“When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, “Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe, and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, from right where the priests are standing, and carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight.” So Joshua called together the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe, and said to them, “Go over before the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.””
??Joshua? ?4:1-7? ?NIV??
http://bible.us/111/jos.4.1-7.niv
During our last DBS of the year, we were able to dive into the study and interpretation of this scriptural passage! As we studied, I remember saying that I would likely get a tattoo on the race that would serve as a “stone of remembrance” and my kids and my grandkids will ask about the tattoo and I will be able to share all the amazing things that God did on the race. And what was once just a thought became a reality!
Regardless of how you, as an individual, feel about tattoos. They have definitely served as stones of remembrance in my life. From my first designed tat to this ancient stamp, they have all served as reminders of a beautiful spiritual journey. So, when I heard about an opportunity to get a tattoo at one of the oldest shops in the world, (and one of the only shops I know of with Christian heritage) I was absolutely all in for the experience.
One of my friends took the logistical lead and before I knew it I was sitting with an artist whose family has tattoo’d Christians for centuries! So, not only was I going to get to select a stone of remembrance, this stone would carry greater historical significance than any of my other tats.
(NOTE: The following information is pulled directly from the Razzouk Tattoo website. Check it out for yourself at http://razzouktattoo.com/) The Razzouk family introduced tattooing to Palestine centuries ago. A tradition and trade that had been with their family for over 700 years, dating back to their Egyptian ancestry. In Egypt, Coptic Christians tattoo’d small crosses on the inside of their wrist to grant them access to churches. This basis for tattooing evolved through out the generations, solidifying the Razzouk family as one of the oldest tattoo families in existence!
Generations before my artist’s time, his ancestor carried over stamps carved in wood, used to make the outline for the stick and poke tattoos done back in their day. And today, I was going to get to choose one of those wood carved stamps, that carried so much history.
The stamp I chose is from the 1700s and was also used as a means of memorializing a pilgrimage. While the cross and olive branches have a lot of meaning and symbolism to others for me, on a high level, it’s fairly simple. I have been called and have chosen to accept the call to travel unto the ends of the earth, and as a Christ carrier, His peace is with me everywhere I go. All of my artwork has very intentional meaning, but I’m excited that this new addition carries so much historical significance, as well!
(Another pretty cool side note, is that, for a while now, I have had this dream of owning a Christian tattoo shop. A place where Christian Hip Hop, Rock and other alternative Christian genres are being blasted, while you enter into this beautiful atmosphere where you can get a word, prayer and your tattoos! A place where we are paid to make a permanent mark on your body, but strive to leave a permanent mark on Spirit for the Lord with gifts of prayer, encouragement and prophecy.
So…for me…getting tatt’d by one of the oldest Christian tattoo families in existence was an absolutely amazing experience and hopefully, the start to a new an amazing journey!)
