Naming our baby girl...

Choosing a name

Gregg and I began praying about our 2nd daughter's name as soon as we knew she was a girl.  Well, actually, I was praying about it way before that!  Each time I'd share a name with Gregg, he would say it was a nice name or that he liked it, but never that it was the one.  He had told me multiple times that he liked the name Lillian.  Lillian was his father's mother's name.  This name was on the list as we continued to seek God about her name.

When our friend, Sheeba, was in Israel standing on a tile from Solomon's actual temple, God brought our baby to her mind.  We didn't know the gender yet, but Sheeba felt God telling her this baby would bring peace.  Solomon means peace and we'd thought of Jedediah (Solomon's birth name) for a boy name, so we felt like the name might be Jedediah if it was a boy.  

Of course, when we found out it was a girl, we knew it wasn't Jedediah, but I started looking into girl names that meant peace.  We found Shiloh, but God didn't confirm it. I thought about the peace lily flower and started looking into what God's Word had to say about lilies.  It turns out there is quite a bit!

What we would have possibly seen inside of Solomon's temple

The Biblical baby name Lily is Latin/ Old English in origin and its meaning is a flowering plant. The Hebrew word for Lily is Shoshan and the Greek word is krinon. 

Lily is pronounced lil-ee. 

Lily is a symbol of purity and resurrection. This plant grew on the shores of the Lake of Gennesaret and in the valleys of Palestine. 

The columns of the temple built by Solomon were decorated by lily motifs. 

The prophet Hosea enjoins Israel to return to God, and describes Israel as flourishing like a lily when watered by the dew of God's grace. 

In his sermon on Mount Hermon, Jesus used the lily as an example of why people should trust in God. The lilies of the field do not toil or spin, yet their colorful flowers rival King Solomon's clothes. If God so cares for a mere plant, how much more does he care for His people. 

Biblical reference for baby name Lily: 1 Kings 7:19, 22, 26; 2 Chronicles 4:5; Psalms 45:1; 69:1; Song of Solomon 2:1, 2, 16; 4:5; 5:13; 6:2; 7:2; Hosea 14:5; Matthew 6:28; Luke 12:27 Strong's Bible concordance H7799 and G2918 - See more at: http://www.biblical-baby-names.com/meaning-of-lily.html#sthash.Y1IKPtAz.dpuf

Confirmation

Actual image from the modern day Lake of Gennesaret (Sea of Galilee)

I shared this information with Sheeba in an email.  She said her daughter, Nikita (17), would be so excited because she'd been studying the building of the temple. 

Yesterday, at church (1/24/16), Nikita shared with Gregg and me all that God had been showing her and her family about the name Lillian based on the email I sent her mom.  Over the previous 24 days she said He had showed her all of the following connections.  This is quoted from Nikita with permission! 

1. Mark 6:56 -  God gave me Mark 6:56 on January 13th to give to a friend. I didn't even know what the verse said! So I read: "Wherever He entered, into villages, cities, or the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged Him that they might just touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched Him were made well." Where did He do this? Verse 53 says, "they came to the land of Gennesaret." I made the connection later that the place where lilies grow in Israel is the Lake of Gennesaret! I was so shocked! This was the first confirmation God brought to us!
2. 1 Kings 7:10 - It says that lily motifs are carved into the temple. Since last year, God has been talking to us about building the temple and paying attention to detail. After He brought this word to our attention, I started a study for myself on Solomon's temple. When I saw that this was one of the scriptures relating to Lillian's name, I immediately knew that God was getting my attention!
3. Hosea 14:5 - This verse is a very significant verse for our family. I won't get into detail, but the phrase "...watered by the dew of God's grace..." led us back to Solomon's temple building. I came across 1 Kings 6:37. "In the fourth year the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid, in the month of Ziv." Ziv is a month on the Hebrew calendar that falls on our calendar in April/May! When I found out that you were due in April/May, I was so thrilled!
4. Matthew 6 - One of the scriptures from your email [the notes about Lily above] about the name was the reference to lilies in Matthew 6. As I saw God unfolding every verse and every meaning for us, I was expectantly waiting for Him to reveal Matthew 6 to us. On Saturday night our family listened to a sermon and the pastor spoke on Matthew 6! My jaw was on the floor!!! I'm in awe of God!
5. Esther - This is my favorite confirmation. Shoshan is a name of a place in Esther, a book of the Bible we've been studying for the past week. Shoshan is the Hebrew word for lily. Further research on that word revealed that the lily has a trumpet shape and means rejoicing! Also, through Esther, we found Job 40, Psalms 45 and 69. These scriptures are promises given by God, for us to hold onto! I found a prophecy that was given to me years ago, that said that I would be like a lotus. I did some research about that a few days ago and I found that lotus is mentioned in only one place in the Bible - Job 40. This chapter has been very important for us in this season in our life. The lotus also goes by another name: the water lily!!

"God has been so good! I am thankful that as He was giving you and Mr. Gregg a name for the baby, that He paralleled the same name for our family! I can't wait to meet Lillian Faith!! Her name alone has brought abundant blessing and I feel like this is just a reflection of what her life will be like on a daily basis!! I'm so excited for you guys!! Thank you for listening to God's voice!"

Lily Faith's sweet face!

Friday of this weekend, I asked Gregg if he was ready to announce the name Lillian Faith.  He said let's pray about it this weekend and ask God for confirmation.  On Sunday at church when Nikita shared all of the above with us, Gregg said, "Well, there's our confirmation!"  We are so thankful for the Cherian family and their passion for God!  Specifically, we thank Him for Nikita and her desire to study His Word with excitement and expectation.  She has blessed us in this and through her love for Zeke and Adalynn.

Lastly, God had placed the middle name, "Faith," on my heart a couple of months ago.  Our daughter choosing to place her faith in Jesus as her Lord and Savior is all that truly matters.  I felt God leading us to make that a key part of her name.  I have desired to use a double name, and "Lily Faith" sounded so lovely to me!

So, here it is...

Lillian Faith Hall

We pray you are as blessed by the process in which God revealed her name as we were.  Lily Faith has already taught us so much, and we look forward to all that God has for her life!!

Lily Faith at 24 weeks! (size of a cantaloupe!)

Chehaw (zoo) Field Trip

We attended a field trip to the Chehaw zoo with our Classical Conversations group on January 20th. My mom kindly stayed an extra day to help, and Gregg ended up being able to go, which was a HUGE blessing!  We cherish the time we get to spend as a family.

I didn't know much about Chehaw, so here is the description from their website:

Originally developed as Chehaw State Park in 1937, the property consisted of 586 acres donated to the state of Georgia by private landowners in Dougherty and Lee Counties. It is enclosed on two sides by a large, clear water bayou formed by the conjoining of the Kinchafoonee and Muckalee Creeks. The property has expanded to nearly 800 acres and consists of moss-covered cypress swamps, hardwood forests, and a well-maintained wiregrass habitat.The park was named after the Chiha, or Chehaw, a tribe of Creek Indians who lived throughout the property and befriended white settlers. Artifacts such as arrowheads, spearheads, tomahawks, hoes, drill, scrapers, clay pipes and stone celts were commonly found during original park development. Variations in artifact design show the land was used by distinctly different tribes over several hundreds of years.

Presentation

After everyone arrived, we went to a little amphitheatre to watch a presentation about vertebrates.  The children got to touch a Madagascar cockroach (not a vertebrate), baby alligator, and hedgehog.  They got to see an owl as well.  It was fun learning about some of the animals we'd talked about while learning about the major groups of vertebrates at school.

The bright son helped keep us warm on this cold day!

I'm glad Gregg's jacket fit around my pregnant belly!

Zeke with Bowden, Callie, and Allie (parents in the background)

Zeke touching the hedgehog

Taking it all in!

That owl is actually full grown (about 10 years old)

Adalynn touching the hedgehog

Zoo tour

After the presentation, we toured the zoo and finished the morning with a yummy lunch at Chick-fil-a!  It was a fun day!

Look at that black bear!

He was lounging

A very large camel

The rhinoceros

 We didn't get a photo of all the other children that were there or Wynna, but I do have an adorable selfie Wynna and Adalynn took yesterday!

Love these two!

Zeke turns 6!!!

Isaiah 54:13 ~ "All your children shall be taught by the Lord, and great shall be the peace of your children."

Blessings 

We pray blessings upon Zeke as he begins his 6th year. We are so thankful God entrusted us to raise and train him up in the Lord.  We pray Zeke would come to know God as His personal Lord and Savior and walk with Him all of his days.  We appreciate your prayers for Zeke as well!

Wynna visits

We celebrated Zeke's birthday this week with a visit from Wynna and a party with his friends.  We are so thankful to have so many people in our lives that love Zeke and pour into his life.

Headed to church

Bedtime

Reading our devotion before bed in the new (used) rocker we bought for baby girl

Organization

While my mom worked hour upon hour to finish the curtains for the children's room, Gregg put together Adalynn's new toddler bed.  I cleaned out and organized closets.  It was a great team effort!

Happy girl!

A glimpse of the gorgeous curtains!

Party Time

On Zeke's birthday, we woke up and went to school as we normally do on Tuesdays.  Later, my mom and Gregg (and Adalynn) headed to The 1800 Mexican Restaurant to set up the decorations for Zeke's lunch party.  He wanted a "Hot Wheels" party with an oatmeal raisin cookie cake.  After school, we, along with his classmates, headed over to the restaurant for the party.  Cherian, Sheeba, Joshua, and Nikita came as well, which was such a gift.  I am sad I didn't get any pictures of them.  Papa planned to come, but ended up getting there at the end of the party.  It was great to see him and Zeke really appreciated him coming for a short time.  Papa even gave him a toy Tesla car!

Headed to school

Decorating

The birthday boy

Ready for guests!

The balloons kept Adalynn entertained

Lunch

Gage and Hallie (brother and sister in our homeschool group)

Miss Kayla and Mrs. Elisia (friends from church)

Gifts

Fun bath time Hot Wheels from Bowden and Callie

He sees his bow (and arrow)

  

Now Daddy can teach him to shoot a bow and arrow

Cake

His homemade, freshly milled oatmeal raisin cookie cake.  It turned out to be delicious!

It was a great time for us all!

I'll close with this little poem written by the author of Winnie the Pooh.  This is the first year I remember Zeke being truly thrilled with turning his age.  He told everyone we met from December through now that his birthday was January 19th and he'd be 6.  I think all of Americus knows...ha!  He continues to bless us with his joy and zest for life.  We're thankful for our little 6 year old!  The verse on my calendar today was Pslam 98:4, "Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth; break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises."  This is fitting for Zeke's special day!