Hello, My Name is ___________

 I Grew Up Knowing Truth. Even though my parents didn't become Christians until my preschool years, I was always raised in the church. I loved wearing church dresses, I sang in the "Little Lambs" choir, and I have the fondest memories of Grammy Cook's Sunday School class. I even went to a Christian preschool and for three years at Trinity Christian Academy. I accepted Christ into my heart when I was four years old and by the time I was six, my whole family was saved.

Being in the church was a common occurrence for me. Dad worked on the sound team, Mom was a deaconess. We were in tight with the pastoral staff and when people needed help (whether monetary, physical, or spiritual) we were always there. My family was well off, we didn't have struggles. I knew that Jesus provided for needs, but it seemed like a life lesson that would stay in the Bible.

Inevitably you have to wear the other shoe. Fast forward eight to ten years. We're no longer living near family. Friends have dumped me, churches are speaking horrible lies about us. (And I'm not sugar coating that either. The assumptions that they made still make me sick) Dad has been unemployed for twenty-five months. It looked bleak on the job front, we were cutting more and more into what money we did have...I came to the end of my rope.

There was one night where I didn't have energy left in me but to fall to my knees. Why was life so different from what it used to be? How could my family get through it? What was I, what were we, going to do? What happened to us "living out our faith" by being able to provide for other people? I couldn't take it anymore.

I came to a "Sink or Swim" moment. I had a choice. I could either turn to the Word and really adopt those promises, those examples as my own. I could cast my cares on the Lord. To really come into my faith with resting on HIS strength and grace--rather than my own. I could swallow my pride and allow others to bless me for a change. They wanted a turn to be "Jesus with skin on." Would I let them?

Or I could allow Satan to notch a victory. I could abandon my faith because it wasn't real. After all, God doesn't allow bad things to happen, right? (If only I could have told myself back then what I know now: bad things ALWAYS happen.)

I chose to swim toward Him. It wasn't an easy decision. Doing hard things and sticking by the stuff was painful. It still is painful. But by casting my cares on Christ, I saw him do amazing things. I saw Him provide little, seemingly stupid, wishes around Christmastime. I was blessed by anonymous gifts. God opened doors that allowed me to be where I am today--with my friends, job, etc. I literally felt like Christ held me close to His heart. He showed me what active faith looked like. He taught me trust. He made the Bible become living and active to me. No longer was my relationship with him the cursory, childlike one. He made it come alive....

 My Name is Sustained

I am a Child of God whom He provides for.
I am never out of God's sight, even when the world seems bleak.
He holds me up in the palm of His hand--getting me through tough times--ones in my past, ones I am currently going through, and ones I still have ahead of me.

I need to learn a lesson from the squirrel in this picture. He maybe wonders every year if there really will be nuts and acorns to get him through the summer. I mean, they were there for past squirrels, but will there be enough for him? But there is. Every. Single. Winter. 

He is sustained. Just as I am by an amazing Father who has changed my name. Who changes my name with every new season as I come more and more into my faith--into who He always wanted me to be. I make it through each day on the Bread of Life; it is more than enough.

**This is an amazing link up that I encountered. Y'all should check it out!**