The Weight We Carry
Hello friend, you know what’s interesting? I have been writing for A Miracle Every Day for several years and I realized that I have never spoken about a topic that is fairly obvious, as soon as you open this email.
I have a weird last name: FISHBOOK!
It was not mine by choice. I was born with it, so I’ve been stuck with it ever since!
My original last name was FISCHBUCH (pronounced FASHCH-BOOK). My great-grandfather came over as an immigrant in 1927 and when he arrived at the immigration office in Halifax, Nova Scotia, an officer told him that he simply could not enter the country with a name that people would likely struggle to pronounce.
So, he made an executive level decision on the spot and changed the name to what he thought it sounded like in English, FISHBOOK.
Someday I’m going to find that man and let him know how miserable my childhood was because of his decision. Do you have any idea what middle school and late elementary school kids can do to the last name FISHBOOK? It’s awful — Fishhead, Fishbone, Fishguts, Fishline, Fishbowl, Fishjerk, Fishgoof, and Fishgeek. I am not scarred, just bitter! 😝 I can honestly say that there have been many times in my life when I wanted to scream to the stars, “Would somebody please change my name?”
A birth name is important, but it’s not nearly as important as some of the names we assign to ourselves.
There are times when I have named myself “failure,” “forgotten,” or “alone.” How about you? What have you called yourself?
Why do we struggle with naming ourselves in the negative?
How often do we find ourselves wishing for a different label, a different introduction to the world? Perhaps it's not a quirky last name, but a title at work, a role in the family, or even a self-imposed identity that feels heavy or misrepresentative.
Think about the names and titles you carry. Which ones bring you joy and affirmation? Which ones feel like a weight, a mischaracterization, or a source of discomfort?
Our society places immense value on these identifiers. A name can conjure immediate images and assumptions, shaping perceptions before a single word is spoken.This is why we all have a fundamental human desire for recognition and belonging, for our individual identity to be acknowledged and valued.
Reflect on a time when a name or label felt particularly burdensome. How did it affect you? What desires did it stir within you for a different kind of recognition? Today, acknowledge the weight of the names you carry, both positive and negative. Recognize the power these labels hold and begin to consider if they truly reflect the person God sees you as.
friend, I want to remind you that God has GOOD names for you. Names like “dearly loved,” “my child,” and “adopted family of the King.”
God was thinking of you when He inspired Solomon to write Proverbs 22:1, "A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold." (Proverbs 22:1, ESV)
Throughout this week, we are going to consider the power of names and we are going to walk with one man whose name was changed by God. I hope and pray that you will open your heart as this man’s journey shapes our own!
2 Timothy 2:19 says boldly, “Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his…” (2 Timothy 2:19a, NIV). My friend, no matter the names you have assigned to yourself, the names God has for you are so much more important!
I would love to pray for you, right now.
Heavenly Father, thank you for knowing us intimately, beyond any name or title the world might assign. I confess that at times, I have felt the weight of certain labels, longing for a different way to be seen. Help me to release the burdens of misrepresentation and to find my true identity in your loving gaze. Grant me the wisdom to value the recognition that comes from you above all else. Amen.
Never forget my friend, you are a miracle!
