Birthday Surprise

For my Birthday, my mom and I were thinking about what I want/need. The only answer we came up with, was nothing. This bothered her, or so I found out (it doesn't bother me, it makes me smile) when she told me she figured out what she wants to get me. 

For about a year and a half I've wanted three very specific tattoos: 

1) Regardless : to make the promise to God that I love Him Regardless of what happens to me in this life. That I trust Him and will never get angry at Him, or blame Him, or ever love Him less for allowing any trouble or suffering in my life. So if I'm in the hospital, or stuck in bed, or when they poke me for the fourth time to get my blood and I'm frustrated and exhausted, I can look down at that tattoo on my arm and smile at the truth that I love God regardless and He loves me regardless. It's just beautiful to me.

2) His Grace Is Enough : 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 NIV84

"To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

3) Truth : I want it behind my right ear, so that only Truth, God's Truth that has eternal value will be what I hear and believe. 

Now which of these will I get for my birthday? I'm not completely sure yet. I'm leaning towards regardless. But I saw these photos below the other day and I couldn't wait to share them. So here we go. I think they are wonderful.

A lot of people don't think tattoos are a good idea and a lot of people of faith think I'm destroying the beautiful body God gave me. I understand that and respect it. I ask you respect my decisions, which trust me when I say are between me and God and I definitely discuss them with Him, even if you don't understand. But what I really want to say, is that if you don't believe in getting tattoos or can't get them right now, find a phrase or word you need right now. Then take a white board dry erase marker and write it on your mirror in your bathroom. It gets me through and I know it will help you too. Good luck. Lots of love.