These are the first 2 questions I ask when I meet someone for the first time. Most often followed up by, when is your birthday? In June of 2017, I traveled to Africa for the first time ever--to Nigeria. I will share about this another time, but the reason I bring this up now is because I hit the motherload in Nigeria! I doubt that I met anyone who did not know the meaning of their name. I was so amazed. I was born in the USA, and have lived here most of my life. It is more common than not, that I get the answer, "I don't know?" In response to my 2nd question, "what does your name mean?"
Do you know what your name means? Do you think it matters? I do, and I do.
I remember as a child carrying around bookmarks and pocket cards with my name, Kelly, a verse from the Bible, and the meaning of my name. Every one of them said "Warrior". When I was maybe 7 or 8, I asked Mother to buy a book for me (a common and typically fulfilled request) that I REALLY wanted. It was called The Name Book, and I spent hours pouring over it, for years. Since I was born in 1973, this was in the very early 80s. Mother had a friend who owned a Bible bookstore, and another friend who sold Successful Living books, and I imagine it came from one of those 2 sources. It was to be the first of several Books of Names that I would own, before the age of online searches any time you want to know what a name means!
This interest in the meaning of names has shaped my entire life. I grew up believing I was a WARRIOR, and later books, would add, Warrior, Loyal and Brave. A couple places, although I haven't seen this lately, gave the meaning BOLD for the name Kelly. My middle name, which was given to me as Dyanne, D-y-a-n-n-e, means "divine" or as I first learned it, "In God's Glory" So I grew up thinking that I was a Warrior, Loyal And Brave, In God's Glory.
The environment I grew up in reinforced the power of a name, and the importance of names, since I grew up among people of the Bible, which is filled with names and an emphasis on their meaning.
Two things that have been very real to my experience in life, is that your name absolutely defines who you are, who you are meant to be, and the key way the enemy, the adversary, will attack, because he is threatened by the image of GOD in you! But GOD knows how to shape us, and GOD always wins.
I am a WARRIOR, in the LORD's Army. I am a PRAYER WARRIOR. I am a Believer. One of my friends messaged me to say that she holds on to Isaiah 49:24-25, "like a bulldog on a bone" and, I like her, hold on to this promise, with all that is in me.
Can plunder be taken from warriors,
or captives be rescued from the fierce?
But this is what the Lord says:
“Yes, captives will be taken from warriors,
and plunder retrieved from the fierce;
I will contend with those who contend with you,
and your children I will save.
I have realized that endurance is the biggest part of the battle. Don't let go. Don't give up. Don't look long at your mistakes. I have made many. Not only am I human, but I have a cunning adversary who knows my threat, and historically, he has understood this more than I have. But this isn't my first battle. I am on to him now. I have learned a lot about how he operates. Nothing original. He wants to wear me down, and cast doubt. When he trips me up, he wants me to think it's over. That I blew it. But it's never been up to me. It's always been on GOD. The battle belongs to Him. GOD has given me endurance and renewed my strength as I have waited, and wait, on Him. I believe Him. I trust Him. That is my part.
What is your name? What does it mean? How has knowing your name shaped your identity? and your walk of faith? Or do you have a walk of faith? If you don't know the meaning of your name, I think you should! This is the number one way I pray for people. I pray you will know and live the meaning of your name, by GOD's grace.
Father in Heaven, I pray right now for every person that listens to this little Great Go! Christmas Show!, that they will know you, and know who you created them to be, in your image, and that they will know who they are, and who they are in you, and that by your grace and strength and power, and according to your purpose and plan, they will live in the meaning of who you made them to be. And, if, for some reason, they should need a new name, that you would show them what that name is, and why you gave it to them, and they would live in light of that gift. I ask this humbly and boldly in Jesus' name. Amen!