{Glory Art} Scripture Challenge #11, Share

The Study

Are you on Facebook? Do you ever use the "share" button to share things on your page? What kinds of things are you sharing? Maybe you are not on Facebook but you share things via e-mail or in other ways. With the internet and social media, it is very easy to share and with lots of people. So, what are you sharing? Have you thought about the things you share? Does it glorify the Lord? How are you representing Him as you share? And specifically, are you sharing Him? If you missed our "Representative" study, click here. It kind of ties into today's study also.

So, how do we share the Lord? Truthfully in everything we do both spoken and unspoken—on the internet, on the telephone, in our service, our body language, the clothes we wear, the movies we choose to see, the TV shows we watch and talk about with friends, and so on. Even how we react to something tells the world what we believe about God. We share Him in everything we do!

Hebrews 13:15 "Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess His name."

And I would add not only with the fruit of our lips but with our fingers on the keyboard, our smartphones, etc. Electronics make it so easy to slip up not realizing that what we share may not glorify Him!

Most of you can probably guess that one of my favorite things to do is share the Lord. It's not because I set out to share Him today or any other day; it's because He is who I am. He is what makes me who I am. I cannot separate myself from Him. I am here to glorify Him.

Isaiah 43:7 "Everyone who is called by My name, whom I created for My glory, whom I formed and made."

I had a conversation with someone this week that went like this (I used made up names but this is how the conversation went):

Susan: "Cindy is trying to get you to deny the Lord, Patter."

I chuckled and responded: "There is no way that will happen. I can't deny Him. He is who I am."

Susan: "Oh I know that but Cindy is trying." 

I had never really thought of someone trying to get me to deny the Lord until "Susan" said this to me. I was surprised but then realized there is always someone out there watching—watching to see if you will slip up. "Oooh, will Patter be another Christian hypocrite?" Do you ever think about other people watching you waiting for that chance to say "See why I don't believe in God? They are just a bunch of hypocrites." How often have you heard that? Do you say one thing but do another or do you hold strong to the One that lives within you?

Proverbs 20:11 "Even small children are known by their actions, so is their conduct really pure and upright?"

1 John 3:18 "Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth."

Who shared Christ with you or who had a profound impact in your walk with Christ? Was it through a conversation or their actions? Maybe it was a bit of both.

Romans 10:14-15 "How, then, can they call on the One they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the One of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: 'How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!'"

Hebrews 13:7 "Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith."

The Life Application Bible says this about the above scripture "If you are a Christian, you owe much to others who have taught you and modeled for you what you needed to know about the Gospel and Christian living. Continue following the good example of those who have invested themselves in you." And on that note, remember that you are that leader to someone else that is watching you. What do they see in you? What does your day-to-day life say about Jesus? How are you sharing? Will they want to imitate your faith?

The Art

For my art today, I chose to use the Hebrews 13:7 verse from above and created a Journaling Bible page. I also modified the Life Application Bible quote to put in the margin of my Bible. This question also came to my mind—"Who impacted my walk with Christ?" Now, that could be one particular person or many. Who impacted your walk?

To create the page, I used acrylic paint on a papertowel and blotted it on the margin. I also used book paper to create the hearts and circles. The paint was already on the book paper since I use this particular book to blot off paint when I am creating. It then gives me great paper to use on future work.

  

Feel free to join us on the Facebook page where some people will be sharing their creations. We also have some discussions that will be going on there too about the study. If you don't use Facebook and want to share your creation here, do so below by using Inlinkz! To see all of the information regarding this challenge and the previous studies and art tips, please see this post here. Be blessed and may your daily sharing glorify Him!

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{Glory Art} Scripture Challenge #10, Still

The Study

In today's world of constant busyness, how often are you still before the Lord? Are you ever just quiet and listening for Him? Many of you know that my favorite thing to do is meet my precious Father in His creation each day. When we go on vacation, I do that by riding my bike on the beach as the sun rises each morning. When we are home, I walk one of the dogs by the lake in the early morning. Our lake is usually very still. I get chills sometimes as I listen to the birds, smell the honeysuckle, feel the breeze, see the flowers, and see the stillness of the water. God is with me. He is in control. He is waiting for me to be still and be quiet before Him. He is waiting for you too!

Psalm 37:7a "Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him."

Today's song is "Be Still" by Jeremy Camp. Click here to read the lyrics and listen to this song. I highly recommend that you listen to this at least once with your eyes closed. Soak in the words and the beautiful music. I pray it touches you immensely. 

How often are you asking God for things but never being still before Him to actually receive His guidance? We are not to doubt, and when we are amidst the daily chaos, we need to remember that He is always in control. He is faithful. He does speak to us amongst the chaos. We just need to take time to be still and listen. We can't wrestle the battles we face, but He can. Know that He is enough!

When we are still before God, we hear His guidance and His perfect will.

Romans 12:2 "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will."

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Know that He has your best interest at heart. His ways are better than ours. When we are still and wait for Him, we can know that His timing and ways are perfect! His plan is worth waiting for!

Deuteronomy 32:4 "He is the Rock, His works are perfect, and all His ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is He."

Psalm 18:30 "As for God, His way is perfect: The Lord’s word is flawless; He shields all who take refuge in Him."

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We don't have to fret; be still and trust. When we are still, we should be calm and confident not anxious.

Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight."

Philippians 4:6a "Do not be anxious about anything."

"Let God's own people be still; let them be calm and sedate, and tremble no more, but know, to their comfort that the Lord is God." —Matthew Henry

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He is God, and He is faithful. He is in control. Will you be still and trust that?

Deuteronomy 4:35 "You were shown these things so that you might know that the Lord is God; besides Him there is no other."

Deuteronomy 7:9 "Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; He is the faithful God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commandments."

Psalm 46:10 "He says, 'Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.'”

When we are still before Him, we can also see more of the daily blessings in our lives. Are you able to be still and watch for the blessings He brings you each day? What are you carrying around that is wearing you out? He will carry you and He will rescue you. Be still before Him and let Him have whatever it is you are carrying around.

Ephesians 1:3 (Msg.) "How blessed is God! And what a blessing He is! He’s the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in Him."

The Art

I recently purchased a Fauxdori that I absolutely love. I am filling it with my to-do book, a prayer journal, and a blessings and quote journal. For today's art, I thought about being still and looking for the blessings God gives me each and every day. Am I missing the blessings because I haven't been still before Him and just running in the chaos? I don't want to do that! I want to find at least one blessing each day. I want to write it down so that when I am struggling or weary, I can go back and be reminded that He is with me each and every day. He is enough. So, today's art is the blessings and quote journal that will go into my Fauxdori. I will share the entire Fauxdori in another post but wanted to share what I created for today's art.

I was inspired by Roben-Marie Smith to use circles around the edges of my journal. She created mail art using her art stickers around the edge of her envelope and card. Click here to see her tutorial. I always scan my own art to reuse. Once I printed my scanned art onto white cardstock, I punched 1" and 1 1/2" circles. I cut them in half and pasted them around the edges of the Moleskine Cahier journal. I then created the title and background using a thin layer of gesso, book paper, and more scanned art. I used the Ephesians 1:3 scripture posted above. I also added tabs using my scanned art to divide the blessings section from the quote section. I find so many amazing Christian quotes that I want to keep them in one spot.

Feel free to join us on the Facebook page where some people will be sharing their creations. We also have some discussions that will be going on there too about the study. If you don't use Facebook and want to share your creation here, do so below by using Inlinkz! To see all of the information regarding this challenge and the previous studies and art tips, please see this post here. 

Thanks for stopping by today. I hope you will listen to the song again, be still as you listen, and then find a time each day to be still before Him. May God bless you as you are still.

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Update on My Daughter

First, thank you all for your prayers for our daughter. It has been a long road but one filled with many miracles. I am in awe watching God take care of her as He has. Last I posted, she could not move her legs after having a spinal fusion on May 22nd. By May 26th, the neurosurgeon felt that he needed to go back in and see what was going on. Turns out she had a hematoma that was possibly causing problems. They also removed some scar tissue and a bit of disc. I was home during her 2nd surgery because I ended up getting the stomach flu. It was horrific, and I hated coming home but I could not afford to get her sick. She called me that night after surgery and said "Mom, I can move my legs." No one expected that. Yes, there were many praying including you but it wasn't looking like she would be able to move her legs even after the second surgery. I cried and cried falling to my knees praising our precious Father. 

Psalm 30:20 "Lord my God, I called to You for help, and You healed me."

Once she was able to move her legs, the physical and occupational therapists began working with her. They felt she would have to go to an inpatient rehab or acute nursing care facility for several weeks. That was another blow to us because of other things going on in the family, it was not something we felt our family could handle at this time because those facilities were over an hour away. We again reached out for prayers, and after 8 days in the hospital, she was released to our home on Saturday! Again, another miracle. She has in-home therapy now, and will already have her third session today. She is in tons of pain but is always smiling. It is truly like night and day where she is now compared to last week. That is because of our Great Physician!

Thank you all for your prayers for our family. God is visible not only in His creation but in His daily miracles. He is still in the miracle business. Are you watching for them in your own life?