Hymn and Faith Journaling - I Surrender All

God made each of us special and unique in some ways. As a scrapbooker, I believe I can tell the story of our family and of my growing up years so that it benefits the next generation(s). One story of my life I've definitely wanted to share has been the point in time when I received Jesus as my Savior and was baptized. Patter's (Triple the Scraps) Hymn and Scripture Challenge in 2012 included an "Invitation Hymn" that we sang many times in church, inviting people to come forward at the end of a service and receive Christ. I decided to use her hymn challenge for "I Surrender All" to share my own Invitation to Salvation.

I apologize for the photos. It has been dark and cloudy here for so many days lately. My photos aren't what they should be, so I may retake them and edit this post if we ever get a sunny day and I'm home! I used 12" x 12" pages for this layout since I wanted plenty of room for the hymn, Scriptures, my long story, and a photo.

I used the first page for the hymn and this handwritten verse that goes along with my journaling:
"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23.

The right page has my personal story and my photo taken at that age along with this verse that the pastor shared with me:
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16

I used Basic Grey "Sugared" papers and stickers. The Paper Studio "Faith" paper is the gold one that has crosses. I punched borders with a Martha Stewart punch and added a few buttons. What had always seemed like a formidable task to make just right, was not so hard in the end. I hope it inspires you to share your own story. I'm sharing this "Faithbooking" layout with Word Art Wednesday where I've seen inspiring layouts every week and am now more inspired to do the same.

Here's how I shared the journaling. May God bless and inspire you to do the same!

I sang this invitation hymn many, many times as I was growing up. From the time I was a baby, my parents had taken me to a Baptist church. When we moved to the Hickman Mills area in 1955, we started going to Besonia Baptist Church at Bannister and Raytown Rd. We didn’t have children’s church there, so I sat in the church service Sunday mornings and evenings. At the end of every message, the minister, Rev. Richard Waltz, would give an invitation to anyone who wanted to come forward and accept Christ as their Saviour or join the church. One Sunday morning when I was six, almost seven, I heard him talking about how our sins would keep us from getting into heaven. I whispered to my mom that I wanted to go forward to ask Jesus to be my Saviour because I wanted to go to heaven when I died. My mom asked me to wait until the evening service. They invited the minister,  to come to our house that afternoon to talk to me about salvation. We sat on the sofa while he asked me questions to be sure I understood that I was a sinner and that Jesus died on the cross for me. It all seemed very clear to me. He led me in prayer and then I prayed, telling Jesus I was sorry for my sins and that I wanted Him to come into my heart and be my Saviour and Lord. I was really happy afterwards and told my parents, who had been in the other room, probably listening. That night at the evening service I went forward when the invitation was being sung. A week or two later Rev. Richard Waltz baptized me. I can still remember the entire experience, even the green and brown plaid dress I wore. I remember it as a happy experience that I’ve felt sure of all of my life, knowing that I did have forgiveness of sins and I did receive Jesus as my Saviour.


 

Hymn and Scripture Challenge - Cleanse Me

Here is the next hymn I'm adding to my Hymn and Faith Journaling Album. This hymn that Patter chose for her Hymn and Scripture Challenge #5 is a beautiful prayer. On our own, we don't recognize every sin that creeps or even leaps into our lives. In order to be used by God, we need daily cleansing. I've had family and friends who are often plagued by troubling thoughts, anger, or fear. I've shared the truths that I learned myself about how God's word is like water that washes away troubling thoughts in addition to guiding us in the right direction and pointing out sin in our lives.

I like the verse I chose from 2 Corinthians that I printed from Clear Dollar Stamp's digi "Value Verses 2." We cast down those imaginations and bring every one of our thoughts into captivity and obedience to Christ. That's not an easy thing to do when you're facing trials in life or the "he said, she said" situations. Sometimes those negative thoughts race and jump around in your mind not letting you calm down. In my most troubling times in life I found great consolation in Psalm 34 and have encouraged others to read it many times. For many years I kept up a routine of reading 5 Psalms and one Proverb each night before bed. So many truths are packed into those books that refer to our relationship to God and how he helps us (Psalms) and how to respond to others (Proverbs).

I'm also sharing this layout with Word Art Wednesday this week.
 

Hymn and Scripture Challenge #1 - Lift High the Cross

Yesterday I found the box where I had stored my 9" x 9" scrapbook and papers that fit it. I had started them last year with Patter's Hymn and Scripture challenge until life became unorganized and I lost track of the scrapbook. I kept meaning to start again when things settled down, so I was ready to make a fresh start and play catch-up and keep up.

As a grandma, I can tell that my thoughts aren't as sharp as they used to be. I want to record the importance of the Lord in my life and the truths I absorbed from the hymns I've always loved singing. I know it will be meaningful for my kids and grandkids someday. (A few of my scrapbooking friends enjoy reading what I've put on these pages as well.)

I don't believe I had ever sung or heard this hymn, "Lift High the Cross," until I heard it from the link on Patter's blog. It's very inspiring and reminded me of a chorus we used to sing in Christian school, so I included that on my layout. Please check out Patter's blog post for this hymn to hear it and to see the wonderful verses she shared that relate to this hymn.

With the Easter season approaching, many people will be thinking more about Christ's crucifixion. I always have a tinge of sadness thinking about Christ taking such a horrendous punishment for my own sins. This song encourages us to elevate what took place on the cross to the level that others see His great love in that act of sacrifice. Another hymn uses the phrase "Let others see Jesus in you." I used to tell my young students that what you do and what you say should be what Jesus would do or say. That's one way to let others see Jesus. We are also to proclaim His gift of salvation to the world "till all the world adore His sacred name."

I always enjoy the time in the church service in our small town church when people can share blessings. Sharing what Christ has done, how God has blessed us is another way of lifting him up in praise.

I included the verse from John 12:32 that Jesus spoke, "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." We do the proclaiming and He will be the one who draws or pulls all men unto himself. I think it's like the verse that says His words will not return unto him void. We do the sowing and He will give the increase.

I'm also sharing this layout with Word Art Wednesday Challenge #72. They have a great verse this week about being crucified with Christ (that I'll use on another layout!!)

Hymn Challenge #3 How Great Thou Art

Here is the next page in my album I call Hymn and Faith Journaling. It's a 9" x 9" album so that it's small enough for my kids to hold and read some day but large enough to include the hymn, verses of Scripture, and journaling thoughts.

I used the Hymn Challenge #3.  If you haven't seen Patter's challenge, you would be blessed by reading it. She shares so many verses of scripture that go with each verse of this hymn as well as the history of  how it was written.

It was so ironic. While I was uploading the photo of this layout and cropping it, the music I was listening to suddenly began playing this hymn. When I was a young girl I remember it being sung by George Beverly Shay during Billy Graham crusades that we'd watch on TV, so when I see this hymn my mind still hears him singing this inspiring hymn.

I chose a small photo I had of Yellowstone Falls from Yellowstone National Park to go with this layout. I could have chosen so many more. My husband takes me on awesome vacations to National Parks, usually in the mountains in the West. I always stand in awe of the scenery, soaking it into my soul and memory. And always, I'm praising God in utter amazement at the vast creativity and beauty of His creation. God, the master of all artists, created such variety.

There are so many scriptures I could have included on my layout. Here's a photo I took of my husband who loves sunsets. It was two summers ago at Jackson Lake, Wyoming, coming back from a day at Yellowstone N.P.  Psalm 19 talks about how the heavens declare the glory of God that all nations, all tongues hear the voice of this glory.  "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech and night unto night showeth knowledge.  There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard." Psalm 19: 1-3

When I stand looking at a sunset or the mountains, I'm awed by a Creator who designed the principles of erosion that produce mountains and canyons or the laws of plants responding to length of a day in order to produce fall colors.

Photo taken on trip to Moab, October 24th at 8:24 a.m. at Dead Horse Point

A picture I took in Southwest Colorado on September 29th, 2009, at 8 p.m. of Mt. Sneffels.

When my grandkids come to our farm, I take them around the big yard and point out things of nature, things God created, and try to give them that same sense of awe. He tells my bulbs buried deep in the soil when it's time to sprout up with their beauty.

My bulbs in February and March

May you delight in the glories of God's creation and stand in awe of His marvelous power.

Hymn Challenge #2 Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus

Here is the next page in my album I call Hymn and Faith Journaling. It's a 9" x 9" album so that it's small enough for my kids to hold and read some day but large enough to include the hymn, verses of Scripture, and journaling thoughts. 

I used the Hymn Challenge #2. If you haven't seen Patter's challenge, you would be blessed by reading it.

When my kids were young, this was a hymn we often sung in church on Sunday nights. It has always been one of my favorites because it reminds me of a truth I learned in my 20's - to practice the presence of Christ, realizing He's right here in my presence. When my kids grew up and would call me about problems they were going through, one of the verses I often quoted to them was one that always helped me take my mind off of the unchangeable circumstances I might be in was Philippians 4:8 that I included on this layout.  " Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are honest, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." I'm glad I memorized this verse when I was a child. It has helped me over and over to turn my eyes upon Jesus, to turn my thoughts on the right things.

On Saturday a young woman was sharing a nightmarish experience that was overwhelming her thoughts. This was one of the verses that I shared with her again. She remembered I'd shared it with her before. She was sitting in her car outside a scrapbook crop one of our friends was hosting. She was almost too overwhelmed to go in. I reminded her that her scrapbooking and art were one of the beautiful, lovely things this verse was talking about. She said she'd go in for a few minutes, but I heard later that she'd stayed and visited with others for a long time. These friendships that we make are also among the lovely things in life in my book. When life gets ugly and hard to take, Christ and the beauty he wants to give to our lives is the remedy.  I also told her to read scripture each day to let His words wash away the unpleasantness.

One of the most enriching things I learned my first year of teaching in a Christian school was to read 5 Psalms and 1 chapter of Provers each day. There are 150 Psalms, so that would make them last for 30 days and you would repeat them again the next 30 days. There are 31 chapters in Proberbs, so that's also the right amount for a month. I was told that the Psalms would build your relationship with God and the Proverbs would build your relationship with your fellow man. I did this for many decades and can attest to the fact that it brought me close to the Lord in difficult circumstances and gave me a heart for God, hopefully like that of the writer, King David.  This is just one way to Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus.   May God bless you.

Hymn and Faith Journaling Started - Amazing Grace

I recently discovered Patter's blog called Triple the Scraps which encouraged me to do something I've wanted to do for a long time, journal about the hymns I've always loved that play in my head every day and leave spiritual footprints for my children to follow. I'm sure I'm not unique, but every morning when I first wake up a hymn or spiritual song is playing in my head. I've often wanted to keep a record because the song quickly dissipates as the day begins, but if I remember what it was, it often provides strength for the challenges that arise during the day.

I decided to use a 9" x 9" scrapbook I have along with some older two-sided 9" x 9" CTMH papers that I had never used. I'll keep my running list in a pocket (or more) and sometimes include photos or family memories that go with the hymns. The messages may  be personal, written to my children and grandchildren, but I thought I'd share these beginnings. The first page doesn't go with Patter's challenge, but just serves as an introduction. I also decided it wouldn't be in my usual scrapbooking style - I want to keep it simple so that the content is the key, not the appearance. In addition, I'm using a lot of my own handwriting, which I hate, but which is more personal and a piece of me than something I run off on an inkjet printer.

This second page is for Patter's challenge using "Amazing Grace."