HOW do you introduce yourself? We usually begin with our name and a little personal information. Where we live, what we do or why we are there.

But 'who are you really?' Knowing our identity is at the very core of our being. Our name, nationality and date of birth generally indicate our family roots, our heritage and our generational culture. Our gender establishes how we relate to others around us.

These are points on a compass by which we can navigate the journey of life, essential to emotional, mental and spiritual health.

In a society suffering the fallout of fractured personal and family relationships, where even gender identity can supposedly be redefined, it's no surprise that we are becoming increasingly rootless, confused and frightened by the world in which we find ourselves. Some lash out in anger and fear, while others find their identity with groups or causes that aren't always in themselves noble or good.

Now is the time to turn and rediscover our true identity, given by our Creator. Our God is a Father who created us to live in families and communities. He also created us to be male and female. When outwardly, relationships fail, when inwardly our feelings and emotions conflict with the way our bodies function; when appetites, passions and lusts lead us away from the truth, when our hopes and dreams are dashed, our only hope is to turn to the One who formed and shaped us in the womb and who can restore to us our true identity.

Colin Greaves, Cumbria Prayer Net