E is for....

“A good name is to be more desired than riches”

- Proverbs 22:1

A good name.  It is such a responsibility and honor when God blesses one with a child.  I remember when we were still in the ‘dreaming of the day we’ll be parents’ phase of life.  It was the summer of 2010 and our house needed painted.  We spent an intense weekend moving scaffolding and perfecting our ‘cut and roll’ system as a couple.  Which meant we had lots of time to talk…. and, dream.  I bet we discussed hundreds of names that weekend.  And, two stuck.  Only two.  A year later, we would welcome our Kaleb.  But, we knew and prayed there would be at least one more.  One more to bestow that second name. 

But, finding her would be a battle and heart cry in so many ways.  Kaleb came home in October of 2011.  Since then, God has walked us through a journey which has often been silent for large chunks of time.  A journey that involved a lot of ‘no’ answers leaving us kinda shaking our heads thinking… why is it so hard to simply add a child to our family. 

But, God has a plan.  He always does! Elizabeth in the Bible walked a quiet journey in which I am sure she stood looking out a window thinking ‘why is it so hard to simply add a child to our family’.  But, she was steadfast.  It says in Luke… “they were both righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord”.  I was reading the other day, and loved this explanation of how Elizabeth walked the path God had set before her…. If Elizabeth would have given up on God and His plan, she would have set aside and charged past the role God had all planned out for her.  She would have missed out where God needed her to be.  In the midst of her journey, I’m sure it didn’t all make sense.  But, once God’s timing was right- the blessings unfolded.  It may not always make sense but never cease trusting Him. 

We are sooooo incredibly thrilled that God has brought us our daughter!  Trust us, the journey has been filled with detours, direction changes, delays, quiet seasons with resounding ‘no’ answers to prayer and a lot of faith building.  But in the end, God has blessed us.  The name Elizabeth means “fullness of God”.  We are so blessed by the fullness of God in our lives.  We are blessed indeed. 

So, with that….we’re excited to name our daughter in honor of Elizabeth from the Bible.  But, with a little twist.  Way back when we painted the house, our hearts prayed there would be an Elsie.  The name Elsie means “the abundance of God”.  We are in awe and thanksgiving when we think of the abundance of God which has brought us this little girl.  There are so many blessings, miracles and praises which brought us here.  Little Elsie Roth will be our reminder of God’s abundance and His perfect timing, provision and plan.  We love you already, sweet baby girl!