THE JOYFUL LIFE
  • Home
  • Shop
  • Blog
    • HEART
      • Faith
      • Bible Study & Theology
      • Marriage
      • Motherhood
        • Motherhood (ALL)
        • Parenting Toddlers to Tweens
        • Parenting Teens
        • Parenting Adult Children
        • Raising Boys
        • Raising Girls
      • Divorce | Single Motherhood | Blended Families
      • Adoption & Foster Care
      • Infertility & Miscarriage
      • Friendship & Community
    • HOME
      • DIY Projects
      • Family & Home Management
      • Fun for Kids
      • Homemaking
      • Homeschool
      • Hospitality
      • Recipes
    • LIFE ISSUES
      • Anxiety
      • Difficult Family Dynamics
      • Emotions
      • Health
      • Identity & Purpose
      • Loss | Suffering | Grief
      • Work & Life Balance
    • REVIEWS
      • App Reviews
      • Book Reviews
      • Product Reviews
    • FEATURED INTERVIEWS
    • SEASONAL & HOLIDAY
  • Daily Devotions
  • About
    • Meet the Team
      • Management & Staff
      • Editorial Team
      • Blog Contributors
      • Devotion Writers
      • Photographers
    • Statement of Faith
  • Work with Us
    • Write for Us
    • Advertise
    • Employment
  • Contact
  • account
The Joyful Life News
Sign up to receive Joyful Life Community news, weekly blog post updates, shop announcements, and more.
A QUARTERLY COLLECTIBLE | Heart & Home Inspiration
THE JOYFUL LIFE
  • Home
  • Shop
  • Blog
    • HEART
      • Faith
      • Bible Study & Theology
      • Marriage
      • Motherhood
        • Motherhood (ALL)
        • Parenting Toddlers to Tweens
        • Parenting Teens
        • Parenting Adult Children
        • Raising Boys
        • Raising Girls
      • Divorce | Single Motherhood | Blended Families
      • Adoption & Foster Care
      • Infertility & Miscarriage
      • Friendship & Community
    • HOME
      • DIY Projects
      • Family & Home Management
      • Fun for Kids
      • Homemaking
      • Homeschool
      • Hospitality
      • Recipes
    • LIFE ISSUES
      • Anxiety
      • Difficult Family Dynamics
      • Emotions
      • Health
      • Identity & Purpose
      • Loss | Suffering | Grief
      • Work & Life Balance
    • REVIEWS
      • App Reviews
      • Book Reviews
      • Product Reviews
    • FEATURED INTERVIEWS
    • SEASONAL & HOLIDAY
  • Daily Devotions
  • About
    • Meet the Team
      • Management & Staff
      • Editorial Team
      • Blog Contributors
      • Devotion Writers
      • Photographers
    • Statement of Faith
  • Work with Us
    • Write for Us
    • Advertise
    • Employment
  • Contact
  • account
0

What’s in a Name?

  • Monica Bard
  • December 16, 2022
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print

I get to be a grandma. Thank You, Jesus!

When the proud parents-to-be revealed her name to us prior to her birth, I was amazed by their sentiment and thought in choosing her name. She carries the same initials as her father and paternal grandfather. She is the namesake of her maternal grandmother. Then the parents-to-be shared the biblical meaning of her name. In Hebrew: ‘tower’. In Greek: ‘child of light’. When combined with the meaning of her middle name, she is a ‘child of light in the valley’.

Oh, how this grandma prays she grows into just that!

Hundreds of years before His birth, the prophet Isaiah shared the name of the coming Messiah—a child that would be born to us, a Son who would carry the government upon His shoulders—and declared it to be:

“Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).

Indeed, Jesus lived out that name during His ministry on earth. Scripture is ripe with the great counsel He shared with His apostles and followers. He challenged those who did not believe but offered peace to all who did. Then, Jesus resolved any uncertainty of His true identity when He declared Himself to be God. Using the same words God used to reveal Himself to Moses in Exodus 3:14, Jesus declares:

“Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58).

My daughter and son-in-love’s name choice signifies the hope they have for their firstborn. As she grows, her name will solidify her connection and family legacy, and prayerfully she’ll come to personally believe in and share the same hope of her parents: The hope that Isaiah prophesied when he declared our Messiah’s name and the same hope that our Savior confirmed when Jesus declared, “I am.”

I pray you believe in that same hope and come to know more deeply your Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace—our great I AM.

And as a new member of the grandma club, I don’t take my role for granted—I’ve got praying to do. Will you join me in praying that I AM raises up my granddaughter—along with an entire generation of children—to be His light to others, loving servants and workers for His Kingdom, and sharing His truth and the message of hope and salvation to those who find themselves in the valley of darkness. Amen.

0
0
0
0
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print
Monica Bard

Monica has been married to Gary for 34 years and they reside on family farmland outside El Campo, a small town along the Texas Gulf Coast. They’re empty nesters, but the best job God ever gave Monica is being mom to their adventurous daughter, Meredith. Family means everything to Monica and together they share a love of the outdoors, road-trip adventures, and exploring the history of people and places. Monica pens words that encourage perseverance in faith and resilience in loving others. Why? Because that’s what God did in her life. Today Monica and her hubby enjoy the sweet times of restoration and redemption, but that wasn’t always the case. You can read more about the sweetness discovered in Jesus-filled hope on her blog and by connecting with her on Facebook and Instagram.

1 comment
  1. Nikki S White says:
    December 16, 2022 at 8:25 am

    So beautiful, Monica! Yes, I add my “AMEN” to your prayer of hope for the next generation! I also believe God is stirring grandmas’ hearts to pray over their grandchildren.

    What a calling we’ve been given!

    Sovereign Lord of Lords, We believe that You will show yourself faithful to 1,000 generations of those who love and obey You, those called by Your Name.

    xoxo Grammy Nik

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

TRENDING POSTS
  • benefits of memorizing scripture 1
    Benefits of Memorizing Scripture and 5 Easy Methods to Help You Get Started
  • childrens book about family 2
    Leapin’ Leopards Book Review: New Childrens Book About Family Adventure!
VISIT OUR SHOP
  • The Power of Quiet Bible Study Guide | by Aimee Walker | The Joyful Life POWER OF QUIET | Digital Bible Study
    Rated 5.00 out of 5
    $12.00
  • DIGITAL BIBLE STUDY BUNDLE | Choose Any 3 Studies $32.00
  • Issue 14 | SIMPLIFY — Digital Version $14.00
Follow Us on Instagram
The Joyful Life News
Sign up to receive Joyful Life Community news, weekly blog post updates, shop announcements, and exclusive offers for our subscribers.

AMAZON AFFILIATE PROGRAM DISCLAIMER | The Joyful Life is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Amazon offers a small commission on products sold through their affiliate links. Every purchase you make through our Amazon affiliate links supports our ministry at no additional cost to you.

  • BLOG
  • SHOP
  • WRITE FOR US
  • EMPLOYMENT
  • ADVERTISE
  • Terms
  • ACCOUNT
  • Contact
© 2022 The Joyful Life Co., LLC
Site Design by Maize Agency

Input your search keywords and press Enter.