Word Art Wednesday

Wednesday, January 20, 2021

Anything Goes - #475-#476

Welcome back for our second challenge of 2021. We're off to a great start, and we have a lucky winner to announce from the previous challenge. Our primary sponsor again this year, Stamp Simply Clear Stamps, is our FUN sponsor for this challenge. You will see some samples from their Design Team, as well as our own, showcasing several of their lovely products. Be sure to stop by Stamp Simply Clear Stamps to see what you might pick if you should win this challenge. Or....what you might "need" to buy if you don't win this time. But be encouraged, dear craft friends, Stamp Simply Clear Stamps is a quarterly sponsor for us here, so you'll have more chances to win this AMAZING price again this year. Let's get started with our challenge.

By the way....If you were a winner in the 1st Annual Christmas Blog Hop, have no fear!! The prizes (shown above) were all mailed out this past Sunday afternoon from my local post office. They should be coming your way this week, ladies. Although, Monday was a holiday; so I appreciate your patience. I'm super grateful to you ALL for joining in on the fun. You're ALL "winners" in my book!

The scripture for our word art is a powerful one. It's from John 1:14 which says, "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." WOW! So, if we break this down, it's saying: 1. The Word (which is capitalized in the Bible because it's a proper noun, referring to God) God became flesh (Jesus/human flesh) was, in fact, God almighty (the Word) and He "dwelt among us" (God in human flesh lived on earth 30+ years). Humans, like you and me, were able to "behold" His glory (to see or observe with wonder); and that His glory was "as of the Father, full of grace and truth" meaning that there was no denying He was God. People who didn't know Him as God made up stories to explain why He was "different", and many people, although they SAW Him with their own eyes, did not believe. How sad. And yet, we do this still today. Would you put your complete trust in Him even if you SAW Him? Some people simply don't want to see it. But this doesn't mean we shouldn't ALWAYS share the Gospel with people. We aren't ever going to "save" anyone. Only God can do that. But we can plant seeds, water seeds, pray over our seeds, trust God to do the rest. I choose to place my eternal faith in God - the ONLY One who is the Alpha and Omega (beginning and end), the WAY the TRUTH and the LIFE, the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, and the ONLY One who is/was sinless (God Almighty) and could offer Himself, in human flesh, as the payment for the sins of all mankind. Yes, it's THAT SIMPLE. Whosoever shall call upon the name of JESUS shall be saved. Don't let the world make it complicated. It's a simple relationship between the sinner (me, you, everyone) and God Almighty. He paid that price because He LOVES us and wants us to come to HIM for all we need. So much of the world is messed up, simply, because they don't have JESUS and that true PEACE that ONLY a right relationship with Him can offer us. Where do you place your eternal faith? This verse has the answers you seek. Jesus always has the answers you seek.

As always, you are welcome to save the word art to your computer; but you are never required to use it in order to play along in our challenges or to win. We welcome you to share your all your art with us; remembering that Anything Goes as long as it's family-friendly, and uses an encouraging or uplifting sentiment. This includes any type of altered or digital art (not just limited to cards). You may link up to five (5) projects each week, for a total of ten (10) entries per two-week challenge. The more you enter, the more you increase your odds of winning. It is our desire that God's Word will be a blessing and encouragement to you as we share it. If you have any questions about the rules, be sure to read the complete list of rules under our page tab for "Challenge Rules". Because our ultimate goal is to honor God, we have no other choice but to delete any entries that do not adhere to the guidelines. Please know that this doesn't mean we are judging anyone. We're simply attempting to honor God and follow His rules. Let us know if you have any questions, and thanks for your understanding and participation.

Check out our AWESOME sponsor for this challenge:

The AWESOME and WONDERFUL Stamp Simply

Clear Stamps is our sponsor once again. This is SO

exciting for one lucky winner. One entry will be

chosen through a random draw; and that lucky person

will win their choice of any two (2) items from

the Stamp Simply Clear Stamps line - stamps

and/or dies. How generous is that??

There's a lovely selection of high-quality,

clear stamps that produce crisp, clear images.

And high-quality steel dies that cut cleanly

through most any medium. Be sure to stop by and

look around at all the awesome products

available at Stamp Simply Clear Stamps.

Some card samples are shown below.

AND NOW.......One More Lucky WINNER:

The FUN and inspiring Taylored Expressions

was our sponsor for the last challenge. COOL!

This AWESOME store is filled with the most

darling assortment of high-quality clear stamps,

steel dies, stencils, wool felt, and SO much more.

One lucky person has WON a very generous

$30 Gift Certificate to spend at the lovely

Taylored Expressions Shop. WOW!!

It's Entry #98 - Meghan Kennihan

Our Top 3 Picks This Challenge:

Entry #9 - Jennifrann

Entry #107 - Sidan

Entry #239 - Valerija

Please email Karen if you'd like a

Top 3 or Winner's Badge for your blog.

All winners must also email Karen

to claim prize (per the Rules Page). Thanks!

May God bless all our AWESOME sponsors.

We appreciate them all SO very much,

and we pray for their success.

AND NOW....Here's some inspiration to get you started:

From The Stamp Simply Clear Stamps DT

Esther Asbury Using Get Well Tulip

And Holly McMillen Using Coneflower

Julie Gearinger Using Typewritten Sentiments

and Fishtail Sentiment Banners Die-Cut

Our January Guest Designer, Bev Jordan

Natalie Houston

Front - Using Spring/Summer Seasonal Wreaths

Inside - Using Spring/Summer Seasonal Wreaths

Maxine Diffey

Using Sponsor Product, Stamp Simply

Clear Stamps Coffee Or Tea Stamps & Dies

JoAnn Atterbury

Using Stick Family Stamp Set

from Stamp Simply Clear Stamps

Holly Lau

Using Get Well Tulip Stamp Set

Ginny Maxam

Stephanie Wright

Using Floral Cluster Spring Pansies Stamp Set

and Floral Cluster and Sprigs Die Cut

from Stamp Simply Clear Stamps

Karen Letchworth

Using Farmhouse Scriptural Thoughts Stamp Set

and Farmhouse Signage Stamp Set

Wednesday, January 6, 2021

Anything Goes - Weeks #473-#474

Welcome back to Word Art Wednesday as we begin another great year of challenges. We have so many AWESOME sponsors lined up for you again this year, and we thank God (and these generous sponsors) for providing SO far and above and beyond what we could have ever imagined. All the sponsors for 2021 are listed now on the right-hand sidebar. How exciting! You're definitely going to want to play along in every challenge this year, and we're always SO grateful when you do. Let's get started with our first challenge of the year.

The scripture used for our word art is Psalm 34:4 which says, "I sought the LORD, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears". As with many verses in God's precious Word that give us comfort (like this one); it's not saying that we'll always have "smooth sailing" in life. It does, however, promise us that's God is always going to comfort us. In this case, it's telling us that the LORD will hear us and deliver us from all our fears WHEN WE SEEK HIM. That doesn't mean that we can just claim to be His and then expect all His blessings and protections to suddenly pour out over us. We need to SEEK Him. The dictionary defines the word SEEK as 1. to attempt or desire to obtain or achieve something, 2. to ASK something from someone, 3. search for and find something/someone, and 4. to go to something/someone. This is not simply a one-time action. We each need to SEEK God daily and ASK Him to dwell within us, to help us live according to His Word, to bless and protect us, and even to "deliver us from all our fears". He's there to help each of us cope with WHATEVER we're going through. There is NOTHING that God cannot do. But the key here is that we need to SEEK and to ASK Him for what we need. In fact, He wants us to ask of Him. I can't imagine facing one single day without the presence of the LORD in my life, can you? Once you've known/experienced the peace, comfort, assurance and strength GOD provides on a daily basis, it's impossible to think of living without it. He alone can comfort, guide and bless - for ETERNITY. We are living in uncertain times for sure. But when you know God; Jesus Christ (God in human flesh), you have ALL you will ever need. It might sound clique but it's SO literally true. By asking Jesus to save your soul, enter your life and lead you, this gives you ALL you need for your journey here on earth (food, clothing, shelter, etc.) and, most importantly, it also gives you ALL you need after this life. Each of us WILL spend an eternity (non-ending time) somewhere. There are only two options....it's either in Heaven with Him - by accepting His gift of eternal life through His sacrifice on the cross; OR separated from God forever in a literal place called Hell - by rejecting Him we face a terrible fate. The choice is up to each individual, and time is running out for each of us. We must CHOOSE. What a joy to know that you can place your eternal hope in Jesus Christ - the only one who can "deliver us from all our fears". I've got enough to worry about.....like WHAT'S FOR DINNER, did I feed the dog, and will I have enough toilet paper. PRAISE GOD that I (we) don't need to worry about fear, intimidation, or any of the threats of this twisted world. The best thing we can do is to SEEK HIM and ASK HIM to meet ALL our needs. He's right there.....waiting for you and He really wants to hear from us. God can do ALL THINGS.....we need to SEEK and ASK.

As always, you are welcome to save the word art to your computer; but you are never required to use it in order to play along in our challenges or to win. We welcome you to share your all your art with us; remembering that Anything Goes as long as it's family-friendly, and uses an encouraging or uplifting sentiment. This includes any type of altered or digital art (not just limited to cards). You may link up to five (5) projects each week, for a total of ten (10) entries per two-week challenge. The more you enter, the more you increase your odds of winning. It is our desire that God's Word will be a blessing and encouragement to you as we share it. If you have any questions about the rules, be sure to read the complete list of rules under our page tab for "Challenge Rules". Because our ultimate goal is to honor God, we have no other choice but to delete any entries that do not adhere to the guidelines. Please know that this doesn't mean we are judging anyone. We're simply attempting to honor God and follow His rules. Let us know if you have any questions, and thanks for your understanding and participation.

Check out our AWESOME sponsor for this challenge:

The FUN and inspiring Taylored Expressions

is our sponsor for this challenge. Hurray!

This AWESOME store is filled with the most

darling assortment of high-quality clear stamps,

steel dies, stencils, wool felt, and SO much more.

One lucky person will win a very generous

$30 Gift Certificate to spend at the lovely

Taylored Expressions Shop. WOW!!

AND NOW......Our LUCKY WINNERS!!!!!

Stamp Simply Clear Stamps is an AWESOME

store. They carry high-quality acrylic stamps,

steel dies, and SO much more. One lucky

person has won their choice of either

TWO stamp sets, or ONE stamp set

and ONE die-cut. What a generous and

AMAZING prize to win. The lucky winner

of this AWESOME prize is

Lucky Entry #111 - Billie Anderson

AND

Each stop on our Blog Hop offered prizes from

Emma's Paperie. Congrats to all the winners

of the prizes donated by Emma's Paperie.

From Karen C's Blog - Gail Scott

From Holly's Blog - Christine Miller

From JoAnn's Blog - Kathy Asper

From Ginny's Blog - Becca Sadler

From Natalie's Blog - Esther Asbury

From Stephanie's Blog - Elizabeth Hart

From Karen L's Blog - Denise Bryant

BONUS: Some of our Design Team Members

had their own personal give-away as well. So,

please check back on their blogs to see if you're

a winner there. Thanks for hopping with us!

Our Top 3 Picks This Challenge:

Entry #172 - Lucy E.

Entry #264 - Janis in ID

Entry #268 - Lil' Artsy Woman/Lois

Please email Karen if you'd like a

Top 3 or Winner's Badge for your blog.

All winners must also email Karen

to claim prize (per the Rules Page). Thanks!

May God bless all our AWESOME sponsors.

We appreciate them all SO very much,

and we pray for their success.

AND NOW....Here's some inspiration to get you started:

Our January Guest Designer, Beverly Jordan

Natalie Houston

Using Taylored Expressions Products Including

Seasonal Sprigs Stamp Set and Stencil,

Blender Brushes, Premium Inks, and

a second card is posted on her blog.

Maxine Diffey

JoAnn Atterbury

Holly Lau

Ginny Maxam

Stephanie Wright

Karen Letchworth

Using Taylored Expressions Product

In My Heart Stamp Set (Retired)

Wednesday, December 16, 2020

Christmas Blog Hop - Weeks #470-472

Welcome by for our final challenge of 2020, everyone. As we wrap up this year and approach Christmas; we're CELEBRATING with a BLOG HOP to show our appreciation to all of you who faithfully and generously share your art with us throughout the year. Of course, we will have our traditional random draw for a prize from our regular primary sponsor, Stamp Simply Clear Stamps; but there will be additional prizes offered from Emma's Paperie at each stop on the Blog Hop. Just visit each blog and leave a comment to be eligible for the prize shown on each Design Team Members' blog. To give our DT Members a break for Christmas, this will be the last challenge of the year; so you'll have three weeks (instead of two) to complete the Blog Hop and leave your comments. And...because this challenge is three weeks long, you can still enter 5 times per week - for a total of 15 entries. We can't wait to see what you'll create, and we look forward to having you visit our personal blogs as well. Thanks for joining us as we start our 1st Annual Christmas Blog Hop.

Blog Hop Order:

Word Art Wednesday - You Are Here

Karen Conner

Holly Lau

JoAnn Atterbury

Ginny Maxam

Natalie Houston

Stephanie Wright

Karen Letchworth

The verse we see in our beautiful word art scripture is Matthew 1:23 - "Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call His name, Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God is with us". These wonderful words confidently spoken through the divine appointment of God proclaimed that a virgin (Mary, who never knew Joseph in a physical sense before or during the time she conceived and was pregnant with our Savior, Jesus) would be with child and that she would bring forth a son whose name would be Emmanuel which means God is with us. Yes, although He was a baby we call Jesus, HE WAS GOD. GOD loved us SO much that He became human flesh and dwelt among us. He came to pay the price (being spotless without sin) and was the ONLY perfect spotless sacrifice, precisely as the prophets of the Old Testament predicted, thus fulfilling ALL prophecies said of the Savior, the Messiah, the awaited One. It breaks my heart to know that some (many, including His chosen people, the Jews) have missed out on this TRUTH (and the ONLY way to God) as they still await their Messiah. Because of false religions, skewed versions of the "bible", added writings that the original Bible/Word of God contradicts, myths, and all sorts of falsehoods that PALE in comparison, people have been lead away from the One true God by false hope. Here's the bitter truth - the option to Jesus (eternity with Him in Heaven) is an eternity in HELL - an eternity (never-ending time) separated from Him in a terrible (literal) pit of fiery suffering. NONE can save us from what our sinfulness deserves but JESUS.....the GOD Child Who came, walked among us, suffered and died, rose again, and has gone to prepare a place for us. HE, Jesus/God, who is patiently waiting for YOU, for ME, and for ALL who call upon Him and find the ONE and ONLY - WAY, TRUTH, and LIFE.......Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the one and ONLY WAY to finding an eternity in Heaven with Him, or any eternal peace whatsoever. Unlike what Hollywood wants to (lie) tell you, not all roads can lead to the same place when they contradict one another. There can only be ONE absolute truth (the Bible. God's written/spoken and recorded Word), there is ONE WAY, and that is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ on the cross. And there is only ONE LIFE, and that reminds us again ONE life...not multiple "ways of getting there", and that ONE LIFE is the one that Jesus GAVE for you and for me. We MUST call on Him if we want to spend eternity in Heaven with Him and escape Hell (what our sinfulness deserves). He came to this earth for YOU. Will you live your life for Him? He's waiting to bless you and seal you for all eternity....He's patiently waiting, but time is running out quickly. My life is SO much better living for Jesus and the promises of my eternity with Him than anything this temporal world has to offer. Don't hesitate another day. Talk with God today and get it right with Him. He's there to bless you, heal you, and save you because He loves us all SO much. #blessedlife