Worship into the Week- Return to Me

 

Worship into the Week-

Return to Me

Joel 2: 10-14

Life isn't going so well in the land of Judah 

with a plague of locusts consuming most

 of anything living.

Prophet Joel is seeking to bring some word

 of encouragement

 in the middle of destruction.

He speaks God's call for repentance-

"turn to me with all your heart, with fasting, 

weeping, and mourning. Tear your hearts 

not just your clothes, and return to the LORD your God."

Certainly a fitting reading for Ash Wednesday

 as Lent begins. 

God's hand is extended to His loved ones.

Joel reminds the people, 

"For he is gracious and compassionate,

 slow to anger, abounding in faithful love 

and he relents from sending disaster."

Even when we are in difficult times,

 we know that these fade from our memory. 

As we look forward to something that endures forever,

our hearts rest in hope of an eternal God 

and His future Kingdom.

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Worship into the Week- Face to Face

 

Worship into the Week- 

Deuteronomy 34:1-12

Moses's Death

The amazing life of Moses comes to a conclusion in this chapter.

In the grand area from Moab  to Mount Nebo,

and beyond,

we see all the land that was promised to Abraham, 

Isaac and Jacob. 

This land will go to the descendants of Moses, 

and he has seen it.

But, he won't be allowed to cross into it.

Sometimes the focus is not what happens in our lifetime,

 but after our time here on earth.

The death of Moses marked a major transition of leadership.

He saw the Promised Land and then God appointed Joshua

 as his successor to lead the Israelites into Canaan.

A new chapter was unfolding of God's promise to His people.

God used this man whom He knew face to face as an

amazing leader in the land for Israel.

Supplies:

Visual Church Year Printable

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Calendar Journaling- February 2025

 

Calendar Journaling- February 2025

Still working through the devotional- 

To Live is Christ by Beth Moore.

Her devotional is looking at the life of St Paul 

and I am enjoying this with our upcoming tour to Greece.

4 Colored pencils

A phrase that sticks.

A Journey along the way.

70 years of Baptism Birthdays

 Today is my Baptism Birthday-

February 27. 

I made this little booklet about 20 years ago. 

 I had made the plan to find my baptism date 

and celebrate that every year. 

Making this small accordion book was the first step.

Now I have the date marked in 

February for the 27th each year.

A few years later I made another remembrance

 with a few more details.

So on this day, as I flip the page to 27 

on the monthly prayer calendar,

 I give thanks for this day of "new birth" blessings.

Claimed by Jesus.

Forever.

What a gift.

Worship into the Week- The Lord Preserves

 

Genesis 45:3-15      The Lord Preserves

A story of God's great preservation is the story of Joseph, 

the famine and his brothers.

This is a story of reconciliation in a really challenging situation.

Joseph was greatly wronged by his brothers, 

but the bigger goal was their restored relationship.

It must have been a very painful confrontation.

The truth wins out to tell the events of the past,

and also to explain the painful situation of the current famine.

God uses the ugly and transforms it into the gift of 

His great plan for the family of Joseph.

Sermon Notes from 2-23-25

Supplies:

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Inspire Bible

Levi is NINE

 

This young man is Nine years old.

Happy Birthday Levi!!

Time to celebrate with family and friends 

and a little bit of 

WWE Smackdown.

some 3-D glasses for some of his 3-D

drawings

Cake and Candle time.

A very fun gift for Levi.

Another license plate for his wall collection.

Can you tell this kid likes shoes?

He loves to draw new styles.

Always great to celebrate with brothers, mom and dad 

and the grandparents.

Some of Levi's free hand drawings.

Kind of amazing!

Many blessings to you young man!

Worship into the Week- Hope and Confidence

 

Worship into the Week-

Wisdom from the Lord     Jeremiah 17:5-8

"Blessed are those who trust in the LORD 

and have made the LORD their hope and confidence.

They are like trees planted along a riverbank, 

with roots that reach deep into the water.

Such trees are not bothered by the heat 

or worried by long months of drought." v.7-8

This Bible passage encourages trust in God. 

Those who trust in God are like trees planted by water.

Trusting in God means committing to God as 

all-sufficient to protect us and fill

 the place of those who let us down or disappoint us.

Making the Lord my HOPE.

In a world with twisted priorities- 

that sounds like a plan.

Supplies:

Visual Church Year Graphics

vcy-graphics-only-february-2024

Colored pencils

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Valentine Vignettes

 

A bit of heart day decor around the house this year.

Always fun to bring out some of the 

favorites from in the past.

Or try out a new spot for things that 

have been around for a long time.
 

Fresh flowers make everything look wonderful.

Hearts and love and vintage Valentines

 from a hundred years ago.

They certainly tell a story.

A few "spoolies" we have had fun creating. 

But, the main story to tell 

is how much Jesus loves me.

"We love because He first loved us."

1 John 4:19

Worship into the Week- Build UP the Church

 

Worship into the Week-

1 Corinthians 14:12b-20

Our God created bodies that have many parts

 and they each have a purpose.

Each believer is like a part of the body.

We each are different in personality, 

gifts and calling. 

But, each is an important and necessary part

 of the body of Christ.

It is important to use every spiritual gift in ways that

build up the church and is understandable.

How important it is to remember that God has need 

of each and every member of the body of Christ.

Supplies:

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Worship into the Week- In Every Respect

  Worship into the Week-

Hebrews 2:14-18

Christ became a human to save all of mankind 

from the power of sin, death and the evil one.

Because Jesus became a human in every way, 

( except our sinfulness) we are now free and

liberated. Jesus is our high priest. 

We can come straight to him.

Jesus knows all of the human temptations 

that haunt our days.

He is available to to help to all who ask for help.

Prayer connects us right to the power of our High King.

"He had to become like His brothers and sisters 

in every respect, 

so that He might be a merciful and faithful 

high priest in the service of God."

Hebrews 2:17

There is something very comforting 

about this aspect of Jesus. 

The Messiah had to become EXACTLY like humanity

 in order to properly atone for their sins.

(  to do something "right" to make up for doing something wrong) 

 Thus He become the truly perfect high priest.

 We are then reconciled to God.

( the relationship is restored between God and man)

This statement becomes a center of all things 

connecting in the Old Testament- how we become 

in right relationship with God.

Supplies:

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Worship into the Week- Rules of the Lord

 Worship into the Week-

Psalm 19

The Law of the Lord is Perfect

Psalm 19 praises God for revealing himself 

through the world he created and the law he provided.

The Psalm is divided into three parts:

1-6  God's revelation in creation in the heavens and the sky

7-11 God's revelation in the law

12-14 The response of the man of faith

The psalm's message is that God has revealed himself 

to all people through creation and the law,

and that everyone has evidence that God exists.

God's law is more desirable than gold 

and sweeter than honey.

Supplies:

Visual Church Year Graphic

vcy-graphics-only-january-2025

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Watercolors

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Calendar Journaling- Jan 2025

 

Calendar Journaling- Jan 2025

So the new year is moving along and somehow it 

feels good to continue a long time practice.

Many things in the world feel tilted or out of control.

This takes me back to His Word 

and with a devotional thought I touch base

 with realness again.

Lord, have mercy on your people who are 

desperately searching, but don't know where to find you. 

Help me to show open doors 

and shine light in the darkness.

Give me boldness and grace.  Amen.

Supplies: 

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Devotional- 

To Live is CHRIST Day By Day- 

by Beth Moore

Bible Marginalia- The Joy of the Lord

 Inspire Bible- Bible Marginalia

Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10

Ezra Reads the Law

Grandson Levi read the Old Testament Reading

 in worship this past Sunday.

 Maybe I was listening a bit more intently than usual.

I had my Inspire Bible and a few colored pencils.

 Just the movement of my hand helps me to listen better

 and concentrate on what the Lord wants me

 to hear in that time frame.

It had been so long since the Israelites 

had heard God's Word read aloud.

They stood for hours.

They were weeping in sadness and Nehemiah tells them

 to go and celebrate.  

Share the food with people who have nothing prepared.

"Don't be dejected and sad, 

for the joy of the Lord is your strength."

Supplies:

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Worship into the Week- Walk in His ways

 

Worship into the Week- Walk in His Ways

Psalm 128

"Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord

 and walks in His ways." v.1

This Psalm of Ascent was likely a pilgrim song recited

 by the travelers in the company of their families as the hills

 of Jerusalem came into view.

The Psalm describes the blessings that come to a

family where God is feared, loved and respected.

That blessing moves from one generation to the next-

to our children's children.

Thank you, Lord.

Supplies:

Visual Church Year Printable

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Worship into the Week- Called By Name

 

Worship into the Week- Called By Name

These past few months have brought the floods 

and the fires. In all of history that isn't a new catastrophe.

But, maybe this generation hasn't seen this 

level of destruction in our own country.

The world whirls with the devastation.

Ancient times weren't saved 

from horrific natural disasters.

Isaiah's words ring through the centuries 

as a reminder of God's presence.

But now, this is what the Lord says—
    he who created you, Jacob,
    he who formed you, Israel:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
    I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
 When you pass through the waters,
    I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
    they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
    you will not be burned;
    the flames will not set you ablaze.

Isaiah 43:1-2

God reminds us that He is both creator and redeemer. 

He can lay claim to both.

Then He commands us to Fear not.

Even facing Babylon- 

God steers the people past the present situation.

When I hear by name called-

 it is by my creator and redeemer. 

It is an intimate announcement 

of ownership with a promise.

When the hard times come (not if)

He will be with me.

Come flood or fire.

And if it it all goes away on earth,

I am His in eternity.

That's a life insurance policy for sure.

Supplies:

VFM Worship into the Week

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Worship into the Week- New Year and Epiphany

 

Starting off the New Year with the 

Worship into the Week resources.

I am a bit behind the weeks for this January, 

as I was praying about whether I wanted 

to continue this practice.

I started back in 2018, to just do up a "few weeks",

 so that I would have some to show others about the resources.

Then I was "hooked".  The big surprise was that I 

planned for maybe a couple years.

This starts my eighth year of worship into the week

 pages in a three ring binder.

Some times it takes me a couple of days to finish 

the layout and it really does extend

 the worship experience into the week.

Time to reread the lectionary readings.

Time to see the connections.

Time to peek ahead for the next week themes.

I give thanks to God that He has allowed me the space, 

trial and error and grace for these weeks in His Word.

Supplies:

VFM Worship into the week

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Colored pencils

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Artist Proof

 

We received a lovely gift for Christmas this year

 from our "middle" daughter. 

An original etching from Laura- the art teacher.

So I am learning about the terms.

 Etching- "An art etching is a printmaking technique where an image is "etched" into a metal plate using acid, creating grooves that hold ink which is then transferred onto paper when pressed, resulting in a printed artwork with the etched design; essentially, it's a method of creating prints by chemically "carving" a design into a metal plate."

OK, that sounds complicated and time consuming. 

So my delight in the gift of this project just went up a bit.

Then another term- Artist Proof.

"An artist's proof (AP) is a print that an artist makes to assess the quality of a print, or to make final adjustments before producing a limited edition."

OK, now that little AP at the bottom is kinda wow.

Laura said it was an intensive process 

and she learned ALOT.

A simple design- a beautiful gift.

Think this needs a frame.

Worship into the Week- December 2024

 Been slowing working through

 the readings of Advent and Christmas.

Time to do some great reflection without 

being hurried.

That is one of the things I am seeking to practice-

Living Unhurried.

One of the ways to step into UNHURRIED 

is to move beyond a calendar framework.

There are so many lectionary readings for this season of the year. 

I thought about picking and choosing,

 but when I took off the deadline that changed my process.

Finishing the Worship into the Week layouts

 right into 2025 was just right.

This year we are doing a Year in the Psalms 

at Visual Faith® Ministry and there were a lot of Psalm readings.

I even found a perfect Sally Beck image

 from the Christmas card she sent.

Pulled out the vintage Christmas stamps. 

 Found a 5 cent stamp from Canada.

Wonder what year that was?

Also added a Christmas stamp from 1963.

I still love using just magazine for the base layer for this journal.

This page is a cityscape turned upside down. 

Becomes very graphic.

So there is December 2024 Worship into the Week

Unhurried fashion.

Supplies:

VCY Worship Graphics

vcy-graphics-only-december-2024

Chalk highlights   Vintage stamps

Gel pens      Colored pencils

Magazine cutouts     Washi tape