Lion • León • Simba • אַריֵה

Today is my lovely Mommacita’s birthday!
Today is also special for another reason, however: I got another tattoo commemorating the strength I have that is from God. When my dad returned from a trip to Israel, he brought me back a figurine carved from olive wood. Depicted is a lion wrapped protectively around a lamb, surely symbolizing Jesus as both the conquering Lion and the sacrificial Lamb. Handing it to me, Dad revealed the ways in which I remind him of a lion: “Courage. Power. Strength. Unintimidated.” These words have rung clear in my mind ever since, a steady reminder that the strength found in Christ Jesus is also found in me.
I have always had a love of lions, and Africa falls higher on my list of places-to-go than Australia (to those who know me, you’re likely be very shocked)! Naturally, I found it more than fitting to get the word “lion” tattooed as a constant visible reminder that my strength and ability comes from one ever-flowing source alone: God. Of course, I didn’t want “lion” written across my arm in English, however creative that may be for other languages. As I love Spanish, I briefly considered “león” but was quickly turned-off from it. Too, I considered “simba,” the Swahili translation of the word, but I’m sure it’s pretty obvious why I didn’t go with that one, no matter how much I love The Lion King. Then I had a revelation -- that may very well have been inspired by God -- to get it written in Hebrew. Immediately I fell in love with the idea and began writing it in marker on my arm.
Today, I got it in my dad’s handwriting. Forever I will cherish it.
אַריֵה