Cory Tatum, 37, a CSUN psychology and queer studies student, has a couple of tattoos on his body but plans to get a full sleeve on his left arm.

Tatum’s first tattoo was an outline of a star on his left hand between his pointer finger and thumb.

“I had a friend in high school I hadn’t seen in a really long time,” Tatum said. “After years of being away from each other, we finally saw each other and realized we had been drawing a star in the same place. So we went together to get it tattooed, and now we are always connected.”

Along with the star, Tatum also has “1 Corinthians XIII” written in script on the inside of his right forearm.

“Growing up I was a church kid. One day I was writing in my take home bible study and I asked myself ‘what is love?’” he said. “My bible was closed, and I just opened it to the exact chapter. This was the first time I was like God heard me and answered me. It was so direct.”

Although he said he is no longer religious, the sign he received that day still remains valid and important.

“It has always stayed with me,” Tatum said.