Nothing is Impossible

She’s here!!! We watched my due date come and go and after 26 hours of labor she finally has made her appearance.

Elizabeth “Ellie” Anne Vogel was born on at 5:19pm on May 9^th, just in time for Mother’s Day! She weighed 8 lbs 7oz and was 21.5 inches long.

I will have to write another post soon about her birth because I don’t want to forget it, but I wanted to explain the meaning behind the name we chose for her.

Coming up with her name was a bit challenging!  We wanted to choose something that was meaningful and relevant to her story. We wanted her to have a name that reminded people of all that God had done to bring about her sweet little life. 

Her middle name, Anne, is one that has been passed down in my family. It belongs to me, my sister, my mom, my grandmother and great great aunt. It means “full of grace.” 

The Hebrew meaning of the name Elizabeth is “God is my oath.” We really chose this name though because of the person Elizabeth in the bible. If you read in Luke chapter 1, you will find a familiar story of a woman who is older in age that is barren. Elizabeth and Zechariah were unable to have children. Zechariah was a priest and scripture says they were both, “righteous before God walking blamelessly in all commandments and statutes of the Lord.” However, they did not have any children and Elizabeth was advanced in years. The bible doesn’t tell us everything that Elizabeth faced because of her barrenness or the feelings she might have had, but I along with many others can relate to her. She had probably resigned herself to a life without an heir, without children to raise. She watched those around her bear children and felt she would never have that joy. Her and everyone around her knew it was impossible for them to conceive a child. But God had other plans.

He told Zechariah through an angel that Elizabeth would conceive and they would have a son. This child would grow up to be John the Baptist and he would do great things for the Kingdom. The angel says that they would have “joy and gladness” at his birth and many would rejoice!

Continuing on in the chapter we see the story of Mary finding out that she will miraculously carry Jesus in her womb.  When she questions how it can be, the proof given to her is that her relative Elizabeth is also carrying a child.

The angel says:

“And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.

For NOTHING will be impossible with God.”

Reading this passage of scripture is what solidified this name for us, because I too was barren. I too faced impossible odds when it came to conceiving a child. We were told that we would most likely never be able to have children naturally because of the extensive cancer treatments I had undergone. In those dark days when we didn’t know if I ‘d live to see my next birthday, becoming parents definitely seemed impossible to us! 

But we serve a God who does the impossible! He loves redemption and restoration and shows us over and over again throughout scripture how he makes things new. He brings light to the darkness. He literally brings life from death! These miraculous acts remind us that just as we are dead in our sin, God can bring us new life through His Son Jesus. He was dead on the cross, pierced for our transgressions and on the third day he rose again! 

God is so faithful and can do the impossible! That is what He did for us with our little miracle baby. I pray that her life continues to bring much joy and gladness to all who know her. I pray that her name would be a precious reminder to her and all those around her that God did the impossible when He died for our sins and rose from the dead.  I pray she would grow up knowing that there is always hope and that her life is a precious reminder of that truth.