Scripture Challenge HUMILITY

Hey, everyone!!

It is time for another Scripture Challenge scrapbook page! This week's theme is HUMILITY. You can check out the challenge here on Patter's blog. The scriptures I used for my page are here:

1 Peter 5:5 KJV

Proverbs 22:4 KJV

Proverbs 15:33 KJV

The quote I used is from The Quote Garden. It is by William Temple:

Humility does not mean thinking less of yourself than of other people, nor does it mean having a low opinion of your own gifts. It means freedom from thinking about yourself at all.

I love that!!

Here is my scrapbook page:

I used the "Title" page from sketch 62 found here. I used my Fiskars Threading Water border punch. I punched out the title with my Cricut using the George cartridge but the really kewl thing about it is I liked the negative so well I used it instead of the acutal letters! LOL I hope you like my page! May it bless you abundantly!

Angel Hugs,

Scripture Challenge LIGHT

Hey, everyone!

I wanted to share my latest Scripture Challenge scrapbook page with you!! The word for the week I am on is LIGHT. You can see the entire word list here. The scriptures I used can be read by clicking on each of these links:

Genesis 1:14-18 (KJV)
Exodus 13:21 (KJV)
Nehemiah 9:19 (KJV)
Psalm 18:28 (KJV)
Psalm 119:105 (KJV)
Matthew 5:14-16 (KJV)
John 8:12 (KJV)
John 12:46 (KJV)
Revelation 22:5 (KJV)

Here is my digital scrapbook page:

I was terrified of the dark when I was little. I slept with my oldest sister, always clutching at her gown as if that would protect me somehow from the shadows. I hated walking in the dark, up the hill from my grandparents' home to mine, even with a flashlight. My imagination was very vivid and I would find myself running as fast as my legs could carry me until I was safe inside. Our home has very little natural light. I don't like that! I would change it if I could. We buy bright light bulbs and I have a lot of lamps. I keep the curtains pulled back as much as I can.

If I turn my porch light on bugs are surrounding it in no time. Something about a light just draws us, doesn't it? You ever notice how children have to be watched much more closely around a flame or camp fire? They have to be taught not to touch the fire or they will be burned. Some will try to touch it anyway. There is just something that draws us to the light. When someone is lost in a cave they look towards the light. Even when people die, they go toward the light.

One night while driving home I looked up at the street lights. It's funny because I can see a God thing in almost any situation I am in! I thought about how we as Christians are supposed to be like those street lamps. The world is dark all around us, but we are supposed to be a light to them. Our light is supposed to spill into the shadows and draw the unsaved souls in. We are to be a city on a hill! I know I am getting near town at night by the lights in the distance. I can see how it just lights up the night in that area. We, as Christians, are to be that beacon of light to those wayward souls. As those who don't know Jesus as their Savior and LORD stumble through the darkness, trying to navigate their way through life, it is up to you and me to let our lights shine so we can help them find the way HOME. Like those street lights, too, our circle of light is only so big... there is only so much we can do as individuals but God can use you right where you are to spread light to those in need who are near you. When you smile to your neighbor, wave hello to a child, speak kindness to someone who may be in your way or holding you up when you are in a hurry...maybe you hold the door a little longer for someone to get through, or let someone go ahead of you in line to save them some time... it's all shining your light so that others may see your good works and glorify our Heavenly Father!

Angel Hugs,

Scripture Challenge POWER

Hey, everyone!

Has this ever happened to you? Things in your life are going fine, nobody has been sick for a while, the vehicles are running well, no major dilemmas with your home and then BAM!, everything just hits at once! Suddenly your child is hurt or sick, something needs repaired on your vehicle and things start tearing up around the house. Maybe not that same scenario, but you know what I'm saying. Sometimes it seems like we are just bombarded with trouble, sickness, pain, and aggravation. If you are a Christian, those things will still happen! If they didn't happen to us, I am sure there would be more Christians just for the sake of not having problems anymore! The truth is we have the same stressful times as anyone else but the difference is we have a POWER source that keeps us going!

When I was working in the Emergency Room one night, there was a really bad storm coming. As it turned out, the bad storm became a tornado and those strong winds knocked down power lines and the lights went out! The hospital was not caught off guard by this. They have back up generators so just about as quick as the lights went off they were back on. I think that is how we are as Christians. When the storms of this life rock our vessel and we are shaken to the core, sometimes we lose our strength, our power to go on. As a Christian, though, we have God's generator that will kick on and power us through whatever we must face. When our strength just isn't enough, His always is!

I have been participating in a Scripture Challenge for over a year now. Each Sunday, here at Hoosier Card Angel's Creations this month, I have been sharing my 8½x11 scrapbook pages with you here. I pray that they are a blessing to you. It truly is wonderful to look up the week's challenge words Patter has chosen. Even though I am not "up to date" on the challenge itself, God's Word is alive and it is so amazing to me how perfect the words are as I study them. It's just simply wonderful how it just fits my life so perfectly. Here is my page this week:

If you cannot click on the photo to enlarge this, the scriptures I used are from the New Kings James version:
2 Samuel 22:33
Hebrews 4:12
Romans 1:16
I Corinthians 1:18
Romans 15:13
I hope this has blessed you and if you would like to participate in this challenge, click HERE for the list. I'd love to see your cards or scrapbook pages, too!

Angel Hugs,

Scripture Challenge NAME

Hey, everyone!

Have you ever wondered where someone got their name? Maybe why a street or company chose the name they did? I know often times when someone sees me out with my children, they will politely ask me what their names are and then look puzzled as they try to repeat the name Kadesia and sometimes struggle with the name Javan. Kadesia's name means Sanctified and Radiant! Isn't that beautiful? She has a purpose and a place on this earth and God is calling her to be set apart to do great things through her. She loves Him and I am a proud mother to think of the times she just starts interceding in prayer for someone who is hurting, sick or even dying. Her heart is bigger than any I have ever seen and full of compassion, love and justice! My son's name is from the book of Genesis in the Holy Bible. Javan is a decendant from Noah. I am in awe of how quickly he has learned the mealtime prayer and so happy that he is learning the Lord's Prayer for bedtime. When he gets hurt he says, "Say Jesus take the pain away." He knows who to call on when he needs help! Do you?

Today's Scripture Challenge was for NAME. I knew of a couple of scriptures I wanted to include. Aren't these beautiful? The Bible says it is the only name given among us that we can be saved: Jesus Christ! Are you saved? Do you know Him? It is such an honor to be loved by my Savior, my Redeemer!

Here is my scrapbook page. I hope it will allow you to click on it to enlarge it. I also want to share a very special video with you. As a young girl, I can remember my grandmother singing this at church. It was a favorite of mine always. It was one of the first choruses that I learned to play that had minors in it. I have played it and sang it so often to my children, when I am home alone, when I want to praise my Savior and just bask in His presence. I know you will be blessed when you watch it!





Angel Hugs,

Scripture Challenge FEAR

Hey, everyone!

I am sharing my Scripture Challenge page today entitled Fear. When I saw the title my mind raced in so many different directions. I could talk about fear and what it does to a person when someone lets it rule their life. I could talk about a reverent fear we are to have for our LORD. I could even talk about not having fear, the absence of fear. I wasn't sure where to go with this. I heard my pastor say on Easter Sunday that there are 365 verses in the Bible telling us not to fear. That is one for each day of the year! Coincidence? I think not!

Fear is something that comes into your heart and either can dwell there and take over your life; paralyzing it's victims until nothing feels safe anymore. Fear is a feeling that can numb you to the core as you envision the worst possible scenarios. Fear is an awful, hopeless, helpless, depressing and oppressing emotion that when encouraged by others to grow will become something you may feel powerless to stop! The good news is that we don't have to fear! It's not something we are supposed to do! NO FEAR was a popular slogan when I was in school and it was plastered all over t-shirts, hats, notebooks, you name it. NO FEAR! As a Christian that should be our mantra!


I hope you can click on this photo to enlarge it. It was a pure DELIGHT, it was JOYFUL, to study the word "fear" in context of the scriptures. It is amazing how many scripture references there are and I am sure I had no where near all of them pulled up! The Word of God is so amazing that we can read it any day, any year, any time and no matter if life is great and going better than we could ever imagined, or if we feel like someone jerked the rug out from beneath us, we can still get something awesome, uplifting, encouraging and useful from it's text. That is power! That is fearless! That is amazing!

God bless you and remember Jesus said for us to not fear because He had overcome the world! 'Nough said!

Angel Hugs,

Scripture Challenge TREASURE

Hey, everyone!!

We've had a couple snow days back to back here and let me tell you...it really can throw your plans out the window! LOL Today Kadesia and Javan are playing well together. They helped me with my Cricut which I used for the first time ever today! I have played with other Cricuts before but my brother bought me one and I had never used it!! But now that I have, believe me it will get a lot of use! I am so excited!!! I guess I just didn't take the time to use it because I wanted to wait until I had a lot of time to mess with it. Since that doesn't seem like it's going to happen I decided I would just take a few minutes and cut out today's theme word for the Scripture Challenge. I loved it so much I made some flowers, too! I hope you will like the layout!

For those of you who don't know, the Scripture Challenge is from Patter's blog. I started it last year with my friends. You can see all the pages I have created when you click here. The pages I create are all 8½" x 11" and I store them in a large binder I purchased at Walmart. I have enough page protectors inside for each challenge so I was prepared before I started! LOL Things took up more and more of my time, then I was lingering over some of the challenges as the LORD was leading me and teaching me! It was so amazing!! So this year I decided to pick up where I left off and I have been doing that ever since!! Today's post is later in the day than I wanted but I am excited to share it with you.

The scriptures I used are:

Exodus 9:15 NIV

Proverbs 15:16 NKJV

Matthew 6:19-21 NKJV

Matthew 12:35 NKJV

Many of my very close relatives have passed away. Some dear friends have gone on that have left a legacy of love and faith. Each time another person leaves me, it's like a balloon floating into the clouds, part of my heart goes with them and I can tell you that I am storing up a LOT of wonderful TREASURE in Heaven. (Matthew 6:19-21) My friend Christina has encouraged me so much. She said that monetarily speaking God has shown us that we can live on very little and still make it. That is so true!! I don't go shopping for clothes or new stuff. We shop for groceries and the things we need. That is good! That is how it's supposed to be. I don't lack anything! God provides for me. (Prov. 15:16) I know that as long as I do what God says in His Word and live my life to please Him then I will be His treasure! (Exod. 9:15) I hope that my life is a witness to my family, my friends, to strangers and everyone I meet that my Savior is my TREASURE! (Matthew 12:35)

Hope you've enjoyed my blog post today! If you are snowed in, too, stay warm and stay safe! If you are warm and enjoying wonderful weather, soak up some sun for me!!! Take care!

Angel Hugs,

Scripture Challenge LEADING (God's)

Hey, everyone!

I created this Scripture Challenge page on my computer. I had an idea of casting the glow of a flashlight onto footprints and then I wanted the flashlight to represent Christ, so I placed a cross behind that. I really like the effect!

The theme is Leading (God's) and I instantly knew I wanted to include Romans 8:14. I also included Psalm 143:10 and Hebrews 9:14.
If God wasn't guiding me, leading me by His Spirit and shining His eternal love and light on the paths I am to walk, I would not make it. I cannot imagine trying to face the situations we've been going through without God to help us, guide us, protect us, LEAD US. Without Him we would surely fail. I am so glad that He loves us and wants to lead us!

Angel Hugs,

Scripture Challenge BLESSED

Hey, everyone!

Today's Scripture Challenge theme is "BLESSED" and though there are many scriptures I could have chosen, I hope the ones I share with you today will encourage you!

God blessed us from the beginning. Right after He created Mankind He blessed them.

Genesis 5:2 NKJV

Our blessings don't end with us.

Deuteronomy 12:7 NIV

Psalm 37:25-27 NIV

We must never give up, but continue to fight the good fight of faith.

James 1:12 NIV

James 5:11 NIV

Our faith in God is rewarded with blessings because we choose to believe.

John 20:29 NIV

When we trust God to help us through we are blessed.

Psalm 84:12 NIV

We are blessed when we seek wisdom from God.

Psalm 1:1 NIV

Proverbs 3:13 NIV

God blessed us with many blessings and continues to do so.

Ephesians 1:3 NIV

Isaiah 30:18 NIV

Psalm 34:8 NIV

Deuteronomy 28:6 NIV

I hope you will be blessed by today's Scripture Challenge page.

I created some flourishes on my yellow cardstock with my VersaMark pad and the Swirly Gigs stamp set from The Angel Company. I used some alphabet stickers from my scrapbooking stash to create the title. I didn't want to take away from the text today because I wanted each bullet to stand out and each of the scriptures that back up each of those points.

I keep track of the blessings God has given me in this little notebook I made with my Bind-It-All machine. The paper and punches are from TAC, too. I used the "b" from Scriptybet to make a monogram for Bridgett and for Blessings! I haven't listed everything God has done for me and my family because there is no way I could! He has done SO much!!! But I love looking at this book because it reminds me that God loves and cares for me and it helps me to see the generous hearts of others as they have blessed us!

Here's a look at the inside. May God BLESS you today and always!

Angel Hugs,

Scripture Challenge HEART

Hey, everyone!

This week's scripture challenge word is heart. Well, it is if you are on the same week as I am! LOL That is something I love about Patter's challenge. You can just pick up right where you left off and you're not behind! This word is so relevant this week. I've talked about that before how it's amazing to me how much the Word just comes alive to me as I study these challenge words. The words that Patter picked when she began this challenge are just what I need at this time in my life. God is so awesome like that!
My scrapbook page is 8½" x 11" and I'm using black cardstock. The white cardstock for the hearts are stamped with a Hostess Level A stamp set from The Angel Company called Build-A-Background. I used L'Amore Palette Hybrid Ink. The "heart" layer started with a white circle that had the word heart on it in red letters. It was from Leaving Prints when I used to sell scrapbooking items a long time ago. The cardstock alphabet stickers are from LP, too. The red heart was cut using my Creative Memories cutting system. The scriptures are printed from my computer onto address labels and adhered to black cardstock.

The scriptures I used are:
Proverbs 21:2
1 Samuel 16:7
Jeremiah 24:6-7
Jeremiah 17:10
Phillipians 4:7
John 14:27
Romans 10:9-10

I am so glad that God does indeed look upon the heart. You know I am a preacher's kid so I've been to all kinds of churches, various sizes, different denominations, and sometimes varying belief systems. Some churches we had to wear certain things, other times we had to NOT wear certain things. Even following the church's protocols, we were often judged by our appearance. Sometimes people thought we were more holy if we looked a certain way, and other times we weren't holy enough if we didn't look exactly like them. But through all the experiences I have had, it taught me not to judge the outward appearance. God looks at the heart and He decides based on our attitudes and motives whether we possess good fruit or bad. As a Christian I really want to have the heart and mind of Christ. I want all the fruits of the Spirit to be at work in my life. I don't want to just honor God with my lips and tell others I am saved but then deny Him by my lifestyle. I want to become invisible so that when you look at me, you see the picture of Christ. Not because I am anything. I have not arrived! I just want Jesus to be big in me and use me to further the Kingdom anyway that I can. These scriptures are full of promise and hope and I pray that something I have shared today will help your cross be easier to bear today!

Angel Hugs,

Scripture Challenge BELIEVE

Hey, everyone!!

Today is Wednesday so that means it's Scripture Challenge time! I have another scrapbook page to show you! It is an 8½" x 11" size. I love the brown and pink color combination!! I designed the 4 scriptures to be in each of the four corners creating a cross symbol in the center of the page! Do you see it? The "i" in "believe" is double matted to make a statement that I believe!! Scriptures are all in NKJV and are 2 Timothy 1:12, James 2:19, 1 Timothy 4:12 and 1 John 4:11.
Do you participate in the Scripture Challenges? Last year, I started participating in the Scripture Challenge '09 over on Patter's blog. If you haven't been there to check it out, you definitely should go! It's amazing!!! I grew up a preacher's kid so I am well versed in scripture! I honestly thought it would be a cute little devotion type thing... you know find a scripture or two and go on, but it has actually changed my life! I find the word of the week pertains to whatever I am facing the week I am doing the challenge. Like I said, I started this last year, and didn't finish it. I was dealing with a lot of things and God was really speaking to me with some of the verses I had discovered while taking this challenge. Some scriptures spoke to me in ways I never knew before. My eyes were open to the hidden treasures that God has placed in His Word for us to find and some of the familiar passages were like getting a hug from my grandmother and grandfather and other saints that have since gone on to be with the LORD! Heaven is so much sweeter with them there. I have such a longing in my heart to go HOME and be face to face with my Savior!

I'd like to share a really amazing video that I found on youtube. It's a song called LORD I BELIEVE and it's sung by Crystal Lewis. She is an awesome singer!!! I can remember my sisters and I listening to her sing and I was always just blown away by her voice! What an incredible gift she has! This made me think back to a very happy time in my life so I wanted to share the video with you. I hope this video blesses you as much as it has blessed me!


Angel Hugs,

Scripture Challenge CHOICE

Hey, everyone!

This is my first official Scripture Challenge Digital scrapbook page for 2010! I am picking up right where I left off last year and I am dedicated to finishing this challenge! I am very excited about where it is taking me! Today's Scripture Challenge page is all about choices! Every choice we make has a consequence to it. Some choices have good consequences and other choices leave us facing repercussions that last a lifetime!! I tell my daughter life is all about choices. You get to choose! You have the power inside of you to choose right or wrong, good or bad! We all make mistakes and we don't always make the best choices in life, but I think it is so liberating just to know that the choice is ultimately ours! We can listen to friends and family, our pastor or youth leader, maybe even a co-worker or complete stranger! The choice will always be ours to decide! Here is my scrapbook page:

My journaling says:

I was the kid who never got picked for dodgeball or basketball at school. I was definitely not athletic and was always last to be chosen for teams. I have a lot of friends but few that I have chosen to share a lot of myself with. It's so humbling to know that God chose me before I could choose Him. He waited for me. He picked me! I am God's choice and I am glad I chose to serve Him!

The poem I included is the one by Roy Lessin in my sidebar. It's not exactly a poem, as much as it is an inspirational quote. As a teenager, a wonderful female evangelist kept in contact with me. She lived in Florida and I in Indiana. She sent me a beautiful card with THIS very verse on the front and I remember just being blown away! No one ever told me God felt that way about me before and I was so humbled to know that He cared for me! It was so motivating to me to keep learning more about God and becoming a friend of His. It helped me learn to seek a relationship with Him. I am so glad that I did because my choice is to follow Christ!

Angel Hugs,

Scripture Challenge OBEY

Hey, everyone!

I have been participating in a Scripture Challenge this year that Patter has shared on her blog. This particular challenge is using the word OBEY. I found 4 verses that I wanted to use for my 8½x11 scrapbook page. The scriptures are Job 36:11, Jeremiah 7:23, Deuteronomy 13:4, Colossians 3:22. Here is my page:
The journaling reads:

As a mother, I love it when my children obey me. It brings me joy when I ask them to do something and they do it! I can only imagine how much more true that is for God, our Heavenly Father. We have been given commands, things to do while we are here on earth and when we do those things God asks us to do, I can only imagine how happy that makes Him.
I have a job now, outside the home, and this particular verse in Colossians 3:22 brings me peace and purpose as I study it. I know that I am only going to be working one shift a week after training is over. I will give it my all just like a full-time employee should because God blessed me with this job and I will honor Him by being the employee He wants me to be.
Obeying God is much better than NOT!

I hope you have been inspired today! If you are participating in the Scripture Challenges, too, leave me a link in the comment section, or e-mail me and let me know! I'd love to check it out! Be blessed!

Hugs,

Scripture Challenge GOD'S WORD

Hey, everyone!

I hope you'll be able to click on this image so you can read my journaling. Sometimes Blogger will allow the photos to enlarge and sometimes not. LOL

I am going back to my Scripture Challenge. I didn't leave it but I was sort of STUCK! I started the challenge hoping I'd learn more scriptures, maybe I'd help my friends with some of the challenges, and it would give me an opportunity to scrapbook. I hadn't done that in a while! I got all of that AND SO MUCH MORE! It's incredible, Friends, how much more I received! I am growing closer to God and learning more about the things He has planned for my life. The one book I have read over and over, is highlighted, underlined, marked up, written in the margins, pages dog-eared, some falling out, it is the ONE book I still grab when I want direction, need uplifting, encouragement, advice, help, or just to feel close to my Master. I read those RED LETTERS over and over and I feel like Jesus is sitting with me talking to me face to face and it is amazing!

I tried to create a scrapbook page for this week's word and I just kept going in a different direction than I wanted to. Now I know why! I had to learn more from God and though I have not arrived yet I am on my way! This is the first "digital" scrapbook page I have created. It's not printed out yet but it will be! I had to share with you...I couldn't wait until Sunday! Hope this blesses you!

Thanks for hanging out with me today! It's no accident you dropped in when you did. I hope you will come back again tomorrow!

Hugs,

Scripture Challenge STRENGTH

Hey, everyone!

My mother-in-law took me, Paul and the kids to Holiday World on Saturday. It was so much fun!! We were worn out on Sunday and all of our allergies were bothering us so we just rested up! It was definitely a fun-filled weekend!!!

Today I am sharing with you the Scripture Challenge I didn't get to share on Sunday. The word for this past week was STRENGTH. Here is my 8½"x11" scrapbook page.
I used the Squiggle Ladybugs stamp set from The Angel Company on this page. I really enjoy this stamp set so much! I've used 5 scriptures today on my page. You can click on the scripture link to read from Bible Gateway in the NIV if you want.
Psalm 18:32
Psalm 28:7
Psalm 46:1
Isaiah 40:31
Revelations 3:8

My name means "One of Strength" and even though I am not physically super strong, I have always had a strong will/determination and my spirit is strong! Many people have relied on me through the years to be their rock, someone they can lean on when they aren't feeling their best. At funerals, I am one of the strong ones, helping others get through tough times and encouraging others. But where do I go when I need to be strengthened? I lean on the LORD! We used to sing a song called Learning To Lean at church when I was growing up. That song has been my mantra for a long time now. I am still learning to lean on Jesus and realizing I really don't have to do this alone!!! He strengthens me and helps me. His Word encourages me and blesses me!

I hope you are strengthened, today, too! God bless you!! Hope you'll come back tomorrow!!

Hugs,

Scripture Challenge REST

Hey, everyone!

This has been one busy year so far! WOW! I have been meeting myself coming and going! LOL But there have been some wonderful experiences along the way so I am definitely not complaining!!! Today we are celebrating my son's birthday. He will be two years old tomorrow and so we are planning a big celebration today with family and friends at a campground site not all that far from home.

Before I go, I wanted to share something on my heart...it's a timely message about rest. With school beginning Tuesday, and not really getting back to much of a bedtime routine, I am afraid the lack of rest will catch up with me quickly! Thankfully the children have been going to bed at a decent time but I stay up later in hopes to accomplish more work but do you know what the Bible says? It says to REST!
I am listing links to the scriptures I have included in my study this week. Click on the link and you can read from Bible Gateway.
Scriptures:
Genesis 2:3 (NKJV)
Exodus 33:14 (NKJV)
Psalm 37:7 (NKJV)
Isaiah 30:15 (NKJV)
Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)

Rest...
Rest....
The word REST is something I have felt God dealing with me about for a while now. I remember the first of the year, I kept feeling a strong urge to simply REST and yet I honestly did not know how! Of course I know what it means to take a break, put my feet up and rest! Sure! But I knew that wasn't what God was urging me to do!!! We definitely have to do that for our physical body but what about our inner man? Our soul? When does our spirit get to rest? When we die? Hmmm, well before that happens we can actually have periods of spiritual rest!

God worked six days straight! It doesn't say what sort of hours He kept, but we know that He worked for six days in a row! He was creating the earth and all that is in it, including you and me! You know what He did after that? He blessed and sanctified the SEVENTH DAY and the Bible says HE RESTED! He took the day off! He enjoyed all that He made! He liked it! We are told to do the same thing! It's even one of the TEN COMMANDMENTS! Remember the Sabbath Day and keep it holy!

(No, I am not going to argue about which day is the Sabbath...we're talking about resting here...)

You know Moses stuttered. He wasn't good at making big speeches in front of people and He was talking to God, trying to find a way to change God's mind about making him go out in front of the children of Israel to deliver this powerful message! You know what God said? It sort of sounds a lot like things parents say to our children when they want to get out of doing something they feel is too hard for them and we know they can do it so we encourage them. God told Moses, "My Presence will go with you and I will give you rest." Isn't that awesome? Not only was He promising to go with him, but He was giving him REST....a break, a chance to relax in his spirit!!!

We don't have to walk alone! We follow Christ and we are never alone! He will be with us. In Psalms we are told to REST IN THE LORD and wait patiently for Him. That is a lot to ask! WOW! But it's not TOO MUCH to ask of us! The Holy Spirit is with us, leading and guiding us and helping us along the way. We don't have to be upset because someone else seems to be successful and we're not when they aren't walking with God and we are. We just have to wait for our time to come while we are RESTING in Him!

I love that line in Isaiah...In returning and rest you shall be saved. Returning to God and His ways. Finding true direction by following God and resting in HIM! It's not having to be afraid or worried about what is happening next, what might be around the corner or what your current situation looks like. God is bigger than any problem we can have and He IS the answer!

The sweetest words I have ever read from Jesus is found in the last scripture I shared here today. Matthew 11:28-30...He is beckoning us to come to Him. Have you ever had someone just want you to stay a while and talk or visit? You knew you were in a hurry and you felt like your To Do list was getting longer instead of shorter but this person was asking you to please come and rest a minute? If you will only take the time to stay a few minutes and rest sometimes you will find it's like a refreshing drink to your thirsty soul. You are able to do more with a fresh energy you didn't realize you had because you took the time to rest. In the day and age we live in, everything is fast, faster, fastest! We get impatient waiting on the microwave! Fax machines, e-mail, texting, IMing, and on and on has made us hurry up and WAIT!! Flying by the seat of our pants to this appointment, that activity, running errands during lunch hour while eating something unhealthy or skipping a meal altogether leaves us cranky and irritable because we didn't take the time to REST when we had our BREAK TIME. Jesus compels us to come to Him and rest. He said this is an invitation for all those who are tired and feel like they are carrying a heavy load. Come and sit down with Me for a little bit. Lay your burden down and sit with Me. He promises to give us REST. How do we do that? We take HIS yoke upon us and learn from Him for He is gentle and humble in heart. Are we ever like that? And what will we find? REST FOR OUR SOULS! How could this be? He said His yoke is easy and His burden is light.

Sometimes when things are HARD and the weight on my shoulders is anything BUT light, I have to stop and think about whose yoke I have put on! Jesus said His yoke is easy and His burden light so if I am feeling the opposite then maybe I haven't taken enough time to REST in Him. Maybe I have been trying to put everyone else's yokes and burdens on me because it doesn't seem like much at the time but you put it all together and it's quite a load! It's like you agree to help with the PTO. It seems like something small and spread out throughout the year. It's not like I am signing up to head it up, you think, just help out with a party or two...and that yoke goes on! Someone else knows you have a special gift or talent. You enjoy sharing it and it never feels like a burden to use your gifts so when someone asks you to help them you put that yoke on. It's not much! You come across some other fun things to do and you add them on, before you know it you are bending over from the weight of all you are carrying. You cannot understand why you are feeling so rushed and hurried when you are doing so many great and wonderful things. Why aren't you feeling God's presence like you did before? Why isn't your joy full? Could it be that you replaced His easy yoke and light burden to pick up the weight of those around you? I find that is often where I go wrong. I am not doing anything bad or wrong...sometimes I am just simply saying yes too much! I have to start saying, "Let me get back to you on that." It's hard but I have to stop trying to please people so much and learn to please God! I can't please everyone everytime anyway! I was created to praise the LORD and glorify Him. If I will sit and rest more I will be able to do that!

I pray that you all find that quiet rest for your souls that Jesus longs for you to have! God bless you!!! You can do these scripture challenges, too, anytime. Click here for more information!

Hugs,

Scripture Challenge TONGUE

Hey, everyone!

I was gone camping with my family this week and just got back Wednesday evening. I was running errands and doing lots of other things today in an effort to sort of catch up and so this is the first opportunity I have to post the Scripture Challenge for this week. I am loving the color green a LOT for some reason. I have always loved blue and still do, but green is getting my attention a lot more! Here is my scripture page:
I didn't stamp my title this time. I just wrote it out freehand and outlined it with my Stardust Glitter Gel Pen. I used 3 stamps from the Circle Sampler set from The Angel Company. I also used two stamps from the Sprigs stamp set. These are all stamped in Palette Hybrid Viridian Leaf ink. This is all available in our current TAC catalog. I added shimmer with my Stardust Glitter Gel Pen! Love those pens!!!

This week's scripture challenge word was TONGUE. I used the following scriptures (click on them to read from Bible Gateway).
JOB 6:24 KJV
JOB 6:30 NKJV
JOB 27:4 KJV
PSALM 39:1 KJV
PROVERBS 18:21 KJV
PSALM 119:172 NIV
JAMES 1:26 NIV

As children we learn the poem:

Sticks and stones may break my bones,

But words will never hurt me...

The truth is that words can hurt...they can wound your soul! I do not always say the right things. Sometimes if I am upset, angry, or hurt, I may say something that I really didn't mean and I quickly regret it. I have to apologize. When others say things to me, or about me, it hurts me because they are judging me when they do not even know me! Have you ever had someone say something mean about you when they do not even know you at all? They haven't taken the time to get to know who you are and yet they are already making assumptions about your character and your integrity!

Each week it amazes me that the word for that week always is so relevant! Something will happen or I will be reminded of the word for the week all week long. This particular subject is one I have been dealing with for several days now and it's amazing how God is speaking to me through these scriptures yet again, even more clearly now. I have to be careful of what I say and how I react to others! If someone does or says something mean to me then I have to pray for God to help them see the truth and for Him to take the sting out of their comments.

You all are so wonderful to come to my blog and share these challenges with me. It means so much to hear someone say that I have blessed them or helped them with the things I have shared. Sometimes it is hard to be so open about my flaws but I think it's good to know so if you are struggling in the same areas we can help each other along!

God bless you abundantly as you continue on your journey!

Hugs,

Scripture Challenge HOLY

Hey, everyone!

I know this Scripture Challenge scrapbook page is late!! I do apologize. So many of you have left me beautiful comments and e-mails telling me how much these mean to you personally and that is so inspiring to me! I took the challenge because I always desire to know more and learn more about God and His Word but I have truly been transformed by the renewing of my mind as I read and study each week!

Last Wednesday I was supposed to post this and due to circumstances beyond my control this is actually the first opportunity I have had to share it with you. Here is my page:
I used the crown stamp from the Circle Sampler stamp set from The Angel Company. It's one of my favorites if you can't tell! I stamped it using VersaMark and then poured my silver embossing powder over that. I heat embossed it and no matter how much I do this I still love the effect! It's so kewl! The Christmas Red stickles I added for jewels in the crown are also from The Angel Company. I stamped my title using the Scriptybet alphabet stamp set from TAC.

The word for the week is Holy. The scriptures I used are from the King James Version. You can click the link to read them from Bible Gateway.

1 Samuel 2:2

Psalm 103:1

Psalm 145:17

It was so hard to narrow it down to just three! I had 13 scriptures that I had picked out but I really wanted to use these three so they made the cut! LOL

While studying the word Holy in the Bible I found a LOT of scriptures! Some of the scriptures speak about God's name being holy...just the mention of His name is speaking HOLY. Isn't that amazing? Sometimes we hear someone's name and it kind of matches their personality. I've often heard someone say, "You don't look like a ----" and fill in the blank with the person's name. Or sometimes someone will say I named my daughter a black name even though I tell them names have no colors and who cares if I did? I love my daughter's name! It means SANCTIFIED AND RADIANT! That is an awesome name to have!!! But God's name is even better than that for it is HOLY!

In further study I read scriptures that instruct us to live holy lives. Romans 12:1 says: Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. (NIV) So not only does the Bible say that God is holy and no one else can even compare (1 Samuel 2:2) that even His name is holy and we must become holy as well as our personal act of worship to HIM!!!

That is where I have the hardest time. I believe it's true! I want that for myself! I think it is something I have to strive for but I sometimes feel that I won't ever achieve that status. It is hard!

I have faults and failures.

I let people down.

I say the wrong things sometimes.

I mess up.

I have to get forgiveness every single day for the things I did wrong knowingly and unknowingly. One thing I know about God is that He is holy and He is the only one who can teach us, His children, how to be like Him. He is awesome!!!

God bless you!!!

Hugs,

Scripture Challenge DOUBT

Hey, everyone!

Thanks for stopping by! Today's Scripture Challenge features the word DOUBT. One scripture in particular stood out to me when I saw this week's word and I knew I wanted to use it but the other two really spoke to my heart, as well. I am using the following scriptures (click on the links to read from Bible Gateway in the King James Version):
1 Timothy 2:4 KJV
Luke 12:28-30 KJV
Mark 11:23 KJV

Here is my 8½" x 11" scrapbook page:
I used the large alphabet letters from the Kaleidoscope Brites paper collection from The Angel Company. The cardstock is from my stash! Here are my thoughts:

In first and second Timothy, Paul writes letters to Timothy. Timothy was pretty young and so Paul sort of mentors him on things he should do as the leader of a church. In the second chapter of this book, Paul instructs Timothy on things pertaining to worship. He says he would like to see that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands in worship to God, without anger or doubting. I feel that is really amazing that Paul wants to address an issue so many places of worship still have to work on today. When we come to worship our Heavenly Father, we have to check our hearts and emotions. Anger, disagreements, and bad attitudes that cause us to doubt leave no room for God to work in our lives! We have to believe His Word! It's interesting to me that we cannot even truly enter a place of worship in our individual spiritual walks with any form of doubt in our heart!

I love how Jesus speaks in chapter 12 starting in verse 28. He paints a beautiful picture with words of how God, our creator, takes care of all the things He made, so knowing He made us, why would we DOUBT that He will take care of us? In tough economic times, like we are living in, it's easy to start questioning if things will be okay. We often find our minds wondering if we will be able to dodge another round of lay-offs, cut in pay, or if we can find another job at all! The bills are piling up, the money is dwindling down and it's easy to let doubt and fear creep into your heart! Jesus said in verse 30 that all the nations have the same concerns but our Heavenly Father knows our needs! Wow! That is comforting to me! Our Heavenly Father knows our needs!!! He knows what we lack, what we need, what it takes for us to make it and He is not going to let us down!

In the book of Mark, Jesus says that whoever SPEAKS to their mountain (and that is important, you have to SPEAK) and tells it to be removed, as long as that person believes what they are saying is true and doesn't doubt it at all, it will happen! THE MOUNTAIN WILL MOVE! God is so faithful! I love that!!! If we believe what we are saying, and we are standing on God's Word, no matter what happens in our life, no matter how dark it might seem, Jesus said we can have what we ask if we do not DOUBT!

Thanks for hanging out with me today! I hope I have encouraged you today with this message. It is such a blessing for me to share this with all of you and your comments and private e-mails are such a joy to read! Thank you!!! I treasure each one and I hope that you will come and hang out with me again tomorrow! More crafts to share!

Hugs,

Scripture Challenge TRUTH

Hey, everyone!

Today's Wednesday...middle of the week and the first day of JULY! Can you believe that? Wow! Each Wednesday here at Hoosier Card Angel's Creations I take a Scripture Challenge found HERE. You can view all the Scripture Challenge scrapbook pages I've done so far by searching for them on my right side bar. I make an 8½" x 11" scrapbook page each week with the scriptures that speak to me the most about the word designated for that week. This week's word is TRUTH.

I have never had a hard time trusting people. Most often, I find that I expect everyone to be honest and straightforward. We all know that isn't always the case but most of the time it is! I have been sharing with my daughter how important it is to ALWAYS tell the truth. It may not be the easiest thing to do but it is the RIGHT thing to do. I love reading what God's Word has to say about TRUTH.

These are the scriptures I have chosen. Click on each link to read from Bible Gateway.
Deuteronomy 32:4 (King James Version)
Joshua 24:14 (King James Version)
1 Samuel 12:24 (King James Version)

In Deuteronomy, we see in scripture that God is the ROCK. I love that! Have you ever been driving down the road and look on either side of you and find those big massive rocks? They are usually all jagged and rough and sticking out. It has taken years to get them that way!! Just think of how strong that rock has to be when the high winds start blowing. They stay right where they are! Isn't that awesome? No matter how deep the snow piles on top of it, in the spring the rock is still there! God is like that, too. No matter what life keeps throwing at you, God is still right there like a strong rock! The Bible says God's way is perfect. Why is that? Because God cannot mess up! He is sovereign! He is almighty! When He speaks He is able to create what He says and that is why He cannot lie. If He says it, then it comes to pass because He spoke it into existence, just like He created the world by speaking! The King James Version says all His ways are judgment, which means that He is a just God. He wants justice to make the wrong things right. A God of TRUTH. That is enough by itself but look at what an amazing statement that is. Even those of us who try to live upright before God and walk with integrity have days where we just absolutely don't get it! We miss the mark and we fail. We have to be forgiven, start fresh and ask God to help us! He is TRUTH. He won't tell you what you want to hear to make you feel better. He didn't sugar-coat the Word of God so that more people would do it. He speaks TRUTH to us in love! God is without iniquity...He has no sin! He is just and right! That is awesome!!!

I love this passage in Joshua! Now therefore fear the LORD. I used to wonder as a child why we were supposed to be afraid of God. I had heard people threaten to put the fear of God in someone but I don't think they were quoting scripture! LOL Honestly, fearing the LORD is just holding Him in reverance. We just have that reverant fear of Him, knowing what He is capable of doing and also knowing His heart. Next Joshua says to serve God in sincerity and in TRUTH. We aren't supposed to go around and say we are a Christian and then live like we aren't! You know, it's like when I make a project and I show it to someone, I know immediately if they are sincere when they tell me they like it. I know by the excitement in their voice, the way they look at the card or project and they way their countenance changes! We should be the same way when we are talking about our relationship with our Father. No counterfeit relationship! The rest of the verse talks about putting away the gods their fathers served before the flood and also in Egypt and instead instructs them to serve God. One of the hardest things Christians can face is seeking God out for yourself. That takes some work on your part because you have to PROVE what you believe to yourself and not just because Daddy preached it that way or Grandfather told me so. I had a hard time with that throughout my teenage years and early adult life. It's still something I struggle with on some issues. I have to believe the TRUTH and not just the truth according to....(fill in the blank).

The best scripture yet is found in 1 Samuel 12:24. ONLY (that is a condition) fear the LORD, and serve HIM in TRUTH with all your heart. Why would we do that? Why give Him our all? Because of the GREAT THINGS He has done for you! Isn't that awesome? No matter how bad life is, no matter how stressful, how hard, and how many times I may feel like throwing in the towel, I can always give you a long, long, long list of GREAT THINGS God has done for me!

Here's my scripture page. I hope you have been blessed!
Hugs,

Scripture Challenge TIME

Hey, everyone!

This week's Scripture Challenge is TIME. Isn't that a true challenge every day...finding time? I was just remarking to some friends that I wondered what ever happened to those lazy days of summer we always hear about. Father's Day was the first day of summer and instead of relaxing away the summer it seems like we are full speed ahead! Here is my layout for this week:

I used some monogram alphabets that I have had for a while. The large letters are perfect for a short title like this one. The clock is something I have had a while, too. I didn't put hands on the clock because I wanted it to represent all time! The first verse I thought of was Ecclesiastes 3:1. The Bible tells us that there are certain times for certain things here. Some of us can get impatient and have a harder time waiting for the right time to do something. This is where we must trust God and lean on Him to help us.

Have you ever thought about time...what it means to us? For some people a minute is not very much time, but those 60 seconds can feel like an eternity when you are waiting to hear news. As a mother, having been pregnant twice, I have had the privilege of waiting 9 months for both of my children. It was hard to wait sometimes but what a reward for the waiting!! As a Christian, I am waiting for Christ to return and sometimes it feels like it is taking so long, but just like giving birth, what a reward it will be for the waiting!!

Even though the doctors only gave my uncle a short time to live, it was still hard for that final moment to come. I'm glad God doesn't tell us the exact moment we will die because it really allows us to make the most of whatever time we are given. My favorite quote is on my blog and it's by Roy Lessin: Every day is a day that God has given us, and each moment of that day is in His hands. I don't know about you but that brings me a lot of peace and comfort. I do not face a single minute alone! He's always there!

Hugs,