KDurant7 blog adventures

The Naming of our son, Enmanuel, Santa Cruz, Bolivia 1980

Regina and I had our first son one year after getting married, Paul, and it was quite a challenge for us both starting a family. I think no one knows what one is doing with the first one, and it took a lot of effort to get advice, read books, and adapt to having a new little one around that needed us every minute. But then a year later a second one came! Oh no, now they cry in stereo! Who should I give attention to first?!   Regina was going to give birth in the next month, and I had to travel with plans to return on time for the birth, and in the meantime she wrote me a letter. In it she explained that a friend in the Lord came to her in a dream and told her that it would be a boy, and his name would be Enmanuel, ‘God with us’. Around the same time, I was praying for her, and we did not know he would be born a month early, and I felt the Lord lead me to Isaiah 9:6 “For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace”. I then chose the name Enmanuel, as neither of us had decided yet on a name and I felt by felt the impact of that verse after praying, knowing that verse 7:14 accompanies it. We talked by phone, and I told her I thought it would be a boy, and she also said it must be a boy, and she had decided to name him Enmanuel! What? How did we both, being miles apart, conclude at the last minute it was going to be a boy and we both chose that name? What a God thing! So, by a dream, by an inclination in prayer we both chose at the last moment the same name, Enmanuel. And Eman (Nickname), has lived up to his name, he has brought a presence of the Lord with him everywhere he has served. In the Air Force he was the suicide prevention counselor, and in the Salvation Army for a span of 20 years he has served in various paid and unpaid positions with disaster relief, social services, in shelters, and as a youth counselor with kids.  His heart focused on others, and I conclude names do play a role in what God’s plans are for each one of our lives. And you? What’s your name?