He gives and takes away

Today has been a very interesting day. I'm a very happy to announce that I'm a new auntie. My sister Tracy had a 7 lb baby boy today about 11:50 am EST. So of course I'm glad that a new life has been brought into the world. There's one more baby in the family.

Maybe two hours after I was greeted with that news, I learned that a co-worker passed this morning. Kimella Rush now rest awaiting her Lord. Her toils in this life our over, her work on earth is done, and her battle with cancer is over. To live is Christ and to die is gain.

This song describes the day...

Blessed Be Your Name
by Matt Redman

Blessed Be Your Name
In the land that is plentiful
Where Your streams of abundance flow
Blessed be Your name

Blessed Be Your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed Be Your name

Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be Your name
When the sun's shining down on me
When the world's 'all as it should be
Blessed be Your name

Blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name

Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to sayLord,
blessed be Your name

How bad do you want it?

This is the time of year that we all make resolutions of what we want for the new year. Some want to shed 20 lbs, get out of debt, go back to school, find a husband/wife, or whatever else you can think of. We all have goals that we want to reach. My question is how bad do you want it.

This year I decided that I want to lose a few pounds and when my alarm clock went off. I couldn't seem to get out of the bed to do tae-bo with Billy. Instead, I decided to spend part of my lunch walking. As I was walking, I started thinking of this song by Tim McGraw. It's the first track on the cd, "How bad do you want it?" Then it clicked. How bad do you really want it?

God has given us everything that pertains to life and godliness. There are so many promises that God has given us, but the question is how bad do you want them. Are you willing to go in and possess the land? Caanan was the land of promise, but the Israelites still had to go in and possess it. God had promised victory, but they still had to fight the battle.

How bad do you want to shed those pound? Bad enough to pass up the dessert and spend some time in exercise. How bad do you want to get out debt? Bad enough to cut out that bi-weekly trip to the beauty shop or nail salon. You looking for a mate? Are you willing to work on yourself to be that man/woman of God.

Sometimes we are looking for God to just come down from heaven, but we are already seated in heavenly places next to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We bring heaven to earth with our faith and speaking the word of God ("Whatever you speak shall come to pass"). Jesus has done his work, then he filled us with the Holy Spirit so we can continue it ("greater works than these"). God has empowered you. So don't sit back thinking...is God going to do this for me. He already has. The question is...How bad do you want it?