Ameliya's Name

Awhile back I blogged about how we name our children in this post: http://jennbeeler.blogspot.com/2014/03/whats-in-name.html.

Here is what I wrote about the meaning of Ameliya Darby:
Name #1:  {the work of God} + {deer park}
I know what you're thinking.  Deer park?  Remember, middle names are family and mean a great deal to us.  We didn't find a great way to tie the middle name into the chosen verse (though the song "As the Deer" keeps playing in my head) but I think the meaning of the first name with it's verse screams loud and clear the message we pray for our child.
²⁸ Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”  ²⁹ Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” {John 6:28-29}
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While Darby wasn't family to us by blood, she was a young lady who will forever remain in our hearts.  The summer of 2009 we took 8 month old baby Natalee and journeyed to Colorado to the Christian youth camp called NYR.  Our youth group took a young lady named Darby Brooke along and I was privileged to get to mentor her on this trip.  Darby's life changed 360 degrees while in the Rocky Mountains and when we got home our relationship drew closer than ever.  She lived a good hour and a half away, but she popped in often, knowing she was always welcome in the Beeler home.  We kept tabs on her, encouraging her to walk the right path, make good choices, and live for Christ.  Mike and I carved permanent places in our hearts for Darby Brooke and considered her "ours," however unlikely it would be that 20-something youth sponsors would have a teenaged 'kid'. 

I'll never forget the Sunday I walked in to church...Mike had gone before me to start the video projection and Natalee and I arrived a few minutes later.  It was November, and upon immediately entering and seeing Mike's face I knew something had happened.  He came to me and told me our Darby had been in an accident.  Ready to go to her, I asked how badly she was injured.  The pain of hearing she'd left our earth is something that can never be expressed.  I handed Natalee off to family and went downstairs with Mike to weep selfish tears that our Darby was gone and rejoice in the fact that she'd given her life back to Christ on the mountaintops in Colorado.

So, our sweet Ameliya bears the name of one we loved and lost...a constant reminder to us to never be too busy to invest in the life of someone by reaching out and being His hands and feet.