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Can I be vulnerable with you?

It was one of the most painful seasons of my life.

I had been taken advantage of and stolen from. I felt ashamed. The people I thought would stay didn’t. The people I thought would defend me didn’t. I felt abandoned and unwanted. We had invested all our savings into a project we felt God had called us to, and for multiple heartbreaking reasons, it fell through. We lost all our savings and were left empty-handed, confused, and unsure about how to rebuild. I felt embarrassed and defeated.

Old wounds from my past began to resurface. I was in a spiral of defeat. I lost who I was.

I had a choice to make. One you have too.

Will we choose to let the opinions of others and the pain of our circumstances define us and control us?

Or will we choose to fight for our minds, our mentalities, and our lives?

Over time, I chose to fight for my life by fighting to spend real time with God.

Not quick and shallow time.

To get up from this place of defeat, I had to get real with God, surrender to Him, and truly fight to make God’s voice the loudest voice in my life. I started planning more and longer time with Him, praying very specific prayers, and slowly reading through His Word to discover what He says about me.

As I started seeing myself through His lens, my weary soul came back to life.

I don’t know what lies you have been told. But God has some other names for you.

For the one who feels abandoned or alone… you are more than you’ve been told. Jesus calls you His friend (John 15:15).

He loves you, and He likes you. He is with you. He has your back. He’s on your side. He’s in your corner.

Friend of God. That’s your name.

When you feel like you are stuck with your old names, your old mentalities, and the opinions of people… you are more than you’ve been told. You are called Brand New (2 Corinthians 5:17).

When we choose to follow Jesus for real and follow His ways, an entirely new life begins. We are not our old names. We are not our past mentalities. We are not our past mistakes. Following Jesus is a brand-new beginning. He shows us a lighter and freer way to live.

Brand New. That’s your name.

During that painful season, I wrote a spoken word piece called “I Have a New Name,” declaring nine names God calls us. It’s a sneak preview of what God says about you. I pray it encourages you.

May we know God’s words, declare God’s words, and live as who we really are.

It’s time to get up from a place of defeat and fight to spend real time with God.

You will discover who you really are when you spend real time with the One who knows you best.

(My spoken word piece, “I Have A New Name,” Watch the full video below.)