Title: God Knows Your
Name
Author: Catherine
Campbell
Pages: 224
Year: 2011
Publisher: Monarch
Books
Note: I received a
complimentary copy for an honest review of this book. The opinions shared in this review are solely
my responsibility. Other reviews can be
read at http://seekingwithallyurheart.blogspot.com/. Also follow me on Twitter @lcjohnson1988
Sometimes in a world filled with
tragedy, pain, trials, and more we feel as if God forgets us or doesn’t even
know we exist. We might pray during
these times; we may not because we think that He isn’t listening or doesn’t
care. Anyone who has lived this side of
heaven for any length of time has had these feelings as well as others that go
beyond description. There simply are no
words to express the depth of despair, pain, rejection, etc… In the center of our world, encased in a
tornado like storm, we feel that no one knows our name, our hopes, our feelings
of worthlessness and lack of power, and worst of all not being loved. No words can simply wipe away these feelings. Can anything?
In the
first chapter, “Nameless”, we learn of a woman in Old Testament times who may
have felt as women do today. Women want
to know if anyone knows their name, especially God. The author then relates her story of the feeling
of being the nameless one in a crowd of people who knew each other, and the
pain of a woman who caught her eye when she was a speaker at a church event.
Following
Nameless, we read about Hopeless. Who
has not known about being or living life without hope? Again, the author draws from a real person in
the Bible, though her story is fictional to reading about a person who also
lived without any hope. All through the
book, the author is encouraging us to see that ancient people and present day
people all had or have the same feelings.
Then, she provides a morsel meant to enlighten the heart and to give us
encouragement as we continue to live through these heartbreaking trials instead
of just a Band-Aid solution.
Then we
come to know a woman in the Bible who had no hope her life would ever
change. People today wonder if tomorrow
will be the same as every other day, being burdened with feelings of unworthiness. We can feel we aren’t important or have no
reason to hope, even feeling unworthy for all sorts of reasons. The purpose, as I understand the author, for
our lives or emotions to be different is God.
We, His people, need to know Him and His truths so we can act as His ambassadors
to help carry peoples’ burdens as well as to show His love.
Have
you ever come up against a problem that seems to have no answer? What about having sought several possible
answers, only to find out that none of them worked or couldn’t be tried? Here we come to another burden born by many
called Helpless. See what is written in
this chapter about the New Testament example of someone who was helpless. As you progress, you will read a story about
someone who also dealt with that helplessness for 50 years.
Towards
the end of the book, we come to a chapter entitled “Powerless”. Have you ever felt that way in life? Have you ever struggled for something to
change within you or your circumstances only to find you’re unable to produce
change? We are introduced to a man who
had multiple demons from the New Testament.
Then, read about a man named Ricky who had his life entrenched in
alcohol and drugs, who God spoke to and gave the power to be set free through
Jesus Christ.
In the
final chapter entitled “Loveless”, readers are reminded of a woman, Hagar, who
knew what it was like to live without love.
Meet a modern day woman who knows she is loved, her name is Donna. She lives in Dublin, Ireland. Enjoy this book that
though small has powerful testimonies, encouragement, and points to Jesus.
My rating for this book is 4 stars.
