Name Meanings

So, just in case you are thinking I think of myself as a light and a prophet ;-), I thought I better write a post explaining the name...

My hubby and I picked boy and girl baby names. 'The prophet' is for the boy's name. We chose 'Samuel' for a boy; Samuel was an Old Testament prophet born to an infertile mother (Hannah) as an answer to prayer: "Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life." (1 Samuel 1:11.) When the baby was born, "She named him Samuel, saying, 'Because I asked the Lord for him.'" (1 Samuel 1:20). Hannah dedicated the baby to God after his birth. The Lord said of Samuel: "I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who will do according to what is in my heart and mind. I will firmly establish his house, and he will minister before my anointed one always." (1 Samuel 2:35).

'Light' is the meaning of the girl's name we picked (which is remaining a secret!).

Name meanings are really important to me. My name means 'pure' and I love it. Hubby's name means 'rock' (he is the rock Jesus built his church on!!!) and it perfectly sums him up; he is steady, thoughtful, dependable, considerate, and terribly loyal. My husband is about the most unshakeable person I know. I'm not sure I am pure (lol!!!) but my name really speaks to me of having integrity deep down, seeking the truth, and also of all that Jesus has made and is making me - who has such a tarnished past.

I love the name Samuel because of how it came to us. We chose Samuel because it fits nicely with our surname... And we wanted a 'normal' name, but also a serious name, for a boy. I looked up the meaning after we thought of it and saw it means 'God heard', which is perfect, so we knew it was for us. At the time I was starting a Bible study plan. A couple of months later, we were finally referred to the IVF clinic, and that weekend I had the story of Samuel's conception in my Bible plan. It was a complete revelation as neither of us had any idea it had anything to do with infertility! The whole thing fit so perfectly, and it made this little boy so real to me, because I knew God is intending him. And then I knew that if we have a little boy at any point, we will call him Samuel - that it is a name given to us for a son - because God heard, and He is faithful through the ages - the same God that heard and spoke to Hannah all those years ago hears and speaks to me :). To be able to dedicate my son to the Lord, and to have him grow up knowing the Lord and to stay true to Him as Samuel did, is all I would want for my son. It was quite strange reading about Samuel in the Bible because I felt I was reading about my son!!!

I love my name and I wanted a name quite like mine - quirky and old-fashioned, with a beautiful meaning - for a girl. The girl's name came to us after a lot of to-ing and fro-ing (I liked 'Connie', my hubby did not like Connie!), and when I looked up the meaning, it felt right, because 'light' is God, 'light' is Jesus, 'light' is hope, and 'light' is everything I'd wish for my daughter... That she wouldn't experience the darkness I have; that she would know the light, and be a light to others around her. Since we chose it, I keep hearing this one song called after her, and then recently a second song has popped up, so I think it is for us... But I don't feel we have had the confirmation we have had with 'Samuel', so I don't want to 'wed' myself to the name but leave it open for God (hence keeping it a secret!).

I don't know whether we'll have our babies or not, but God showed me earlier this year that they are really real and living with Him, waiting to see if they come to us or not - and that the reason they might not come is because we live in a fallen world, and not because God didn't intend for us/me to have children. And since He showed me that I have been able to see them so clearly. I really wanted to remember that they are real and commemorate their existence, even if only I know they exist, which is why I so named the blog. Even if they never come to earth, I will always remember them and think of them living with Jesus... And maybe one day we would meet in heaven, and they will be everything I hoped for them :).