He Loves Us

Hello! Happy Wednesday!! It's time for another challenge at Word Art Wednesday! This week we're focusing on Ephesians 2:6, "And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus." If we read verses 1-3 in this 2nd chapter of Ephesians, we discover that Paul (the author of Ephesians) is talking about what the people had been like when they were living in the world and before the accepted Christ as Savior. Then in verse 4 he writes one of my favorite phrases, "But God..." We were living in wrath and disobedience "But God, who is rich in mercy..." came and showed His love to us and saved us. He changes us from what we were and helps us become more and more like Himself. Yes, the Lord comes to meet us where we are and saves us. But He loves us too much to let us stay there. He saves us and helps us leave those things behind and as we grow in Him we become more and more like Him. He raises us up out of the muck of this world and eventually we will arrive in Heaven to sit together in heavenly places. God's love for us is so great.

I used the Viva La Verve! May (2013) Week 3 Sketch (VLV May 2013) for my card design this week. I like that this sketch has a great panel to showcase the Scripture verse. I added a simple baker's twine bow and some punched butterflies. As a finishing touch, some pearls were used on the butterfly bodies and for the flower centers.

Supplies:
Cardstock: Paper Lane #110 (card base), Georgia Pacific (sentiment panel), Bazzill (navy & yellow)
Patterned Paper: Bo Bunny (Early Bird 6 x 6)
Stamp: WORDart by Karen (Ephesians 2:6)
Tools/Embellishments: baker's twine (The Twinery), pearls (Gina Marie Designs), butterfly punches (Fiskars)

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Outlawz Twisted Thursday Challenge - Anything Goes
Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

Thanks for visiting with me today. I hope you and yours are staying healthy this winter. Please visit the Word Art Wednesday blog for more inspiration, to pick up your free digi and to link up your own projects. Please come back soon.

God Is Love

Hello! It's time for another Word Art Wednesday challenge. This week our free digi WORDart is 1 John 4:16, "And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us, God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him." With Valentine's Day being celebrated tomorrow, many people's thoughts are turning to love and romance. How do we truly know how to love that special someone? The best example of how to truly love someone is to look at how the Lord loves us. He loves us unconditionally. That means that He doesn't tell us, "I'll love you if you _____." He loves us with a never ending love no matter what. Certainly we do things that grieve Him and break our fellowship with Him, but never our relationship with Him. His love for us never ends. We can look at 1 Corinthians 13 for some other characteristics of a true, godly love. By reading this chapter we learn that true love looks out for the other person and isn't focused on itself. It's not easily hurt or provoked and believes the best in the other person. It's patient and kind. Wow! What a challenging list! We definitely need the Lord's help to apply these guidelines in our love for others. One of the ways we can show that God is at work in our lives is how we love others. As always, He is ready and willing to help us if we will just ask.

For my card this week I chose to use Mojo Monday Sketch 214 for the card design. I am really enjoying this 6 x 6 paper pad that a friend sent me. These florals have such an elegant look to them. Other papers in this pad have beautiful blue and yellow designs.

I used a couple different size butterfly punches for embellishments and use small half pearls to accent the body of each butterfly. The larger butterfly was popped up over the sentiment panel. Both banners were hand cut.

It's hard to see in the pictures, but Nuvo Glitter Drops were placed around the outside of the circle element and also scattered on the verse panel. This gives the card such a pretty glittery/shiny look as the light hits it. You can click the pictures to enlarge them to see the details a little better.

Supplies:
Cardstock: Park Lane #110 for card base, Bazzill (navy), Georgia Pacific (sentiment panel)
Patterned Paper: Bo Bunny (Genevieve 6 x 6)
Stamp: WORDart by Karen (1 John 4:16)
Tools/Embellishments: Nuvo Glitter Drops (White Blizzard), Fiskars Butterfly punches, Divinity Designs dies (Double Stitched Circles), Spellbinders dies (Standard Circles Large), Gina Marie Designs (pearls)

Thanks for visiting with me today. I hope you'll pick up your free digi on the Word Art Wednesday blog, check out our generous sponsor and see what the rest of the Design Team has made. Please come back soon!