You Give and Take Away

I am incredibly blessed this morning as I wake up with the sun shining through the window remembering the great blessings of waking up this morning. My black brothers and sisters both from Africa and Detroit have taught me a lot about blessedness and be incredibly grateful for the new day God has given us.

This morning, I was also reflecting upon a situation within Youth Works that we have been praying for all year, and I want to now bring to your attention. We no longer have one of our vans we used to use on a regular basis. It has definitely been frustrating to have to use other vehicles that don't work as well. But as I am listening to Tree63's song "Blessed Be Your Name," I realize that God gives and takes away but blessed be His name. No matter what happens- God is worthy to be blessed and praised.

My brothers and sisters, this is not only a blog about God's blessings, but also about being a Christian community. Acts 2.42-27 as well as Acts 4.32-37, it talks about life in a Christian community. They prayed together, broke bread together, and witnessed together. They also had a common life together. Scripture says, "There was no needy person among them, for those who owned property or houses would sell them, bring the proceeds of the sale, and put them at the feet of the apostles, and they were distributed to each according to need." These verses strike me because it really shows what it means to be ONE in the body of Christ and to have everything be provided through Christ's body.

Youth Works is in need of a working mini van that will be used for our Bezalel Project. Bezalel Project works with kids in our neighborhood in 2nd-8th grade. Most of the kids are from the housing projects and have very difficult lives. We are blessed with the opportunity to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ by loving these children as well as giving them opportunities to grow academically, artistically, and spiritually. Here's a video of the youth we worked with this summer: http://kairos-media.org/?view/video/FKVfXBVn If you have a van or know someone with a van that they are willing to donate, please contact me at senilles@stthomas.edu

There are many needs in our world, but I believe that God desires to fill these needs if we are only willing to listen to Him. Take some time to pray and see how you are being called to share within the body of Christ. And through all things may we bless the name of the Lord!

Blessed Be Your Name Lyrics:
Blessed be Your name in the land that is plentiful
Where Your streams of abundance flow
Blessed be Your name
And 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
And 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 suns shining
down on me
When the worlds ?ll as it should be
Blessed be Your name
And blessed be Your name on the road marked
with suffering
Though theres pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name

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