tattoo number two. i got about two years ago. the word truth on my right wrist with the reference of john 8vs32 "you will know the truth and the truth will set you free".
this tattoo bookmarks an incredible moment in my life. about 4-5 years ago, i was at a weekend conference and found myself in an elective called 'for girls only'. the elective was facilitated by a lady who works closely with women in counselling and encouragement. her main focus topic was 'the power of the spoken word'. she related to us a story about a lady she had worked with, who from an early age was called some terrible, degrading names by her father. it got to the point that this particular lady heard these words so often and from a significant person in her life that she actually started believing these lies as truth, something that had a drastic effect on her relationships in the future.
the speaker then encouraged us to think about our own lives and challenge us to identify a time when a lie had been spoken over us. my mind found itself back 10 years prior. i was at the wedding reception for my sister and her husband, and my dad was doing his speech and he finished with honouring my sister with these words "you are our daughter in whom we are real blessed". now my dad hadn't said anything wrong, he was simply showing his and my mum's love for my amazing sister, but it was in that moment, the enemy twisted the words spoken by my dad and poisoned them by taunting me with "your dad has NEVER said that about you".
i never realised the effect this had on me until that day at the conference. i suddenly became aware of the moments in my life where i wanted to mirror my sister's life...i wanted to experience all that she had with her own life, to show the world that i can do things as good as her...a pursuit that lasted 10 years.
the speaker then gave us some pointers about what we can do to remove the lie and the power it yielded over our lives. i took these on board and when the elective finished i found a close friend, who also attended the same elective, and had an encounter with truth and we both shared what was on our hearts and spent a beautiful time in prayer.
that night at the main session, i had the most incredible experience. for so many years God had been aching to show me His truth in my life, and during the worship time, the truth gates opened and He poured out all of its loveliness into my life, and freedom was mine. i had a precious friend then turn to me and say "i feel as though God wants you to know that He loves YOUR colour"...my colour! not me-mimmicking-others colour, but MY colour.
a bonus in all this, was the next morning in the main session, all the songs that were sung were songs that have played a significant role in my journey. God gave me an incredible gift in that time and took me for a walk down my memory's lane, but now i was able to do so with His truth fortified in my heart, and together we exchanged the years tainted with lies with new, truth-filled memories.
God has written a story only for me, but for 10 years i was reading my sister's story and trying to make it like my own...it was here that i finally opened my story and started reading. as i read, God started birthing in me my own hopes, dreams and ambitions. i saw His glorious truth and it set me free to experience the awesome story written for me. a story that i'm delighting in. a story that i see the beauty and wonder of the Creator woven through its pages everyday. a story that will lead me to the most wonderful happily ever after - me delighting in His presence for eternity.
i'm grateful that God pursued me with His truth and i know He hasn't stopped here. there is more, much more to come...
this tattoo bookmarks an incredible moment in my life. about 4-5 years ago, i was at a weekend conference and found myself in an elective called 'for girls only'. the elective was facilitated by a lady who works closely with women in counselling and encouragement. her main focus topic was 'the power of the spoken word'. she related to us a story about a lady she had worked with, who from an early age was called some terrible, degrading names by her father. it got to the point that this particular lady heard these words so often and from a significant person in her life that she actually started believing these lies as truth, something that had a drastic effect on her relationships in the future.
the speaker then encouraged us to think about our own lives and challenge us to identify a time when a lie had been spoken over us. my mind found itself back 10 years prior. i was at the wedding reception for my sister and her husband, and my dad was doing his speech and he finished with honouring my sister with these words "you are our daughter in whom we are real blessed". now my dad hadn't said anything wrong, he was simply showing his and my mum's love for my amazing sister, but it was in that moment, the enemy twisted the words spoken by my dad and poisoned them by taunting me with "your dad has NEVER said that about you".
i never realised the effect this had on me until that day at the conference. i suddenly became aware of the moments in my life where i wanted to mirror my sister's life...i wanted to experience all that she had with her own life, to show the world that i can do things as good as her...a pursuit that lasted 10 years.
the speaker then gave us some pointers about what we can do to remove the lie and the power it yielded over our lives. i took these on board and when the elective finished i found a close friend, who also attended the same elective, and had an encounter with truth and we both shared what was on our hearts and spent a beautiful time in prayer.
that night at the main session, i had the most incredible experience. for so many years God had been aching to show me His truth in my life, and during the worship time, the truth gates opened and He poured out all of its loveliness into my life, and freedom was mine. i had a precious friend then turn to me and say "i feel as though God wants you to know that He loves YOUR colour"...my colour! not me-mimmicking-others colour, but MY colour.
a bonus in all this, was the next morning in the main session, all the songs that were sung were songs that have played a significant role in my journey. God gave me an incredible gift in that time and took me for a walk down my memory's lane, but now i was able to do so with His truth fortified in my heart, and together we exchanged the years tainted with lies with new, truth-filled memories.
God has written a story only for me, but for 10 years i was reading my sister's story and trying to make it like my own...it was here that i finally opened my story and started reading. as i read, God started birthing in me my own hopes, dreams and ambitions. i saw His glorious truth and it set me free to experience the awesome story written for me. a story that i'm delighting in. a story that i see the beauty and wonder of the Creator woven through its pages everyday. a story that will lead me to the most wonderful happily ever after - me delighting in His presence for eternity.
i'm grateful that God pursued me with His truth and i know He hasn't stopped here. there is more, much more to come...
- signed
~ the life delighter ~
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