When it comes to naming children, most parents take it pretty seriously, putting much thought into it. David & I are no different, but I would say we may be a little more intense about it than some. As crazy as this may sound, we basically want the Lord to name our children. So far, He has. And I will say, He gets it right every time!
We believe their name speaks of their destiny. If you think about it, their name will be spoken over them too many times to count in their lifetime. If something is going to be spoken over my kids more than anything else, I want that something to speak life. I want it to be something that shines light on the their God given identity and destiny. (I warned you guys, we are intense about names.)
Our first daughter's name is Cadence Swift. Cadence means musical rhythm. Swift is the last name of a young adult women dear to my husband's heart who was in his youth group. She was musically talented and radiant in her love for the Lord, but her life ended tragically during her first semester of college. The scripture the Lord gave us for Cadence is Psalm 89:15.
Our son's name is Zion David. Zion, referring to the biblical Mount Zion, as well as the ultimate longing of God's people for the promise of what Mount Zion represents (Isaiah 60:3). David, his middle name, is not only my husband's name, but who the Lord calls "a man after God's own heart" in the Bible. The Scripture given to us for him is Psalm 125:1.
I love the fact that the Lord cares about the things we care about. I believe that He places priority on the things that matter most to us. He will speak to us if we are making Him a priority by asking, listening, and looking. When it came to the existence and name of our third child, He spoke clearly:
For months before I was pregnant and even when I was pregnant and didn't know it, the Lord put many signs in my path. I started having dreams of gardens and flowers would show up in the most random ways throughout my day. Also, my husband seemed to preach and make mention of everything relating to gardens during that time. (i.e. We are cultivating our lives to bear fruit, what it means to abide in the vine and be fruitful and multiply, being like a tree, planted by the waters, etc.) Then one evening, Cadence apparently told a few young adults at church that her momma had a baby in her tummy. We had never talked to her about the possibility, nor did I know that I was pregnant at the time. That same evening she walked out of the coffee shop, and someone had placed a flower in her hair. That sealed the deal for me. As soon as I found out I was pregnant, I knew we would have a girl, and her name would be Eden.
Eden means "delight" and also refers to the Garden of Eden in the Bible. Her scripture is Isaiah 51:3. I cannot say I knew just how significant her life scripture would eventually be to us. This scripture is now a life scripture for my husband and I--A scripture we can hold on to and be encouraged by. Eden Grace was truly a delight to meet. She was born at 32 weeks, yet already in the arms of Jesus. Even though she didn't live on earth with us, her legacy truly lives on.
For the Lord will comfort Zion [in her captivity]; He will comfort all her ruins. And He will make her wilderness like Eden, And her desert like the garden of the Lord; Joy and gladness will be found in her, Thanksgiving and the voice of a melody.
My husband and I will never regret asking the Lord for our children's names. For all that is lost, He will redeem and make work together for good. He is and will continue doing just that through Eden's legacy!
So if you're looking on the internet or books for baby names, try first asking the Lord to show you their name, and He will! It's an exciting journey we get to have with Him.
