"God Knows My Name" (Catherine Campbell)

TITLE: God Knows Your Name
AUTHOR: Catherine Campbell
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 2012, (224 pages).

This book is a warm and encouraging book for readers who feel discouraged or down at any phase of their lives. Through twelve stories, coupled with brilliant storytelling creativity and skill, Catherine Campbell urges readers to look not at the rich, the famous, or the highly accomplished people in the world, but to recognize that we are worthy in God's eyes. In a world where we seem to be perceived as nobodies, God cares enough to assure us we are someone special. We are worth remembering. We are worth saving. We are worth loving. In a world that constantly rejects us at different points of our lives, all is not lost on God. Campbell works through meticulously six aspects of how we can feel rejected, and shows us twelve ways in which God accepts us.


Firstly, for many of us, we are simply "nameless" people in a world dizzy with self-seeking interests, or statistics as a means to other people's ends. Campbell weaves in the biblical story of the widow of Zaraphath, and the author's personal experience with an angry lady to assure us that God knows our name, who we are, and our cares and concerns. Secondly, it is easy to feel "hopeless"like the leper in the gospel, or the plight of the Dalit people. Feeling discarded, unwanted, and despised can set us on the way of hopelessness. Campbell shares the story of how Jesus not only heals the leper during the first century, God is continuing to give us hope, just like the way He brings hope to the marginalized in India. A third threat to our feelings of rejection is the feeling of "worthless" plight. Like Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan who was crippled on both legs. Yet, he was given a place at the table at the house of David. Likewise, in a world that is crazy about perfection, Campbell shares her personal pain with regards to her eldest daughter, Cheryl, born handicapped, and how she takes refuge in the Word of God through Psalm 139. Fourthly, it is tempting to feel "helpless" in this cruel world. Just like Reumah, the fictional name given to tell the story of the woman with the tissue of blood. In her helpless situation, where no earthly healing can be obtained, her faith in Jesus turns the whole story around from helplessness to being helped. There is also a powerful missionary story of Bobula, who hears about Jesus from a team of missionaries, and enters heaven's gates. Fifth, in a world intoxicated with power, it is inevitable that many become victims of "powerlessness." Like Legion, who was demon possessed in Mark 5, Jesus exorcised the demons and shows him who the true source of power is. Such a power is also existing today as Campbell shares about the story of how Ricky is freed from addiction. Finally, it is ironic that for a world that preaches love so readily, there are still many places of "lovelessness." When Hagar and Sarai feel unloved by their husbands and others, God enters the world to demonstrate His love for them. The story of Donna summarizes the whole book well, that no matter how "bad" the world thinks of us, how terrible we feel about ourselves, or how much guilt we carry, the impossible can become possible. That God cherishes us. That God accepts us. That God loves us.

This book is written from one who has gone through painfully hard times. She is now on a mission to bring hope and purpose to people who are also hurting in many ways. In "God Knows Your Name," Campbell has given us hope in living, faith in expecting God, and love in knowing God. Strangely, as we become more and more open to the working of God in our lives outside, we become more aware of what God is doing to us inside our hearts. This book puts into words the hope that what many of us are struggling to make sense of. If you want to be reassured that God cares, maybe you can start with this book. It will point you to God, to seek God and to allow God to touch you.


conrade

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This book is provided to me free by Kregel Publications without any obligation for a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.