Let’s get one of the important things out of the way…

Her name is pronounced “NY – EE – MA”.

Even more important…She is perfect in every way!  She was born on June 2nd at 11:29am weighing 6 lb 14 oz. She is the daughter of Zachary and Meghan Stevenson.

And now for the most important…She is my first granddaughter and I already love her with all of my heart!

I’ve been praying over her name.  The name Naima has a Hebrew core that means “Given by Jehovah,”  and Grace is “God’s unmerited favor.”  She has already been living up to her name.  Over and over again, we have encountered God by looking at this perfect little girl.  We know that He knit her together in her mother’s womb.  He has ordered her days.  He placed within her His own image.  And He has already begun wooing her into a personal relationship with His one and only Son, Jesus.

Naima has been given by God.

Zach’s first words after delivery were:  We have a human!”  It really is mind boggling, isn’t it?  God brought two people together and performed the “one flesh” miracle of marriage.  And then with great joy, He provided a way for them to completely merge themselves into another. . .

They made a human. . .(Through the power of God!)

What Grace!  What a display of God’s unmerited or undeserved favor!  This little bundle of perfection is living up to her name.  She is Grace given by Jehovah!

I found a verse that I have been praying over her.  It is the testimony of the Apostle Paul and it connects with her name:

“I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of His power.”  Ephesians 3:7

I’m praying with faith that this precious baby girl grows up to be a servant of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  I’m praying that she will experience waves and waves of God’s grace over and over and over again in her life.  That she learns to splash around in God’s grace like we splash around at the Jersey Shore.  And I’m praying that she will learn to rely continually on the working of God’s power through His Holy Spirit…that she knows His revelation, reproduces the fruit of His character and ministers with the gifts of His Spirit.

This girl is God’s gift of grace.  Amen.