Challenge #62 - Hearts/Anything Goes

We had a great first week of 2013.  So many gorgeous entries - thank you everyone for entering!  This week's word art talks about our hearts.  In Jeremiah 17:9, the Bible tells us that "the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked", and it's so true.  When we do something unkind or sinful, it's easy to pretend to others around us that we aren't so bad, and often times we can "trick" or deceive people into thinking we are something that we're not by covering up our sin and faults.  But our word art this week, Psalm 51:10, asks God to "create in us a clean heart and renew a right spirit within us".  Well, why would we need that if others already think we're pretty "good people"?  It's because NOTHING is hidden from God.  He sees our hearts for exactly what they are -deceitful and wicked.  We can't trick God.  He knows our hearts, and yet loves us anyway.  We're so blessed to be loved by Him, and so fortunate that He would care enough about our condition to "create in us a clean heart and renew a right spirit within us".  It's how we can be made new, and whole, so that we can live for Him.  We hope that this week's theme, our hearts, will help us each to think about allowing God to create in us the person that HE intended for us to be - one that is useful and glorifying of His holiness.  Then, we can find the true happiness He has planned for us.

Feel free to interpret this week's theme in any way God leads you.  Use hearts, or create something that makes you think about how blessed we are to be loved by God; knowing that even when He sees our wicked hearts, He loves us anyway.  What a blessing.

As always, feel free to save this week's free word art to your computer. You are welcome to copy this scripture to your computer and use it in your entry, but you are never required to do so. As long as you use an encouraging or uplifting sentiment on your project, that is fine. We just want God's Word to be a blessing to you. You can also link more than one project each week (up to 5). The more, the merrier. We just hope that God's Word will be a blessing and encouragement to you each week. If you have any questions about the rules, be sure to read the complete list of rules under our page tab for "Challenge Rules".

Here is this week's free scripture/word art. We hope you enjoy it!

 

Here are the TWO AWESOME sponsors for this week's challenge:

Mark's Finest Papers - One Free Acrylic Stamp Set

 

and

 

Verve Stamps

Special thanks to all our generous sponsors!

 

And our lucky winners from last week's challenge are:

Lisa's Altered Art Gift Certificate - #70 - Tanya

and
5 Images of the Winner's Choice from

Eureka Stamps - Lucky Entry #41 - Melissa Sunshine Honeybee

and
a $20 Gift Certificate from

Vintage Street Market - LuckyEntry #14 - Teresa Kline

Our Top 3 (and this was REALLY difficult) are:
#30 - Lydia Walker
#56 - Desire Fourie
#57 - Miesje Flach

Please email Karen so she can send you your badge.
Congratulations!  Every entry was wonderful.

And now, here is a bit of inspiration from our Design Team

Our January Guest Designer, Arnoldo Romero

 

Gemiel Matthews

Wendy Swenne

 

Jo Ann Atterbury

  

Helen Phelps

Using Images from Daydream Designs

 

Diane Noble

Using pattern papers and images from Daydream Designs

 

 

Karen Letchworth