Ethan: "One who is Steadfast and Strong"

I feel that names are very important and hold a lot of value. When my father named me "Misty" it made him think of the refreshing mist that rises from a waterfall. He used to tell me that my name meant "One who refreshes others". My middle name is Ann meaning "Grace" so I have taken this a step further and consider the meaning to be "One who refreshes others with grace". My name has been a beautiful challenge to live up to on a daily basis.

In naming my own children I have kept this in mind. We had chosen the name Ethan a while back but I recently rechecked the meaning. Ethan is Hebrew and means "permanent and concrete; enduring, firm and steadfast" Ethan is the author of Psalm 89 which talks of God's mercies.

As I began to evaluate the name I realized how fitting it is. Our Ethan was born to a mother with HIV yet God was merciful and he did not contract the disease. Ethan was born with Hydrocephalus and has been untreated for it. The majority of children would have died or been severely handicapped by his age, but, by God's mercy, he has pulled through with virtually no side effects. Our son is a fighter. He has been strong and, with God's mercy, has endured. It is my prayer that some day he will be able to "sing of the mercies of the Lord" and will be a young man who is "strong, firm and steadfast" in his spiritual life as well.