Beginning a new life as a married couple, with the person you are madly in love with, is exciting. It is something that words can barely describe. It is something, that until you experience it, you don’t fully comprehend it.

This next month I am celebrating thirteen years with my amazing husband. My best friend. My confidant in Christ. I made this video for him for a wedding surprise. We played it before I walked down the aisle. Since you all missed it, I am inviting you all into our big day.

Wiebel Wedding Movie

This is Us 

Thirteen years ago. I look at those two kids and wonder who those people are. We have not only gotten older, but our lives are also very different. We now have three kiddos that keep us very busy. Our greatest conversations revolve around God as we discuss what He means in our lives.

In these pictures, I loved him but now I love him. He has my heart and is truly the other half of myself.

Before we got married, I never understood the verses used in marriage ceremonies.

The verses come from Genesis when God made Eve from the flesh of Adam and then Jesus teaches them again in Mark 10 about the sanctity of marriage. I naively thought they were just part of ceremony and tradition. Now they are real to me.

For this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” Mark 10:7-9

Now that I am married and have some years under my belt, I understand my husband and I are one, united by Christ. I am living this out in my life. As I chose to respect the man that he is and he chooses to love me for who I am, flaws and all. I know I was surprised I had so many, too.

The secret to My Heart

I want to tell you the secret to this guy snagging me. Although there were many wonderful things about him, there was this one thing that made him unlike any other.

When my husband and I first started dating, we would stay up at late at night and have long talks.  We would share our lives with each other. Our hopes and dreams, you know all the mushy stuff.

It was that time in a new relationship when your past and ex-relationships may come up. You know the dreaded moment when you feel like you really like someone and the last thing you want to do is talk about anyone else.

Great Conversations

Honestly, I believe those things can be completely unhealthy for a relationship and if they need to be discussed they need to be of mutual benefit. Once something is said, and this goes for many things, it cannot be unsaid or unheard. And it takes absolute maturity to have that conversation.

Does your new interest really need to know about past relationships? Whether you said yes or no, why do you feel that way?

Even though I believe in honesty and transparency, some things just do not need to be said. It was not that I was trying to hide things from him. I just could not see how it would help us move forward. I was who I was in spite of my past. Treading that water was not of interest to me. Those people were not of interest to me so why did it matter.

So one night as we are in a conversation, he said to me, “I don’t need to hear about your past, about your exes and stuff you did. All of that has made you who you are and I like that person.”  Awwwww! I know you are Awwwing with me right now, aren’t you!

What a Gift

This was beyond sweet. This was a gift. He was going to like me regardless of any history. Any baggage that I may have carried in.

He was mature enough to handle my past and I was of his. We just did not need to discuss it. It had no benefit. We would continue this path no matter our past.

Who was this man?

The gift that he gave me that day was whispered and treasured in my heart. Come as you are.

What would this mean for me and our relationship as we were beginning a new life?

What would that mean to you?

The One Who Whispers Come As You Are

This sweet phrase is some exciting news for all of us. God is an amazing Father that gives us that same exact gift. He says to us come as you are and let me love the person that you have become.

No matter our past or our current, God is willing to take us in just as we are. He is willing to love us in spite of who we are when we come to Him.
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For a long time, I was afraid to face God. Even though I was a Christian, I was on the run. I was afraid to face the person that I had become. If I had only realized then His pursuit of me was with those exact words, come back to me as you are.

In Revelation, there are several beautiful pictures of Christ and the new heaven and the new earth being revealed as a bride to her bridegroom.

Maybe it’s just me, but when I attend a wedding, I always look at the groom as the bride is entering the room. There is nothing more revealing about the way a groom gazes upon his soon to be bride. The first moment when he sees her with fresh eyes is such a precious moment.

No matter how many times he has laid his gaze upon her, there is something about that moment. The moment his eyes connect with the beautiful bride that is about to become the other half of his one flesh.

A Perfect Picture of Christ

This is a picture of Christ. We are His bride. He looks at us with the greatest of love. He desires our oneness and our devotion to His heart.

Jesus offers us all this beautiful gift.

Revelation 22:17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” Let anyone who hears this say, “Come.” Let anyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life.

Our past, as we walk down the aisle into our Father’s love, disappears. As far as the east is to the west when we repent and turn to Him, so far does He throw our sin away. He sees us as the beautiful bride adorned in His grace and mercy. Gazing at us through the scope of His Son, Jesus. He showers us with His Holy love and we become His.

God created the sanctity of marriage, the bond between a man and his wife and it is one that is not to be torn apart by human hands. (Matthew 19:6) It is a bond that is created in Heaven, even if it doesn’t always feel like it. Marriage is a gift and something amazing to be treasured.

Believers are the Church, the bride of Christ. This beautiful verse in Isaiah assures of God’s bond with us.

“From eternity to eternity I am God. No one can snatch anyone out of my hand. No one can undo what I have done.” Isaiah 43:13 NLT

Do not let your situations from the past or from the present, or what you foresee yourself facing in the future keep you from coming to the Lord. He knows who you are and He loves you anyway. Hear His voice. See His Word. He says to all who all willing, “Come.”

Prayer for Meditation

Lord, I am in awe of the changed heart you have given me. In awe that you would know every detail about me and love me just the same. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for loving us in spite of who we are. For not turning from us in our hour of greatest need. Thank for simply inviting us in to come as we are and become yours. Adorned in your love. A love we don’t deserve but you freely give us. We praise Your Great Name, Amen!

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Linkup with Sitting Among Friends Blog Party 

Blog Parties are such a great place to meet people and build connections around the web. This is one reason, I love this party. It would be a blessing to visit another friend in the linkup and enjoy their posts.

I would love to sit down face-to-face with you but since we can’t do that I love to meet you here. I love to hear your stories and see your work.

This is a Christian based website and so is the material that I promote here. Please remember that when linking up. I do reserve the right to remove posts.

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I would appreciate you linking back to Seeking God or #SittingAmongFriends somewhere on your page. (You can also use the SAF picture with a link)

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This linkup will go for two weeks! Be sure to stop back next week, too, and link up your new posts! You can have up to three posts per linkup!

Beginning a New Life 

The post Beginning A New Life: Come As You Are appeared first on Seeking God with Jaime Wiebel.

If anyone has been married for more than five minutes they know that it takes work. Give and take. Sometimes more giving and less taking.

From the Old to the New

A Three Strand Marriage

Two Chairs Become One Bench from Jaime Wiebel on Vimeo.

I am going to be sharing a Featured Friend, weekly! I love that so many of you come and share with us every week and I would love to highlight your work! The friend that I have chosen this week is… Lori Schumaker. 
Lori is the blogger at Searching For Moments. She writes beautiful posts and hosts a weekly linkup called Moments of Hope. That is exactly what you get when you visit her page. You will not leave there without the knowing the Hope that Christ has placed in her heart. I am so glad you are here this week, friend!

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 95 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! 

Friends are here to encourage and challenge us in our walk of life, so enjoy!

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 

The post Two Chairs Become One Bench & Sitting Among Friends Blog Party #31 appeared first on Seeking God with Jaime Wiebel.