On Choosing the Name Joseph

Adam and I prayed for a baby longer than we expected. My body didn't adjust to being off of birth control very well and what we had planned to be a couple of months turned into over a year. During this time, we prayed. I worked to trust in God's faithfulness, His goodness, His timing. On July 7, 2014 I changed my prayer. I had been praying for a baby, but on this day I began praying for a son. I felt strongly that this is what God was leading me to do. He promised me a child, a son, and I believed He would be faithful to this promise. On that same day, I read a blog post entitled "Let Him Add - God's Word for the Barren Womb." In the post, the author talked about Rachel's prayer for a child. After many years, God answered and Rachel named her son "Joseph," meaning "Let Him add" or "Jehovah will increase." Rachel's faith journey didn't end when God granted her request - she asked for more! And that was my prayer as well - that God would add to our family and that HE would increase in our lives. God did increase through our time of waiting. He increased in my daily walk as He became even more real to me, in my joy as I learned that HE is "the good thing" (Psalm 34:10b), and in my trust as He patiently turned my doubt and fear into confidence and faith. God also answered my prayer for a son; we are expecting our son any day now! In naming our son "Joseph," I pray that God will increase in our son's life as HE has increased in my life. In naming our son "Joseph," I am also reminded that the journey doesn't end here, that we should always pray for more of God in our lives. Thanks be to God for His faithfulness, His gift of a son, and His increase - both past and future.