Proverbs 22:1 (NKJV) A [good] name is to be chosen rather than great riches, Loving favor rather than silver and gold.

Because of all that we experienced, we wanted to give names to our children that glorified The Great I Am. After 10 years of infertility, God told me I was pregnant almost a month after JW came back home! I know that sounds crazy, but it’s true. I was journaling when I heard the Holy Spirit say I was pregnant. I stopped writing thinking I was imagining things. As I looked up, my eyes fell on a scripture I had posted on the doorpost:

Psalms 37:5 (KJV) 5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring [it] to pass.

It stunned me, but I ignored it and kept writing. But the feeling wouldn’t let me go. So, I looked up again and my eyes fell on another verse:

Psalms 37:4 (KJV) 4 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

This was the desire of my heart, and I knew God was speaking to me, but of course I was doubtful this was actually happening. I had started journaling everything that was taking place at that moment, still questioning, when my eyes fell on one more verse:

Luke 1:45 (NKJV) “Blessed [is] she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.”

Wow! By this point, I nearly fell out of the chair! I told God, “OK, I believe You.” Most would say here, “The rest is history,” but it’s not. Lol. Two weeks later I started cramping for days, but nothing happened. I took home pregnancy tests everyday and every result was negative! I didn’t understand. I believed I was pregnant, but there was no evidence. Finally, JW convinced me to go to the doctor for a blood test. As I sat in the doctor’s office awaiting results, I remembered a dream God gave me while JW was still in the Far Country. In the dream I found out I was pregnant in the doctor’s office! When I awoke I couldn’t understand why I had to find out from the doctor when we have pregnancy tests! Lol. 

When the nurse came back, she started explaining that I had to come back in two days. I stopped her to ask if I was pregnant. She said I was “slightly pregnant.” I didn’t even know that was possible! She explained that my hormone levels had to be checked again to see if they were increasing. So, we waited for 2 more days. JW and I believed so much that I was pregnant, he took off a day of work to go back to the doctor with me. We finally got the call we were waiting for: WE WERE PREGNANT! 😀 (P.S. I really think God has a sense of humor!)

It wasn’t long after that, I realized this child was conceived in forgiveness. JW & I had forgiven each other, and God had forgiven us both. I looked up a name which means “God forgives.” Ian was the only name. It just happened to also be the Gaelic name for John! So, from that day forward I prayed for a son to name “Ian.” And God answered that prayer and blessed us with Ian just two weeks before our 11th anniversary!

Our daughter’s story isn’t as dramatic, but that doesn’t lessen the miracle any bit. We had been praying for more children almost the second Ian was born. After 10 months, the Lord answered that prayer as well. I had been exhausted, and it finally dawned on me to take a pregnancy test. After my experience with Ian, I bought three! Lol. It only took one. WE WERE PREGNANT AGAIN! I got to surprise JW with that one. 😉 

When we discovered we were having a girl, we already knew her name. In the Bible, after God changes people so drastically, he usually changed their names: Abraham, Sarah, Jacob, Paul. I had asked the Lord in 2012 what my name would be.

Isaiah 65:15 (NKJV)
And ye shall leave your name for a curse unto my chosen: for the Lord GOD shall slay thee, and call his servants by another name:

Isaiah 62:2 (NKJV) The Gentiles shall see your righteousness, And all kings your glory. You shall be called by a new name, Which the mouth of the LORD will name.

I knew that I had been forever changed. I was just curious if God had a name for me. It wasn’t long after that question, God showed me Isaiah 29. It talks about Ariel being brought low, but in the end God shows mercy. I discovered that Ariel is the prophetic name of Jerusalem and means “Lion of God.” That was my new name! I smiled and promised God that if He ever blessed me with a daughter, I’d name her Ariel. In December of 2014, God and I both kept our promises! 

2016 Update: We are blessed with another daughter!! We had no clue what to name her, but after much research and God’s leading, we found the perfect name. “Annelise” means “graced by God’s bounty.” We truly have been… 🙂