Dorcas Chanell Williams – the name given to me at birth. Dorcas is a feminine name of Greek origin, which means Gazelle.
The correct pronunciation of my name left me being called a “Dork” by my peers most days and the country version of what my family called me didn’t exactly boost my confidence either haha (don’t worry, it doesn’t hurt anymore).
After graduating high school, leaving home and deciding the college life wasn’t for me either, I began to pursue ministry schooling. That’s when I began to experience a shift in how I began to see myself. It was in 2009 that the Lord began to deal with me about my identity and even the purpose of my name. I spent time studying Dorcas in the Bible, the meaning of my name and even the translation, which is Tabitha, a Jewish name in Aramaic, meaning “Gracious” and “Beauty”.
Growing up there was nothing very gracious about my name or the things people called me. In fact there, was a lot of shame and unworthiness that was attached to it.
As I read and studied scripture, I began to understand how God would change one’s name to represent the old person becoming new and walking into who HE originally designed them to become (Abram became Abraham; Sarai became Sarah).
I walked into a new season of my identity with a name change, which is why anyone from 2009 to present day calls me Tabitha (except my childhood friends and my family of course). This change shifted the perspective I had of myself that was based on how others viewed me. I began to read the promises of God over my life and started to believe what He said about me.
It was interesting because leaving everyone and everything I knew led me to a place where others saw me as God had named me.
I remember being an intern at a school of ministry and dancing around as we stacked chairs. I don’t know what happened exactly, but out of nowhere I slipped and fell. Someone standing not too far from me, with a smile on their face said, “Well that was graceful. How did you fall pretty?” Hahah that memory hasn’t left me.
As I’ve grown in my walk with the Lord, I’ve learned well enough that what God calls you or even promises you won’t always be accepted or acknowledged by others. I’ve had plenty of people say things that didn’t speak to my God given identity BUT God’s word and promises are the truth I will always stand on and cling to.
“No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations.”-Genesis 17:5 NIV
“God also said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah.”-Genesis 17:15 NIV
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”-Jeremiah 1:5 NIV
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”-1 Peter 2:9 NIV
“Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.”-Galatians 1:10 NIV
“In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good and helping the poor. About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, “Please come at once!” Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them. Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up. He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called for the believers, especially the widows, and presented her to them alive. This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord.”
-Acts 9:36-42 NIV
gazellegatherings.com 