June 2, 2011
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Knowing Your Name
My name is Audrey.
With an “e.”
My name is important to me.
It means “noble strength.”
It is what my parents named me instead of “Viriginia”, which they were also considering.
For years, I thought it would be way cooler to be “Ginny” than “Audrey.”
Those years could still be in process right now, for that matter.
My name…
It is what people call when they want to get my attention.
It is what I sometimes think I hear in a crowd.
Nothing else grabs your attention like someone saying your name.
Or seeing it in writing.
But then, sometimes people misspell it.
For me, that usually means leaving out the “e”.
So instead of “Audrey”, I am “Audry”.
It happens all the time.
And I notice it every.single.time.
It just doesn’t look right.
It offends me, slightly. Do they now know me well enough to know the proper spelling of my name?
Sometimes other people misspell our names in less obvious, less visual and concrete ways.
When we are trying to show empathy, they name us “nosy.”
When we attempt to be consoling, they name us “you just pity me.”
When we try to bring life to a situation through laughter, they label us “calloused and uncaring.”
When we stand for what we believe, without apology, they name us “rigid.”
If we don’t want to talk about it, they name us “close minded.”
When we snap at our children, they label us “impatient.”
When you are fighting with all your might, someone looking on might name you “passive.”
In the midst of your own private pain, you are labeled “aloof.”
When you are too shy to make new friends, they will be quick to label you “snobby.”
And we do the same thing to others.
Knowingly and unknowingly.
Slapping on labels left and right.
We all do it.
And it hurts. It stings.
When you feel like people are spelling your name wrong, whether figuratively or literally, it causes pain.
But God…
But God…
Who is RICH in mercy…
He never spells our name wrong.
He never gives us a false label.
He knows our heart.
If we are a child of His, the list of correctly spelled and pronounced names He has for us is amazingly awesome.
Your name is “beautiful.”
Your name is “never alone.”
Your name is “valued.”
Your name is “precious.”
He calls you “conqueror” and “princess” and “holy” and “blameless”.
He calls you “Grace” and “Light” and “Fullness” and “Joy”.
Your name is “good”.
Your name is “alive”.
Your name is “redeemed”.
Whose labels are you going to choose to believe?
It IS a choice, you know!
Comments (15)
AudrEy,
I am sitting here with tears in my eyes. You have spoken truth in a way that is so beautiful, healing, and life giving! Somehow when you said it, I didn’t hear “stop believing what everyone else says about you” half so much as I heard, “believe what God says about you.” And I don’t know why, but today that made all the difference. I don’t even quite know how to describe what I’m feeling. Let’s just say, the timing was perfect. And I am going to choose life!
This naturally grabbed my attention since my name is Audrey (with an “e”!) I always notice when someone misspells my name, even if it’s someone else they are addressing. I used to wonder why in the world my parents named me Audrey instead of Janet or Anita like my brothers would have been named. Or I wanted to go by my middle name Diane. But now I’ve decided that I like my name after all, and I‘d rather be Audrey than those other names.
I occasionally struggle with labels others give me, but that’s not the biggest area I trip up in. The names that Satan gives me are the ones that I can hardly get past. I want to believe the Voice of Truth that has much nicer names for me, but the Deceiver’s voice gets so loud some days, and it’s an ongoing struggle I face.
Very thought provoking. Creative way of writing about labeling.
We must watch what we say, and watch what we believe.
Happy Thursday to you.
wonderful post!
btw, my name gets spelled wrong all the time —sad. i finally tried to just quit letting it bother me.
I could identify so much with the first part of your post – the misspelling, as well as the mispronunciation. Sometimes people spell it “Claritta”, “Clorita”, and while I dislike both of those, the very worst is when people pronounce it wrong. My name is Spanish, so it only sounds right when said, “Cluh-ree-tuh” – because in Spanish the A has an “uh” sound. I do not like when the T is said as a D, as in ClariDa, or when the first part is said as “Claire-ita”. Anyway, that was a free language lesson there.
But what you said I so know!!
And because the first part resonated, the second part hit me equally as well. So so poweful and TRUE. Thank you for those life-giving words, for the reminder to choose God and what HE is saying to us and about us!
ahhhh, and again you speak from your heart to mine! thank you my dear friend!
That is so true, so beautiful, so easy to forget. God is not some impersonal entity floating in the atmosphere and we are not tiny insignificant beings. He is our Father and He knows us, He knows our name, and loves us. Thanks Audrey!
great post Audrey! and, like you said, believing what we are called IS a choice.
~Rachel.
not Rachael.
or Rach.
just Rachel
SaraH … its always with and H, otherwise you would be adressing my mother in law!
How often I have labled someone and it was all wrong and I never knew it until for some reason they finally managed to seep in and I Realized that was NOT who they are! On ther other hand … I have recieved accusations by words or letters and sat there crying out to God, wondering how in the world they could ever think of me like that. I Need to be ever so vigillant, making sure not to title, being open minded, and unmoving on what really matters to me! SO help Me GOD! great reminder here, thanks~
i can so echo the words of @richlyblest - ” I occasionally struggle with labels others
give me, but that’s not the biggest area I trip up in. The names that
Satan gives me are the ones that I can hardly get past. I want to
believe the Voice of Truth that has much nicer names for me, but the
Deceiver’s voice gets so loud some days, and it’s an ongoing struggle I
face. “
great post audrey …
I too can relate to the misspelling of names-people always want to spell my name with a c & I am Kris w/ a K.
And sadly, I too am often guilty of sticking labels on people before I even really get to know them. I did that with a friend, thankfully I did get to know her better & realized my “label” was TOTALLY wrong. You think that would’ve taught me, but I still catch myself & daily need the Lord’s help to keep me from “labeling/judging” others.
Love your thoughts.
This is such a good post Audrey. Once again, thank you for sharing your heart and words. You were a blessing to me today.
NObOdy can spell cynthia. and there aren’t any other cynthia’s under 40. and cindy, my truck stop waitress sounding nick name *hiya honey! whatcha having?* is spelled sooooo many ways.
and those words, “He never gives us a false label. He knows our heart.” are especially important to me on this night. i feel overwhelmed and grateful with the list of names He has for me. sweet and timely words.
happy camping!
Late comment here. Loved this post and the great comments. I really love your last lines about choosing. So very, very true. I need to choose to believe the truth of God instead of all the ugly names that Satan calls me. Names ARE so important!!