This is my fifth tattoo. A lion. I wake up and live every day with a lion heart. I have my struggles, my weaknesses, and my fails; but I am to be a lion heart. A lion heart is someone who is unafraid of anything that this world has to offer, who is bold, who is filled with courage no matter what is thrown her way. One who knows her worth.  I am free. I am full. And I am a living, breathing, walking, running, testimony that any one can change and be loved. And be brave because of it. I am not worthless. I am beautiful. And because of the light and the love Christ has filled me with, I can now encourage and inspire others. By far my favorite and most meaningful tattoo. I get to look at it every single day on my arm and be reminded who I am and who I strive to be and become. 

This is my fourth tattoo. I got it for two reasons. In the bible when David was on the run from King Solomon, the King’s son, Johnathon, helped David by staying alive and he protected him. He was his true friend when he had all the reason not to be. David wasn’t sure if King Solomon was keeping his word about not wanting to kill him, so Johnathon hid David in a field and the sign for david was an arrow. If he shot the arrow out and sent a messager to say one thing or another, David would know if he was safe or not. So the arrow just is a reminder that God is protecting me and I can trust in Him, at all times. When my enemies and Satan attack me and I am hidden in God, He is going to bless me and keep me safe in His arms. This quote I read was the second reason. He knows the plans He has for me and I know they are beyond anything I can imagine: “God is preparing you as His chosen arrow. As yet your shaft is hidden in His quiver, in the shadows…but at the precise moment at which it will with the greatest effect, He will reach for you and launch you to that place of His appointment.” -Charles Swindol

This is my third tattoo “As I breathe, I hope.” Placed right above the organ that gives this body breath, life. My heart. I got this tattoo in my best friend, Kelli Quinn’s, handwriting. The story of our friendship is one of my favorite stories in my walk so far. It’s a story of restoration and the beauty behind forgiveness. Our story gives me HOPE that for the broken relationships in my life, to never give up hope. And with every breath I take, that it might be with HOPE. Expecting nothing less that a miracle from the Lord. It’s the most beautiful thing to wake up in the morning and see those 5 words on me. Never give up hope.

My second tattoo. The cross itself has so much meaning to me. Every time I look at this all I can think about is that all the pain will be worth it. It was worth it to Jesus. I decided to get this & in this exact place because I have overcome. God has broken the chain of self-harm and I am forever grateful. Every time I look at this I will remember that my scars won’t define me, my Savior does. And he is able to break every chain.

This was my very first tattoo. Yes, it is a Jesus fish. But no, it does not mean what you think it might mean. You normally see the Jesus fish on the back of every car that was ever invented, and it might just be a sign that you think of when you think of Christianity. But to me, it is so much more. It is the biggest sign of hope to me. Whenever I went though a really really tough time in my life after a horrible breakup, I was just so torn. So broken. I had no hope. But the Lord would always speak so distinctively and clear to me through the Jesus fish. He wouldn’t show me them on cars, but in the tinniest corners of billboards, and through t-shirts and through the most craziest things you could ever imagine. Whenever I saw a Jesus fish I could feel the Lord say to me “Do not fear child. I know you are so broken and you feel as if there is no hope. But take heart for I have already overcome the world. I am with you and I love you with every ounce of my being. Keep holding on and pushing past your pain.” It was enough hope for me to get me through it all. And to help me become the woman of God I am today. So every time I look at my back or I see my tattoo or someone asks me about it, I get to be a witness. A light to this broken world. I get to remember the times the Lord has taken all my hurt and my shame and remember the hope that I will forever have, right there on my back.