Craedyn Esther {Story and Meaning of Her Name}

Dreams.

Whispers at a stoplight.

Pictures on Facebook.

I don't know how many times I saw an It Works team mate share this specific image when telling how
God was using their business to do some amazing things in their lives!

And Instagram.

Friends sharing inspirational quotes or Bible verses or something from a book they read.

Veggie Tales DVDs.

Lawrence needed something to write on the other night at church and reached for something on the table.
This DVD is what he grabbed randomly.

What didn't God use to let us know all throughout my pregnancy that we were having a GIRL and that her middle name would be ESTHER?

Granted, I've never audibly heard God's voice, but I can assure you He was speaking to me over and over and over again during the last nearly 40 weeks I was carrying Craedyn inside me and watching my tummy grow.

From the VERY beginning of her existence, God was letting us know WHO this little girl was going to be.  Before we even knew for sure she was there, Lawrence had a dream about her.  One Wednesday morning as we were getting ready for the day, he announces out of nowhere, "So, I had a dream that we had another baby."

"Oh really?!" My heart immediately did a little flip because I had been wanting to be pregnant for quite some time at that point.  However, I wasn't even sure if I could get pregnant since Kyiah was still nursing and my cycle hadn't even returned yet.  Still, I was praying for God to give us another baby.  When I heard Lawrence share his dream, I got a tad excited.

"Did you see if the baby was a boy or a girl in your dream?" I prodded for more information.

"Definitely a girl," was his sigh of a reply.  

Well then...

Not wanting to think too much about the possibility of truly being pregnant (even though I had several very real indications that I might be - being wiped after the WARM UP of a work out, my clothes starting to feel tight), I tried to go with my day.  God, however, apparently had different plans.

As I pulled up to the stoplight at Flintlock and 291, I sat staring at 3 Gables, the girls chatting in the backseat.  We were on our way home from the library, but before I could think about what I was going to quickly throw together for lunch, God whispered in my ear, "Esther."  My immediate thought was, "That's definitely a girl name, God."  

"Yes, and just like Queen Esther she will be bold and courageous.  She will be born for such a time as this - to make Me known, to defend the Truth and stand up for what is Right and Good, to show others how to passionately and purposefully live for Me, to inspire others to be who I have made them to be."

Nothing like a clear vision of who your unborn child is going to be.

And so I tucked that precious promise in the depths of my heart, sharing it only with Lawrence later that night after we got home from church - me with a positive pregnancy test in hand.  It was our little secret for the next almost 40 weeks.

People would ask us if we thought we were having a boy or girl (since we decided NOT to find out the gender but keep it a surprise until the baby arrived).  I usually smiled and answered that I was 99% sure we were having another girl.  Sometimes I was even so confident as to laugh and inform the person the baby WAS a girl - like a sure thing.  Stastically, we did have a 50% chance of having a boy (as a person always does), but I "knew" our baby would be girl #4.  

We make cute girls.

And if you're good at something, why switch things up?

If it's not broke, don't fix it.

I think that's how it goes...

Since the middle name was settled, all we had to do was agree on the FIRST name.  Prepare yourselves, I am going to share one of our boy names that we have NEVER gotten to use, but have always had ready "just in case."  KREYDON.  With a little adjustment, we easily made it more feminine and liked the sound of Craedyn Esther.  And just like that, our little girl had a name.

The name KREYDON developed several years ago while we were watching college basketball.  Creighton was one of the teams playing, and at the same time both Lawrence and I expressed how that would be a good C name if we ever needed something for a BOY.  Of course, we had to switch it up and make it our own.  Hence, Kreydon...

Not only was it unique (a solid requirement for us), but it had DEPTH.  I looked up on Google what Creighton meant and found on one of the hundreds of baby name websites that it was Scottish/Irish and referred to a Crag-town, a town near or on the rocks.  Immediately, my mind made the connection with the verses in Matthew where Jesus speaks about believers being a CITY ON A HILL.

You are the light of the world - like a CITY ON A HILLTOP THAT CANNOT BE HIDDEN.  No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.

I also think about a light house showing the way for the ships as they come to shore.

Again, a very strong calling for our unborn child.

But we don't play small in the Young house.

Not when it comes to character at least.

What we lack in size we make up for in heart.

We are stubborn, passionate, determined, adventurous, courageous, and fierce.

Don't believe me?

Come be a fly on my wall for a day.  Watch my girls explore with excitement, read and learn with eagerness, work on craft projects with creativity and flair, play with unbridled imagination, laugh and shriek with great delight.  You'll also see them test the limits - climbing on counters, jumping on and off couches, wading in the creek in search of some treasure, covering themselves in mud, climbing trees, and racing their bikes down the street.  These sweet precious girls who love all things pink and princessy will also fearlessly hike through the woods and search for bugs and get as dirty as any boys I've seen.  And as hard as it may seem to accept, these kind, sweet, tender-hearted angels have little devils hiding inside.  They can pull hair, bite, scream, punch, kick, and fight to the death.  In the blink of an eye these girls can change their tune...

Drives me absolutely crazy.

Yet, at the same time, I see something positive in their moments of rage.

They are not going to get walked over or taken advantage of or pushed aside easily.

They will stand up for themselves. 

And hopefully for each other too.

They will be strong, confident, bold women who defend the truth and do what's right even when no one else is.  They will remain the course, steady and constant, even when the world around them is shifting and changing based on the latest trends.  They will be ambassadors of hope, sharing the message of God's love and grace amidst the chaos and pain in our lost, hurting world.

At least that is my prayer.

For Coralyn Ruth, our inquistive one who loves to learn, remembers everything, and is faithfully loyal to her family and friends.

For Kellah Grace, our sensitive and compassionate soul who has a fierceness that is NOT to be questioned despite her small stature.

For Kyiah Hesed, our daring and fearless tag-along who won't be left behind on any adventure but also isn't afraid to make her voice and presence known from the start.

And now for Craedyn Esther.

May she be a BRIGHT LIGHT for everyone to see, pointing the way to Jesus, drawing others to Him, inviting them into His powerful yet peaceful presence.  May she recognize she was "BORN FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS," and boldly live out her calling with confidence, not backing down or letting any fear or doubt stop her from doing what God has asked her to do because she understands the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is at work inside of her to overcome any obstacle she may face.  May she know WHO she is and to WHOM she belongs, declaring victory in Christ as she dreams big and pursues Jesus with reckless abandon, following Him on the incredible journey He has prepared in advance for her.  And as she does, may she show everyone that God always finishes the good work He begins, going above and beyond our expecations to make the impossible possible as He uses US to build His kingdom here on earth.

Well, there you have it.

The story behind the name.

Once again, we are beyond delighted that Craedyn Esther is here and we can finally share with you who our little girl is!