I've been thinking about this a lot lately: Who do I think I am? What is my name ? What defines me? Is it my profession, my beliefs, my family history, my success rate, who I'm married to, my credit history?

I love movies. Especially the ones that inspire me to go out there and go the extra mile to accomplish my goals.

I started thinking about awesome movies that answered my Title Questions.

I love the movie Gladiator. Here's a clip (sorry for the poor quality - only one I could find) where the gladiator is asked by the young ruler "What is Your name?" 50 seconds into the clip.

 This is who I think I am -This is my name :

"My name is Donald Brian Foxworth,

Loyal Servant to The Lord God who made the heavens and the earth and everything in it,

Saved by the Blood of His Son Jesus Christ who died on a cross for my sins as the best gift He could ever give - not because I deserved it- but because of the Love God has for all of us - by God's Grace and Who God raised up on the 3rd day to Conquer death and the grave,

Husband of the Intoxicatingly Beautiful Christ-follower Christina Foxworth -who I have been in love with all of my life before God even gave her to me as the 2nd best gift He could give - who loves me slightly less than God does -even when she doesn't like me that much,  

Daddy of Megan Grace Foxworth - blessed with the beauty of her Mommy, the personality of her Daddy, and the 3rd best gift God had given me,

Proud American by Birth,

Conservative by the Biblical values of God's Word by Choice, 

Realizer of the Dream of Home Ownership for Many,

Tolerator of Sadie the Wiener Dog because my wife and daughter love her. "

Who do you think you are? What is your true name?

*************************UPDATE*************************************

After I wrote this yesterday, it was brought to my attention that there was offensive language in the Second Hand Lions clip - I was so focused on the part where Hub passionately tells the teenager who he is that I did not think about the language -for this I am sorry.

I have also realized that maybe there are some folks out there who don't know their true name. Maybe you have been thru a difficult storm this past week, month, year, decade... and you are not sure who you are.

Maybe you've done some things you regret -I know I have - and you don't think you can ever escape that mistake, that bad choice, that sin.

Maybe you think everyone has given up on you - that you are too far gone, you've done too many bad things, you've hurt too many people, or you have been hurt too many times for you to have a name of any worth, of any value.

Maybe this economy has spun your Real Estate business on its ear and you, like many, no longer have the recognition of Top Producer and you have not experienced this kind of set back in along time -or maybe you've never experienced this kind of setback.

No matter what you are going thru, no matter what you have done, no matter who you have hurt, or who has hurt you God has never given up on you.

This is what God has to say about you -this is how he sees you:

Matthew 10: 29 What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. 30 And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."

Psalms 139:13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, 16 your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

What God has done for one of us, He can do for all of us: Jesus changed Simon to Peter. He changed Simon's name to the name God thought of him - that showed Peter's true worth in God:

"ROCK"

John 1:40 -42 Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two who heard John's witness and followed Jesus. The first thing he did after finding where Jesus lived was find his own brother, Simon, telling him, "We've found the Messiah" (that is, "Christ"). He immediately led him to Jesus.

Jesus took one look up and said, "You're John's son, Simon? From now on your name is Cephas" (or Peter, which means "Rock").

This is a song I love to sing every chance I get - a reminder that no matter what I've done, no matter how bad I've messed things up - if I have repented and asked for God's forgiveness thru his Son Jesus He will give me a new name - a new identity thru the Blood of Jesus the way God has always seen me:

He knows your name - Do you?