Illustrated Faith | Journaling Bible

This is a personal blog. All editorial content and projects are intellectual property of ashleyhortondesigns.com. I do receive compensation and material product from Illustrated Faith to develop my craft posts, but all ideas and opinions are my own.

It's been busy around the Blog, but I was up last week with two post on the Illustrated Faith Blog and wanted to share them here, too!  There are so many new stamps and products to play with in your Journaling Bible or your layouts, so make sure you visit the Illustrated Faith Etsy Shop to check them out!

Matthew 5:13

It's always great to hear a sermon on a verse or chapter you're pretty familiar with.  I think God always has something new for us to hear, no matter whether it's a Scripture or story we've heard 50 times or more. 

Several weeks ago our Pastor's sermon was on Matthew 5:13, "You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost it's taste, how shall its saltiness be restored?  It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet."  I have heard this verse countless times through other sermons, Sunday School, camps, Vacation Bible School...you name it, I've heard it.

As I was taking notes, one of the points Pastor Chris shared during the sermon, was "Don't let your inability to do everything, keep you from doing something."  This really stood out, because a lot of times I feel like it's impossible to accomplish anything for God, because I can't possibly change everything.  But this message reminded me that I don't have to change everything.  Any little bit of what I do for God counts.  It's worth something. 

And I think, right now, Illustrated Faith is my something.  Being a stay at home mom, I don't always have a lot of interaction outside of my crazy kids!  And when you ask God for opportunities to share with others, He always brings those opportunities to you, despite your circumstances.  God is funny that way!!  I'm glad He put this in my path and the chance to get to know and share with so many Ladies all around the world, some who I may have the chance to meet one day and some that will just continue to be my internet friends.  

I hope God shows you what your something is, and that you can be the salt to those around you!

Supplies:  Homespun Alpha Stamp Set, Whatever Is Lovely Stickers, Wordfetti White Stickers, Genesis Kit, Send Me Stamp Set, Watercolors, Washi Tape, You Rule Bible Mat 

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Psalm 23


It's funny where inspiration comes from, or what God might use to just send you a little message here or there.  When I received my newest happy mail from Illustrated Faith it included the Explore Stamp Set.  I'm not a big stamper, but the mountain image in the set kept calling my name, so I knew I wanted to use it.

I recently read The Road to Becoming by Jenny Simmons, former lead singer of Addison Road.  She talked about difficult moments that happened in the life of the band and her family, which led her to a place of feeling lost in God's plan.  Spiritually, none of us want to be in the desert, the valley, the wilderness.  It's a place we feel lonely, scared, trapped and forgotten.  We want to be back on the mountain ASAP, where God has something awesome in store for us.

But when I am in the valley, I tend to forget that God isn't waiting for me on the mountain top.  He's right there with me in the valley.  And if I spent more time listening to Him, than worrying about trying to get out of the valley, I might actually hear and learn something from God.  Our time in the valley can change us, grow us and teach us.  Psalm 23 is God's comfort to us, when we are in the valley.  He is our Shepherd, our Restorer, and our Comforter. 

Sometimes I think the mountain top can be more dangerous for Christians, than the valley.  The mountain top can become comfortable, and we forget to depend on God.  And that's when a trip to the valley slaps us in the face!  If we are depending on God on the mountain top, the walk through the valley might not be so hard.  It doesn't mean that there won't be hard things to face, but knowing that Jesus is there with us, gives us hope of seeing the mountain top at the end of the journey.

Supplies:  You Rule Bible Mat, Explore Stamp Set, Wordfetti White, Mini Olive You, Typed Practice What You Peach, Mini Mint to Be, Mini Bless Her Heart, Big & Bold Black Eyed Pea, Genesis Kit,
Watercolors

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Illustrated Faith | 1 Corinthians

I had a new post on the Illustrated Faith Blog yesterday, and wanted to stop in and share it here!  I love my family.  I love my home.  I love my church.  I love Jonathan Thulin’s Science Fiction album.  I love my SIlhouette Cameo.  But there’s a funny thing about love that’s based on emotion…it changes.  I will always love my family, but there are extended family members that I don’t show love to because of relationship circumstances.  One day, I could decide I need a bigger, better home or a different church family.  And my current music love or product love, could change when something new and different is released.

But I also know, that there is hope for love beyond our emotions.  Love in Action!  It’s easy to treat love as a noun, but things get a little more dicey when it comes down to treating love as a verb.  If we want to be content and happy in all things that God has blessed us with, we have to put love in action everyday, every hour, every minute and every second.  I know that to keep my family together, we have to choose to love one another, even if we have a fight or disagree on something, or whether the kids have destroyed yet another piece of furniture or stained the carpet.  I have to choose to love the home and church family God has placed me in, to remain content with where He has me right now.  And it’s okay to love the “things” in my life, but I also have to choose to love God more and be okay, if those things are taken away.

1 Corinthians 13 is a well known chapter by most of us.  It was included in our wedding ceremony, as well as in many weddings I’ve attended.  “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude.  It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.  Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”

Because we are created in God’s image, we share in His characteristics of love.  I have to work on love everyday, but I am so glad that God’s love is unconditional, forever, never failing, enduring, all encompassing, forgiving, and for everyone.

Supplies: 
Illustrated Faith Genesis Collection – Typed Hey Sugar Sugar, Mini Bless Her Heart, Typed Practice What You Peach, Typed One in a Melon, Big & Bold Hey Sugar Sugar, Wordfetti Black, Love It, You Rule Bible Mat
Watercolors

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Illustrated Faith | Ephesians 1 I Chose You

I am sharing on the Illustrated Faith Blog today, and wanted to stop in and post here, too!

This past Sunday, we began a summer series on the book of Ephesians at our church.  I love going through a series and getting more in depth in a book of the Bible or a topic.  The series focus is living in God's grace and for his purpose, and we started off with a great first sermon.  Our Pastor began with Paul's greeting and spiritual blessings in Christ.  As he was moving through the sermon, he made a statement that really stood out...God chose you.  We were looking at some of the phrases included in verses 3-10 in chapter one, specifically "in Christ", "chose us", "predestined", "adoption" and "in Him".  It's funny how sometimes we know something in the back of our minds, and then when you hear it said by someone else it brings it to the forefront and really tunes you in.  

God chose us...all of us, from the very beginning...before we were even created.  But the question we have to ask ourselves is, "do we choose Him"?  I chose to follow God at the age of 12.  I had been attending church with my grandparents, from the time I was a baby.  And my decision wasn't based on fear or peer pressure, but I knew at that moment Jesus called me to Him and it was up to me what to do with that call.  I answered YES!, and went before my little Baptist church and was soon after baptized.  Was I perfect after that?  Nope, not by any means.  But I did know that I was now adopted into the family of Christ and I had a new identity...a Child of God. 

Now you might wonder where I am going with all of this!  I definitely do have a point to share.  :)  I mentioned that I went to church with my grandparents.  From my earliest memories, I knew I had a strained relationship with my dad...even when I was very little I knew something was off.  We never got along, were never interested in the same things, and basically had a very stand-offish relationship.  Fast forward to my Tenth Grade year in High School.  My parents were in the process of getting a divorce and during this time, I found out that my dad was not my biological dad.  This definitely answered a lot of questions I had over the previous years!  My mom had married him around the time I was 3 years old, and prior to that we had lived with my grandparents.  Now, I knew why I always felt so distant from him.  There was never that early bonding connection, and I had made that connection with my mom and grandparents.  So how does my being saved at the age of 12 come into all of this.  Even though the things I knew...or thought I knew...were changing, I still knew who I was...a Child of God.  There was NO DOUBT who my Father was!  He had been preparing me from the time I was born, by placing me in a family that took me to church to hear His Word and know who He was, so when the time came, I would know who I was in Him!

I've never felt the need to "discover myself" or find out who I really am, after learning that my adopted dad was not my biological father.  We did check with my biological dad to see if he would like to meet me, but we did not.  I haven't had any regrets about that either, because I already had the foundation for a relationship with the Father that never disappoints.  I love the awesome thought of being adopted by God.  He wanted a relationship with me, and he chose me, before I knew I would choose Him.

Supplies:

Illustrated Faith/Bella Blvd. Genesis Kit
Faber-Castell Gelatos
Bloom Kit Stamps
HS Tinsel Color Shine

HS Tropicana Teal Color Shine

Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher  

 ETSY STORE

Illustrated Faith | I Am

I was up on the Illustrated Faith Blog yesterday, sharing a new entry in my Journaling Bible.  I wanted to highlight Exodus 3:14.  I’ve always loved the story of Moses, from beginning to end.  It’s such a great story of God’s guidance and provision for His people.  Moses was the master of excuses, but God had a much bigger plan and used Moses in great ways.
 
Exodus 3:14 is one of my favorite verses.  God flat out tells Moses who He is, and who He wants Moses to tell the people that He is.  A lot of times I feel like Moses, with excuses that don’t really amount to much, in God’s greater plan.  I wanted to pull the phrase I Am from the verse and repeat it in the margin of my Bible.  Repetition is good…it makes us remember.  As a matter of fact, God says it twice in that one verse.  So it’s safe to say, that it’s really important!  It’s easy to forget, that God is I Am, when I’m worried about solving my own problems and I’m not focused on what He has planned for me.

It’s a daily decision to remember, that God is I Am and I am not.  I don’t always let Him take that role, if I’m in a Moses mode and full of excuses.  But I know that God is always faithful and ready to guide me and use me, when I realize I need to listen to Him, instead of coming up with reasons not to listen to Him.

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Illustrated Faith | Psalm 119:105

Earlier this week, I shared a new post and Process Video on the Illustrated Faith Blog!  I wanted to pop in today and share it here on my Blog, too! Since I started working in my Journaling Bible, I’ve loved highlighting some of my favorite verses from over the years.  One of those verses comes from Psalm 119:105.  “Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”  As believers, we are drawn to light…God is light, light exposes truth, we are the light in the world, light shines in darkness.  I wanted to highlight this verse, using colors, images and words that reference that light.

This is one of those verses that is easy to remember, but one of those I don’t always put into practice.  It’s easy to sum up…God’s Word illuminates our life (our choices and decisions) and guides us in those areas.  But there are those times, that I get distracted by life, by the world, by my own selfishness and sometimes forget that God’s Word contains all of the wisdom I need, to light my way through this life.

I used several techniques to bring “light” to the verse, by working with a burst stencil, Yellow and Orange water color paints, a light bulb cut file and words/phrases associated with light.  I wanted this page in my Journaling Bible to shine bright, as a reminder to follow that light and stay on the path God has set before me. 

There are a lot of things that can pull me from God’s light.  I think of those as artificial light…temporary…bulbs that will burn out and eventually leave me in the dark.  And it’s easy to follow that artificial light, when I stray from God.  But I know that His light is constant and everlasting, and is always there, when I am looking for a path out of the darkness.

 
I have also created a Process Video to go along with this verse, to give you an idea of what went into illustrating this page in my Journaling Bible.

Supplies:

Sunburst Mask

Reeves Water Color Paints

Gelatos

Light Bulb Cut File

Basic Grey Letter Stickers

Bella Blvd. IF Black Pen

Bella Blvd. Word Phrase Stickers

 ETSY STORE