Tattoos, Trials & Testimonies

Since my teenage years I've always wanted a tattoo. But I was always too scared because I knew that I didn't just want a tattoo that was "pretty", a "memory" or just a personal meaning.  I knew I wanted something that was more than that. Something that had purpose. Something that would not just show who I am but who my God is. A testimony of who He is and what He has done in my life.


      ~Great Is Thy Faithfulness: Romans 8:28~shoulder~

As our sunday school class started to study the book/life of Job, it was said that Satan wanted everything God had.  But God said No.  Since then Satan has set out to "steal, kill and destroy" (John 10:10) all God loved & created. Satan knew that Job loved God and he wanted to set out to prove that Job would turn away from God. But God knew Job's heart and knew that Job would not turn away from him not matter what.
I may not have suffered like Job did but as I look over my life, I think that since I was born, Satan has been trying to "steal, kill and destroy" my life.  Thankfully God placed me in a family, even with all it's dis functions, that loved Him and where I would grow up hearing His Truth.  I accepted Christ when I was 5yrs old.  But that doesn't mean that I was always in His will for my life. Anyone who knew me through my Jr. High & High School years know that I was NOT living a lifestyle that reflected my christian beliefs.  Growing up wasn't always easy. I had A LOT of problems.  Some due to others choices, some due to my own.  I suffered from an identity crisis and from that stemmed a lot of different symptoms. My trials didn't stop as I got older and became a wife & mother. It was during my mid 20's that the Lord really began to work in my life.  Well, God was always working & speaking to me, I was just ignoring Him. So I should say, it was during my mid 20's that I began to listen to Him. I started getting into the Word, His Truth. And it was through the trials that my relationship with the Lord started going deeper & deeper. 
 My trials haven't stop but I realized that Gods faithfulness hasn't stopped either. He has been my protector, healer, defender, provider and so much more!! It is never ending!!!

      ~My Chains Are Gone, I've Been Set Free~wrists~

For a long time (my early 30's) I lived a life of legalism. A check list. Do's & Don'ts.  And boy was that exhausting!!!  I lived in guilt because I was never good enough.  Or when doing the right thing I still carried the guilt of all the wrong I had done. I had not fully realized what it meant to be free in Christ.  
We went to church because it was Sunday & Wednesday and that is what we do. 
I sang in the choir because I could sing so I checked off my place of service.
I did my 5min devotion/bible studies. 
Etc, etc, etc........
Being free in Christ is accepting what Christ did for me because I was a slave to sin. I was living in bondage.  He died on the cross for me, so I could be free from sin. His blood covered the all!! I am free from bondage & guilt.  I am no longer going through an identity crisis for my identity is in HIM!!  He is my redeemer! I am NOT GUILTY! I don't go to church, sing in the choir, do my devotions/bible studies because I HAVE to, but because I WANT to. Now I am FREE TO WORSHIP!!!  

                ~Walk by Faith: Psalms 25:4-5~foot~

Have you ever had to make a decision you didn't want to? Gone somewhere you really didn't want to go? Or done something that you didn't know what the outcome would be like?  I have.  Some of those decisions I went along with, kickin & screamin!!!  Some I did just because I knew I had to.  No matter what the circumstance, I knew I had to trust God.  Sometimes that is very hard to do. Especially when that takes your out of your comfort zone. It is there, where you are scared of the unknown, that you have to believe God. Obey Him. Trust Him.  Know that He has a plan for you and your life. Giving up control is the hardest thing to do.  It's a pride thing. It's an attitude of "I got this" and God is says "no, I do".  Trust me, the times I said to God "I got this. I'm gonna do my own thing" just ended me up in a mess. Thankfully He was there to clean me up when I decided to surrender! No matter where God has taken me, it has always brought me to a place where God has revealed more and more of Himself to me.  His Truth. His love. His grace. His mercy. His faithfulness. His compassion. His forgiveness. His blessings. His provision. His love through discipline. His promises.
He didn't just reveal His character.  He revealed what I mean to Him. He loves me. He cares. He understands. He's jealous over me. I am His treasure. He wants to protect me. He wants to bless me. He wants me to have abundant life. He wants me to be free! There is no one on earth that could love me like God does. Walking by faith is trusting The One who loves you most. 


                                  ~Amazing Grace~

Gods Grace.  Can you imagine what your life would be like if there was no grace? No mercy? No forgiveness....No Cross?? 
All Satan could do to destroy it, that's what it would be.
I'm lost for words....
My heart cries out,
THANK YOU LORD!!!!!!!!





I know that tattoos are a very controversial topic.  I've heard that tattoo's are a mark of the beast. Your destroying the temple. It represents an idol (Lev 19:28).  
My opinion, it's between you and the Lord.  It's a personal conviction either way.  
FOR ME, I believe that in todays society,  just like FB, Twitter, Instagram, Blogger, women's ministry & music ministry events, Awana, Upward, VBS, etc..., a tattoo can be used as a tool to engage in conversation about God, His Truth and your testimony. 
FOR ME, my tattoo's will speak Truth about God & will give testimony to what Christ has done in my life. 

Now, I have gotten any tattoo's, but if & when the time comes, know that my purpose is to glorify God!!

Will you fall or will you stand?

Just a Thought: 
I've been doing the Daniel Study by Beth Moore. I have learned much. One thing that continues to stick out in my mind is the temple. It's not just a church or sanctuary. It's us. Our bodies, our minds. Since the beginning, satan tempted Eve by having her question God's authority (attacking her mind). And when she fell for the lie, she & Adam defiled their bodies by partaking in something that seemed like no big deal. Needless to say, it was a big deal. God & Satan are pursuing us. Both in very different ways. As my biblical study continues, it is clear that satan uses the same tactics on us as he did Eve-by questioning &doubting God & His authority, corrupting our minds w/ lies & we then defile our bodies that leads us to be used by satan instead of God. So, after finishing the first session of my Daniel study this morning, Ch 1-6 paralleled w/ Revelation ch 17 & 18, it is clear that we are living in a "modern day Babylon". I then listened to my Psalms & Proverbs (specifically Psalms 2 & Prov 2) devotion from You Version, I don't understand why people say that a you can't mix politics w/ biblical truth. It all goes hand in hand. Starting in Gen 10:8-12 w/ Nimrod & Babel (Babylon) God gives us clear warnings & examples (through out the bible) how a nation, people, ruler, king, etc..will fall. Satan wants to entice you into a worldview instead of a biblical view. You may have all you want to satisfy your worldly desires for now, but God's Word is true, it will come to an end. The choice you have to make is which side are you going to be standing on when it does happen? Will you fall or will you stand?

Who Are You???

I haven't blogged in a long time. Although there has been a lot for me to blog about, just not enough time to do it. 
But today I had a little extra after I did my bible study, Daniel: Lives of Integrity, Words of Prophecy to sit and blog something. I am only up to chapter 5 so if you have a bible, I would take the time to read Daniel ch 1-5.  If you don't have a bible but have a computer, you can go to www.biblegateway.com and look it up.


God is constantly teaching me through His Word and through my circumstances.  One thing that is constant, is the sovereignty of God.  

Has God ever done something in your life that made you say "that was a total God thing" or "that was all God"  Or maybe said "God's hand was all over that".  I find that it is said the most when something good or exciting has happened in our lives.  But what about those times when something doesn't go as planned or what is considered to be "bad news/times"?  Do we still say " that was all God"???

The thought came to me yesterday when I had learned that the position I applied for was given to another applicant.  I was completely OK with that decision because I knew that isn't what God wanted for me at the time.  But someone said to me, "I'm kinda disappointed."   I asked "why?"  the response was "because I thought it would have been something you would have been good at".  My response was "but that's not where God wants me to be right now".
The word "disappointed"  stuck with me throughout the day......

As I reflected on what God has been teaching me about His Sovereignty in my life and in all it's circumstances, I realized that God's hand wasn't just on me or my circumstances only during the "good times" but God's hand was in on all the  "bad times" as well. 

 God is in control.  Something I hear all the time.  And Yes, He is.  In the good and the bad times. Am I saying that God allowed not just the good but the bad to happen too?? Yes, yes He did. God has me right where He wants me so that I will draw closer to Him!
   
You may ask, "how can a loving God do that?"  How could he not??  Has he not warned us of the consequences of living apart from Him?  Has He not given us the choice to choose life or death? Has He not given us enough examples to learn from?
  
As a parent there are times that we have to punish our children.  This occurs mainly when they get a little too full of themselves. :)   Even though they KNOW, we still have to remind them that there are consequences when they don't follow the guidelines set for them.  We do this because we love them.  They need to know there are boundaries set for a reason. 
  
So why would God, who created us, who loves, and who wants whats best for us not do the same??
  
As I am learning in my Daniel study, sometimes God has to teach us the hard way just like He had to teach King Nebuchadnezzar that we are really not the ones in control.  And it's not through ourselves that we obtain all we have. He does this to remind us that He set boundaries for a reason, it for our own protection.  So that we don't become so self centered that we forget the true meaning of life which is in Him and the purpose He has for us.  

Watching our kids learn the hard way isn't always pretty.  It can be hurtful and painful to watch but necessary because there is always a lesson to be learned IF they apply what they have learned from. If not, the teaching & lessons continue.....

God too has to teach us the hard way sometimes.  But I think the greatest thing I have seen through out my life and even the life of King Nebuchadnezzar (and many others through out the bible who turned from God) is God's Grace. 
How many times do we turn from God and live as if we are our own king? 
How many times do we do things for our own gain or recognition and live content in our own palace? How many times do we take what it holy and make it unholy?

As a parent who loves my children, I will never stop loving them. No matter how much they may dislike me at the time or want to get away from me I will never give up on them.
God, as our Father, will never stop loving us or give up on us either.  Sure He may seem distant by allowing us to go off on our own for a season, but that doesn't mean has given up or stop loving us. God is never the one to walk away, we are. But He is never to far to reach!  God wants us to restore our relationship with Him!!!


There have been times God has given me all MY hearts desire only to have them crumble at my feet.  Maybe your like King Nebuchadnezzar and God is giving you all you ever wanted to satisfy your flesh only to take it all away so that you will come to know that there is only one True King and He is the only One who can satisfy your every need. 
Or maybe God is keeping you at the bottom so that the only way to look is up, up to Him?? 
Maybe your Daniel and God has you in your own modern day Babylon so He can use you. 
What's it going to take to bring you to your knees? What's it going to take so that your desires are what God desires?
No matter where you are at in life, God has you right where He wants you!  

God is in it ALL!!!