What’s in Your Name? by Sandi Somers

 

Image by Sandi Somers

While teaching ESL, I learned a lot about names from different countries. I discovered that the name Bol Angelo Yei was from the Nuer tribe of South Sudan. The name Michael or Solomon or Thomas usually comes from the Indian state of Kerala, where the Apostle Thomas took the gospel. Any name that includes “Jeet” or “Singh” comes from the Punjab state in India.

Sometimes I met families who gave their children special names. A Kurdish mother called her son, "No Home", and the other, "Poor", (in Kurdish), profound names to signify that the Kurds have no homeland--they're spread across Syria, Iraq, Iran, Turkey, and Armenia. Following World War I, European powers carved new nations in the Middle East without regard to such people as the Kurds.

I also saw how my ESL students felt when their names weren't valued. In Elizebeth’s immigration process, someone documented her as “Elizabeth”. “But that’s not the way I spell my name,” she said. Vuoy, a Vietnamese girl of the boat people era, objected to her teacher calling her “Nugyen,” not realizing that Nguyen was her last name and that the Vietnamese write their family names first.

When I value the name of a person, I think of the words of the writer Margaret Shull:

There is something about knowing and calling a person by name that gives dignity and worth to that individual. To look someone in the eye and say his or her name communicates knowledge, often times warmth, and a sense of value. I care enough to know your name. To listen, talk together, share.

All of the above gave me a context for Biblical names. Isaiah gave his son the name, “Shea-jashub”, which means “A remnant will return”. This signified that God had promised to return His people from captivity. “Jesus” meant “Saviour”, or “He who shall save his people.”

Then I sometimes wondered why Scripture says: “The Name of the LORD is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and rare safe” (Proverbs 18:10), and why we sing, "Blessed be the Name of the Lord". Why Name? On thinking this through, I recognized that in Biblical times, names equalled the person and identified their essence. This is something we don’t usually think of when we name our children.

Today our parents may have given us a name because they liked it, because it was a popular name at the time, or because it was the name of an ancestor. 

My parents gave me the name Sandra because they liked it. However, God had a hand in it, as He divinely chose it for me to fulfill a part of God’s story of redemption for the world. "I have called you by name, you are mine," He said in Isaiah 43:1. Sandra means helper. In my twenties God gave me a verse which signified the special type of helper God meant me to be.

The Sovereign LORD has given me his words of wisdom, so that I know how to comfort the weary. Morning by morning he wakens me and opens my understanding to his will (Isaiah 50:4)

Ever since that time, I have wanted to live up to that honour.

But there is another significance to our names. I read in Revelation that God will have a special bestowment for us:  

To the one who is victorious, I will give… that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it (Revelation 2:17).

The idea of my future new name resonated deeply and brought tears. Will it be a sign of how my life has contributed to God’s kingdom? For how I brought glory to Him? For how I have carried out His mission for me? For sure I want to finish well and hear God’s words, “Well done, good and faithful servant,” and hear Him say, “Your name on earth was Sandra/Sandi, and now I give you the new name, ____.” What an honour that will be!

 Now over to you.

What does your name mean?

How and why did your parents choose your name (if you know)?

What implication does your name have for you in your growth of faith and writing?

Or perhaps you can write about how you chose your children’s names.

What implications did their names have for your hopes and God’s purposes for their lives?

 NOTE on our previous contributors:

Joylene Bailey wrote on how her parents chose her name and what it means to her life and writing.

Ruth Snyder also reflected on the meaning of her name. 

Two Colourful Ribbons by Joylene M Bailey

Image by Jill Wellington from Pixabay 

I think it’s interesting how a person’s calling is often related to their natural ‘bent’, the way they’re created, the way they roll. 

In recent years I’ve heard some negative talk surrounding the idea of a calling, but the Oxford English Dictionary simply defines a calling thus: ‘A strong urge toward a particular way of life or career.’

My writing life is an extension of my everyday life, and in my everyday life I’ve only recently considered whether or not it has followed a theme. 

Throughout my life, I only followed my natural bent and how I sensed the LORD’s leading. But as I purposefully look back, I see two colourful ribbons threading their path through the course of my life, sometimes wending a singular circuit, sometimes running side by side, or intersecting.

When I was born, Mom & Dad named me on purpose, and prayed from the time I was tiny that joy would be evident in me and in the character I presented to the world.

From my earliest memory I have been aware of those little sparks God put in my ordinary day that set the joy bubbles bobbing in my soul. This has extended into my grownup life, though it is sometimes harder to pick out. Not because God doesn't put them there for me, but because I don't make the conscious effort to look past the cares of life and notice them. That's where choosing joy comes in.

Finding joy in everyday life inspires me and keeps me going, and it’s what I want to relay to my readers. If I can inspire you to take a second look at your life and see those sparks God puts in your path, then I have been true to my calling.

Encouragement is the other ribbon laced through my life. Last year I came upon Isaiah 50:4 and read it as if seeing it for the first time: 

'The Lord God has given me the tongue of those who are instructed to know how to sustain the weary with a word. He awakens me each morning; he awakens my ear to listen like those being instructed.'  [CSB]

'… sustain the weary with a word' jumped out at me and I fairly shouted, “THAT’S IT!” That completely defined the ‘strong urge toward a particular way of life’ that fulfilled me; that seemed to be the way I was created. 

And so, as He awakens me each morning like those being instructed, I learn how to sustain the weary with a word; how to encourage someone on their way; how to help another to look upward and outward instead of downward and inward. 

At the beginning of 2020 I asked two of my very Instagram-savvy daughters to give me a tutorial on building a bigger presence on Instagram. It seems to be the place to be, at least for the younger generations. 

Both of them said that my Bio was the first important thing. I had only a couple of seconds to hook followers, so my bio needed to be short and catchy. I needed to think about who I was, what I was sharing, who I wanted to connect with, and the people I wanted as followers.

It took me more than a week to come up with the shortest bio I’ve ever written, but I think what I finally ended up with communicates my calling and my heart: 

Gentle encourager, joy-infuser, sustaining the weary with a word.

Joy and encouragement are the two ribbons laced through my life and colouring my writing.

~~~~~

Joy writes from her home in Edmonton, AB, where she lives with The Cowboy and Babe. Find her at Scraps of Joy and @joyousmi on Instagram.

Mending Hearts by Sandi Somers

Christians are uniquely positioned to bring a message of hope and redemption to a world broken by poverty, oppression and injustice.

In what way do your writing, speaking, music, publishing and/or other ministries bring hope and redemption to others?

The Ministry of Reconciliation

A number of years ago I read the story of Paul Freed, the founder of Trans World Radio. His desire was for radio broadcasts to help people in their everyday needs, their “everyday experience, everyday life, everyday problems… Gods’ abiding presence in the disappointments, the struggles, and joys of the home, the office, the shop… Sound Doctrine in our programs was essential as a foundation, but we wanted to be sure also to give instruction on how to live the Christian Life.”

These words often echo in my mind when I think about helping people in need. One of my current ministries is through helping others recover from trauma, both through active counselling and through healing prayer ministry.

And yet I look at everyday ministries—to my extended family and friends who are hurting, to other people God brings across my path, in addition to a wider ministry.

As I thought of this month’s theme, I wondered:  What is our ministry? How does God give us our ministries? What does he purpose through these ministries?

1. What is our ministry? God has given us the ministry of reconciliation, to reconcile everyone to Himself (2 Corinthians 5: 18-21). We are serving the living God and helping to fulfill His great plans for everyone.

2. God gives us a vision. I'm reminded of Isaiah 6 where the Lord said to Isaiah: “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” Isaiah answered, “Here am I. Send me!” We respond to God’s prompting.

3.  How does God prepare us? In 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, Paul states that God comforts us in our difficulties so that we can be a comfort to others. We have all known how God’s strength and comfort meets another’s need.  Sometimes our personal experiences can lead to a related ministry. For example, those who have gone through a divorce may develop a ministry of divorce care. Or a recovered addict can give a ministry of freedom from addictions.

4. How does God work with us during our ministry? I'm often reminded of Isaiah 50:4. “The Sovereign Lord has given me an instructed tongue to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, weakens my ear to listen like one being taught.” How many times have words and images come to mind as I'm speaking with others to touch their exact need, a need which I may not even know exists!

5. How does this happen? Jesus spoke to his disciples in Acts 1:8, saying,  ”You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you.” It is through the Holy Spirit that God ministers to other people. We do not have the power to do this in our own strength. God knows the specific need, and He knows the specific means of touching that need. We are his instruments, empowered by His Spirit.

6. How can we more effectively minister? Jesus said, “I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it” (John 14:13-14). Prayer is an integral part of reconciling others to God. 

There is so much more we can say on this topic. I look forward to our IWO bloggers’ continuing discussion this month.