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!!