If I were to get a tattoo, I would get the words “Even So” on my left wrist. My answer needs an explanation, I know.
I grew up in the 90s and 2000s. Looking back, I feel like tattoos were considered taboo? Sinful? A one way ticket to hell? The older church generation was majority against tattoos, but the younger generation saw nothing wrong with it.
I remember as a kid always being shocked when I saw a tattoo. Like woah, that person has a tattoo- I wonder if they believed in Jesus and had a relationship with Him. At the time, given the culture in the Christian community, it seemed like a valid thing to wonder. It is safe to say, getting a tattoo or any kind of piercing other than my ear lobes was COMPLETELY off my radar.
The older I got, late teens into early 20s, the more people I met who had tattoos and were completely sold out to Jesus. A lot of their tattoos had some sort of Christian theme or hidden message so that when people asked what it meant, they could share the gospel. Naturally, this sparked my interest- maybe tattoos weren’t that bad after all.
I had several thoughts about different tattoos I could get. Some math related, because math’s cute and fun. Some missions related because we are all called to go. None of them ever won out though as something I felt like I needed permanently on my body. Well, that was until the idea of “Even So”.
When my brother died, I had a lot of questions and not many answers. Why? Why him? How was it good? How did a good God allow people to die when His people were praying so desperately for a miracle? Why did God hear our prayers and answers them differently? I can’t be for certain, but if I didn’t enter a crisis of faith, I was incredibly close to doing so.
After months of wrestling with the Lord and asking the questions, I landed on that even so, the Lord was still good. My circumstances can’t change who He is. He is never changing. The Lord is faithful. The Lord is wise. He is Kind. His ways are higher than our own. He promises to work all things for our good and HIS glory.
On the hard days of this thing called life, on the days I miss my brother and am consumed by grief, I remind myself that even so, the Lord is still good. He’s trustworthy, and I can trust Him with all things- the death of my brother included.
So if I were ever to get a tattoo, I would get “Even So”. Thomas was left handed so I’d get it on my left wrist as a way to also honor and remember him by- not that I need any help remembering him.
Lamentations 3:22-23
Because of the Lord’s faithful love
we do not perish, for His mercies never end.They are new every morning;
great is Your faithfulness!
Grief. Going. Healing. 
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