Scripture Challenge {Week 52}

Can you believe this is our last word? I truly cannot believe we have been doing this all year--literally for 52 weeks! Wow! Congrats to those of you that have seen it through! Well, let's get to our last word and study.

Week 52 Challenge Word: Love

We certainly could not finish this study without talking about love. How much do you love God? How much does He love you? How much do you love your precious family, friends, neighbors, etc.?

First, God gave us His precious Son showing just how much He loves us. The Bible is His love letter to us. He chooses to love us not because of anything we do but because He chooses to. He knows our faults, our weaknesses, our mistakes, our sins, everything about us, and He still loves us despite them all.

Our pastor sent a letter out to our members a couple of weeks ago. In it he says, “God continues to amaze me by bringing joy out of the midst of sorrow. Many of us are worried about the economy. Many of us have recently lost loved ones in death. Many of use have suffered broken and damaged relationships. It would be easy to allow our sorrow and worry to overcome us. However, I’ve learned that Christmas is more than some idealized gathering of family. I‘ve celebrated Christmas in the face of death, car wrecks, hospitalizations, and floods. Every time, I’ve found God being born anew into my life. No, God doesn’t make everything easy or happy. But God so loved us that He chose to be born into the same hardship and difficulty that each of us faces. And in love, God still chooses to be with us, and in time, change our mourning into joy.”

He loves us so much, He sent Jesus. He loves us so much, He chooses to be with us. Not because of anything we have done but because He chooses to. It's incomprehensible to us.

And because He loves us, we are to love others. 1 John 4:7-12 says “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.”

Several years ago when I would carpool with a group of women to Bible Study Fellowship (BSF), there was one particular woman that just drove me nuts. I dreaded the ride each week. I don’t know what it was about her but I just could not find love for this particular person. Well, I realized that I in my human nature and stubbornness, I could probably never love this woman. I began praying that He give me His love for her. God was so good, and completely answered my prayer. I didn’t dread the rides anymore, and I had His genuine love for her. When you have those people that just seem impossible to love, ask God for His love. He will answer!

One other quick point I want to touch on before leaving our final study. A lot of people struggle with this passage from Matthew 10:37 “Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.”

I know I always struggled with this until it was explained to me by a very wise Christian. God is not asking us to love our husbands, our children, or our families any less. We just need to love Him that much more and love Him above all others. And I hope you saw my post on Wednesday—1 Corinthians 13 Christmas Version. If not, be sure to look here. I think it is wonderful and something we can truly apply each and every day!

For my card this week, I went bright and "groovy" for our word LOVE! The papers are Pink Paislee and Basic Grey. I then used four different Unity "love" stamps and Shimmerz Paints. The Unity stamps used here are Friendship Love Miracles, Birds of a Feather, Remember Happiness, and Bliss & a Birdie. And the Shimmerz I used were Angel Wings on one of the love sentiments. Oh, and that beautiful big ribbon--it is from Stampin Up!Since most of us are familiar with John 3:16, I wanted to find different verses regarding love. Here is what I used:

Ephesians 5:2 ". . . live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us . . ."
John 13:34 "As I have loved you, so you must love one another."

And to continue reading about God's love, look here. I think you will enjoy it!

Thank you all SO much for joining me on this journey this year! My prayer for you is that this study has truly blessed you, that you have grown in your walk with our precious Lord, and that you have become more comfortable in sharing your faith with others. I know I have truly been blessed this year! If you have stuck with it all year, then I know you know exactly what I mean.

Please do not forget that I have a new study beginning January 4th called His Holy Name Challenge. It will be just like this year's study; however, we will be doing the Names and Attributes of God. How exciting is that? Also this Scripture Challenge will be reposted in 2009. I will be posting it every other Sunday along with the His Holy Name Challenge posts. I hope you will join me!

May the Lord bless you with peace, joy, and blessings in the New Year!!! In Him,

Scripture Challenge {Week 51}

Week 51 Challenge Word: Birth

As we approach this Christmas week, we should look at the reason we celebrate Christmas. We know it’s not about Santa or the gifts we give and receive. It is about our precious Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He came to earth with a purpose. He was born of the virgin Mary, conceived by the Holy Spirit, and came to die for our sins. (Matthew 1:18-25) We all experience a physical birth just as Jesus did but as Christians, we must also experience a spiritual birth. Max Lucado says “The first birth was for earthly life; the second one is for eternal life. The first time we received a physical heart; the second time we receive a spiritual heart. The first birth enabled us to have life on earth. The second birth enables us to have life eternal.”

Billy Graham puts it this way:

“Jesus told us we must be born again. The infinitive ‘be’ is passive. It shows that it is something that must be done for us. No man can ‘born’ himself. He must be born. The new birth is wholly foreign to our will. In other words, the new birth is a divine work—we are born of God. Even though the new birth seems mysterious, that does not make it untrue. We may not understand the how of electricity, but we know that it lights our homes, runs our television and radio sets. We do not understand many mysteries, but we accept by faith the fact that at the moment we repent of sin and turn by faith to Jesus Christ we are born again.

. . . we become the children of God. We receive the breath of God. Christ through the Holy Spirit takes up residence in our hearts. We are attached to God for eternity. That means that if you have been born again, you will live as long as God lives, because you are now sharing His very life.”

Webster’s says that birth is “the beginning of anything.” I love thinking about my spiritual birth as the beginning of my relationship with God. Will you share this truth and the truth of Christmas with someone this week? Have you accepted this truth? What better gift to give someone than the eternal truth of Jesus Christ!

For my card this week, I used Pink Paislee and Basic Grey papers from the Create My Keepsake December kit. I also used several Unity stamps and Shimmerz Paints. The Unity stamps used here are Prince of Peace and Distressed Dots. I used my Copic sketch markers to color in the Prince of Peace. I then used Candlelight Shimmerz to just tip the ends of my Prima flowers on the back. Doesn't it make them just come alive? I also used the Angel Wings Shimmerz over the tab and Making Memories letters on the front. It gives it a wonderful look! The scriptures I chose were:
John 3:5-7 "Jesus answered, I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.'"

James 1:18 "He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created."

Have a joyous and blessed Christmas, and I will see you next week for our very last study in this challenge.

His Holy Name & Scripture Challenge Updates

Can you believe we will start our challenges in just 2 1/2 weeks? Yes, we will begin on Sunday, January 4th, 2009! Wow! I am so excited to start this new challenge. I am also excited to have a lot of you starting the Scripture Challenge for the first time.

I wanted to give you some updates. As I said, we will start on January 4th. That will be for both challenges. Mark your calendars! Also, now is the time to get your albums, ATC holders, Rolodex file, etc., ready. I wanted to share with you what I will be using this year for the His Holy Name challenge. I purchased these adorable 6x6 albums from Scrapbook.com.
I am very impressed with them. They are 3-ring albums which I prefer, the page protectors are nice and sturdy, and they make many, many different colors in this particular album. I went with the neutral colors so they would always match my decor. I can add ribbons and things to dress them up or "change" their color. Here is the link to all of the album colors on Scrapbook.com. They run $14.99 each but beware, they are faux leather not real leather. I think the packaging is misleading. Wolfcamera.com has them for $10.35 an album; however, they do not have the page protectors. They also only have three album colors. You can see the albums at Wolfcamera.com here.

I had a hard time finding the page protectors. Scrapbook.com has them here. I purchased enough for the year so I don't have to worry about finding them again. That was the only draw back to this album; otherwise I love it.

Now about the Scripture Challenge. Since I will only be posting every other Sunday night with the His Holy Name Challenge, I thought I would post two Scripture Challenge words each time I post the His Holy Name Challenge. Would that work for the Scripture Challenge participants to get two words at a time? You will then have two weeks to work on your pages/cards. I would love to know your thoughts. Please post in the comment section and let me know if that would work for you.

Also, if you have any other questions, comments, etc., feel free to post here or e-mail me. I pray that you all will be blessed by this year's study! I am excited to get started! Have a joyous Tuesday!

Scripture Challenge: Where We Have Gone & a RAK!

Good evening everyone! The 50th challenge has been posted. Can you believe we only have two weeks left? It is hard for me to believe that it has been 50 amazing weeks already. I pray you have been blessed by the study!

I wanted to share with you where I started with my Scripture Challenge ATC holder and where I am now. Here is what it looked like back in early February just a few weeks into the challenge: And here is what it looks like after 50 weeks of study: This ATC holder represents many things to me--favorite scriptures, many precious hours spent in His amazing Word, a history to pass down, a scripture reference when I need it, and much, much more. This sits on my desk, and it is very precious to me.

I would love to see where you have come this year. If you have completed an album, an ATC holder, etc., I would love to see photos! Please post them in a gallery, on your blogs, wherever you would like and leave a link in the comment section on my blog here for all of us to see. I will be giving away two RAKs for those that post images from this year's study.

The first RAK is a book by Donna Partow called "Soon to be a Major Motion Picture." The description of the book is:

"In Soon to Be a Major Motion Picture, Donna Partow uses her own 'it could have been a major motion picture' life experiences to challenge you to take a closer look at your life. With humorous stories and faith-enriching insights on how to become all you want to be as a follower of Christ, Partow encourages you to revel in the joy of God's grace, no matter where you are in life and in your relationship with God. Honestly and openly communicating heartfelt struggles faced by countless women everywhere, Soon to Be a Major Motion Picture will teach you to let go of the drama, stretch your soul, and draw closer to God."
The second RAK is a book by Lisa Whelchel called "Speaking Mom-ese." The description of this book is:

"Lisa Whelchel definitely knows how to speak the language of motherhood. From the days you just want to break down in tears because the kids are sick and cranky and the house is a wreck, to the joys of seeing your kids' eyes light up when they 'get' a new understanding of God's love, she's been there and can relate. Through 52 mini devotions, Speaking Mom-ese provides encouragement and connects moms to each other and to God."
Please leave your links here by Sunday, December 21st, at 11:59 p.m. CST. Two winners will be announced on Monday, December 22nd, on my blog.

I can't wait to see what you have done this year. And for those of you that will be doing this challenge next year, I hope this gets you excited for what is to come. Blessings to each of you!

Scripture Challenge {Week 50}

Week 50 Challenge Word: Assurance

What is assurance? Webster’s says “the state of being confident; certainty; guarantee.” Do you have the assurance that you are a child of God? Do you know it and feel it in your heart? This word always makes me think of the old hymn “Blessed Assurance.” The first line of that beautiful hymn is “Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!” Do you know Jesus is yours?

Max Lucado says “Have you ever felt that you were out of favor with God? Did you try to ask Jesus into your heart again, and again? Jesus comes the first time! He stays! Be confident that He will never leave you for you are His child.”

I was one of those that asked Him into my heart again and again because I didn’t have the “agh ha” moment that you hear people speak about. When I accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior back in 1998, I didn’t know that I was His, and I questioned if I was really His. Well, ten years later, I now know that I am His! I truly have that assurance; I know it in my heart. Our Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) leader said something on Nov. 25, 2008, that made total sense to me and it truly helped me understand why I never had that “agh ha” moment when I accepted Him as my Lord and Savior. She said “God moves things out of our lives little by little, and over time it is huge! Fully appropriating God’s promises is a process that is done little by little over a lifetime.” That is why I was so different 10 years ago. He is slowly working on me making me more like Him each day/year. I am SO glad I finally understand that. I pray it is helpful to some of you too. Now that was an “agh ha” moment for me!

For my card this week, I used the December kit from Create My Keepsake. The papers are from Pink Paislee and Basic Grey. The journaling sticker is from Making Memories along with the "what I think" label. It was perfect for my card this week. I also used the Jesus stamp again from Unity Stamp Co. from the Little Labels 2 set, and on the back I used one of the journaling stamps from the Unity Our Life Our Stories set. For my scripture this week, I chose:
Hebrews 10:22 "Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water."

I hope you take this week to thank God for the assurance you have in Him. He has promised salvation to those that have accepted Him as their Lord and Savior. Have you accepted Him? Do you have that assurance? I pray that you will take this week and know that you are His! Blessings to all you,

Scripture Challenge {Week 49}

I Surrender All (hymn)
All to Jesus I surrender
All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him,
In his presence daily live.

I surrender all, I surrender all;
All to thee, my blessed Savior,
I surrender all.

All to Jesus I surrender,
Humbly at His feet I bow,
Worldly pleasures all forsaken,
Take me Jesus, take me now.

I surrender all, I surrender all;
All to thee, my blessed Savior,
I surrender all.

Oh, how I love that hymn, and what a great reminder that we need to surrender everything to Him and live for Him daily!

Week 49 Challenge Word: Surrender

What exactly does surrender mean? Dictionary.com says “to give oneself up, as into the power of another; submit or yield.”

We are to completely surrender to Christ. We cannot surrender partially; it must be completely. We can’t be a Sunday Christian; it must be daily. We must have a Christian-life view not a world-view. We can’t live half for Him and half for the world. Fully surrender every detail of our daily lives to Him. We surrender to Him out of love, humility, and a desire to serve Him.

I found two great things from Max Lucado for this week regarding our word:
“Surrendering our life to Christ means going to Him and saying ‘I’m yours; use me however you want to.’”

“Go to God with empty hands—no hidden agendas, no crossed fingers, nothing behind your back. Go to Him with a willingness to do whatever He says. If you surrender your will, then He will ‘equip you with everything good for doing His will.’” (Hebrews 13:21).

Just perfect words again—that surrendering our whole life to Him completely.

When searching for a scripture this week, I didn’t really find much when I searched on surrender. Some other words I searched on were: submit, submission, give up, yield. See what you find. Let the Lord lead you to what He would have you learn and read this week.

For my card this week, I used the December kit from Create My Keepsake. The papers are from Luxe Designs and Basic Grey. The Basic Grey papers are so beautiful, and I even dressed them up a bit more on the front of my card by adding Stickles and Distressed Stickles. I also used a Jesus stamp from Unity Stamp Co. from the Little Labels 2 set.
For my verse this week, I chose:
James 4:7 "Submit yourselves then, to God. Resist the devil."

I hope that you will ask God to show you those things in your life that you may not be surrendering to Him. Ask Him to help you surrender completely. Blessings,

Scripture Challenge {Week 48}

Week 48 Challenge Word: Give

Last week we talked about giving thanks. This week the Lord wants us to look at giving during this season of celebration and giving. What has God given you? A family? A home? Food? Good health? Salvation through His precious Son? God gives to us so that we can share with others.

John 10:28 “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.”
Romans 8:32 “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?”

Max Lucado says “Though God has given us many blessings and rights, we should be willing to give them up if it would help someone to know Christ. Why not give up your right for free time or watching a movie and use the time to share with a new Christian a lesson you have learned recently.”

What a simple but most important way to give!!! God will use you to meet the needs of others. It is impossible for us to out-give God so give abundantly!

There are so many ways to give not just by giving money. As I looked through almost 1,000 verses on Biblegateway, I noticed these words as I read: “Giving strength, knowledge, understanding, peace, rest, thanks, comfort, aid, shelter, attention, love, instruction, approval, praise, forgiveness, etc.” The list could go on and on. These are amazing ways our precious Lord gives to us but also ways we can give to others.

And God reminded me yesterday not to give up on our children! Being a parent is definitely a roller coaster especially when you have children with ongoing medical problems or special needs. He has a plan for them. They were born in His image just as you and I were. He wants us to give them the love, the praise, the support, etc., especially when times are hard. Give them more of you and more of God; don’t give up! Galatians 6:9 says “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

For my card this week, I used Basic Grey Urban Prairie papers and several Unity stamps. The butterfly stamp is from the Friendship. Love. Miracles. set, and the frame on the back is from the Our Life Our Stories set. And the small stickers are from 7Gypsies and were included in the November kit from Create My Keepsake. They were just perfect!The verses I used were:
Matthew 5:42 "Give to the one who asks you and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you."
Matthew 10:8b "Freely you have received, freely give."

I pray that you will take these weeks ahead and watch for areas where you can give—maybe a listening ear to a child or teen, a hug to a friend that is suffering, a meal to a sick neighbor, etc. Watch for the opportunities God brings to you to give. Blessings,

Scripture Challenge {Week 47}

Week 47 Challenge Word: Thankful

Times right now are rough. The economy is bad, savings accounts are dwindling, jobs are being lost, etc. During the midst of all of this and more, Christians have a special relationship with God. No matter how rough things are or how bad they look, no one can ever take that relationship away from you. Once you have accepted Him as your Lord and Savior, you are His. Have you thanked Him for that? Do you recognize what He does for you each day? Do you thank Him for those things? Watch for them. He is working in your life each and every day. He loves you!

God takes care of every situation no matter how difficult. And we can always thank Him for the outcome because we can trust that He will get us through whatever the difficulty may be. If you recognize what He has done for you in the past, then you can trust that He will be there for you the same way right now and in the future. Thank Him! He also puts people in our paths to help us, guide us, and lift us up. Have you thanked them?

How about being thankful for what you have? Are you, or are you always longing for more or something different? If we choose NOT to be thankful, then we will become bitter and angry. Doesn’t being thankful sound better than being bitter and angry?

I have mentioned before the idea of keeping a thankful journal. If you haven’t started one yet, this week would be a great week to do that. There are many ways to do a thankful journal but a very easy idea is to list 5 things that you are thankful for each day! Journal about it or just keep a list. Make it easy on yourself but keep a list. When times are rough, you can look back on those daily lists and see how He has continued to provide for you each and every day! A.W. Tozer says “In trying to count our many blessings, the difficulty is not to find things to count, but to find the time to enumerate them all.”

In searching on Biblegateway for our word this week, I actually searched on several words. Here is what I searched on and what I found in the NIV version:
**Thankful (4 verses)
**Thankfulness (3 verses)
**Thanks (80 verses)
**Thanksgiving (32 verses)
**Give thanks to the Lord (25 verses)

So interesting to look at that and all of the various scriptures associated with each of them! And as I close today’s study, I wanted you to know what I came across just last night as I was putting the finishing touches on this topic. I ran across Joyce’s blog, and on there she had a quote:

“Each day we are given the gift of 86,400 seconds. Have you used one to say ‘thank you’? William A. Ward

Wow, I just love that, and I love how the Lord confirmed out word yet again this week. And be sure to scroll down on Joyce’s blog and look at her card she did for Week 45 (Cross). It is just beautiful! Thank you Lord for using Joyce as you have this week!

For my card, I used the beautiful scalloped paper from Crate Paper. This was part of the November kit from Create My Keepsake. I also used four different Unity stamps from the following sets: Circle of Thanks, Flirty Flowers, Our Life Our Stories. Definitely perfect stamps for this word. The scripture I chose was:
1 Thessalonians 5:18 "Give thanks in all circumstances for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

I hope that you will spend this week of Thanksgiving looking at what the Lord has done for you and thanking Him and those around you. Have a blessed, joyous, and thankful week!

Scripture Challenge {Week 46}

Week 46 Challenge Word: Path

It is amazing the things, people, and situations God puts in our path. Just this week, I was blessed to find out that one of the ladies that has been reading the scripture challenge this year lives only a few miles from me. Not only did God put her in my path but she is hoping to come with me to Bible Study Fellowship on December 2nd! I was SO excited for the opportunity God gave me this week by putting her in my path. He is SO amazing!

Now, I had the choice to follow His path and call the wonderful person He put in my path, or I had the option to follow the world’s path and go on about my business. It would have been very easy to just go on about my business because I had just had a 3 hour dental procedure, and I wasn’t feeling great. However, I KNEW He put her in my path for a reason. I followed His path, called her, and was so blessed! I pray she was too!

We all have a path in life to choose—the right path (God’s path) or the wrong path (the world’s path). Choosing God’s path will lead you towards Him. Choosing the world’s path will lead you away from God. We are blessed when we follow God’s path instead of the path of the world. Sometimes the decision is hard. Pray about it. Ask Him to help you when it becomes difficult. As the hymn says “Blessed is the man, the man who does not walk in the council of the ungodly, blessed is that man.”

For my card this week, the yummy papers in the November Create My Keepsake kit were just perfect. Don’t ya just love the little cars on the “path”? :) For my verses, I chose three:
Proverbs 28:19 “Listen, my son, and be wise and keep your heart on the right path.”
2 Corinthians 6:3 “We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path so that our ministry will not be discredited.”
Psalm 119:101 “I have kept my feet from every evil path so that I might obey your Word.”

Rely on God. Meditate on His Word daily. He will help guide you on the right path. What path will you choose? Will you choose to follow Him completely? Have a joyous week following His amazing path!

Scripture Challenge {Week 45}

Week 45 Challenge Word: Cross

I must admit I had trouble looking at this word this week. I shed many, many tears. I know these things. I know what Jesus has done for me but to truly, truly focus on this word this week was completely overwhelming. His love for me and for you is incomprehensible. I pray that you will meditate on this word this week and really look at what He has done for you. I am citing several scripture references this week too because I think it is so important that you see the proof from His True Word and not just from me. I highly encourage you to look up these passages. If you are pressed for time, go to Biblegateway. You can highlight and copy the references I give and look them up quickly on Biblegateway. You will be so blessed in looking at these. This post truly could be very long but I will try to keep it short and to the point.

As I studied, I read a bit from Max Lucado as I always love to do. Here is what I found from his book “He Chose the Nails.”

“Between His hand and the wood there was a list: our mistakes, our lusts and lies and greedy moments. A list of our sins. The list God has made, however, cannot be read. The mistakes are covered. The sins are hidden. Those at the top are hidden by His hand; those down the list are covered by His blood . . . What kept Him from resisting? He knew the price of those sins was death. He knew the source of those sins was you, and since He couldn’t bear the thought of eternity without you, He chose the nails. Jesus Himself chose the nails.”

Jesus was not a victim. He willingly gave up His life and His spirit on the Cross for you and for me. See Matthew 27:50-54, John 19:39-30, 2 Corinthians 5:21. His work on the Cross demands a response. Even the temple and the earth responded to Jesus’ death. Look at Matthew 27:51. And did you notice in that passage that the curtain was torn in two from the top to the bottom? It was also as thick as a man’s hand!! Only God could do such a thing! Please don’t let the world steal your focus. Focus on Him and what He has done for you!

Have you accepted His gift of salvation? If you have accepted His gift, then as a believer you are to take up your Cross daily and follow Him. Not weekly or monthly but daily! See Luke 9:23. As a believer are you living for Him? How are you sharing in your churches and in your community? Focus on Him. It is not about this life!

And if you have not accepted His gift of salvation, will you do that today? Don't delay coming to Him by putting others or things first. I encourage you to make that commitment, come to Him, and fully follow Him each day. Please e-mail me if you have questions about your salvation. I would love to hear from you.

For my card this week, I used the amazing November kit again from Create My Keepsake. On the front of my card, I used the beautiful cross from the Flourished Christian Symbols set from Our Daily Bread Designs. On the back I used the Cross of Christ set since it had Hebrews 12:2 which was the scripture I had already chosen for today.
Hebrews 12:2a "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the Cross. . ."

I hope that you will take up your Cross daily this week and follow Him! Blessings to each of you!

Scripture Challenge {Week 44}

Week 44 Challenge Word: Need

Need. What is need? Webster’s says it is “something useful, required, or desired that is lacking; want; requirement.” It can also describe out spiritual condition before God. What do you need most? Love? Acceptance? Safety? Healing? A new car or other material things? Even though each person is uniquely different, we all have the same needs, and our biggest need is for a Savior.

God is our Great Provider, and He gives us everything we need! He already knows our needs and is faithful to meet them. A devotional I read says “God is that safe place . . . He has set Himself apart for us so that He is available to meet our needs whenever, whatever they are. Go to God.” How simply and perfectly put! Max Lucado also suggests saying the following several times very slowly:

“The Lord is my Shepherd; I have everything I need.”

Love that! And as I turned my calendar to November yesterday, here is the verse that was written on my calendar:

New Living Translation of Philippians 4:6 ". . . tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done."

I guess God was confirming our word even after I had mostly completed my study for the week. He is so good! He even supplies the confirmation I need each week to not lead you astray and to show you what He wants you to see each week! He knows what you need! Praise you Father for your constant provision for all of our needs!

He also reminded me of this hymn that I have not sung in quite a while. Oh how I love this hymn, and what a great reminder that we need Him every moment of our lives! Here is just the first verse and the refrain:

I Need Thee Every Hour
I need Thee every hour, most gracious Lord;
No tender voice like Thine can peace afford.

Refrain:
I need Thee, O I need Thee;
Every hour I need Thee;
O bless me now, my Savior,
I come to Thee.

For my card this week, I used the awesome, awesome November kit from Create My Keepsake! I love this kit so much that I have already created this ATC, a layout, and a card! I can't wait to create more! Here is my card:
I used Philippians 4:11 on my card "I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances."

What a great reminder! How will you depend on the Lord this week for all of your needs? Enjoy, and have a blessed week everyone!

Scripture Challenge {Week 43}

Week 43 Challenge Word: Encourage

Have you ever looked into the face of a child when you encourage him? How about when you talk negatively to him? How do his eyes and expressions differ? How about you? How do you feel when someone says something negative to you versus encouraging to you? I bet you have different facial expressions also. I read that “children need ten times as many encouraging remarks as negative ones.” I am sure that applies to adults too. I know how most of us thrive on encouraging feedback even on our scrappy work! Most of us are waiting to be encouraged!

Well, in today’s darkening world, it is easy to lose courage. It is easy to look at all of the depressing things happening to us and around us and just lose hope. However, as Christians, we are to encourage those around us. We are to give them the courage they lack. We can share His truths and what He has done in our lives. We can share specific Bible passages that may apply to someone that needs encouragement. Or we can even mail them a note of encouragement. Sharing encouragement with others also lifts us up and helps us not to focus on the many things that could keep our focus off of Christ.

Now, who encourages us when we need it? Our precious Father of course. He is our Great Encourager! His Word shares encouragement to us throughout the scriptures! When you are feeling down, grab your Bible, open it up to any page, and see what encouragement He has for you there. He is waiting to encourage you too! You just need to look for it.

For my card this week, I used the new Basic Grey Wassail Collection that I purchased from Create My Keepsake. Even though it is supposed to be a Christmas collection, there are papers that can be used for any time of year. They are just beautiful! I also used the Unity Scalloped Journal stamp that can be used on ATC cards, cards, and layouts! It is a versatile stamp for sure! I also had to do this in a mad rush since my husband returned today from his big trip to China, Japan, Singapore, and Taiwan! So, in my flurry, this is what I came up with:
I also used two wonderful scriptures:
Hebrews 3:13 "But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness."
1 Thessalonians 5:11 ". . .encourage on another and build each other up. . ."

So, stop your grumbling, look around you, and see who it is that God would have you encourage today! Have a great week everyone!

Scripture Challenge {Week 42}

Week 42 Challenge Word: Serve

Last week we talked about how service helps us to trust in the Lord, and it humbles us. Well, what exactly is service? Webster’s says it is “to do duties for; give service to; aid; assist; help; to give obedience and reverent honor to God; the serving of God as through good works, prayer, etc.”

What gifts has God given you? Has He asked you to use those gifts for His purpose? What has been your response? Do you question God or come up with excuses why you cannot serve? God is with us and enables us in the service He calls us to.

Moses questioned God when God called him to bring the Israelites out of Egypt. Look at Exodus 3:11-12 “But Moses said to God, ‘Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?’ And God said, ‘I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.’" God tells us He will be with us when He calls us! God uses us just as we are. We will never be perfect or completely ready for a task. We are to obey and depend on Him.

Our time of service never ends either. Now I don’t want that to be a discouragement. It should be an encouragement! Just think, the Lord can always use you! He has a purpose for you! How very exciting! There is no retirement. Exodus 7:7 tells us that “Moses was eighty years old and Aaron eighty-three when they spoke to Pharaoh.” This was the first of many meetings with Pharaoh. Can you imagine beginning such a huge work at 80 years old? In our humanness, we would not be able to do that but with God, we certainly can! And Moses served with God’s divine enabling, and he did not die until he was 120 years old! Deuteronomy 34:7 says “Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone.” How amazing is that!

Even Jesus came to serve! Mark 10:45 says “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Jesus came to serve! He even washed His disciples feet to set an example for us! Read John 13:1-17. What an amazing picture!

God has created us to serve Him as evidence of our faith. What will you give up to serve Him? Where is He calling you?

For my card this week, I used the fun kit from Create My Keepsake again. I just LOVE this kit! In fact, I just finished a layout for Unity Stamp Co. using this same kit. Lisa can sure put some amazing products together. :) Anyway, here is my card:
Aren't the month/day/year/time papers perfect for serving? I also cut the felt flower from the kit and turned it into two hearts: one for the front of the card and one for the back. I want to remember that we need to love and enjoy our service to Him not make it a task we check off on a list. The scriptures I chose were many but only two would fit. They are:

1 Samuel 12:24 "But be sure to fear the Lord and serve Him faithfully with all your heart."
Romans 15:17 "Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God."

Remember, serving God is all about Him not about us. Enjoy, and listen to where He may be calling you to serve. Blessings for a joyous week ahead!

Scripture Challenge {Week 41}

For those of you that missed my post on Saturday, I have created a list of the entire year's Scripture Challenge study thus far this year. Links are provided for each study also. You can find it under "Labels" on the left hand side of my blog. It is titled: Scripture Challenge Study Links. I will update this list each week for easy reference for everyone. Sorry that I did not think to do this earlier in the year but hey, better late than never. :) Now onto our study for this week.

Week 41 Challenge Word: Humility

This week, I want us to look at humility. What is humility? Some people think of being humble as negative. They think you are putting yourself down or that you are inferior. True humility is all about God; it's not even about us! It means we are to think of God more and think of ourselves less. Being humble allows us to accept the fact that we ARE inadequate and that we need to completely put our trust in God to enable us. A definition of humility from one of my Bibles says, "Humility is standing before God, seeing our inadequacy in light of His sufficiency and recognizing our vast need of Him."

The world tells us we need to be confident in ourselves. The world tells us we are not to trust in others. We are to be confident and trust in ourselves. What makes you feel good about yourself? Is it having a big house, a fancy car, an important title, or knowing that you can teach that Bible study in your church because it is so easy? God doesn't usually call us to things that are easy. He doesn't want us to be self-sufficient. And we are not to be prideful but humble. We are to focus on Christ. Rely on Him. Praise Him. Give Him the glory!

Two great quotes I found this week are:
Thomas 'a Kempis says "The humble are always at peace; the proud are often envious and angry."
Max Lucado says "Practice humility not by putting yourself down but by building others up."

Are your prideful? Are you overconfident? Do you rely on "self" instead of God? Ask God to replace these things with humility. And better yet, serve others. Service helps us to trust in the Lord, and it humbles us.

For my card this week, I used the fun Create My Keepsake kit again. I didn't make it too fancy. I wanted to really focus on the word and scriptures this week.
For my scriptures, I chose:
Psalm 25:9 "He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them His way."
Philippians 2:3 "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit but in humility consider other better than yourselves."

Enjoy your study, and I will see you next week! Blessings,

Scripture Challenge {Week 40}

Week 40 Challenge Word: Light

I had trouble picking our word this week. I was behind, I felt rushed, and just didn’t know where to go. Well, I settled on the word “light.” Then as I began to study light, I got sidetracked (as I often do). I have been contemplating a study for next year, and so I started shopping online for commentaries. Well, I found one I think I would love to have, and as I was looking at the online sample pages, guess what appears? A commentary on light! Hmmm, I guess maybe God was confirming my word I pulled out of the hat for this week. Just love it!

Anyway, something interesting this commentary said is that when God created light, He said, “God saw that the light was good.” However, if you read Genesis 1:3-5, God separates the light from the dark but He never says that the dark was good. I find that very interesting. And if you continue to read in Genesis 1, you will see that God continues to say “God saw that it was good,” as He continues to create everything in, around, and on this earth. This was just a very thought provoking comment to me.

Also, if you read about Jesus’ crucifixion in Matthew 27:45, you see complete darkness came over the land for 3 hours. It was dark because the Light of the World was burying the sin of the world. Darkness came to separate God the Father from God the Son. God could not look at Jesus during that time when He was carrying our sin. Darkness covered Him; there was no light.

As Christians, we are to be light in our dark world today. People around you—neighbors, mothers, fathers, teachers, etc.—need the Lord. They need to see the light. There are simple ways to do this. Share how He has helped you in a difficult circumstance or comforted you in a loss. Take a meal to a new neighbor or family that is welcoming a new baby. Recommend a book that you found helpful. Purchase a Bible for someone and share with them. Offer to carpool children to and from school or after school activities. You will be an influence on those children in your car. Listen to the local Christian radio station even when you have non-believers in your car. There are many ways to share the light of Christ to those around you.

There is a devotional in my Bible that I wanted to share it with you. There is not an author’s name associated with the devotion so I am unable to give credit where credit is due. I hope you enjoy this devotion on light.

Label Your Light (Passage Luke 8:16-18)
You face a choice in life: You can either eliminate the truth or illuminate it. If you want to light the way to Jesus for others, you can begin by evaluating the light you shine. What kind of light are you?

Are you a candle? Do you light the room about you, but are you vulnerable to other influences that might snuff out your flame?

Are you a floodlight? Do you shine so strongly in people’s eyes that they are blinded rather than enable to see?

Are you a flashlight? Do you click on only in emergencies?

Are you a chandelier? Do you shine with beauty and make those around you look better?

What kind of light are you and how can you shine for Jesus more effectively in your world?

Such a great devotion. I pray that you will think about it this week. For my card, I used the fun October kit from Create My Keepsake. Oh goodness, is this kit awesome. Full of gorgeous papers and embellies! And Lisa even included some of the 7Gypsies ATC cards! Thanks Lisa! I chose two scriptures this week. I used one on the front of my card and one on the back. They are:

Isaiah 2:5 ". . . let us walk in the light of the Lord."
Ephesians 5:8 "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light."

I challenge you to be the light in the dark world around you this week. Enjoy, and let that “little light shine.” Blessings,

Scripture Challenge {Week 39}

As I was sitting at my girls’ private music teacher’s house this week, I was trying to figure out what word God would have us study. I tossed a few words around but I just wasn’t sure. One word I tossed around was “power.” I decided to open my Bible and see if God would lead me in any particular direction. Well, I opened my Bible, and it opened to Daniel. The word “power” literally jumped off of the page. It was the weirdest thing. I then began laughing hysterically. Two of my girls looked at me and thought I had totally lost it. I then proceeded to tell them just how good God is. I don’t think I will ever forget how He chose our word for this week. Anyway, our word for our 39th week is:

Week 39 Challenge Word: Power

God is All-Powerful! He uses His power for His purpose. A.H. Strong (a theologian) said “God can do all that He wills but He will not do all that He can.” Think about that statement for a minute.

Do you have something you are trying to change? Maybe you want to go on a diet. Maybe you have a bad habit of yelling. Maybe you are completely impatient with your husband or your children. Maybe there is someone you just don’t get along with but you are around them more than you would like. Well, do you realize that we cannot change by our own power? We need His power to change those undesireable areas of our lives. Allow Him to be your power and make you strong where you are weak. God allows those bad habits or those difficult circumstances in our lives to reveal His power in our lives. These are opportunities for us to experience His power.

God’s power is not only revealed in our own lives but we can read about His power over and over in the Bible. Here are just a few examples of MANY!

**God created the heavens and the earth in Genesis 1.
**The plagues against Pharaoh & Egypt in Exodus 7:8 through Exodus 11:10.
**The parting of the Red Sea in Exodus 14:15-31.
**Jesus always used His power to help others. Look for many examples in the Gospels.
**Jesus’ resurrection from the dead proves the power of God. Look in Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, and John 20 & 21.

I also wanted to share with you a devotional I got just this morning from Zondervan:

It Will Never Lose Its Power
“Only the blood of Jesus Christ, shed on the cross two thousand years ago, shields us from the awful judgment of God for sin. We are not justified because of our good intentions. We are not protected because of our tearful appeals. We can, in fact, do nothing to merit God's favor. Only the blood puts us in right standing with him. In the words of the Andraé Crouch song that we often sing in our church, the blood of Jesus "reaches to the highest mountain" and "flows to the lowest valley." That is why "it will never lose its power."

This week I used some yummy papers from Creative Memories called Romance Power Palette along with their lined paper. These are absolutely gorgeous in person. So many yummy colors and designs.
The scriptures I chose were:

Nahum 1:3a “The Lord is slow to anger and great in power. . .”
Romans 1:16 “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation of everyone who believes. . .”

I hope you will rely on God’s power in your own life. Enjoy your week, and may you grow in the Lord as you study His word.

Scripture Challenge {Week 38}

Week 38 Challenge Word: Name

Have you ever looked up the definition of ‘name’? Here is what I found in my Vine’s Concise Dictionary:

“by which a person or thing is called, implication of authority, character, rank, majesty, power, excellence.”

There are so many different directions we could go with this word today! I will touch on a couple, and hopefully you will hang with me. God gave me our word as He always does but I must admit I struggled with the direction He was leading me.

When you call on the Lord, how do you use His name? Do you use it in vain? How about in your prayer time? Do you praise God for who He is as you begin? Praising God and expressing His attributes or names helps us to remember who He is and reminds us to give Him all the glory!
Have you ever tried to list all the names of God? There is an amazing book by Rosemary Jensen titled "Praying the Attributes of God." Ms. Jensen is the former director of Bible Study Fellowship. I believe I have mentioned this book before in one of our previous studies. Anyway, it is an amazing book that lists 31 of our precious Father's attributes or names. If you are interested in studying the names of God, this would be my recommendation.

What is your reaction when you hear people use His name in vain? Maybe you do that yourself. Read 1 Timothy 6:1. What does it say about His name? It seems, in our society, using the Lord's name in vain has become commonplace. Most people don't even blink when they hear His name used in vain. How about when you see 'OMG' on the web? Again, most people don't even blink. I know I personally have scratched that little abbreviation off my list. I always type out "oh my goodness" because I don't want people to get the impression I am using His name in vain. As a Christian, I represent my precious Father, and I want to glorify who He is. I don't want to treat His name lightly. I must revere His name and who He is. How about you? Do you revere His name?

Several other fun things to study this week about the word 'name' are:

**Adam names the animals. (Genesis 2:19)
**The midwives' names are recorded in the Bible yet Pharaoh's is not. (Exodus 1:15)
**God tells Moses what His name is. (Exod. 3:14-16)
**If we call on His name, we are saved. (Romans 10:13)
**We are told we will suffer because of His name. (1 Peter 4:16)
**We can be insulted because of His name. (1 Peter 4:14)
**Our sins are forgiven because of His name. (1 John 2:12)
**He knows each of us by name. (John 20:16)
**Is your name written in the Book of Life? (Rev. 3:5, Rev. 20:15)

Another one of my favorite hymns is "How Majestic is Your Name." Look at the words in this hymn. How perfect for your study this week.

How Majestic is Your Name
Oh Lord, our Lord
How majestic is your name
In all the earth,
Oh Lord, our Lord
How majestic is your name
In all the earth

Oh Lord, we praise your name
Oh Lord, we magnify your name
Prince of Peace, mighty God
Oh Lord God Almighty!

What a wonderful hymn to sing this week! For my card, I used the same September kit from Create My Keepsake. It is so full of yummy goodies. For my verse this week, I put:

Psalm 99:3 "Let them praise your great and awesome name. . ."
I hope you will enjoy this study and meditate on His name and who He is. May the Lord bless each of you for your study this week. In Him,

Scripture Challenge {Week 37}

This week I actually had another word in mind for us to study. However, as I sat down to prepare our lesson this week, I prayed that God clearly lead me. I began to read on another topic when this sentence jumped out at me:

“How unsteady knees bend under the weight of our preteen’s skepticism. And our hearts fear for the future of our young adult children, facing a world where morals are missing and absolutes are absent.”

I immediately was overcome with tears. This week has been a struggle with my girls. Homeschooling is a blessing but they have only known public school since Kindergarten. They are now in the 8th grade. Pulling them out of public school after so many years in public school is quite an adjustment for them. They are skeptical. They cry. They complain. One minute they love it; the next minute they are mad at me. I am fearful. Am I teaching them all they need to become all that God wants them to become? Will they get over their skepticism? But God, led us here so I should not fear! Yes, our word for this week is:

Week 37 Challenge Word: Fear

What are your fears? Some fear is healthy and protects us. Some fear is unhealthy and can hold us back from doing what God wants us to do or growing as God wants us to grow. Fear equals 'unfaith'. The way out of that fear is faith in God. Give up those fears and replace it with faith in Him. Max Lucado says it so beautifully, “Don’t cover them up with a blanket or ignore them with a nervous grin. Don’t turn up the TV and pretend they aren’t there. Instead, stand still, whisper His name, and listen. He is nearer than you think.”

That is so true. He is right here beside me, and He is right there beside you! With Him there is nothing to fear. Nothing is too big for God. He is Sovereign and in control of all things. Trust in Him.

I already had the verse I was going to use this week until I sat down to read the scripture in my BSF lesson. God gave me two other verses instead:

Isaiah 43:1 “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.”
Isaiah 43:5 "Do not be afraid for I am with you."

Goodness, how perfect. How comforting! God is so good! I am His! What an awesome thought!

For my card, I used the September Create My Keepsake kit again. The Pink Paislee owl rub-on was just perfect! However, I tried to color him with my Copic markers, and I have now discovered that rub-ons and Copics don't work too well together. Oh well.
I hope you will give your fears to God this week. Have faith in Him and experience the joy that He has for you! Blessings,

Scripture Challenge {Week 36}

Week 36 Challenge Word: Treasure

What do you value or treasure most? What is most important in your life? Is it God? How about your kids? What about money? A treasure is a valuable object that can be either physical or spiritual. Max Lucado suggests a great activity when discussing treasures:

**Make a list of things the world treasures.
**Which of these do you treasure?
**What does God treasure?
**How can you better spend your time and money to reflect what God treasures?

And something we discussed in BSF last year—“If the way we spend our time reveals what we consider our greatest treasure, how does the way I spend my time reveal my treasure?”

Ouch! Yes, I am probably stepping on toes today. Do you see some things in your life that you need to reprioritize? I know I do!

How do you show Jesus that He is your treasure? How might God be asking you to share that treasure? If we want to show others Jesus and what we value or treasure most, then we need to be the same person inside and out. If Jesus is our treasure, then we need to try to seek His purpose in everything we do. The NIV Life Application Study Bible says that “if Jesus is gone from our lives, everything else becomes useless no matter how valuable it may seem.” Wow, that is something to really think about.

For my card this week, I used the awesome September kit from Create My Keepsake. I know last I checked, there were still some available to purchase. This kit contains all of the new Pink Paislee goodies! Yum! You might want to run over there and grab one before they are gone! Anyway, back to my card. I also used the Leaves a Plenty stamp from the Unity Tiny Trinity set. Love that set. I have been trying to stamp on black and color the image in, and it really is fun!
For my scripture this week, I chose:
Matthew 6:21 & Luke 12:34 which both read: "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

I want to end with this thought that was given to me about six years ago in BSF. “The church and Christians are God’s chosen treasure. He loves me and treasure me!” That needs to be up on a mirror in your bathroom or somewhere that you can see it daily. Such an loving thought to end with today. Think about what you treasure most this week, and remember, you are God’s chosen treasure! Is He your treasure?

Scripture Challenge {Week 35}

On 8/9/08, God led me to a new Bible Study Fellowship class. It was the culmination of 4 months of prayer. I have been in the day women’s BSF class since 1998, and I had no intention of leaving. I love the women, I love the class, and it is a huge part of who I am and a huge part of my heart. However, God had different plans for me. I did not want to leave but He clearly wants me in the night women’s class. I am scared, and I truly did not want to follow His leading; however, I am stepping out in faith and following His lead. Is it easy? No! Have tears been shed? Yes, many. Is there excitement? Yes, because I know His plan is amazing even though I don’t see it yet. And God never makes mistakes. I can rest in Him, and know that His leading is perfect.

Week 35: Leading (God’s)

Who is in charge of your life? Is it God? Is it your husband, friends, co-workers? Where do you turn when a decision needs to be made? Sometimes it seems so much easier to turn to someone around us and get an immediate verbal answer to our decision. However, is that the direction that God would have you go? Is that His leading for your life? When trying to hear God’s leading for you, refer to our study in Week 31 when we studied Choice. The list by Neil Anderson can be very helpful when trying to discern God’s leading for your life. I know I used it when trying to hear God about His leading for my BSF class.

To help us follow His leading, we can read His Word each and everyday. Cooperate with Him and follow His lead. There is no end to the possibilities of where He may lead you. Think of Jochebed (Moses’ mother, see Exodus 2:1-5). She had to follow God’s leading in putting Moses into the basket and into the Nile. Then look at where He led Moses. And Moses was blessed and knew the Lord face to face (Deuteronomy 34:10)! Wow! I must follow His leading for my life just as Jochebed and Moses did.

For my card this week, I used some fun Basic Grey papers and a $1 stamp from Michael's for the footprints on my card.
And the scripture I chose was:

Psalm 31:3 “Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me.”

And I can’t end our lesson here without giving you what the Lord just gave me. I need to follow His lead and share the hymn “He Leadeth Me! O Blessed Thought” with you. I will just share the first verse and the chorus but if you get a chance, you should really listen to the entire hymn.

He leadeth me! O blessed thought!
O words with heavenly comfort fraught!
Whate'er I do, where'er I be,
Still 'tis God's hand that leadeth me.

Chorus:
He leadeth me, he leadeth me,
By His own hand he leadeth me;
His faithful follower I would be,
For by His hand He leadeth me.

Is it God’s precious hand that leads you? Do you want to be His faithful follower? How can you watch for His leading in your life today or this week? How about this month or this year? Please join us here for discussions and links to your cards and pages. Have fun studying and creating this week! And enjoy wherever the Lord may lead you!