Our Story Part 15: God Has Given

I always thought I would go into labor with a few names picked out, see our child and in that moment determine what our child's name would be.  That idea got turned on it's head because we had his name in mind a year before I was even pregnant, back when a pregnancy seemed to be an impossibility.  Name meanings were very important to me and I loved the idea of using a strong Biblical name if we had a son.  We both knew we wanted to honor my husband's late grandfather with the middle name since he was a father figure to him.  When I stumbled on a name that meant "God Has Given" and it flowed with our middle name, I knew that it would be a very strong contender!  Because let's be real, the doctors told us we had no chance of a natural pregnancy but God decided otherwise.  God had given us this miracle just like He had given a miracle to Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob and Rachel, Elkanah and Hannah but not only that, He defied modern reproductive medicine too!  Where science had said "Not a chance!" our God had said "YES!".   When I floated the name past my husband, he never considered any other name despite my attempts to field others in case we liked one better.  We were set on our boy's name before I was out of my first trimester and before we knew he was a he!

Our sweet Nathan was born after a long, hard fought battle on a bright, beautiful autumn morning.  His entrance into the world proclaimed the goodness of God and brought to fruition the countless pleas from his Momma and prayers from many, many others over the years.  He is our miracle!  And he embodies the tremendous faith and hope I always had in God's sovereignty over everything.

"For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of Him."  1 Samuel 1:27

I love this verse because I can stand here with tears in my eyes, my fair share of battle wounds and say "He Answered!"  Despite the seriousness of my medical hurdles, I was in love with this baby boy the moment I knew he existed and that deep, fierce, protective love has only grown with every day that passes.  He is the baby I have waited my entire life for and he was worth all of the scary and hard things that it took to get to this day.

One year ago when I brought this little one into the world, I thought our challenges to becoming a family were finally behind us.  But in so many ways, God's supply of grace, love and incredible mercy to us was just getting started.  And now, when I think of the meaning behind my son's name, I smile with tears in my eyes and just say 'amen' because "God Has Given" takes on an entirely deeper meaning than I ever could have dreamed.



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Stay Tuned for Part 16: The Dark Days
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Like the "He Answered" onesie?  Find it on Etsy at the Moore Stuff To Make Shop.


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2 comments:

  1. Oh man! I'm sitting on the edge of my seat waiting with anticipation for the rest of your story! I'm so glad you are here to tell it! God is so amazing in how he's protected you! Not only is it miraculous and encouraging for others with similar stories, it's encouraging for all of us to hear the testimony of what the Lord has done!thank you from the bottom of my heart for your courage to relive this incredible story! PS. I am an acquaintance of Ali Chandra. I met her on a ship in Africa once upon a time. I served as a surgical nurse with Mercy Ships. I found you because she posted a link to your blog about how she introduced you to another Mercy Shipper I am acquainted with. Small world. Our God is an awesome God!

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    1. Thanks, Michelle! I feel the same way... so much of our journey reflects God's goodness. Sharing is such a small way for me to point back to Him and give Him all the glory for the amazing things we have seen. And then He gives me the opportunity to encourage others with it. Even more amazing! :)

      And yes, very small world! I love hearing about Ali's shipmates. What an incredible opportunity to serve! Love it!

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