inked

Today I got the last two characters of my China 2008 scroll tattooed (the top one was done back in 2008, a few months after my trip)!!

beauty. joy. mercy.

A bit spontaneous, but I've been thinking about doing this since 2009, as seen by this Sharpie tattoo drawn by my friend my first year in Korea :)

I love the verses that the scroll (and now tattoos) are based on, verses that are sung (briefly) in Starfield's song "Over My Head" which I listened to often during my summer trip, verses that God led me to the morning I celebrated my 23rd birthday in Longyan, China--

"The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and to provide for those who grieve in Zion-- to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of His splendor." Isaiah 61: 1-3

God taught me much about beauty in brokenness through working with special needs orphans and abandoned children that summer in China. That first trip to China stripped me raw and changed my life, and I am happy to wear that Ebenezer on my arm.