Stampin' Sisters in Christ challenge 32 -- On Wings as Eagles

Happy Sunday stampers! Time for another challenge from Stampin' Sisters in Christ! Our sponsor this week is Our Daily Bread Designs. Our lovely hostess this week is Kris, who selected the verse from Isaiah 40:31 "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."

For her challenge you are to 'mount up' parts of your images in layers, using the paper tole technique if you like. You can see all the wonderful creations from the entire design team and read Kris' thoughts on the main blog here.

I used a Northwoods stamp, it really is quite a large image on the entire block, but I used just a portion of it. I had to go out of town or I would have added a sentiment but ran out of time. That's the nice thing about timed postings, every post I've had all week was pretimed or scheduled for a particular day because I knew I wouldn't be home . . . ah, the wonders of blogging.

You know what I find interesting about the verse Kris chose? It holds out a promise of gaining strength, of running without being weary, but to get there, it says we must 'wait upon the Lord." Wait. Waiting. That isn't something we do well in America. We count the number of people in the grocery line ahead of us. We get impatient if there isn't a pump open at the gas station and we have to wait for another car to move. We're so busy doing, running, striving, achieving . . . when do we make the time to wait upon the Lord?

It doesn't say, 'those who go to the gym with the Lord,' 'those who train with the Lord,' or 'those who tug impatiently on the Lord's shirt sleeve.' We wait . . . for the Lord to move, for His timing, His plan. Spend some time with the Lord this week, just some quiet time, the two of you. Ask Him what HIS plan is for you this week, what kingdom work He has in store and then be calm and patient and wait upon His answer. I know it is hard to find that place some time. We have a walk-in closet in our bedroom and sometimes that is where I go, I literally go in the closet and shut the door, shutting out the lights, the noise, the distractions, for some quiet time alone.

That is where our strength comes from, that is where we are renewed, when we spend time with the living water. And when we do, we will 'renew our strength.' We are talking about our faith walk here, our ministry, renewing ourselves in a spiritual sense. And when we try and strive to run on our own power, that's when we run dry, that is when our steps falter. Praying for a week of renewal for each of you so that you can soar on wings like an eagle.