Emma's Story
Emma knew from a young age that she wanted a tattoo. Initially she thought she wanted a blue star on her left wrist, but when she learned of a connotation that tattoo holds she decided to find another design. So instead of the star, Emma decided to get the word “grace” in her own handwriting.

She was 16 when she came up with the idea of the tattoo. And though her dad was willing to take her then, her mom wanted her to wait until she was 18. So on her 18th birthday, Emma went and got the tattoo.

Emma says that she can handle pain well, it is just needles that make her apprehensive. However, the tattoo artist she went to took about an hour explaining the process of tattoos and what she should expect with the pain. Emma said that she really appreciated that.

During her freshman year of college, Emma says she did some “stupid stuff,” which now solidifies the significance of God’s grace in her life. She says that God not giving her what she deserves—“God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense”—is something she sees all the time.

“I see it so much in my life where “that” should have happened and “that” should have happened and it didn’t, or I got “this” and I got “that” and I shouldn’t have. Pretty much everything I have ever wanted I have received in some form or some capacity. And I just think of how wonderful that is when I am deliberately disobedient.”

Soon after her freshman year, she went to a Christian apologetics camp where she says she was able to better understand grace. She recalls singing the song “Jesus Paid it All” and having the concept of grace just click.

Emma has plans for more tattoos. In fact, she says that she was thinking of what else she could get while she was getting her first tattoo. And she says that most of her future tattoos will pertain to Scripture or the Lord because they are constant, and she sees that as being appropriate with the permanence of tattoos. She loves the concept of tattoos so much that she thinks everyone should get at least one.

“I think everybody should get one,” she said. “For me, it is like a life experience.”

I hope you all have a great week. Thanks for coming with me for this story behind the ink!