I must admit, I'm adapting to Welsh life far quicker than I expected. As one who fights change, I feared my transition to a new way of life would be slow and painful. But, I'm delighted to say that's not been the case. I've become accustomed to life here and am enjoying it immensely.

Sure, a few things are still daunting—like driving on the wrong side of the road. And, the religious climate is challenging for me to grasp. But, overall, I've learned the ins and outs of my new home.

Grocery shopping, however, can still be tricky from time to time. Because we live in a small town, the local grocery store has minimal options. That leaves us with a couple of options: (1) Go to the nearest "big town" and shop at Tesco or Aldi, or (2) Shop online with Morrison's (another larger grocery chain in this area) and have the groceries delivered to our door. Those who know me well will be able to guess which option I've chosen. Yup, online ordering and delivery to my door. No real clothes are required. I can shop for my weekly meals from the comfort of my home while resting in my pj's. Life is good!

The drawback to this shopping method is that we don't always get what we expect, as food items in the UK often go by different names than in the US. For example, fries are called chips, and chips are called crisps. There is no "lunch meat" or "shredded cheese." The meats go by various names, and the cheese is considered "grated." In the states, we had ground beef; here, it is called "minced."   And if you want ice cream bars, you’ll need to search for “lollies.”

With these many differences, we must be careful (and sometimes patient) in finding the items we're looking for and ensuring we're ordering what we think we are. At one point, I looked up meatloaf, and the search resulted in various forms of dog food. Good grief!

We'd been doing pretty well in our shopping until a recent mistake led to a good laugh and a frustrated cook. We ordered a can of chicken broth. In the states, we usually use broth out of a carton, but they don't sell it that way over here. So, the canned broth was the best choice available. However, when Jason opened the can labeled "chicken broth" to add to his lovely recipe for shepherd's pie, he discovered it was soup. Yup, full-on soup with chicken chunks, veggies—oh, and broth. What in the world?

The comical ordeal caused me to ponder the age-old question, "What's in a name?" As it turns out, a lot. After all, it entails the difference between broth and soup. Names are important. They give us an idea of what to expect—typically.

Knowing this, I understand why the Bible lists many names for our Lord. I've never tried to count them. I'm unsure if anyone has, but I'd love to know how many different identifications and qualifiers the Scriptures give our Lord and Savior. Comforter. Shepherd. Master. Friend. Counselor. King. Light. Salvation. Refuge. Fortress. Provider. Almighty One. And the list goes on and on.

Every time I study the names of the Lord, I'm reminded that God meets every need in my life. No matter what's going on or what trials I'm facing, He is my all in all. He is big enough to fight my giants, gentle enough to wipe away my tears, and all-knowing enough to give me hope for a brighter tomorrow. Whatever I need, He is there.

What's in a name? When it comes to the names of God, there's a lot in a name. There is peace. There is safety. There is comfort and hope. In His name, there is reassurance and strength. And unlike our "broth," His names will never deceive us. He is exactly what He claims to be and so much more. I pray that you know Him and have been able to experience the many facets of His nature.

“The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.”

— Proverbs 18:10