It seemed as if the name of my site was accidental at first. But as times goes on, I see God’s perfect plan laid out before me. One of my passions with this site is that we are deliberately Seeking God.
By accidental, I mean I was just putting something in the space for a blog name, thinking I would change it later because I couldn’t come up with anything else at the time. I was Seeking to pursue God in all that I was, including this site, so I wrote it down.
My soul was on fire, I wanted to tell the world of God’s goodness, grace and mercy in my life. I wanted people to know that He is my only hope and if hope is not in your vocabulary, He is the answer.
So it stuck, not because I can’t think of something better for my site but because I can’t think of anything better for my life.
I am glad you join me here.
But for God.
There is a place to meet Him. He truly will teach us and lead us in His Word.
Over the past couple of weeks, we have had the privilege of reading ways some of my blogger friends spend time digging in God’s Word and pursuing His heart. Time for Loving Our Lord and Walking with Christ have been an absolute joy for me to read and bring to you.
I hope that you were able to take some great ideas away from each of those beautiful souls. Most importantly, I hope you gained the understanding that God personalizes our time with Him. Not everybody’s time has to look and act the same way.
God is a personal God. He did not make us with a cookie cutter and He doesn’t want our relationship with Him to look as if He did.
This week, I am going to let you in on my personal study time.
My study time is constantly changing and it is not picture perfect. I come with two things every time. My Bible and my heart.
I like to read the Bible at night before I go to bed. One benefit of that has been, when I wake in the night or am tortured with a sleepless night, I have fallen to sleep with God’s truth pouring over me and into my heart.
I wake up in the morning singing praises and have this need and craving for more of what I had for a midnight snack. I recently got a “little” (I mean kid size Gideon NT Bible) and keep it by my bedside. I wake in the night and in the morning and have some quiet time before I get distracted by the day. I can just pick it up and read right where I am at. No need for trying to handle my big study Bible.
As for studying, I like to consume, consume, consume. So that does not happen as much as my daily reading.
Recently, I wrote a review on the ESV Family Devotional Bible.
As a family, we have been studying this at dinner time. The nights we miss, my kids are quick to say, we forgot to do our Bible story. I have loved this time so much.
We have learned so much as a family about God’s Heart, how the Bible is so relevant in all we do, and the value of this time together. I have three kids 4, 6, and 9 and they love it. They get to pick the story we read, answer questions at the end (which we use like a gameshow) and they have a verse to recite. And it’s perfect for all of them because it comes straight from God’s Word, which is relevant for all.
If you are having trouble getting quiet time with the Lord because you are busy with the kiddos, maybe I could suggest bringing them into your time. It doesn’t always have to be quiet it just has to be beneficial. I have been really encouraged by this verse from Galatians 6:9 which says, So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessings if we don’t give up.
I hope you caught that. At just the right time (God’s timing is always perfect), we will reap a harvest, a bounty of blessings from doing the good that comes from knowing God’s Word!
We need to know what is good, right, and true. We find this seeking God in the place He has called to meet us, in His Word.
Sometimes having a set daily Bible reading time, sounds good, but seems out of our grasp. It means we have to give up of ourselves and our time that we give to other things.
This verse can encourage us to not grow weary of this good part of our day with Christ. It is something that in time, maybe today, maybe tomorrow, certainly down the road, we will reap the blessings.
Life is tough. It is full of challenges, heartache, and heartbreak. Knowing God’s Word. Knowing God’s truth, God’s promises, God’s unending love for His children is hope in the struggles. Peace in the uncertainty. Joy for tomorrow.
But there is only one way to cling to it. You have to know it. To know it, you have to read it.
Don’t just make it something you add to your to-do-list. Add it to your something you can’t do without list.
Dear Friends,
Do not grow weary!
Do not give up!
The blessings are waiting for you in the pages of God’s Heart!
Please encourage a friend today by sharing this page with them!
You can also join me on one of my social media sites where we can connect throughout the week.
Facebook
Google+
This week’s featured friend is Michele Morin whom I found her work when I noticed all her encouraging comments around different ministry pages. She is such a sweet lady and seeking to gain a heart of wisdom. You can read her great insight from last week’s post here and you can find her blogging about her August Musings at Living Our Days.
While you’re here, sit down with some of my friends.
WOW! I know Summer is busy so I thank you all for coming here and for the 83 Amazing posts. This party has been wonderful and it is thanks to you, friends, who link-up with us and those who stop by and read and SHARE! Thank you!
You all are amazing writers who share DIY’s, Recipes, Photos, Giveaways, Homeschool and Family and Faith. Many of you have amazing journeys of faith and I praise the Lord we are able to connect here!
There are easy share buttons to your left or at the bottom of each post (mobile) and after you link-up. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks! From all of us at #SittingAmongFriends
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Jaime, so blessed by your words of encouragement today! And I'm glad that you found the August recap post. Trusting that friends will find their way to all the wisdom you've offered about the importance of time in the Word!
Thanks, Michele. Thanks for sharing your inspirations last week and thank you for featuring us here on your page. I love the wisdom and encouragement that you always offer! Glad you're here, friend!
Michele, how cool to see you featured here today! Blessings!
I like bumping into you, Gayl, no matter where we are!
"Don’t just make it something you add to your to-do-list. Add it to your something you can’t do without list." Love this, Jaime. Thank you for sharing your heart today.
We often times want to "fit" God into our busy day and can't figure out why He is silent when we get desperate. We try to make the other things in our lives into gods and want the all encompassing God when we get in a bind. He wants our hearts, our devotion, not just our devotions. Thanks for stopping by again this week and for the encouragement!
Jaime love how you reminded us to bring our children in our study time, for me it's my grandchildren. They still are a bit small, but I have started already with the precious Bible story books. And, yes it is on my can't do without list every day.
Thanks for sharing your wisdom today. Love it. And I love Michele She is such a blessing to all of us. I don't know how she does it all.
xoxo Debbie
I know, I have thought so many times, we are busy and life get hectic and it goes by so fast and before we know it our quiet time is gone with the day. Bring those kids into that
"quiet time". They need it, too. They need to know it is real and not just something big people do. I know it can be hard to focus and takes time but it is totally worth it. Thanks for sharing with us how you are bringing those precious grandbabies into the Word! Many blessings to you and them, friend!
Jamie- I love your site name. Isn't that what we want to be the goal of each day? Seeking God in all we do?
It's so hard to get Bible study in with 5 kids, I end up doing mine late at night. I'm going to try and involve my kids more with my study.
Michele is a huge cheerleader to all of us. We need cheerleaders because the devil is all to ready to take us out!
Julie
Growing up I thought that church stuff was for big people and faithful. When I got to be a "big person", I didn't know how to do it or what it looked like. It could have been a journey. We want it to be personal but our kids need to know what that looks like. What better person to show them than mommy! I can't wait to hear how this goes. I have to be honest ours still can be bit hectic. But better hectic than not at all. We don't have to strive for perfection. We have to strive to crave that relationship with Jesus, making it a non-negotiable.
It's so great to hear your joy in the Lord, Jaime! And I'm grateful that you've been including so many great ideas on different ways to study God's word, as well as looking "outside the box." We all can make this a priority and I'm here to testify that it can make all the difference in a day and a life. 🙂
So glad you have shared your heart with us here, Beth and I do appreciate your contributions to these posts. Like you said it makes a difference. That is who Jesus is in us. He is our the one to make us different. That is a good thing! Without Him, we can be a total mess! 😉
'The blessings are waiting for you in the pages of God's heart.' Love that! And love the encouragement to make God's word something you can't do without. Thanks for sharing your love for God, Jaime.
Such kindness, Carlie. Thank you. The other day my son had a project. What would you want to have on a deserted island. We went down the list and it said for food, for shelter, for this and that? My husband put Bible in the place of all the things he would need and it fit. It is pretty cool when God reveals those things to you and your kids. It is what we need for all of life's path. Glad your here, Carlie!
Thank you for sharing with us the humorous beginning of how you settled on a blog name. I love how the perfect name for it was already in your heart all along.
I've found that involving my kids in my personal Bible reading time works out better sometimes, because with all there is to do each day, at least we do the thing that matters most together. I still cherish my quiet Bible reading time (when I can find it!).
Thank you, Jaime, for being such an encouragement to us here.💕
I love that, Gleniece. Because all there is to do each day, at least we do the the one thing that matters most and who better to do those things with than those little darlings you want to grow up loving the Lord! Thanks so much for joining us and sharing your heart!
My time with God is not picture perfect either. I do like to read the Bible at night before I go to sleep. When I can't sleep or awaken in the middle of the night I usually spend time praying. I figure I'm awake for a reason and usually God puts someone on my heart and I pray for them. Thanks for your encouragement to not give up but keep on. Blessings to you!
That reminds me of the story in Esther when King Xerses couldn't sleep. So he asks to have his chronicles read to him. God just so happened to wake him this evening to remind him of the good that was done to him by Mordacai. It was a turn around. God can certainly wake us up in our sleep to bring something or someone to our attention. I love that you pray for that person. I am going to have to remember that. I sometimes read so I can remember all that God has done for me instead of giving in to the devils attacks on this tired mamma. Just my way of replacing the lies with the truth. Thanks so much for sharing with us here, Gayl.
Jaime,
I feel the same way about having my Bible on my nightstand! Another thing we have in common 🙂 Your series on time with Jesus was so good because it has laid condemnation aside and allowed people the opportunity to create for themselves a time and a manner that works for their season of life. It is so great that you featured Michele this week! She is a blessing!
Hugs,
Lori
You're too funny! Thanks for the encouragement. You are right there is no condemnation. God seeks our heart not to just chase us off with the regimens. We often put those pressures on ourselves and others and it keeps people from where they need to be, at the feet of Jesus. Thanks for sharing and being a part of this community.
Very nice. I read my Guideposts daily reader (or at least try) every day. And I silent pray a lot during the day. Just simple stuff.
Hi Patrick, I have some great resources from a company that I really enjoy their devotionals from called CTA. They have 5 weeks of devotionals yet are small enough to fit in a bag or pocket. Their writing is great. If you are interested, I will send you a couple. Just email me.