1. tattoo By Becky Kew Available for download at www.gospelhall.orgwww.gospelhall.org

2. Joyce looked down at her arms and cried. The underside of her arms were covered with scars. They were from that terrible winter when she was alone and hurt. Have you ever been alone and hurt?

3. Who understands how you are feeling always?

4. She turned her arm over and looked at the homemade tattoos on the other side. They had seemed so “tough” when she was high. Now they looked sloppy and crude.

5. Every time Joyce looked at the tattoos covering her arms and hands, she felt sick-especially when her eye saw the tattoo of a man’s name. He had said they would be together forever…… He lied.

6. JOYCE ALWAYS WEARS A LONG SLEEVE SHIRT. LONG SLEEVES ONLY COVER HER ARMS, THEY NEVER TAKE AWAY THE SCARS OR THE TATTOOS. JOYCE HAS OTHERS SCARS TOO……… DEEP SCARS ON HER HEART.

7. “Oh God, what have I done to myself?” I have made my arms feel as ugly as I feel inside.” JOYCE HANG IN THERE WITH US, THERE IS AN ANSWER TO YOUR PROBLEM!

8. There are MANY unhappy people in this world who are like this woman.

9. We try to fill/cover this emptiness with all kinds of things, BUT only God can give real and true peace/love.

10. GOD DESERVES FIRST PLACE IN YOUR HEART. ANY OTHER THING OR PERSON THAT HAS HIS PLACE, IS WRONG AND HE IS HURT. THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES FOR SIN. IF YOU GIVE HIM FIRST PLACE HE WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU, AND GIVE YOU REAL LOVE. HE CAN DO FOR YOU WHAT YOU CANNOT DO FOR YOURSELF. IF YOU HONOR GOD HE WILL HONOR YOU.

17. HOW ABOUT YOU? Have you tried to cover the bad things that you have done in you life? The guilt or shame that you feel? We all carry it. Wouldn’t it be great if you could start over, if you could have a new beginning? God doesn’t turn away from our hurt. He reaches out a hand, a hand that is scarred, and He touches us. It’s the hand of his Son Jesus.

19. Our hearts ARE meant to be filled with love: A perfect love. This kind of love completes us, and fills up the emptiness that we all have. This love satisfies, and when we have it, we can rest in it when other’s have let us down, and when we have let God down. It is so different from human love.