With great joy, the writing team of Moore, Moore and Moore announces a new addition. Joining our team is River Walker Moore, born Monday, March 18, 2019, weighing in at 7 pounds, 13 ounces. I am sure this new addition will bring us many more stories of laughter and hope.

I have given each of my grandsons a title to go along with his name. I have done this because 1) I believe it is biblical. Jesus even had a title; He was called “Christ.” The word “Christ” is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew word for “Messiah” or “anointed one.” Therefore, Jesus was Jesus the Christ/Jesus the Messiah. His title became a part of His name. 2) A title helps a child understand the meaning and purpose of their name. 3) A title should point them to a godly character trait. The title gives a child a framework in which they can grow.

Dear River,

Today, I pronounce you, River Walker Moore, “River the Peacemaker.” What an incredible, powerful title you have, and you join two brothers who also have great titles: Titus the Honorable and Cohen the Goodhearted.

I love that your father named you River. A river is the essence of all life. Since the beginning of time, civilizations have sprung up around rivers. Rivers hold food, water and transportation, three essentials for life. Rivers are powerful, and they can bring life or destruction depending on how they are used. River, I pray God will use you to bring life.

The Bible connects the words “river” and “peace.” In Isaiah 66:12, Isaiah told Israel that if she followed God, He would pour out His peace upon her like a river. And He will do that for anyone who follows Him. Dear River, I pray you will seek to know Him and allow God to use you as His peacemaker. Our Lord Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (Matt. 5:9). This is why I have given you the title of River the Peacemaker.

Your middle name, Walker, is my first name, and it comes from Ireland. The word was first used to describe an important job in the clothing industry. The “walker” was a person who would take the raw wool and walk on it until all the impurities were purged. In the process of “walking,” the wool would become pure, soft and ready for the master weaver to use.

My name has reflected my life; I have taken the Word of God and walked alongside people across the world as they allow the Holy Spirit to remove the impurities in their lives. In this way, they became useful to the master designer. I pray that you, River, will also be a God-walker.

Your last name, Moore, was used to describe someone who lived high on a mountain near an area of uncultivated land. When I carried the cross up Mount Kilimanjaro, I had to hike through the Moorlands, a stretch of land located between 11,000 and 13,000 feet. It contained huge fields of wildflowers and tall grasses along with giant groundsels, strange and beautiful tree-like plants.

When you leave the Moorlands on your way up Mt. Kilimanjaro, you are in the Alpine Desert, where there is nothing but rock, wind and very little rain; the sun is so strong that very few things can live here. When you pass through the Moorlands, you have literally reached the ends of the earth.

River, because we are a family who follows the life and teachings of Jesus, we read and heed His words. He told those who believed in Him that they are to take His message to the “ends of the earth” (Acts 13:47b) so every nation, tribe and tongue will know God loves them.

You come from a long line of “end-of-the-worlders.” Your great-grandfather was a teacher of God’s Word. Your grandfather has traveled the world to share the good news of Jesus with others, and your dad has done the same. So River, there is a great calling that comes with our names, and I pray you will let it guide your life. If you put your three names, River Walker Moore, together, they mean: “Out of you will flow the good news that will bring peace and purity to the world.”

I only need to tell you a couple more things. First, Poppy (which is what your brothers call me) will always have plenty of ice cream on hand. Second, we will go on lots of adventures (your brothers already know about these). And finally, as long as your Poppy has breath, there will not be a day go by that I won’t be praying you will walk out your name.

Love,

Poppy