[Fun fact: I was originally named Esther. My dad threw a fit. It was changed to Emilee…but Esther is still the first of my two middle names.]

The story of Esther has been told and retold to me throughout my life; bedtimes, birthdays, Christmas…pretty much any opportunity to bring the story into the conversation. As I wrote above, originally Esther was my namesake…in fact my mom still calls me by that name, but mainly when I’m in trouble.

For instance, whenever my willful child self decided I didn’t need to obey manners or etiquette, my mother would remind me I was named after a queen; as though that inherently required my actions to be more distinguished.

When I’ve had to make a decision between being “safe” or doing what I knew God was calling me to, I would be reminded of Esther’s courage. To this day, I think my favorite part of this story is in chapter four when Esther states, “If I perish, I perish.” (Esther 4:16) For me, that’s when she claims her identity, her calling and her purpose. She doesn’t know how it would turn out; only that she is called to act. It’s a lesson in faith that makes Esther’s story one with big shoes to fill.

With the constant reminder of Esther and her significance in my own life, I’ve been thinking a lot about the power of names; the significance of what we are called, and what we are called to. The legacy before us that is built on the foundation of letters arranged in a precisely random order.

As many of you probably know, Esther was not, in fact, given the name Esther at birth. But her Jewish name, Hadassah, had to be left at the gates of the palace as she entered a new season. Her new name, meaning star, would become her identity as the Queen of Persia.

How must that have felt? To be forbidden from telling about your heritage, to be called by another name?

Our names are a huge part of our identity. They can tell people who we are, and remind us who we are called to be. I think that’s why the idea that the Creator of the universe knows our names blows my mind.

“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.” (Isaiah 43:1)

Our identities are written in the voice of our Creator, calling us by name and claiming that we are his.

What a legacy.

How can we even fathom the heart of the Father, who smiles as he calls our name?

But he does.

Every day.

And, for me, that is reason enough to answer.

– Emilee

Communications &Social Media Intern