Illustrated Faith: God Speaks To Us Because Of Love

We got back from our 2 months trip to Indonesia last week. Just in case you were wondering why I did not blog regularly in the last 2 months 🙂

Originally plan was only to attend my youngest sister’s wedding and spend time with my parents and my family so that our daughters get to know them in real life not only through Skype callings.

But God has different plan for us this time.

For 8 weeks we spent in Indonesia, we learned God’s desire to see every tribe and every people to stand before His throne worshipping Him in every language they speak.

We took our daughters who are 6 years old and 2 years old on this trip. This was a tough trip for them but we prayed and we asked lots of people to pray for us and the girls, asking God for what He wanted to teach and show us this time.

He spoke us through the situations, people we met, and even places we visited. He opened our eyes to see the needs of His word in their lives, He showed us why they need Him, and He put the desire even more in our hearts as family to serve Him there.

As Jesus gave His command to His disciples, this command is also for us, His church, in Matthew 28:18-20. This commands is also known as the Great Commandment.

Supplies: My Mind’s Eye Decorative Tapes, Freckled Fawn wood veneers, Elle’s Studio tags, Stickos Alpa stickers, Target tags & alpha stickers, Faber Castell PITT Artist Pens and Big Brush, Martha Stewart Glue Pen

Maybe you think this command is only for those certain people who called themselves “missionary.” But this command is given to each of Jesus’ follower, to each of us, to you and me. We all are called to go and make disciple, to teach them the truth, to baptize them and to teach them to obey God’s commands. That means, you and I are missionaries, the messengers of God’s message to this world where we live.

When we visited a city, we found out churches in that city are scared to step out of their comfort zone to reach out to the local people who are 100% non-believers and this people group is one of the Unengaged, Unreached People Group.

The question is: Why they are scared?

My heart is broken. I keep praying for this people group and for those believers who live among this unreached people group that they will have courage to go out and reach out to them, to go sharing the Good News to them.

Supplies: Abigail’s Handdrawing heart, Faber Castell PITT Artist Pen, My Mind’s Eye Decorative Tape, SU Journaling Card

God’s love endures forever. He is patient enough waiting for each of us to repent and come to Him. His love never ends. His love never fails. His love for the people in Indonesia is the same love he has for us who live in the States or anywhere else.

There are at least 400 languages groups (people groups) who have been waiting to know God’s unfailing love to them, waiting to hear He speaks to them in the languages that they understand best in their mind and hearts.

For this reason we went. For this reason we wanna go back to serve there alongside with national translators and national churches to accelerate the proces of translations of God’s word into those 400++ languages!

Supplies: Field Notes pocket notebook, Pilot Gel pens.

This is the truth. The center of the Bible is the Gospel. And the center of theGospel is Jesus Christ. That concludes that the center of the whole Bible is Jesus Christ.

We attended a church with our friend, the preacher said something that reminds us that wherever we are sent to go, we share the Good News, we share Jesus. When we preach, we preach Jesus.

Supplies: My Mind’s Eye Decorative Tapes, Freckled Fawn wood veneers, Elle’s Studio tags, Stickos Alpa stickers, Target tags & alpha stickers, Faber Castell PITT Artist Pens and Big Brush, American Crafts Glitter Marker, Martha Stewart Glue Pen

Few times I was asked why we wanna take our family to go and live in Indonesia, where we could get everything and living comfortably in States. The only answer to that question is because we love Him. To love Him is to obey Him and His commandments. Our prayer is to love Him with all our hearts, souls, minds & all of our strength.

Serving Him is an act of love. Because without love it is impossible for us to serve full heart. For only God who gives you and I the power and desire to serve Him (Phillippians 2:13).

Supplies: Alpha Die Cut by The Cut Shoppe, Silhouette Cameo, CTMH White Daisy Cardstock, CTMH Cork button, CTMH studs, CTMH heart enamel, CTMH Mini Stapler, Prima Marketing Chalk Edgers, Elle’s Studio tag, Faber Castell PITT Artist Pens.

It is only one reason. That is because God is so loved the world. He sent Jesus not to judge and condemn. He sent Jesus, His only Son to save and redeem us back to be His.

He calls and sends you and I to go to our “Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and The End of The Earth” – to our families, neighbors, friends, and those who we do not know – is to share who He is and why He loves them that much.

Would you go to where God send you?

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HelloMornings Fruitful Affliction Week 2 Recap

This week I learned that God is everything!

We can read all about Him in the Bible.

We can taste His goodness in our lives every single moment.

We can see His works in and through our lives when the moment we walk in His ways and in obedience to Jesus’ lordship.

The Bible tells us all about Him, who He is.

God is love.

God is our faith perfector.

God is the hope.

God is everything that we need.

May you find Him when you seek Him.

Blessings to you all on this weekend and coming week!

HelloMornings & Art Bible Journaling

New week. New hope. New adventure. Today I start our new challenge and Bible study with my HelloMornings Facebook group. If you are looking for a community of Christian women to study and grow together, you might wanna check HelloMornings groups. They have Facebook groups, Twitter groups, Instagram Groups, and Special groups. You can choose which one the best fit for you.

If you want to study individually, you can buy the Bible Study book, you can buy it here without need to join any groups. But I love the accountability in a group, help us to keep focus.

This is a 6-weeks Study. We focus on God, Move and Plan. One day at a time to maximize your mornings. This season start from May 4 through June 12. We are studying from the life of Joseph. We will dig into God’s word to learn who God is, His commands to live by and promises for His children.

My goal this season is to maximize my mornings to pray, study, journaling, exercises and making plan for the day. I fell off the wagon for a while but it is only by God’s grace and his strength given to us to start again.

In the last couple of months, I am doing art journaling Bible. It is a way we can express our worship to God through art and creativity.

This I named a basket of spiritual blessings. All I need to dig into God’s word and journaling the truth & promises. In my large plastic basket:

  • ESV Journaling Bible
  • Bible Study material (or you can find lots of Bible Study plans on YouVersion website or the Bible App)
  • Journaling pens (Steadlert, Micron & Sharpies are my favorites now)
  • Markers (Sharpies & ekTools are my favorite now)
  • Color pencils
  • Paint brushes & Aqua brushes
  • Watercolor paints
  • Wink of Stella clear glitter brush (can’t create without it!)
  • Stamps: CTMH My Acrylix stamp sets, clear stamp sets, wood rubber stamps, date stamps, etc.
  • Stamping blocks
  • Ink pad edgers (in a big muslin bag)
  • Washi tapes (in the plastic container)
  • Alpha: stickers, burlap stickers, cork stickers, chipboard stickers, etc.
  • Scissors, tags, eraser, etc. (small muslin bag)
  • Glue Pen & Adhesive runner

I often find my inspirations from others at Journaling Bible Facebook Group and also from Illustrated Faith blog.

If you are on Instagram, or Pinterest, or Facebook, or any other Social Medias, here are some hashtags you can follow to get some inspirations on art Bible journaling: #biblejournaling #journalingbible #illustratedfaith

My prayer that He will continue give us the desire to wake up in the morning for Him, that He will give us the power to do what please Him through our plans of the day.
So, do you journal your Bible Study? How do you organize your Bible journaling and supplies? Share with us your ideas 😊

HelloMornings Week 2 and National Handwriting Day

Do you know that today is National Handwriting Day here in the States? I found out from social media today. I am encouraged and inspired by a lot of people I follow on Instagram.

And I wouls like to share with you one of my simple handwriting. This is my take away of this week 2 study with HelloMornings challenge.

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I am loving this new way of journaling God’s word. On a Facebook group, Journaling Bible Comunnity, I am thankful for a lot crafty friends who inspire me to learn more and illustrate our faith creatively. My oldest daughter is learning to do the same with her own journal, too 🙂

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If you are on Instagram, search for hashtag #nationalhandwritingday and you’ll find a lot of creative handwring.

Do you write journal?

Faith Is A Journey

In October 5th, 2002 was the first day I made the decision that changed my life forever. Buy then I realized that I could not be able to walk this journey by my self.

Without faith, I cannot. That I know. But do I live in faith? Do I walk by faith? These questions lead me to this verse again and again:

And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. (‭Hebrews‬ ‭11‬:‭6‬ NLT)

I came to know Him. I became a follower. I became a believer. But what is a believer without faith?

God. I need him. He is the faith giver. He is the hope giver. He is the only one who gives me the desire and power I need every moment to walk and to do what pleases Him (Philippians 2:13). And that power and desire is the Holy Spirit who lives in every believer of Him. Yes, God’s Holy Spirit lives in each of us, you and me.

We also need accountabilities and encouragements from fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.

My first accountability and encouragement God has out in my life is my husband. He uses my husband for His glory and purposes. Through his life, God blesses me and our daughters with love, grace, and encouragement that we need to grow as family.

And God also put brothers and sisters in Christ in our lives. You have them also in your lives. For me, God has given me a lot since the day I was adopted into His Kingly Family.

All of You are my brothers and sisters in Christ.

God use His church to encourage each other in your own church community. But also, there are small groups He provides for us.

For me, I found this HelloMornings group in 2013. This group has been a great blessing in my spiritual life. There are wonderful sisters I have met since then. They encourage me in ways I even cannot image. They are my accountabilities to walk with God every day. Together we grow in knowledge of who God is.

If you are looking for accountabilities and encouragements to walk with Him like I do, you still have time to join any HelloMornings groups that fits to your needs. Go HERE to join us. The next study will start on Monday, 01/12/2015.

And I wanna do something different this challenge. Studying & journaling every word He speaks to me.

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Faith is my One Word to live not only in 365 days in 2015, but also for beyond. What is yours?