The Names of God

When I was a little girl my Pappy would call me his Peach or Peaches. My dad had a nickname for me too, he called me Buckaroo. When I played basketball in middle school my nickname was Little Red. In high school some of the kids called me James. While in college I had a group of friends that would switch the first and last initials and we would all call each other different names. I was, Limmie Jee. I fondly remember all these names. I can remember the person who started the nickname and look back affectionately on those relationships and what they meant to me at the time. 

I met my husband in college and quickly learned that names were also important in his family. The funny and also sweetest thing is how their nicknames for each other would morph. I can’t remember all of them. The best way for me to explain it is that they started out as one name, take Kenyan for example (my husband’s running nickname), and morphed into something completely different, like Yommers. Kenyan to Yommers? See hard to explain. Nonetheless it was an endearing quality I experienced in his family and he somehow now affectionately calls me Bagel. You’ll have to ask him how that started! (Because I can’t remember) He mostly just calls me babe though and rarely calls me by my actual name, Jimmie Lee. 

My oldest calls me “Hey Mom” and my youngest calls me mommy. 

That is approximately 9 different names I have had over my life time, not including my actual name. I have a feeling you might have some nicknames amongst your people too! Now let me tell you why I’m writing about names today...

Way back in October I participated in something called a “Hand Lettering Challenge” on Instagram. This consisted of using hand lettering to create a piece of art for each day’s prompt and then posting a picture. The prompts for that month were some of the names of God. Did you know that God has a whole lot of different names?! 

Each time I would hand letter the name for that day, I would also look up the scripture for that particular name. And it occurred to me that each person God has a relationship with has a different name for him. Many times it came from a promise or God’s faithfulness in that person’s life.  It made me think of all the different names I’ve had and all the different names I’ve had for people in my life and it just clicked and made sense. 

Each name had a special meaning to that person. For Hagar it was El Roi, the God who sees (Genesis 16:13) For Abraham it was Jehovah Jireh, God provides (Genesis 22:14). For Jesus it was ABBA, Papa (Galatians 4:6-7).

And of course during this season, it’s no different. He is Jesus, the babe who came through Mary. Emmanuel, God with us. Christ the Messiah. Prince of Peace. Yeshua, Deliverer. And so much more!

I have heard people be confused about how God could have so many different names. But I’m excited that through this hand lettering venture, God taught me a simple explanation that I’m so grateful for! 

Which one of God’s names resonates with you? What promises has He fulfilled in your life that brought you deeper into relationship with Him? How have you seen His faithfulness?

Post by: Jimmie Lee DiIanni

All In

I have experienced many seasons of waiting on the Lord. Waiting for God to open doors, answer prayers or provide answers. Some of these waiting seasons were short, some long, some longer. Some even came with no answers; where whatever I was waiting for didn't come to fruition.

And you know what? I can't say I'm that great at waiting. Usually when there is something I know I want, I'm not content until I have it. Ouch! That actually hurt a little bit to admit. But it's true. I have a hard time being content in seasons of waiting, when I think I know exactly what I want and I just have to have it. Can you relate? At least a little?

I feel like I've been waiting on this one particular thing for an undesirable amount of time and God keeps giving me this word... Contentment.

Then I read an Instagram post about being “all in” in the season you are in even if it's not what you want, or if you are waiting for the next thing. And it just settled right on my heart. I feel like for so many years I've always been "waiting for the next thing" or phase in life. I mean seriously, I could not wait to be an adult. Like, could not wait! I dreamed about all the ways adulthood would be perfectly awesome.  Now that I'm here, I'm like... (raises hand) "Can I get a refund?"

But seriously, all that time I spent focused on the next phase, left me feeling utterly discontent with the phase right under my nose. So it makes sense now that God keeps pointing me to contentment.

I'm reminded of a story in the Bible that talks about a young girl named Rebecca. I first learned about Rebecca while doing one of our women's Bible studies on the book, “The Blessed Woman” written by Debbie Morris. The chapter on Rebecca talks about serving while you wait. If I remember correctly the chapter was geared more toward the single gals, but when I think about being “all in” in your current season, I'm reminded of Rebecca's part in the story.

This particular story is about Abraham's servant traveling back to Abraham's homeland to find a wife for his son, Isaac. Along the way he seeks God's guidance and comes across Rebecca. (Spoiler alert: Rebecca is the ONE God has in mind!) I just want to look at this one part about Rebecca that stands out. Genesis 24:17-20 tells us that after the servant asks her for water, she gives him a drink and then offers to get water for all of his camels.

“When she had finished giving him a drink, she said, "I will draw water for your camels also, until they have finished drinking." So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough and ran again to the well to draw water, and she drew for all his camels.” Genesis 24:19-20 (ESV)

This stands out to me because Rebecca goes above and beyond. She doesn't just give the man a drink, she makes sure the camels are taken care of too. This required multiple trips to and from the well to get enough water for the camels. She joyfully served the people (and animals) right in front of her face.

We don't know if Rebecca was waiting for God to send her a husband or not but let's assume that was a desire in her heart. She didn't sit at home, woe is me, ignoring her responsibilities, or wishing for things to be different or better (ahem, it's just me who does this, I'm sure!) She participated in her “right now” life, and she was all in. Seeing this in Rebecca's life is an encouragement to me. I think she was all in because she was content. I think that is the secret to contentment, right? Being ALL IN in the season right in front of your nose, your real “right now” life; showing up, serving the people around you, and meeting the needs that are right there, right now. It's good to dream and plan but don't let that get in the way of being content.

God desires his children to be content in the good things He's given us, gifted to us. When we choose contentment, when we choose to be “all in” we are blessed!

“That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God.” Ecclesiastes 3:13 (NIV)

Ladies, if you struggle with contentment, if you are in a season of waiting, or perhaps the waiting has been a long road, I am right there with you! Let's learn from Rebecca. We can choose to serve while we wait. We can choose to be content. And the first step is being ALL IN! Amen? Amen!

Post by: Jimmie Lee DiIanni