As you may have seen on my “About Me” page, my name is Joshua. This week, our professor encouraged us to examine our names, and dive deep into possible meanings, connections, familial history, etc. So I thought about it, and I think I will write about my name. Over the past few years I have thought about all of these things in regards to my name, a lot of which I will get into below.

Joshua is an old biblical name that has been given to many a young child in Judaeo-Christian cultures (and possibly Islamic? I’m not sure but it’s possible). Joshua was a warrior, leader, and servant of God who led his people to the lands where they now dwell. Whenever people are introduced to my brothers and I, they always ask “Wow. Do your parents just like J’s?” My brothers are named Josiah and Johnathan. This was design, but not ours or our parents. Instead, for each of us, they prayed and asked God what our names should be.

So far, they have been almost perfectly accurate.

I have always had an inclination (one could call it an obsession) towards competition, conflict, and war. I love strategy, physical activity, sports, out thinking opponents, and winning. I learn quickly, adapt easily, and am more than willing to fight for those I love, and those who cannot fight for themselves.

Joshua the Israelite was very good at all of these things (Citation needed on the sports though).

I am also the eldest sibling and so was charged with leading my younger brothers. When I was around 10 we moved to another country. There I managed to accept the new world and it’s changes in stride (mostly). I provided a model for my brothers to follow, and as a result my parents didn’t have to worry too much about consoling us, sheltering us, or convincing us that it was a good thing, even though it was hard. And when it was time for us to leave again, I did it all for a second time.

Joshua the Israelite also inspired and led his people into a foreign land, even though it was hard.

Near the end of my high school career, I began to write poetry. I wrote about all the hypocrisy, corruption, injustice, and evil that I saw in the world and my country of birth, the good ol’ USA. Around this time I was also labelled a prophet by a family friend who had a deep connection to God. During my freshman year at App State I took a class on the Old Testament, where I learned that the Israelites thought very differently about Joshua than we do.

I learned that Joshua the Israelite was not considered primarily a warrior or leader, but as a prophet.

This was around the same time that I had finally begun to get a grasp on the inner wrestling match between my desire to achieve victory and glory on the field of battle and my religious and ideological beliefs that “Evil begets Evil” and that “You can’t build the Kingdom of God with the enemy’s tools”. While I still struggle what seems to be my innate desire of, and fascination with, warfare, I have largely pledged to never participate in war, and to never kill someone for Earthly reasons.

When I was given the name of Joshua, none of this was clear; I was hadn’t even been born yet. And yet now it makes a lot of sense. To me at least. Perhaps this is why the first and only time (so far) that I felt truly spoken to while reading my bible was when I read Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” And so I think, will Joshua the Israelite.

What does all of this have to do with getting children to be better at and enjoy writing? Honestly I’m not sure. However, in our program we have been taught, and are still being taught that children’s writing about things they know and are interested in, are the best. Not only is it often some of their best work, but it also allows them to enjoy writing, and to see writing as more than just a way to tell the teacher how much you know about Columbus’ discovery of the Americas. The fact that I sat down and wrote about the similarities between my life and personality with that of an ancient person’s is fascinating. I enjoyed doing it, and it came easily.

This topic of a person’s name having significance, meaning, or insight into who they are is a wide open door for children. They can write about themselves, what their name means, it’s history, it’s uniqueness, where it comes from. They can speculate about what their great grandchildren will be named, why they’re named, and what they might do with their name. That’s a story right there, and I bet many children who hate writing would love to write about that, and I would love to read it.

And speaking from personal experience, it can be hard to find things to write about. Take this haiku I wrote this morning before my coffee kicked in as “Exhibit A” –

Sometimes writing sucks

nothing yet has seemed to work

my befuddled mind

What makes this so funny to me is that in the original draft, the second line read “nothing seems to work” which is only 5 syllables, making each line contain 5 syllables instead of the required 5 – 7 – 5. I debated on keeping it that way to reinforce the message, but decided against it. Maybe that’s a mistake that I will regret. Who knows.

Thanks for reading! 🙂