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Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Word Art Wednesday: Happiness


Happiness.  Webster's Dictionary defines the word as "the state of being happy" or "an experience that makes you happy."  Poor definitions.  I was always taught not to define a word using the same word! An online dictionary adds:  1) good fortune, prosperity 2) the state of well-being, contentment. 

I've seen many people who attain fortune and prosperity but are far from happy people.  One doesn't have to be a etymologist to know the definitions of happiness above fall far short of grasping the true essence of happiness.  Our challenge verse at Word Art Wednesday this week is one of many in the Bible that captures the real source of deep happiness.


My DT Sample:


When God is our God, when our hope lies in Him for who He is, we are happy.  The world may be falling apart....OUR world may be falling apart, but if we place our hope, our trust, our faith in the Sovereign of the Universe, the God of Jacob, of Abraham...we can find true happiness.  That fact rests in our position as believers. We exist is a state of well being, much like the old hymn's refrain, "It is well, it is well with my soul."  When it is well with our soul we can be content, and to be content is to be happy.   Without Christ, our soul is at war with God, and there is no true happiness.  Once we surrender to Christ, He complete us, fills us, sustains us, empowers us, and preserves us for our home in eternity with Him.  He is our joy. 


I've known so many Christians who are really struggling with unusual challenges, or experience a season of trouble and turmoil.  Yet I see those same believers radiating joy in the midst of it all.  So self-help principles or positive thinking can dig us out of the mire of some of our most heart-wretching circumstances.  Note the message of the verse...happiness comes when we turn to God for help.  If we turn to worldly pursuits of pleasure, or mind-numbing coping skills, we will completely miss the joy that God has waiting for us.  I love the simple lyrics of another song by Chris Rice...

Weak and wounded sinner
Lost and left to die
O, raise your head, for Love is passing by
Come to Jesus
Come to Jesus
Come to Jesus and live!

Now your burden’s lifted
And carried far away
And precious blood has washed away the stain...so
Sing to Jesus
Sing to Jesus
Sing to Jesus and live!

And like a newborn baby
Don’t be afraid to crawl
And remember when you walk, sometimes we fall...so
Fall on Jesus
Fall on Jesus
Fall on Jesus and live!

Sometimes the way is lonely
And steep and filled with pain
So if your sky is dark and pours the rain...then
Cry to Jesus
Cry to Jesus
Cry to Jesus and live!

O, and when the love spills over
And music fills the night
And when you can'’t contain your joy inside...then
Dance for Jesus
Dance for Jesus
Dance for Jesus and live!

And with your final heartbeat
Kiss the world goodbye
Then go in peace, and laugh on glory’s side...and
Fly to Jesus
Fly to Jesus
Fly to Jesus and live!

Don't these words provide a perfect picture of what it is like to place our confidence in Jesus...through weakness and pain, struggles and hardships, love and laughter, life and death? Through it all, we find our joy in Jesus!


My sample showcases digi paper from Ticket to Bliss Digi Paper, and the frame is from Sending You Love Accessories.  I hope you'll join us for our Daydream Designs BLOG HOP that starts today too.  Our theme is Love/Hearts/Valentines...so this card is yet another inspiration for our theme.  

I hope you'll use the encouragement of this post to turn to Jesus.  And I hope my sample provides some inspiration for you to join us this week at Word Art Wednesday.  Our other design team members have some wonderful samples to share and Karen will share her wisdom about this verse too.  It will be a blessing to have you there. 

  Thank you for blessing my day!
Diane


3 comments:

  1. Diane, thanks so much for your encouraging words on my blog. I love your valentine card with its beautiful use of the scripture. I love the red and pink combo. So lovely and it will be a welcome gift to someone at Valentine's Day.

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  2. Your card is so pretty, Diane. I like the chalkboard effect you did with the verse. Thank you for sharing so beautifully from your heart.

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  3. Beautiful card! How did you turn the sentiment into a chalkboard sentiment? Interesting....
    kReN

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