Faith can move mountains. 

For me, those four words are extremely hopeful. And powerful. 

Recently, I even got them inked on my left collarbone (my fourth tattoo) so that when I look in the mirror, I’ll be inspired to keep on keeping on despite any obstacles, worries or hardships. Don’t get me wrong, not every day is a tough one, but I mean, who can’t use a reminder like that?

The phrase is a shortened version of a Bible verse that’s always stuck with me. It’s Matthew 17:20: “For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.” 

For the most part, I’m a very positive person, somewhat of an optimist, always looking through rose-colored glasses even when situations may warrant a bleaker outlook.

I’m sure it’s annoying to some, but that optimism — which translates into hope — has helped me through some pretty rough days and trying times. 

And you don’t have to be religious to get it, either, because, faith is defined as “complete trust or confidence in someone or something.” In the context of the actual verse, that “someone” and “something” is obviously God, but if considered in a more general sense, it can refer to any person or element of one’s life.

I first heard the verse years ago, and although it pops into my head sometimes, I’ve recently found myself referring to it more often. One day at the beginning of this year when I was feeling kind of down, I came across some blank index cards. Without thinking hard about it, I reached for my cupful of colorful pens and highlighters and wrote down the four-word shortened version. I even drew a picture of a mustard seedling planted under a couple of mountains with a bright yellow sun peeking out. That’s when the idea of becoming a walking billboard for keeping the faith came to me.

Try to remember that no matter what your personal mountain is — a tough situation or difficult person, a hardship or problem, a loss, a struggle, anything making you sad or weighing you down — have faith that it will get better. It can be faith in God, in yourself, or in the universe, but just have it. And even if it’s the size of a tiny little mustard seed, hold onto it, because tiny doesn’t mean weak. 

If you do, I’d like to believe those mountains will eventually shrink or disappear altogether. 

You don’t have to take the drastic step of having the words tattooed onto your skin; just keep them close to your heart and don’t ever forget them.