Motivational Monday; Finding Strength You Didn't Know You Had

Today I'm staying on the topic of strength.  Last week I offered up a great quote for you by Cayla Mills as my offering over at the Path of Positivity blog.  "You never know how strong you are, until being strong is the only choice you have."  Well this week I used that quote along with a stunning digi from Ike's Art, who has come on as an on-going sponsor.

This quote really speaks to the core within us all.  Many of us don't realize the depths of our strength until we are challenged in our lives in one capacity or another.  For some it may be illness or disease, for others like myself, it could be facing a disability.  For others yet, it could be coming face to face with a past that threatens to run us over and overwhelm us.  In other circumstances, the challenge may not come from something we face personally but rather from standing beside someone facing their own unique battles.

For some the strength would come from not giving in and standing up to the battle to be faced.  I agree that yes, strength can be found here; however, I also believe that the truest form of strength comes from those who have been bulldozed over, only to battle through the darkness and pick themselves back up again.  Anyone who has seen real darkness or walked beside someone else stumbling through it, only to emerge out the other side back into the light and fight to regain what they have, exhibits a form of strength that is unmeasurable.

Today my card doesn't have an intended recipient at this time.  In fact I hope in the deepest put away part of my heat that I NEVER have to send it out.  Unfortunately, I don't think I will get that lucky.  I have lost several loved ones and a few friends already to the dreaded disease of cancer, in one form or another, and I know of and continue to pray for people in my life and in the lives of my friends who are facing the biggest battles of their life right now.  It is just when I saw this particular image from Ike, I knew it would be perfectly paired with the quote I chose to use to inspire people on the topic of strength.  They just seem meant to go together...

FRONT

Digital Image:  

• As mentioned this beautiful image is from Ike's Art.  If you are interested in purchasing this image called 'Awareness', please contact Ike through either her STORE or BLOG.
• I've coloured it in using Copic markers--Skin:  E000, E00, E02, R20.  Ribbon:   RV00, RV02, RV04.

Digital Sentiment:

• This is the first part of the quote I created for the start of Challenge #3.  You can find it over on the Path of Positivity blog by going HERE and scrolling down towards the bottom of the post.

Embellishments:

• Button is from a stash we picked up at Giant Tiger. I've used pink cross stitch thread for the bow.
• The little half pearls are Crafts brand from Dollarama.

INSIDE

With a closer look at the top part...

Details:

• I decided to take some of the individual words from the DP, cut them out and add them as a stepping stone to the most important word of them all, survivor.

and here is a closer look at the bottom part...

Digital Sentiment:

• Here I simply used the second half of the quote.

 OVERALL 

Paper Products:

• Card base: Michael's Recollection's Card & Envelope set, lg. white.  
• The Designer breast cancer awareness paper and the bright pink cardstock used as a shadow (front and inside) are from Michael's open stock scrapbook paper.  

Challenges I hope to enter include:

• 613 Avenue Create -- Anything Goes/Optional Twist Twist
• Word Art Wednesday -- Anything Goes 
• Crafter's Digital Art Centre -- Anything Goes

Some more challenges may be added to this list later this week and/or month.


Regardless of the battles you are currently facing, have faced or will sometime in the future, be firm in the knowledge that strength is or will be there for the taking once you accept that being strong is your only option for survival. 

May you always find strength when you need to call upon it the most!

Until next time,