Our baby’s name, Elisha, has been inspired by a dream and three promises from God. But first, what does it mean?

Elisha: Its Biblical Significance
Elisha, pronounced Ee-LYE-Sher, is a Hebrew name that means ‘God is my salvation’. Elisha was a prophet of God in Old Testament Times. He was a faithful attendant to his master, the prophet Elijah. Before Elijah was taken up to heaven, Elisha asked for a double portion of his master’s spirit and he received from God. Elisha is said to be an even-tempered man, and his ministry a type of Jesus – one marked with mercy, and miracles accessible to common folk. So it is our hope and prayer that our son will be deeply filled with the Holy Spirit and be a minister of God’s compassion, grace and healing to all he meets.

Why Elisha?
Now, to explain the choice for our baby’s name properly, I have to skip back in time to late July 2007.

We were expecting our first child then. His name was Jaeden which means ‘The Lord has heard’. Jaeden probably went home to heaven when he was about 7 weeks old. We didn’t miss him till he was 10 weeks old. However, the strangest thing then was that I had a dream. I dreamt that I had two children – a boy of 4 or 5, and a nursing girl of 2. When I woke up from that dream, I told Roy that it was God’s way of reassuring me that I would not miscarry Jaeden. However, that was not so. In hindsight, I think it was God’s way of telling me that I would have children because the dream came after Jaeden had already left.

First, a dream…
It was a powerful dream. In that dream, I saw our son rushing forward to Pastor Raymond of Emmanuel AoG who had injured his back and was bent over in pain. The minute the little boy laid his hands on Pst Raymond, he was well again. The dream gave me two insights: (1) My eldest child would be a boy. (2) He would be God’s vessel of His healing grace.

Then, a word…
Of course, after I realised that Jaeden was gone on August 18, I felt the pain bitterly as I did not understand why I would have had such dream and still have my baby die. However, God , ever the compassionate Father, gave His comfort through my husband and a dear friend, Serena Koh-Lo. In a short span of 3 days after I had the D&C operation, both Roy and Serena told me separately that I would have a child again, and that child would have the double portion anointing. It was still difficult for me to receive this promise that I would have another child.

More reassurances…
On September 13, my soul and hope for a child was revived. I went for a bible study session at New Creation Church. The main thrust of that day’s teaching was about the Jubilee, with nothing to do with fertility or children. However, as Pastor Prince was expounding on the differences between commanded blessings and blessings received by faith, he made mention of how Elisha commanded the blessing of a son upon a Shunammite woman in 2 Kings 4:11-17. When Elisha called her and told her, “About this time next year, you will hold a son in your arms.” Her response was faithless. She had actually objected. “No, my lord. Don’t mislead your servant, O man of God!” Despite her faithlessness, she became pregnant and gave birth at about the same time the following year as Elisha had said. My first reaction was that I was as faithfless as that Shunammite woman. But if God did it for her, He could, and would, do it for me too. “God, help me in my unbelief!”

I walked out of that service and called Roy immediately. I told him, ” I am certain that we will have a son by this time next year because God told me so during the service.” Indeed, if you stop to check the calendar, this baby will arrive at about the same time this September. Isn’t God awesome?

Unfolding miracles…
This pregnancy has also been marked with physical threats of miscarriage. Actually, more than the previous one. These are quickly quelled by the reading of His Word as well as His promise to me at the year-end service at NCC. God had distinctly said to me, “I hurt when you hurt. That miscarriage was one too too many.” I know He will not let me lose this child again. Fears of abnormal foetal development have also assailed me. However, I know it never matters how I feel. What matters is the kind of God and Father He is. So I know that without a doubt, just as I’ve received this child in my womb, that He too will continue to perfect the growth of this baby.

To God be the glory; Great things has He done and continues to do!