Finding Strength in God {Journaling Through Illustrated Faith's I Am Strong Monthly Devotional Kit} #IllustratedFaith #DaySpring #IF_IAmStrong #Biblejournaling

**I received this devotional kit as part of the Illustrated Faith Launch Team with Dayspring. All thoughts are my own. Post contains affiliate links.

Today I have a little challenge for you. I want you to go stand in front of the mirror and repeat these words:

I Am Strong.

That's easy enough, right? Now, do it again... but this time, I want you to truly MEAN it.

That's a little bit harder isn't it?

I must admit, I hadn't been feeling very strong lately. In fact, more often than not, I've felt like I'm barely keeping it together. I have dealt with issues with anxiety for as long as I can remember, and for the most part have been able to deal with it pretty well. Oh sure, I have my rough moments but was generally always able to stay pretty positive through it. I have lived by those words, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." I would repeat it in my head over and over and over again and I would get through whatever was causing that anxiety at the time.

Lately more than ever my strength has been tested. As many of you may recall, my husband recently got out of the military rather unexpectedly. This was never part of our plan. The plan was that he would stay in for 20 years so that he could retire. At 12+ years in, he was just 8 years away. But that plan like so many fell apart. Due to military downsizing, that just wasn't an option anymore. The military is certainly not without challenges of course, but having married straight out of high school, it was the only adult life I knew. I was comfortable with it, and despite the unpredictability, there were many things we could depend on. We could depend on a steady paycheck, always knowing the dates they'd come and how much they'd be. We could depend on great health coverage should we need it. We could count on special pay JUST for our housing. For a long time, we thought we could count on a job that would be there. There was a security in the military that we had grown accustomed to. Losing that truly felt like our world was turned upside down. To say it has been a struggle has been an understatement. We have struggled to keep afloat and try to figure out what this new life outside of the military will look like.

If that weren't enough to figure out, add in a special needs child going through a serious regression and a toddler entering those terrible threes (which seem to be much worse than terrible twos). So often I find myself feeling like I just cannot catch a break...and I just cannot do it all. When I look in the mirror, it's hard to say "I am strong". I see the dark circles from sleepless nights, I see hair in desperate need of some work that I cannot afford or have time for, I see bruises from dealing with aggressive meltdowns. I see weakness. I feel like saying instead, '"I'm just not strong enough".

When I heard that August's Illustrated Faith Devotional Kit from Dayspring was called 'I Am Strong', I truly felt like it could not have come at a better time for me. I needed that reminder that I knew deep down but was having trouble finding... that I do not have to be strong enough on my own, because God was strong enough for us both. That through Him all things were possible. Through Him I could once again find my strength and my bravery. With Him, I can and I will get though this. This devotional reminded me of these truths...

As I made my way through the devotional, journaling along the way, I was reminded that I AM strong, and I CAN be brave and overcome whatever life throws at me because I am not in this battle alone. My strength doesn't come from me, it comes from Him and Him alone. Even when I don't feel like being strong, He is there with my 100% so that I don't have to be. I was reminded to lean on Him and to hand it all over. I may not be able to handle it all, but He can.

To me, this is what Bible journaling is all about and why these kits are so amazing.They allow us to take a deeper look at ourselves and our relationships with God. They are not just pretty art supplies (though they are certainly that too), they truly are tools to help us spend time with Him in the word.

For me, this month's I Am Strong devotional kit was just what I needed. If you need a little reminder of just how strong you are, this is one that you must check out. Take a look at what you'll find inside:

Feeling spiritually weak...overwhelmed...worried?  Embrace this 14-day devotional journey with all your heart, expecting God to meet you right where you are and to empower you with His strength for all things!  Wilna Furstenburg welcomes you to join her in trusting and discovering God as "my Strength, my personal bravery, and my invicible army..."  —Habakkuk 3:19 AMP

Devotional message:
My Personal Bravery
Wilna Furstenburg
I am Strong

Items in kit:    
1 devotional booklet (14 devotionals)
1 stamp pad
1 clear stamp collection with 1 sheet of cut outs enclosed
1 roll of washi tape
1 package of 3 Scripture sharables
1 sticker
1 bow clip

This kit was packed full of vibrant pinks, oranges and yellows--- a few of my personal favorites I must admit. While some of the elements themselves may have been more understated than kits in the past (the die cuts and stamps primarily featuring words for example, or the very subtle washi design), but in this simplicity it allowed for the messages inside to truly be the star. (You can take a deeper look inside with my unboxing video here.)

Throughout our lives, we will all be faced with tough times and we will all need that little reminder that through Christ, we are strong. If you- like me- are going through that time now- this is definitely the kit for you. Illustrated Faith I Am Strong Kit will be available to purchase TOMORROW at Dayspring.