Higher Heights

I remember many years ago, my sister Michele and I were spending the night at my Aunt Mary’s house. I had to be about eight maybe. My cousins Michael and Marc, my sister and I were sitting around the dining room table playing some sort of card game. For some reason Michael (who is the same age as I am) decided he was going to start calling me out of my name. Now, even back then I was a pretty great kid (no, really I wasJ )—fun loving but calm and mellow (Of course that is how I remember it!). I didn’t yell at him. I didn’t cry. I didn’t tattle. I just looked at him and calmly said, “Michael, stop calling me out of my name. He kept on and every now and then, I’d look up and say, “Michael, stop calling me out of my name.”

We kept playing cards and he just kept right on talking. Eventually, I got up (calmly), walked into Michael’s bedroom, came out with his boxing gloves and commenced to beating him with his own boxing gloves that I was holding in my hands. I beat him out of the dining room into the living room where we turned over my aunt’s white sofa. With each hit, I recall saying “Didn’t-I-tell-you–to-stop-calling-me-out-of-my-name?! My name is W-E-N-D-Y! Leave me alone!” He got hit with each spoken syllable of each word.

As we grew up (Michael and I were always close), he would share that incident with others (so I know he doesn’t mind me

 sharing this now). If I ever tried to have a boyfriend, He would say stuff like, “Yeah, man, she is nice but don’t mess with her. She’ll beat you. Let me tell you what she did to me . . .” That story followed me even through college.

So, why am I telling this story now? It came to the forefront of my mind recently as I and as I watch other people get called out of their name.

Often times, life’s struggles and the enemy to your faith can begin to call you out of your name. Maybe your struggle is with finances, so you get called “broke” or “poor.” Well, that’s not your name. Maybe your struggle is with insecurities, so you get called “low self-esteem” or “not good enough.” Well, let me tell you, that is not your name. Maybe you get called “failure, quitter, loser, bitter, compromise, liar, controlling, cheater, promiscuous, depressed, mistreated, addict, unholy, immoral, unhealthy, stressed. . . Those are not your name!!!

Listen, as the little girl who was pushed to the limits by my (now) wonderful cousin, I knew my name and wasn’t going to let him call me anything else. He was not going to rob me of who I knew I was. And so it has to be with us spiritually.

What names are you being called that isn’t in line with what God called you? Do you even know your name? A person who doesn’t know his/her name will answer to anything. Anyone or any circumstance will be able to define them. Do you know that you are the righteousness of God, fearfully and wonderfully made, God’s friend, peaceful, free, holy, confident, wealthy, forgiven, forgiving, healthy, favored, winner, more than a conqueror, steadfast, disciplined, great. . .!?

When the enemy of your faith starts blurting out other names- when he starts to challenge you and your identity, beat him! Beat him like he stole something (Or at least like he is attempting to steal something—because he is). Beat him by speaking- by declaring the Word of God. Slap him right upside the head with it. (Notice I said with the Word of God. Don’t go around beating folks and then tell the police, “Well, Wendy said to beat him!” Don’t put me in jail! J ) We have to have a violent attitude when it comes to the enemy, our name and our God given promises. The greatest comeback, the greatest punch to the enemy, the greatest bruise AND the greatest reminder to ourselves of who we are and what belongs to us is . . . “It is written” followed by what is written in the Word of God.

I want to challenge you today to know your name! Get into the Word of God this week. Challenge yourself to find some names that God called you. Write them down along with the scripture and read over them every day. Begin to fill your mind (as well as your children, your family, your friend’s minds) with God’s thoughts about you and His people. As a matter of fact, why don’t you leave a comment on the page with a scripture that you’ve found that will remind us of who we are! For real. Let’s encourage one another.  I could use the reminder.  I have noticed that one of the main reasons we don’t do what we are supposed to do or completely live the life that we are supposed to live is due to our lack of understanding of who we are, to Whom we belong and what was promised. Great people know who they are! They value who the are and make choices based upon who they are. They don’t accept or conform to the name calling of the enemy. They know they are “Divinely Defined!”

As you continue to rehearse who God says you are, before you even know it, you’ll be transformed right into the Words of God that you are speaking. If you are going to be serious about living your best life- if you are going to honestly walk in the promises of God- It’s time to know your name! So tell me, what is it?!

Proverbs 21:1 (NKJ) A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, loving favor rather than silver and gold.

Stay Encouraged and Stay in God’s Presence!

Wendy M. Reynolds

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THOSE WHO CELEBRATED BIRTHDAYS IN THE MONTHS OF JANUARY, FEBRUARY AND MARCH! 

I hope we took time to celebrate ourselves and each other as we are worth celebrating!  If I missed anyone, let me know!

Annette Johnson Bandy

John Bandy (Uncle Buddy)

Willie Bandy (Uncle Zunt)

Kevin L. Kirkland-January 30

Emmanuel Kirkland-January 30

Aunt Jessie Bandy

Desiree Kirkland-Feburary 28

Michelle McGuire- March 2

Michelle Smith- March 15

Yolanda Wilson- March 17

Reginald Carter- March

Lynette Hester – March 16

Ivan Watkins- March 19

Auntie Johnnie Stein Phillips- March 24

Devin L. Reynolds- March 25

Gayla Reynolds- March 27

Yvonne Bowen- March 29 

Marc McFadden- March 30

Tonya McFadden- March 30