More Than a Name

A friend of mine recently inspired me to write this.  To some people their name is just a tag their parents put on them.  To others, it's a name they chose in the courts.  And then, to some, it's who they are.
Names are very important, and most of the time define who we are.  I worked very hard to find the perfect name for my characters.  Their names weren't originally Rebecca Henley and Zach Callahan.  No, it started as Rachel and Ian.  But then I realized that those names didn't match who my characters really were.
Character names are very important because you want to give the right impression to people.  If I named my character Butch, but he was a duke from Victorian England, it wouldn't sound very good.  Butch gives the impression of a tough biker (at least in my opinion), while James would probably be more suitable for a duke.
The name of Jesus is very powerful.  It's not just simply a name.  It can heal, deliver, redeem, and so much more.  If God had told Mary to name him Danny (which means God is my judge), then that name would be the name we pray in.  The point is, names are very, very important.  We have a name to be called by.  In some ways, it's God's way of saying we're special. 

In God's Hands

I suppose this post is also about trust, but then again, we're on a whole other issue here.  As humans we have a tendency to take control of things.  In some things this is a good thing, but then there are the situations we cannot control, yet we try to control them.  These are times when we need to let things rest in God's hands.
Rebecca Henley (the character in my book) has a hard time putting her trust in God, so she tries to control her own life, yet she wonders why her life hasn't been working out the way she wanted it to.  Sometimes God won't give us the desires of our heart until we relinquish complete control to Him.  This is sometimes like a constant battle because it is against our human nature to do so. 
If we can overcome our fleshly nature and let God be our pilot instead of co-pilot He will bless us for it.  Every situation that is too difficult for us to deal with on our own (which is most situations), we can put them in God's hands and know that the outcome will be alright.  We don't have to worry that God's going to make a mistake or allow something terrible to happen to us.
So, if you're like Rebecca, and you try to control everything, then give God control.  I know you'll benefit from it in the end.
And we know that all things work together for them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose.  Romans 8:28

Trust

When someone breaks your trust, it is very hard to trust that person again.  In my book, Rebecca discovers the same hardship everyone deals with every once in a while.  After being burned by her youth group, she not only stops trusting them, but also stops talking to them altogether.
How do deal with situations like these?  The friend that blew your biggest secret.  The coworker who got you fired.  The love of your life breaks off your engagment.  What do we do when this happens?  The easiest solution is to stop trusting them and shove them out of your life completely.  However, is it the right solution?
When we are burned by those we are close to, it's hard to forgive and forget, but necessary in order to have a healthy life (whether it be mentally, physically, socially, etc).  When we don't forgive, but instead run through the events over and over in our mind, making sure we make the person pay for what he or she has done, then we are holding ourselves hostage.
Once we forgive, the next step is to learn to trust again.  In the book, Rebecca has to learn to trust those around her again.  Her friend Zach helps with this, and eventually she does learn to trust again.  I, myself, have gone through some tough times this past year with the issue of trust.  I am slowly learning each and every day how to trust God more and more, and, in turn, He helps me to love and trust those around me.  Can you learn to do the same?

The Underdog

Have you ever felt like you're underappreciated or completely alone?  Maybe something similiar to that anyways.  This is the underdog.
In my book, the character Rebecca Henley is the underdog.  She is very brilliant, but the people around don't even know her by name, only by 'smart girl'.  This makes Rebecca feel very insignifigant and as if she is just a person in a crowd.  However, Rebecca goes on to do great things.  Things that the people around her could never dream of doing. 
As I learned yesterday that a friend of mine is the one of the underdogs at work, a thought formed in my mind.  The underdog; the one underappreciated and misunderstood is always the one who will do great things.  People may look at the underdog now and see something insignifigant and not worth much.  However, God knows their worth, and He knows they will go on to be great.
So, this article is dedicated to the underdogs.  Don't think your worth is limited to those around you.  God knows your future, and He has a great plan for your life. 

Almost There

As my display name states, I am almost an author.  What I mean by that is that I am in the middle of writing a book I hope to have finished within the next few months.  I, then, hope to have the sequel written by the middle of next year.
This blog is mainly dedicated to writing.  It's my passion, a desire God has given me.  I hope to use this passion to touch others' lives.  With God, I believe this is possible.