A New Name...

A New Name...6-14-25

My husband, friends and I were talking yesterday. They will be married 41 years on Monday.. She was 18 when she married. We were talking about our maiden names. When most women marry, they take their husband's last names. The way God intended that we leave our parents and become one with our spouse. Genesis 2:24.

I know my friend's maiden name, but she only knew me as my adopted name. She asked me when I was adopted. Oh, what a wonderful story. You see, when I went into foster care, the last woman who took me in became my "Mama". I was 16 at the time and I don't know if she intended for me to always come back to her, but that's what I thought. So, I made this my new home. Normally, foster kids went on and only came for visits. This was not me! I went to college, but she provided my home for holidays, weekend visits, and between semesters. I stayed at college during the summers. I just came home because that was my home and she let me. She helped me with my wedding. She came to my house, loved my boys and my husband. My boys were her grandkids. She loved me. I will say things weren't always peaches and ice cream because relationships with parents are never that way. But, oh, I know she loved me.

The greatest gift she gave me was her name. I got a call one night from my sister, the one who passed away recently. Mom had been diagnosed with cancer before Christmas and we had been taking turns caring for her. I was at home. My sister had a question for me and when asked, I did not hesitate. Mom knew her time was short and she wanted to make me her legal daughter. She wanted me to have her name. When you are a child, you go through the courts and so do adults. I was 37 years old. They put the petition in the paper for thirty days in case my biological parents wanted to protest. By that time, she was unable to get out of bed. The judge in our hometown came to her house, signed the papers, and on February 11, 2002, I had a new name. Wow, the memories that flood like a river. She went to Heaven on March 23.

When we become children of the Lord, He gives us a new name. We are His sons and daughters. We are no longer the same, we are forever changed. I was forever changed that day because of a name, but we all know it wasn't the name. The One behind the name, the giver of life, the hope of the new, the healer of old wounds, and the provider of our new home is what makes the name. When I asked God into my heart, I had a new name, Daughter of the Most High God.

2 Corinthians 6:18, ""And, “I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty."

My Mama gave me the greatest gift that she could every give a 37 year old, her name. God gave us His Son.