Thursday, January 7, 2010

Scripture Challenge 2010


Good morning! As I mentioned in a previous post, I am going to try Patter Cross' Scripture Challenge 2010 this year! I've decided to combine the scripture challenge with the faith journalling challenge to see what I come up with. I thought that I'd make ATC cards to add to the journal, and then just have some fun with it! Faith journalling is one of my New Year's resolutions for 2010. If you would like to participate, visit Patter's blog, Triple The Scraps. I'll include the link on my blog roll at the right.

This week's entry is on hope. And here are my thoughts:

It was the fall of 2007, and we were living in St. Louis at the time. I was in the parking lot of the Barnes and Noble store on Manchester Road in Ellisville when I saw the bumper sticker. It was a simple black rectangle with words in white...got hope?

I was so excited to see the words. "Yes!" I wanted to shout. "I've got hope!"

But when I looked at the bumper sticker more closely, I saw that it was en endorsement of a political candidate.

UGH!

I was so disappointed! No, not for political reasons. I was disappointed because this bumper sticker was encouraging people to put their hope in a man.

Let's face it. People will always disappoint us.

It had been a very disappointing year for us, after all. My sister-in-law had died in January, my niece died in March, my cat died in June, my father died in July, and my husband had lost his job.

I really needed hope.

And I had hope. My hope was in one man, born of a virgin, died on a cross for my sins, resurrected from the dead, and sitting at the right hand of the Father.

Jesus!

Right there, in that parking lot, I heard the words of an old hymn...

"My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness!"

And then, the words of Romans 5:3-5 came to me once again. I had been clinging to those words all year long.

"Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us."

got hope?

Yes!

Got Jesus!


{recipe: Doodle Alphabet, old olive cardstock, Making Memories papers, Versafine onyx ink, Prima flower, brad, curly label punch, word window punch, scallop edge punch}

8 comments:

  1. Thanks you for sharing your journal. I agree with you. We should not place hope in man but in the Lord. YOu have inspired me. I want to play along in the scripture challenge. Where can I find this challenge?

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  2. I really like your journal and the artwork. Got to get started on my own for this entry. Thanks for sharing.

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  3. Beautiful! Love your ATC and how you are combining the two challenges. Just awesome! Glad to have you joining in! Blessings,

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  4. Mary Rose,
    you are inspiration for me!!! I am also going to join in on the 2 challenges. Thank you so much!

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  5. Whew! Sing out sistah! Love it!
    Thanks for sharing....

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  6. What an incredible testament!! Imagine going through your past year without hope, and yet a lot of people do. Great idea to combine the journaling and scripture challenges.

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  7. Love the journaling, love the pencil, love the doodle, love the ATC (is that what it is?). Wonderful.

    (I used to Live in Creve Coeur -- felt like 'old home week' reading your post :)

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  8. I really loved your story... hope in people will always disappoint us, but hope in Jesus, that is where my hope is too. Thank you for the inspiration and I am really glad I found your blog, I really enjoy and love your cards/art.

    Tammie in
    Minnesota

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