The Best Sex Ever

Ok, you can pick up your chin off the floor because this is not going to be about what you think it is. This month, being February, Josh is doing this series at The Underground, which is our youth service. He purposely named it this instead of 'True Love Waits' to get people's attention and to keep it from being the same old thing that students here every year. Last Sunday was the first session, and he talked about sex being a heart issue. If you have teenagers or work with teenagers, are a single adult, or have been married for 20 years, this message is relevant to you. You can check it out at www.ibc-students.org/listen.html.

Suits, Stilettos, and Smiles

This past month, I have been interviewing for summer legal clerkships. What a taxing process that is! Not only do you have to wear suits that are mildly uncomfortable and heels that leave blisters on your feet (maybe just mine from the lack of exposure), you have to smile and look overjoyed for a solid hour as if you were high on the gas from the dentist's office. Needless to say, interviewing has not been the highlight of my legal career.

Although I do feel that I have a solid resume and good experience, I always feel guilty in an interview as if I am trying to deceive the interviewers by selling them something that won't live up to the hype. I feel that cover letters, resumes, and interviews come very close to crossing that thin line between proud and pride. I find myself after every interview feeling defeated and there is a 100% chance that I will not get the job.

Thankfully, my identity is not found in my ability to wow interviewers or in my GPA or class rank. If I placed the whole value of my life in things I have achieved, I will always fall short. There will always be people with better grades. There will always be those with better speaking and interviewing skills. Law school has been both a humbling and rewarding experience. Humbling in that, it is always putting me back in my place. Rewarding in that through my humility, I have been able to put my reliance on God. Praise be to God that I can place my identity and worth in him

To Stand (Josh)

STAND- "To remain firm or stedfast in a cause"

Does this describe you? Would people say that you take a stand for a cause? Not just a cause of buying a Haiti Tee Shirt because it's the "cool thing" to do. No one is going to persecute you for that cause. But what about causes and stances that are not so popular. Would people say that no matter what comes your way that you wouldn't budge, you would remain firm in your stances for those causes? Say what you want to about Tim Tebow but one thing you have to respect him for is his ability to stand firm for his cause.

Are you dedicated to the cause of Christ? Would people say that you take a stand for your faith? Or would they say that you are wishy washy and you don’t really stand for anything, only what is cool, hip, or will give you an advantage to increase your popularity at school or the workplace.

At the end of my life I want to be known as someone who stood firm for what he believed in. I want people to be able to say that just like in the song "The Stand" that my soul was "completely surrendered"to the cause of Christ.

There are days where this is true and then there are days where Standing for a cause gets tiresome and I think that life would be so much easier if I just didn’t have to stand up for a cause that sometimes I think no one is listening or responding to anyways. Because if I am going to Stand then it better be for something worth standing for.

I have been to concerts where it was standing room only, sweat dripping all over me, and every single minute of it was worth it, because it was a cause worth standing for. I remember going to UT football games where I was completely on the edge of my seat the whole time, waiting for the next play to unfold, standing and cheering my heart out for a cause that I believed was worth standing for. Back in the days of Shakespeare people would walk for miles and mile and stand to watch a six hour play because to them it was worth standing for.

People will stand for something great that they want to be a part of and this is where I need to show the world that I am standing for something great, something worth standing for. Something that is so far beyond me and my wildest dreams, a life where God himself wants to reach down and touch my life and do incredible things through that touch to reach the people around me. That is worth standing for.

Sitting in pews and singing songs and reading a book for five minutes is not worth standing for.

But, sitting in a pew wanting to hear something from the word of God because you know it has the power to change your life is worth standing for.

Singing songs to the top of your lungs screaming out to the God of universe praise for giving you your last breathe, for you know He is worthy of all praise, is worth standing for.

Spending more than just five minutes with the creator of the universe because you know that encounter will fill you with the Spirit to be able to go and into the world and bless others is worth standing for.

That is what I want to stand for, not some boring religion, but I want to stand for life change, I want to stand for a creator who blows me away with his creation, I want to stand for something that not only changes my life but the lives of those around me because they see it is something worth standing for.

And what I am standing on? The ROCK, CHRIST, THE SOLID ROCK, all other ground is sinking sand.

Will you join me?

Valentine's Day Candy

I (Ashley) LOVE the little Valentine's Day candy hearts, hence the background choice. I used to go through boxes of them during the month of February when I was in college. I was so sad last year because I did not have a single one, so this year I made sure to buy them as soon as they hit the shelves in the middle of January. Buying candy hearts is tricky because there are two different kinds, one kind is hard and a little more sour and the other is softer and sweeter. I prefer the softer ones. If you are a candy heart lover like me, you know that there is a huge difference. I'm glad these hearts are only available for purchase one month out of the year because if they were available year round, I might be several pounds heavier and visiting the dentist more often than I would like. But for now I will enjoy my candy heart addiction!