What's in a Name?

Have you ever wondered about a name? How someone came about it or what thought went into it or even what a name says about the person or product it represents? Did you realize that we have a physical reaction when we hear a name... either good or well...

I have been thinking about the importance of a name and how a even persons very destiny can be attached to it. 

Think for a moment about some names you know....
Michael Jackson...









Marilyn Monroe...












Anna Nicole Smith...













I don't know about you but for me with each name above there is a kind of tragedy... So much sadness attached to those names.

Now what about these:
Walt Disney...












Steve Jobs...










Albert Einstein...












Automatically we are prone to feeling success and happiness associated with these names. Why?

It's because your legacy is attached to your name. So what is your name saying about you? What legacy are you penning out on the tablets of the hearts closest to you everyday? What about those in your realm of influence? How do the people around you react when they hear the very mention of your name?

I have been thinking so much about this this lately...

When my husband and I found out we were expecting another child so soon after the loss of our Samuel Joseph (Samuel-God has heard & Joseph-God will add) we were filled with joy but at the same time fearful to lose again... Those of you that have ever been through this kind of loss know the fear I am talking about. However, the one thing we knew is that we had to name this precious life that God placed within my womb with purpose and destiny. So our search began... When I was close to 5 months we had a horrible scare with our baby girl- I hemorrhaged and my husband rushed me to the hospital where tests were ran and I was ordered to bed rest laying flat for the next several days. It was as if we were holding our breath for the days that followed. We called everyone we knew to pray for this baby within my womb. God answered our prayers and protected the fragile life inside my body and we knew that this little girl I carried was a miracle. We named her Abigail Eliana (Abigail- my Father rejoices & Eliana- God has answered me).

I know some people will be cynical and balk at this blog chalking it up to nonsense or fanaticism but I know what life has held for me and I know where I came from. I know who I once was and I have seen transformation and rebirth through my own personal life and the life of my husband.  II Corinthians 5:17 says, "For if a man belongs to Christ, he is a new person. The old life is gone. New life has begun".


I think back at times to that girl from my past, not to dwell on her but to remind her that she isn't wounded and broken like  she once was but that everyday she awakens is a new day of redemption. That each day I am given the opportunity to live my life now and live it with the richness and the fullness of His restoring power. 

I think back to the preparation of my wedding day and how I struggled with feeling like an unworthy bride for my soon to be husband. Many nights I would cry and feel like he deserved someone pure. That I was somehow cheating him out of God's best offering of a snow white bride. I was really struggling internally almost to the point of letting him go.

I remember coming to church one morning after I had spent the weekend searching high and low for the perfect wedding dress for our day. Every time I put on that white dress and looked into the mirror I felt ashamed and so very unworthy to wear it. I had given up and come to the conclusion that my next search would be for a cream or off white dress. As I was going to church I continued to wrestle intensely. I went inside with a smile on my face and pretended things were "fine".

After the service, a very dear and precious lady (that had taken me under her wing and had been mentoring me) approached me she hugged me tightly and whispered softly into my ear the following words, "God wanted me to tell you to get the white dress for your wedding day for He has washed you white as snow. The person you once were exists no longer, it's time to let her go and step into your place as the beautiful bride that you are."  At that very moment I broke into a thousand little pieces and sobbed as this precious lady held me and prayed for me. I cannot even begin to explain to you the peace and healing that washed over me in those next several moments.

Looking back it was in that very moment I came to the realization that a sovereign holy God changed this broken child's name. It was in that very moment on on that very day I finally realized it. There have been bursts of those moments in the years that have followed that has given me hope, healing, and unfailing love. The kind of love that takes a woman broken into a million pieces and begins to transform her into a beautiful mosaic masterpiece.

My prayer for you precious one is that you too would come to know this unfailing love and redemption.

My name means: "Bringer of glad tidings" & "Lively" and this is what I pray to be every morning God blesses me with a brand new day.


Father God,
I pray that you would be the changer of our names that we would allow you to mold and shape our destinies. That we would get out of the way and allow those past burdens to roll off we would release every name that has been spoken over us out of hurt and every name that the enemy has used to tear us down.
Restore our hearts O Lord.
In Jesus Mighty and precious name
~Amen 

BTW~ My husband's name means: God will save me & God is exhalted. Our oldest daughter's name means: Innocent, holy, & honorable and our son's name means: Lightbringer & Fire of the Lord.


This is a song my husband sings and it brings tears to my eyes every time. Listen to the lyrics:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

God IS in control

WOW! It has been a while since I have had time to throw my thoughts down... too long!

So much has changed and happened in our lives over the past several months but the constant unchanging thing is that GOD IS IN CONTROL!!! Always!

I have had ups and I have had downs lately but I rest in knowing that God has me close to His heart and that though the winds may rage and the oceans roar He is near and ever faithful. I have learned and gleaned so much over these past several months.

One thing is that I had not realized how much trust and weight I placed in people, in their words, their promises, their titles and positions. God has placed people into our lives to speak to us, love us, and challenge us. However, when we put any human being before God it is idolatry plain and simple. Idolatry is described as the worship of a physical object as God and immoderate attachment or devotion to something. Now many people get this image in their heads when they hear this word:

And although this is true- there are many things we can allow to creep into our daily lives and become idols in our hearts: our children, our work, our pastor(s), friends, television, sports, money, clothes, looking "good", church, and the list could go on.

We all can get lost in our human flaws and become caught up in allowing our relationship with God to grow cold while we feel that we are "doing" all the right things. After all that church service was
"anointed" right? Too many times we can find ourselves going to church every time the doors open but coming home empty and longing. Why? Idolatry.

We aren't making our relationship with the Lord a priority. We are depending on the pastor, the praise team, the multi-media team and the children's ministry to do the work for us that we ourselves should be doing on our own. I am not preaching at you friends, I am in the boat with you. It is our responsibility on a daily basis to build and grow, to protect, and nurture our personal relationship with our Lord and to help encourage our husbands and children to do the same. God has so much more for us than our box and human limitations tell us.

We need to get into His word DAILY, to fall on our knees and share our heart with Him DAILY,  make Him a DAILY part of our lives.

I am so thankful God has given us pastors (I am blessed with the best Pastor), husbands (I have been given one with a heart of gold) , children (they are my sweetest treasures), friends (I wouldn't trade them for anything-ever) and so much more. I cherish everybody God has placed in my life daily BUT it is all for nothing if HE isn't #1 before everything and everybody.

He longs for us to come away with Him and spend a few precious moments with Him. My prayer for you precious friend is that you evaluate your time and ask yourself if He is first.  Matthew 22:37~ Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.This is the first and greatest commandment.