Tell Me Your Name

Two days ago, I arrived in Byron Bay with my outreach team. We rocked up at about 9:30 pm and went straight to the beach where Impact Summer, the ministry we are working with here, has most of their events. We kicked off our trip with worship in the midst of the vibrant beach-cultured nightlife of Byron.

I had the opportunity to speak to this one girl, who was sitting by herself slightly apart from the crowd. She shared her story with me - that same tale that rings true throughout our generation. She had a difficult childhood, and as she searched for identity, for meaning and worth apart ffom the lies that were spoken to her as a child, she turned to partying and to meaningless relationships. She grew up in the evangelical church of germany, but never really believed in God. Loneliness and hopelessness had such a grip on this young woman, and it was clear that she belived so many lies about herself.

How can it be that we have wandered so far away from our own identity. How can it be that, in a generation so centered on identity, that is the very thing that we are so obviously missing. The story that my new friend shared with me is the story of so many of my brothers and sisters. We are all searching for identity. And the saddest thing is that our Father is standing right there offering us the best life, the best identity, the truest love that you could ever imagine
All we need to do is take it. Step into it. Believe it about ourselves. Embrace it.

Loved. Taken care of. Beautiful. A great success. Enough.

And how do you impart that into people? You point them to the Lord with the way you treat them. You don't just sit with them, you bother to learn their name. You hear what they have to say, and you hear their heart. You show them love, and you recognize them as a brother or a sister.

This is the identity that this girl in the park chose for herself that night.

Her name is Tatianna, and she is a daughter of the King, an heir the the kingdom of heaven, and my own sister in Jesus Christ.