Greetings Cottage Friends,
Today I want to share another progress report on my craft room. If you missed my introduction to my personal craft room challenge and the "before" video, you can find that post here, and the last progress report here.
And here's the video showing my progress to date:
Sharing my personal craft room challenge with you keeps me motivated, and I truly appreciate the kind comments you leave.
Hugs,
Welcome Cottage Friends,
I made this vlog to encourage you this morning. Please join me in a reading of Psalm 100 which speaks of God's steadfast love.
I love you, I'm thinking of you and I'm praying for you.
Hugs,
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| Source: http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc27/sherrilee9/empty_tomb.jpg |
"And he said to them, “Do not be amazed; you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen; He is not here; behold, here is the place where they laid Him.
Mark 16:6
Throughout history people have rejected the account of Christ's resurrection. Two former skeptics -- Josh McDowell and Lee Strobel -- investigated the facts and became convinced that Christ did, indeed, rise from the dead. They are now His followers.
Dr. Sam Lamerson of Knox Theological Seminary says: "There are so many pieces of evidence for the truth of the resurrection of Jesus Christ that if we reject the truth of the resurrection, I believe, we must then become total historical agnostics and reject virtually everything that we know about ancient history." According to Lamerson, "There is no ancient historical event that is more certainly testified to both by number of witnesses and by evidence than the resurrection of Jesus Christ."
Why is the resurrection so important?
"We need not wonder that so much importance is attached to our Lord’s resurrection. It is the seal and memorial stone of the great work of redemption, which He came to do. It is the crowning proof that He has paid the debt He undertook to pay on our behalf, won the battle He fought to deliver us from hell, and is accepted as our guarantee and our substitute by our Father in heaven. Had He never come forth from the prison of the grave, how could we ever have been sure that our ransom had been fully paid (1 Corinthians 15:17)? Had He never risen from His conflict with the last enemy, how could we have felt confident that He has overcome death – and him that had the power of death, that is the devil (Hebrews 2:14)? But thanks be unto God, we are not left in doubt. The Lord Jesus really rose again for our justification." (J.C. Ryle)
In the early Church, when one Christian would greet another, often he would say: "He is risen."
And the other would respond, "He is risen, indeed!"
They spoke with certainty and we must do the same. The Lord Jesus has risen from the dead. He is risen, indeed. HE LIVES!
I'm sharing with you today an Easter version of Hallelujah. It's so beautiful. I hope it will bless you.
Hugs,
Dear Cottage Friends,
As we enter Holy Week, I'm struck once again by the tremendous sacrifice the Lord Jesus made on our behalf.
Consider this scripture verse from Romans:
You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. -- Romans 5:6-11 (NIV)
And these words from Jesus:
"For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.” John 10:17-18 (ESV)
The older I get, the more precious to me is the cross of Christ. The very idea that the sinless Son of God would choose to give His life so that I might live is too wonderful to comprehend. Why? Why would He do such a thing? The answer lies, again, in the words of Jesus:
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him." John 3:16-17
I no longer doubt God's love for me. I no struggle with being "good enough" to enter Heaven when I die. Beyond a shadow of a doubt I know that all my good deeds are just filthy rags in God's sight, just as Isaiah said:
"All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away." Isaiah 64:6
No, there is nothing I can do to enter into God's grace apart from accepting by faith the work of Jesus Christ on the cross and placing my trust only in Him.
HE is my righteousness.
HE is my salvation.
HE is my Lord, my Redeemer, my Savior forever.
I no longer fear death. I look forward to it. For I know that when I close my eyes with my final breath, I will immediately be in the presence of the One who loves me so fiercely that He suffered the agony and shame of the cross to secure eternal life for me. And not just for me, but for every person who would place their faith and trust in Him. Who confess that they have sinned and "fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).
Consider the words of Peter:
"For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit." 1 Peter 1:18
Some may say that following Christ is too restrictive. That giving ones life over to Him means giving up too many things they love in this world. I once felt that way, too. However, once I confronted the truth of my sinful condition before a holy God and His righteous judgement, and recognized that Jesus had paid the price required to save me from that righteous judgement, I gladly repented and accepted Him as my Savior. Not to do so would have been foolish.
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1)
And this is why the cross of Christ is so very precious to me. There aren't enough words to express my gratitude to my Savior for His sacrifice.
I leave you with the song The Wonderful Cross by Chris Tomlin and Matt Redman.
Hugs,
Hello Cottage Friends,
Today truly felt like a spring day. Even though my patio is still partially buried in snow, much of it has melted and I am filled with spring fever. When I get this kind of feeling, I know it's time to make some decor changes around my home.
Recently I purchased a 3 tier tray at the Goodwill for $5.99. Normally, I try to keep my small item purchases to $5 max, but when I saw this 3 tier tray my heart melted. It had all the things I love. A chippy white finish, chicken wire, a scrolly (is that a word?) top and ooh! that little chalkboard. I knew that it would be a decor piece that I would love for a long time, and it didn't need any kind of makeover. It was good to go. So even at $5.99 from a thrift store, I felt it was a good buy.
With the change of seasons, now was the perfect time to decorate my new-to-me 3 tier tray.
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Greetings Cottage Friends,
It's time for a progress report on my craft room. If you missed my introduction to my own personal craft room challenge and the "before" video, you can find that post here.
And here's the video showing my progress to date:
I hope you enjoy my video progress report.
Hugs,
Sweet greetings, Cottage Friends,
Today's encouragement is taken from a devotional I wrote in February 2012.
"My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me." Psalm 63:8
All through the winter, one lone leaf has clung to my lilac bush. Through harsh winds and heavy snow it has held fast to the branch, refusing to let go. That tiny leaf reminds me of how we must tenaciously cling to God during the bitter cold and howling wind of life's trials. If we let go, we will surely be tossed about in fear and doubt. But if we hold tight to the One who knows every breath we take, every hair on our head, we will see His faithfulness to bring us peace and joy even in the worst conditions. God is compassionate and full of mercy. He gives grace to all who cling to Him. He holds them up and keeps them close to His heart. May our souls cling tenaciously to Him.
Thank you for joining me for Monday Morning Encouragement, and for the encouragement you give to me with your comments. I so very much appreciate them, as they tell me God is using my blog to encourage others. That's what I hope will happen.
I love you, I'm thinking of you, and I'm praying for you.
Of course, you know I can't leave today without sharing a song that fits so perfectly with today's topic. This beautiful song entitled "Cling" is sung by Shannon Wexelberg. The images of the Northern Lights are incredible. May it give you great comfort.
Hugs,
Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous! For praise from the upright is beautiful. Psalm 33:1 (NKJV)
Hello Cottage Friends,
I have a question for you today:
What makes a person beautiful?
I imagine the answer to that question is as varied as the persons who answer it.
To those who have a relationship with the Lord, the praise they offer to Him makes them beautiful. It's like wearing attire that really makes you look great. Like the special dress which always brings compliments to the woman who wears it. Or the suit and tie that makes people admire the man who puts it on. When we're praising God, our countenance shines. Whether we're praising Him silently or in a crowded auditorium with a worship band, praise becomes us. It always does. But I suggest that there is a particular beauty that comes in praising God from a weeping heart. The person who is suffering, or impoverished, or brokenhearted, and can still find it within themselves to praise God, has found the secret to lasting beauty. Praise is easy when things are going well, but to praise God in the midst of hard circumstances is a sacrifice. And sacrificial praise is the most becoming of all. Whatever is going on in your life today, I encourage you to offer praise to the Lord. He so very much deserves it.
The Doxology performed by Anthem Lights and Selah is a great place to start.
I love you, I'm thinking of you, and I'm praying for you.
Hugs,
Welcome Cottage Friends,
Do you know that God is for you?
In the Psalms, David wrote:
"This I know, that God is for me." (Psalm 56:9 ESV)
Even under the threat of death David could say, "This I know, that God is for me." David's trust in God was so complete that I sometimes wonder if he was completely human. And yet I know he was because in times of distress he also struggled with feeling rejected by God (Psalm 89:46,49; Psalm 13:1). Perhaps David, more than any other figure in the Bible, is most like the majority of believers. We know theologically that God is for us. We know it by Calvary. But the cares and concerns of life here on earth tempt us to doubt that He is really for us every day. Especially when we are in the midst of physical or emotional pain. Is God really for us when the prognosis is not good? Yes. He is. Is God really for us when a loved one dies? Yes. He is. Is God really for us when a relationship ends, or we lose a job, or our house goes up in flames? Yes. He is. "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?" (Romans 8:31-32). God is for us. When we call to Him, He will either remove the trial from our lives or give us through His grace the strength to bear it (2 Corinthians 12:9). Like David we can each say with confidence, "God is for me."
I have another Getty song to share with you today Still, My Soul Be Still. I hope it will be an encouragement to you.
Welcome Cottage Friends,
If you followed my blog when I lived in Oregon, you may remember my cottage craft room. I loved that room and spent many happy creative hours there. Since leaving that home, I haven't had a designated space to pursue my creativity, and I've sorely missed that. Well, in my new-to-me home I now have two spare rooms. One will eventually become a guest room, which leaves a room that I can use as a craft room.
Would you like to join me as I take on a personal challenge to furnish and decorate this craft room on a tiny budget? I've created a "before" video to show you the room, some of the furnishings I already have purchased, and explain my plans.
I'll keep you updated as I perform a budget friendly makeover of this room into my own creative space.
Hugs,
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| Jesus and the Lamb by artist Katherine Brown |
Welcome Cottage Friends,
This print by artist Katherine Brown is one of my favorite works of art. It so beautifully portrays Isaiah 40:11 (NIV):
He tends his flock like a shepherd:
He gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart;
he gently leads those that have young.
I know that many of you who have placed your trust in Jesus are struggling with life issues right now, and perhaps you cannot see an answer to your prayers. Your faith may be wavering, but know that the Good Shepherd has you firmly in His grip and is holding you close to His heart. He never lets go! Never! There is something in my life that I have been praying about for fourteen years, and I am still waiting to see Him complete that work. It may not happen in my lifetime, but I know that He has heard me and He will deliver. In the meantime, He is holding me close to His heart. And He is holding you, as well.
I have another precious song by Keith and Kristyn Getty to share with you today: He Will Hold Me Fast. Let this be your song of faith today, as it is mine.
Hugs,
After I purchased my mobile home a little over a year ago, my outdoor focus was the patio. Honestly, I didn't give much thought at all t...
For as long as I can remember I've loved cottages. These cozy places, with abundant flowers and sunshine, give me a sense of peace and contentment. .
