Go Out in Joy!

These things I have spoken to you, 

that my joy may be in you, 

and that your joy may be full.

John 15:11 

Welcome to our Mustard Seed Faith Challenge for the next 2 weeks!  Our challenge this week is to share a little joy with your crafting projects.  For my projects I'm submitting both this card and a Bible Journaling page.

I love the verse in John 15:11.  The reason God reveals Himself to man and invites us into relationship is two-fold.  He receives glory from our redemption and we receive complete joy when we are His.  I love the simplicity of this little design for the card (cut out from Illustrated Faith).  It reflects the simplicity of the verse I chose as well...God's joy in us completes our joy.  Feelings like happiness depend on our circumstances or our perspective.  Joy comes from God.  No one can have complete joy apart from a relationship to God.  Simple, profound theology! 

In Christ we are commanded to go out into the world, and we can do so with joy because of the treasure God has put within us.  

My Bible journaling, also on joy, captures Isaiah 55:12,  

“For you shall go out in joy
    and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and the hills before you
    shall break forth into singing,
    and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

When God puts His joy into us we can go out in joy and peace, praising God along the way.  Even nature magnifies the praise of the Lord.  

What brings you happiness?

What brings you His joy?  

We hope you'll join us sometime during this challenge and share your own inspirational projects.  We'd love to see them.  Just head over to Mustard Seed Faith Challenges!

Worry...Don't!

Look at the birds of the air; 

they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, 

and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. 

Are you not much more valuable than they?  

 Can any one of you by worrying 

add a single hour to your life? 

Matthew 6:26-27

Worry...it will drain the life right out of your heart and mind.  Really, it's a killer!  The Bible instructs us not to worry for very good reasons. 

1.  As stated in the scripture above, it won't add to your life.  In fact the stress of worrying not only decreases the quality of your life; it can decrease the length of your life as well. 
2. Further in that same passage of scripture in Matthew 6:44 Jesus says, "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."  We can't hold all that there is to worry about.  Jesus is certainly not saying there aren't troublesome things that will happen in life.  We only need to look around and we see plenty of things worthy of our worry.  
3.  The Bible instructs us not to worry for another reason...^"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." (Philippians 4:6)  We have a better solution to troublesome situations than worry.  We can pray and turn it all over to God. 

It may seem like we trivialize situations to think we shouldn't worry about them.  I think sometimes I worry in direct proportion to how important something is to me.  But worry is futile. My daddy used to say 99% of what we worry about doesn't occur and if it does most of it is not as bad as we made it out to be.  I think that's really true.  I found this poster on Pinterest.

It says the same thing my father said.  Worry is a fabrication, a lie.  We are forming thoughts and feelings that are not accurate, not true...so worry is not from God.  And that is perhaps the biggest reason to cast worry from our hearts.  Worried thoughts are not of God.  Worry robs us of trust and is a faith-killer.  Examine your heart daily and make a commitment before the Lord to turn over any worries the day might hold to Him.  He will fill you with His peace and assurance. 

This card is for my DT submission to Mustard Seed Faith Challenges and I invite you to our blog to be inspired and challenged.  You will be delighted by the devotional thoughts and artful inspirations there. 

Are You Steadfast?

   

 I was so amused when I looked up the word "steadfast" and read this fun fact about the word itself. 

"Steadfast has held its ground in English for many centuries. Its Old English predecessor, stedefæst, combined stede (meaning "place" or "stead") and fæst (meaning "firmly fixed"). An Old English text of the late 10th century, called The Battle of Maldon, contains our earliest record of the word, which was first used in battle contexts to describe warriors who stood their ground. Soon, it was also being used with the broad meaning "immovable," and as early as the 13th century it was applied to those unswerving in loyalty, faith, or friendship. Centuries later, all of these meanings endure." (Merriam-Webster online dictionary)

The very word "steadfast" and its meaning have endured...which is what it means.  Just struck me as humorously interesting.  But I also loved the analogy here of the warrior who stands their ground.  Truthfully, that is precisely what having a steadfast spirit means.  

Our Mustard Seed Faith Challenge this week deals with steadfastness which is multifaceted.  We can examine God's steadfast love for us, or ours for God (a goal...probably not something we've attained!), the love we have for our spouses...steadfastness is a virtue in many dimensions.  I invite you to our challenge blog to read the devotional there.  I'll post my card submission as a design team member for our current challenge, but I'd like to explore this particular verse and shine some light on the multifaceted word steadfast so it sparkles in your heart!

  

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Our challenge is to create a card with either a friendship 

or love/marriage theme to go with a focal verse in Hosea.  

It's a book that definitely shows us God's steadfast love toward us.  

My card reflects the effects of someone's steadfast friendship...

someone whose friendship stays the course and does not waver.  

The card could be for a spouse...anyone who blesses another. 

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What does it mean to have a steadfast spirit?  Do you have one?  I'd like to offer some verses of scripture that may guide you in some study and prayer time as you seek to have a more steadfast spirit.  

1. I believe a steadfast spirit starts with a steadfast mind.  Isaiah 26:3 says, "You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast because they trust in you."  Trusting God is essential as we develop the right perspective on our circumstances.  If we lack trust, have a mind that wanders from Christ and God's Word, we've already lost the battle.  So, are you DETERMINED to be steadfast because you TRUST GOD?
2. A steadfast heart is one that is immoveable, unshakable...not because of our own courageousness, but because we live in expectant and certain hope.  We know the prize awaits us, and that certainty can keep us steady on our feet.  When we are firmly planted in God's promises we will refuse to let the world move us, corrupt us, influence us.  We will be grounded, rooted and standing on the Solid Rock.  No wind of error will take us to the right or left. 1 Corinthians 15:58 says it best, "Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
3.  Does your perspective change as the life-is-easy/life-is-difficult meter swings from side to side?  We all surely know by this point life has it's ups and downs.  Sometimes the downs are so low we wonder if we can ever climb out of the hole.  The more we try to dig our way out, the deeper the pit descends.  Been there?  Where is our faith during these times?  If your faith falters in the difficult seasons of life you need a good dose of steadfastness.  And God will provide that. 1 Peter 5:10 gives us the confidence that God will supply our steadfast spirit--  (That's great news!!!) "And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast."  We are never promised a life void of suffering...but we are promised that the God of all grace will dispense HIS strength to us when we need it.  Are you asking for it?  Are you availing yourself of the Lord's rich supply of steadfastness?  As the opening passage/graphic indicates...it is God who RENEWS a steadfast spirit within us!
4. Steadfastness is dispensed as we ask and obey.  Psalm 119:5 says, "Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees!" and Proverbs 4:26 adds, "Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways."  Intentional obedience to what God has already said in His Word provides a path for steadfastness.  If we are constantly living in disobedience to the Lord our way is strewn with boulders of rebelliousness...we have to navigate around the very pitfalls and obstacles we are responsible for constructing.  We will stumble over them.  A stalwart and steadfast soldier is not out there on the battlefield stumbling around aimlessly slashing at the air lamenting that he should have trained harder. No, he is strategically, purposefully aiming the truth of God's Word at anything and anyone who seeks to bring him down.  Steadiness in obedience brings steadfastness to the heart. 
5. Finally (although there are many more scriptures on the topic), I'd like to offer the beauty of Psalm 57:7 for your meditation and study, "My heart, O God, is steadfast, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make music." When troubles come, sing!  When circumstances knock you down, get back up and start dancing...make music.  I love the story in 2 Chronicles 20:21, "After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: 'Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever'."  Isn't that fantastic?!  The king sends out singers in FRONT of the army...and they are singing of the steadfast love of the Lord.  That just makes me smile.  (Please just go read the first 29 verses of chapter 20.  It's amazing.) When you have a battle facing you, do you go out singing? If your heart is steadfast, you will!

If you don't have a steadfast heart, you do have patience to have read to this point!  LOL I'm glad you did, not for digesting anything I said but to feast on the Word of God and His amazing promise to make us steadfast.  Just do your part to open yourself to His treasure trove!

Hope to see you over at Mustard Seed Faith Challenges this week and next!  

 

Lullabye Baby

Mustard Seed Faith Challenge

Baby Card / Psalms

There is something simply heavenly about rocking a baby to sleep and singing over your child or grandchild.  I rocked both my boys to put them to sleep at night and absolutely loved that special time of singing to them and praying over them.  I also played music (soft classical) all night long.  I prayed every night over my boys for three things...for their future mates to be godly women, for them not to meet with a violent or painful end and for them to be godly men who loved and served Jesus with their whole heart.  They are grown men now.  My older son is married to a beautiful Christian woman and he is a very dynamic pastor.  My younger son, who also married a beautiful believer, has children of his own, and we recently celebrated the first birthday of his youngest.  

This little live-wire does love to cuddle up on grammie's soft lap and snuggle in for a snooze.  And I'm still singing...and still praying.  

And what a joy to see my baby hold his baby for sleep time too...

And seeing sweet time with mama...

 As I pray over my adult children who bless me so much, and my grandchildren who are now a double blessing, my prayer is reflected in Psalm 103: 16-18

But from everlasting to everlasting
    the Lord’s love is with those who fear him,
    and his righteousness with their children’s children—  

with those who keep his covenant
    and remember to obey his precepts.

God continues to answer the prayers I prayed so many years ago over my boys...now He is blessing the prayers of my sons over the fruit they are bearing through their ministry and children.

What an amazing legacy of faith in our family of men...Photo above was about a year ago in our home...my husband (a preacher) with his dad (a retired pastor). 

Both my grandsons have made professions of faith within the last 2 years.  In fact, Daniel, the younger one, is being baptized this Mother's Day (2017).  His grandpa David will baptize him as he did CJ two years ago.  As we celebrate the faith of my family and watch this amazing symbol of obedience to Christ by my grandson, I can't help but believe those prayers as I rocked my babies years ago made a difference, because God honored them and blessed me with these answers that you see here.

When we keep God's Word, sing it and pray it over our children, it will have an everlasting effect.  I believe that with all my heart.  

I'm submitted this card as my DT sample for the Mustard Seed Faith Challenge to make a baby card and relate to a psalm in scripture as a lullaby.  I hope the story of my rocking my babies, and now my grandson as I sing God's Word over them is a testimony to the power of what this challenge represents.  

AND for those of you who have children, may I recommend an amazing discovering I recently made.  If you haven't heard of the Scripture Lullaby CDs available online...rush there to purchase they are the new music I now play for Lukas.  My husband and I fall asleep with them every night and my daughter-in-law makes sure Lukas has them on while going to sleep...and she now plays them all night long for him.  God's Word, sung over our children.  That will produce more JOY than we can imagine!  Here's a sample!  Enjoy!

  

Mustard Seed Faith Challenge

 If you have faith as small as a mustard seed...

nothing will be impossible for you

Matthew 17:20

 Mustard Seed Faith Challenge Blog

I posted earlier about a new challenge blog I'm joining as a designer.  I'm so thrilled to be creating beside the wonderful and talented ladies on this team.  Our purpose is to encourage all participants in their faith walk with Jesus and to provide a place for fun, clean and creative design challenges--cards, scrapbook pages, Bible art-journaling--anything goes.  Challenges always stretch me a little bit and help me move out of my design box.  We hope you will be uplifted and will join us for our very first challenge beginning TODAY.  You will be able to link your creation so we can all see how you have interpreted the challenge. Challenges run for two weeks, so every other week a new challenge will be posted. 

My submissions for our first challenge--Using yellow or mustard color.

What an amazing promise in scripture that even faith the size of a mustard seed can accomplish much.  I know in my faith journey, as God proves himself to be completely trustworthy time and time again, my faith has increased.  I worry less and trust more.  Trusting God's power and intervention in our lives frees us from the need to take control ourselves...and our resources can never match God's.  His resources are like a banquet table that never ends!  We can feed on his goodness over and over again because the table of his grace is never consumed.  He offers grace upon grace as we trust him more and more.

Once I got started creating for this challenge, I couldn't quit!  I haven't used my Pure Innocence stamps for a long while and when I uncovered this happy paper in my stash I just knew I had to put this little sweetie on my card (her dress is paper-pieced).  Lots of sunshiny yellow does make this look like happy mail for sure! 

Materials Used:
--Cardstock from Stampin' Up!
--Stamps from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps (Faith Quote Blocks--Taste and See), and Pure Innocence (Happy Mail)
--Designer Papers from Stampin' Up! and Simple Stories

Please visit our challenge blog, Mustard Seed Faith Challenges, and plan to play along.  We'd love to see your inspiration and I know you will be blessed by the creations of the other design team members there.

A New Challenge Blog Opportunity for YOU!

I am thrilled to be serving on a new challenge blog called Mustard Seed Faith Challenges!  I hope you will join in on the fun and our challenges.  We are just getting formed and are still looking for some design team members.  I've copied the information from our blog below.  I know some of my crafty friends would make fabulous team members.  Once again, I get to design and exalt the name of Christ while I do it!  I hope you'll join in as we go live next month. More info to follow so stay tuned!

Design Team Call

Welcome to our new blog! We are very excited to announce the launch of a new bible-based challenge blog, using our creative talents to help spread the love of Jesus Christ and to tell of our relationship with Him. We are going to start out with a challenge every other Sunday based on a hymn, a passage of scripture, an encouraging song and similar themes. We intend to launch mid- to late March. We have a great start with some wonderful stampers on the design team but would like to add just a few more. 

 If you would like to be considered, please look at the following and then send a note.

• We are looking for stampers who have placed their faith and trust in Jesus Christ as their personal savior. 
• Creative crafters from any continent welcome.
• You must have an active blog.
• Make (on average) two projects every month (some months might have five Sundays).
• Alternate with the other design team members to host a challenge, i.e. decide on a bible verse, song, etc. and link a challenge to that verse (use the color blue, use a square, etc.) 
• Be able to comment on a share of our participants using a rota system.
• Help pick the top three designs from among submitted entries.  
• We would like a commitment of at least six months.

If this is something that you would like to do and would like to be considered for the design team then please email me at jeannezturner@hotmail.com. Please include:

• A little bit about yourself and your faith commitment.
• The link to your blog. 
• Any design teams in your past or current teams. 
• If you haven't been on a design team before, we still would love to hear from you. 
• A link to your blog or other social media site that you post your projects on.

Design Team Call ends March 10th. We will only be selecting two more designers, however, we are looking at a guest designer program.