I-Believe

How beautiful! It's too small for me to read but I love the concept and the execution!

Sharing the journaling here in the comments in case anyone wants to read it. Like I said, I know it's long. Most of it's scripture.

My core belief system is Biblical. I have my particular worldview, because I absolutely, positively believe that the Bible is the revelation of God’s plan for humanity. 66 books inspired by the Holy Spirit written down by plain, old ordinary people that God chose to use over thousands of years. I believe the whole point of the book is to supernaturally point people to the Messiah because we need redemption. See, Adam and Eve sold humanity into slavery by believing a lie from the Serpent, the Dragon of old, aka Satan, aka Lucifer, in the Garden of Eden. God knew they would, so the plan was already in place: to send His perfect Son at just the right time, to buy us back through the shedding of His blood on the Cross because without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sin. I believe, as Paul wrote in Romans: If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto rightouesness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame....For whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”

Paul was a great Jewish theologian who had previously persecuted those who believed Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah. But he got saved, just like I did, when he came face to face with Jesus. I learned about my need as a little girl. I learned that Jesus told a ruler of the Jews named Nicodemus that God loved the world in this way: that He sent His only begotten Son, that whosover believes in Him would not perish, but have eternal life. God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. Jesus said, “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” Even as a child, I knew my heart was desperately wicked and that no amount of good works could save me from what Paul called the wages of sin: Death.


Paul wrote to the Church in Corinth: “For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once...After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time.” My belief is not blindly held. These witnesses died for what they knew to be true. I trust their testimony.


Paul continues: “If Christ has not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty...for if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.


”But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep...For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming. Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death.”


To the Church in Thessaloniki, Paul wrote: “But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the LORD, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the LORD will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the LORD Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up to meet the LORD in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore, comfort one another with these words.”


One of the authors of the Bible, John, the disciple Jesus loved, wrote down many visions the LORD showed Him while He was in a Roman prison on the isle of Patmos. One of my favorite parts and something I look forward to the most is when Heaven will be opened and Jesus will ride out to make things right: “behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of his mouth goes a sharp sword that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God” At that time Jesus will cast the ruler of the world system and his false prophet into the Lake of Fire, and cast Satan into the bottomless pit for a thousand years. He will be released for a little while, but his rebellion will ultimately be crushed..


At the end of time as we know it, John writes the following will happen: “Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the Lake of Fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the Lake of Fire.


”Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away...And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.’


“Then He who sat on the throne said, ‘Behold I make all things new...It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.’” Maranatha.


Being a Christian has not saved me from hard times or made me perfect in all my ways, but it gives me a framework for how to live in this world and hope for the future. I have joy because I have a confident expectation that God is working everything out for our good. I can live in the Eternal Now with Him because of His mercy and grace. Nothing is impossible for Him.

@Cristina Yeah, two page spreads make 12 point font journaling hard to see. I shared the journaling in the comments, but I do not expect anyone to read it. It's me being extra...might be something I share with my women's group someday. Thanks for looking and the love!

This layout feels like such a beautiful and gentle expression of your faith. I love how your images and words flow together so naturally. Your heart shines through on this page, believing isn’t always easy, but your words remind us why it matters so much. Thank you for sharing your full journaling in the comments, it was really meaningful to read. And thank you for playing along with Rachel and Lynn’s mixed media challenge.

@ajm Thank you, my dear. I wasn't sure about being so vulnerable, but glad I did this page. Thanks for the challenge!

What an amazing expresion of your faith. I'm so glad that you included your journaling...it was wonderful to read. This is such a beautiful 2-page spread and your image in the center is wonderful.

@IntenseMagic Thank you so much for taking the time to read the journaling. That really means a lot. I always appreciate your sweet comments on my pages.

This page must be so special for you. You put a lot into the journaling.

This is a lovely page and tribute to how you feel. I love all the blending in the middle.

@Kiana Thank you for your sweet comments.