So, Thailand is super busy and amazing. I love it here! We are walking the streets praying for the city and praying for people. I have gotten the honor to talk with the homeless and pray over buddhist temples. One thing Thailand is known for though is their sick tattoo artists.
As a disclaimer (Memaw i’m sorry I know you don’t love tattoos but I got two…PLEASE DON’T BE UPSET! THEY’RE ABOUT JESUS) So, I went to the tattoo shop and got to build relationship and friendship with the tattoo artist and owner. We have been back several times and are really connecting with these guys. Tattoo ministry?? Maybe, who knows but God is opening a door to build friendship with these guys which is where it all starts. So, I got “You love me as you find me” written across my left arm.
This phrase is so important to me because I am reminded that God loves me right where He finds me. I love to work hard and find a lot of value in working. However, God doesn’t care how much I do or don’t do. He loves me exactly as He finds me. With all the good, the bad and the ugly. He doesn’t love a perfect version of me. He doesn’t love a future version of me. He loves me right now exactly as I am. He doesn’t love me more when I read my bible for 2 hours a day versus when I never pick it up. His love is UNCONDITIONAL.
This phrase is also a reminder for me to love other people as I find them. As Jesus is so am I. So the same grace Jesus extends to me I should extend to others. So, I should love people exactly as I find them. Not just when they are kind to me or meet my preferences. I love them as I find them with all their flaws. No judgment just love. It is not my place to ever judge you know.
Then I got a beautiful flower called a peony on my wrist. This tattoo is a cover up for another tattoo I had and was removing. The tattoo on my wrist said Hakuna haha. My other wrist still says Matata, (now it looks like Natalie) but we won’t talk about that haha. However, this cover up is so cool in how it ties in with the phrase “You love me as you find me.” This flower symbolizes romance, a happy marriage, prosperity, and wealth. This flower covered the mistake of the old tattoo and gave me a new stamp. This one is lively and showing the reconciliation of love in my life with the Lord. Also, showing that God loves you as He finds you, but He doesn’t leave you as He finds you. He stamps you with new life and new love. He calls you to higher and more beautiful thoughts and living.
Both tattoos are a reminder to me that one God loves me as He finds me, but also that He is always calling you higher into a more beautiful way of living. Also, it was cool to get to see Yee (the tattoo artist) light up as he was able to creatively express his art on my arm. God is amazing, and I’ve already gotten to share with so many people the meaning behind it. People who just come up and ask me what my tattoos mean. It’s cool to be able to share the love of God with them through that.
So, Memaw I am sorry because I know you don’t like tattoos but they are really beautiful AND I will wear long sleeves around you haha! (ALSO END NOTE: My Memaw is the best. She’s the wisest woman you will ever meet. Everyone should know her. She is the Queen of all Queens.)
Liv
