Christmas Day - Day 25

Zaphaniah 3:17

Jerusalem will be told:

“Don’t be afraid.
Dear Zion, don’t despair.
Your God is present among you,

a strong Warrior there to save you.
Happy to have you back, he’ll calm you with his love

and delight you with his songs.

/The Message/

The Lord your God is with you,
    the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you;
    in his love he will no longer rebuke you

but will rejoice over you with singing.

/NIV/

Advent Daily - Day 24

John 3:16-17

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
/NIV/

This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again.
/The Message/ 

Advent Daily - Day 23

2 Corinthians 6:11-13

I can’t tell you how much I long for you 

to enter this wide-open, spacious life. 

We didn’t fence you in. 

The smallness you feel comes from within you. 

Your lives aren’t small, but you’re living them in a small way. 

I’m speaking as plainly as I can and with great affection. 

Open up your lives. 

Live openly and expansively!

Advent Daily - Day 22

1 Corinthians 4:20

God’s Way is not a matter of mere talk; it’s an empowered life.

/The Message/

 

Advent Daily - Day 21

Genesis 28:15

I’ll stay with you, 

I’ll protect you wherever you go, 

and I’ll bring you back to this very ground. 

I’ll stick with you 

until I’ve done everything I promised you.

/The Message/

I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, 

and I will bring you back to this land. 

I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you. 

/NLT/ 

Advent Daily - Day 20

Ezekiel 36: 25-28
For here’s what I’m going to do: I’m going to take you out of these countries, gather you from all over, and bring you back to your own land. I’ll pour pure water over you and scrub you clean. I’ll give you a new heart, put a new spirit in you. I’ll remove the stone heart from your body and replace it with a heart that’s God-willed, not self-willed. I’ll put my Spirit in you and make it possible for you to do what I tell you and live by my commands. You’ll once again live in the land I gave your ancestors. You’ll be my people! I’ll be your God! 
/The Message/

Advent Daily - Day 19

John 10:10

I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.

/The Message/

I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

/NIV/ 

Advent Daily - Day 18

Psalms 73:28 

But as for me, it is good to be near God. 

I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge 

/New International Version/

Advent Daily - Day 17

Philippians 1:1-19

So this is my prayer: 

that your love will flourish and that you will not only love much but well. 

Learn to love appropriately. 

You need to use your head and test your feelings 

so that your love is sincere and intelligent, not sentimental gush. 

Live a lover’s life, circumspect and exemplary, 

a life Jesus will be proud of: bountiful in fruits from the soul, 

making Jesus Christ attractive to all, 

getting everyone involved in the glory and praise of God.

/The Message/

Advent Daily - Day 16

Psalm 51:10

Create in me a pure heart, O God,

and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

/New International Version/

Advent Daily - day 15

Psalms 40:11

Lord, don’t hold back your tender mercies from me.
    Let your unfailing love and faithfulness always protect me.

/NLT/

Now God, don’t hold out on me,
    don’t hold back your passion.
Your love and truth
    are all that keeps me together.

/The Message/ 

 

Advent daily - Day 14

Isaiah 41:14

Don’t be afraid, people of Israel, for I will help you.
I am the Lord, your Redeemer.

I am the Holy One of Israel.

/NLT/

Advent Daily - Day 13

 Psalms 37:5

Commit everything you do to the Lord.
    Trust him, and he will help you.

/NLT/

Advent daily - Day 12

Psalm 68:20

Our God is a God who saves!
    The Sovereign Lord rescues us from death.

/New Living Translation/

 

Advent Daily - Day 11

/Romans 1:16/

For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.

/New Living Translation/ 

It’s news I’m most proud to proclaim, this extraordinary Message of God’s powerful plan to rescue everyone who trusts him, starting with Jews and then right on to everyone else! 

/The Message/

Advent Daily - Day 10

Psalm 119: 28

My life dissolves and weeps itself away for heaviness; raise me up and strengthen me according to [the promises of] Your word.

/Amplified Bible/ 

Advent Daily - Day 9

Proverbs 3:5

Trust in the Lord with all your heart;

do not depend on your own understanding.

/New Living Translation/

Trust God from the bottom of your heart;

don’t try to figure out everything on your own.

/The Message/ 

 

Advent Daily - day 8

Isaiah 30:15

Only in returning to me

and resting in me will you be saved.
In quietness and confidence is your strength.

/New Living Translation/

Advent Daily - day 7

1 Corinthians 4:7-8

For who do you know that really knows you, knows your heart? And even if they did, is there anything they would discover in you that you could take credit for? Isn’t everything you have and everything you are sheer gifts from God? So what’s the point of all this comparing and competing? You already have all you need. You already have more access to God than you can handle.

/The Message/

Advent Daily - Day 6

Psalm 4: 6-8

Many, Lord, are asking, “Who will bring us prosperity?”
    Let the light of your face shine on us. 

 Fill my heart with joy
    when their grain and new wine abound.

In peace I will lie down and sleep,
    for you alone, Lord,
    make me dwell in safety.

/New International Version/

Why is everyone hungry for more? “More, more,” they say.
“More, more.”
I have God’s more-than-enough,
More joy in one ordinary day 

 Than they get in all their shopping sprees.
At day’s end I’m ready for sound sleep,
For you, God, have put my life back together.

/The Message/

Advent Daily - Day 5

Collosians 3:15 

And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. 

For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. 

And always be thankful.

/New Living Translation/

Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. 

None of this going off and doing your own thing. 

And cultivate thankfulness.

/The Message/

Advent daily - Day 4

Psalm 25: 4-7

Show me how you work, God;
School me in your ways.

Take me by the hand;
Lead me down the path of truth.
You are my Savior, aren’t you?

Mark the milestones of your mercy and love, God;
Rebuild the ancient landmarks!

Forget that I sowed wild oats;
Mark me with your sign of love.
Plan only the best for me, God!

/The Message/

Show me the right path, O Lord;
    point out the road for me to follow.

Lead me by your truth and teach me,
    for you are the God who saves me.
    All day long I put my hope in you. 

 Remember, O Lord, your compassion and unfailing love,
    which you have shown from long ages past.
 Do not remember the rebellious sins of my youth.
    Remember me in the light of your unfailing love,
    for you are merciful, O Lord.

/New Living Translation/ 

Advent Daily - Day 3

Psalms 43:3

Send out your light and your truth;
    let them guide me.
Let them lead me to your holy mountain,
    to the place where you live.

/New Living Translation/ 

 

Advent daily - day 2

Today's verse is Isaiah 29:19:

The humble will be filled with fresh joy from the Lord. 

The poor will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.

/New Living Translation/

 

Advent daily - day 1

Here's the photo of my Advent tree with Bible verses for each day between 1st-25th December. 
    

 I'm going pick one every day and focus on its message on a given day. I'll share them here every day, if you'd like to join me in this prayer journey throughout December. Sometimes I'll put different versions of the same verse, as sometimes a given translation add some new meaning to the same verse. 

so here's today's verse  - Psalm 119:18

Open my eyes so I can see

what you show me of your miracle wonders.

/Message/

Open my eyes to see

the wonderful truths in your instructions.

/New Living Translation/

Have a blessed Advent! 

i won't give up - j.mraz

credits:

Jen Allyson & Celeste Knight - Sweet Bee
Agnes Biro - Pain Accent 7 ; Fabric Tape
Anna Aspnes - Stitch by Anna: Fall Mix2; Stich By Anna:Red
prayer from http://www.d365.org/journeytothecross/

credits:
Karen Funk - Enjoy the Journey
Celeste Knight - Watercolor Overlays
Tiffany Tillman - Artistic Photomasks 4
Ruth designs - Fun Splatter 1

see Your way

credits:
Pebble Jones - My Life's Journal
Audrey Neal - iConic: banners
Robyn Meierotto - Let's Go; Dated 2012
One Little Bird - Sweater Weather ; Interlude

Lent 2012

credits:
Pebble Jones - My Life's Journal ; Portraits of the Past - Feminine;
Anna Aspnes - Stitch by Anna - fall mix2; Art Play Pallette 2;
Erica Zwart - Swirls no1
Kim Klassen - shine & believe photo textures

Welcome to my Lent 2012 project ...
it's my art and prayer journey to the Easter joy ... I'm planning to share here some words, music, and art that will be part of my daily Lent meditations this year ... if you want to join me - just following or maybe sharing your own thoughts and/or art, I'd be more than happy to hear from you - just leave a comment or email me at almadr[at]poczta.onet.pl.

For a start words from today's meditation at http://www.d365.org/journeytothecross/

"Find time each day for stealth prayer and you will find God sneaking into your life in transformative ways."

"Move now into the broken world.
Travel with an intense determination
To find your way into healing,
To take the message of reconciliation
With you,
Within you,

For everyone."

For those who discover Saint John, the most captivating thing is to glimpse this radiant insight: “God is love.” And Christ did not come to earth to judge the world but so that, through him, the Risen Lord, every human being might be saved and reconciled.
daily meditation from Taize