Secret Admirer? It's no secret...

This week's Shining the Light challenge is to be a Secret Admirer.  Since we celebrate both Valentine's Day and Presidents' Day in February, we want you to be a Secret Admirer. CASE a card by someone you admire or a card you always wanted to CASE (Copy And Selectively Edit...for those who don't know the acronym).

It's no secret that I admire so many stampers, and for this challenge I chose my sweet friend and our Challenge Team Coordinator, Chris Olsen. Not only do I admire her amazing creative talent, but I delight in how she reflects the love of Christ in her life. And it shows in her stamping. Here's the card I chose to CASE. (Note: I've added a photo of Chris's card, since the card I chose is in the SCS Dirty Dozen gallery. You have to be a SCS Fan Club Member to view this gallery. Thanks, Linda, for letting me know why you couldn't see it!)

Chris has a wonderful ability to layer and add such rich texture to her beautiful cards, and I decided to try it myself. I used Sentiments Collection 2 for the Scripture verse and added the flowers from Sing to the Lord (with lots of fussy cutting, which I enjoy). I used the beautiful Decorative Corners dies and Fancy Foliage dies layered on top of an embossed background, and I changed the orientation and used a different die for the Scripture verse.

I wonder whether there is someone you secretly admire or who could be encouraged by you today. What might you do or say to encourage him or her? I'm reminded of a Scripture verse that reminds us to encourage each other both in words and deeds. Paul wrote:

...and we sent Timothy, our brother and God's fellow worker
 in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you
 in your faith,
1 Thessalonians 3:2

And then at the end of 1 Thessalonians 3, Paul shares Timothy's good report of his visit about their faith and love and encourages them with these words:

May the Lord make your love increase and overflow

 for each other and for everyone else,

just as ours does for you. 

1 Thessalonians 3:12

My desire is to be more like Christ and reflect His love to others by encouraging and lifting others up...for His glory. And in so doing, I believe it helps me to be less self-focused and more Christ-focused.

To see all the creations in one place or join the challenge, please visit Our Daily Bread Designs Blog. You have until February 23 to join us. You may use any stamps to enter, but if you have any Our Daily Bread Designs stamps, we would love to see you use them. If you participate, you have an opportunity to win a $15 certificate toward ODBD stamps or to be "spotlighted" for the Shining the Light Award (the SLC award is only for those who use ODBD stamps). We would love to see your creations!

For more beautiful inspiration ideas for this challenge, please visit my precious design team sisters:

Chris Olsen * Diana Nguyen * DJ Rants * Elizabeth Whisson
Linda Carson * Robin Clendenning

I have also entered this card for this week's Word Art Wednesday challenge.  

Thanks so much for "stopping by" and leaving a comment or sharing a thought. Have a wonderful week and be encouraged that God loves you dearly!

For His glory,

Card Recipe:

Stamps:  Sentiments Collection 2 and Sing to the Lord (ODBD)

Paper: White (PTI), Cool Caribbean and Wild Wasabi (SU)

Ink: Black (Versafine)
Tools/Accessories: ODBD Custom Decorative Corners dies, ODBD Custom Fancy Foliage dies, Copic markers, Floral Ovals (Spellbinders), Fence embossing folder (Darice), Empressor tool (EK Success), Glue n' Seal adhesive, Diamond Glaze adhesive, red tape, 3M dimensional tape
Card Size:  A-2