Kallie, Katie, Kayla
Kiwi, Rosa, Como?
Names have always been incredibly important to me. My name is a difficult one, I know. All my life, it’s been a rarity for someone to pronounce my name correctly the first time, or the second time, and sometimes even the third time. I always knew when they were approaching my name in roll call at school because the teacher would pause, hesitate, and then butcher it.
Kallie Steir?
-mmmmm not quite, but .. “Here.”
Katie Stir?
-so close… no cigar… but .. “Here.”
And here in South America, it is even more difficult to say… So every time I introduce myself the response is,
“¿Como?”
Let’s try again, “Kalie.”
“¿Kiwi?”
“Sure.” 🙂
Now, I’ve resulted to using my middle name, Rose, Rosa in Spanish, (and have begun to embrace the persona of an 80 year old woman to accompany it).
However, even though I respond to anything that starts with a K, (+ Rosa).. when someone remembers the correct pronunciation of my name, I honestly do a double take… then I know we are on a new level. We are more than acquaintances, we are true friends.
It seriously means so much to me for someone to not only remember my name but also how to say it. Which sounds silly, but it’s the truth.
Then this morning, on the roof of my house in Lima, the Lord spoke to me,
Isaiah 43:1
“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.”
God calls ME by my NAME.
Kalie.
You are mine.
I’ve been struggling this month with having a “person”. Just one person that knows me completely and calls me by my real name. Someone I feel completely known by and comfortable with. Someone that I can call on whenever I need anything. Someone that will be there when I need encouragement, or someone to share my joys with.
Then this morning, with the rare cool breeze hitting my sweaty post-exercise brow. God said, “It’s me.”
I AM the one who knows you completely. I call you by name. I know everything about you. I’m here when you need me, and I’m here when you don’t. I’m here when you want to cry. I’m here when you are laughing uncontrollably. You are mine. Don’t compare yourself to others who may appear to have a person or someone that calls them theirs. Find your rest in me alone. Because I know you. You are mine.
Yes Lord, you are. I want to be all you have called me to be and more.
Just a sweet reminder. On a rooftop.
“I have called you by NAME.”
