Life With Christ Archives - Seeking God with Jaime Wiebel

What. Makes. Your. Heart. Beat.?

Jaime Wiebel — Thu, 15 Oct 2015 19:23:00 +0000

I have
been in many conversations lately and really been thinking about the topic of gifts,
talents and the question, “Am I fulfilling my purpose?” I keep hearing the same question. What makes your heart beat?

I am
currently in a women’s bible study and we are studying the book Restless by
Jennie Allen. It has been a really great tool for exploring what it is we dream
about and running after those dreams.

As a
Christ follower, I obviously want my heart to beat for the things and purposes God
has called me to. I want to feel that racing when it comes to knowing that I am
serving His purposes.

But does
it?

What a great question. Take a minute to ask yourself
these questions. What do I get excited about? Where or when do I feel
completely in my element? Is this a time or space that seems to fly by and I
hope I could have more?

As you read about several biblical characters, that
had really significant roles in the history of the bible, the final words or
what I consider a biblical eulogy end something like this.

First one is Samuel, the man whom anointed King
David, ministered to the first King of Israel, Saul, and played out God
purposes for his life time and time again. These are the final words about
Samuel.

Now Samuel died, and all Israel assembled and mourned for him; and
they buried him at his home in Ramah. 1 Samuel 25:1.

When I read over this in my summer study I had to
laugh out loud. We are led through Samuel’s life in the first part of 1 Samuel
and then we get to these three words. Then Samuel died. That’s it. Clearly he
was loved. All of Israel assembled and mourned.

The reason I laughed or chuckled was because I pictured
the obituary in the newspaper and here is a picture of old Samuel and next to his worn out face it just says… He died.

Now I look at King David’s final times. These are
the kind of words I want to be read or printed about me at my death.

For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own
generation, fell asleep and was laid with his fathers and saw corruption (or decay). Acts
16:36

He died at a good old age, having enjoyed long life, wealth and
honor. His son Solomon succeeded him as king. 1 Chronicles 29:28

Life is short. Life is but a breath. At the end of
your breath, what will the history books say? He died. She died. Or will they
say, “She (He) served their purposes in their generation and fell asleep. They
enjoyed a long life with honor and died at a good old age.”

I am not saying that you can know that you will live
a long life and die at a good old age. Will anyone, however, be able to say
about you “He (She) served their purpose for God in Her generation and then she
fell asleep.

We all have the same central desire to feel like our
lives have purpose. We all want to feel that in some way we can be significant
or make a difference.

Are you serving God’s purpose in your life?

We were all put here for such a time as this to
serve our generation and make known the Word of God. We are to make known His
redemptive story because it is God’s desire that not one person should
perish.

So with a knowledge of the lives of so many greats
that have gone before us. The desire to serve God’s purpose in my generation before
I fall asleep and being a servant of my Lord are some of the things that Make. My. Heart. Beat.

I do not want waste a moment. I want to follow the desire and
the will of God so that I may set out on the path and the purposes He has for
my life.

I want to be teaching His Word on the path He had
placed before me (which seems to include all of you). I want to have a willing obedient heart that travels on Great Commission Road and witnesses to the ends of the earth.

At the end of my life, I don’t want the words beside
my final picture to be “She died”. I want my eulogy to read she served God’s
purpose in this generation and then at His time He took her home.

What about you?

What makes your heart beat?

Do you
know that you have a purpose?

Do you fulfill the purposes God laid out for you?

Do you even know what your purposes are?

It is a very interesting topic to explore. If you
are left with lots of questions I would encourage to explore your life. Explore
the Word of God. Your Creator has created you for great things. Find out what
those things are and get busy.

Questions you can email me at youresewtrendy@gmail.com

Check out more encouraging posts “Life” My Hope In Him Grace and Mercy

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Grace and Mercy

Jaime Wiebel — Thu, 17 Sep 2015 14:02:00 +0000

I recently posted this picture.

It sparked quite a bit of interest and so I thought
we would dive into this topic a little more.

John 1:14 says The Word became flesh and made his
dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son,
who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

I just love this verse. It actually kind of makes me
envious to be quite honest of the men and women that were able to witness this.
I would have loved to live there and walk with Christ, hold His hand, and hear
Him speak of His Heavenly Father. What an amazing thought. Amen.

As believers
we often times long for the coming of Christ or just for the moment that we
will be in His presence and sitting at His feet. I love the pictures that are depicted
of Christ with little children surrounding Him. What a perfect portrait of a
God who loves His children so much that He is sitting among them.

John 1:1 tells us leading information for verse 14
it says: In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

The Word was God.
Both of these verses use the same Greek word. Logos which means Word. Verse 14
says the Word became flesh. So God became flesh. And made His dwelling among
us. John was a witness to His glory. He was a witness to the glory of the One
and Only Son.

What makes my heart melt about this verse is just
the comfort of knowing that my God is not unreachable. He loved us so much that
He came down and made His dwelling among us. He is not some far out unreachable
deity that I can never attain. He came here to die for my sins and for yours.

The thought of one day being able to be in the
presence of my Lord is not unreachable. It is not unattainable. Why? Because of
His Grace and Mercy.

I like the NLT version of this verse. Isaiah 59:12
says: For our sins are piled up before God and testify against us. Yes, we know
what sinners we are.

I think that we can all be honest about sin. It is
the things we think, say or do against God. Most of us are aware of our
imperfections. No I don’t mean crooked noses or teeth. I’m talking about things such as anger, hate, greed, malice,
lying, and deceit. We’ve all been there.

Isaiah 59:12 explains my sin as it really is. Before
a God that is perfect they are piled up. Like my dirty laundry it is just piled
before me. They testify to the person
that I am without Christ.

Because of my sins, I deserve a consequence, a
penalty. The penalty before me is death.

On the cross God extended His Grace to me. He looked
at my pile of dirty laundry and He said I will make it white as snow. And He
laid it upon His Son. What do I deserve
for the choices that I have made? What do I deserve for all that has piled up
before my Lord?

I certainly don’t deserve God’s forgiveness. This is
God’s Amazing Grace! Because God is merciful (He doesn’t give me what I do
deserve, which is death) He sent His Son to die on the cross for my sins, to
take my place. Because God is graceful (Grace
is when God gives us what we don’t deserve) I can live in eternity with Him in
Heaven.

Mercy = God doesn’t give me what I deserve. Grace =
God gives me what I don’t deserve

He doesn’t give me death even though I deserve it
(Mercy). He offers me life eternally with Him (Grace). That my friends is a
gift.

We experience Mercy and Grace from others so we can
see these two things played out in our everyday lives.

Mercy may look like this. You go speeding through town 10 mph over the
speed limit, police officer pulls you over, and because he is merciful (doesn’t
give you what you deserve) the police officer doesn’t give you a ticket.
Instead he smiles at you and lets you drive off with a warning.

Grace may look like this. You show up late for work,
you sit and text your friends all day long, and you take extra-long breaks.
Because your boss is graceful (gives you what you don’t deserve) you get a
raise even though you are not receiving any “Worker of the Year” awards.

Grace and Mercy. Both rely on a God that loves you
more than your sin. He did what it took to stand in your place. You see when
Christ came to dwell among us He was full of grace but not at the cost of not
speaking truth.

Truth is, we are sinners but grace wins because
Christ died on the cross in our place.

What a glorious day!

Comment below. Tell us your story of mercy and grace
from your loving Father or share with us how you have experienced grace and
mercy from those around you.

The post Grace and Mercy appeared first on Seeking God with Jaime Wiebel.

Back To School

Jaime Wiebel — Sat, 12 Sep 2015 05:50:00 +0000

As I left school today, I left with one less child. Today my middle child went to preschool.

I have had a few hard days the last couple of weeks. He is my middle but for some reason he has always seemed little. Not so much in stature but in his personality. He is so sweet and tenderhearted. As a parent we want our children’s teachers to adore our children as much as we do.

I think I did really well. I told him I was going to miss him because I wanted him to know it is okay to miss people when they are away from you. But I also told him that I was excited for his new adventure.

The reason I said I did well was because I didn’t cry until I dropped him off. You may be laughing but I was pretty proud of myself. As I was driving away the reality of a huge change swept over me. I don’t know how many of you have children in school or past the school age but the moment you drop them off for school, time seems to accelerate in their little lives.

The next time you turn around they are a whole year bigger. Before my husband and I decided that I could be stay-at-home mom I was teaching in a middle school. Although I really enjoyed my job, we decided it would be best for me to have these years with them at home. I must say that being a stay-at-home mom is the hardest job that I have ever had.

I have been home with my children now for almost eight years and I would like to think that I am getting better at it or I have things figured out but many days I feel quite the contrary.

My husband and I are a pretty good team but many days we feel at a complete loss and I feel at the very end of my rope. The demands are high and the down time is virtually none.

Being the mom of my three little awesome kids is something I wouldn’t trade with anyone.

Sometimes I wonder if this is what I signed up for but I am assured God gave me this place, this time, and these kids and this is what I signed up for. As a believer, I am to serve God in this place, this time and with the people that he places before me.

It is an honor to serve God in this way. As a parent my number one responsibility is to my family. To serve and minister to my children. What an awesome and amazing job that God has given to me. One He has given to all those who are parents.

In fact one reason I haven’t posted here in a couple of weeks is because I have wanted to really focus on my family as summer wrapped up. We took a wonderful vacation and just really spent time loving each other as our summer time together was coming to a quick end.

To those who are not parents, you have it easy. I am just kidding. If you think this may not apply to you it can. What an opportunity for you to come alongside parents and other believers and support them through prayer, compassion, serving and ministering in many other ways.

The truth is parent or not these are the generations that will support us and pray for us when we are advanced in years. They are the ones raising the next generations. Without the support of all believers standing together to pray and minister to this generation, they are that much further removed from truth and light and the chance for hope through Jesus Christ, Our Risen Savior.

So as we start another school year. Can you please pray with me? Not only for my children but for children across the globe that they will seek the path Christ has laid out for each and every one of their beautiful souls. Pray they will grow to be Christ followers in the face of an ever changing and challenging world.

I truly appreciate you reading another blog page and continuing to return after my much needed time with family.

Many blessings to families as they navigate through this school year.

So we keep on praying for you, asking our God to enable you to live a life worthy of his call. May he give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do. 2 Thessalonians 1:11

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You Are His Masterpiece

Jaime Wiebel — Thu, 20 Aug 2015 06:16:00 +0000

Ephesians 2:10 says: For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

I love this verse right from the beginning.

Garden in Giverny

When I was in college, I began to love Claude Monet paintings. I had them on my walls and would frame things that he had painted. I even had a pop-up book with his gardens and paintings in them because I love the beauty of them.

I loved the serenity and relaxing themes he painted. The colors he used in the paintings gave me a sense of calmness when I looked at them. The pictures drew me in to the scene and I wanted to be in that spot.

This is a picture of his garden in Giverny that inspired some his paintings and some of my favorites. He created masterpieces that have been admired for generations.

Ephesians 2:10 says that we are God’s masterpiece. When I think of those breathtaking paintings, it helps me appreciate all that God put into our creation.

Genesis 2:7 tells us the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground. He didn’t just speak us into existence. He took up the dirt of the ground and carefully and lovingly formed us. He cared about his creation so much that He made us His masterpiece.

Psalm 139:13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb.

When I was pregnant with our first child this verse became very real to me. The imagery of our Heavenly Father taking the time to intricately create us, to knit all our delicate parts. And with every brushstroke finally arrive at a masterpiece of His glorious work.

What an Awesome God!

In Christ, he has created us anew and not only for the sake of becoming a new creation but so we could do the good things He planned for us long ago.

Although I do not know how much time I have on this Earth, I can be sure of several things. God has my life planned for me.

Verse 10 says He planned it long ago. Long before I became a thought. Long before my grandparents became a thought, he knew the plans that He had for me.

Anyone ever unsettled about the things they cannot see? About the future they cannot foresee?

We were made anew in Christ so we could do the good things he saw for us long ago. Even though we cannot see the plans the Lord has for us, we can rest assure that He knows.

We can rest assure that He has planned good things for us.

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Many people know and love this verse. It gives them hope in a life that can sometimes seem as if it were filled with despair.

But listen carefully to the middle of this verse my friends, it says “declares the Lord.” This was not just said by anyone. This was not just in passing. This was declared by the Lord. I don’t know about you but I find it so comforting to know the Lord declared “I know your future and it is for your good.” It is for His good.

I often times have the children I am teaching say back to me, “And if God said, I believe it.”

Do you believe it for yourself? Do you believe you are a masterpiece of an Awesome Creator? In Christ, He has made you anew and has good plans for you.

So don’t wait another moment, Go and do the good work that He has created you to do.

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To read recent posts click on these links: Who Is Jesus?, Are you Willing to Forgive?,

Heart For Worship and My Hope In Him

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Anchored In The Cross

Jaime Wiebel — Thu, 02 Jul 2015 07:28:00 +0000

Over the past few days I have been having “one of
those days”. I woke up and just didn’t feel quite like myself. No matter what I
was trying I just couldn’t shake the feeling. I wanted to cry, I felt so
frustrated.

Anyone ever have those kind of days?

Of course, I am not alone in my feelings but that is
exactly how I felt, alone. I felt like everything was coming down on me at
once.

My head kept filling with the lies that I wasn’t
good enough, mom enough, smart enough, tall enough, skinny enough, outgoing
enough, enough of a friend, just purely not enough.

I kept reminding myself that God’s promises are
bigger than I am and I just kept clinging to all that I know. I was crying out
to Him, a couple of times literally, for a rescue from these feelings.

I know when I feel alone, I am promised from God
that He will never leave me nor forsake me. I felt, however, like I was
reaching out and grabbing at nothing.

I asked God why I was feeling alone and told Him I
knew this was not true and knew He was by my side.

I began to pray for God to rescue me from these
feelings and I was sure that He would. I continued to however, perpetuate these
thoughts. They began to pull me down like a heavy weight.

Sometimes the assurance doesn’t come so quickly or
as easily as we would like. Sometimes we get caught up in the whirlwind of our
emotions and they begin to take over.

The fact is,

I can
choose to be anchored to these lies…

I can continue
to sink into a downward spiral until I am in over my head…

I can
choose to drown in my self-doubt…

Or…

I can choose to be anchored to the cross.

At the cross, I receive the grace and mercy of a
loving Father. At the cross, I receive the promises Christ has given to his
children. At the cross, I receive the rest I need for my weary soul to be strengthened
for the next step in my journey.

Hebrews 6:19 says: We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It
enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain

The hope in the salvation of cross is real. It is
what we can stand firm on when our hearts and our heads begin to get weary and
all of life comes pouring in on us.

This hope is more than I hope it doesn’t rain
tomorrow or I hope the grocery store is having a sale on strawberries.

This hope is grounded in something sure, certain and
secure. This hope is standing firm in the Salvation of Christ and being able to
approach His throne with confidence.

Psalm 62:5-7 Yes, my
soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my
salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor
depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge.

This Psalm is a beautiful reminder or our Great and
Mighty Lord in the midst of our weariness. In the middle of life’s
complications we can be assured that our hope comes from God alone.

I am not my feelings today. I am not the
circumstances that surround me. My anchor is set outside my rocking ship.

I can pour out my heart to God and there I will
find shelter. I can expect Him to be a solid ground to rest my feet upon.

He is my
rock, my fortress, my refuge, my defense, my salvation,
my honor depend on Him alone. With
God, I will not be shaken.

Does anyone need that reminder today like I do?

Does anyone have a weary heart or head that could
use a little rest and assurance?

Jesus says in John 15:26
says: I will send you the Advocate
– the Spirit of Truth. He will come to you from the Father and will testify all
about me.

I often times have songs in my head, but only a
couple of lines and I sing them all day. Yesterday, I asked God for help.
Today, I had this song play over in my head, “Holy Spirit, You are welcome here. Come flood this place and fill the atmosphere.” This beautiful song is by Francesca Battistelli.

God has sent help, the Advocate, the Spirit of Truth,
the Holy Spirit. If you have accepted Christ, He has come to intercede on your
behalf.

He will give you a renewed strength. He will comfort you, encourage you,
and give you counsel in those times when life hurls all it has in your direction.
He
will testify to the truth that Christ took it all at the cross. He will testify
to the truth of God’s promises for His children.

What or Whom will you choose to be anchored to today?

Read last weeks post, Expecting the Unexpected

The post Anchored In The Cross appeared first on Seeking God with Jaime Wiebel.

The Carpenter’s Daughter

Jaime Wiebel — Sun, 21 Jun 2015 06:27:00 +0000

For the LORD is good. His unfailing
love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation.
Psalm 100:5

As long as I
can remember, my father has been the hardest working man I have known.

My father
has been a self-employed carpenter for 42 years. Although there have been times
he had other people working with him, he has often worked alone.

I know every
time I have “helped him” I am amazed at how hard the work is that he does. Last summer my husband and I had our garage
reroofed and my husband took a few days off of work to help him. My husband,
who also works very hard, said, “I cannot believe how hard your dad works and
he is twenty years older.”

I remember when
I was in school and was in algebra and geometry class I would always think my
dad could do all the equations. I would show him my work and he would kind of
laugh at it. He had no idea how to do equations in a math book.

However, my
dad could build an entire house from the ground up, regularly doing equations
in his head. Measurements, fractions, shapes, angles, and more, he could do in
his sleep. He could take a blank piece of paper and draw a diagram with
everything perfectly in place for building anything. It absolutely amazed me
that he was that brilliant. For us it was the book work we could do and to him
it was real life and he could duplicate it with actual results.

My dad has
always been there for our family. He has always put our family first and loved
us endlessly.

Most people
would say dads of the seventies were different than dads today. My mom likes to
tell people they had four kids and my dad changed four diapers. Maybe not so
hands on in the diaper changing area but my parents rarely left us and had
babysitters watch us. I remember very few
occasions that we were not with them.

Family was
very important. We went everywhere together. We sat down every night for dinner
together and to this day we go to my parents and sit down for meals together.

As my dad
was growing up, his parents took them on family vacations and that was very
important to my dad. There is maybe one year growing up that I can remember not
going a family vacation. Those are very sweet memories I have of my parents and
my siblings.

We still
travel together, now it is just a larger group since all my siblings and I are
married and have kids. There have been years that friends and extended family
have even vacationed with us and we have had fantastic groups of 21 people. It
has been so much fun.

When my
husband talked to my dad about marrying me, some of his fatherly advice was to make
sure to take your family on vacation. There is nothing like escaping your daily
life and just having a great time together as a family. It is time well
treasured.

Four weeks
before I got married my father had a tear in his intestines and became toxic.
He was very ill and spent a lot of time in the hospital. While in the hospital
he got blood clots and his life was threatened again.

Every time I
would visit him in the hospital he would be working so hard walking up and down
the halls because he wanted to come home and he wanted to be able to walk me
down the aisle. I remember visiting him and he said I am trying to get strong so
I can be strong for your wedding.

My father is
strong, genuine, honest, self-sacrificing, generous, hard-working, supportive, funny, caring, and
passionate about life. We have never left his house without him walking us out and waving good-bye.

The greatest
gift my father’s love has given me is helping me know the love my Heavenly
Father. Because of my father I can understand my Heavenly Father’s unconditional
love. I can understand my Heavenly Father’s sacrificial love. I can understand
my Heavenly Father’s unending love.

When I sit down
and read my Bible and read the life of Christ, I can believe Christ would do
what it takes to keep a relationship with me. I can believe God left his
heavenly splendor to sacrifice His life so that I could gain mine.

Christ is
real to me because the love I experienced in my own father. 1 John 4:19 says: We
love because He first loved us. God chooses to love us. It is not
anything that we did or could do.

Growing up,
I was always proud to be a part of my family. Most people didn’t know my name
but they knew whose kid I was. They knew what family I belonged to because of
the love of a mother and the love of a father.

As much as
my parents have lavished love upon us there is no greater love than that of our
Heavenly Father. I have been fortunate to have a little taste of heaven because
I have amazing parents.

1 John 3:1 says, See what kind of love the Father has given to us,
that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the
world does not know us is that it did not know him.

1 John 3:1
tells us the kind of love our Father has lavished on us is one of honor. It is
beyond a love that we have ever known. Nothing could be greater than being
called children of God.

I am honored
to be the daughter of a carpenter and I am eternally grateful to be The Carpenter’s
daughter.

Please SHARE in comments below about your father. I can’t wait to hear your stories.

If you missed the posts for Father’s Day read more at A Life Like His and Men Like Him

The post The Carpenter’s Daughter appeared first on Seeking God with Jaime Wiebel.

I’ll Give Him All of Me!

Jaime Wiebel — Thu, 18 Jun 2015 18:31:00 +0000

He answered,
“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and
with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as
yourself.'” Luke 10:27

Is this you or is this something that you struggle
with?

We devote ourselves endlessly
to our children’s activities. We will pay whatever it takes to get them to be
the best or one of the best.

We will give all our time,
days, nights, weekends… whatever it takes.

We will be their biggest
agent and promoter.

Maybe it is not your
children’s activities, maybe it is your significant other or your family. Maybe
it is yourself, maybe it is your hobby, your job, your extra-curricular
activities.

We so often are willing to
give our heart, soul, mind, and strength to many things or many people.

In Luke 10, Jesus is
answering an expert of the law. He wants to know what he must do to inherit
eternal life. He next wants to know what is written in the law and how does the
law read according to Jesus. They were trying to catch Jesus not answering
according to the law.

To them their life was the
law and it was based on their beliefs. They wanted to follow the law with their
actions but not with their hearts. They were the first to point out others
failing, but couldn’t see the failures in their own lives.

Jesus defined the law. Jesus
came to not give more laws but to fulfill the law in giving his life as a
sacrifice for us.

Jesus quickly answered this
lawyer saying, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul,
with all your mind and with all your strength.” Not just with your empty words
or your actions, but with your being.

How many times do we devote
ourselves to all the other things this world offers and we are quickly let
down. We are quickly disappointed. Like these men we are seeking more.

As Jesus answers us here in
Luke our heart, soul, mind and strength are being put in the wrong place and in
the wrong person.

I don’t know about you
but I don’t want to be let down. I don’t want to be disappointed.

So instead of relying on the
things of this world to build me up. Instead of depending on the people of this
word to not let me down, I can do one thing. I can change my focus. I can
change the direction at which I seek my strength.

You may be thinking right now
that I am crazy. You have families that need your strength. You have spouses
that need your heart. You have jobs that need your mind. You have everyday life
that needs your soul. You are so divided. How can you give any more?

Where do you fit God into all
that giving? What is left for The One you are to be devoted to?

The LORD is my strength
and my shield. I trust Him with all my heart. He helps me and my heart is
filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving. Psalm 28:7

I love the promises that we
are given through God’s Word.

So, how can we give the Lord
ALL our heart; why would we give Him all our heart when we feel like we have so
little left to give?

I am not suggesting giving
Him the pieces that you have left. I am not suggesting that you give him the
parts of you that you can free today. I am not suggesting that you fit
Him in for your five minute pick me up. Neither is HE.

Think about your heart, soul,
strength, and mind. That is ALL of you. This is a sacrifice. This is a
surrender. This is putting yourself aside, to gain life.

What is His promise? HE
promises to be your strength. He promises to be your shield. He helps your
heart be filled with joy. So much joy that you are bursting out with songs.

Anyone in need of a little joy?
Anyone seeking out joy or happiness in things and people, just to be left
seeking more.

Daily, Seek Him first. Daily, Seek Him with all that
you have in you. Intentionally, seek Him with all of your might.

Here are a couple of ways to
give your heart.

If you have children, Deuteronomy 6:7 tells
us: Repeat them (the Lord’s commands) again and again to your children. Talk
about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are
going to bed and when you are getting up.

At your job, Colossians 3:23 says:
Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord
rather than for people.

With Christ, you have hope.
You can have hope in the present. You can have hope for the future. You can
rest you soul in the moments and trials of this life.

I am a constant work of God
but I can be assured with giving him my heart that He will be my strength. He
will be my shield. He will be my fortress and I can find refuge in Him. He will
never leave me nor forsake me.

Are you ready to give your
heart, soul, mind, and strength? Who will you choose to give it to?

Please encourage us with
comments and
SHARING below on ways that you give your heart to Christ in your everyday
life.

The post I’ll Give Him All of Me! appeared first on Seeking God with Jaime Wiebel.

Who Is? I AM!

Jaime Wiebel — Thu, 11 Jun 2015 21:48:00 +0000

I can’t do this.

There must be someone better than I suited for this job.

I am not tall enough…pretty enough…skilled enough…experienced enough…worthy enough… the list goes on.

Does anyone relate to those statements?

You want to take a new step in your life but you feel (fill in the blank) holding you back. Maybe one of the above statements fill in your blank.

Often times we try and build ourselves up. Maybe we talk ourselves into being better. Maybe we look ourselves in the mirror. Like the SNL sketch: I am smart enough. I am good enough and people like me.

I love the story of Moses because I am assured of God’s greatness not my own.

Many of you may know the story of Moses from the popular movie The Ten Commandments.

Moses was a Hebrew baby boy and in his time the Pharaoh commanded all baby boys to be killed. His mother, however, saw that he was special and hid him for three months. When she could no longer keep him hidden she put him in the reeds along the bank of the Nile River.

Along came the Pharaoh’s daughter, she found him, took him into the palace and eventually adopted him as her own.

Moses was raised with all the advantages. He was wealthy. A trained warrior. He was educated. He had all the benefits a man could have.

At this time the Hebrews were slaves to the Egyptians. Moses was out among the people and noticed an Egyptian beating a Hebrew man. Moses stood up for the Hebrew and killed the Egyptian and thinking no one was looking buried Him in the sand.

The next day Moses saw two Hebrew men fighting and tried stepping in but one of the men asked Moses if he was going to kill them like he killed the Egyptian. The pharaoh found out what had happened, tried killing Moses, so Moses fled to the wilderness.

If you are wondering if God can use you at this point in your life consider Moses’s training. Moses spent the next forty years in the wilderness before God would appear to him in a burning bush. Forty years.

When God appeared to Moses in the burning bush He told Moses he had seen the oppression of His people and He wanted Moses to go to Egypt and lead His people to their own fertile and spacious land. The land “flowing with milk and honey”.

10 Now go, for I am sending you to Pharaoh. You must lead my people Israel out of Egypt.” 11 But Moses protested to God, “Who am I to appear before Pharaoh? Who am I to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt?” 12 God answered, “I will be with you. And this is your sign that I am the one who has sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God at this very mountain.” 13 But Moses protested, “If I go to the people of Israel and tell them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ they will ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what should I tell them?” 14 God replied to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. Say this to the people of Israel: I Am has sent me to you.” 15 God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: Yahweh. The God of your ancestors—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.

This is my eternal name,
my name to remember for all generations. -Exodus 3:10-15 (NLT)

In verse 11 Moses protests with God. Who Am I? I am not… and he immediately tries disqualifying himself as a candidate to do God’s work.

Wonder what Moses was thinking. Well, I know I was a prince and have had training, but you know God I killed a man and then they tried killing me… and… well uh… Who am I?

Can you see Moses trying to talk God out of this task? (Even if he didn’t say it out loud) Sound familiar to anyone?

God doesn’t try to give him a pep talk here. He doesn’t try telling him all the ways he is qualified for the job and how amazing he will be at it. Look back at verse 12 God answers, “I will be with you.”
Again Moses protests to God. He tries again. Well uh… if I say this then they will say, who is it that is sending you?

First of all, Moses sees a burning bush and it is not being consumed by the fire. Secondly, the VOICE OF THE LORD is coming from this bush. I don’t know about you but I tend to think I am going to act on that command from the Lord.

But would I? Do I tend to um well um… around the things God asks me to do, big or small?

Do I start to list all my shortcomings and my inadequacies? Do I start to tell God all the things that make me not worthy to do His work?

God answers him in the most amazing way. Tell them I AM WHO I AM.

He is telling Moses I have always been, I will always be.

What I don’t see is how I am able or worthy to do God’s work. Honestly, I am not.

God is not asking me to go do his work alone. He is not asking me to come with all my super talents and try to impress the world with all I can do.

God answers Moses and He tells us simply, saying I AM.

God wants us to come with a willing obedient heart. Not the best resume.

He will use us for His will and for His purposes and He will equip us to do the work that He asks us to do.

When I come to Him saying I am not… GOD reminds me it’s okay because… I AM.

The post Who Is? I AM! appeared first on Seeking God with Jaime Wiebel.

A Life Like His

Jaime Wiebel — Sun, 07 Jun 2015 22:30:00 +0000

Stop by the next couple of weeks for contributions to honor my
father and my grandfathers, and to my Heavenly Father. I hope you enjoy this little
journey with me leading up to Father’s Day.

For the LORD is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his
faithfulness continues to each generation. Psalm 100:5

Growing
up, my family and I lived upstairs from my grandparents. We lived in a duplex
house and had the amazing opportunity to see our grandparents’ every day. Growing
up, I always wanted my kids to know these two extraordinary people.

My grandma would be there to give a firm hand when we needed
and claims I am the only one she ever needed to spank. However, when I was
sick, I would go to grandma to be nursed and spoiled with all her attention.
Fortunately, we are blessed to still have her, vibrant and sassy, in our lives
and in the lives of my kids.

My grandpa was the most faithful man I ever knew. I remember
him sitting up early every morning, coffee in hand, and reading his Bible and praying.

My grandparents always served in the church and I can remember
Grandpa singing in the choir and like me he loved to sing loudly and it was
always a joyful noise.

They both served in the AWANA program. They went to Sunday school
and to church Sunday nights. Church was not something they just did out of
habit it was one way they served and worshipped their Lord.

In fact, my grandfather was often times the only one, along
with the pastor, who would show up every Wednesday morning for prayer meeting.
What an example of devotion to God and the opportunity for prayer.

Grandpa would take us to Sunday school every Sunday and if
we were not in the car the moment he wanted to leave he sat in the car honking
his horn until we arrived. We always
thought it was funny.

We would rush to the car and as we got in he would tell us
not to slam the doors. Then he would zip through town in his little car barely
stopping at each light and sign. Apparently, when my grandpa learned to drive,
stopping was more of an option and not necessarily a rule of the road.

My grandma and grandpa were not always believers and didn’t come
to the Lord until they were in their twenties. They became two clear examples
of people who knew what they were redeemed from and were grateful for God’s
redeeming grace.

I still have the awesome opportunity to worship with my
grandma and we are going to be in a Bible study together this summer. My
grandma has been one of my best friends and we have had many times together
sharing our faith. Grandma stories I have to save for another day.

My grandpa was fun, loving, honorable, and faithful. He was devoted
endlessly to his family, had a great sense of humor, and a love for Jesus that
was undeniable. He spent his life giving back all God had given to him.

My grandpa passed away six weeks before I got married. We
were all at the hospital his final week of life. No one wanted to leave him for
a moment because we wanted to absorb every second of life that we had left with
him.

My grandpa was at such a deep peace. He seemed to be the
only one ready to let go. He would call people to his bedside to take the
opportunity to witness to them or give them some final life advice.

He would sit and talk to my grandma and hold onto her for
every moment he had left to comfort her. If he had one concern it was that she
would be okay even though he knew God would take care of her like He always
had.

He would call my mom and aunt to his side to sing an old
hymn or to sing Jesus Loves Me. He would tell us confidently that he was ready
to go home to see his Lord. He was playing cards and loving each and every one
of us until the moment he closed His eyes and left this world.

Even though our hearts were broken they were filled with peace
because we knew he was no longer hurting, he could no longer be sick, and he
was in the most awesome place you could ever imagine being, in the presence of
his Loving Father.

Instead of filling the funeral home with tears and sadness,
it was a time to celebrate a life well lived. It was a time to celebrate the
promises of God. It was a time to remember this world is not our home and
someday we will be able to rejoice, like grandpa, in the presence of our
Heavenly Father.

My grandpa is missed so very much by the people who were
blessed enough to know him. He was a loving example of a Christ-filled life
that we had the incredible opportunity to be a part of.

My grandma told
me that grandpa’s favorite verse (although he loved them all) was John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only
begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have
everlasting life.

His life was a legacy of a faithful man. One I can look at long
after he is gone and know the reality of the promises of God and the blessings
of a life surrendered. He loved John 3:16 and his life showed that he loved
Jesus for choosing to take our place in a death that we deserved. He lived life
based on the promise of an eternal life. And he lived knowing and showing that it is an
eternal life that starts here. What a blessing!

I thank the Lord for the people that He gives us and hope
that we too can be that someone to the people that we are given to love.

We used to drive to Florida (24 hours) and listen to this song over and over and sing it to Grandpa. Takes me back.

Please SHARE a story about your grandfather in the comments below. I am already excited to read them.

The post A Life Like His appeared first on Seeking God with Jaime Wiebel.

Thirst No More

Jaime Wiebel — Thu, 04 Jun 2015 21:45:00 +0000

When something happens in the day my first instinct is to run to the phone and call my best friend, my husband.

If I am struggling with the kids or if one of them is being especially trying today… off I run.

Something really funny happens… off I run.

I am not able to talk to my husband about every situation because he is at work. As soon as I start this relay back to the phone, I realize, I have to wait for him to be available.

Often times, that need leaves me feeling alone and secluded. Even though I have other people around me (my kids) I begin to sometimes feel isolated.

This would probably explain my talks-a-lot syndrome. Anyone else have this? I get around other moms or really anyone who will listen and I begin talking their ears off. My off button seems to be malfunctioning, and I just cannot shut my mouth.

The great news is there is nothing really wrong with me. We were made to be social with one another. We were not made to be isolated and secluded.

I am left with this question. As much as I seek out relationships with others, my husband, my family, my friends, am I seeking that kind of relationship with my creator? The One who seeks our relationship as much as we seek it with others?

After this giant workout of running to talk to this person or that person, the bottom line is, I am thirsting for something more. As much as I love my family and friends not one of them can quench my thirst like my Heavenly Father.

I am reminded of the women at the well. You can read the full version in John 4:1-42. I love this story for many reasons so I want to explore it a little bit with you.

In the first part of this chapter Jesus and the disciples are going from Judea to Galilee. Verse 4 says: And He had to pass through Samaria.

The word had I find very interesting. You see as Jewish people traveled in this region they did not go through Samaria. In fact, even though it was the shorter route, they would go out of their way to travel around it.

In John, we are told that Jesus had to go this way. The word here means it was necessary. It was necessary for Jesus to go this way. Why? What did He have in mind?

I am not going to begin to pretend I know the mind of Christ but let’s look at what He did while He was there and maybe we can see why he had to go this way.

Verse 6: Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon.7 When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”

The woman continues her line of questioning and asks Jesus if He is greater than Jacob.

13 Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”15The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, so I will not be thirsty nor come all the way here to draw.”

Sir give me this water so I will be thirsty no more. I love her immediate desire. Read on and you will see why her life has left her with this desire.

16 He said to her, “Go, call your husband and come here.” 17 The woman answered and said, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You have correctly said, ‘I have no husband’; 18 for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; this you have said truly.”

Look at her desire for relationship. She has not only had one husband but had five husbands. Now the man she was living with wasn’t even her husband.

Jesus doesn’t rebuke this woman here. What He tells her is very simple yet it went to her core.

Why did Jesus have to go this route? Why does He seek us out on the route we are traveling on?

He wants us to know this.

I know you. I know all that you have done. I know all your past mistakes. I know who you are today and I know the choices that you will make tomorrow.

So He came with this important message.

I have what you need. I am not just interested in your current position in life. I have the living water you need to satisfy your soul, not just to quench a thirsty mouth.

He comes to the well to offer eternal life. No matter your past. No matter your current situation, that you may see no way out of. His message is the same.

Verse 25 says: The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming (He who is called Christ); when that One comes, He will declare all things to us.” 26Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He.”

WOW! Were you ready for that? Here Christ declares for the first time, to a woman, to a Samaritan Women, this amazing statement. I AM HE! I AM HE! No more questions could be asked. She knew and His offer to her is the same He offers you today.

Are you thirsty for this water? The water that satisfies your soul. The type of water that requires only one drink and you will never thirst again.

I don’t know about you but as great as my relationships are, I always need a little more.

So instead of running to my phone, I can run to Christ. He has the water I need to thirst no more.

If you would like to read another post checkout Will You Follow
Bible References used from BibleHub.com

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