The other day my dad asked me to retell him the story of how Ezekiel got his name. As I did, I remembered what a surreal time that was. We had just brought him home. He spoke no english and we were suddenly a family of six.

Ezekiel conveyed from the very beginning {initially through an interpreter in Ethiopia} that he wanted an "American name." Sigh. Really? Temesgen is such a beautiful name. It has such significance. It means, "the feeling you have when you're thankful to God. The sighing within your soul with thankfulness to Him." How could we possibly want him to have a name other than that?!

Plus, what more does he have than his name? His name and some already fading memories of his family. It pained us to think of him being called something else.

So we put it off.

As weeks, then months went by, Ben and I continued to tell him that we'll think about it. We'll talk about it. But boy was he ever persistent.

Though reluctant, we finally agreed. Out came the baby names books, covered in dust and ready to be dogeared once again.

One afternoon while the boys were in the front yard skateboarding, I grabbed a blanket and sat on the grass surrounded by my books and a pen. I'd call out a name and see his response. Sometimes they were goofy like "Frederico" {not that it's a goofy name...but that name on my Ethiopian son is SO unfitting!}. If he liked the name, I'd write it down. If not, I moved on.

I got to the "E"s and called out a few he didn't like. And then came to Ezekiel. "How 'bout Ezekiel?" I called out.

"YES!" He replied excitedly. "Really?" I answered.

He jumped suddenly from the skateboard and ran over to where I sat. When he gets overly excited, he speaks in a strange raspy, low voice and with all the conviction in the world, he said again, "YES Mommy, Ezekiel." And closed the book in my lap as he pointed to the name I had just written.

Ezekiel.

He said it with such determination. Such confidence and certainty. "Why Ezekiel?" I asked him. "Did you know someone by that name?" "No." He replied. "Ezekiel."

With my head swirling, feeling like I'm missing something in his reasoning, I phoned Ben. "Temesgen decided on his American name," I told him. "Though it's not all that American."

How interesting that he'd choose such an amazing prophet. Did he know that it's a book in the Bible? He said he did. I do know he learned the song "Ezekiel saw the Wheel" while in the orphanage because I remember him singing it when hearing it on Pandora once.

{watch a cute music video of the song here}

Hm. Ezekiel.

I have no doubt there's more meaning to it than me just yelling out a name I read in a baby name book. I have no doubt God has great and amazing things planned for my little boy.

What would it be like to name yourself?? There is so much in a name. So much of who you are is wrapped into the name you carry with you...especially in other cultures like his.

Ezekiel. The meaning is "Strength of God" but more than that, Ezekiel was a man to whom God asked crazy things of. Things most of us would think, "there is NO way He's asking me to do that. It makes no sense." But Ezekiel, like his name...had the Strength of God to carry out the Lord's requests, as goofy as some seemed and without complete knowledge of why He was asking it.

{see a kid's version of the story here}

Will my Ezekiel be like that? Is his name, just an impression of his character and relationship with God as he grows?

I remember reading about another little boy who came from Ethiopia. And he, just like Ezekiel, wanted a new name to start his new life in America with. But this little boy chose "Moses."  This incredible child remembered the stories he learned in the orphanage, that Moses brought the children of God to the Promised Land. But rather than bringing the Jews out of slavery in Egypt, this child who is wise beyond his years, wanted to someday help deliver his fellow Ethiopians out of poverty as well as bring their hearts toward to our loving God.

God does speak to our children. He puts desires bigger than we can imagine, into so many of their hearts. Though we may not all be naming a six year old, we can help inspire them toward their future. Help foster their love of God, and pray that they will listen to His voice as they grow in character and do great things for His kingdom.

{you can read more of Ezekiel's story here}