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He Knows Your Name: How One Abandoned Baby Inspired Me to Say Yes to God

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When the evening news reported a dead baby abandoned in a local dumpster, Linda Znachko's comfortable life changed. She was suddenly convicted—-God was asking her to provide a dignified burial for this tiny lost child. Linda said yes. She had no idea where that first small yes would lead.Linda found herself in places she never dreamed she would be: at the graveside of the child of an abused mother; by the side of a mother fighting for her lost child; and at the funeral of a Texas stripper who died two days before her baptism but left a legacy of love behind. When Linda stepped out of her comfort zone and into these implausible places with people she was unlikely to otherwise encounter, she discovered the life she never knew she wanted—-a life of saying yes to God whenever He asks. Today, Linda has a ministry that gives children a name in life, and dignity and honor in death. When she shares her stories of broken lives redeemed, other broken people respond, and so the ripple effects of that long-ago yes continue to spread, touching lives that yearn for healing, and underscoring the fact that every life matters to God.

194 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 27, 2016

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About the author

Linda Znachko

1 book40 followers
Linda Znachko is the founder of He Knows Your Name Ministries. She is a popular speaker at conferences and retreats, and has been interviewed regularly by local and regional media since her encounter with Baby Nicholas.

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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
Profile Image for Joan.
4,363 reviews127 followers
October 10, 2016
Znachko never imagined that God would heal her by sending her to help carry the pain of others. “I encountered grace and was transformed,” she writes. (11)

It started with the news headline of a baby's body being found in a dumpster. Znachko's heart was stirred to inquire about a burial, something every child deserved.

That was the beginning of what came to be He Knows Your Name Ministries and a changed life for Znachko. She tells many heart tugging stories of helping families honor their loved ones who have died. An example is providing the stone for a family whose son drowned in a swimming pool. Znachko met with the family and invited the mother to study the Bible. Ultimately that led to providing swimming lessons to young people in the community.

Some of the stories may be hard to read, especially for those who have lost a child. It was encouraging to read how others came to help Znachko, providing items needed and also being present at memorials.

Znachko's ministry is unusual but her message is important. “It has always been my prayer,” she writes, “that He knows Your Name would become unnecessary as Christ's body cares for its members who are hurting and needing healing.” (168) That is the challenge this book presents. Is there a need in your community where you and others can help and care for those in need? Reading this book and seeing Znachko's example of responding to God's prompting will encourage you.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.
Profile Image for Mazzou B.
609 reviews23 followers
October 25, 2016
This is the story of how Linda Znachko began an unusual and special ministry of providing honorable burials for unloved and abandoned children. It all began one night when the news carried a story of a deceased baby abandoned in a local dumpster. Linda's heart was set on fire and she sought to discover what was to happen to this small person who would not have the burial it deserved as a human being.

I thought the heart and motive behind this ministry worthy of note. Linda is acting completely selflessly in doing such things as she does in this ministry. At the same time, I didn't find the book as necessary as one would expect. It was a little long and repetitive for one not involved with the ministry. It wasn't quite like a book about adopting live children. In fact, not at all. The stories were not life-changing for most of us readers I believe. I found it a little dry and too detailed. However, this is a book with a good purpose.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.
256 reviews7 followers
May 15, 2018
Linda Znachko has written an inspiring story of her journey. She began to care for babies and their families by providing proper,dignified burials for babies (and others) whose families could not do so. In doing so she spread love and comfort to these families. Linda followed as she was led by God and founded the ministry, "He Knows Your Name Ministries".
15 reviews
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March 27, 2025
I don't think I could put a number on this book and rate it like another book. It is heartwrenching, beautiful, horrific, and healing all at the same time. I was so encouraged by the healing that grew throughout the book.

As someone who has experienced infant loss, it felt like a slap to hear people say "It just wasn't meant to be." They thought they were comforting. But their words belittled my grief and denied something that my soul screamed within me: Those little lives mattered. They made a difference in my life, though I never met them in the conventional sense. They were so loved. So precious. So important. I hope this book helps other women to know that for themselves.
99 reviews9 followers
March 23, 2017
Very good and enlightening book. Covers a subject that is not thought about or acknowledged outloud. Emotional, sad and happy. What happens to abandoned babies? who wants an abandoned dead baby? who morns the dead abandoned babies. where do you go to grieve a baby loss? Who even cares? Someone does. this books tells the tale of one woman who opened the door to others to allow and acknowledge grieving, burial, recognize these babies and care for their families. He knows your name, even if the living do not acknowledge it. A wonderful book that is easy to read, heavy on content and is good to know about. How can one lady's work help people in your community? Read and find out.
3 reviews1 follower
February 23, 2018
Blessings.

Amazingly inspirational. Working with families experiencing grief daily can’t even prepare me to see how God truly moves mountains in tiny ways. Thanks Linda for sharing your story. For your faith and your heart. Thank you. My God continue to whisper in the lives of those who will listen.
189 reviews6 followers
July 5, 2017
An inspirations dal story of listening to God's nudges and acting on them. The author, Linda Anachko, is promoted by God to help bury and abandoned baby. She doesn't realize the path this one act, and more to come, have on her life. She founds the charity, He Knows Your Name. A good Christain book
1 review
September 4, 2020
Gentle reminder that God has a story for us all

This calm and intricately written book explodes as each story shows how a person leans on God to love others she never knew would come her way.
12 reviews
November 12, 2023
So touching and what an example

Beautiful stories about caring for those who many don’t even think about. Thank you for being a wonderful example of following the Spirit and helping others.
Profile Image for Juan.
89 reviews2 followers
December 26, 2017
It's impossible to resist -long may it read !
**Thank you for my free Goodreads copy **
Profile Image for Linda.
2,174 reviews
June 27, 2018
This is the amazing story of a unique and uplifting ministry. God bless Mrs. Znachko and her partners in His works.
Profile Image for Mary E Breitenbeck.
4 reviews
December 20, 2019
God provides

This book shows God working in our lives if we let him. A beautiful story of love compassion and a story of forgiveness
48 reviews1 follower
March 15, 2020
This is an aspiring story of how one woman followed God’s call for her. Loved it!
Profile Image for Nathan Albright.
4,488 reviews162 followers
August 14, 2016
[Note: This book was provided free of charge by Kregel Blog Tours in exchange for an honest book review.]

It is not entirely unusual to read a memoir of sorts about the ministries of various people [1], but even among the larger body of memoirs about ministry, this book is an unusual one in that it gives a series of case studies of people the author has helped through her ministry God Knows Your Name, which buys tombstones for people to allow families to honor other people. The coauthor does a fine job of being nearly invisible, which is what a coauthor should be, and the author shows herself to be one of those self-professed Christians who writes a bit too much about white liberal guilt, claiming her privileged background divides her from others, and apparently using her money in the cause of generosity in part to assuage a misplaced sense of guilt for the fortune of being born into a good family and background. Even so, the author's deeds are worth appreciating even if the liberal white guilt is not so much appreciated.

In under 200 pages, this book manages to cover a lot of ground, and end up where it begins, with the case of a dead infant who had been thought abandoned, but in reality who had been unable to be buried by his birth mother because she was homeless and could not prove residency in order to receive help for the burial, and who was deeply ashamed at having been thought to abandon her dead child. From such heartbreaking stories this book is made, with a chapter on each different situation the author discusses, including a murdered teenager, the death of a hard-working parent with teen kids, the death of stillborn children, and so on. Each chapter is filled with the author discussing the logistics of how to obtain custody of children or respect the wishes of surviving relatives on how to honor their relatives. Within the book as a whole there is a cast of recurring people, including the author's own family and some of the people from previous situations who join the author's gravestone ministry and provide help and encouragement to those who are dealing with the loss of family members, sometimes decades ago, without being able to afford any headstones.

The book itself, although small, is full of a great deal of interesting and thoughtful commentary. For one, the author is skilled at observation when it comes to the different ways that people deal with grief, and being sensitive to the subtle pull of intuition when it comes to opportunities to do good to people and to help them show respect for their dead relatives, some of whom had been without headstones for decades. The book is full of alarming commentary on the expenses of burial and on the difficulties faced by some people--especially the poor--in obtaining justice as well as respect for family members who have died. These are probably not new problems, but the author address problems such as contemporary paupers' graves in such a way that makes it clear that the problems of mass graves and anonymity that have plagued attempts to understand the dead in times past are by no means eliminated. Not only in its gracious tone when it comes to helping others and their complicated responses to longtime grief, but it also demonstrates that media coverage of "abandoned babies" does not often give credit to the tension between the great feeling that people have for the dead and their lack of resources in showing that respect and regard.

[1] See, for example:

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...

Profile Image for Deana Dick.
3,085 reviews136 followers
October 10, 2016
Can you imagine hearing on the news that a baby had been found in a dumpster and no one knows it's name? Thats how Linda's evening started as she listened to the news. How could someone just toss a baby away without any remorse? Linda couldn't get the baby off her mind and felt the voice of God calling her to do something. It can be hard to follow His direction, when it takes you out of your conform zone, but Linda's life will be changed forever when she says yes to God's calling.

I had a very hard time reading this book because the emotional stories are painful and I think I cried through most of the book. What Linda does to honor the children that lost their life is inspiring and gives them a purpose on this earth. It must have been so hard to talk to parents and arrange burials for children, but with compassion she and others celebrated a child's life and brought meaning to their short lives.

I loved each chapter as I read about others and saw how one person can make a difference. Sometimes we think what we are doing is not important, but God always has a way to help you see the bigger picture. As Linda sat holding a grieving parents hand, I could feel the overwhelming love she has for the ministry God placed on her heart. This isn't an easy book to read, but it gives hope, shows compassion, and a name for those children who died. Have you been called to do something? When will you say yes?

" God is faithful to use whatever you offer to accomplish his divine and holy will."

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. My review is my own and I was not compensated for it.
Profile Image for Amber.
87 reviews
November 15, 2016
Living in a world where we are constantly bombarded with the negativity of the nightly news, Facebook drama, and the regular reporting of evil, we can find ourselves feeling as if there is nothing we can do about it. What difference can one person make?

Linda Znachko is a woman just like me, but she decided to place herself in a position to allow God to use her. Because of her availability and heart after God, she has been used by Him to make an impact of one family at a time, through her ministry He Knows Your Name. This ministry provides the help needed to purchase headstones, or financially support the funeral of the loved one of those who may not be able to find closure in their loss otherwise. And it all began with one terrible headline. Even while battling with the recent loss of her own mother, and fear for her sick daughter, she chose to step out and take action instead of curling up and hiding.

In her book, He Knows Your Name, Linda shares the extraordinary story of how one small step of faith, reaching out to bury a baby abandoned in a dumpster, changed her life and birthed a ministry. No need is too insignificant, no idea too small, no hurt too unimportant for God. As she shares in the book,

"I am confident of one thing: as you boldly step into the difficult places, God is faithful to use whatever you offer to accomplish his divine and holy will. So if you've senses a nudge from the Holy Spirit, say yes. I promise you that, in the most wonderful way, your life will never be the same."

*I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for The Book Girl.
780 reviews40 followers
October 25, 2016
I want to start out this review by explaining just how amazing this book was for me. It really touched my heart in a way that I never could expected. The author Znachko never imagined that God would send her her to help heal the pain of others. It was a transforming experiences for her.

This all starts out with a headline of a baby body being found in a dumpster. The author was so upset by this she inquired about any type of burial they were having, something that each child should have. This sparked what would become to be know as the He Knows Your Name Ministries. Which was something that was laid upon this wonderful authors heart.

She tells many heartbreaking stories of families and loved ones who have died. I was touched in some way by every story. I felt myself wanting to be involved with this ministry. Many of these stories were incredible hard to read. These are stories of loss, heart break, and the unimaginable pain of losing a child. I want to warn people that have lost a child, I believe this would be extremely encouraging but precede with caution. It was so encouraging to read about how others got involved. They provided items needed for memorials and in some cases were present for them.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. My comments are an complete independent and honest review.
341 reviews
October 11, 2016
Linda Znachko never dreamed of what God’s plans were when He touched her heart through a news story about a baby’s body found in a dumpster. Beyond reasonable explanation she we moved to claim this precious, unnamed forgotten baby and give him a proper burial. That was just the beginning. Like a stone thrown into a pond, the far, far reaching ripples of compassion, love, and service, the Lord led her to minister into many lives, touching them deeply.
The author’s sensitive, obedient spirit that answered God’s call turned into an extraordinary ministry, one of a kind! She not only learned about herself in ways she could not fathom, but the desperate needs of others that go unnoticed,
The Lord also opened her eyes to loving all people unconditionally and not prejudging them based on circumstances or media reports. Ms. Znachko has been used in incredible ways by God, and it all started with a discard baby on an evening news report and a heart that held nothing back from God.! I am so thankful she shared the journey the Lord has taken her on. Beautifully written and heartwarming. I received this book from Kregel Publications in exchange for an honest review. The opinions I have stated are my now.
Profile Image for Michelle Kidwell.
Author 36 books85 followers
September 8, 2016

He Knows Your Name

by Linda Znachko

Kregel Publications
Christian, Biographies & Memoirs

Pub Date 27 Sep 2016

I was given a copy of He Knows Your Name through the publisher and their partnership with Netgalley in exchange for my honest review which is as follows:

A baby found in a dumpster wearing only a diaper. The baby had no name and would receive no proper burial but Linda Znachko was determined that this baby would have both.

Linda would come to name this child Zachary even going as far as to take on this child she had never held in life as hers, she would give this precious baby that proper burial knowing it was what God called her to do.

Soon Linda finds herself listening to Gods nudging helping Mothers who lost children, to buy headstones, even to help in paying the cost of the services when it was needed.

He knows your nam is a beautiful reminder that God knows your name even when the world may not, and that God cares for the least of these as should we.

Five out of five stars

Happy Reading
Profile Image for Kristin.
527 reviews20 followers
October 15, 2016
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book was amazing in the easy, heartwarming and open way the author recounted the way in which God has brought about this ministry of hers and worked through her to bring such healing to so much grief and sadness.
It was inspiring to know your ministry doesn't have to start when you are in your teens or twenties, God always waits until the very right time for everyone. Just that message, as unintended as it was, brought such hope to me that eventually I will be able to find whatever my calling is, if I can just learn to listen to the still, small voice inside me.
As inspiring as the author's story is, I think the most important one is that God always puts you where you are meant to be, and whether it is something big or small, God will always use you for good in the world.
Profile Image for Brenda.
1,150 reviews15 followers
October 17, 2016
This is one of those books that grabs hold of the heart and holds it from beginning to end. The ministry that Linda allowed God to lead her into wasn't always easy but the hope and healing that flows from the pages of the book shows how God can turn despair into hope and healing. I kept thinking about the scripture where God says that when you do for the least among you are doing for God as well! I found myself becoming absorbed in each story and found myself wondering if I could be as obedient. A story that inspires and shares the wonderful way God can use us if only we will let him.

A complimentary copy of this book was provided for review.
1,324 reviews11 followers
December 10, 2016
I loved this book. I love non-fiction books that tell a person’s story and how God used them in ways they never imagined. This book is just that.
Linda is such an inspiration. Her complete obedience is totally amazing. She simply listened to the call of Jesus’ voice and did what he told her. It is incredible how God brought other believers into her life to stand beside her.
Her ministry is so much more than it first appears. She is truly ministering to these woman and offering them a peace that can only come for Jesus.
If you want to read a story of hope this is a must read.

A copy of this book was given to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
394 reviews
November 26, 2016
If you are comfortable in your spiritual walk, don't read this book.
Or perhaps you should!

If you feel that the lives of those without a voice don't matter, don't read this book.
Or perhaps you should!

If you feel that the small things you do have no consequence, don't read this book.
Or perhaps you should!

If you aren't prepared to be challenged, don't read this book.
Or perhaps you should!

Grab a box of tissue and learn of this very unique ministry.

I receive this book from Goodreads.


1 review
October 19, 2016
The End I s just the beginning

Just like the little boy who freely offered his meager lunch to Jesus this story freely given will multiple and bless all who take to heart the truth of Linda's observation "The reality of the Kingdom of Jesus ushered in is available to any fool for Christ who is willing to say yes when God calls." He Knows Your Name is a testimony to the Lord's will being done here on earth as it is in heaven.
Profile Image for Jill.
467 reviews
February 21, 2017
Wow, just wow...

When Ipurchased this book, I knew that it would be a beautiful story to read. Little did I realize just how much it would touch my heart. As a mother who has lost three little ones to miscarriage, I can identify with the heartache that many of the mothers in this book experience. Not only has this book been interesting to read, it has been healing as well. When we say yes to God, the possibilities are endless.
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