Summer Internship

Since I transferred this past semester from the University of Kentucky to Stetson College of Law, I lost some credits which has forced me to take summer classes. After taking summer classes during my master's program, I swore I would never take them again. Who likes going to school during the summer, especially in sunny Florida??? But my choices were to go to school during the summer or graduate in December 2012 instead of May 2012. Not even a choice-- of course, I am graduating in May!

So, this summer I am taking 2 classes, one at school and one online, and I am doing an internship for class credit. I am so glad that I got the placement I did with my internship. I was placed at the Bay Area Legal Services (www.bals.org). BALS is an organization that operates under private grant funding to provide legal services to people who can't afford hiring a private attorney. Their services include representing clients in domestic violence cases, elder abuse, child neglect and abuse, and divorces where domestic violence is present. My very first day there I had the privilege of attending one of their meetings where former clients spoke about how BALS had helped them in their situations. It was so neat to hear the testimonies. One man who has 3 young children came to BALS because his wife was being abusive to him and the kids and was not caring for the children at all. He found out later that while he was working 16 hour shifts, his wife would keep the babies drugged and sedated because she didn't want to bother with them. Then when he came home, the kids would be wide awake and he would have to stay up to take care of him. He shared how BALS had helped him file for divorce and had also helped him get the resources he needed to take for his 3 children. I sat there in the meeting thinking, 'WOW, I would love to work at this place.'

I am excited about the opportunities this internship may bring, and I am also praying that doors will be opened so that in May 2012 when I graduate, I will have a job, whether or not it is with BALS. For the longest time, it seemed that my career was so far off, something in the distance, and now all of the sudden, it looks like it might become actually become a reality. I know that God has placed a passion in my heart to work at an organization like BALS. I know that all the schooling and student loans were not in vain. I know God has a plan for my life, a plan to use my gifts and talents for his glory. I know this now, but I have doubted it so many times. I doubted it after I finished my master's only to be turned down for so many jobs. I doubted is as I bounced around from one part-time job to another. I doubted it as I watched my friends begin their careers. I doubted it in law school as I sat beside students younger and smarter than me. I know that a job is not everything and that it doesn't define you, but it is a desire of my heart. It is a way that I believe God will use me. I have the privilege of watching God use Josh in his job everyday, and I see how much joy he has in doing what he loves and was created to do. I long for that and know it will be worth the wait. I almost cried sitting in that meeting last week because I could see the promise of a plan for my life at work. Even if it is not at BALS, I know that I will be making a difference somewhere in Tampa, and that one day, I will be listening to my clients' stories. I CAN'T WAIT!

I am Israel

During my month hiatus from blogging, I have been working on a couple posts, which are still in progress and will be posted soon. Tonight, though, I just wanted to share something really quick that is on my heart before I forget. Blogging can be such a good exercise of reflection.

Over the past two days, I have been reading through the book of Hosea. I absolutely love the story of Hosea's love for his wife, Gomer. If you haven't read Redeeming Love, do yourself a favor and go buy it. You won't regret it. It is a fictional account based on the story of Hosea. But that's not what caught my attention during this last read through of Hosea. I don't know that I've ever really carefully read the book, or if I've just been so focused on the fact that Hosea married a prostitute, that I missed the bigger picture. Of course, Hosea marrying Gomer is an example of God's love for us in that even when we throw ourselves at other things, God still pursues us, but the main subject of the book of Hosea is God's love for Israel and his chosen people.

The book of Hosea is devoted to Hosea giving the Israelites a message from God of how God is turning his back on them because they've continued to live in sin and have run from the things of God. Several chapters go on and on about how God was faithful to the Israelites and they continued to run from him. Hosea's whole message seems to be leading to the fact, that once and for all, God is done with Israel. However, in the end, Hosea tells of God's great love for Israel and how God would always pursue her. In fact, Hosea is just one of the many places in the Old Testament where God uses a prophet both to rebuke Israel and to tell of his great love for the nation.

I love the story of God's love for Israel because it is a picture of how vast God's love is and how passionately he pursues those he loves. Then, tonight it hit me...I AM ISRAEL. God's love for ME is beyond measure. God passionately pursues ME.