back to Jesus because he had performed a miracle and met their physical needs (Jesus feeds the five thousand, verses 1-14), but Jesus wanted them to know that He offers so much more than that! He can satisfy not only their physical needs, but their spiritual needs as well. 

Only those who believe on Jesus will find their deepest hunger satisfied.

Jesus uses the example of manna in the wilderness to make His point. The Israelites were obviously very familiar with this story - their ancestors had wandered in the wilderness for 40 years, but God sustained them by providing manna daily. The manna couldn't be gathered and stored for future use. No, it had to be used that day or by the end of the day it would rot. Thus the Israelites learned to rely on God for their food daily (verses 30-35). 

"Christ is bread to the soul which bread is to the body, nourishes and supports the spiritual life as the bread does the physical life."
- Matthew Henry Commentary

It was Jesus who taught us how to pray: Lord, give us this day our daily bread (Matt 6:11). He took the physical illustration of the daily manna in the wilderness and gave you and I the spiritual application. He alone is the eternal food for my soul. He alone can satisfy my deepest hunger. In Jesus' answer to the people, he lifted their eyes from their physical need to their spiritual reality. The truth is:

You can have a full stomach but an empty life.

So often we live empty. We have everything we could possibly need, but we are still empty. When we are living empty, it's because we're not being filled with the right things. That's when Jesus beckons you to come to His table and be filled. You say, "yeah, but how?!" (This is where my Sunday School lessons come in handy 😉 my pastor's wife always has the YBH - yeah, but how do I apply this to my life?) 

Let's be real here - life has a tendency to empty us of God's goodness. We may start our day filled, but little by little, bit by bit, we pour out until there is nothing left. We are living empty. When we live life empty, we live filled with frustration and anger. God says to come to His table and be filled. Go to Him in prayer, get in His Word, and speak truth. In all of life's "emptying" moments, make these two statements:

1. Lord, how can I glorify You in this moment?
2. Thank you, Lord, for what you are going to do. (state your faith) 

"For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness." - Psalm 107:9

Let the empty hungering be the catalyst for God to work in you and through you. There is a filling up that happens when you speak the truth according to God's Word and focus on what you do have as opposed to what you don't have. Jesus knows your hunger, He understands your emptiness - that's why He gave you the truth  of John 6. He is the spiritual food that will give eternal satisfaction, and is the only source for the consistent peace you need in the emptying moments of life. 

Page Details

I knew I wanted to draw a loaf of bread, but I'm not incredibly artistic so I needed help. I just Googled how to draw and easy loaf of bread and found a quick, two minute YouTube video (seriously, any one could do it!). I then stamped my titles using the I Am and Bitty Minnie Alpha stamp sets from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps, watercolored the loaf of bread using my favorite Prima Marketing Pastel Dreams watercolor paints, and added some grey shadowing. 

(The blue spots are bleed-over from the page next to this one. I'm a messy journaler, what can I say? 🤷😉)

  

May you be filled with the Bread of Life this week, 

Janelle

@journalingjoy

Choose Joy

“A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones” Proverbs 17:22

Perspective. 

If you’ve been following me for any length of time you know that I talk a lot about perspective. The way that we see things and the lens from which we see it determines a lot about how we live our lives.

The word joy has been coming up a lot for me lately. It’s in my Bible study, in my conversations and just a lot in my thought process, and the more that I meditate on it, joy has everything to do with perspective. How often do we long for things to be different? Maybe we would be happier if we had a different job. Maybe we would be happier if we had more money. Maybe we would be happier if we had such and such tool or supply. Maybe when our kids get a little older we would have more freedom. And the list goes on and on.

But, guys, JOY is a choice. It is a fruit from the Lord that comes we when are completely satisfied in Him.  It’s a choice to be content with where we are and what we have. Joy is a deep rooted satisfaction with our lives despite our circumstances and it changes the perspective from which we see things. 

JOY says, I will gladly do daily household chores because I have a roof over my head that’s  mine

.JOY says, I will listen to my name called a million times a day because that means I am surrounded by people who love me and need me.

JOY says, I will cook and clean up for yet another meal because when I nourish little bodies, I can nourish little souls.

JOY says, I will go to work every day because I have been given the opportunity to provide for my family.

JOY says, I will endure hardships and sufferings because it’s those things that are designed to produce perseverance in me (James 1:2-3)

Guys, life is about so much more than what it seems sometimes. It’s about the choices we make and the perspective from which we see it. It’s about choosing every day to find the good and seeing life through the eyes of a child. It’s about having faith that believes in the unseen and that the best is yet to come. It’s about finding the joy in a situation that seems the polar opposite. It takes a commitment on our part to look for it and celebrate it. Switch your lens over to the eternal and watch how much more joy you will experience in your life. Proverbs 17:22 says it all, “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”  I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to walk around wishing for something more all the time. I want to experience that deep rooted joy that only Christ can give. I want to be thankful and satisfied with what He has given me and where He has placed me. It’s all about perspective, and choosing to find the joy every day. It’s all those small things together that make life worth living. <3

Have a great weekend!

Jennifer

IG:@lifeintherace

Crafty Details

I started by adding some yellow and orange watercolor layers to an index card and drying it with my heating tool. Then, I added some texture with Texture Tiles 5 in Hickory Smoke and Picked Raspberry distress oxide. I then stamped the word “JOY” from Choose Faith in Spiced Marmalade and overlaid the word “choose” in black. I hand wrote Proverbs 17:22 at the bottom and clipped the card into my Bible as a reminder that Joy is a choice we must make every day. 

New Morning Mercy

I am not a morning person. In fact, 5am comes awfully early for me every day. And while I live in a dichotomy of enjoying the peace and quiet before my children rise and hating the early morning hours I have come to realize one thing: the course of my day is determined by my attitude in those first few waking moments. The first thoughts that I have at 5am often take the steering wheel for the rest of my day.   

A few weeks ago I came across an Instagram story that really hit home with me. It said that instead of dreading the day ahead or feeling overwhelmed by its pressure, we should view it as a new day to show God’s love to the world around us. In fact, the person that posted that said she even “named” her alarm in the morning to “a new day to show God’s love” so that as soon as her eyes opened, she was reminded of that truth. Wow! (and, yes, I totally copied her!)

Lamentations 3:22-23 says that, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning. Great is your faithfulness.”

Every morning we are given a new chance from the Lord. No matter what happened yesterday, his overwhelming, steadfast love for us never ends and every morning He gives us new mercy. 

Did you have a bad attitude yesterday? 
Today has new mercy. 
Did you neglect to read your Bible or spend time talking to Jesus?
Today has new mercy.
Did you struggle with your thoughts or words yesterday?
Today has new mercy. 

My son is so sweet. Sometimes at the end of a bad day, he will write a note to me saying something along the lines of, “Mom, I’m sorry for (insert situation here). I promise tomorrow will be a better day. I love you.” About two weeks ago, I wrote him back and said, “We all have bad days. But the greatest thing is, today is a new day. Today is a new chance to make it better. And, I think you’re a pretty great kid!” 

God gives us new mercy every day. Despite our failures, his love never changes. We all have bad days. But even in the midst of those, He thinks we’re pretty great kids. 

If others reject you today?
Show mercy.
If your children drive you to insanity?
Show grace.
If someone hurts you to the point of being unwilling to forgive them?
Love them and forgive them anyway.
When the world argues and fights about the truth of the Word?
Stand up for what you believe and extend the mercy, grace and love you were shown. 

The change in our world happens when the truth of the gospel is LIVED OUT among believers. From the time your eyes open in the morning decide that despite yesterday’s failures, you will accept His new mercy and show it to the world. Every day is a new day.

Crafty Details
I started this page by printing the Happy Flowers digital stamp on clear sticker paper and placing it behind the page that I wanted to paint so I could see the outline. I messily watercolored where the flowers and leaves would be and once dry, placed the sticker on top of the colors. I stamped the first few words of the phrase with Teeny Alpha and then the words “Mercy, Grace” and “Love” with Bold and Outline Alpha. I finished the page with some brackets around the scripture and washi strips on the top and bottom.