Introducing...

In case you missed our announcement the first time around, we'd love for you to meet our son:

Hezekiah William 

We were thrilled to welcome our firstborn in recent weeks! (Prepare yourself for picture overload in this post... Sorry, not sorry.) We kept his name a secret for what seemed like forever, but now that he is here, we can shout it from the rooftops! And we'd like to take a moment to explain why we have chosen this name for his little life...

Hezekiah

  "Yahweh is My Strength"

Yahweh. The Hebrew name of the covenant keeping God of Israel. We wanted our son's name to bear witness that true strength is found only in Him.

This name also serves as a call to humility for us, his parents, as each time we say his name we are reminding ourselves that our strength - our successes, our accomplishments, even our ability to do godly things - does not come from us, but from the Lord.

In the Old Testament, Hezekiah was a king who faced many great difficulties during his reign, as he attempted to draw the rebellious people of Judah back to the Lord their God. (II Kings 18-20, II Chronicles 29-32, Isaiah 36-39) It is said of him that,

"He did right in the sight of the LORD, according to all his father David had done... He trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel; so that after him there was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor among those who were before him. For he clung to the LORD; he did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the LORD had commanded Moses. And the LORD was with him; wherever he went he prospered."
(II Kings 18:3-7)

And when confronted by the great and terrible Assyrian armies at his door, King Hezekiah took the threatening letter and spread it out before the Lord in the temple, crying out to Yahweh for strength. He was not perfect; nor will our son be. But by giving him this king's name, we pray he will follow his example of trusting in Yahweh, crying out to Him for strength in whatever circumstances life may bring.

This name is a prayer that our son will grow into a humble follower of God, who finds his manhood in the only source of true strength: the Lord, "I AM." Yahweh.

Ki, we pray that Yahweh will be your strength. May this name will serve as a constant reminder to all who hear it that true strength is found in the Lord. 

  William

"Strong Defender"

This family name fits with Hezekiah so well, as it too echoes our prayer for our son to grow into a strong man of God.

"Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength..."
Romans 15:1

Biblical manhood means using your strength for the benefit of those around you. True leadership serves the lowly. True leadership protects the helpless. And true strength defends the weak. In passing along this traditional Allen name, we pray this little one will live to be a strong defender - to use his strength to serve and protect others.

Hezekiah William, we pray you will use the strength God gives you to defend the weak: the poor, the orphan, the helpless... May you grow into a strong defender who finds his strength in the Lord.

**Photo credit: Kimberly Lynn Photography