Scripture & A Snapshot {Week 4}

This is an incredibly wordy post. 
But it comes from my heart and I hope it will resonate with someone out there.
____________

My entire reason for starting this link up, and my burning desire for it, is to reach those of you who don't know Christ; who maybe think He wouldn't want you because of all the mistakes you've made, or that Christians are a bunch of uncool and really weird people. (well, some of them are. ;) but you'll find that everywhere.)
Point being: The One who created everything knows you by name. And He will never fail you or abandon you. 

That kind of love is not found on earth.

Perhaps you've heard Pascal's paraphrased quote:

There's a God shaped hole in our hearts that can only be filled with God.

It can not be filled with money, drugs, alcohol, sex, shoes, shopping, food, or whatever your vice may be. Those things offer very temporary and very fleeting moments of "happiness". And when these moments are over, you seek them out again...in a never-ending cycle of addiction.

The very first time I heard that Pascal quote, I literally cried. It was such a lightbulb moment for me! 

I thought "This is what I've been trying to fill my life with, and why nothing else has worked. And He's been right in front of me the whole time! I've been such a fool."

For so long, I had been pushing God away and replacing Him with other things. I've always believed in God, but for a long time I just didn't care to have Him as a part of my life.

And let me tell you, now that He is a part of my life I am experiencing life everyday!

You know how at the end of The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, when the grinch's heart grew?! That is exactly how I felt once I let God fill the hole in my heart! It was as if my heart grew and lit up and is now bursting with completeness!

True and eternal happiness comes only when you wholeheartedly give your life to God and let Him fill you with His love!

I really feel that this particular Scripture & A Snapshot was divinely guided. I don't mean to sound pretentious, but I'm certain that this was not my idea! I don't even remember why I chose this verse, but I did. I had a scripture and snapshot completely done and scheduled to post, then I found this verse and felt a strong urge to change the whole thing. I didn't even have an idea for what my snapshot would be, but I made the change anyway. I'd been brainstorming all week trying to think of something that would work with this scripture, and all I could come up with were really inappropriate things! But on Thursday, while on a walk with my kids - which was spur of the moment - we walked past a tree covered in thorns. I almost always have my camera with me, so I took a picture of them hoping that I could use it in some way. Then on Friday everything just started coming together. I opened my images in PSE and still wasn't sure of what I'd end up with. Things just kind of fell into place and what really boggles my mind is that when I tried using the smudge tool, it made that black and white area instead. That's not what it's supposed to do! But I thought it worked perfectly for this.

I may very well have completely failed at capturing the visual essence of Jeremiah 17:9.

But maybe I didn't? 

Maybe one of you out there needed to hear this? 

And maybe one of you will come to realize what you're really looking for...

<center><a href="http://katielloydphotography.blogspot.com/search/label/Scripture%20and%20a%20Snapshot"><img border="0" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4152/5005740786_2337690f81_m.jpg" width="196" /></a></center>

Want to join in this challenge?

Here's how to participate:

1. Select a photo.
It can be from your archives or a new shot. Please only use your own photos.

2. Add a scripture verse to it.
Here's a link to a good Bible verse search engine. You can have the scripture on your photo, below it, make a collage - however you want, as long as the two elements are together!

3. Put the Scripture & a Snapshot button in your post.
You won't be deleted or banned if you don't. It just helps spread the word...and the Word. ;)

4. Come back here and link up your post.   
Please link directly to your Scripture & A Snapshot post, not the home page of your blog.
The linky will always be open from Sunday morning through Wednesday night.




UPDATE:
I know some of you are having trouble with the linky, and for that I'm very sorry!!
I figured out what's going on - the linky is moving your entries to other week's lists! Oye.
So if you're having trouble, please let me know in the comments or an email and I will get you linked up in the right week!
Thanks for your patience!