Faith Discovery Challenge #10 – {Stay Focused}

Wow, 2 weeks flew by really fast! Now it’s time for another challenge but, before I do that, let me first start by picking the featured layout for our previous challenge, “Time Is Precious”. Even though there were only a few, it was still a challenge for me to pick just one. But, I couldn’t help but pick this layout by one of our talented Creative Team members, Tammy McClain. The photo is really dramatic and most of all I strongly understood her words of wisdom and her message really spoke the truth about how precious time is. So, be sure to give her some love and check out her layout and more of her awesome designs in the gallery! Thanks Tammy for your inspiring work!

Featured Layout by Tammy

Go to her gallery here.

{Stay Focused}

Focus. I tend to think of a camera when it comes to that term. If you’re like me, trying to hold a camera still, zooming in and out to bring the object into clear view, getting the right lighting, etc. can be such a chore just to take a picture. But, we still take it anyways and find that more or less, the picture comes out perfectly fine. We love capturing moments on photos because one day we know we will want to look back at this time in our life and remember the special people, places, and events that took place. And when we’re gone, those photos will hopefully be kept in someone’s loving care to share with the next generation and the next. Focus. What important things do we focus on? For me, I’m a SAHM which means my focus right now is to take care of my sweet little boys and hubby, to be the best mother and wife that I possibly can be. Like a camera, it takes discipline and practice but, basically I know what my priorities are and believe that the love I put into this family will eventually reap an abundance of blessings through my children. There are days that I feel overwhelmed, weary, frustrated, and tired but, I know that God is my helper and His grace is sufficient for me. The Lord helps me to focus on the things that glorify Him rather than glorifying things that are worldly and temporary and I praise the Lord for that.

Staying focused. Why can it be so hard sometimes to keep our focus on the Lord and His promises? So many times, I find myself sidetracked by all the chaos that occurs in life. Not to mention, I often forget that He is control. He knows my days from the moment I wake up to the moment I lay down to sleep. He will do what He promised to do in His time, not mine. But, when disappointments and setbacks come my way or prayers are left unanswered, people I love get hurt and mistreated, stories of innocent people dying, violence, and war on the news, couples getting divorced, children abandoned and abused…so on and so on. These things fill my mind and my heart with so much grief, I can hardly bear it sometimes. Doubt and fear is the enemy’s tactic to cause us to lose sight of this race, to lose trust, to lose hope in God. There’s a battlefield in our mind that constantly tests our faith. Yet, when we read His word, pray, and spend time with Him, He gives us the right perspective and shows us how to stay or get back on track. We are all running a race and sometimes the trials in life can make you stumble but, just keep going and don’t let the enemy stop you from reaching your goal to serve the Lord. Finish your race and in the end, God will say to you, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” (Matt 25:21) So, stay focused!

Challenge #10 - We all have a potential to lose focus on the visions and plans that God has revealed to us. Setbacks, disappointments, confusion, stress, disbelief, sickness, strife, etc are some of the things that create obstacles in our paths. Yet God wants us to keep running this race, He wants us to reach our destinations that lead to His Kingdom, He believes we can keep going if we keep our eyes on Jesus. But, we have to have faith if we want to finish this race despite all the hurdles that causes us to stumble and fall. Share your story about this race you're running and what is it that keeps you from giving up? What are some things that have thrown you off track? What are things that you can share with others that will help them finish their race?

Faith Verses:

1 Cor 9:24 - "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize."

Phil 3:12-14 - "Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But, one thing I do; Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

Hebrews 12:1-3 - "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."

John 16:33 - "...In this world, you will have trouble. But, take heart, I have overcome the world!"

By Dahlia Co

By Tammy

By Jackie Ann



By Terrie L.

Looking forward to your designs and learning from you! Upload your layouts to the FDC gallery and you could be our next featured scrap artist for this challenge! You can also check in our forums for discussions or updates. Be creative and be blessed!