Sunday 27 May 2012

Challenge Entry

Hi everyone!
I'm joining in a couple of challenges this week!
Here is my entry...



It's a card I made for my beautiful daughter's birthday - happy birthday sweetie!
For the background I used my "Large Flower Background" stamp by Hero Arts. I white heat-embossed it and painted it with watercolour pencils.
The little girl stamp is from the Pure Innocence range by My Favourite Things, called "Love You With All My Heart". I added her little leggings, and also painted this image using watercolour pencils.
I love doing this, it has to be my favourite technique at the moment - so easy to do and so effective!

The challenges I'm entering are Simon Says Stamp summer challenge, and the Hero Arts birthday challenge.
Why don't you join in the fun too?
See you soon,
XRebecca

Tuesday 22 May 2012

Strength In The Wilderness

Jesus began His ministry at the age of 30, but before He began ministering He had to go through a time of testing.
"Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from
Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness." (Luke 4:1)

Whenever I hear this verse it's like I erase part of it - Jesus was led - taken - by the Spirit into the wilderness. It doesn't say if it was a physical wilderness either - it could have been a wilderness experience.
Jesus was taken into the wilderness perhaps for the express purpose of being tested.

It's interesting that for some reason even Jesus could not escape the strengthening, refining process of a testing trial.
Jesus was so full of God's Word that He stayed strong to the end.
He knew why He was there.
He didn't want to blow it.
He knew full well that He could create food and comfort for Himself with just one word.

For 40 days the devil came and taunted Him.
Perhaps with doubts about who He was?
Perhaps with taunts about His effectiveness?
"No-one will believe Your words...they know You're just a carpenter's son...from Nazareth of all places..."

Sound familiar?

But Jesus knew full well who He really was.
He knew that His earthly family's background didn't matter.
It made no difference that He came from the wrong end of town.
What mattered was WHO had sent Him - WHO had called Him - Jesus' focus was on His heavenly Father and the calling that had been placed on His life.

This is what I want you to get a revelation of - the testing Jesus went through was PART OF His ministry...not APART FROM His ministry.

If we are going to be used by God, testing times will come.
It's when heat and pressure are applied that the impurities are drawn out of gold.
It's in the heat and cold water that steel is moulded and then hardened.

Trials will come.
Tests are inevitable.
But the will of God will never take you where the grace of God cannot keep you.

Where is your focus?
On the problem...or on the Father?

Thanks for calling in,
XRebecca