BLESSED BE THE NAME OF THE LORD - REALLY?
Blessed Be His Name - Always?
My husband and I married with dreams of going into the ministry, but merely two years later, through a set of difficult circumstances my husband turned away from God. Subsequently I prayed for the next twenty-three years for his return to faith. Just after our twenty fifth wedding anniversary I learned of his affair.Did I ever imagine years of prayer would culminate in this moment?
NOT ON YOUR LIFE!
The song Blessed Be Your Name, had great significance in the midst of my sorrow. I was holding onto faith by my fingernails. The concept of choosing to say to God, “though you give and take away, blessed be your name,” was hard, real hard.
We could get into a theological debate…because no, God did not want my husband to make the choices he did, but God did know that he would. Coming from a broken home, much prayer went into my decision to marry and yet God who understood fully what lay ahead did not circumvent the marriage. God also knew the severity of this failure would draw my husband back to Him. In the end God is sovereign and there is little else to argue.
I will say no more than suggest you read these lyrics and listen to the song below. Soak in the words. Let them cover you with the same healing balm in which they enveloped me.
The line “my heart will choose to say, Lord, blessed be your name,” infused power when life was at its worst. To demonstrate faith when there is no understanding remains the ultimate test. The choice to believe is deliberate and God is pleased with steadfast devotion. So hold on my dear friend, as God met me in the darkness, He will meet you.
Though I love music, for a long time I could not sing, all I could do was listen as tears coursed down my face…
It was enough!
God understood.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Qp11X6LKYY
Matt Redman
BLESSED BE YOUR NAME
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 say
Lord, blessed be Your name
Album:Ultimate Collection (2010), Where Angles Fear to Tread (2002), Blessed Be Your Name The Songs Of Matt Redman, Vol. 1 (1999)
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About the author
Blossom Turner is an award-winning novelist, and a free-lance writer published in Chicken Soup and Kernels of Hope anthologies, and former newspaper columnist on health and fitness. A Word Guild semi-finalist for Anna's Secret, Katherine's Arrangement, Amelia’s Heartsong, and a Word Guild winner for Best Romance for Lucinda’s Defender. She has found her home in the writing of historical fiction but is open to wherever God leads. The many 5-star reviews attest to the power of love and romance authentically woven into the Shenandoah Bride Series about five sisters and their five love stories.
Blossom lives in British Columbia, Canada, with her husband, David, of forty years and their dog Lacey named after Lacey Spring, Virginia, where this series takes place. A former businesswoman, personal trainer, and mother of two grown children she is now pursuing her lifelong dream of writing full-time. A hopeless romantic at heart, she believes all story should give the reader significant entertainment value. However, her writing embodies the struggles of real life. She infuses the reality of suffering with the hope of Christ to give a healthy dose of relatable encouragement to her reader. Her desire is to leave the reader with a yearning to live for Christ on a deeper level, or at the very least, create a hunger to seek for more.
Co-author Suzie Zanewhich
Suzie is a certified life coach, leader of emotional health, and resource specialist. She has found her niche as a soul coach.
Suzie finds purpose in empowering individuals to move towards growth, healing, and alignment with their authentic self. Suzie is driven by a calling to live authentically, as the person God created her to be, to reach her fullest potential and lead others to do the same. Her passion is to help others find meaning through discovering their strengths, gifts, personality, temperament and core values.
Suzie is a life-long learner, continuously immersing herself in new courses to learn more about human behaviour, relationships, psychology, child development, emotions, trauma and healing. Because of her craving to always learn more she has earned the title of resource specialist in the area of self-discovery.
Suzie Zanewich lives with her husband in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. She has a patchwork family of four grown children, two daughters, two sons and three granddaughters.
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