Good Morning Creatives!
Last year I was gifted the beautiful book “100 Days of Grace and Gratitude” from Dayspring by Shanna Noel. I did the first couple of pages at the retreat I was attending and then kind of put it on the shelf for a while.
Recently I pulled it back out, wanting to refocus myself on the subject of grace.
Today I wanted to share with you my first 5 days.
Day 1: It’s a New Day
For these pages, I used the “scalloped circle” plate from my Faith Impressions by Keri Sallee for Gel Press collection.
Whenever I think “new”, I always envision the idea of spring and new growth. That is why I thought that using my scalloped circle would perfectly turn into flowers.
The journaling says: Every New Day is a Choice. New Choice. New Life.
Other supplies:
DecoArt Acrylic Paint
Black Fine Tip Sharpie
Derwent Inktense Block
Day 2: His Gifts Are Perfect
This is something that I struggled with for the longest time. This war of contradictions that always went on in my head where I would profess that “My gifts are from GOD!”, but then downplay them. Not in false humility, but in the actual belief that I just wasn’t that good.
Basically, I was saying that God gave me a bad gift. Like some lame white elephant gift that you got stuck with because you drew the wrong number out of a hat.
It took a long time for me to realize that I was allowing that war to wage in my own mind and in my own heart. Then one day, it hit me… GOD DOESN’T GIVE BAD GIFTS.
I had to finally make the choice…either my gifts were from God and therefore were for his good and my good OR my gifts were NOT from God and I could view them as bad all I wanted to.
I could not have both. I had to choose a side in the war.
Supplies:
Derwent Inktense Blocks
Black Fine Point Sharpie
Day 3: The Fullness of His Grace
The one word that stuck out in this devotion to me was the word “peace.” Its noted 6 times in the devotion and the scriptures used.
As I was reading it, it brought to mind the worship song “Tremble.”
The opening lines of that song I used for the journaling:
Peace. Bring it all to Peace. The Storm surrounding me, let it break at your name.
Supplies:
Marabu Art Sprays and Graphix Pens
Stencil: Stencil Girl
Stamp: Handcarved with Speedball
Puffy Paint: Tulip
Uniball White Gel Pen
Archival Ink
Day 4: What do you think about?
Make a conscious decision to take those thoughts captive and think on whatever is true and pure and lovely.
That is this devotion in a nutshell. It’s a paraphrase of Phillipians 4:8
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
I decided to use the feathers because feathers to me always represent freedom. And we can so easily become prisoners in our own minds. It’s only by finally taking hold of our thoughts that we can truly find freedom.
Supplies Used:
DecoArt Americana Acrylic Paint
DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylic
Bronze Sharpie
Feather Foam Stamp
Marabu Art Spray (gold)
Day 5: Walking with Joy
What does joy mean and how do you find it? It can be a hard lesson to figure out because too often we tie “joy” to “happy” and they are not the same thing.
Happiness is an emotional response to a situation, while joy is the engrained choice that no matter the situation, God will bring it back for good. It’s that joy that brings you through the hard medical diagnosis. It’s that joy that let’s you see the other side of split in your marriage. It’s that joy that leads you to the path of the “peace that surpasses all understanding” (Phillipians 4:7.)
Supplies Used:
Marabu Acrylic Mousse and Art Crayon
Archival Ink
Black Brush Tip Pen
Various Stamps
Illustrated Faith Washi Tape
Closing Thoughts
It’s not about being “fake” or “faking it until you make it.”
It’s about making the CHOICE to believe that all His GIFTS are good and that by His GRACE we can take hold of our MINDS and live in true JOY.
When I started writing this post, I didn’t see it.
I didn’t see how all the first five days all fit together. But they really do.
I hope days 1-5 have inspired and challenged you to reach farther and find what “grace and gratitude” means to you.
Until next time,
XOXO,
KERI
