To My Daughter, Mercy
Precious girl, how blessed we are to have you! Today, Daddy and I learned enough about you to give you a name. It’s been my tradition, to write a letter to each of my children, on the day we give them their name. Your father and I believe strongly, that a name is especially significant… That in it, as your parents, God allows us to bestow a blessing over your life. The names of each one of you, were selected carefully, and I write these letters to you children, so you may know, and remember 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 blessing. I pray you will keep it tucked in your heart, and recall it often as you grow into the individual God ordained you to be.
I will start with our surprise, at the news that you were a girl! Daddy and I were utterly shocked. Primarily because girls seem to be very rare in the Pruett family! But I was astonished for a different reason. Five years ago, your oldest brother was brought into the world under the same circumstances in which you are coming into the world. I had a rare type of stroke, while pregnant, and I went through his entire pregnancy with a blood clot in my brain. When I was 6 weeks pregnant with him, God spoke to me, and told me “His name is Zane Benaiah. I will know him as Benaiah.” I understood that name “Benaiah.” It was one of David’s Mighty Men, and I knew God was telling me, I was carrying a “mighty man” that would overcome many odds.
As my pregnancy with you began to unfold, all of the same things happened. As the two of us skirted death, and survived horrific circumstances, and odds piled up against you, and yet you hung on, I was 𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯, that once again, a mighty man of valor was being prepared in my womb.
There was absolutely no doubt, whatsoever, that God was shaping another little 𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘳 within me.
Imagine my surprise, however, when I learned, that this diminutive warrior was not a little boy….
That tiny warrior turned out to be, 𝘢 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭…
As I laid on the table, staring up at you on the screen, I wondered what manner of child you must be. You were to become a young lady. You and I… we are what the Bible calls, “weaker vessels”. As women, we are known for being the softer, more delicate part of society.
But 𝘺𝘰𝘶…
𝘖𝘩 𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘥𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘳…
𝘐 𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢 𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘳.
I spent the rest of the day, thinking about women that God raised up. Women like Jael, Deborah, Ruth, Esther, Rahab, Miriam and Jochebed… Women who, when their defining moment came, were ready for it. Dignified, graceful, submissive… and yet… when it came time to stand for what was right, those beautiful feminine qualities somehow merged with something that was 𝘧𝘪𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘦, bold, courageous, daring and confident…
I am humbled, and honored, and in awe, that God is knitting together, within my womb, 𝘢 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘳.
So I come to your names… their meanings, and what they mean to us, and the blessing I pray they will foretell over your life.
We will start with “Mercy.” Daddy loves that it expresses the story of your survival. You and I should never have survived what each of us did, but we are here today, only by God’s mercy.
For me, when I think of the name “Mercy” so many things come to mind. I think of Jesus’ words in the beatitudes, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” I think of “wisdom.” I believe that ‘mercy’ is a fruit of wisdom, and that as we grow in wisdom, mercy becomes a natural extension in our interactions with others. I think about our often-erring ways, and how God bestows unending mercy toward us, and how we are to strive to extend that to others. It’s patience and longsuffering and kindness, even when it’s difficult. It’s carrying our brothers and sisters when they are weak. It’s bearing the burden of someone else’s error because God graciously bestows the strength to do it. As I continue to grow in the grace and love of Jesus Christ, it is a quality I seek Him for daily, and I pray, that God will not only give me the grace to model “mercy” that it may be instilled in all of my children, but that He will grant it to you, as a prevailing attribute of your nature.
“Mercy” is also the name of my dear friend, Mercy Jerusalem Bruce, whose character, sweet spirit, and example have consistently challenged me through the years. She and I became the best of friends in Bible College, and after we graduated, we served in the ministry together for several years. Often, when I am going through a trial, it is her and her strength that I think of, that inspires me to aim higher and do better. One day, I will tell you of our wild adventures, and they will have you rolling on the floor with laughter, but more importantly, I pray that, by granting you her name, that God will bless you abundantly with many of her admirable qualities. She is wise and graceful, strong, and merciful… and she reminds me of many of those fierce and courageous women of God in the Bible.
“Victoria” is a name that Daddy selected for you. He loves it because it is beautiful and regal. It was also a nod to qualities he admired in Queen Victoria, so without intending to we gave you the names of TWO queens. (Victoria & Hadassah) 𝘐 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘩, 𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘭, 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘷𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘦𝘯𝘴!
Most importantly, though, Daddy chose a name that meant ‘victory’ as testimony of your triumph. In the few months you have existed, you have overcome hurdles very few babies have to overcome. You have persevered in defiance of everything that was stacked against you. I pray that this name, bestows upon you blessings of not only victory throughout your life, but a victorious nature. I pray that you will triumph over your temptations, and persevere through your trials, and God will enable you to rise valiantly above anything that comes against you. That you will be fierce and courageous for all that is true and right, and that you will see innumerable victories, through prayer, and for the Gospel.
And I pray that you will always remember, that we are only victorious through Christ. Remember always, that when you were a helpless babe in the womb, measuring half the size you should have been, it was not by your own feeble strength that you triumphed. Remember always, that every victory, no matter how big or small, comes by the might and mercy of God. Remember that the Lord is your victory. Keep Him first. Run to Him in all your troubles. Cling to Him in prayer. Seek Him for all your answers. If He is all, and He is everything, He is and He will always be your victory.
As your Daddy and I discussed your name, we settled on “Mercy Victoria”, but my mind kept coming back to the story of Queen Esther (Hadassah). No matter how hard I tried to move on, her legacy echoed in my heart. Her courage in the face of impossible odds, God’s protection over her in grave danger, her graceful submission to the will of God, and her incredible triumph for her people… and the words of her cousin Mordecai, “…who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
Little daughter… tiny as you now are… I see the traces of, “Hadassah” in your story. God has sheltered you, and protected you, against certain death and multitudes of danger… and yet you are here. Precious child, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 have a unique purpose for 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 generation. What a world you coming into! What an hour! But God has resolved, to bring you into this world… “𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘢 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴.”
I pray that like Hadassah, you will gracefully submit to the plan of God. I pray that her name bestows upon you blessings for the hour God has given you. 𝘊𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘦, for such a time as this. 𝘞𝘪𝘴𝘥𝘰𝘮, for such a time as this. 𝘝𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺, for such a time as this. 𝘔𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘺, for such a time as this. May you be all of these things, triumphing in a dark hour.
𝘔𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘺 𝘝𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘢 𝘏𝘢𝘥𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘩 𝘗𝘳𝘶𝘦𝘵𝘵, 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘬𝘦𝘱𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶…
“𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘢 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴.”
I pray that as you grow in stature, and in the grace of God, that the blessings bestowed in your name will become real to you. I pray you will humbly submit to the Lord and His ways, as He carefully develops these qualities within you. I pray that you will allow God to lead you to that specific place, and specific purpose He has for you. I pray that you will rely upon Him, fully, and totally, and that He will be your Lord in every way. I pray that when your defining hour comes, whatever it may be, that He will find you ready to bravely meet it face to face, and I pray for every moment along the way, seen or unseen, big or small, that you will always have the courage to do what is right.
I look forward to watching you rise up to become whatever it is God has purposed for you. Know always, that Mama is faithfully praying for you and all of your tomorrows. I love you sweet girl.
𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴,
“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” – Lamentations 3:22-23
