Don’t freak out.. but I got a tattoo.
Some of you might say that’s awesome! Others In my life might be freaking out. But I first want to tell you the why behind, getting a tattoo. What happened when I got it. And now why I’m even telling you…
Growing up I saw tattoos through a very conservative southern lens. Tattoos were seen as trashy, gross and very bad. I thought all tats were either a big heart that said “I LOVE MOM” a skull or a big rose tattoo. I didn’t want that.
In college my mind set changed. I actually saw how tattoos could be beautiful. A work of art. A way to tell a story.
I remember one of the first times I told my mom I wanted to get a tattoo… it would be an understatement to say she was not having that haha. (Love you mom)
Why?
I have spent the last five years praying about getting a tattoo. This is not something I just woke up one day and thought “I’m Getting a tattoo today.”
Ive prayed a lot about what I wanted to get, as well.
The first prayer was “Lord how do you feel about tattoos?” …and then. “Lord, how do you feel about me getting a tattoo?”
I had peace. And I got the go ahead. As we (the Lord and I) put pen to paper, and started to design my first tat about month ago.
If you’re getting a tattoo, at least this is how I see it, it should represent something permanent in your life. Because it is permanent.
As you probably know, my last name is flowers. And as being my last name it is a part of me. That being said that was the start, I knew I wanted it to have something to do with flowers.
At the beginning of our month in India Papa gave me the book/chapter Matthew 6. At the end of that chapter Jesus talks about the flowers of the field: If God takes care of the flowers of the field, who are here today and gone tomorrow, won’t he then take so much more care of you? His child?
These are two of the whys when I designed the tattoo.
What happened when I got it?
We’re in Kathmandu Nepal. There are a lot of tattoo shops here, but one in particular that World Racers have been going to for the last 5 Years. That’s insane. There were three different world race squads in the shop when I went in. And on top of that, these two adorable fun Christian women were in the shop as well! (They’re important remember them)
*Side note, this tattoo shop is not Christian*
So, I go in to get my tattoo. The kindest tattoo artist, who’s name I can’t remember, is giving me the tattoo lowdown. Early on he knew I was with the world race and knew I was a Christian (Nepal is a closed country, I could get in big trouble for sharing the gospel)
Luckily (Well Holy Spirit) he has known Racers for 5 Years, so the first question he asked was a little straight forward:
“So I’ve watched a few movies, but can a Christian cast out a demon?”
Through Holy Spirt giving me the right words, I told him yes. But giving the whys behind it and what Jesus says about that. How it’s Holy Spirit within us and how it’s cast out in the Name of Jesus Christ.
Our conversation went all over the place, from what the best things to do in Nepal are, to his favorite tattoo.
“Who’s Matthew?” He asked. That open this door; I got to tell him it was a book in the New Testament that shares the story of Jesus life and how he died for our sins and rose back to life. And He is now alive in heaven and within us!
“Done!” Wait? That was it?? That didn’t hurt at all.
After getting my tattoo two things happened that truly blessed me. Remember those two women? Well as I was paying I realized I didn’t have enough cash on me and they didn’t take card. One of the ladies, with eagerness asked me how much I needed, and I said 1,000Rp (about $10 usd) but I said are you sure??and what she said next made me almost cry,
“Of course!! I would love to donate and be apart of such a beautiful piece of art work!”
The second, I was able to read to my tattoo artist Matthew 6. To a man that is not a believer, who has seen 5 years of World Racers telling him and showing him How beautiful Jesus Christ is, I was able to read God’s word to him. By the end he was tearing up.
What joy that brings my heart.
I walked into that shop not expecting to broadcast this event, but coming out of this is what Holy Spirit whispered to my heart:
“If getting this tattoo was only for that 30mins you spent watering my seed I planted 5 Years ago, it was 100% worth it…. but guess what. I, 1st provided the idea for the tattoo, and 2nd proved the funds. This is a gift that will bring glory to my name.”
And then I got.. “Blog about this”
So.. here I am. Just that much more in love with my Papa. The giver of good gifts, the one who works ALL things for His glory. My provider. The provider of His temple, entrusted to my care. Given to me to take care of, and now to adorn with his beautiful works of art. Art that is used to spread is holy and precious name.
1 “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of people, to be seen by them. Otherwise, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2 So whenever you give to the poor, don’t sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be applauded by people. I assure you: They’ve got their reward! 3 But when you give to the poor, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. 5 “Whenever you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites, because they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by people. I assure you: They’ve got their reward! 6 But when you pray, go into your private room, shut your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. 7 When you pray, don’t babble like the idolaters, since they imagine they’ll be heard for their many words. 8 Don’t be like them, because your Father knows the things you need before you ask Him. 9 “Therefore, you should pray like this: Our Father in heaven,
Your name be honored as holy.
10 Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And do not bring us into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.
[For Yours is the kingdom and the power
and the glory forever. Amen.]
14 “For if you forgive people their wrongdoing, your heavenly Father will forgive you as well. 15 But if you don’t forgive people, your Father will not forgive your wrongdoing. How to Fast
16 “Whenever you fast, don’t be sad-faced like the hypocrites. For they make their faces unattractive so their fasting is obvious to people. I assure you: They’ve got their reward! 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head, and wash your face, 18 so that you don’t show your fasting to people but to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. God and Possessions
19 “Don’t collect for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But collect for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don’t break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. So if the light within you is darkness—how deep is that darkness! 24 “No one can be a slave of two masters, since either he will hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot be slaves of God and of money. The Cure for Anxiety
25 “This is why I tell you: Don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear.Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the sky: They don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they? 27 Can any of you add a single cubit to his height by worrying? 28 And why do you worry about clothes? Learn how the wildflowers of the field grow: they don’t labor or spin thread. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was adorned like one of these! 30 If that’s how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, won’t He do much more for you—you of little faith? 31 So don’t worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ 32 For the idolaters eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you. 34 Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
