Posted on Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Advent Reading Resources For You And Family

The first week of Advent has started. We as Christians observe Advent in many different ways but for only one purpose: Waiting for the coming of the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ.

Advent means waiting. We wait for the appereance of someone so special who worth to be waited for. We wait for the special event that will change everything. We wait for something amazing to happen.

We wait for Jesus.

We wait with hope.

We wait with faith.

We wait with joy.

We wait with thanksgiving.

But for most of us waiting is not our favorite thing to do. I remember I am not good in waiting too long. But I have been learning to wait in the Lord and waiting for Him. In this waiting moment, I learn to submit myself, my ego, my will, my hope and my dreams to God. It is not as easy as I say it or write it here. But by submitting all of ourselves to Him we will be transformed and will see the works of God in our lives.

We do Advent reading every night with both of our daughters who are 6 years old and 3 years old. The Big Girl told us that she couldn’t wait ’till Christmas Day because of she wants to open her presents. The Little Girl wait until the reading is done. She just cannot sit still for longer thant 5 minutes! Both type of waiting happen to us too, right?

But our waiting in the Lord won’t be wasted, but it will bring the eternal fruits in our lives to glorify Him. The gift we will recieve is more than we are expected to get. The gift we will recieve is priceless and eternal.

Isn’t that worth it to wait for God and for what He will do in our lives?

During this Advent season, let’s we wait in the Lord and with the Lord. Ask Him to teach us to focus and to set our heart just for what He will reveal to us.

Today, I also would like to share with you some Advent devotional resources. These Bible Studies are designed for you and your family to do together. You can click on the image to go directly to their website to grab them. I hope these Bible Studies will prepare you and your family for the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ!

HelloMornings Advent Study – Love Comes Near

Jesus Storybook Advent Free Printable

Unwrapping The Greatest Gift

Click here to visit ohAmanda.com to get this amazing book!(affiliated link)

Posted on Sunday, November 15, 2015

Gratitude Bible Journaling Week 1

There are so many things we can thank God for. Big things, small things, everything that are good come from Him.

During the month of November, I join the Illustrated Faith Community to document our thanksgiving through journaling. They have the Gratitude Documented Journal sold at their Etsy store. But I did not get it on time to start this, I do my journaling on my ESV Journaling Bible 🙂

And here’s the list of promts provided for all of us to join their #GratitudeDocumented:

I started on the first day and I did the first 2 pages (Day 1 and Day 2), but got stopped because of our kids got sick. Here are the other 4 of my Gratitude Bible Journaling pages from last Week 1.

Day 3: Family.

Joshua 24:14-15

Never stop thanking God for my family. This is my prayer that we will serve Him as a family as long as we live. We will walk by faith, not by sight. We trust in Him and we entrust our lives in Him. For He is our God, Savior and Lord.

Day 4: Passion

John 1:1-15

The passion God has put in my heart is that to see more SEA* people to have God’s word translated in languages that the people speak and they will be able to read His word in their heart languages, so that they will know who God is, that He is the Word, that He is the Creator, that He is the Life, and that He is the Light that shine in the darkness. And they will come to trust in Him, saved and serve Him. This is His passion.

Gratitute Documented Bible Journaling Day 5: Peace. Isaiah 9:1-7 #gratitudedocumented #illustratedfaith #biblejournaling #peace #PrinceofPeace #neatandtangled #pittsartistpens #gelatos #FaberCastell #creatingjoyfully #LampAndLight

Day 5: Peace.

Isaiah 9:1-7

Jesus Christ is the Prince of Peace, who was born, given and sent to us to govern over all rulers of the earth and heavens.

He rules with justice and righteousness. He is with us and in us.

He gives us the peace that the world cannot give us.

Gratitude Documented Bible Journaling Day 6: Forgiveness. 1 John 1:7-10 #illustratedfaith #gratitudedocumented #biblejournaling #latinacrafterstamps #beablessing #ctmh #FaberCastell #stampersbigbrushpens #pittsartistpens #eksuccesscalligraphypens #creatingjoyfully #LampAndLight

Day 6: Forgiveness.

1 John 1:7-10

We need Jesus to cleanse us with His blood.
Confession of our sins leads us to forgiveness, and God who is faithful will forgive us and heal us.

When I did the journaling, God encouraged my heart with His words. He strengthen my hope and faith in Him. So thankful for God’s word that speak into our lives!

Thank You for visiting and Have a wonderful blessed week!

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I link up the post at:

Word Art Wednesday – Challenge #209

Inspire Me Monday – Week 202

Posted on Monday, November 2, 2015

Gratitude Bible Journaling Day 2: Salvation

Salvation. All human race need saving. Saving from the slavery of this world. And only one can save us and set us free. He is Jesus, by the grace of God.

For the grace of God has appeared bringing salvation for all people (Titus 2:11)

It is only by the grace of God we are saved, not because we are good enough or because of the good deeds we did to others.

It is only by His grace, God brings the salvation for all people, for every ethne, for every tongue and for every land. Our salvation only comes from God through Christ Jesus. No one else can do this. He died on the cross for you and me. He died to redeem us from the slavery. He died to set us free from the bondage of the evil. He died to save us from the eternal death.

It is because He loves the world, He sent Jesus, his only Son. Not to judge the world, but to save the world. The Salvation from God is for you today.

So thankful for the salvation through Jesus Christ.

Posted on Sunday, November 1, 2015

Gratitude Bible Journaling Day 1: Jesus

Jesus. He is the only way to the Father. He is the Truth sent by the Father. He is the life, all things created in Him. Who ever trust in Him, will see and find the Father. Knowing Jesus personally is to know God the Father personally.

This is the truth. John recorded what Jesus said who He was and who He is in John 14:1-14. He is the Son of God, sent by God, the Father, to the earth for these purposes: to show who God is, to show us the way, to teach us the truth, and to give us the life.

He is the only one. Those who trusts in Him will find God, will find the way to the Father, will be set by the truth and will have the eternal life.

Only through Jesus.

I created the journaling tag using Canson 140 lbs. watercolor paper, covered it with Gold metallic gelato from Faber-Castell Mix and Match Gelatos Gift Set 28 per Package*, then using baby wipe I rub the gelato in circular motion so the whole surface of the watercolor paper covered well and even. I speeded up the drying using my Craft Heater (CTMH). Once the surface totaly dry, I stamped the Hopscotch Alpha (CTMH) and from Be A Blessing – The Way stamp set (Latina Crafter) using my new MISTI tool and Faber-Castell Stamper’s Big Brush Pens*. I stamped twice to make sure they stamped well.

I filled the JESUS with the same brush pen to make it solid image and traced the outline using Sakura White Gelly Roll pen*. The same thing I did to the arrow.

I used Faber-Castell PITT Artist Pen Set* to write the journal at the front and back of the tag. Using washi tape I add the journaling tag on the Bible page.

The Gratitude Documented hosted by Illustrated Faith community. You can find lots of inspirations on social media, like Instagram, by using these hasthags: #gratitudedocumented and #wowGod.

THANK YOU for visiting today!

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(*) affiliated links.

Posted on Sunday, November 1, 2015

The LORD Is Close

In this truth we can find hope, peace and strength to keep moving on one more step forward because we know that the God Almighty is close to us, His people who call on Him in the truth.

He, the LORD of lords, is close to us in many ways that we can imagine. He gives us His word. The Bible.

Stay in God’s word. Speak God’s word out lout. Pray with God’s word.

For God’s word in the Bible is the absolute truth.

Let’s walk with Him in the truth as we stepping into this new month, November. My prayer for you and me, and my family, too, that God will stir our hearts and fill us with His Holy Spirit to give us desire to read His word, to be with Him in His presence and to talk with Him in prayer. I pray that He will give us the desire to want Him more and more every day.

Crave for Him. Crave for His word. Crave for the truth.

May God bless you all richly and abundantly in Christ Jesus to be a blessing for others this week!

“The LORD is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth. He grants the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cries for help and rescues them.”

(Psalms‬ ‭145:18-19‬ ‭NLT‬‬)