SSIC Challenge 126

Note: If you are looking for the Valentine's Blog Hop hosted by the Stampin' Sisters in Christ and Word Art Wednesday scroll down to the next post.

Bleakness, cheerlessness, desolation, desperation, despondency, discouragement, downheartedness, dreariness, gloominess, hopelessness, misery, sadness, sorrow, unhappiness... DEPRESSION.

There are days that I struggle with depression. I just want to crawl back into bed and not face the world. Especially if the sun hasn't been shining for days. I have noticed that when I'm feeling depressed I get the feeling that I will NEVER be happy again and that I will ALWAYS be sad. I believe that Satan uses that lie, and people have committed suicide because they believed it. When I was in high school, there were 5 students that committed suicide in one year. That is a high rate for the small town that I lived in, high for any town. I was friends with two of the students. I have seen first hand the devestation that lie caused not only in their lives but in their friends and families lives as well. The only answer to being lost, hopeless, and discouraged is Jesus. John 14:6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and THE TRUTH and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
The TRUTH is in Jesus I have hope, the sun WILL shine again, I WILL be happy again, and the depression WILL pass.

Job had reasons enough to be depressed. He lost all his wealth, and all his children died, and his health was bad. These words are definitely the words of a discouraged, sorrowful person. “If only my anguish could be weighed and all my misery be placed on the scales! It would surely outweigh the sand of the seas..."(Job 6:2-3)

In an attempt to encourage Job, his friend, Bildad the Shuhite tells Job "Once more will he fill your mouth with laughter, and your lips with rejoicing."(Job 8:21)

Sometimes it takes a friend to remind us of that TRUTH. That is why I love that my friend Miesje choose that verse as our encouragment verse this week. Her challenge is an awesome one: Make me smile! Create a happy card - happy news - rejoicing in life. Who doesn't love happy mail?

When I made my card I was thinking about my friend Dee. There are people I know who use facebook to create drama and to complain... but my friend Dee is always trying to bring a smile to her friends. She is always finding fun, clean puns and jokes to share.

WHY IS TEA SO THERAPUTIC? .... BOILING THE WATER RAISES YOUR SELF OF STEAM.

I had a picture in my mind how I wanted this card to turn out, but struggled getting it to work. I finally had to walk away and let it sit overnight. Then when I came back to it, it came right together. The little pull out pocket with the pun on it has a tea bag inside. The teapot is a sneak peek at a Mark's Finest Papers set called RELAX A BIT that will be released this week. Make sure you come back on Tuesday (Feb 14) to check out the MFP blog hop.

In Christ Alone my HOPE is found...