by Haylee James
If you are familiar with the Bible story about Rebekah when her twin boys Jacob and Esau were still in her stomach, you know that she knew something of their personalities while in utero. Elizabeth also felt John the Baptist leap inside her when her cousin Mary came to visit her with Jesus still in her womb. I greatly believe that mothers can sometimes have a sense of their children’s personalities even before they are born.
I have two beautiful sons, Asa, who is six years old, and Asher, who is just now four weeks old.
Asa Matthew means “healing gift from God.” To me, he was exactly that. After a heartbreaking miscarriage, he was the son I had prayed for that healed my heart. I am reminded of the story of Hannah in Scripture (see 1 Samuel 1, 2). Hannah prayed that God would give her a child. She vowed that if the Lord gave her a child, she would dedicate him to the Lord’s service. From the time Asa was in my womb, I could tell he was very active, and I am so thankful he is to this day. Before he was even born, he would always get very excited when my husband Matt and I would lead worship together—but especially when we would sing the song “Reckless Love.” You can worship God with this song today by clicking here. I can remember Asa dancing around in my stomach as we would sing that song. As soon as he was born while he was crying, we started to play the song and instantly he stopped crying.
The song begins by saying:
“Before I spoke a word, You were singing over me. You have been so, so good to me. Before I took a breath, You breathed Your life in me. You have been so, so kind to me.”
The psalmist tells leaves no doubt about how we are created by God: “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well” (Psalm 139:13, 14, NIV).
It is a beautiful thought that the Lord has created our children with great purpose.
I have prayed fierce prayers over Asa, that he would be bold for Christ, that he would be strong in his faith, that he would do great and wonderful things to change and heal this world. To do great things like this, I believe you would need to have a fierce spirit like Asa. The Lord gave Hannah a son, and his name was Samuel. Samuel would grow to become a great prophet who would eventually anoint Israel’s first king, Saul, and Israel’s greatest king, David, that would eventually lead to Christ. Like Samuel, I know God has great plans for Asa, and I have no doubt that he is going to shake this world for the kingdom of God.
Happy and Blessed
My husband and I chose the name Asher Kaden for our newborn son, and his name means “happy and blessed, beloved friend.” During my pregnancy with Asher, I felt a sense of calm from him. If you know me well, you knew I was terrified to have another baby because of the trials I had experienced before. All I wanted for this child was that he would be happy and blessed, but God has given me so much more. All throughout my pregnancy, the Bible story of Jonathan was consistently on my mind. King Saul’s son, Jonathan, gave up his throne for David because he loved God’s plan for David more than his position and power. He was a beloved friend of the future king, and he believed in what God was going to do through him—even though he had yet to see it. This is the prayer I have for Asher:
“Asher, I pray you are a happy and blessed, beloved friend who brings people to Jesus through the love and faith you have in them. I pray you have a humble and gentle spirit that puts others before yourself. I pray you look like Jesus with the love that you display with your life and that your actions speak louder than your words.”
I once had a precious friend named Christian, and he was like a brother to me. He deeply loved people and changed the world around him through his beloved and loyal friendship. He could care less about position or power—and was sometimes even criticized for it. He cared more about people and putting others before himself. His great love and beloved friendship looked a lot like what I imagine Jesus to be. He passed away this last year around the time when I found out I was going to have Asher. Who he was has been heavy on my heart, so perhaps this is one reason I have prayed this specific prayer over Asher. May he display God’s love through his beloved friendships.
A Generation Rising
The most wonderful part of having Asa and Asher so far is seeing their love for one another. Asa has always wanted a little brother (a friend) to grow up with. He has been so excited since the day Asher arrived. As their loving friendship grows, I speak this prayer over my sons:
“I pray you would genuinely love God and love people. May you speak the name of Jesus in boldness and faith, in healing and grace, and in beloved friendship. I pray that the Holy Spirit will cover you and that the fruit of the Holy Spirit will shine through you in Jesus’ name.”
In the worship song “Hosanna,” Hillsong sings these words:
“I see a generation rising up to take their place with selfless faith; I see a near revival stirring as we pray and seek, we’re on our knees.”
May we fall on our knees in prayer over our children because God has a purpose for them even before they are born. He has created each one of them with unique gifts and personalities that have the power to change the world around them. I encourage you today to think about how the Lord has specifically created your children (or grandchildren), then help them grow in God’s purpose for them. Will you join me in seeking to raise up a generation that brings the kingdom of God on Earth as it is in Heaven?
Haylee James gets to be Mommy to her boys Asa and Asher. She has been married to her husband Matt for twelve years, they have been in ministry together for thirteen years, and would not trade it for anything.