I am sitting in the dark, looking at the stars and listening to Norah Jones croon above the sound of the summer crickets.

On my mind are all the things, people, places, decisions, wins, losses and desires wrapped up in this word, LOVE, which now has a permanent place on my wrist.

The thing is, the melancholy isn’t new. The deep feelings and introspective thoughts aren’t new. The flashbacks and longings and regrets and lessons aren’t new.

All these things were always inside my heart. And I will always carry them. They are part of my story, part of who I am.

It’s just that now you can see them peeking out through this one little word on my skin. It’s part of walking in the light of who God made me to be and the path He has given me to travel.

I got this tattoo because…

Love matters.
Love does.
Love redeems.
Love cares deeply.
Love hurts deeply.
Love never gives up.
Love brings freedom.
Love gives hope.
Love grows us.
Love changes us.
It takes a lot of love to live.
Oh, how He loves us.

So much life and so much to say, all summed up in one little word.