I don’t know how many of you have read my bio on here, particularly the part when I say that I have 2 tattoos, one on each arm. Well, about a month and a half ago, that changed (not the bio, I’m too much of a procrastinator for that) when I decided to get another. This time I decided to get an anchor on my right bicep. Check it out!
I called up my very good friends Yamil and Heather and we headed down to a local tattoo shop in Milton called “Smokin’ Guns Tattoos.” After searching for half an hour for the right design, we finally found it. Then we had to sit for about two hours for them to finally be ready for me (nobody said it would be that long).
So I step up to the chair ready for some good tattooage and my artist (Sally, covered in tribal tattoos) asks if I’m going into the Navy. I just laugh and mumble “No.” As Sally begins this very short project, she asks if I’m from the area. “I’ve lived in Lewisburg for about six years, but at the end of September I’m actually going overseas for a year of ministry.”
“Oh very nice. I actually just got back a few weeks ago from sneaking 150 Bibles into Cambodia.”
“REALLY?” Sally then begins to tell me about her many trips over the past thirty-some years to Cambodia and Thailand, about how she loves the people there and has grown many strong relationships there. She says she doesn’t usually plan on these trips being ministry, but they end up doing something faith-based somewhere along the way.
“Yeah, it’s interesting to see how similar Buddhism is to Christianity,” Sally begins to say, sparking my curiosity, “All of the morals and values of loving people and caring for people are very similar. Unfortunately they’re missing the whole point which is that Jesus Christ is the Son of God,” she continued.
We just talked about missions and other cultures the rest of the time we sat there, and as this woman explained to me how much she had seen Buddhism decrease and Christianity increase throughout those areas she travels to, I couldn’t help but smile and laugh at another encounter God had thrown together. It was a lot of fun, and though pricey, it was not hard for me to donate the “cost” of the tattoo to this woman and what she was doing around the world. I have a sister, covered in tattoos, who is being Christ to a lot of sick people, and I’m so excited to join the ranks.
A lot of people ask me why I got a tattoo of an anchor. Well, for one thing, it makes me look way-cool (see above, that’s my way-cool face). Others think it just makes me look like Popeye. 
If this was the reason, would it not be a good one? Popeye was a wimp with some sticks for biceps (and basketballs for forearms?). But when he ate his spinach he became seemingly stronger than He-Man (the Most Powerful Man in the Universe… duh). So it is with me (though I hate spinach). By myself, I’m a wimp with sticks for biceps (and forearms), as well as courage and ability to glorify God. But when I am filled with the Holy Spirit and Christ’s Strength is in me, I can be courageous, I can take on the seemingly impossible things in life, healing the sick, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, loving the lonely, and all along be living alongside these people as my brothers and sisters, not as strangers I don’t really care about. Through Christ, I have strengrth and through The Holy Spirit I can do great things.
Another reason why I got this tattoo is because it’s one of the earliest Christian symbols. It means hope. When a ship is out on the waters and a storm rolls in, the crew must let down the anchor so that there will be stability to the ship. The anchor is what holds the ship steadfast in the worst of times. Christ is my anchor. I have faith that when I face some very tough times in the next year, physically, mentally, and spiritually, I have Christ as my anchor. For it is written that He can speak, and even the wind and rain obey Him.
The last reason I got this tattoo is that I really just wanted an impulse tattoo and the anchor is such a classic tat. But I needed an excuse for my mother…
Thanks for reading.
