Wednesday, October 12, 2016

Thoughts and Prayers for Amazing Grace

It wasn't until I was 29 that I gave much thought to the concept of God's grace and how it applied to my life.  I was practicing a duet to sing in church on Sunday, "He Giveth More Grace." The first verse burned into my memory and returns when I need to hear that little voice playing in my head:

He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater,
He sendeth more strength when the labors increase;
To added afflictions He addeth His mercy,
To multiplied trials, His multiplied peace.

That winter I also memorized 2 Corinthians 12:9 - "And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for you; for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."  That verse meant so much to me all that winter. I was tired and nauseated all the time during pregnancy, teaching, mothering a highly allergic child, and trying to adjust to a Nebraska sand hills winter. (We had snow on the ground from Thanksgiving until mid-March.) The church provided a parsonage and health insurance for us but only $75 a month in cash.  I had canned a lot of food that I'd raised in our garden and a farmer gave us a beef for Christmas. Somehow it always worked out. We even had company for meals at least once a week.  I always look back to that time in that church with those believers as the most positive days of anywhere I ever lived. God strengthened me, gave me a positive influence, and blessed me as well. What an amazing God we have who sees our limitations and weaknesses and strengthens us with His immeasurable grace!

So I combined the Verve stamp about His amazing grace will bring us through with the the Simon Says stamp to let someone know our prayers are with them:


I combined the color theme from Shopping Our Stash (perfect with CTMH Swan Lake paper)  with the sketch from Paper Craft Crew:



Thank you for visiting! May God bless you with an increasing awareness of the workings of His grace in your life that you may share that with others!

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:
Crafting By Designs - add a sentiment
Paper Craft Crew #214 - sketch
Shopping Our Stash Weekly #273 - fall color theme
Word Art Wednesday #252-253 - anything goes that's uplifting/family friendly

12 comments:

Tina's Crop Shop said...

Hi Vickie, your card is just beautiful and a great take on our sketch! I just love Verve inspirational stamps! Such a beautiful large sentiment that says so much! Thanks so much for joining us at Paper Craft Crew this week! Blessings, Tina

Stacey's Creative Corner said...

Such a pretty card! Thanks so much for joining us at Shopping Our Stash!

Stacey (SOS DT)

Maria Rodriguez. said...

Beautiful card for your sweet and touching sentiment. Love the pattern paper and your take on this challenges.
Thank you for sharing with us at SHOPPING OUR STASH, hope to see you again in the gallery soon.
Hugs,
Maria Rodriguez.

Faye said...

Your beautiful post has brought tears to my eyes as I see how God's grace saw you through what seems to me to have been difficult times. Your card is lovely and fits the theme of grace so well. I like that you quoted the hymn. We need to hear those words often.

Pam Staples said...

Vicki, Beautiful card and such a sweet sentiment. Blessings and God's grace. You rocked the sketch. Thanks for playing along with the Paper Craft Crew and we hope to see more of your creations in the future on the challenge. ~Pam, DT

Karen Letchworth said...

I love this sentiment, Vickie. The beautiful colors are also a lovely touch to celebrate the Autumn season. I always SO enjoy your art, and appreciate you taking the time to play along with us at Word Art Wednesday. I hope you're having a great week, and if you get a minute I'd love to have you visit my blog to say hello.
Blessings,
Karen Letchworth
www.karen-mycuprunnethover.blogspot.com

Christyne said...

What a beautiful card Vickie! Thanks for playing along with us at the Paper Craft Crew! Christyne - DT.

Carolyn Lindenmayer said...

Really beautiful with a perfect sentiment. Thanks for joining us this week at the Paper Craft Crew. Carolyn xx

Karen Letchworth said...

Hi again, Vickie!
I know I already came by to say thank you for sharing this gorgeous card with us at Word Art Wednesday. But I also wanted to let you know about the current challenge at Joy Clair. There are only a couple of entries so far, and this card would be so perfect for their challenge. You can link it up here:
http://joyclair.typepad.com/blog/2016/10/october-challenge.html

Just wanted to let you know. Have a blessed week, my friend.

Karen

maureenjscott said...

Lovely hard for a difficult sentiment. thanks for joining in our Sentiment challenge at Crafting by Designs this week! mo x

Deborah Smart said...

Lovely sentiments for a beautiful card! Great colour combination too - it works well. Thanks for playing along with the Paper Craft Crew challenge. ~Deborah

Jo Ann said...

This is very nice and love the papers you used. We are so blessed you joined us at Word Art Wednesday. A new Challenge just started today and will be glad to have you linked with us again. Leaving you an encouragement from God's Word found in Isaiah 12:2 which tells us, "Behold, God is my salvation,I will trust and not be afraid; For the Lord God is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation." Have a great week.

JO ANN
http://jatterburycreations.blogspot.com