by Cathy Baker

{ Day 21 } 

Lovely, isn’t it? 

Everything about my birthday cake exceeded my expectations, minus one thing. Do you see it in the picture? 

McFarlan’s Bakery, Hendersonville NC

When we picked up the cake at McFarlan’s Bakery (which is awesome!) they peeled back the box top, especially proud of the beautifully fall-themed design they’d created for me. 

We were all delighted until Brian said,”It’s beautiful…except her name isn’t Cindy.”

We all laughed but they felt terrible about the mistaken name and wanted to fix it. I insisted I knew my name and it was perfectly fine. (I also thought of this post idea so I wasn’t about to ruin it by having them correct it!) 

I had a flashback to my childhood when both
grandmothers would sometimes do what felt like a roll call when trying to get my
attention. They called out at least three other names of people in our family before getting to mine. (Oh, how I miss this!)

In the big scheme of things, though, aren’t you thankful God doesn’t mistake us for anyone else? When He calls our name, He gets it right the first time for He is keenly aware of every detail concerning our lives:

To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. John 10:3


O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You
know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from
afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with
all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.  Psalm 139


Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to
the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are
all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many
sparrows. Matthew 10:29-31


Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. Isaiah 43:1

Birthday getaway in Saluda, NC

Our God never skips a beat. We’ll never catch Him calling us by another sheep’s name or confusing our strengths/weaknesses with a sibling-in-Christ. It’s almost as if each of us is His “only” child.

The LORD formed us, chose us, redeemed us, and He calls us by name. 

Staying in Step with the Spirit: We draw near to God with a grateful heart, confident in His knowledge of us, and His love for us. How could such knowledge escape our praise? 

Heavenly Father, everything within us bows at Your name. We praise You for choosing to be a Father we can draw near to, not one that shuns us when we fall. Thank You for being such an intimate heavenly Father.

{ Day 15 } Staying in Step with the Spirit Via A Paper Bookmark
{ Day 16 } Staying in Step with the Spirit Via A Fresh Start
{ Day 17 } Staying in Step with the Spirit Via Spontaneous Service
{ Day 18 } Staying in Step with the Spirit Via God’s Creation, Wk. 3
{ Sunday }