Joshua Aaron

At the beginning of our 2013-2014 homeschool year Abby and I talked about names.  The names of Jesus and the meanings of our own names and why those names were chosen.  Of all of our children your name has the most meaning to your mom and dad!  The Lord placed your name on my heart!

When I got put on bedrest at 22 weeks, we had no names picked out.  Only a few hours before going to the hospital had we finally looked in the envelope that the OB gave us with your gender.  Another BOY! 

Bedrest was hard, discouraging, and emotional.  I spent a lot of time wrestling with the Lord and during that time the verse Joshua 1:9 came to mind several times.

"Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."  Joshua 1:9

The sign I made on bedrest.
And a dreamcatcher from Abby to decorate
my room at Riverside.

God spoke to me through that verse and it gave me courage.  I suggested the name Joshua to Daddy and my reasons why I wanted to name you Joshua and he whole-heartedly agreed. 

That verse became the verse I repeated to myself on several occasions: each time they prepped me for a (possible) c-section or took me down to L&D, or were worried I was going to hemorrhage and eventually when I was taken into the OR.  We also repeated it when you needed to be transferred to NCH and with each and every scary diagnosis along your journey.  I posted the verse in my hospital room at Riverside and we posted it in your room at NCH.  This verse is a command!  God doesn't merely just suggest to be strong and courageous because He is with us, NO!  It is an ORDER, a command from God that we must do because He is with us!  It forced me to be courageous each time everything around seemed to be crumbling apart!

Joshua also means:  The Lord saves or God is my Salvation.  That was our prayer for you - that God would save your life and that we would be able to experience earthly life with you.  We knew that there was nothing we could do for you.  We felt very helpless and had to wholeheartedly rely on the Lord to strengthen and save you!

Joshua was a great warrior in the Bible.  He fought and won many battles - we prayed that with each battle you faced the Lord would help you conquer and overcome.

And now to find a middle name... I was thinking of other names that would go with Joshua and thought Joshua Aaron had a nice ring to it.  When I looked up the meaning of Aaron in the baby name book, I knew that the Lord had put that name in my head and on my heart because Aaron had the perfect meaning.  Aaron means "bringer of light" and it was also our prayer that somehow through this whole awful situation that your story would be a light to others who heard it.  We prayed that the Lord would be glorified no matter what happened, whether you lived or died, whether you were healthy or handicapped.  Even before you were born, you were shining light to others who had not prayed for a long time.  They began lifting you up and speaking to the Lord again.  And as we continued to tell your story there is no denying the hand that the Lord had in healing you!

Joshua Aaron, my strong, courageous warrior, may you bring Jesus' light to those you meet each day of your life.   I love you; your name could not be more perfect for you and the story God has written for your life.