If you have read my latest article, A Good Name, then you know that today is the day for my name reveal. If you have not yet done so, please visit www.destressthedamsel.com/a-good-name/ to read part I. I believe that it will offer more clarity as to why I finally took the leap to pursue a legal name change as an adult. It’s almost time to share my name with you, if you will allow me just a few more moments of your time to give a brief recap. Why the new name?


For the Jingle. My new name is music to my ears.

For the Journey. My new name is representative of all that I strive to be.

For the Junction. My new name is a precious gift from the one whom my soul loves.


Ready? It is henceforth “ordered, adjudged, and decreed” by the great state of Iowa that I can say the following.

If you have learned anything from Destress the Damsel over the years, I hope you have learned how much I treasure God’s beautiful design for marriage (the headship of husbands, the submission of wives, etc.). One of my greatest desires has been to lead other women to a more perfect understanding of their role in the home. A favorite scripture of mine comes from Titus 2, where we find “the great eight” – the primary directives of Biblical Womanhood. It reads:

The aged women likewise, that they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. – Titus 2:3a,4-5

[Note: The Greek word for Chaste, hagnos, is not to be confused with another Greek word commonly translated as Chaste – parthenos. “Parthenos” carries the idea of being virginal and unmarried – certainly not what Paul was referring to in this passage about wives. To be “chaste” according to Titus 2 is to be pure, morally upright, and faithful to one’s own husband]

When my husband revealed that he had finally chosen the perfect name for me, I would have never dreamed in a million years that it would be Chaste. My mission in life is to be a Titus 2 woman…and now my very name is a reminder of all that I hold dear. Possessing a “virtue” name will certainly compel me to live up to all that it signifies. I can by no means attain this alone…but with God as my help, I am ready to meet the task.

Thank you all for your time, and most of all, for your loving support in a matter that means so much to me.

For God’s glory,
Mrs. Dustin Bolks


Chaste Bolks is a church of Christ preacher’s wife, and the home educating mother of two children. She and her family currently reside in Northwest Iowa.

Men talk too much of gold and fame,
And not enough about a name;
And yet a good name’s better far
Than all earth’s glistening jewels are.
Who holds his name above all price
And chooses every sacrifice
To keep his earthly record clear,
Can face the world without a fear.


– Excerpt from “A Good Name” by Edgar Albert Guest

Our poet is in agreement with wise King Solomon, who proclaimed:

A good name is to be more desired than great wealth, favor is better than silver and gold. – Proverbs 22:1

The “name” of which these two men speak is derived from the Hebrew word, Shem. This word is commonly translated as “name” in scripture, but is also closely related to words such as “fame” and “renown”. A person’s name, whether they like it or not, is associated with their character and how others view them. One might say, for example…

Jack? Yeah, I know him. Nicest guy you’d ever meet. Always making others feel warmed and welcome, and he’d give you the shirt off his back if you had need of it. His wife, Jill, on the other hand is a real battleaxe. I wouldn’t want to get on her bad side, even on her best day.

In this example, Jack’s name carries weight in a positive way, while Jill’s name induces a negative reaction from the hearer. Thus, both names are memorable…but only one is reputable.

In today’s lesson, we will be following in the footsteps of King Solomon by comparing “a good name” to money. A person needs money to successfully get by in this world, and certainly they also need a good name for their success in this world and the next. Do you have a good name, my friend? I hope so – because you’re going to need it.

First of all, you’re going to need it…


The nations will see your righteousness, and all kings your glory; and you will be called by a new name which the mouth of the Lord will designate. – Isaiah 62:2

Both money and names alike are desirable for the jingle.

A good name has the best kind of jingle. Isaiah 62:2 (above) speaks of the Lord calling us by a new name…from His mouth. Could anything lift the countenance more than that? Being “named” by the Lord is something to glory in, even more so than pocket money or a beautiful name. You might be thinking, what’s so important about a jingle? Here’s what’s important: a positive self-image affects our mindset, and subsequently, our behavior. If I take pride in my good name, it stands to reason that I will do all I can to hang onto it! Being called by the name “Christian” should cause you and I to stand tall – we have intrinsic value as His name-bearers. Let each of us do our best not to mar or stain the good name that we have in Christ. Chin up, and be proud of the jingle you carry as a child of the most high God.

So you need a good name for the jingle, but you’re also going to need it…


Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying…no longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of you, and kings will come forth from you. Then God said to Abraham, as for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. I will bless her, and indeed I will give you a son by her. Then I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people will come from her. – Genesis 17:3,5-6,15-16

Both money and names alike are desirable for the journey.

A good name will take you on the best kind of journey. Genesis 17 (above) recounts the history of Abraham and Sarah receiving a name change from the Lord. God tells the “why” of these name changes: to prepare this couple for the new lifestyle that was soon to be theirs. They were to become the father and mother of many nations, they were to be given a new land in which to live, and they were to be covenanted with their Father in Heaven. Those were Abraham-and-Sarah-sized-blessings…far beyond what “Abram and Sarai” could handle. A new journey demanded a new name for both of them. This puts me in mind of the “old (wo)man” that I used to be before I became a Christian. The old me was not equipped for the “new (wo)man”-sized tasks that the Lord had prepared for me when I rose up out of the waters of my baptism. When we enter into a covenant with God, His grace gives us new reputation: a good name for the journey.

So you need a good name for the journey, but you’re also going to need it…


But now, thus says the Lord, your Creator, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel, do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine! – Isaiah 43:1

Both money and names alike are desirable for the junction.

A good name will bring you to the best junction. Isaiah 43:1 (above) is a nod to Jacob’s name change as recorded in Genesis 32:28. If you recall the original account, Jacob was renamed by God after his unique encounter (re: wrestling match) with his Maker. Jacob was given the new name “Israel” as a merit badge of sorts for striving with the Living God and coming out a victor. Our Isaiah passage adds an enlightening layer to Jacob’s name change: “I have called you by name; you are mine!”, the Lord proclaims. The authoritative act of naming Jacob would be a way for God to mark their newfound junction (joining, union, convergence) with one another. Notice how God calls himself the “creator” of Jacob, but the “former” of Israel. Translation: this man of God was born a Jacob, but God leveled him up to an Israel on His training ground. When we link up with God, our growth is inevitable. The way we start out will not be the same way we end up.


In conclusion…

There is a very special reason that names are on my mind and in my heart this month. If you are reading this article, then you are about to become privy to a surprise that my husband and I have been keeping to ourselves for some time. Now that it’s documented and official, I am ready to let the cat out of the bag:

I have legally changed my name.

I realize that this probably comes as a shock, and many of you will wonder: why on earth would she do that?! Here’s why I did it…

Though I am laying my former name to rest, this is a time of celebration and not sadness. One door from my past may be closing, but another blessed new beginning is opening for me. When it comes to endings and new beginnings, King Solomon said it best:

A good name is better than a good ointment, and the day of one’s death is better than the day of one’s birth. The end of a matter is better than its beginning. – Ecclesiastes 7:1,8a

Check back in three days for the revealing of a good name. I can’t wait to share it with you.

For God’s glory,
To Be Revealed on July 4, 2021


Mrs. Dustin Bolks is a church of Christ preacher’s wife, and the home educating mother of two children. She and her family currently reside in Northwest Iowa.