I just got back from midpoint debrief and saying it was different than first debrief is an understatement. We went to Port Elizabeth which is about 50 minutes northeast of Jeffery’s Bay, where I live. It’s on the beach, but I live at the beach so I wasn’t particularly interested in that. 3/4 mile walk from where we were staying was a pier and some shops and restaurants, but nothing terribly interesting.
However, it was such a blessing to be back with the whole squad again. It has been about 5 weeks since we were all together last. To say I missed the JoBurg teams doesn’t truly capture my emotions. We got a lot of time to bond as a squad between the girls’ house and the guys’ house.
But young adults on vacation get a little… antsy.
I would almost go as far to say that I am under exaggerating when I say that half of the squad got a tattoo.
4/8 of my team got tattoos
2/8 of my team got piercings
2/8 of my team are still holy (jk)
A sunflower tattoo
I got a tattoo. Shocker, right? I got a sunflower in the middle of my back.
I have had a LOT of prophetic words spoken over me about sunflowers, sunshine, light, radiance, illumination, and others of the sort. So I got a tattoo to symbolize this word that the Lord very clearly wants me to hear.
But it wasn’t until talking with my mom AFTERWARDS that I had a deeper understanding of my tattoo.
When I was much younger (think elementary age) I was constantly joyful, and that’s what drew people into me. I was a hit in kindergarten because I was always joyful.
When I got older (middle-high) I was rarely joyful because my soul was broken by the fact I no longer believed I was worth anything.
When the Lord came to find me (summer before senior year) I was full of so much happiness. I was joyful and kind. Maybe not always, because I am a human teenager and sometimes act out of flesh, but I was joyful and people could tell I walked differently because I was led by something other than myself and it filled me with joy.
So far on the race, I have been constantly battling discomfort. About everything. I am always uncomfortable. In my discomfort, I have rarely found pure, genuine joy.
The Lord gave people these prophetic words because I have not been living in the spirit of joy which He has gifted me. He gave me a supernatural joy since birth to point people to Him.
He is calling me into joy at ALL times, even in my utmost discomfort.
A sunflower is my goal.
Constantly looking/pointing to the Son/sun. Constantly full of life and light.
For these are the desires the Lord has for my life.
