Stampin' Sisters in Christ Challenge 67 . . . encouragement

Version:1.0 StartHTML:0000000105 EndHTML:0000005791 StartFragment:0000002519 EndFragment:0000005755

Happy Sunday stampers! It is time for another challenge from Stampin' Sisters in Christ!

This week's hostess is our very own Lisa Hjulberg, who I pray is having a blessed time visiting with family. She has selected this verse for the week from Phillippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." {NJKV}

Her challenge is to make a card of encouragement. And our sponsor this week is Scor Pal! For a chance to win a Scor Pal all you need to do is play along this week and enter your card or project on the home page at http://stampinsistersinchrist.blogspot.com.

Most of my stamping supplies are packed away yet, but I dug through the boxes at the top of the heap so I could play along this week. We don't have internet yet, but I found if I park in the lot near the local library I can get onto their system.

This has been a very stressful season of life, we've had job loss, loss of a loved one and changed locations--and the transition was anything but smooth. If God is collecting all of our tears in a bottle, I think I'm up to a large jug. That's why the verse for this week is so encouraging; it doesn't say that we can do all things with the help of our friends, or do all things through our own strength and willpower, or even say that we can do all things while smiling broadly the entire time and skipping through the daisies. This verse can be applied every day, but particularly encourages us during the hard times. It tells us when we lean on Jesus, we can do all things through His strength.

That has been especially important as we haven't had phone or internet and I've been cut off from all of my friends, who are always a huge source of encouragement for me. They support me and cheer me on and give me a good place to go when I need a shoulder to cry upon. Even when we think we're relying on Jesus it isn't until we're cut off from other forms of support that we discover maybe we haven't been leaning on Him as much as we thought. I've spent a lot of time on my knees this week and it is a good place to be.

Thanks for looking and have a great week, we hope you can play along.

The stamp set I chose gives you a sneak peek of a set being introduced by Mark's Finest Papers in December called Hearts, Hearts, Hearts. I embossed the paper first, then embossed the heart wreath in white. I painted lightly with watercolor crayons, sponged a bit of chalk around the outside to help emphasize the image, and cut out the center for a view of the sentiment inside.