names.

Lets talk about names. Because names are powerful! Just pause for a second and think about it. Your name is the doorway to your identity; the first thing you hear to know someone is talking to you or about you. We all remember names we've been called throughout our life that have stuck with us because they have either been hurtful or encouraging. We love nicknaming people close to us and pet naming significant others because we've inherently recognized that names have deep significance. We carry names in our hearts.

In the Bible names were given to people as a prophetic declaration of their identity and actually released the very characteristics of their caling to them.*

When we know who we are and what our name means, it can alter our behavior because its like something "just clicks." There have been times in my life where someone has said "do you know that you're really good at ____?" and I think "I had no idea! Man, I should do that more!" Its like a lightbulb goes off. It's the same when we know the meaning of our name to its fullest. Its like a window into things that were ordained by God to fulfill in our lives.

I want to walk under the grace my name gives me. I want to know what it means so I can be called up to the prophetic identity of it when I'm not walking there already. I can't help but think of times that I have spent a long time doing something that I didn't really enjoy, thinking that over a duration of time I would just learn to like it or something. But then, when I changed plans or finally gave up and did something I actually did enjoy I would think "gosh, I should have done this all along!" If we don't know what we were made to do, we may waste time doing things that aren't that fulfilling to our hearts. But how would we know unless we know what we were actually made for? I love that others tend to see things in us before we see them in ourselves. I didn't know I was creative until someone told me years ago. I thought everyone was like that until someone pointed out to me that I was different than others in that regard. I thought everyone hated spreadsheets until I met a few people, including some of my best friends, that absolutely love love love them and thrive by getting to make them. If something comes easier to you than it does to others, it is probably a gift in your life. Sometimes we just need help seeing them :)

This made me curious about the meaning of my name. So I looked it up! (and you should look yours up to!)
Carolyn is derived from the names Carol and Linda and is German. (I never knew about the Linda part! I always thought Lynn or something)
Carolyn means joy, song of happiness and free man

Somewhere in my life I started spelling my name with 2 n's. I think I just liked the fact that it was different. And unique. And I liked that I got to add something to my name myself. So I also looked up the spelling of Carolynn (spelled with 2 n's) and get this (for those of you that know me, you might think it's ridiculous that I'm surprised by this..but I'll just be honest- I'm having a lightbulb moment now from looking this up!) Carolynn also means "...one who produces a quest for destiny with words along a variety of lines that may include writing, speaking, painting, drawing and other creative forms. You are fond of reading and like to develop knowledge and wisdom. You can be timid around people you don't know very well and can come off as non-expressive with your emotions in a way that makes it hard at times for others to understand you. You are a dreamer that is totally free and unrestrained by responsibility. You see yourself conversing and mingling with the natives in many nations, living for adventure and life experiences."
no way, right? right on.

I think its powerful that in looking up the meaning of my name I read through some things that talk about specific physical ailments that go with specific names, also social tendencies (positive and negative), various ways that you view yourself and others, and other things that I wouldn't immediately attribute to names. But, I think it just shows the power behind them! If our names play a role in being prophetic declarations of our identities and also actually release the very characteristics needed for us to fulfill our calling in God, we should know what they are! We should know the heritage of our name so we can grow in the grace our name extends to us to live fully and thrive in God and to be aware of and not fall under the potential negative things our name might carry. After all, we were made for abundant life!


So here's the challenge. what is the meaning of your name? Look it up and share it! (leave it as a comment here- I want to know it too!)



*quote from Supernatural Ways of Royalty