New Life

Good Friday to You!

Before I share my card with you today, I'd just like to take a moment to reflect on Good Friday a little bit. The day that Jesus was on trial, forced to carry his own cross and then unjustly and unfathomably crucified, is know as Good Friday. Why is it then, "good?" Because the sacrifice that Jesus made, brings a message of Good News for all...New Life.

"One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”
But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence?
"We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Luke 23:39-43

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

"So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation."
2 Corinthians 5:16-19

My card today is for this month's theme in the monthly card group I'm part of. The theme is 'things that awaken during Spring'. I think Spring is a perfect example of new life. I'm always in awe of how nature sprouts back to life during the Spring. And this causes me to reflect on the shedding of the old layers and starting anew...how God allows us to be a new creation in Him, because of His Son, and then because of the "pruning" of our hearts in the days, months and years that follow.

I chose to keep the image black and white and just add color to the plant and to the butterfly...in order to highlight the theme. And then I chose to CASE this wonderful layout from my very talented friend, Catherine. The patterned paper on my card is from Cosmo Cricket, the ribbon and background stamp are from Impress, the sentiment is Amy R for All that Scraps, and the main image itself is a retired hostess set from Stampin' Up. It's difficult to see on camera, but the butterfly and the sentiment have also both been highlighted with the glitter of clear Spica pen.

Thanks so very much for taking a look at my card today. May God bless you and your family abundantly this Easter.
With love,
kadie