Anything Goes #452 - #453

Welcome by today, everyone!  We're so glad you've chosen to visit us to play along in our FUN challenge, and we're grateful that you're here!  We're excited about all the fabulous sponsors we've been blessed to have support us, and that means AMAZING prizes for all of you playing along with us.  The art you all share is nothing less than AWESOME, and we consider you ALL winners.  THANK YOU for all the beautiful art you link up with us.  While there can only be one "winner" for each challenge, please know that we pray for you all and that we're so grateful for each one of you.  We consider it a privilege to have you share your wonderful creations with us.

The scripture used for the new word art is found in Psalm 77:14.  It says, "Thou art the God that doest wonders: thou hast declared thy strength among the people".  When this verse was written, it was referring to what the Lord had done for the Israelites in Egypt and in the wilderness.  And when it says "you have declared your strength among the people", it's referring to all nations of the world who heard (at that time) of what He had done for the people of Israel through the power of His mighty outstretched hand".  Many years have passed since that time.  God has continued to perform many wonders, and has surely shown His limitless strength to all people.  Yet, some still reject Him.  So many people (groups) want to make it so complicated.  God never intended for "religion" to be complicated.  He never asked us to jump through any hoops, or to do anything to "earn" our way to Him.  The truth is, there isn't anything we could do to "earn" our way to Him.  That's, quite simply, why He came.  ALL He wants or asks of us is to trust Him.  Just call on Him.  Tell Him that you NEED Him.  That's it.  Just by placing your faith in what He did on the cross, that's enough.  He wants to bless you and call YOU His own.  Just call on the name of Jesus, and you will never have to fear His strength or ponder on the mysteries of His "wonders".  You can just live a life of faith...knowing where you will spend eternity....with Him/Jesus - the only ONE who ever loved you enough to come and die for you.  He provided the way.  Will you simply accept it?

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 AMAZING sponsor for this challenge:

We're blessed to have another new sponsor

(to us) this year.  The lovely Hello Bluebird

is offering a FAB prize to one very lucky

participant.  Be sure to stop by the sweet

Hello Bluebird Blog for loads of inspiration.

The Hello Bluebird store has so many great

stamps, dies, and all things lovely.  You'll

also see some card samples below from the

Hello Bluebird DT.  How sweet!

AND NOW.....Another Lucky WINNER:

Heartfelt Creations is a WONDERFULLY stunning

on-line store carrying the most lovely stamps,

die-cuts and accessories.  We hope you've

stopped by to take a look at their gorgeous

products.  We're SO grateful for their support.

One lucky person has won a very generous

$25 Gift Card to spend at the AWESOME

Heartfelt Creations.

That lucky person is

Entry #179 - Rachelle Oltean

of Red Cre8s

Our DT's Top 3 Picks This Week:

Entry #125 - MawMaw Cindy

Entry # - Majestic Collage

(Annie's Creations)

Entry #217 - Deanne

Please email Karen if you'd like a

Top 3 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 NOW....Here's some inspiration to get you started:

From the Hello Bluebird Design Team

Using Hello Bluebird products, we have

Leanne West with this stunner using

Fairy Dance Stamp Set, Fairy Glade

Scene Vertical Die, and Fairy Dance.

How about this darling card from Hello

Bluebird DT Member, Tammy Stark

Using Slimline Horizontal Waves Die

And another card from Tammy Stark

using Strawberry Jam and Field Mice

Our August Guest Designer, Gail Scott

Holly Lau

Using a Hello Bluebird Stamp

Set Called Puddle Play

Ginny Maxam 

Maxine Diffey

Jo Ann Atterbury

Natalie Houston

Karen Letchworth

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Anything Goes #450-#451

Welcome by, everyone!  We're getting a very late start for our challenge, and I do apologize for that.  No great excuse, really...just life getting in the way.  Well, before I'm any more tardy for this party, let's just jump right in and I'll come back and clean up this blog post a bit when I'm able.  Again, please accept our apologies for not being fully prepared for today's post.  Summer is a busy time for all of u.  Thanks for understanding, everyone.

The scripture used for the word art is 2 Peter 3:9 which says, "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance".   This verse reminds us that God has an appointed time, a set time, that He will come again (that's just a fact).  It always breaks my heart when I read these verses and stories; only to realize that, sadly, most Jews are now still "waiting the coming Messiah or Savior".  He has already come to fulfill the prophecies, His work was complete, and He is coming again on His appointed day (only He knows when He will return).  The Lord God, Jesus Christ, would prefer that all men be saved.  He knows, however, that at some point when He returns, some will have rejected Him.  This breaks God's heart, but it is unavoidable because of man's sinful condition and free will to choose.  There will come a day when ALL men WILL know Him, and WILL bow before Him.  Hopefully, we've all "met" Him on a personal level before that day.  This is the will (or heart) of God to desire that none would perish; but it still remains up to each individual person.  What will you choose?  Be very certain.  Eternity is a VERY long time, friends.

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 AMAZING sponsor for this challenge:

Heartfelt Creations is a WONDERFULLY stunning

on-line store carrying the most lovely stamps,

die-cuts and accessories.  Below are some gorgeous

samples from their talented DT members.

One lucky person will win a very generous

$25 Gift Card to spend at the AWESOME

Heartfelt Creations.

AND NOW.....Another Lucky WINNER:

CAS-ual Fridays Stamps is a new sponsor

for us this year.  How blessed we are to

have their support.  This FUN store carries

a wide variety of high-quality clear stamps,

dies, and much more.  Take time to visit their

Blog for inspiration, or do some shopping at

CAS-ual Fridays Stamps.  One lucky person

has won a $20 Gift Card from the much

loved sponsor, CAS-ual Fridays Stamps.

It's Lucky Entry #119 - Lisa Lynn

Our Top 3 Picks This Week:

Entry #45 - Cynthia O.

Entry #79 - Esther

Entry #172 - Hazel

Please email Karen if you'd like a

Top 3 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 NOW....Here's some inspiration to get you started:

Here are some samples from a few Heartfelt

Creations Design Team Members

Made by Heena Skaikh Using

Small Wild Rose Die, and Small

Wild Rose Cling Stamp Set

This card made by Glenda Brooks

of the Heartfelt Creations DT Using

French Cottage Paper Collection,

French Doorway Cling Stamp, and

The French Doorway Die

And finally, this card by Veronique Levasseur Using

Festive Pine Cone Dies, Festive Pine Cone Cling

Stamp Set, Snowy Pine Cabin Cling Stamp Set,

and Snowy Pines Paper Collection

Our AWESOME and Talented Word Art Wednesday
July Guest Designer, Billie Anderson

Holly Lau

Ginny Maxam 

Maxine Diffey

Jo Ann Atterbury

Natalie Houston

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Anything Goes - #448-#449

We welcome you to Word Art Wednesday, and we're SO glad you're here.  It's always so much fun seeing all the amazing cards and creations you share with us.  Please know that we greatly appreciate all the wonderful art you share here, and that we consider you ALL winners.  Thank you for sharing your creativity with us.  We have another awesome sponsor set up, a lucky winner, lots of inspiration, and so much more.  Let's get started with this exciting challenge.  Hurray!

Our word art scripture is Jeremiah 31:25 which says "I have satiated the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul".  What a joy and a comfort to read these words. When God said "I have satiated the weary soul", this refers to how (for those who have accepted Christ as their Savior and live for Him) He places a burden of conviction, or sort of an uneasiness/heaviness upon our heart when we sin.  Our heart becomes troubled with this conviction and we need to correct it.  When we look to God for the forgiveness we desire, He is faithful and just to forgive us.  But first, we must be His, we must recognize, acknowledge and confess our sin to Him.  He is so faithful and so forgiving, but it's our responsibility to turn from our sin and to learn from it so that we don't allow the same sin to plague our lives.  The second part of the verse that says "I have replenished every sorrowful soul", this means that once we have recognized the heaviness of the sin on our heart and we've laid it at His feet, He gives us such a peace and a comfort in knowing that we are forgiven.  He makes us new and gives us a clean start.  But remember, it's OUR responsibility to confess our sin and turn away from it.  Sin can destroy people.  Most especially when someone belongs to Him, we get that heaviness from the burden of our sin.  God doesn't want us to allow that sin to weigh us down.  He wants us to learn from it, confess it, and put it behind us.  PRAISE GOD for the precious and complete work He did on the cross.  We can be forgiven, we can have our weary soul renewed, and He will strengthen us through the process.  Don't ever allow yourself to feel burdened by the load of sin we all carry.  God wants us to lay it on Him, and to allow Him to replenish our heavy soul.  What a joy to know that God loves us SO much, and that He died and rose again for this very reason.  Sin doesn't have to become a burden on us.  God wants us to lay it on Him, and to allow Him (and what He did for us on the cross of Calvary) to forgive, renew and strengthen us.  What a joy to know that God loves us this much.  He knows each of us by name.  He died for you and for me, and He's ready to forgive you and make you a new creature.  These are precious and encouraging words.  Don't let your sin weigh you down.  Give it ALL to Jesus.

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 AMAZING sponsor for this challenge:

CAS-ual Fridays Stamps is our new sponsor

for this challenge.  How blessed we are to

have their support.  This FUN store carries

a wide variety of high-quality clear stamps,

dies, and much more.  Take time to visit their

Blog for inspiration, or do some shopping at

CAS-ual Fridays Stamps.  One lucky person

will win a $20 Gift Card from the much

loved sponsor, CAS-ual Fridays Stamps.

AND NOW......One More BLESSED Winner:

Lawn Fawn is such a darling, fun and

wonderful company.  The carry oodles of

sweet stamps, die-cuts, and more.  One

lucky person has won a generous

$25 Gift Certificate to spend at

Lawn Fawn Stamps.  That happy

person is going to be

Entry #187 - Mary Ellen

Our Top 3 Picks This Week:

Entry #2 - Mariangela - Love Paper Crafting

Entry #52 - Jinny

Entry #244 - Kym's Crafty Cards

Please email Karen if you'd like a

Top 3 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 NOW....Here's some inspiration to get you started:

Vicki Dutcher of CAS-ual Fridays DT Member
Using To Go Cup Fri-Dies, and Stay Strong

Next up, we have the talented Nora Noll of

CAS-ual Fridays Design Team sharing this

stunning card using Pretty Posies Stamp Set

And finally, Lisa Bzibziak from CAS-ual Fridays
sharing this amazing card that uses their cool
Modern Petals Stencil and Mon Ami Stamp Set

Our AWESOME and Talented Word Art Wednesday
July Guest Designer, Billie Anderson

Holly Lau

Ginny Maxam 

Maxine Diffey

Jo Ann Atterbury

Natalie Houston

Stephanie Wright

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter