Astonishing Love

So yesterday I finally got my tattoo...finally....it's been a long time coming...what did I get? I got the words "Astonishing Love" written on my right forearm...and I love it... I have another tattoo on my leg, so going into the tattoo parlor I was a bit concerned...tattoo's aren't the most gently things to put on your body...but it was worth it. I was of course worried about the small things as well (which would have really been big if they had gone wrong...), like the spelling of the words...wouldn't that suck...

So why did I get the words Astonishing Love? Well over the past year or so of thinking about what I wanted to get tattooed I began thinking about Christ and my relationship with Him. Through thinking of that I began to realize the love that Christ has for us and I was amazed, even flabbergasted. I've done some stupid things in my life, and despite those, God still loves me...really? YES! I know! I was just as surprised! God loves us unconditionally, which is crazy to even begin thinking about that, and calls us His children, His sheep. So I was going to get the words "Amazing Love" written. After some thought I began to realize that amazing has lost it's power, and doesn't fully describe my thoughts that I have about God's love. So I began searching for similar words to amazing, and lo and behold, Astonishing emerged. Astonishing means, "causing astonishment or surprise; amazing" (Dictionary.com). It was the surprising in the meaning that really caught my attention! It surprises me how often we take God's love for granted, and is equally surprising that despite all our faults that God still loves us....hence the word choice.

I got my tattoo done by an artist named Bry who works at Thrive Studios. Check out their website and Bry's art that he has done, he's really good, and takes a lot of pride in his work....I'll post pictures of my tattoo soon....I guess you could say I'm wearing my heart on my sleeve now! (Yeah...I said it...)

The Great Divorce

The other day I read the book, "The Great Divorce" by C.S. Lewis which depicts the separation of heaven and hell. The book is an easy read, and I read it pretty much in one sitting (it's not that long...) but I was amazed. I haven't really read much Lewis (surprisingly) but I was amazed at the simplicity of his writing, but within that simplicity the deepness (for lack of a better word) of that writing.

The basic plot of the book is some people from hell go on an excursion to heaven, and are given the opportunity to stay if they repent for their past. I don't really believe that God will give us yet another chance after we have died, however it is an interesting concept. Throughout the book the main character overhears various conversations between the angels and the people from hell. Every person from hell can not give up their past/present to come to see the full love of God, and kind of makes the people from hell seem very human. Human in the sense of us, people here on earth, trying to serve God with all that we have, but constantly failing. However, Lewis says in this book if we love God and are prepared to put Him first in our lives then we will fully see His glory when we are in heaven.

This book really reminded me of God's amazing love, which was kind of ironic because this week I am getting my tattoo on my forearm that says "Astonishing Love" and the reason for getting those words is that it is a constant reminder of God's surprising, amazing, spectacular love for us. Every time we think that we are despicable human beings that don't deserve the love of anyone, God always shines through and says to us, "you are mine, and I love you" which I think is pretty awesome....I'll talk more of the tattoo when it is done and I can put up some pictures or something...stay tuned...