So, we made a little video to introduce our baby girl’s name…
and here’s the story behind it…
“And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” – Esther 4:14b
There is a true story in the Bible of a woman named Esther (in the book of Esther), a common Jewish girl, who was brought into the palace of the king, chosen to become his wife and ultimately used by God to bring deliverance to the Jewish people. As Esther found out as the new queen that there was a plot against her people, her only hope was to speak with the king on the behalf of her people and ask him to spare their lives. However entering the kings’ presence without being summoned in that time (even as his wife), had the potential of leading to death. Esther had great fear and yet, was reminded by Mordecai, the man who raised her, that God would surely find a way to deliver His people, but what if God had chosen her to be a part of that deliverance “FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS.” Esther called on the name of the Lord, fasted and prayed and determined to enter the presence of the king to plead for her people and declared with great courage and faith “If I perish, I perish.” Ultimately, the king had favor on her, and her people were saved.
This has been a story of faith, courage, and deliverance that I have always loved in the Bible. Esther has been a picture of what it looks like to walk by faith and not by sight. And as Kevin and I have prayed about the name for this little girl, the phrase “For such a time as this” has continued to surface in our hearts. We don’t know what God has in store for our second daughter, but we do believe that He has set the stage to produce something in and through our family’s life that will bring Him great glory and hope to many “For such a time as this.” The Hebrew name for Esther has been one I have always loved… Hadassah. Hadassah means “myrtle tree”. Which on the surface may seem insignificant, however as we have studied the myrtle tree we’ve discovered that it is a highly esteemed plant in Judaism. Its branches were to be used during the Jewish Feast of Booths, where they celebrate and remember God’s presence with them in the wilderness and ultimately foreshadowing the time when we will permanently dwell with Jesus! Perhaps the sweetest thing I have discovered about the myrtle tree is that the flowers on the tree, though bitter to the taste, when crushed produce an aroma that is sweeter than a rose. It is our prayer that out of the bitterness of this journey the Lord will produce a sweet aroma that flows out of our lives and into the lives of others. We don’t know how He will do it, right now it feels so bitter, but we are trusting Him for the sweet. And so we took the name Hadassah and shortened it to DASAH for our little girl’s first name.
In keeping with Kevin’s Irish heritage we knew we wanted a Gaelic name somewhere in there and so discovered the name Brielle. And like Sophie’s middle name, Kyla, Brielle is both Gaelic and Hebrew. In Gaelic it simply means “Hill” and in Hebrew it means “God is our might”. Surely, He is our might and the one, the only one who can produce life and joy and hope through such a journey as the one He has asked us to walk with our sweet…
DASAH BRIELLE DENNIS
(pronounced DAW-sa)
Who knows but God has chosen Dasah to enter our lives “for such a time as this” to leave a sweeter aroma in our lives and those around us then we could even imagine.
“Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and it shall make a name for the Lord, an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.” – Isaiah 55:13
- A Time to be Silent and a Time to Speak - October 29, 2020
- Teaching Them to Hope, Birthday After Birthday. - January 15, 2020
- A Taste of Hope Fulfilled – Briella Dawn’s Birth Story - August 3, 2018
Still praying!
Beautiful name – beautiful family. Praying for you all.
Lindsey. Wow. Gorgeous. I am beyond moved by the post. We love you four oh so much.
Lindsey and Kevin, the name is so beautiful!! And your video is wonderful!! 🙂 I love how you keep reflecting the Lord’s glory through your lives…all four of you! And I know that Dasah will love her name…and all the love you guys poured into it.
I know you don’t know me, but I’m an acquaintance of Jennafer White’s, and through her page I read and followed your story. Your faith and value of life is such a light in this world and you have touched more people than you probably will ever know. My heart broke to read about your second daughter and I pray daily that God will provide a miracle. Your faith and response to life’s hardships have comforted me in a difficult time in my life as well, and I want to say thank you. I have passed your story on to others, and many prayers are out there for Dasah. God’s blessings!
Hi. You don’t know me either, but I am Kristineats Godfather and a pastor near Washington DC. I recently returned from Israel – a land of both incredible beauty and pain. I think the name God gave you for your little girls is perfect. May He guard your hearts with his inexplicable shalom.
Pastor Kevin
This is a beautiful name and I love the meaning behind it. Trust me, God is doing a GOOD THING through your journey……blessing many I know…..and I am one this Saturday afternoon. You are in my prayers, Toni Fleischmann (friend of your Mom Tracey)
Beautiful name and beautiful how much time, thought, and God’s help was put into her name. I know all too well how hard it is to come up with a name that we feel worthy of our angels. You did. Our angels names are: VernaAnn Gabrielle (after her 2 grandmas who were waiting for her in Heaven) and Lily Arielle. We sure do miss those two little peanuts. But, they surely are in a FAR better place! Can’t wait to see them again in heaven.
since I’m a non nerd and had not read my emails in ages and am now cleaning out my box and came on the beautiful name of your second daughter……your precious journed has certainly been like the woman who dumped a bottle of spikenard on Jesus’ head and wiped his feet with your tears…..I liken your journey to this lavish gift to Jesus of your lives and your two sweet daughters……God bless you on your journey…..the Journey of Him is wafting out to us spectators and prayer warriors……….love, Mary Beth
SO beautiful, Kevin and Lindsey!! You openness to walk into and through life and pain is such a declaration of His greatness and love. “Reading” your lives is like reading scripture…He lives through you!! I will pray for you two and Dasah as you await how He shows Himself in such a time as this. With love…
Just checkin’ in after months of being away…I loooooove your 2nd daughter’s name and the meaning. I can’t imagine having that same perspective in your shoes, but it is such a vivid illustration. A crushed flower, leaving behind a beautiful fragrance.
God’s presence is evident in your writing. That is the only way to get through things like this without being destroyed. I will be praying for your daughter’s healing and for her mama and daddy’s as well.