Good morning! Hope everyone's summer is starting off well. We have a guest blogger and a giveaway on the blog today. Enjoy and don't forget to enter to win! 

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Since before I can remember I’ve been doodling through sermons. Not that I wasn’t paying 

attention, but it helped me pay attention, and remember. 

Coupled with that, my mom has always had Bible verse illustrations on display around the house 

growing up, whether handlettering on a chalkboard or embroidered on a pillow, tangibly living 

out Deuteronomy 6:6-9,

"And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You 

shall teach them diligently to your children...You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and 

they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”

But the idea that the scribbles would lead to part of a job were never in my wildest dreams. In 

fact, for a long time I believed that art was secondary, a lesser thing, until high school after 

reading Hidden Art by Edith Schaeffer, the wife of the famous philosopher and missionary. She  writes: 

“It is not a waste of man's time to be creative. It is not a waste to pursue artistic or 

scientific pursuits in creativity, because that is what man was made to be able to do.  He 

was made in the image of a Creator, and given the capacity to create.”

So I grew up and began graphic designing logos and invitations and all sorts of products, but 

creating prints inspired by Scripture are my first-designing-love. And honestly, in the beginning 

it was more for myself, to help me memorize and meditate. I’d  have these verse prints hanging 

up at home, or I’d post a picture on Facebook. And friends and family started asking me to 

design verse art for them as gifts or decorations. 

And now I’m sharing these prints with you and the world through my Etsy shop - Kayla Phillips  Design. 

Links:

Etsy - https://www.etsy.com/shop/kaylaphillipsdesign

Blog - http://ceasingtostrive.blogspot.com

FB :- https//www.facebook.com/kaylaphillipsdesign

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I've seen the work Kayla does, and whether it is invitations for events and weddings, business cards. or these beautiful scripture designs (which i'm about to give away), her work is stunning and I'm privileged to be able to give one of you all these two pieces of her art. 

So! There are two steps to enter: 

First: "Like" Kayla Philips Design on Facebook
(https//www.facebook.com/kaylaphillipsdesign) 

Second: Leave a comment on the blog saying you have entered the giveaway by "liking" her page.

WINNER will be announced on June 17th! 

Thanks everyone, be sure and give Kayla some love! 

a letter to our baby...

Dear Miss Poppy, 

There is so much I want to say to you. 
In the four and a half weeks we had you, you have taught me to love in a whole new way of loving. Little one, your daddy and I adore you. We will forever treasure those four weeks we had with you.  
Seeing how much your daddy loved you, made me fall more in love with him. 

You may wonder how we came up with your name. Baby girl, we gave you that name when we first found out that you had made us parents. you were just barely the size of a poppy seed and right then, daddy started talking to you, kissing you, making sure you knew he loved you, and was praying for you. He would text or call me when he was away at work, working hard to provide for you and I, and would ask me how you were doing. 

Before we had confirmed that you were in existence, you started to give us little signs you were alive and there. Every forty minutes, like clock work, I would need to eat.  I practically ate us out of our house. your daddy was pretty impressed with how much I could pack down for you. Every afternoon, I would take a nap, and I never nap. But guess what, every night at 9pm, no matter where I was, it was time for me to sleep again. 

We don't know why, but Jesus decided to take you home in the early Sunday morning hours. We trust and fully believe that the Lord has done it for a reason and according to His plan, for our good. 

But sweetie, we miss you. You impacted our lives more than anything ever has before. You made us parents. And that's never changing. Whether or not we ever get to hold your sibling(s). You are the one that first made us parents.
You and I are blessed with an absolutely amazing daddy and husband. Even now, he is loving, caring and sacrificially serving me as we go through grieving your loss. He keeps reminding me that you are safe in the arms of Jesus, the One who loves you more than he or I could ever love you. 

Poppy, we look forward to meeting you in Heaven. 

We love you.