I Have Called You By Name: Let This Change Your Life Forever
“But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine” (Isaiah 43:1, ESV).
We’re sitting in the fading light of a late-summer evening when Aiden, our youngest son, runs to me and nuzzles his cheek against mine.
As if he just can’t get enough, he plops onto my lap, wraps both arms around my waist, and buries his face in my T-shirt.
“I’m glad you’re my mom,” he declares.
“And I’m so glad you’re my son,” I answer.
From the deck, his older brother notices us, sprints across the yard, and collapses on top of us.
“She’s mine!” Aiden teases, “My mama!”
“You’re both my boys,” I say as we collapse into the grass together.
As we watch the clouds pass overhead, I remember the summer when Aiden was born. Until that summer, the phrase, “my boys,” wasn’t a part of my vocabulary.
We had a son and a daughter, and it had never crossed my mind that a third child would usher a new label into our lives.
The first time I said, “My boys,” the words caught in my throat. A lifetime spent wondering how many children I would one day have, what they would be like, and whether they would be boys or girls had found its answer.
After Aiden was born, I spent months marveling at our new reality. I was the mother of three children: my boys and my girl.
Of course, I knew that our beautiful, blue-eyed children were not exclusively mine. They were ours. Nevertheless, they were also mine, and I was delighted.
They were mine to cherish and love and shepherd. Mine to protect and nurture and teach. Most of all, they were mine to enjoy.
I Have Called You By Name
As I reflect on this journey, the words of Isaiah 43:1 come to mind: “I have called you by name, you are mine.”
These were God’s words to his people thousands of years ago, and they are also his words to his people today.
Just as proud parents gloat over their beloved children, God finds great joy in calling us his own.
Just as proud parents gloat over their beloved children, God finds great joy in calling us his own. #identity #God Share on XMost people define themselves by their labels and titles: wife, mother, friend, daughter, artist, teacher, doctor, student, and other titles. Meanwhile, our heavenly Father reminds us that before all of these labels—and when the labels are stripped away—we are first his.
Friend, if you are a follower of Christ, the Creator of the universe looks at you and decrees, “She is mine!”
He delights in your presence, and he is proud to call you his child. He sees your imperfections, weaknesses, faults, and failures. These parts of you don’t change the way he feels about you—not in the least.
I find that I need this reminder—the reminder that I am his—when the losses of life strip away the labels I thought I’d never lose.
We need to know that we are his when we walk away from the careers that have defined our lives for decades. We need to know that we are his when marriages fall apart, loved ones die, and friendships disintegrate.
When labels such as wife, daughter, sister, and best friend no longer hold true, we can rest in the truth that our Maker has called us by name. We are still his.
We will always be his, and nothing can strip away this label.
God’s Great Love
As for my little boys, we spend the last moments of the evening lying on our backs and watching the clouds pass overhead. I tell them about God’s love for them—how they will always belong to him and how he calls them his own—and the words wash over us all like a warm summer breeze.
Calling All Parents (and Grandparents)!
As the parent of two sons and a daughter, I have a heart for helping parents develop deeper relationships with their children and with God. Our kids, ages 6, 11, and 15, share this vision. They have helped me write three family devotionals for parents or older relatives to read with the children and teens they love. You can find all three books here or read more below.
Attention All Boy Moms (and Dads)!
God’s Warrior: Devotions for Boys Who Want to Grow in Courage and Strength helps young boys, ages 5-13, learn what it means to trust God and become strong warriors for his kingdom. Now, more than ever, our world needs men who are willing to boldly carry God’s love into the world. I wrote this boys’ devotional book with our two young sons, Aiden and Caleb, ages six and eleven! You’ll enjoy their honesty as we teach boys how to be strong warriors for the Lord. Find this life-changing devotional book here.
Mother-Daughter Devotionals by a Mom and Daughter
Girl to Girl: 60 Mother-Daughter Devotions for a Closer Relationship and Deeper Faith is written for girls ages 7-12. It includes 60 devotions with Scripture, conversation starters, and a shared journaling section for moms and daughters after each devotion. I wrote this book with the help of our daughter, Bekah, when she was eleven. Find this one-of-a-kind shared devotional here.
Heart to Heart: A Mother-Daughter Devotional With 50 Devotions for Teen Girls is for teenage girls ages 13-20. It includes 50 devotions, each with a shared journaling section to help moms and daughters connect through writing. This is a great book for moms who want to communicate about awkward topics—like dating, sexuality, peer pressure, and more—but don’t know where to start. Bekah and I will help you right here.
Find Our Family Devotionals Here
Find all three books right here. They are also free on the Kindle Unlimited plan, which you can enjoy with a free three-month trial! These books make great gifts, and you don’t need to be the parent of young children to read them. Share them with your grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or the young ones you love.
A Free Devotional to Help You Find Hope in the Lord
I invite you to create space for God to transform your life by downloading a free copy of my devotional eBook, The Lean Into Grace Devotional: An 8-Day Devotional for Healing, Deliverance, and Replenishment. Find it for free here. I also offer a library of free online devotional eBooks for free. I invite you to explore the collection right here!
