He is Faithful

Faithfulness springs forth from the earth, so righteousness looks down from heaven. Psalm 85:11

This week's Shining the Light challenge at Our Daily Bread Designs is to "Think Pink and Encouragement" in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness. (it need not be on the theme of breast cancer but it must be pink and have a verse or sentiment of encouragement). The Stampin' In Time: On Assignment challenge is TAGS: T=Thankfulness; A=Appreciation; G=Gratefulness. The scripture above is from Psalm 85, a song of prayer, petition, praise, thankfulness, adoration and gratefulness for the lovingkindness and tender mercies of the Lord!

Psalm 85

    For the choir director. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. 

O LORD, You showed favor to Your land;
You restored the captivity of Jacob.
You forgave the iniquity of Your people;
You covered all their sin.
                         Selah.

You withdrew all Your fury;
You turned away from Your burning anger.
Restore us, O God of our salvation,
And cause Your indignation toward us to cease.
Will You be angry with us forever?
Will You prolong Your anger to all generations?
Will You not Yourself revive us again,
That Your people may rejoice in You?
Show us Your lovingkindness, O LORD,
And grant us Your salvation.

I will hear what God the LORD will say;
For He will speak peace to His people, to His godly ones;
But let them not turn back to folly.
Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him,
That glory may dwell in our land.
Lovingkindness and truth have met together;
Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
Truth springs from the earth,
And righteousness looks down from heaven.
Indeed, the LORD will give what is good,
And our land will yield its produce.
Righteousness will go before Him
And will make His footsteps into a way.

CARD DETAILS

Stamps: Our Daily Bread Designs Scripture Collection #6 Card Stock: Early Espresso, Pink Pirouette Designer Paper: SU Parisian Summer Repurposed Items: Pages from 1939 copy of Streams in the Desert (dog left it a bit tattered after her reading); corrugated piece from a box liner. Ink: Early Espresso, Ranger Distress Antique Linen, Vintage Photo Accessories: Spellbinders Nestabilities, Scallop Rectangles, Scallop Circles, Pages from Streams in the Desert, tissue paper, EK Flourishes border punch, pink button, pearls, shimmer mist, Sizzix SU Beautiful Wings Embosslit Challenges:  Our Daily Bread Designs  Shining The Light Challenge #82 Stampin' In Time Challenge #46 Knick of Time Vintage Treasures  Mark's Finest Papers ~ Speedy the Cat's Friends #7: Use Your Scraps Simon Says Stamps ~ Anything Goes  Sweet Stampin' ~ Anything Goes  Craft Your Passions #82 ~ Bingo  (Flowers * Pearls * Punch) Papertake Weekly ~ Anything Goes (optional bling or sparkle)

Blessings! jme ~ SDG

Taste and See: The Lord is Good!

Psalm 34 is a rich song of thanksgiving and praise, and a call to trust in the Lord and walk in His ways.  “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!”

This card celebrates the sweet and abundant blessings we have in the Lord through the Lord Jesus Christ in whom all of God’s promises to provide for His children, now and for eternity, are yes and amen!

Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!  But what does it mean to take refuge in the Lord? Refuge in the Lord is found only in the Lord Jesus Christ. “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)  Throughout Scripture, the Lord promises to deliver all who will call upon Him, all who will turn from their sins and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.” 
I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.” (v4)

“The LORD redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.” (v22)

And for those who are the redeemed, this Psalm is a great reminder of the rich blessings that are ours in Christ: He delivers us from our fears, from condemnation, from the guilt and power of sin, from the wrath of the Father. Instead He daily loads us with the benefits of salvation, including adoption into the family of God, eternal life, an inheritance in heaven, sweet fellowship with the saints, and so much more!

LAYERS OF COLOR FAITH ART FRIDAY:

What a blessing it was to be asked by sweet Laura of Layers of Color Art Stamps to prepare a project and post for this week's Faith Art Friday blog feature. Laura and her entire design team are gifted artists who love the Lord and seek first His glory and the spread of His kingdom. If you haven't visited the Layers of Color blog, or their website, please consider this your invitation, and don't forget that each and every Friday is "Faith Art Friday" at Layers of Color.

You are in my prayers: May you also taste the goodness of the Lord in His provision of a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ! 

CARD DETAILS
Stamps: Layers of Color: Fruitful Harvest, Sent With Love, Encouragement
Paper: Basic Black, Neenah White, Wrapping paper (salvaged from my LOC order)
Ink: Versa Mark, Memento Tuxedo Black, SU Old Olive
Accessories: Layers of Colors Botanical Swirls Stencil, Zva Creative Gems, Spellbinders Labels 18, Spellbinders Labels 20, Ribbon, Sizzix Branch with Leaves die, Art Company Gold Glimmer Mist, Bic Markers, pages from Streams in the Desert (dog-chewed 1936 edition :) ), gold leaves ribbon, SU Scallop Border Punch, Gold Embossing powder.

Blessings! jme ~ SDG

Joy of the Lord

The joy of the Lord is your strength. Nehemiah 8:10

When trials come (as they surely do) it serves us well to remember that our strength is not found in the things of this world. . .and it most certainly isn't found within ourselves. It is found only in the Lord. Even in the darkest of times, He can cause our hearts to rejoice through the tears and the sadness that seems to permeate to our core.

Bible commentator Matthew Henry says, "The joy of the Lord will arm us against the assaults of our spiritual enemies, and put our mouths out of taste for those pleasures with which the tempter baits his hooks."  

Weeping may last for the night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning.  Psalm 30:5b

This set was prepared as gift for another dear sister in Christ. It's a bit more "springy" but as gorgeous as they are, my fall color meter has been maxed for the time being. A few doses of pinks, lime green and soft blue will help considerably.

The gift set includes:
~ A card
~ A decorated basket
~ Framed Scripture
~ Mini Rose Garden

DETAILS

Stamps: Our Daily Bread Designs SC6 and Fancy Labels; SU Elegant Greetings, Oval All and Vintage Labels Card Stock: Naturals Ivory, Early Espresso, Cool Caribbean, Bazzill Moss Designer Paper: Prima Madeline Ink: Early Espresso, Chocolate Chip, Ranger Distress Antique Linen, Rose Red Accessories: Seam binding, Grandma's buttons, Assorted flowers, SU pearls, doily, Lattice Embossing Folder, Lines and Polka Dot Texturz Embossing Plate, Spellbinders Label 17 Nestabilities, KandCompany Border Tape, Clear embossing powder
Technique: Stamping, Sponging, Die Cutting, Piercing, Embossing

Challenges:  

• Our Daily Bread Designs
• Shining the Light Challenge 81 Geometric Shapes
• Perfect Sentiments
• Challenge #3

All things will be made new. . .

For the earnest expectation of the creation waiteth for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to vanity, not of its own will, but by reason of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the liberty of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only so, but ourselves also, who have the first-fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for our adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
(Romans 8:19-23)

Sometimes, in His mercy, the Lord takes our beloved pets in their sleep, other times, for our good and His glory, He does not. Either way, the loss of a four-legged companion is a poignant reminder that our sin has affected the whole of God's marvelous creation. By disobeying God, Adam brought death and suffering into a world, which only a short time before, God had declared very good.

We are thankful to the Lord that He entrusted to our care, for 14 years of her 21 years, a fun-loving, sweet little red mare who went by the nickname of Scratches (or sometimes “Rodeo Red” for her not-so-sweet pasture etiquette!) This week, we had to say goodbye . . . and a lot of tears have been shed.

"The greater are our affections the deeper are our afflictions, and the more we love the more we have to weep." J.C. Ryle

 Mornings won’t be the same without her enthusiastic nicker and her the little temper tantrums (she was NOT the boss mare, and didn’t like it one bit. . .she was so special, after all!) And we will certainly miss her namesake move of backing up to you in the pasture so she could be scratched right above the tail; something started, when she was just a foal, by some dear friends. It became her test of friendship. You scratched, you were her buddy; you smacked her and you were shunned. She was a joy to watch and to ride, so agile, so athletic, so catty and cowy, so curious and willing, so silly at times. To say that she will be missed is a bit of an understatement. Alas, such is the way of life since the fall when all of creation was cursed and death entered the world all because of man’s sin.

I am most thankful that our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, has reversed that curse, that creation is being renewed and that He is victorious over death! There will be a new heavens and a new earth and there will be no more sin, no more death, no more pain and no more sorrow. ALL things will be made new! What does a creation that is very good look like?  I can’t even imagine what this really means, but I know that it is good and that I am looking forward to that day! Will there be little sorrel horses frolicking in the new earth, eating grass to their heart’s content? I certainly don’t know, but I do know that God is good! So until then, we must press on and fight the good fight and by His grace persevere to the end in thankful gratitude for the mercies He daily bestows!

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth are passed away; and the sea is no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of the throne saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he shall dwell with them, and they shall be his peoples, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God: and he shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more; neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more: the first things are passed away. (Revelation 21:1-4)

PROJECT DETAILS:
Stamps: None
Paper: Shabby Princess
Accessories: White Horse Trading Co., digital art (homemade)
Technique: SU My Digital Studio digital scrapbooking
Photo Credit: All photos but the upper right from Jayne Nielsen
Challenges: 

• Christian Paper Crafts Giving Thanks Blog Hop
• Real Life

She shall be praised. . .

Her children arise and call her blessed. . .Proverbs 31:28a

Crafted for a dear friend's birthday. . .I am thankful for the Lord's gift of this dear sweet sister in Christ. She is such an encouragement with her trust and reliance upon the Lord, her quite and gentle spirit and generously loving heart; her fun sense of humor; her organizational abilities, and the way in which she is raising her children (now young adults) in the fear and admonition of the Lord; and how she serves as a helpmeet to her husband. And though I know you won't celebrate until Monday when you can share the day together as a family, may you have a Happy Birthday this day, my dear friend! You are a gift from the Lord!

CARD DETAILS

Stamps: Verve, Stampin' Up Memory of the Heart

Paper: SU Whisper White, Tissue paper (rose),Bazzill Raspberry, Prima papers Madeline and Printery

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Ranger Distress Spun Sugar, SU Craft Chocolate Chip

Accessories: Spellbinders Donna Salazar Rose Creations and Labels 3, EK Fancy Flower punch, crochet trim ribbon, Red recollections flower, pearl, rhinestone brad, embossing powder, piercing tool, blender pen, SU pearls.

Techniques: Stamping, Embossing, Die Cutting, Piercing

Challenges: 

• The Shabby Tea Room #83 Fall Flowers
• Verve GYDOOct2011 

Important News!

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:8

News comes and news goes; this product is on sale; that product has just been released; the mountains may crumble into the sea; the heavens be rolled up as a garment; there are wars and rumors of wars; the flowers fade and the grass withers, but Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today and forever!

 

This is important news. . .and though the newsprint at the bottom of the card says, "very low price," it is misleading: The gift of eternal life; salvation from sin, death, hell and the wrath of God is available FREE to all who will repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ (the One, who at great cost to Himself, paid the infinite price to redeem His people!) That is the Good News! You can learn more by clicking on the Good News tab above!

CARD DETAILS

Stamps: Our Daily Bread Designs Scripture Collection 4

Card Stock: Basic Black, Very Vanilla

Designer Paper: SU Newsprint

Ink: Versafine, Antique Linen Distress Ink

Accessories: Homemade flowers (Medallion punch and pages from Streams in the Desert), brads, Ribbon, SU Pearls, Top Note Die, Nestabilities

Technique: Stamping, Sponging, Die Cutting, Punching

Challenges:

• Our Daily Bread Shining the Light Challenge
• ODBDSLC 79 Create Your Own Embellishment

 May the Lord bless and keep you!

Victory through Jesus Christ!

 Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:57

Is there anything sweeter than “Giving Thanks to the Lord”? That is our theme for the Christian Paper Craft's October Design Team Delights Gallery which opens on Saturday, Oct. 15. This Gracious Glimpse is an encouragement card. . to remind one who is struggling that the Lord has given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. We will overcome; we will be delivered safely home; we will be delivered from sin and death and raised to eternal life! Thanks be to our Lord Jesus Christ!

 

 CARD DETAILS:

Stamps: Verve

Card Stock: Dusty Durango, Basic Black, Very Vanilla

Designer Paper: Homemade using pages from the book Streams in the Desert (which my dog partially chewed up or it would be in the library) and wrapping paper repurposed.

Ink: VersaMark, Ranger Distress Antique Linen

Accessories: Paula Deen cupcake paper, Bakers Twine, Zva Creative Gems, Stampendous Marcasite Embossing Powder, Sizzix Leaves Die, Tim Holtz/Sizzix Embossing Folder, SU Glitter Brad

Technique: Embossing, Die Cutting
Challenges:

• Stampin Sisters in Christ Challenge 110 Mark 10:27
  
• PaperPlay Challenges Week 40 Autumnal Colors 
• Kaboodle Doodles Let's See Those Leaves
• Speedy the Cat's Friends Challenge 79 No Designer Paper

Blessings!

He Changeth Naught. . .

Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen. 1 Tim 1:17

Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise

Walter Chalmers Smith 1867

Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
In light inaccessible hid from our eyes,
Most blessèd, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
Almighty, victorious, Thy great Name we praise.

Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light,
Nor wanting, nor wasting, Thou rulest in might;
Thy justice, like mountains, high soaring above
Thy clouds, which are fountains of goodness and love.

To all, life Thou givest, to both great and small;
In all life Thou livest, the true life of all;
We blossom and flourish as leaves on the tree,
And wither and perish—but naught changeth Thee.

Great Father of glory, pure Father of light,
Thine angels adore Thee, all veiling their sight;
But of all Thy rich graces this grace, Lord, impart
Take the veil from our faces, the vile from our heart.

All laud we would render; O help us to see
’Tis only the splendor of light hideth Thee,
And so let Thy glory, Almighty, impart,
Through Christ in His story, Thy Christ to the heart.

"Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise" was first published in Hymns of Christ and Christian Life, (1876). The text was altered by the author and published in W. Garrett Horder's Congregational Hymns. (1884) 

PROJECT DETAILS

This is a very quick and straight forward way to package a small box. It took less than 15 minutes. (And yes, there is a gift packaged in the box. . .stay tuned for Wednesday when the coordinating, but not matching, card is revealed.)
Stamps: Sweet and Sassy Season of Changes
Ink: SU Dusty Durango, Early Espresso, So Saffron, Old Olive, Ranger Distress Frayed Burlap
Cardstock: Stationary paper
Accessories: Twine, Sweet and Sassy Season of Change Dies
Technique: Rock and Roll stamping
Challenges:

•  Christian Paper Crafts Prayer, Praise and Paper Crafting Challenge 2 Gift Wrap(in 45 minutes or less)
• Stampin' Sisters in Christ Challenge #110 Anything Goes 
• Kaboodle Doodles Let's See Those Leaves 
• Delightful Inspirations Falling Leaves 

Have a blessed day!

Thankful Rejoicing!

Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good. His love endures forever. 1 Chronicles

Prayer, Praise and Paper Craft Night is coming up this Friday, Oct. 7 at Christian Paper Crafts. There will be four challenges announced on the hour beginning at 8 pm EST. Preceding the challenges, will be a time of prayer and online fellowship. You can click on the blinky or visit Christian Paper Crafts for more details.

This project was prepared as a sample for one of the challenges and meets one or two others. But I can't tell you which challenges since they are surprises! I had this rustic candle holder and thought it would be a great gift or centerpiece, if I just added a seasonal tag!

So. . .I crafted one for each of the holidays that are quickly approaching where we might reflect upon the mighty works of the Lord. . .thanksgiving for His abundant provision. . .of the Lord Jesus Christ, whose birth we celebrate a month later! Thankful rejoicing!

Stamps: Verve, Layers of Color Christmas Verses and Christmas Blessings, Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Season of Change

Card Stock: Very Vanilla, More Mustard, Crumb Cake, Soft Suede

Designer Paper: None

Ink: Soft Suede, Versa Mark, Always Artichoke, Old Olve, Dusty Durango, So Saffron

Accessories: Pearl Brads, Blender Pen, Spellbinders Labels 18 and 17, Sweet and Sassy dies, Buttons, mini clothes pins, bakers twine, satin ribbon, Stampendous Embossing Powders Garnet and Shabby White Embossing Enamel, Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist

Technique: Stamping, Die Cutting, Embossing