What’s in a Name?

There’s so much to a name. I wish I had known that when I named my son Tristan, which we discovered in second grade means “born of sorrow”. We wrestled with that for a bit, and regardless of the sad meaning, I still like the name and would choose it again for him.

So when you have a dream that is so big that it consumes ALL of your heart, how do you even begin to find a name? One word to encompass all the feels, the vision, the hopes, the desires…is rather impossible. And I struggled for many, MANY years for the name of my ranch.

I was turning 40, and it had been my prayer that God would reveal a name for this dream ranch before my 30s came to a close. To celebrate, my future husband took me on a surprise trip to the Riverwalk in Texas. Romantic, right? The lilies in the room (whose fragrance filled the hallways) and the chocolate covered strawberries that greeted me really deserve their own blog spot. In spite of the amazing walks we took and good food we ate, my heart was still aching for one thing—THE name.

On my birthday, Pete took me to the nicest restaurant in town. Ironically, I can’t remember the name, but I do recall the remarkable meal we enjoyed. As we typically do, we got to talking to the server and the sommelier to find out more about them. Ironically again, I cannot remember the names, but I do remember vividly the feeling of connection and humanity. And as all meals do, ours came to an end.

The sommelier returned to our table one last time, and placed a bottle on our table as a gift. We thanked him and wished him well for the night and for his future. Pete and I turned the bottle to read the label, and there it was: Seven Hills. In a combined heartbeat, we both knew that was the name. Seven Hills. It has never been doubted since. Together we plan, dream, and pray for Seven Hills Ranch.

God is faithful. Even when it’s on the eve of your birthday at the end of your meal, He never fails.