Providence 365, Week 31: In Him

Hello, sisters!
This is Barbara, of Precepts & Promises, here with Week 31 of our Providence 365.
My verse this week is Acts 17:28:

"In Him we live, and move, and have our being."

We are living in a bubble of sorts, surrounded by the Presence of the LORD.  He is all around us, He moves with us, and our life, our very being, is dependent on Him.
If you are anything like me, however, your thoughts of Christ are fleeting throughout your day.  I read my Bible in the morning, and there is no doubt that I am blessed and fed by the Word.  But, then, the cares of the world creep in, and my thoughts are of  groceries, dinner, laundry, children, work, and the rest of the life that I've been given.
But, the good news, the really joyful, awesome, and wonderful news, is that our relationship to Christ isn't dependent on our feelings, or lack of them!  Our position in Him is secure because of who He is, not because of our efforts. So, this week, look to see where He is all around you, sustaining you and giving you life, especially during those times when you aren't even thinking of Him. 

You can get the word art HERE.
Please come and join in our forum discussion and post your layouts in our gallery; we'd love to see your pages!

Designer Thursday - Template Challenge

Good Day Everyone!
Its that time again, its time for my monthly Designer Thursday Template Challenge. This template can be used as the template or as a sketch and comes in PSD/PNG formats so that everyone can participate whether digital or hybrid. You will have one week to pick up the template for FREE and will also have 1 week to finish and post your layout to the gallery and forum thread. So go pick up the template..... and lets play!!!

Don't forget that the Designers here at Faith Sisters also have a Blog Flight going on right now and you can pick up our QPs and our parts of the flight for free only until Sunday..... you don't want to miss this flight! Check out my part further down in my thread or you can just start at the Faith Sisters Blog.

Here are my parts

My Lifetime Story RE-RUN: Challenge 31 - People Who Have Touched My Life

Video coming soon!

Be sure to SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube Page so you don't miss any of our videos!

All of us have had amazing people enter our lives. Some of these people may inspire us to do things we never dreamed we could do. Some people we just admire for their ability to always do the right thing. Some people mirror such a faith in Jesus that it inspires you to live your life this way as well. God puts certain people into our lives. It is amazing to me how those people show up in life at just the right time and bless me.

This week scrapbook some of the stories of people who have inspired you, blessed you or just touched your life in an unforgetable way. Pay tribute to some of the special people in your life who have done something so small that nobody else even knows about it, but meant something special to you. Pay tribute to the people that the Lord used along the way to touch you spiritually. You may have many stories to share and many people to pay tribute to.

Some people who have touched my life are my pastor, my parents, my grandma, some of the ladies in my prayer group, and several special friends. You might choose to make a layout for each person or you could do one main layout of people who have touched your life.


Be sure to follow this challenge in our forum and post your page in our gallery under the appropriate category! If you are a digital scrapbooker, be sure to find some great products in our shop to help you with your project!

Here are a few inspirational examples from the team for this challenge:

by Sharon


by Heather


by Amy P


by JackieAnn


by Judy


by Tammy

Made Ya Look Monday

On Mondays we feature some amazing layouts in our gallery that just "Made Ya Look!"

We invite these ladies to snag our NEW featured blinkie to wear on their blog and in the forums!


by ccolaneri




by tanteva




by violetsnana




by auntrachel



by nagato



by kabrak1207



by Flohbock




by Kay




by JackieAnn




by WendyW




by Scrapmemories



by liliwee

Now Boarding - Blog Train

The Designers at Faith Sisters invite you to join them on a special Blog Train (or should we say Blog "Plane") COME FLY WITH ME is a travel related collaboration overflowing with paper and elements just for you. The color palette is fantastic and can be used for so many occasions – including travel and the ever popular “stay-cation”. Shuttle from blog to blog and download the digital goodness that our designers have created for you.

And before you begin your journey, you can download these special Faith Sisters Quick Pages. If you have never used a quickpage before – now is your chance to give a few of ours a try for free (only through July 31st). They are simple to use and your layout is done in no time at all – scrapbooking at it’s easiest. Add your favorite photos behind the png file – include journaling on the top (if you choose) and your layout is complete. (Remember that Faith Sisters has many quick pages in our store for a variety of occasions and events. We invite you to explore all of the digital goodies in our store - here)

Click on the preview to go to the respective quick page and add to your shopping cart
















You have through July 31st to download our designers COME FLY WITH ME travel related freebies. You may store your digital freebies in your carryon baggage (hard-drive). Enjoy your flight as you travel from blog to blog. (Please be patient if one of these blogs has not yet been updated, you can skip that connection and return after a bit so you don’t miss a thing)

Faith Sisters (you are here)
Today’s Scraps (Vicky)
Designs by Angel (Angel)
Digital Compilations (Cinda)
Precepts and Promises (Barbara)
Living for Him 2 (Lori)
by the Shore designs (Pam)
Steadfast and Immovable (Erika)
Forget Me Nots (Theresa)

Are you ready for take-off? Tray tables up in the locked position, please. Fasten your seatbelts. Safe travels and enjoy your journey!

Providence 365-Week 30

Yet you, LORD, are our Father.
We are the clay, you are the potter;
we are all the work of your hand.
Isaiah 64:8 (NIV)

If you have ever worked with clay – you know that it can be a slow process to create that perfect pot. It takes patience and care and cannot be rushed.


I am clay and our good Lord is the potter. Isn’t this a comforting thought? I am the work of His hand. I am always growing, always changing - He is not done with me. He has patience with me. He guides me. His hands are constantly on me. He molds me not only on the outside but on the inside too. I’m not finished. He never gives up on me – He sits at that potter’s wheel as He patiently molds me. When I am weak, he builds me up to make me stronger. If I start leaning, He holds me up. I am sometimes hard on myself when I make a mistake and cannot get past the scar that is left. What I need to remember is that I am forgiven - His tender touch smooths out that blemish and allows me to grow. He never walks away from that wheel. I am His and He is not done with me. And for that I am thankful.


Do I make mistakes? Absolutely. Does He? Never! He has a plan for me and while I do not know that plan – I have confidence that He knows exactly what this pot will be when I am complete. I make mistakes, and He forgives me and still loves me. I head down a wrong path – and He redirects my steps. He is still molding me – He is not finished with me. I can imagine him smiling as I become the person He knows I will be.


This week, I encourage you to reflect on how He has been molding you….


Here is a bit of word art to help you with your layout this week.



Please make sure to post your layout in our Providence 365 gallery at Faith Sisters – and head on over the the Providence 365 thread in the Faith Sister Forum (here) and share the link. I can’t wait to see what you create. (And can you believe we are at week 30 – already!) Have a blessed week!

July 1,2,3 Scrap!

It is the Third Thursday of the month, and it is time for another round of 1,2,3 Scrap! Please join me on this fun and easy challenge. I will provide you with 3 simple "requirements" for your layout - and you take it from there.


This month we go back to the basics of writing. In grade school, we learned to incorporate the 5 W's when writing. Who? What? Where? When? and Why? (if I recall, we also threw in how occasionally) By answering these 5 simple questions, we can share with our reader what they need to understand our story.


We are also going to share a little bit about ourselves. Everyone has one thing they love to spoil themselves with - not a necessity but something we do for ourselves ' just because'. So indulge me - what is your favorite indulgence?

The three requirements for this month's 1,2,3 Scrap! Challenge


1) create a layout of your favorite indulgence using a single picture

2) journal using the 5 W's

3) use at least 2 different fonts on your page


To help get you started - I have a journaling page for you - pre-filled with the 5 W's..... you can download it >>>>> HERE

Here is my indulgence. Yes, I admit it - I love Starbucks. I know a lot of people that NEED their morning coffee - that jolt of caffeine to get their day started. But....that's not me. I always order my drinks decaf. I know, I know...some of you are shaking your head thinking 'why even bother'. The warmth of the drink is comforting, the flavor of the coffee is 'just right', the sweetness of the drink (even if it is sugar free and non fat) brings a smile to my face every time.

When you are done with your layout, please post it in our 1,2,3 Scrap! gallery - and let us know in our 1,2,3 Scrap! forum - both at Faith Sisters.

Thanks for playing along - and be sure to come back next month for a new challenge on the third Thursday of the month.

Are you ready? 1,2,3 Scrap!

My Lifetime Story RE-RUN: Challenge 30 - My Adult Friends

Video coming soon!

Be sure to SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube Page so you don't miss any of our videos!

"A friend loves at all times." ~Proverbs 17:17

Friendships play a huge part in our faith. Surrounding yourself with like-minded people helps us stay on the right path. We all have a friendship that goes deeper than an occasional phone call. These friends inspire us to grow in our faith and they lift us up when we need lifting. These friends know what we are thinking sometimes without us ever saying a word.These friends hold us to our word. They listen to us vent and remind us when we need to let things go. They also tell you when the dress really doesn't look so flattering or when you have brocolli stuck between your teeth!

In the beginning of our My Lifetime Story albums we did a challenge on childhood friends. This week we are scrapbooking our adult friends. If you are still friends with some of your childhood friends it would be neat to include some pictures of that person as an adult also. My album will have several pages of adult friends. Remember, this is your album and these challenges are only suggestions to get your creative juices flowing and guide you in the process of creating your Lifetime Story album..

A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." ~Proverbs
18:24 
Be sure to follow this challenge in our forum and post your page in our gallery under the appropriate category! If you are a digital scrapbooker, be sure to find some great products in our shop to help you with your project! 
Here are a few inspirational examples from the team for this challenge: 
by Sunny  
by Judy


by JackieAnn

Providence 365, Week 29: How Are you Holding Together?

Do you know that all the protons in the atoms in your body should be flinging themselves away from each other at light speed?   Do you remember those experiments in science class, where you held two U-shaped magnets end-to-end?  Do you remember how hard it was to push them together?  That's the force of two similarly charged particles; they repel each other like two people on a terribly mis-matched blind date!   All those positively charged protons in the each atom's nucleus should be repelling each other, flinging themselves into atomic space.
But, they don't.
Here's a great quotation from one of my favorite authors, Bill Bryson, from "A Short History of Nearly Everything" about the mysteries of the atomic world:  There was also the problem of of how protons, with their positive charges, could bundle together inside the nucleus without blowing themselves and the rest of the atom apart.  Clearly, whatever was going on down there in the world of the very small was not governed by the laws that applied in the macro world..."
Scientists finally discovered two new forces, the strong and the weak nuclear forces, that explained atomic behavior.  But, the more that was discovered, the quirkier the atomic world became.  Soon, there would be two sets of laws, one for the world where Newton's laws (like gravity and inertia) govern, and another for the the teeny-tiny universe of the atom. And, they don't play together nicely. 
I find this fascinating.  Every time we (as in our collective knowledge) think we've figured things out, we just find one more layer of mystery in our world.  Our universe is infinitely more complex and puzzling than what our wildest imaginations can conjure.  God in His Heaven must be enjoying this!
Paul writes in Colossians 1:17:

 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

 And, we can find great comfort in this; while we go about our lives, He holds it all together for us.  Not just in our atoms, but in our lives and our very souls.  He has promised to never leave or forsake us, so we can do the work He's given us and then sleep in peace at night.  

This week, look for the little ways that God has held your life together.  Sometimes, it's very evident, as in an accident avoided.  Sometimes, it's very quiet, as in a Scripture brought to mind just precisely when needed.  And, then we'd love to have you post in our forum and upload your layouts to our gallery.  

You can download the word art here.

July 2011 Heritage Challenge - Summer Adventures

Hiking - A Family Tradition

Welcome!  This is Theresa Lindamood of Forget-Me-Nots designs and I am here to bring you our July 2011 Heritage Challenge - Summer Adventures.  Half of the world is in the midst of summer right now.  For those of you in the Southern Hemisphere - you could easily adapt this to winter activities!



Most of the time our heritage photos are portraits, wedding photos, graduations and other special events.  But maybe you have photos of outdoor activities enjoyed by your family and ancestors.

Utsalady Beach

I come from a long line of photographers and outdoor/nature lovers.  I love seeing pictures from fifty to one hundred years ago - my family was enjoying many of the same things I enjoy now!

Family Camping

What type of summer traditions did your family have?  Did they camp, hike and fish?  Or did they sun on a nice sandy beach?  What about a special location?  Did they return each year to a certain resort or park?  What do you remember about these times?  What was fun?  What didn't you like?  How did your family get there?  What did they do?  How did it began and who started it?  Think about all these things before you start to write.  Do not assume your reader/viewer will know all these answers.  They may seem common and every day to you, but new and exciting and unknown to a future generation.  Think ahead.  If you were looking at these photos 100 years from now - what would you want to know? 

Camping

Both sides of my Mother's family went together, many times on Sunday afternoons after church, to a beach on Puget Sound, the Pacific Ocean, the forests of the Cascade Mountains,  a river near them or on Lake Stevens where they lived.  Several generations since then do so as well.



Beach Buddies

 These are my daughters a few summers ago... and we're heading off to meet Grandma and Grandpa at the coast again this summer, to carry on the family traditions!

These layouts and examples are just ideas.  Every family looks different.  The Point of the challenge is to tell the story of YOUR family.  Other summer activities could be traditions of Vacation Bible School, summer camp, day camp, Scouting activities, mission trips and road trips.  Make it person and HAVE FUN!  If you get stuck on the journaling, sit down as if you are trying to explain the photos to someone who has never seen them before and explain them.  This often helps the creative spark!

As always there will be a posting bonus if you participate in the challenge.

Please post your layout in the Challenge Gallery and in the Challenge Forum.

Layouts in this post feature my kits North Coast, Outdoor Adventures and Outdoor Adventures Add On.

Thank you for joining me today.  I hope you will consider participating in the challenge - I look forward to seeing all your summer adventures!







My Lifetime Story RE-RUN: Challenge 29 - My Talents, Gifts and Hobbies

Video coming soon!

Be sure to SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube Page so you don't miss any of our videos!

God created each of us to be unique. He created each of us for a purpose. He put hopes and dreams and desires into each of our hearts. He created each of us with different talents and gifts.

Read I Corinthians 12:1-31.

I Corinthians 12:12-13 The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by[c] one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.

God has given us all talents and gifts. Remember that there are differences between a talent and a gift. A talent is a natural ability you are born with, or one that you have developed. A gift is given by the Holy Spirit for the purpose of benefiting, edifying, and building up the body of Christ. Since these gifts are given to us by God, they will enable us to bear results for The Kingdom that go way beyond our natural abilities. 
If you are unsure of what your gifts are, pray about it an ask God to show you. Often times you will find that your gift is something that you are already doing, something that you spend much of your time. When you are praying to find out what your gift is, be patient, and keep asking. Pay close attention to your everyday life.

Create a layout, or if you are like me, several layouts that highlight your talents, gifts and hobbies.

Be sure to follow this challenge in our forum and post your page in our gallery under the appropriate category! If you are a digital scrapbooker, be sure to find some great products in our shop to help you with your project!

Here are a few inspirational examples from the team for this challenge:

by Amy


by Tammy


by JackieAnn


by Amy J.