A friend of mine did this post recently and it inspired me to look up the meanings to all of our names and share how our children received their names.
JEREMY: His name means "God will raise up; God will set free". Jeremy is an amazing husband and has been raised up as the leader of our household. I have been so blessed to see Jeremy seek after God for himself and our family. JR's middle name is Richard which is a family name.
REBECCA: Well, my name means "to tie or to bind". hmm, I am open to what that could really mean for me, although I don't want any smart remarks. ;) Actually, I pray that I am bound to my father God. I desire to know him more intimately each and every day. May I never unbind myself from the firm foundation that God offers me. "In Him I live and move and have my being" (Acts 17:28a) My middle name is Marie and it is a family name.
OLIVIA HOPE: Jeremy chose the name Olivia and I chose Hope. Olivia means "peace" and we desire that she be filled with a peace from God that will never go away and will sustain her through all of life. I chose Hope because I desired that she know the hope (confident expectation) that God gives and that she may keep her eyes on the things of God and not the things of this world. We also desire that she share that peace and hope with those around her. Olivia's hope flows out of her easily to those around her. She always sees God's hand in the world around her and tells others often. And she is definitely a little girl that has a peaceful heart. Olivia's bible verse is Psalm 33:22, "Let your unfailing love surround us Lord, for our hope is in you alone."
GABRIEL JOSIAH: Jeremy chose Gabriel and I chose Josiah. Gabriel means "God's able-bodied one; hero of God". It was the name of the angel in the bible who delievered God's message to Mary (about Jesus). Josiah mean "Jehovah helps" and in the bible Josiah was a boy king that turned his people back to God and pulled out the scriptures that had been forgotten and had them read to the people. We pray that he would serve God and that he would always lean on him for help. This is interesting because Gabe desires to do everything on his own and can become very upset when that doesn't work out for him. Little One, we desire that you learn to lean on God. Gabriel's bible verse is 1 Chronicles 16:11, " Look to the Lord and His strength. Seek His face always."
EZRA JOEL: Well, this time around we picked the names together. Ezra means "helper" and was a scribe in the bible. Joel means "Jehovah is Lord". Both are books in the bible. Ezra covers the time in when the Israelites returned from captivity and rebuilt the temple to worship God. Joel is a prophetic book that calls the people to repentance and speaks of the future blessing of God as he will pour out his Spirit on his people. We pray that God's word would be inscribed on your heart in a special way and that you would always worship Him and never turn away. May your ears be tuned to God's voice. We also pray that the Spirit of God would be powerful in your life and may you always remember that He is coming back. At this point, we have noticed that Ezra keeps a thoughtful expression most of the time and is quick to hear things around him. Ezra's bible verse is Ezra 7:28b, "I felt encouraged because the gracious hand of the Lord my God was on me."
Mom, Dad, MIL and FIL, feel free to comment on how/why Jeremy and I received our names if you will. I'd love to know. I know that my dad prayed for my future husband and our family starting many years ago before our paths even crossed. I am thankful for the amazing family heritage that has been left to us on both sides.
