It’s been an incredibly long time since I’ve given any thought or attention to my blog and my writings, so I figured today (while we wait for Hope’s arrival onto the scene of life) was as good a day as any to pick it back up. I hope and pray my scattered words and thoughts are an encouragement for someone out there who’s taking the time to read this.
Lately, as I’ve been awaiting the arrival of my second born, I’ve been somewhat reflective and pensive. I’ve been releasing my seemingly control of events and circumstances and embracing the fact that all is spiritual, purposeful, and a part of a much bigger plan than the one I’ve got developed in my little mind. God has a reason for everything. Every moment. Every instance within those moments. And that’s a neat thing to realize, embrace, cherish, and surrender yourself to. It truly is a beautiful thing.
Not only that, but I’ve also been thinking and reflecting on the importance of names and their meanings.
All throughout history and in multiple cases in the Bible, parents name their children names with significant meanings. God Himself attaches importance to the meaning of names, as He changes the names of key people in the Bible as well.
With our firstborn, Jeff and I settled upon the name Hannah Grace long before we even knew Hazard baby #1 would be a little girl. Hannah means "favor and grace." And Grace, well, that’s pretty self-explanatory. Together, the name means “favor and grace” or “a double-portion of grace.” A main reason we chose this name is the fact that we can’t escape the double-portion of grace God has showered on Jeff's and my life. Seriously, if we could just sit down with you and tell you all the different areas God has blessed our lives and our life together, it’s mind-blowing, humbling, and awe-inspiring. Another reason we chose this name was Hannah is a family name, as my Grandma Murphy’s name was Hannah. When her youngest born passed in a freak boating accident, she went nerve deaf and never recovered. God used this impairment in her life (inability to hear, drive, go places by herself, etc.) to keep her rooted at home and placed on her knees, praying for her loved ones. Every time Grandma Murphy would see us, she would say, “I’ve been praying for you!” And we knew that she truly had been and would be for time to come. Another similar reason we chose this name for our firstborn was this: if you trace the name “Hannah” back to the Bible as well, you see Hannah (Samuel’s mom) was known for her intense prayer life (and the double-portion her husband poured on her out of his love for her). So intense, in fact, that the priest at one point thought she was tipsy. I’d like to have a prayer life like that. I’d like to have a relationship with God like that. And I’d like my daughter(s) to see that and micmic it. I still have ways to go; but by God’s grace, I pray for daily, increasingly closeness with my Heavenly Father.
With that said, it leads me to reflect upon the name we chose for our much anticipated second-born (due any day now…. well, due today actually!). When Jeff and I found out that we were having another baby and even before finding out gender, we had all sorts of trouble coming up with boy names, but seemed to settle upon the name Hope Elizabeth rather quickly. Not only that, but we kept seeing Bible verses pop up in various places in our lives with the word “hope” in them. And to add on to those facts, our church decided to add this huge HOPE sign when you walk up into the International Plaza meeting area. When Jeff and I saw it, we just laughed and confirmed that we would probably be having another little girl and naming her Hope. As time would soon tell us, another little girl was indeed on the way and in God’s masterful plan for our family. The name Hope means “an expectation,” which is fitting considering she is making us wait to meet her. (Her sister came a week early, and so high were our expectations to meet this child around Valentine’s Day.) But there’s always beauty in the wait time. If you sit long enough and look at it, there’s peace in the waiting rooms of life. The middle name we chose for our second-born is Elizabeth and perhaps this is where my real main point kicks off (if you’re still reading this far! :) ) The name Elizabeth means “my oath is God” or “my satisfaction is God.” At first, I almost inadvertently wrote “my satisfaction is FROM God,” but I caught myself because that’s completely different than “my satisfaction IS God.” All that to say, for Jeff and me and the rest of my family and friends awaiting the arrival of this precious new life, Hope Elizabeth, we can learn from her very name that while we wait in the time of expectation, our satisfaction IS God.
What does that mean for the rest of you?
Think about your life and whatever current situation has you sitting in the waiting room of life.
Is it a job interview hanging in the balance?
Is it a phone call you’re anxiously awaiting to hear how it’ll alter the course of your life in one way or another?
Is it a new relationship forming, one currently on the rocks, one slipping by a thread, etc.?
Is it something medical, personal, financial, emotional, etc.?
Is it something you’ve been praying for a breakthrough for what seems to be far-too-long?
Whatever it is in your life today, think on that situation for a moment.
While you wait and have an expectation for your desired result in that situation, remind yourself that no matter what the outcome in reality is (and even while you wait to find out the outcome) that God IS your oath, your promise, and your satisfaction. The truth is you may not get your outcome today. Or tomorrow. Or next week, even. Once it comes, the outcome you get may not even be the desired outcome you wanted or prayed earnestly for. And if the outcome is your end-all-be-all, you'll most definitely be disappointed. BUT, if you choose to remind yourself and dwell on the fact that God is your oath, your promise, and your satisfaction - both in the wait time and the final outcome - you'll experience exactly the purpose the situation came into your life to begin with - seeing God Himself and knowing Him in a deeper, more personal way than before that situation crossed your life's path.
That, my friends, is what waiting for little Miss Hope (“an expectation”) Elizabeth (“my oath is God” or "God is satisfaction”) Hazard has taught me. And I hope it taught and encouraged your heart a little bit as well.
And now, child, you can be born. Any. Day. Now. Preferably, today. [Notice the focus of this blog was not on patience. haha] ;)
