Boyfriend taking the baby naming too seriously

Dear Pastor,

I am having a problem. I did not think that at my age I would be having such a problem.

I am 21 years old and recently went to live with my boyfriend. I got pregnant by this man by accident and it was truly an accident. He did not mean to get me pregnant. We used to have sex and we were very careful, but one evening the condom broke and he was not aware of it; neither was I. When we realised what had happened we convinced ourselves by saying nothing was going to happen. We dismissed the whole idea of pregnancy out of our minds. When I missed my period and I went to the doctor, she told me to give myself another month. But when my period did not come after the month passed we realised that something had gone wrong.

I am still in college and my boyfriend is working with his father. We are living at his grandmother's home and she is very nice to me. She treats me as her own daughter and is always encouraging me to trust in the Lord. His grandmother took him from his mother when he was only five years old and she has raised him. His mother is somewhere in America. He does not think much of her at all. He is hoping to do his own business. He gets along very well with his father. He told his father that I am expecting a child, so his father chatted with me and told me that I should continue to be a good girl to him.

My boyfriend is very quiet. He has even chosen a name for our daughter. He wants her to be called 'Mary' but I prefer the name 'Grace'. His grandmother's name is Mary so that is the reason why he wants the child to have that name. Plus, her favourite hymn is Amazing Grace. I laugh about these things but they are not trivial to him.

What names do you think we should give to the baby girl?

T.W.

Dear T.W.,

I suggest that you call this girl 'Mary Grace' and ask one of the child's godparents for another name.

That would be the end of the story, I hope. I am glad that you are well received by this man's grandmother and his father loves you. Both of you should learn to commit yourselves to God and to attend church.

When you are applying to get married, both of you should attend counselling sessions and submit yourselves to God and to each other.

I wish you well.

Pastor