Each Easter I am reminded of God’s personal love when people refer to the Via Dolorosa – the way of suffering.

My name, Delores comes from this word and means many sorrows.

In Spanish class the kids loved to translate my name from dolor – meaning pain.  I am one of those who believe in the meaning behind names and so I was sad as a kid to discover what my name meant!  Yet, the meaning always gave me the feeling of a special link with Jesus, and I’d wonder why I got such a name. (My father did not like the name my mother had chosen, and when they moved while she was pregnant with me, the name Delores was scratched into the door and he said that’s a pretty name – take that!)  But I thought sorrow was only a name of darkness. It is rather a Good Friday name.

The good news was discovering the meaning of my second, or middle, name – a diminutive of Faith.  That truly redeemed my name.  If I was going to have much sorrow in my life, God was going to provide the faith to endure it, to be more than conqueror (one who brings back evidences of victory in battle).  And so He has.  Who is HE?

Jesus name above all names

I’ve just come from a Good Friday service where the choir sang about Jesus’ journey down the Via Dolorosa, an artist painted a powerful illustration of Christ’s sacrifice, and a pastor challenged us all to ponder all Christ endured to provide these Easter gifts:

•      Forgiveness
•      Justification
•      Reconciliation
•      Redemption
•      Salvation
  

Before my redeeming Easter experience, I didn’t like my name.  I tried to hide it, and asked friends to call me Dee. After I understood the depth of the name God had allowed me to have – that Faith followed after sorrow, I began using Delores. If God’s Word was true, God knew my name before I was created or born and that is what He calls me!

Is. 45:3          “And I will give you the treasures of darkness,

And hidden wealth of secret places,

In order that you may know that it is I,

The LORD, the God of Israel, who calls you by your name.”

What’s the story behind your name?

You might find it here…   Find My Name