nicknames ~ 9/21/25

 Sunday, September 21, 2025 (7:41 a.m. CT)

Fargo, ND 

Holy God,

Thank You for a dream filled with nicknames that made absolutely no sense to me [Pineapple, Peanut Butter…]. Thank You for details and vagueness. Allusions. As well as out-and-out mistakes. Thank You that I woke up thinking of You. And Your nicknames.

(8:12 a.m. CT)

Lists of nicknames for You seem endless. Creator. Master. Healer. Provider. Shepherd. Peace. Mm. Yes. Yahweh-Shalom (Judges 6:24a).

(9:16 a.m. CT)

♪I’m So Blessed, I’m so blessed

Got this heartbeat in my chest

No, it doesn’t matter about the rest

If I got You Lord I’m so blessed♪

Yes. Yes, I am. SO blessed!

Taking the time and opportunity to read of Gideon (Judges 6-8). His strengths. His weaknesses. His accomplishments. And his mistakes.

His face to face experiences with “the angel of the LORD” and ultimately with You, led to him building and naming an altar to You. Yahweh-Shalom. “The LORD is peace.”

Lord, I want the faith, the courage, the confidence it takes to build something that lasts. “The altar remains in Ophrah in the land of the clan of Abiezer to this day” (v. 24b).

Thank You for the repeated times You’ve taught me just a little more about the Hebrew meaning of shalom. “Wholeness in all of life. Completeness. Welfare. Safety. Universal flourishing. Delight.”

My current reading [faith gateway] doesn’t stop there. It continues, “a rich state of affairs in which natural needs are satisfied and natural gifts fruitfully employed, a state of affairs that inspires joyful wonder as its Creator and Savior opens doors and welcomes the creatures in whom He delights.”

Father, I’m asking (Matthew 7:7) for all it takes to live in flourishing, whole delight. All through the presence of Your true Prince of Peace. The “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father” who was born and given to us as a child and son (Isaiah 9:6).

Use me Dear Lord to speak Your Truth into this hurting world. I love, need, trust and want You. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(343 words ~ 10:08 a.m. CT)