What’s in a Name?

What’s in a Name?

by | Jan 19, 2024 | Beauty, God, Love

My Christmas gift to you

He called him Precious. Until the day he went to be with Jesus, he called his 6-foot, 13-year-old son Precious. Whether at bedtime, on the football field or basketball court, that name belonged to my now 21-year-old.

Words of endearment stir our hearts and, in our case, give us reason for a chuckle or two. I once knew a pastor who called his beautiful blonde wife Yellowhead. Cute. Right? Even today, the server at Sonic randomly called me “lovebug” as she handed me my order!

My mom called my sons “Sweet Angel.” Of course, one son questioned that name. “Why does she call me that? I’m not sweet and I’m not an angel!”

Affectionate names can even inspire proud moments, lift our spirits and reinforce our value.

Do you have a word for someone special? Or maybe a secret handshake between you and someone else? (My husband had one with our boys.) Maybe you share a heartfelt look with a friend or family member that communicates a message that mere words cannot.

What a beautiful name

The Bible tells us God has special words for believers too. Let’s look at a few, letting them soak in. Let them cover you with His peace and love and encourage your spirit.

Beloved

“The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.” (Jeremiah 31:3 NIV)

Chosen and Royal
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” (1 Peter 2:9 NIV)

Friend

“I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” (John 15:15 NIV)

Jewel

“‘They shall be Mine,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘On the day that I make them my jewels. And I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him.’” (Malachi 3:17 NKJV)

Masterpiece (God’s Workmanship)

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” (Ephesians 2:10 NLT)

Joy of Many Generations

“Although you have been forsaken and hated, with no one traveling through, I will make you the everlasting pride and the joy of all generations.” (Isaiah 60:15 NIV)

What a beautiful love

You are all these things to Him and more. So many more. The Bible also tells us that God calls us by name, revealing His personal involvement in our lives, the promise of His presence and His love for us. And that love will never be shaken. In contrast, He sets His heart on us.

“What is man, that you make so much of him, and that you set your heart on him,” (Job 7:17 ESV).

Yes, He sets His heart on us! He has wonderful and beautiful names for us. Let the beauty of these names and the beauty of God’s love refresh and strengthen you today.

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Don’t know Jesus? You can.

It would be my greatest honor to take your hand, introduce you and walk you through how to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, and how to have a personal relationship with Him.

Find out more here.

 

The Delight of My Heart

The Delight of My Heart

by | Nov 10, 2023 | Joy, Love, Redeemed

I love weddings. Attending my niece’s wedding recently brought fond memories and happy times. Also, she touched my heart when she included her Uncle Matthew’s photo in a memorial display at the reception.

With weddings — and human nature — hiccups surface here and there. Usually, they’re insignificant in the grand scheme of things.

However, some weddings have a story to tell. Like my sister’s.

Two hours before the ceremony, her wedding dress caught on fire. Yes, you read that correctly. Minutes before marrying the love of her life, the wedding dress caught on fire. Typical of the late 80s, candles filled the stage and big hoop dresses were the thing. A LOT of candles and a WHOLE LOT of dress marked that day.

The photographer asked her to move closer to the candlelight. Which she did. He then asked her to step forward. And in that moment, the lace in the big hoop of her skirt caught the wick of a votive candle on the altar. Flames shot up. It was such a large hoop that she did not immediately notice it.

Fortunately, someone else did and began yelling and waving her arms, saying “Lisa!” “Lisa!” “Lisa!”

The photographer beat the flames out with his hand while he and my sister had a moment of pure shock thinking “did that really just happen”? Then the photographer asks… “who’s the best seamstress we can get”? That seamstress was our mom.

Mom and the pastor’s wife came to the rescue with thread and white shoe polish. And no one who wasn’t witness to it saw the hole from that near disaster. Amazingly, my sister held it together, and did not fall apart.

Was God with her that day? You’d better believe it. If not for the hoop in her skirt, the flame would have touched her skin and been much, much worse.

But we have God to thank (and a hoop) and a story to tell.

Love and adoration

Thankfully, there were no disasters like that at my niece’s wedding! However, I am sure there were things that didn’t go exactly as planned. But nothing could take away the pure joy on their faces.

I think that there is a moment when the busyness, the stress of all the preparation, the last-minute mishaps — and sometimes disasters — fall away when standing face-to-face reciting vows. At that point, it’s just the bride and her groom, completely immersed in love and adoration for each other, making their commitments and beginning a new life together.

I especially love seeing the moment the groom sees his bride for the first time. His expression speaks volumes.

Face-to-face

Here’s something to think about. The Bible tells us that one day soon Jesus will come for his bride, the church. That bride and groom moment will be reversed on the day we see Jesus face-to-face. We will look on Him with complete love and adoration. He alone will be our reward.

Friends, the King of the World has chosen us and wants a relationship with us. As believers, He is our redeemer.

He has redeemed us from:

  • Shame and guilt of the past
  • Feelings of failure
  • Low self-esteem, low self-value
  • Our mistakes, and the resulting regret
  • Our pride
  • And a host of other things.

Don’t let mistakes or mishaps or “near disasters” take your joy from the one who loves you with an everlasting love. You CAN

  • Find joy in the Lord.
  • Find joy in the word of the Lord. The principles we find in scripture are truly life-changing.
  • Find joy in the opportunities for new beginnings. Let Him become the delight of your heart.
  • Find joy and praise Him for His protection when challenges or disasters come our way.

Let’s be completely immersed in love and adoration for Jesus, our King of the World.

Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O LORD, God of hosts. Jeremiah 15:16 ESV

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Don’t know Jesus, our Redeemer? You can.

It would be my greatest honor to take your hand, introduce you and walk you through how to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, and how to have a personal relationship with Him.

Find out more here.

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Written in collaboration with Lisa Mencer.

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(Blog posts and pages may contain affiliate links. I may receive an affiliate commission for any purchases made using any affiliate link. My main affiliate program is Amazon.com, but I may add more in the future.)

 

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