I picked up this pink canvas in the Michael's clearance bins for 50 cents! The finished project took about a week to evolve and started quite differently than it ended up! I love the end result and it now has a home in my studio. I started the project with the scripture stamp from the fabulous inspired stamps Strength set. Psalm 18:2 is definitely a scripture I have turned to many times in my journey of living with both MS and a damaged spinal cord. I can attest it is TRUTH.
I know I've said it before but it is worth repeating-inspired stamps stamp so clean and neatly. The clear polymer allows you to see exactly where to stamp.
How do you like the "flowers"? I found the example for them on the eighteen25 blog. Simply cut a card stock circle. Completely cover circle with adhesive and press a piece of twine in center and then start tightly winding and pressing all the way around the circle. When you get to the end, tape the end to the back of the circle.
Be sure you leave a comment on this post because the creator of inspired stamps, Antoinette,is giving away a stamp set of your choice (except Alpha set) to 1 lucky winner on EACH of the Design Team Members' blogs! So, leave a comment here and then go check out the other amazing blogs and comment there.
Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
The Song
Trials Turn to Gold by Keith Green
My Thoughts
I was enjoying a movie with some family and friends. We were completely absorbed in the story and the movie had just become intense when one of the characters lives was threatened. This young Hispanic gang member had “done the right thing” and gave testimony against a fellow gang member who had committed a murder. In doing so, she had signed her own death warrant. Fellow gang members were waiting for her when she left her home for school the next day. They chased her down and had her up against a fence when the leader said to her “You should be dead today. The only reason you’re alive is because of who your father is.”
Unbelievably, they let her go free. Why? Her father was the adult leader of the gang. Everyone in the theater was thrilled with this turn of events. It didn’t hit me until later that night that all of us need to ask ourselves a very important question: “Who’s your Daddy?” I hate to break the news to you friends, but we should all be dead today. But, praise God we’re alive because we have a Father in heaven!
Job knew who his daddy was. What he didn’t know was that Satan wanted him dead, but because Job honored his heavenly Father, he lived. Satan wanted to kill Job but Job’s daddy said, “NO!” (Job 2:6) Job wasn’t aware that the horrible things that were happening to him actually weren’t the worst that could have happened.
When you are feeling sorry for yourself because of all your trials and tribulations, stop for a minute and think of what could have been going on in the throne room of heaven on the day your struggles began. Isn’t it just possible that Satan asked God to test you? That Satan wanted to end your life because of your faithfulness to God. Imagine your heavenly Father telling Satan-“my child will remain faithful through anything you can dish out but I’m telling you now-you must spare her life”. I don’t know about you but that thought changes my perspective quite a bit. I look forward to eternity in my heavenly home but my home here on earth is filled with a family that I am not ready to leave. Yes, my life is lived with physical challenges and struggles but I would rather live this life as it is with my hubby and boys than to leave them at this time in the journey.
Daniel and his buddies knew who their daddy was. They were bold enough to declare to the king that their daddy would save them from the furnace but even if he didn’t, they would never worship the image of gold. Not only did their heavenly Father honor their bold statement but he sent His Son to join them for some fellowship in the fire! Now, as a Royal Ranger wife and mom, I have enjoyed my share of campfires. I must say, I have never been IN a campfire as Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were, but just sitting by a fire causes every fiber of my hair and clothing to absorb the odor. These boys were walking IN the fire. The ropes that “firmly tied” (Daniel 3:23) them were burned away! But when they were brought out, they didn’t even smell like smoke (Daniel 3:27)! Leave it to our heavenly Father to leave NO DOUBT in the minds of skeptics that he had completely protected them from every physical property of that flame.
People, God’s going to join you in your fire. He’s not about to watch you from a distance. Your daddy is standing right beside you and holding your hand. Jesus knew who his daddy was. He even prayed to him in the garden. “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me.” (Matthew 26:39) That tells me that it’s okay for us to pray that the trials we are going through be removed. But, we also need to remember the rest of his prayer, “Yet not as I will, but as you will.” Jesus knew that his Father’s purposes for the world would be accomplished only through his sacrifice.
Are we willing to allow our heavenly father to accomplish his purpose through us? God is working all your trials for good. Keith Green had a wonderful song that said “He's brought me here, where things are clear and trials turn to gold. He shared with me, His victory
He won in days of old.” I have no idea what God’s plan is for your trial but I do know the end result will be that when you allow Him to be your daddy and you trust Him with your life then He will “change our filthy rags to linen white as snow and our trials will turn to gold.”
Your Response
Tell your heavenly Father you are so thankful to be His child and you know that he is turning your trial around, even if you can’t see the results.
I have been into "simple layouts" this summer. Could be the awful Texas heat or could be the mound of photos that stare at me every day! Anyway, this photo came together very quickly using the Sophia papers from Close To My Heart. Anytime you buy a paper pack from CTMH, you know you can put together a beautiful layout in a matter of minutes because all the "matching" is done for you. The scalloped circles were cut using CTMHs punch and the butterflies are a Martha Stewart punch. The journal box was cut with the Cricut. Rhinestones are from my stash. Stay cool and keep it simple!
This week's challenge at www.heart2heartchallenges.blogspot.com is an "inspirational" challenge. The inspiration they provided is the photo above. So summery!
I was 1st struck by the colors, then the 3 panels and finally the flowers. This is the result:
I used flowered Sophia paper in the colors from the photo and added 3 punched areas at the bottom to fulfill my inspiration. All supplies and stamps are from Close To My Heart except for the butterfly punch and green pearls. Thanks for stopping by and for all of you who are sweet enough to comment!
You have until Saturday to enter this contest and have your favorite verse printed on a stamp and then receive the free new collection of Favorite Verses Stamps Set! Click on the picture to enter.
“Jesus, undeterred, went right ahead and gave his charge: "God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I'll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20 The Message
“And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.” NKJV
The Song Always by Building 429
My Thoughts When Christ had completed his visit with the disciples, following his resurrection, he gave them instructions to go and make disciples throughout all the world. He was giving these instructions in the moments before he was leaving this earth and ascending to heaven. I’m sure the disciples were more than a little apprehensive to realize that they were being asked to go into the world and convince people to follow a God who had been killed and buried. Yes, the disciples were seeing him resurrected and in the flesh but Jesus was telling them that he wouldn’t be there as proof of their outrageous statements to a skeptical world.
For 3 years he had been the star of their show. He performed the miracles and made the bold proclamations. He was their front man and eventually their fall guy. Now, he wanted them to travel without him and bring in new followers to the fold? Jesus had full knowledge of what he was asking them to do and what their journey would entail. I believe that is why his final statement to them was the assurance that he would always be with them. I like the way The Message interprets his words to say that as they followed the path he was asking them to take, that he would be with them “day after day after day”.
The task he had set before them would be a day in and day out lifestyle. They would face trouble and persecution. But how comforting to know that he would ALWAYS be with them. Even though he was leaving them physically, he could now be with them every moment in his glorified state. No matter what they faced, even until time ended, they had his assurance of his presence. What had his presence meant to them in the last three years? It had meant provision of their daily needs, joy, companionship, all manner of miracles, laughter, peace, comfort. It had meant the world. Now he was promising that those things would not end.
My friend, Jesus promises the very same thing to you. Day after day after day as you face difficulty and the life you live, he is with you. He never fails. As the song says “ I don’t know where you are and I don’t know where you’ve been. Maybe you’re fighting for your life or just about to throw the towel in. But, if you’re crying out for mercy, if there’s no hope left at all. If you’ve given everything you’ve got and you’re still about to fall. Well hold on, hold on, hold on, cause even when all hope is gone, God knows our pain and his promise remains, He will be with you always.”
Your Response Acknowledge to your Savior that you know he is with you always. Thank him for walking by your side through every moment of your life. Know that you are not alone.
Our assignment for this first week of July at inspired stamps was to make something patriotic. Well, I don't think there's anything more patriotic or adorable than this cute little sailor from inspired stamps "His Little Ones" stamps so I gave him center stage! If your loved one is in a different branch of service then you need to check out this little guy's buddies at inspired stamps. The sentiment is also straight from inspired stamps.
Please be sure to check out my fellow Design Team members' patriotic designs throughout the week on their blogs as well. Their blog addy's are on the side of my blog or all projects will be on inspired stamps blog on Thursday.
