Grace Willow

Today marks my little Gracie turning six months old.  She is the sweetest, most scrumptious little girl and I cannot fathom my life without her!  As I'm writing this tears come easily to my eyes as I think of just how much I love and adore her.  Her life not only makes my world a brighter, happier place but her presence also helps those she's around to smile bigger and laugh deeper.  Her life is very special and it truly is my honor and joy to be her mommy!

When I was pregnant with Grace, Steve and I were considering different names for her, trying to pick just the right one.  We always liked Grace and from the beginning that name had been one of our favorites.  However we had only thought of it as a middle name.  Until one day, during an afternoon nap together, Steve and I stumbled onto the idea of making our daughters first name Grace.  It just sort of clicked into place.  It was perfect for her!

During the process of picking her name I came across the name Willow and loved it immediately.  Willow was actually one of the names we had considered as a first name, as well as Alicia, Eliana and Isabella.  But after we had decided on the name Grace it was obvious to me that her middle name would then be Willow.  Why?  Well, not just because I liked the name, it's meaning (which is "freedom") and it's uniqueness.  It's because of a deeper reason.

During my pregnancy with Grace, I was reading an urgent letter one day from James Robison. In it, he appealed to readers about how our freedoms were in jeopardy in these days and the days ahead.  It was a compelling letter that emphasized how true freedom lies in Jesus Christ, our Savior, and cannot be found in our government or anywhere else.  While reading the letter, the Holy Spirit spoke to me regarding the life that was growing inside of me.  He spoke to me of how our daughter would have a special calling on her life to share with the world what true freedom is and where it comes from.  Her life would be an example to those around her of what abundunt life is really like because her relationship with Jesus would be so pure that she would walk in total freedom -- freedom that can only be found in one true source - Christ Jesus!

What a moment that was for me!  I received this promise from above with tears flowing over my cheeks, and then, suddenly, it came to me. Willow.  The meaning of the name Willow is freedom.  Wow.  It was then that I knew this little girl was to have the name Willow.  And so that is the story of how Grace Willow came to be named.