Sorry, I don't know who you are because I'm a compulsive station changer. All I know is that after yet another Toby Keith song about how great the US of A is, you asked your listeners, "If you had to tattoo
the lyrics of a song on your body, what would it be?" Well, I didn't respond because a) I didn't know who you are, and b) I was just pulling into work. So here's my response.  

Ever since I got saved in September of 2000, I've wanted to have the lyrics from Darrell Evans' "Trading my Sorrows" tattooed on me. Why? Because when I got saved, Jesus completely made me a new person. He changed me from a confused, depressed, suicidal cutter (that had a perfect perky façade of "Everything's just fine!"), into a New Creation. Part of the song lyrics are "I'm trading my sorrow, I'm trading my shame, I'm laying it down for the joy of the Lord," which is PRECISELY what I did. I am convinced that if Jesus hadn't saved me then, I would not be here today, it wouldn't have been long before I took my own life.   

Now, that doesn't mean that life was perfect from that point on. The song continues with "I'm pressed but not crushed, Persecuted not abandoned, Struck down but not destroyed, I'm blessed beyond the curse for his promise will endure, And his joy's gonna be my strength" which references 2 Corinthians 4:8. Jesus never says it's going to be easy. But he does promise that "in all things God works for the good of those who life him, who have been called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28). Jesus also equips us to "Fight the good fight of the faith, Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called" (1 Timothy 6:12) and to "Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes" (Ephesians 6: 11).   

In the past 11 years, though I know Jesus has healed me, the Devil still tempts. There have been times where I've been like Habakuk (see The Minors - Week 7) yelling at God "What's going on?!?" As I watched my church family fall apart early in my walk, or as my father got diagnosed with cancer twice in 2 years and watch him struggle to wake up after surgery, or while dealing with infertility while everyone else is having (planned and surprise) babies and all the while not understanding why two sets of friends have lost their infants. There have been days, where I am fighting old urges, old temptations, wanting to cope with pain through my old ways of cutting or even thinking that I'd be better off dead. But now, because of Jesus, I can fight back. But sometimes, I have to remember that "I'm trading my sorrows."

So that, Mr. Radio Dude, is the song I would choose to tattoo to my body.

Jessica is a Doctoral Candidate in Special Education, a Research Assistant at the Florida Center for Reading Research, married to Matt Folsom, a sound engineer extraordinaire, and a soon-to-be first time mom!