This book fortified my heart, mind and soul with the truth of God’s particular, intentional and unrelenting love for me as His beloved daughter. Aubrey Sampson does an in depth exploration of the vast implications that as God’s children, we are seen, named, called, known and loved beyond our wildest imaginations. The more we allow this truth to permeate our reality we will forever be changed and as a result can move outward in love, grace and deep compassion for others. I am grateful for this book and highly recommend it’s important message.
I am thankful to have received an advanced reader copy from NetGalley so that I could provide my own honest review of this book.

I appreciated this message as it's a much-needed reminder. And can we talk about that cover for a second? Understated but gorgeous. Thanks for adding books like this, Netgalley team!

"Known" talked about how accepting God's names for you can free you from the hurtful, untrue name you've been told and change how you live. I appreciate that the author used Scripture both for supporting verses as well as examples of name changes. The author made good points about names and frequently used examples from her own life showing how a new name or a new understanding of a name change her. For example, she felt ashamed about being "Needy" until she realized that we're created to need God. She talked about finding the name at the root of an issue that you struggle with and how you can be transformed and healed when you're renamed. She also pointed out how humankind bears the image of God and our worth comes from God.

I must admit that I'd expected the focus to be on actual names given to all believers in the Bible, but many of her examples were personal names. Things that people hurtfully name you and how God, through prayer, can give you a new name. Unfortunately, the author's wandering style often left me wondering what the main point of a chapter was meant to be. I was also distracted by the author switching to present tense to describe past events (as people usually do that in past tense). Overall, though, I'd recommend this book.

From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible is an invitation to humanity to come into the presence of God and to be known. Aubrey Sampson explores this life-changing truth, first by reminding readers of who we are, and then highlighting the glorious detail of whose we are. Solid truth is the surest weapon against the lies we live by, and Known: How Believing Who God Says You Are Changes Everything incorporates the ways God has named us and appointed us with our own role as Name Giver in the Kingdom of God.

Named, loved, and known, we reflect God’s work and his ways in the world, and the goal of Sampson’s writing ministry is to help her readers to live in that freedom, unburdened by false names life has pinned to all of us. Scriptural accounts of Jesus’s stories and his dealings with others alongside her own very personal accounts of living her way into an awareness of her belovedness form a convincing argument that God is always working. Believing God’s goodness and trusting his sovereignty in that work becomes confidence and multiplied blessing, for God’s naming is also a sending and a calling into the flourishing lives of others.

Supplementary resources include a reflective discussion guide for deeper study as well as insights into several of the names of God which have been formative for the author. Knowing and believing God is who he says he is and that he will do what he says he will do is key to embracing our identity, safe in the plan of the God who names us, knows us, and loves us so well.

Many thanks to NavPress and Net Galley for providing a copy of this book to facilitate my review, which is, of course, offered freely and with honesty.

This book is filled with transformational truth! When we come to understand we are deeply and completely known by our creator, the God of the universe, it has the power to change everything! This book shows us that when we live “known” it can change how we experience our own thoughts and feelings, and how we interact in every other relationship in our lives! Thank you Aubrey Sampson for sharing this life-giving message with us!

"Known: How Believing Who God Says You Are Changes Everything", by Aubrey Sampson, is an excellent Bible study for women. We as women spend too much time being concerned about what others around us think of us and what they say we are. Instead, Sampson encourages women to believe in the things God says about us. Each chapter began with a new assertion about who we are in Christ. This was an encouraging and enjoyable book.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

In this second garbage fire of a pandemic year, it’s nice to be reminded of who we are, who God is, and who God has called us to be. This book is that reminder. Aubrey writes with such care for her reader and for her story. She writes with wisdom and knowledge of Scripture, but she also writes with a refreshing vulnerability. I found comfort and encouragement in these pages, and I’m eager for other readers to be renewed by Aubrey’s words as well. 

One of the best parts of this book is the robust reflection and discussion guide in the back. This is a book meant to be read in community. Because I was given the privilege of reading the book before publication date, I haven’t been able to read it with my people yet, but I’m excited to do so now. The weather might finally cool off in Arizona soon, and I look forward to getting together in the cool evenings with some friends to read and reflect on this special book.

In a world where everyone is trying to be known, Known by Aubrey Sampson is an important reminder of the truth. “You are the spitting image of God, breathed to life from God’s own breath, born from the DNA of his superb creativity, crafted from his hands, cradled in his heart, and brought to life on earth in order to reflect his image wherever you go.” Aubrey takes her Biblical background and her personal stories to make this book relatable to her readers. Known is broken in 3 parts. Part 1-Who You Are, Part 2-Whose You Are and Part 3-How It Changes Everything. Aubrey has included a Reflection and Discussion Guide at the end of the book. Each chapter has scripture reading, questions, and a prayer prompt to go along with it. This book is perfect for your next Bible study. Grab Known, your Bible, a journal, and start reading today!

How being KNOWN changes everything

Known caught my eye for a couple of reasons. First, I am drawn to books that dig into one subject and goes in deep. Also, this was a new author to me, and I like to explore what they bring to the table in their work. So, I was expecting a work that developed the theme of Known and that is what I found! Developed in 3 parts this book explores who we are, whose we are and how those changes everything. I was impressed with the outline, and I found it blessed my socks off!

This book met my expectations and then some. The depth of Aubrey Sampson’s spirit and love for the Word of God comes through very strongly. I was brought into her spirit as she passionately developed the idea of being Known by God. Yes, I know that God knows me, He created me! But going about the subject as being known brings it up close, personal, and relevant every day. The names she uses for being known are comforting, familiar and encouraging. But it also ignites a call for action as she develops the idea how being known changes everything in our lives.

In the chapter titled “Unveiled”, 2 quotes stood out for me. In her words, “nothing is greater than God can hold” and “suffering leads to a greater unveiling of Jesus image in us”. This quote from the chapter titled “You Are Sent” also touched my heart, “your beingness, your namedness is essential to your beingness.” Knowing who we are, and knowing our God given names enables us to look and become more like Jesus. And when you finish reading this book you are challenged to become more like Jesus in your inner and outer life.

I think this book appeals to anyone who wants to explore what it means to be known by God, because you will be able to live a more fulfilling life that reflects the image of God when you understand who you are, whose you are and why that changes everything. I recommend this book to the seekers of God, and to all who seek encouragement and teachings in how their lives can better reflect the image of God in everyday living.

Recently I snapped up NetGalley’s advance offering of Aubrey Sampson’s forthcoming (September 7) book Known: How Believing Who God Says You Are Changes Everything. The title promised what I indeed found inside its pages: an exposition of truth that has cloaked and nourished and fortified me for decades now. Truth that says this:

You and I are beloved. Named. Known. All with tenderness, power, forgiveness and intimacy that usurps every lie we may have believed about ourselves.

Unfortunately, in a world as broken and lie-riddled as ours, we may miss the beautiful names the Lord gives us that affirm how well he knows us and how deeply he loves us. Or we may refuse those names. Doing either will keep us from our true identities and purpose.

Author Sampson understands this, and so, in the first part of her book, she systematically makes the case for who we are, whose we are, and how those facts can alter our lived realities. Corroborating her case with Scripture, she clinches the deal so convincingly that many readers will gladly give their intellectual assent.

But.

Believing something rationally is a far cry from absorbing truth into one’s being so that it becomes a lived reality. Sampson knows this, too. In response, she provides the second section of the book, her marvelous Reflection and Discussion Guide, which, when patiently, prayerfully digested, will usher readers into a new level of personal growth—and nearness to God.

It’s here, through this discussion guide, that the book becomes more than just another well-written, informative work of Christian non-fiction. Fully employed, it will make this book transformative for those who absorb its gift.

Whether you read this book individually or in groups, take your time with it, and own what’s inside. You’ll never be the same.

Life, others, and even we ourselves give us personal labels and names that hurt. But our God is a Name Giver Who both knows us and names and re-names us with a sacred identity. In Known, Aubrey Sampson assures us about that identity and also gives us pictures of how it reveals itself in our everyday lives. My favorite chapters were "You are the Currency of His Kingdom" and "You are a Name Giver". I’m excited to walk in my newly discovered covering and enabling of my sacred names!

I received a copy of this book to review.