Love Has a Name – Experiencing the Peace of God’s Presence

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”  Matthew 28:19

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When I starting blogging in 2016 I solicited the help of a friend and nutritionist to review my posts before publishing them.  Each week, we’d send each other our drafts and reply back with comments.

My first blog posts focused mainly on nutrition and fitness – how to set smarter goals, get flatter abs, and prepare kid-friendly meals in twenty minutes or less.  However, as my faith grew and I went through some personal challenges, I felt led to adopt a more holistic approach, addressing factors such as mental health, emotional well-being, and spirituality.  It was in response to one of my faith-based posts that I received this feedback from my friend:

“Perhaps you tone it down.  No quoting scripture at all.  Maybe you get around this by paraphrasing religious quotes or using words like faith, inspiration, and spirituality while staying away from the words God, Jesus, and Lord.  That way you don’t push non-Christians away…and you’ll have a larger market to draw on.”

I did a lot of praying and reflecting over her response and how I would move forward.  What she said was true – I would appeal to a larger audience if I stuck to sharing recipes and workouts.  After all, everyone needs to eat, right?  But there was one major issue with this.  It’s not what I felt called to do.

I recognized that using Jesus’ name would turn people away – some may even find it offensive.  It’s likely why I’ve lost a few subscribers since starting this series, but it’s also why I receive emails like this one:

“I’ve been reading the Bible and praying more.  I feel so much closer to God.“

Acknowledging Jesus as our Lord and Savior requires us to accept the fact that we need a Savior in the first place – to admit that we are broken, that we are sinners, and that we all fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).  Despite what society tells us, on our own, we are not enough.  And while this may be a hard pill to swallow for some, this truth is what saved me.

It wasn’t until I realized that I couldn’t do life well on my own that I was able to stop condemning myself for falling short of perfection, accept God’s grace, and begin to extend that grace to others.  It wasn’t until I understood that I would never be enough without Christ that I could break free from the hustle of pleasing and performing to focus on pursuing a personal relationship with Him. 

We are created to be completed by Christ.  The longer we deny that truth the more time and energy we expend searching for fulfillment in all the wrong places.  We all desperately want to be made whole in body, mind, and spirit – some of us just don’t know it yet.  Jesus has the power to mend our hearts, renew our minds, and fill us with His peace and love, but first He needs our permission.  Before He can work in us and through us, we must welcome Him into our lives and call on Him by name.

Love Has a Name

Take a moment to reflect on these lyrics from Love Has a Name by Jesus Culture:

There’s a space in every beating heart
There’s a longing that reaches past the stars
There’s an answer to every question mark
There’s a name

There’s a hope flowing through these veins
There’s a voice that echoes through the pain
There’s an ember ready for the flame
There’s a name

We will fix our eyes on the One who overcame
We will stand in awe of the One who breaks the chains
Love has a name, Love has a name
Jesus

There’s a joy that triumphs over fear
There’s a laughter that wipes away all tears
There’s a presence that changes atmospheres
There’s a name

We will fix our eyes on the One who overcame
We will stand in awe of the One who breaks the chains
Love has a name, Love has a name
Jesus

Friends, we need to stop embracing the lie that things of this world will satisfy our souls.  We burn out trying to keep up, measure up, and fill up on everything but the one thing that will deliver every time – Jesus.

And so as difficult as it was, I decided not to conform to the pattern of this world by avoiding His name in my blog posts, in my business, and even in everyday conversations (Romans 12:2).  In fact, I did the opposite.  I started printing faith-based tee-shirts with references to Bible verses.  Most of my posts, whether about food, fitness, or faith, contain a biblical reference.  I speak His name boldly and I’ve stopped shying away from publicly declaring what I believe because of what others might think.

Why?

Because His Name is love.
His name is joy.
His name is hope.
His name is peace.

Because our victory – over sin, over Satan’s lies, over selfish motives, and over societal norms – is in one name.  That name is Jesus.

Why would I want to keep that from anyone?  If you’re a believer, why would you?

Go and Make Disciples

A few weeks ago at my women’s Bible study, my friend admitted she felt embarrassed to wear her Focused on the Goal shirt to the gym.  It was in that moment that God challenged her to step out and be bold in sharing her faith with others. 

If you’re a Christian, God calls you not only to believe in Him, but to go and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19).  The world needs more people who are willing to be unapologetically themselves by unapologetically sharing the Good News of the Gospel.

For me, being bold is sharing my testimony with a member of my own family who is spiritually in the same place I was in eight years ago, but is “too busy” to read the Bible.  It’s sharing my story with my neighbor who recently decided to stay home and is feeling the same desire to be productive and fill the white space on her calendar that I once felt.  It’s being willing to lose subscribers by sharing the message God has laid on my heart.  It’s not just blogging about God, but putting His name front and center on my website.  My tagline on my homepage now reads, “Working In & Working Out for God’s Glory.”

What does being bold look like for you?  

Regardless of your occupation, each of us has opportunities to engage in ministry and lead others to Christ.  How might you begin viewing your neighborhood, community, workplace, or social media accounts as a mission field?

Together, let’s pray for boldness to share the Good News, helping others experience the love, joy, hope, and peace of God’s presence.  May we tell the story that our culture is yearning to hear (even if they don’t know it yet) and live in a way that produces a yearning for God in the lives of others.

Heavenly Father, help us to not fall prey to our fears of sharing our faith, but instead be a powerful witness for Christ.  Help us to live in the truth and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, living boldly for Christ and sharing the Good news of the Gospel.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Call to Action: Check out this song, Good News by Rend Collective.   Then, decide how you can share the Good News to help others experience God’s peace and focus on things of eternal significance.  

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”  Romans 15:13

To check out my Focused on the Goal (Phil 3:12-21) and Loved (John 3:16) tees & tanks, click here or on the image below (unisex tees and children’s sizes available).  Thank you!