Stampin' Sisters in Christ

A blessed Sunday to you! This is the day that the Lord hath made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!

It's my turn to host the challenge at Stampin' Sisters in Christ. I chose the well-known Psalm 23, "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever." My challenge is to predominately use the colors blue (still waters) and green (green pastures) in your card/project. 

I ran out of time before leaving for CHA to make a card for my own challenge. Can you believe it? I'm so ashamed. But the rest of my design team have lots of beautiful cards to share with you, so be sure to stop by the Stampin' Sisters in Christ blog to see their creative inspiration.

So, why did I pick this particular scripture? Isn't it kind of a downer? I mean, don't we usually only hear Psalm 23 read at funerals? What was I thinking?

I was thinking this... that this scripture embodies just about everything wonderful that is yours if you accept Christ as your savior. He is your shepherd... caring for you, leading you, protecting you, comforting you. He restores your soul... trusting in him is the peace that passes all understanding. Because you know him, because he leads you, you desire to travel the paths of righteousness for his sake.

I don't believe "the valley of the shadow of death" necessarily means actual death (although it surely can be), but maybe also the death of something else... the loss of a job, the loss of a friendship, the end of a marriage, a turning point in life that scares you... anything unsettling. But with the Lord by your side, you need not fear! The Lord is with you as you stand against your enemies! In all things you are blessed... your cup overflows! Goodness and mercy (from the Lord) will follow you all the days of your life... and you will dwell in the house of the Lord forever! This is the promise made by God in John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life." Ultimately, that is the greatest comfort of all.

So don't be sad when you hear or read Psalm 23. Instead, be assured, be comforted, be fearless!

Our sponsor is Taylored Expressions, who is offering the beautiful new Rest & Renewel stamp set as a prize for one lucky player in this week's challenge. So why not join us? I believe you will be blessed. For more inspiration, be sure to stop by the Stampin' Sisters in Christ blog to see what the rest of the design sisters have created for you. I also highly recommend visiting each of their blogs... folks often say that reading all the individual devotionals is spiritually refreshing. I have to agree!

Thanks for stopping by! Have a blessed day!