Divine Appointments

I got my first tattoo eight years ago in Savannah, Georgia that day I graduated Marine boot camp. The year after I got another one in North Carolina when I was with the Marines. I thought I was done getting tattoos and thought that foolish stuff was behind me. Unfortunately it’s not; yes I defiled my body once again and got the thorns of Christ around my right bicep. This is something I have wanted for a few years and didn’t get around to it until now. I think Ryan Ellis may be corrupting me. Ryan and I went to a tattoo parlor on Winchester Road by the name of Exalt. I waited a few minutes to pick out exactly what I wanted and for the artist to get her equipment ready. Ryan took off to eat dinner back at the house. The whole thing lasted and hour and a half. And yes I got it around my whole bicep! Anyway the whole time I was getting my tat I was talking to the artist whose name is Megan. After a few minutes Megan asked me what I do for a living. When I get to that part in any conversation people are usually surprised at what I tell them. I told her I was starting a church. She thought that was cool because her grandfather was a pastor in Morehead, KY. Megan said her faith was stronger when she was younger but has been burned by the church and has not really returned to her faith. Since moving to Lexington she has tried going to some mega church that shall remain nameless. Megan felt as if she didn’t belong, she felt out of place. Let me call a spade a spade and say she would not fit in because she has numerous tattoos and a few piercing. The churches were too big for her and she felt like an outsider. She said that many Christians look down on her profession. I told her that I thought it was cool and would refer her to my friends. The weird part about the whole thing is that she lives in the Americana apartments with her boyfriend. It is the same complex that’s around the corner from my house where Jason and Tawndee also live. I invited her to the Friday night community dinner and told her I would drop by to say hi sometime to her and her boyfriend. As we were an hour into my tattoo a woman by the name of Becky came in. She is friends with Megan. Megan was asking Becky about her grandfather. Becky’s grandfather is in the VA hospital dying from lung cancer. He has about a month to live. I introduced myself to Becky and asked her if I could see her grandfather if that was ok. Becky was thrilled when I asked her that. She wrote down his information immediately. Becky told me that he became a Christian and was baptized last week. When I was done with the tattoo I met Becky’s husband and invited them both to my house for dinner.
I think an important part of the great commission that we overlook is “as we go to make disciples.” No matter where we go about our day I try not to compartmentalize it but rather share my witness everywhere I go. Wild things have been happening and I cannot take credit for it. Praise be to God!