what's in a name?

As I reviewed old posts last night, I came across the one about how God used my firstborn to draw me back to Him, about what an amazing Redeemer He is- which reminded me of a revelation I had last week.

I have been studying the meaning of names lately and so I was thinking about what I named my children. I was younger in the Lord then, and didn't really consider what their names meant- but God knew what was going on.

Jonni was named after her daddy, and so her name essentially means John, which means GOD IS GRACIOUS. SO every time I say JONNI (which has been about a hundred times a day over the last 13 years) , I am saying GOD IS GRACIOUS. That gives me butterflies in my stomach even as I type! GRACE is a gift, it means getting something I don't deserve( in a good way).

I was a smart college student making foolish choices, I was living a life given over to my flesh even though I knew better. I was not ignorant, I was being selfish and sinful. But my God is SO gracious and He will do anything to go after that one wandering sheep. HE gave me a GIFT that I SO did NOT deserve! He gave me a beautiful, healthy daughter and I will be forever grateful. And woven in and thru that , He gave me a husband of the same name-- GOD IS GRACIOUS.

Jonni's middle name is Shauntal - which means Rocky, and oh there have been rocky days and even years in there, no doubt. But thru it all, God has been my Rock, and He used them both(back then and still now) to draw me ever closer to Him daily. So may I never forget the grace God has given me , nor the power of a word spoken.

But women will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety.

I Timothy 2:15