Have you ever wanted to change your name? Or had/have a nickname that you prefer? Maybe even one that only certain people are allowed to use? Where did your name come from? Were you named after someone or something? Names and name stories are everywhere. They are important, they identify us.

Gumby, was a nickname given to me many years ago before I was married (my maiden name was Gumminger). A friend started using Gumby and it just stuck. Interestingly though, she was one of the few people I was okay with calling me Gumby.

My youngest hates her name story, but gave me permission to share. We were so sure she was going to be a boy that we hadn’t even discussed girl names. When she came, her hospital ID bracelet said “baby Meeks” Knowing we needed to decide on a name so the birth certificate could be completed, my husband sat in our room reading names from a baby name book. When he came to Casidy, I said “Well, I don’t hate it”. I know, it’s not a proud mom moment! And while she doesn’t love this story and hasn’t always loved her name for that matter, she does get offended when random people shorten it to Cas. The name Cas is reserved for only those who are closest to her, not just anyone gets the privilege of using that nickname. Her name means something to her.

My husband has an issue remembering people’s names, so he just decides to refer to them by the name he thinks they should have. He tries to remember names, it’s just a struggle and one that he fully admits. It’s a fun game for those of us who live with him to keep track of all the “aliases” he has assigns, while remembering the person’s real name and making sure that we use their real name when we speak to them! This probably won’t make sense to those of you who don’t know Ted, but there are reasons why he chooses or assigns the names he does. He really feels like it describes the person.

Heck, even God changed people’s names. Abram to Abraham, Sari to Sarah, Jacob to Israel, Simon to Peter, and Saul to Paul are just a few of the more well-known name changes in the Bible. Why did God choose to change some people’s names and not others? Why do some of us change our names, or give nicknames? Why do we women change our last name when we marry?

Biblical history tells us that God had a purpose behind His name changes. The new names were names chosen by God, they carried meaning and intent. The new name often corresponded to a new journey these men and women were being called to. You could even say to a new purpose. Abraham’s name was changed to mark a covenant (Genesis 17). Peter’s name was changed when he was chosen as a disciple of Jesus (Matthew 16:18).

What is the moral of this story? Names are important! They have meaning both for the person giving the name and those on the receiving end. That is why after much thought and prayer, I have decided to change the name of my blog and soon to be launched website from For the glory to Captivated Hearts.

My desire to work and write for God’s glory hasn’t changed. But God is teaching me that I cannot do either well without first asking Him every single day to captivate my heart. I cannot bring glory to God without Him leading the way. And it begins with complete submission to Him and a life captivated by my Savior. I want to reflect the work God has done and is doing not only in my heart, but with this work which He has called me to do for Him. Much like those in the Bible who had their name changed before they moved into the next chapter of their lives, this name change reflects the beginning of the next chapter in my life and journey.

The name change has resulted in a new look, new features and even a website: Captivated-hearts.com. It is a work in progress. Some of the layout and content is still being tweaked and built. And while I’d love for it to be perfect before anyone sees it, God has impressed on me to move forward in obedience. After all I too am a work in progress.

In the next few days, you will notice a change of name on Facebook as well. For those of you who follow via email, that may look different too. I would love for you to click on over to Captivated-hearts.com and look around. I’d love your feedback! If you see something I’ve missed, please share so it can be corrected.

For those of you who only follow on Facebook, I’d love it if you clicked the “follow” button on the new website. My plan is to continue to link to Facebook, but with constantly changing rules, I don’t feel confident in that being a long-term option. My purpose has not changed, but God is definitely expanding my vision and leading me in a more specific path.

Never in a million years would I have guessed God taking me on this journey! But I am so grateful that He has and continues to lead the way. Thank you for reading and allowing me to share my heart. My prayer is that you might also begin praying “Jesus, captivate my heart”!