What’s In a Name or What Does “Lambchow” Mean?

Names are important. We all have names given to us by our parents. Whether we chose to continue using them is a different matter. And perhaps we’ve gained a nickname or two as we’ve traveled through life. There’s something in our humanness that loves to name things. Consider this, Adam’s first job was to name all the animals (Genesis 2:19). We still tend to name just about everything. A car isn’t a car, it’s the Mustang or Chevy or Herbie. So, what in the world does Lambchow mean?

That question came up in our recent survey. I shouldn’t have been surprised. It’s not unusual for folks to give me a curious look when I tell them that the name of this blog ministry is Lambchow. I can’t say that I spent months coming up with the perfect name, in fact, it came to mind during one of those early morning wake up calls that God drops on me every now and again. While there is a mild riff on a well-known pet food maker’s brand, the name actually comes from the Bible, a little bit of my own history and my hopes for the blog.

In John 21:15-17 Jesus questions Peter about his love three times. Three times Peter responds to which Jesus replies, “Feed my lambs,” “shepherd my sheep,” and “feed my sheep.”  Many see this conversation as Peter’s reconciliation after his denials and his restoration to ministry. The Bible frequently pictures followers of Jesus as lambs and sheep (i.e. Psalm 23, John 10:1-16). So, the “lamb” in Lambchow is pointing at you and me.

While I don’t currently own sheep, in our younger days my brother, sister, and I raised them to show at local 4-H and FFA fairs. We fed, watered, doctored, and cared for them. During lambing season, which comes during the cold months of late January and early February, we took turns getting up in the middle of the night to check on the expectant mothers and newborn lambs. Taking care of our small flock is one of my cherished memories. You could say that the “chow” portion comes from a desire to feed Christ’s sheep.

Like a baby, the name of Lambchow came before I knew or even envisioned what it would grow into. There was a first attempt at a blog, a short time while it advertised a book I had written, and finally, it grew into the blog ministry that it is today. I’m looking forward to where it will grow next. My vision for Lambchow is that it will encourage believers of Jesus to embrace the adventure of following Him. You can read more about our mission, vision, and foundational scripture on our “About” page – https://lambchow.com/about

My wife Betty has a good way of explaining what the name means. “We’re lambs of God, and we need to feed on His Word.”  That’s our hope. That Lambchow would be good spiritual food, that as lambs of Christ you would “chow” on God’s Word through the articles, Bible Studies, and short stories we offer. The only thing we ask in return are your prayers for this ministry.

Dale Heinold
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