Devotional Journal
Hope - Illuminate - Joy - Kingdom

This Advent season I'm participating in Mary Brack's "Advent Words 2018" devotional and creative response. This post shows journal pages H - Hope, I - Illuminate, J - Joy, K - Kingdom. You can find out all about it and read the inspirational devotionals on her website: https://www.foundonbrighton.com/. The pages in this post are some of the entries in my Advent 2018 journal.Mary has generously made a calendar list of words and Scripture, and includes a daily devotional sent to your Inbox when you sign up on her website. You can also join her facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Wordschallengegroup/ and post your journal entries and responses there as we connect with one another. It's not too late to sign up and join in the anticipation and celebration of Christ coming to earth.Mary is one of three of us who host a Living Your Word of the Year Facebook Group. Bernice, Mary, and I are excited about 2019 and the new inspiration coming soon. Stay tuned!

Hope

"Wait with hope for Yahweh.
Be strong, and let your heart be courageous.
Yes, wait with hope for Yahweh."

Psalm 27: 14 NOG

In The Passion Translation, one of the lines from the same verse advises,"be entwined as one with the Lord."

Hope in Hebrew is called Tikvah or Tikwah. It means the expectation to receive what is desired, and also a cord. It is from the Hebrew root word "Kavah" or "Qavah" meaning: to bind together, collect, to expect, to wait for. Tikvah is first used in the Bible in Joshua 2 as Rahab's scarlet cord put in the window in order that she and her family would be saved... then there was the waiting for the fulfillment of the promise.

Illuminate

In these last days God has spoken to us through his Son.
God made his Son responsible for everything.
His Son is the reflection of God's glory and the exact likeness of God's being.
He holds everything together through His powerful words.
After he had cleansed people from their sins,
he received the highest positions,
the one next to the Father in heaven.

~ Hebrews 1:3 NOG

Then Yeshua said loudly,"Whoever believes in me believes not only in me,
but also the one who sent me. Whoever sees me sees the one who sent me.
I am the light that has come into the world so that everyone
who believes in me will not  live in darkness."

John 12:44-46 NOG

Joy

Reflecting on the advent story and the unexpected visit by the angel to Mary, I am grateful for the gift of God coming to earth as a baby. It also reminds me to be open to God surprising me in ways I hadn't thought of or planned. Expectant with joy!

Mary said,My soul praises the Lord's greatness!
My spirit finds its joy in God, my Savior;
because he has looked favorable on me, his humble servant.
From now on, all people will call me blessed
because the Almighty has done great things to me.
His name is holy.For those who fear him,
his mercy lasts throughout every generation."

Luke 1:46-48 NOG

Kingdom

I've used some collage pieces in this journal. The stained glass images were cut from a calendar I bought featuring the beautiful stained glass of Washington National Cathedral. The scepter if from a StencilGirl® Products, June Pfaff's Crowns & Scepter stencil L545. The crowns are from my Doll Crowns 6" stencil S667 .   The figure shape is part of the Bible Journaling Figure Stencil  L575 also made by StencilGirl® Products.

“But God said about his Son,'Your throne, O God, is forever and ever.
The scepter in your kingdom is a scepter for justice.'“

~ Hebrews 1:8 NOG

"May God, the source of hope, fill you with joy and peace
through your faith in him.Then you will overflow
with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

~ Romans 15:13 NOG