To tattoo or not to tattoo?

I've been asked a lot by women who are young in the faith whether it's okay for Christians to get a tattoo or piercing. I boast no authority but I do believe strongly that it's wise to ask yourself some questions, pray, and get advice before doing something on a whim. A sister asked me specifically for a study about getting a tattoo...so here it is. (of course, these questions are good to ask yourself on most things *grin*)

To tattoo or not to tattoo?

~ What are my motives for wanting a tattoo? Am I seeking to glorify God or to draw attention to myself? Do I want to fit in or am I rebelling in any way? Proverbs 16:2, 24:21

~ Is my decision based on faith? Romans 14:23

~ Is getting a tattoo honoring the Lord with my body? Will God feel honored by the specific tattoo I want to get? Romans 14:7-8, Isaiah 25:1, Psalm 29:2, Psalm 86:11, Colossians 1:9-11, Rev. 4:11

~ After praying, do I have freedom in Christ and a clear conscience before the Lord regarding the decision to get a tattoo? Acts 24:15-16, 1 Corinthians 4:4

~ Will my tattoo cause someone who is weak in the faith to stumble? Reflect on 1 Cor. 8 & 1 Cor. 10:23-33

~ Have I gotten a lot of advice from mature Christians? (Proverbs 12:5, 12:15, 19:20, 20:18)

Other verses to pray about and consider:
1 Peter 3:3-5 Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful.

Leviticus 19:28 "Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the Lord." This passage in Leviticus, including the surrounding text, is specifically dealing with the pagan religious rituals of the people living around the Israelites. Yet God’s desire is and has always been to set His people apart and be holy.

Ultimately, the decision is between you and God. Though the subject is debatable, there is a right choice for each individual. I was able to create this study quickly because I had seen a sister in Christ work through many of these same questions when she wanted to get her nose pierced. She asked many people for advice, pray a lot about it, and I think she waited about a year just to make sure that her motives were right and that she didn't rush the decision. Some might think that is extreme. I find her to be a great example and one I love to share with others. 

Here's to us going deep with God before making decisions! :) 

Go Into Deep Water

Luke 5:1-5 ~ The Calling of the First Disciples, "One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, with the people crowding around him and listening to the word of God, he saw at the water's edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, 'Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.' Simon answered, 'Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.' When they had done so, they caught such a large number for fish that their nets began to break."

*  Focusing on the “deep water” portion of this verse finds me looking at yet another symbolic message in these six verses of scripture. I believe Jesus is continually calling me to go deeper as a Christian. I believe he calls me to cast my thoughts deeply and lower my defenses to catch such a large number of spiritual truths that my mind begins to break.

*  What areas of study is there room to deepen my conviction?

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*  Plan of action: people I should talk to, someone I should pray with, advice I should get?

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*  Prayers

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Fun Activities (free or inexpensive)

Wanting date ideas, ways to bond with 'your girls', different activities to build memories with God? All it takes is a bit of research. Just type in "Free things to do in....(whatever area)" and tons of things will spring up. To awaken your own creativity, try some of these on for size:

1. GET OUTSIDE - Take a prayer walk together, have a picnic in a nice park or public garden. Find ducks and go feed them. Buy/make an inexpensive kite and go enjoy some fresh air. If in the DFW area, have you ever tried Thanksgiving Square? (take a camera!) http://www.thanksgiving.org/, or been to the Nature Center & Refuge around Lake Worth ($5)? There are lots of trails, free naturalist-led hikes, and they have a Prairie Dog town :)

2. LIVE IT UP - Go to a fancy grocery store. They often have a cafe and usually have a calendar full of events. You can try looking at the calendar pages of local book stores too...I've gone to see great poetry readings and live artists. Local coffee shops might have these too.

3. GET CULTURED - Go visit a museum for free. Research your own area or if in DFW: the Amon Carter & the Kimbell Art museums offer free admission to their permanent collections. The Modern Art museum is free on the 1st Sunday of every month and every Wednesday. The Meadows Museum at SMU has the most comprehensive collection of Spanish art outside Spain (inexpensive). Other ideas? http://dallas.about.com/od/museums/tp/FreeMuseums.htm. Go to the library, a book store, even a half-price book store, relax & find something unique to read. (not your normal topic)

4. GET GRATEFUL - Visit a hospital. I know that can seem weird...but they have exhibits there! In DFW: Children's Medical Center of Dallas (Super Model Train exhibit - free! Parking - small fee). - Baylor University Medical Center - Truett Building - 1st floor (Hands On exhibit, M-F 8am-9pm.) This was a very interesting exhibit to see. They also had a prayer/meditation garden were you can walk a prayer path. Maybe you can ask them about how to volunteer there. You might also want to find an animal or people shelter & volunteer together. Have a craft night and make things to encourage other people. This works well around almost any holiday. Find a neighborhood clean up group or a school who is planting a community garden. They're out there.

5. THINK OUTTA THE BOX - Watch billon's of dollars be printed! Yup. Located in Ft. Worth, TX the BEP's Western Currency Facility Tour is a great place to learn about US paper currency. It's free...(the only other one is listed in Washington, DC)
http://www.moneyfactory.gov/tours/fortworthtxtours.html. Mrs. Baird's Bread Factory has a free tour (you need to provide them a 2 weeks notice you're coming). Wanna hold a meteorite? :)  Here ya go....http://www.monnigmuseum.tcu.edu/index.shtml

Here's another good site to check out no matter where you live in the US: http://www.uptake.com/
For other ideas in Texas, check out the TourTexas.com website.

Have a blast! Let me know if you have other ideas...let's share and inspire each other :)

"Get Ur Good On"

Being a plan ahead type of person, (forgive me for bringing this holiday up so quickly after the new year - ha ha) I've been looking to find a way to serve for Valentine's day. I'm single and want to be in love yet I know deep down there are people who need more love than me! Also, I am a huge believer that we are called to serve in more ways than just giving our contribution/tithe, serving other brothers & sisters, and doing the events church sets up for us.

One book changed my life in this area. It's called Crazy Love: Overwhlemed by a Relentless God authored by Francis Chan. I read the book at least 2 years ago and liked it because of it's challenges and because of it's multi-media aspects. Here's the website: http://www.crazylovebook.com/

Chapter 7 brought up the question: What are you doing right now in your life that requires faith? I realized I hadn't really been stretching myself much so one Wednesday after work I decided I was tired of going through the same routine. I wanted to help people. I wanted to do something that required faith. I wanted to know my neighbors and the people in my community. I didn't want to go to midweek and just talk about it. I had my life cut open in this book and it didn't really look as passionate as the disciples I read about in the bible. So I sat on my stairs and prayed. Basically, my prayer was..."God, I'm not moving until you tell me how you want me to reach my community and my neighbors."

Now, I don't know how God communicates to you but with me...when I'm in prayer... it's either scriptures or what I can only describe as a 'knowing.' So God put something on my mind. After that thought...I asked him, "Are you sure you want me to do that, God?" It was almost like He replied, "Why did you ask if you were just going to question me?" So - I obeyed. I went to the computer, set up a new email address, drove to the grocery store, bought shoe polish and did this:

It says, "Struggles? email praying4you@ymail.com"

Then I went to midweek service. LOL. Something amazing happened over the next few weeks. People actually emailed me!! I was able to share my faith and encourage them. One girl who emailed me even came out to an all women's bible talk. I remember driving in tears after a woman pulled into the fast lane beside me, honked, and kept mouthing...pray for my grandmother! Yes, people are so desperate they will email a stranger, pour out their lives, and ask for prayer. Wow! After that I also began mentoring at the YWCA in a program for young women who had aged out of foster care.

Thinking of Valentine's day, what love is, and my little car ministry, I'm simply reminded that people are in need. So today I'm searching again. Here's one of the most important things we tend to forget...we forget to ask God what HE wants us individually to do or how HE wants us to personally serve. He might not want you to write on the back of your car. God is creative so there's no telling what He will come up with...but I bet it's amazing and I'll bet since He knows you and your talents best that it'll be perfect for you. He is probably just waiting on you to ask. "Amazing Lord, who do you want me to serve and how?"

Other avenues to inspire you:

http://www.ysa.org/geturgoodon  (great ideas!)

www.volunteermatch.org

www.allforgood.org

www.mentoring.org

www.idealist.org

When Satan Attacks

The devil. He lives to deceive, accuse, trap, destroy, and rule. And boy is he persistent so I know attacks will come again and again. Often it's easier for me to see his attacks on others than on myself but I know I have two enemies. My sinful nature and the devil..and they love to work together. Boo. We hear and talk a lot about our sinful characters but not much about our other enemy so let's talk. After all, it's randomly come up a few times today.

I have battle scars and I'm sad to say I've seen many followers of Christ fall under attack and lose. 2 Corinthians 2:11 talks about forgiving and says, "in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes." I think the longer you are a Christian the more you see his schemes. Ya see, beelzebub's got nothing new in his bag so you can learn to recognize them. He attacks different people, and different countries for that matter, in different ways but for myself here's a few things I often look for:

* "If, then" questions: He questioned Jesus this way..."If you are the son of God, (then)..." I know I'm under attack when "if, then" questions come up that I know go against what God says in the bible. For example, "If you were really a Christian, wouldn't you stop failing at...." or "If the fellowship cared about you, then wouldn't they..." or "If God loved you, then wouldn't He..." These are often about proof...

* Incitement: 1 Chronicles 21:1 [David Numbers the Fighting Men ] Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel. He's an instigator and loves disorder. Feeling driven to argue, unforgiveness, complaining, grumbling, being prideful and blaming. When these feelings aren't fleeting, I take notice of attack.

* Temptation & Justification: Genesis 3:1-4, "Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’” “You will not surely die,” the serpent said to the woman. Remember he's got nothing new up his sleeve. He takes something you find tempting, makes you question why God wouldn't want you to have it, then lies about the consequences.


There are other ways but these came to mind first. It may be interesting to ask others how they see the devil attack just to gain more wisdom. Just this morning, I was sharing with someone about feeling insecure with a task I'm doing at work. All of a sudden she mentioned it sounded like our enemy was attacking me. I'm praying about it 'cause she's right...trying to make me feel insecure is right up satan's alley. He's got to hate victorious Christians who walk around 'in victory'!

So besides praying, looking at scriptures, and being open with others..here are some things I do during attacks:

Isaiah 44:5 - One will say, ‘I belong to the LORD’; another will call himself by the name of Jacob; still another will write on his hand, ‘The LORD’s,’ and will take the name Israel. Some times I write on my hand The Lord's as a reminder that God has claimed me and that Satan can't have me back.

Matthew 4:10 - Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’ ” I tell him to get away and speak scripture like Jesus did. Yeah, you read right. Reading the word in these situations is great and speaking it out loud is even better. Be bold.

Luke 22:31 - "Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. & Job 1:9-11“Does Job fear God for nothing?” Satan replied. “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.”
I remember there are verses that says he's had to ask permission to attack and that when God said yes, it was because God had faith in them to overcome. With God believing in me that much, I'm so encouraged that I can almost feel satan run off. Focus on God's great belief in you!

Romans 16:20 - "The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you. Paul wrote this to disciples in Rome. As a reminder, that God has already won, I write the word 'satan' on the bottom of my shoe. It feels great when you set your foot to the ground and walk around! :) 

Here's an GREAT article that I thought you might enjoy called "The Battle Scars of a Satanic Attack" http://www.sermonindex.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=13757&forum=34&38

Anyway, this is a short blog on a huge subject. You can always google satan/devil on biblegateway.com's keyword search and it pulls up all the verses that mention him. Looking over those has helped me to see his devices and to learn just which piece of God's armor I need to make sure is ready for attack. It's also helped me to help others when they are under attack like my friend did today. As Paul West said in the article...satan wants to 'take the fight out of you' - but we are not unaward of satan's schemes and we won't let him!

Gift Ideas: little boxes

I gave this as a mother's day gift and it turned out amazing. She really enjoyed it.

Travel Box - Give your someone a mental vacation!

• Decorate a plain box with travel pictures from the internet, vacation brochures, books, magazines, or clip art.
• Print or make copies of several places you would like to take your SP. In addition, look up attractions or activities to do in that area.
• Glue a picture of each place on the blank side of a note card. Then, on the lined side, write down the itinerary for a trip to this location.

Example: “If I could take you anywhere for (event...e.g. Mother’s Day, birthday), then I would take you to Italy. We would stay in the (name of the hotel) and rent bikes at (Café whatever). Then after lunch, we would take a ride to (scenic location) and take pictures of each other. Finally, later that evening, there is (an event) that we could enjoy.”

For an extra touch, laminate the cards with laminating sheets. You can make your story more elaborate. People always enjoy thinking about places in the world they would love to see.

Road Trip Box 

• Fill a box with any items that are helpful to have on road trips. Some examples are snacks, sodas, games, and maps.
• You can also research places or activities on the way to their destination for interesting reading or event planning. 

Moving Box

• Decorate a box and supply snacks, packing tape, change of address forms, and list important numbers (i.e., hospitals, restaurants) from the new area.
• Include inventory pages to help them record where their boxes are located.

....more to come

Be Transformed

Romans 12:2
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

2 Corinthians 3:18
And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

Happy New Year!

Whatever you did to celebrate…I pray it was something amazing. Me? Well, in the past I’d usually spend a great time hanging at the Single’s party at church, or throwing parties at my house to meet the needs of the ‘broke after Christmas’ or ‘I have to work most of that night’ people. This year though…in only the way God can…things changed.

This year I spent New Year’s Eve alone. Now before your heart drops for me, hold on and hear me out. I tried to do other things but despite all my efforts it became, oh so clear, that God wanted me to spend time with Him this New Year’s Eve. So how did my night turn out? Great dinner, marathon of a funny show, worked out, relaxing shower, the count down, the toast and then the most marvelous part.. after the ‘ball dropped’ I danced and praised God for the next 40 minutes straight! This was the best New Year’s Eve I’ve ever had in my whole life.

As I’ve been praying over the past few months, God has been pressing on me that He’s about to change things…especially around New Years. The Spirit is saying, “travel.” Next year, I hope to take my Mom to knock something off her dream list…the Tournament of Roses Parade! Which takes place Jan. 1^st so that means, we’ll be in CA on New Year’s Eve. Also, several dreams on my dream list happen to be on New Year’s Eve…and to do those I must travel.

So, why did I share the scriptures above? I share them because they help me to remember that we get use to doing things in one way. Not all our habits are bad…sometimes God asks us to give up the good habits too. My habit had been the same ole, wonderful way I’ve always celebrated a new year. I'm called to give up the pattern of this world…and often I have to give up the pattern of Amy. lol

I feel God transformed me last night. I have a memory of celebrating a New Year just with Him, no one else around to distract me or that had my focus. And who knows? This may be the only New Year's I spend totally alone with Him. By this time next year, I may be traveling across the country, the year after that maybe I’ll be traveling around the world, the following years, I might have husband and kid in tow…or maybe God will steal me away again for a night to praise Him. Whatever He chooses I’m gonna try to be open.

May this be a transforming year for us both! May our family be protected, our hopes be fulfilled, and our focus be on Jesus. Through our Lord alone, Amen.