Gone Fishing.

Today I went out and got my first tattoo. I had been planning on getting this for 3 years and finally did it! Here on my foot is a fish, that has many different meanings to me.
The history of the Christian faith is a history with such beauty and trust in Jehovah. In the time of the first Christians, there was a lot of war and murder and brokenness, but the strength of God provided these people with the ability to trust Him. To trust that their love for God would save them. Even though many were being persecuted by the Romans, they persisted to meet secretly for communion and worship. In order to do this they created a special sign, the Jesus fish. Two people or two groups of people would meet and one would draw the first arc in the dirt and if the other was too a Christian he would draw the other arc forming this fish.
Now, I didn't get a tattoo just because I like history that much! But I got it because it reminds me of the courage they had, to do whatever they had to, to come together and worship their One God. I am so blessed to live in a time and a country that allows such diversity and allows me to worship and pray and express my passion for Christ under my own terms, and it gets me thinking everyday whether I would be able and willing to still do that, if it was my own life being threatened.

I call myself a follower of Jesus. I look everyday to follow Him and what God is calling me to be and do. That is something so important and also so hard to do. I think about the fishermen that Jesus encountered. He told them,

"Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."

And they did, not knowing what would happen next. His disciples were ready to give up and sacrifice every bit they possessed in order to follow Jesus. I live in a world of possessions and greed. A time that I hope I can say in past tense some day. All I want is to follow. To be the last of the pack, where everyone in front blocks my view and I have to wave my arms and jump up and down to be seen. Then... at the end of the day, to be approached and told that my desperation to get a glimpse of Him is all He wants and longs to see in all His children. I want to remember each day, that nothing of this world amounts to eternity with God, not a thousand years or the greatest hour.
I chose to put this fish on my foot because it reminds me of
"The footprints in the sand." 

One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord,

Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.

In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand.

Sometimes there were two sets of footprints, 

other times there were one set of footprints.

This bothered me because I noticed

that during the low period of my life,

when I was suffering from 

anguish, sorrow or defeat,

I could see only one set of footprints.

So I said to the Lord,

"You promised me Lord,

that if I followed you,

you would walk with me always.

But I have noticed that during

the most trying periods of my life

there have only been one

set of footprints in the sand.

Why, when I needed you most,

you have not been there for me?"

The Lord replied,

"The times when you have

seen only one set of footprints,

is when I carried you."

By  Mary Stevenson

I remember that in times of hurt and destruction, God is so powerful and will hold me close and place my feet on solid rock once more. 

All this wrapped up in a tattoo the size of a roll of quarters. Wowza! But even an ink engraved thing is nothing compared to God and all His majesty and even having a permanent reminder on a body part, doesn't distract me from looking first to God and not through something else. 

All this was quite an experience!!