Author Archives: Nannette

About Nannette

Wife to The Sweetheart, Mom to the Fantastic Six, Nana to six of the cutest littles on the planet, Author, The Daniel Fast, A Devotional. UPCI ministers.

What’s in a name?

#FiveMinuteFriday! Word prompt is Woman. Join me for What’s in a name?!

Names are intriguing at times. Just take mine, for instance. No, really, take it! Yvonne is my first name but my parents have always called me by my middle name, Nannette, which I prefer. Yvonne was my grandmother’s name, it’s always an honor to be named after someone and I adored my grandmother.

Then there is the origin behind Nannette. Obviously, both names have French roots and even sound better if the French are doing the pronouncing. You might think my parents had some rich friends from Paris that visited often and the wife’s name was Nannette Eloise Babineaux (BAB-in-oh). Elegant. Classy. Cosmopolitan!

But no, my parents didn’t have French friends, had never been to France and didn’t take French in high school. They did have a friend though that influenced my name and that friend had a dog. A french poodle, to be exact. And the French poodle had a name.

Yep.

Nannette.

So, with all confidence when someone asks, “Who were you named after?” or “Nannette is such a pretty name, is it in your family?” Ugh.

I was named after a dog, people, a dog.

Names matter. Names are remembered. Names have lifelong consequences or blessings! The Book of Acts only briefly mentions a woman with an unusual name that we do not hear much of today.

In the 17th chapter of Acts,  the Apostle Paul is preaching on Mars Hill and addressing The UNKNOWN GOD that the people of Athens had inscribed on an altar. It is said that about 600  years before Paul preached in Athens that a devastating plague tore through the city. A man named Epimenides thought he could please the gods by sacrifice so he let loose a flock of sheep through the town and wherever they lay down that was where they sacrificed that particular sheep: to the god that had the nearest shrine. If it didn’t lay down near a shrine or temple then they sacrificed it To the Unknown God. But Paul let them know, “The God who created the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, because it is He who gives to all life and breath and all things.” 

What comes next gives a woman a place in Biblical history and leaves us to forever wonder about her life, her relationship with God, her faith and her conversion.

So Paul went out from their midst. But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.” Acts 17:33-34 ESV. (Emphasis mine.)

A woman named Damaris? She is mentioned by name this one time in the Bible and we are given no other information about her except that she joined Paul and she believed.

The Greek meaning of the name Damaris refers to a calf or heifer. Probably not going to mention this to my expectant daughter-in-law as a name choice for our little one on the way!

But the Latin name means gentle and after reading the account of Paul’s sermon, understanding the background of the people in Athens and their infatuation with The Unknown God, I thought that maybe, just maybe, this woman named Damaris was given her name for a purpose, even if it wasn’t revealed to her parents at the time. Quite unlike me and my French poodle.

Her spirit was gentle and yet perhaps it was strong-willed, meaning when she was convinced of something she wasn’t about to let go. “But some men joined him and believed…and a woman named Damaris…” For a woman to be mentioned in scripture in this fashion was a big deal and says to me that she was singled out for a reason. She was wooed by the Savior, by the scripture, not only for her personal salvation but for her influence. Damaris was likely well known and perhaps looked up to in the community and when she joined Paul, when she believed in Jesus Christ, this gentle woman plowed through the rest of her life letting others know about the One who gave His life for everyone.  She wasn’t intimidated by those that did NOT believe, 

Can the same be said of us today? When we walk by do others get a sense of peace because we shine the Light of Christ or do they whisper about that woman who does nothing but cause division?

A woman named ___________________________. Insert your name here and determine from this day forward to be like Damaris. Even though we know so little…okay…. we know nothing about her; we are looking at that name and surmising that she was strong as a bull but yet gentle like a dove. A perfect combination for a soul winner. Be that woman!

(You might also like my humorous post about my alter ego. Read it here!)

Done!

#FiveMinuteFriday and today’s word prompt is Done. Join me and read about the miracle of healing God did for me today!

To say I have lived at the dentist the last few years is an understatement. They knew me by my first name in my hometown. They were so good to me. Then I moved to Tennessee and had to search all over again for a dentist. I have found one and they already know me by my first name in such a short time. This week I have spent SIX HOURS and 43 MINUTES in the dentist chair. The story is too long, but I promise you it wouldn’t be boring. It is unbelievable.

In the early morning hours today I awoke with severe pain in my right jaw. I just had another crown replaced on that side on Monday and had two temporaries put in for two more crowns.  Then I was back in the dentist chair for a temporary that had fallen out from that visit and while they were finishing up with the new temporary I felt something floating around in my mouth. I pull it out and it is the new PERMANENT crown they had put in on my bottom right side two days earlier! Suffice it to say I was beside myself. They do finally get it fixed and send me on my way.

Back to today, the pain I was experiencing this morning was coming from that permanent crown and radiating up my jaw into my ear. I’ve had a lot of pain lately with dental appointments, and of course my lumbar spinal fusion surgery, but this had me nearly in tears.

I get up and start my day with devotion, trying to ignore what is pounding in my head. I get through the devotion and finally cry out to the Lord that I just cannot call the dentist today. I cannot go through whatever is causing the pain. I. Just. Cannot. Bear. One. More. Thing.

I’m done.

I prayed and reminded myself that God has healed me of migraine headaches! I began to praise Him for that when The Sweetheart walks in the room. I told him what was going on and could we please pray. Why should I have to go back to the dentist when the King of Kings calls me His own? When I have His Spirit living inside of me, I should be able to call on the Name above all Names and be touched today.

We prayed and he went on his way and I went back to praying and within just a couple minutes…the pain was gone. Completely gone! I sit there waiting, just being human and making sure it truly was gone. (smile) I didn’t wait long and I was beside myself  all over again but in a different way.

When He speaks, when He shows up, it is complete, it is finished, it is done! I don’t know what other things I might face with all the issues I have going on in my mouth, but today God took away excruciating pain that I just couldn’t possibly deal with another minute.

Does He always answer every prayer when we want Him to? I still have back pain, I still have nerve pain and muscle spasms and all kinds of woes with the healing from this surgery. But that doesn’t mean He isn’t God! He is still in control! His timing is not ours, everything is for His glory and when the timing is right, He heals, saves, delivers, sends money, rights wrongs, puts homes back together, and on and on and on.

So I share with you today an absolute instant miracle so He would receive the glory. Everything points back to Him so He is lifted up, magnified and others can see Him better. Know today that He hears your EVERY prayer and when it is in His timing He will speak and say,

“It is done.”

For the kingdom

4 Things To Do in a Season of Wait

Maybe you have heard the story of the lady who read this scripture, “And He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.” Malachi 3:3. She was curious about its meaning so she sought out a silversmith and asked him about the process of refining silver. After he explained the procedures she asked him, “Sir, do you sit while the refining is taking place?”

The silversmith replied that he did, indeed, sit and watch the furnace constantly because if the time necessary for refining went over just the slightest degree the silver would be damaged or injured.

The lady was thrilled to be able to understand the scripture in Malachi and see why the silversmith would sit while working.

Are you in a refining fire? Are you in a season of waiting?

Waiting is just plain hard. Whether it is for a financial need, a healing, marital intervention, praying for Mr. or Mrs. Right, children on the wrong path, or salvation for your neighbor, it is difficult to let those prayers escape our lips and then sit back and trust God to do the work.

4 things to do in a season of wait

4 Things to do in a Season of Wait

  1. Pray. Yes, pray! The Bible says to pray about everything and worry about nothing! “Don’t worry about anything, but pray about everything.With thankful hearts offer up your prayers and requests to God.” Philippians 4:6 CET. But it doesn’t end there, it gives you the result of your giving those needs to God and leaving them there! “…and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” If you do this, He will give you a peace that cannot be described!
  2. Share. Sometimes it is good to ask a friend to come alongside of us and believe together. “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2. Your friend, and confidant, cannot change your season but they can be there for you and take your need to the throne. That is powerful.
  3. Keep Busy. Do not allow yourself to be so consumed with your wait that you can’t see anything else around you. Pour yourself into the life of another who is hurting, you will be amazed at how your own cares will pale in comparison when you are focused on someone other than YOU. And while you are busy caring for a stranger, friend or neighbor? Your season will change in God’s time!
  1. Remember what He has done in the past. This is huge. Every trial that has come your way has been used of God to make you strong and then you can be used to help someone else! So, while in your season of waiting, remind yourself of all the prayers He has answered, even the ones you attribute just to LIFE, and praise Him for what He has done…and what He is going to do!

Back to the silversmith…the lady gathered up her things to leave and when she got to the door she turned and asked, in famous Columbo style, “Oh, just one more thing….how do you know when the waiting process is complete?”

The silversmith replied, “That’s the easy part! When I can see my own image in the silver!”

God always has a bigger plan; we just can’t see it ahead of time. But in that waiting season He is purifying us, refining us and making us more like Him.

Hold on, this is just a season but one that is oh, so very important! Let God be God and purify you to reflect His image!

Kingdom2