I joined the ranks of getting my first tattoo on the race and it was one of my favorite days this year, and this is why!
JESUS IS MY LOVER!
He has been romancing me on this trip and I think I started seeing Him that way in Israel. I fell in love with Israel. I fell more in love with Him. I bought a necklace with the verse from Song of Songs, “I am my beloved, and my beloved is mine.” I loved it, because I actually believed it. I thought and prayed about a tattoo throughout Africa, and always went back to this necklace design and phrase. I fall more in love with Jesus everyday and this tattoo is a beautiful reminder that He’s in love with me too. I can’t help but think about my name engraved on the palm of His hand. He’s so amazing!!!
This is what I thought I was going to get that day, but I got brave and decided to get a neck tattoo with the full script instead of the symbol behind my ear. This is the necklace I bought in Israel, that gave me the original idea.
Jesus has done a beautiful work in me this year. He has taken me from a place where I was chasing after love, to be caught by my Beloved. I have experienced God’s crazy, unashamed love for me and I can’t stop loving him. I went from questioning God’s love for me, and thinking I could find satisfaction elsewhere to confidently believing what God says about me. I am His beloved. I am beautiful and there’s nothing I can do to change it or work for it. I can just rest in His love, and that’s all I want to do.
Getting my tattoo wasn’t just another day or something cool to say I did. It was symbolic. I was literally laying there quietly, eyes closed, not flinching and a needle was piercing my delicate skin. I was worshipping. I was resting and letting him sing over me with love, as I was getting inked. If anyone knows me, they know I can be pretty crazy. I wasn’t crazy that day. I was still. I trusted. I let Jesus love me. As I laid there quietly just resting in his love for me. There was Cory Asbury playing in the background and all the songs on the playlist were singing about “my beloved.” It was romantic. It was unforgettable. The worship music was playing, the room was filled with joy and I had Drea, Tamica, Katie and Ashley all there making the day even better. They were there for the whole process of picking the color (purple), and the perfect placement, holding my hand (thanks Ash) and coaching me about the process. We were singing, talking about God’s love and just enjoying the moment together.
Ashley, Tamica, Me, Katie, Drea and my dope tattoo artist!
In one of those precious moments, it all hit me, He loves me, He really loves me. I don’t need to be perfect or try to get his attention. I have all his affection and love all the time. I can never escape it, just like this tattoo is never coming off. He romanced me that day and I was in tears, not cause of the pain, but because we love each other. They were tears of joy, tears of pure joy because “I am my beloved’s and He is mine.”
p.s. the tattoo only cost me $12 bones.
