It has been a hot minute since I wrote a blog in this series. I knew the series would have to take a turn at some point and shift away from my own tattoos to others. That was the whole point of the series in the first place, but I started to fear. Fear that my journalism skills from sophomore year of high school wouldn’t cut it Fear that no one would actually want to tell me their stories or if they did that I would not have enough material to actually write a post. Fear that these post don’t actually matter to anyone. Yeah, fear sucks.
First, I had to conquer my fears. I did, but then I realized I had one more tattoo of my own to explain before I could talk about others.
In Thailand. I got my fourth tattoo. If you are shocked or are wondering why you haven’t seen it, my answer is simply that it is on my back. This is the only tattoo that I cannot see and for a good reason. No, it’s not because it sucks and I never want to see it. Honestly, I wish I could see it so that it could remind me every day the truth that is etched on my skin.
This tattoo is the image of my God-given name. If you have kept up with my blog, you would remember that the Lord revealed His name for me back in Malawi. If you are scratching your head asking, “What the heck is she talking about?” or don’t remember the fine details, click here.
AAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNDDDDDDDDD we’re back. Okay, now that you have read (or re-read) all of the details, let’s talk about why I got this tattoo.
I have mentioned before that I get tattoos as a personal and visual way for me to remember. It seems a little counter intuitive that I would have ink in a place that I can only see in a mirror. Trust me, there’s a reason for everything.
The back is a vulnerable place. It’s a lot harder to defend an attack from behind than it is from the front. My identity has always been a vulnerable thing. A target on my back, if you will. The enemy loves to attack me in my weakest places, but the Lord has been working to reclaim and restore my identity to what He planned it as from the beginning.
It’s been a hard and tiresome journey. I have thrown my hand in the air countless times believing that I am defeated. Every single time the Lord has sought me, called me by my God-given name, and showed me a love that surpasses anything that I could ever imagine.
I continue to fight this battle. Every day I have to tell myself that I am worthy of love. Every day I have to choose to believe that I was created to be loved by my Creator. Every day I go into this battle knowing that I have a piece of armor on my back to protect me from that target. Every day I feel a little stronger because I know the Lord is protecting my vulnerable back so that I can face what is in front.
