God Knows Your Name Book Review

I reviewed God Knows Your Name: In a World of Rejection, He Accepts You by Catherine Campbell.

“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose/ By any other name would smell as sweet.” Shakespeare

Names are important.

We pore over baby name books trying to find that perfect moniker for our children. A name that will define him or her. A name that evokes whatever trait or virtue we wish him or her to possess.

I know I was troubled by finding just the right spelling for my four babies. I didn’t want them to go through life explaining their names to everyone or spelling it out for people. When I was a high school English teacher, I had some students with rather creative names. There were random dashes and capital letters in the middle of names. I sure didn’t want to do that to my kids. I almost spelled my firstborn: Elisabeth, but then I changed my mind almost at the last minute to the Z because I imagined her forever telling folks her name “with an S.” Our youngest girl will probably have the most trouble because there are so many ways to spell Katherine. Our featured author has hers with a C. Then there are several different endings: –ryn, -arine, –rine. Ah, well.

Names are important.

God knows our names.

Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in exchange for you. Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you, I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life. Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you. Isaiah 43:1-5

Doesn’t that just make you happy to know that our Father in Heaven knows our names? He thinks about us. Isn’t that exciting? We are important to Him. He redeemed us!

“In a world of rejection, He accepts you.” This is on the cover of God Knows Your Name by Catherine Campbell. I think that statement sums it up. We all feel rejected. He accepts us. When we come to realize that God accepts us, the world changes. We see things differently. We see people differently. We see ourselves differently. We see God. He sees through us. I don’t think we ever really stop needing that acceptance from people, whether it’s parents, peers, or spouses. But we can rest in the assurance that God accepts us and we are acceptable.

My Review:

In just six little chapters, Catherine Campbell breaks our hearts for all those who are hurting, all those who have been hurt. We’ve all been there. We can all connect with one of her stories. We so want acceptance. All of us have at one time felt Nameless, or Hopeless, or Worthless, Helpless, Powerless, or Loveless. And God heals all that and accepts us. He knows our names.

Each chapter includes an applicable Bible story about a real Bible character, fictionalized to make that person more real to us, to fill in some possible details. It is beautifully written. I was spellbound and couldn’t quit reading it! The second half of each chapter describes the story of someone that has personally affected the author, Catherine Campbell. The stories are heartrending. These tales make us cheer for Christians who have helped others see the reality and majesty of Christ, those who have helped people understand that God knows our names and loves us. It’s about real people shining their lights for Jesus, being His hands and feet and doing something for His glory and kingdom.

About Catherine Campbell:

Catherine’s interest in writing started in primary school when she won a National School’s Story Competition run by the chocolate company, Cadbury.  Much later she moved on from the story of the cocoa bean to crafting magazine articles published in magazines.

In March 2008 her first book ‘Under the Rainbow’ was published by Ambassador Productions, closely followed eight months later by her second, ‘Rainbows for Rainy Days’. Her third book ‘God Knows Your Name’ has been published by Monarch.

Her working life started as a nurse in Belfast’s famous Royal Victoria Hospital, and she continued nursing on a part-time basis for the next few decades.  In 2005 Catherine hung up her uniform for the last time to devote more time to writing, and to be able to keep up with her diary of speaking engagements, as well as those of a busy minister’s wife.

Catherine, a native of Belfast, Northern Ireland, now lives in the beautiful northern town of Coleraine, where her husband, Philip, is minister of the Congregational church.

Family is vitally important to Catherine, and she thanks God for a close loving family who have supported her at every stage of her life.  She and Philip have three children; two daughters, Cheryl and Joy, now in heaven, and a wonderful son, Paul who is married to Susie, both exceptional musicians. Paul and Susie’s daughter, Bethany Joy, is now a delightful toddler and adding another generation of wonder to the family.

Disclaimer: I received God Knows Your Name free from the publisher through Kregel Blog Tours for an honest review. The opinions expressed are my own.