God said to him, "Your name is Jacob, (Jacob means he grasps the heel, figuratively; he deceives) but you will no longer be called Jacob; your name will be Israel. (Israel means he struggles with God) “So he named him Israel. Genesis 35:10

I absolutely dreaded roll call when the teacher either couldn't pronounce my name, or stumbled over it while all the other kids in the class gawked and snickered. I never realized in the beginning that it was so different. I thought it'd be irritating to have the same name as four other kids in class. But, once I realized it was "unacceptable" to my peers, it made me cringe to hear it or have to say it. And, as I grew older, I realized that it was my father's idea to name me that after a character in his favorite movie, Footloose. The character is portrayed as this promiscuous teenage girl. Growing up, I feared him assuming I'd follow in her footsteps. But, I also knew that it'd never be acceptable to him, and...well...even as a child and not totally understanding it, I wanted more than that for me. And I wanted to prove to him that I could be more than what he'd expected.

So, I always felt that my name said something negatively about who I am. But, a couple years ago, God slowly began showing me that it wasn't my parents who named me; HE named me. All throughout the Old, and even the New, Testament, God either names or re-names people. It always speaks something about who they are. Israel, though it means "struggles with God," was God's most beloved nation. In Isaiah 29:1, 2, and 7, it cries "Woe, Woe, Ariel..." Hey...that's my name! I thought it was pretty cool when a minister pointed this verse out to me. "Ariel" is another name for Jerusalem—a PART of God's beloved city.

I've heard it said that when a person dislikes their name, they're more disapproving of themselves. And though at times, it's a struggle to find worth in myself, I know that God loved me enough to not only create me, but to choose everything about me...perfectly. And he did the same for you. No matter what it is you have trouble accepting about yourself—your weight, appearance, gender, family circumstances—know that God thinks it's perfect. He specifically made you that way. Try to see it as he does, and love you for you.