Hope Springs from New Job with the Center for Global Justice

Today, I am feeling much more at peace about beginning this semester; last week, not so much. Coming back is always hard, but then Philippians and Hebrews reminded me that I must persevere! This will be an incredibly rewarding semester for me. One of the reasons I chose to come to Regent Law was the Center for Global Justice, Human Rights and the Rule of Law. This wonderful organization at the Law School works to promote justice through partnership collaboration, awareness building, and equipping law students and professions to advocate for the “least of these.” I have volunteered on the Student Volunteer Team for the past year researching potential partner organizations and researching Teen Courts around the nation, for the prospect of starting one here in the Virginia Beach area. Now, I am excited to have the opportunity to work for the Center as a Graduate Assistant. This is very exciting, because it means I will get to be more intimate with the Center’s partners, events, and procedures. I am grateful for the opportunity to learn from this wonderful team! They really seem to understand the power of God in advocating and promoting justice for those who cannot speak for themselves. The Center works in several areas: the legal protection of children (my favorite!), human trafficking, corrupt government issues, the rule of law development, and religious freedom. One of the reasons for the peace that will come with this job is knowing that I am doing something I really enjoy. Law school is not always enjoyable, but this is an opportunity to do something tangible that I am passionate about and hope will become a career, regardless of how that looks in regard to the legal profession!

Tis the Season

This week begins finals weeks for us! Monday, I had my first exam in Constitutional Law 1. It was difficult and took every bit of attention I had at 9am on a monday morning, during a three hour exam. By God's grace, I am 1 exam down. That is reason to rejoice in itself. I really enjoyed Con Law this semester. We learned so much more than the Constitution; we get to learn about history and how our Constitution was developed based on the common law in England and the English King and Parliament system, as well as what the Framers of our Constitution had in mind. Learning about the Founders' ideas of federalism, separation of powers, and the roles each branch would have puts today's political atmosphere in perspective. The Framers would have no idea how huge the government has become or how much discretion judges would have in deciding "cases and controversies." I've really learned a lot in this class and I'm excited for Con Law 2, but mostly I'm glad it's over! Now, I have a research article due on friday and three exams next week. I'm remembering how I felt last year: long days, much exhaustion, lots of notecards and tired hands! All in all, I'm excited for how much I'm learning, how my memory is expanding, and how the Lord is coming through for me. It has also given me a chance to have some serious relationship building time, while preparing and "sharing in the suffering" with my colleagues and roommates!

Update

The Lord has been teaching me so many things in the past few months. I have been reminded a lot lately as to why I am in law school and what the Lord is training me for. I am currently learning about rule of law development and have listened to many prominent people, who have written constitutions for other countries and have helped develop democracies in post-war countries. It has been very interesting to see bright-eyed people with big hopes for governmental reform actually go to other countries and seek the Lord's heart for reform, some with success and some not so much. Simultaneously, I have been writing a paper on the rule of law in Guatemala regarding the adoption system and its current reputation for "baby stealing." This has become a very interesting topic that unfortunately has spawned as a result of unethical attorneys and government notaries.  The people supposedly upholding the rule of law are actually destroying it. While the government is trying to remedy these accusations, much time and effort is still to come. I have been gaining a greater understanding of and passion for the protection of children, particularly in developing countries where the rule of law is not so transparent or stable. The Lord has been allowing me to meet missionaries and attorneys (some are missionary lawyers as I'd like to call them), who are working with street prostitutes, adoption, and trafficking victims. The more I learn about human rights issues and neglect for child welfare around the world, the more I desire to work in the rule of law and help developing countries research and develop good laws to protect their children in a way that comports with their culture. One piece of advice I have taken away from my International Development and the Rule of Law class is that it is very possible that God could use me as a law student, who is passionate about child welfare, to effect rule of law change if I take the initiative.

I visited my parents in Costa Rica, and they are doing wonderful! Their Spanish is coming along so well. The Lord allowed us to meet some awesome believers who have family members working in the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, as well as friends working with street prostitutes and street kids in San Jose, CR.

2L year

Last week, I came home from D.C. and moved into my new apartment with a two friends from church. I am happy to admit I am starting this school year much more enthusiastic than I was at the end of last year. The Lord has really rejuvenated my heart this summer through my work with CCAI. My newly found knowledge about adoption and foster care issues has propelled me toward advocacy and the study of these issues, as well as child welfare as a whole. I am starting this year aiming to work with all of my heart towards child welfare issues, so that whatever papers I have to write or projects I'm assigned they will be devoted towards my understanding and comprehension of child welfare! I am so excited that God is showing me how all of my classes pertain to child welfare. This semester, I am taking Immigration Law (necessary for children born in the U.S. to immigrants who are sometimes deported, leaving their children in U.S. foster care, or citizenship issues regarding intercountry adoptions), International Development and the Rule of Law (I will be writing a paper on the rule of law in Guatemala or Ethiopia regarding family and adoption laws), Family Law (discussing topics like Family break down and how that influences our laws),  a Child Advocacy Practicum (I will work on a particular project with juveniles in the justice system), Constitutional Law 1, and Evidence. This year should bring new awareness about child welfare issues in the U.S. and around the world and will be a great motivation for me to continue toward the call God has given me.

Last week at CCAI

Unfortunately my time has ended here in DC. I dropped off my coworker today at the Airport, and she is headed back to her 3L year at Texas Tech. She was such a blessing to work with, because she too has a strong passion for child welfare, which is not the typical path for most law students. Quite frankly, we want to help those who may never be able to pay us. I spent all of Friday dropping off certificates in each of the Senate houses. It was so exciting to be in the Senate buildings and meet some of the staffers. They really are fun people and passionate about their causes, but they are also very kind. I enjoyed visiting the offices of Senator Marco Rubio and Senator Bill Nelson, my Senators from Florida! Their staff were very friendly, and I am proud to say they are participating in CCAI's program Angels in Adoption. This program is an opportunity for Members of Congress to recognize individuals and agencies in their districts or states who are doing amazing work in foster care or adoption. Some of the "Angels" have fostered dozens of children, some hundreds!!, some have adopted 2 to 15 children, some are doing excellent advocacy. The Angels come to DC and are recognized in a Gala and a pinning ceremony, in which they can take pictures with their Senator or Representative. It is a special time to recognize those doing a great work and bring awareness of adoption and foster care issues. I'm proud to be apart of it and am challenged to foster and adopt myself if they Lord provides me with the opportunity (not like we are short of opportunity in this country).

The Final Report and Congressional Briefing

Our deadline for the FYI's report was supposed to be last wednesday, but our faithful Programs Director got the publish date pushed back until the next day. I thought I would finally get some sleep, but lo and behold I stayed in the office diligently working until 4am Thursday morning (that is after being there since 9am Wednesday morning). I can now say that I have slept on the job! I ended up leaving the office at 7am while the paid staff continued to work until 10am when it was finally finished. The process was tedious and laborious, but we managed to edit every page twice over and then again! My coworkers were absolutely amazing and were a blessing to work with, even at 4am. My boss at CCAI is a Regent Law alum and two of her friends, also Regent Law alums, came to help edit at midnight. I think this speaks so highly of the Regent community. The Foster Youth Interns did so well at the briefing. We had the briefing at the Capitol Tuesday night, and several Members of Congress showed up and gave remarks. The youth shared their stories and policy recommendations with the Members and child welfare stakeholders. They truely looked like professionals, and I was super proud. They were very composed and articulate, and now, they are published writers! The process has really shaped and cut my character so much- from all the editing, working with the interns to shape their story, and problem solving with staff members. I know I am a better professional, advocate, and writer because of the process. At the end of the report every year, the staff include an outline of a star, which is to remember that we absolutely could not have done it without the help of our God.

Report Writing Weekend

This weekend I have been working with our foster youth interns to help them find research, write, and edit their reports for Congress. We spent all day yesterday in the office working, which was so much fun! There are about 11 CCAI staff and 4 CCAI interns and 13 Foster Youth Inters in a little townhouse office building. There is food everywhere and lots of it, we started the day today singing a song a co-worker made up about good attitudes, and I'm getting to learn all of the FYIs' personal stories. I have been working with an FYI on her report about the use of psychotropic medication in foster children. I am learning several things about the use of psychotropic medication with foster youth: 1) children 1-5 years old are being prescribed anti-psychotic medication, 2) many youth are being prescribed this medication without even obtaining second opinions, 3) judges often provide consent for the agency to prescribe the meds, 4) children aren't being given an option of whether they want to take them, and 5) this medication is often prescribed to these kids without first seeing how they do with counseling or a change in environment. It is no surprise that a child ages 2-11 are going to act crazy! They will act out, their personality changes, boys are tough and rough, and girls get serious attitudes- throw physical, emotion, and psychological abuse, neglect, and violence on top of that and no wonder these children are not coping! It is so sad that these children are not given the care and attention they need after experiencing these types of trauma. Instead, they are given 3 or more antipsychotic medications and are labeled ADHD, Bipolar, extremely agressive, etc. While the government is beginning to take a look at these issues, a lot of decisions need to be made on how to prioritize the well-being of these children. Just like you and I, they need someone to listen and really care for them, especially if the government wants them to grow up like any other non-agency child.

It's the small things that matter most:

This weekend I had the opportunity to meet a new friend. One of my friends from Regent has a brother who was just assigned to an Army unit here in the Arlington area. It was so much fun to roam around DC and Georgetown with a friend! It's hard getting to know people here, no matter how outgoing you are. I think it's easier to feel completely alone in big city like DC than in a smaller town. Not everyone is super friendly. I have been shoved on the metro and yelled at for not moving fast enough, and no one ever looks me in the eye, which is one of the most frustrating things about being here. In contrast, it was encouraging to be around a christian brother; I hope that he was encouraged as well.  We found all of the amazing foreign Embassies here in DC and drove around the National Cathedral, Georgetown, and Potomac. It's amazing to see how beautiful and big the buildings are, even the homes! More than getting to wander DC, it's encouraging to know that I am a part of God's family. I had never met this friend before; actually, his sister connected us only the day before, but we immediately had things to talk about simply because we are both believers and a part of God's kingdom. Once again, the Lord has shown me that He has not forgotten me but has brought a friend to enjoy the time with, even if only for a season.


I talked to my dad tonight and they are safely in Costa Rica. They officially started their first language class today!

I am continuing to learn new things every day and am completely inspired by what I am learning. Recently, I had an amazing opportunity to have lunch with a woman from the United Nations committee for Children's Rights. She is an incredible woman who is passionate about child welfare around the world and knowing how to approach difficult discussions with effective action. Today, I also had the pleasure of meeting the former special advisor for adoption and vulnerable children from the US Agency for International Development. He was so kind and told me how he ended up doing child welfare work, as well as what USAID does for children overseas and families wanting to adopt from overseas. He was gracious to listen to me rave about my parents who moved overseas today to start preparation for their work at an orpanage and as a nurse in the community. The great thing about child welfare is that everyone has a personal story to tell - about how they ended up working where they are - because at some point in each of our lives we experience child welfare issues first hand through adoption, foster care, poverty, etc. Although I am learning an immense amount and loving every moment of it, I am realizing how much I miss working face to face with clients. I miss the personal interactions with those experiencing these issues. I think the legislative process is wonderful and is something I hope to do one day. However, I am getting excited to see what it would look like to be on the front lines of child welfare through organizations like Guardian Ad Litem, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), or state social services. Needless to say, the past few weeks have been wonderful in spite of heavy storms and loss of power for several days. Tomorrow, I will attend meetings with Congressional staff regarding barriers to interstate adoptions from foster care in the United States and how those barriers are keeping children from being adopted. I am excited to attend becasue I was allowed to set up these meetings for a stakeholder who is coming to DC specifically to meet with Congressional staff. The next few weeks will be incredibly busy as we prepare for our Foster Youth Intern Report and their Congressional briefing!

Next time I would love to share what I am learning about the Indian Nation and Native American child welfare issues. This is a subject I am becoming increasingly aware of and very interested in.

Every Child Deserves a Forever Home!

The past few weeks have been quite amazing. When I applied to work with CCAI I had no idea of the magnitude of what I'd be doing and the impact it would have on me. They say that law school changes the way you think forever (and it's true); you become more analytical and question everything. Well, working with CCAI has also changed the way I think. Not only do I analyze the laws and the way they are made, I've begun to analyze the way I respond to daily life compared to the way a child in foster care would. I have gotten to meet and work with the most amazing 15 youth. They are a group of 15 college students who grew up in the foster care system for many different reasons, but by no fault of their own. Not that my experience is anything remotely close to theirs, but I feel like my parents moving overseas is giving me a glimpse of what it might feel like to be a foster youth. I don't want to diminish their experience in any way but it's interesting to make some comparisons. You wonder where you will go when you don't feel well and you can't call mom or who will help you learn how to fix things when you can't call dad, or where you will spend holidays. Who's there to help when you get into a financial bind? That's why a lot of these youth end up homeless or being trafficked. The worst part about our foster care system is that all the measurable definations pertaining to the "permenancy" of foster youth have nothing to do with stability!! Who has "permenancy" without stability, and who has stability without existing and lasting relationships? No one. That's what makes my situation completely different. I still have existing and stable relationships with friends and church family, who I know will be there if I needed something.

Our foster youth interns are working with congress members and CCAI to change legsilation for their peers in the foster care system and all those who will come behind them. Tuesday we sat in a Senate Finance Committee roundtable hosted by the Congressional Caucus for Foster Youth. Our youth and others shared their stories and talked about how a piece of legislation that was written about 15 years ago effected their lives. What's amazing is that the people who wrote the legislation were present and were surprised by what it had become- totally different!

I've gotten to see how legislation moves through various parties: from the time those in the field recognize it as a problem to the time it is inacted into legislation. I'm constantly on conference calls with working professionals, stakeholder agencies, congressional staffers, and citizens who have been directly impacted by bad or outdated laws. Creating laws is all about relationships...finding the right people who can strategize in an effective manner to influence the right people. I am constantly attending meetings and networking with all kinds of people. I'm so thankful for the chance to learn all that I am learning. I'm still not sure if policy is what I want to get into, but I'm learning so much that it will prepare me for anything I hope to do later on. I'm so thankful for this opportunity!

First two weeks on the job!

The first two weeks on the Hill have been awesome! I love the organization and even the assignments I've been working on. The main goal of our organization is to help educate congress members on foster care and adoption issues and provide a forum to connect members of congress to professionals working in the field. The first day was a bit crazy because I was reading proposed bills that had been introduced in Congress and I was supposed to summarize them for the members in the Congressional Coalition for Adoption. It took a bit longer than I anticipated because they had to do with the adoption tax credit, which is so technical, but by God's mercy I finished it. We are currently working on an adoption tax credit because the extension will expire at the end of the year. This week, our Foster Youth Interns arrived. They are 15 college students, who have spent at least two years in foster care and will be working with a Congress member for about 8 weeks on the Hill. This is an awesome way for the students to interact with Congress members and show the members a first hand account of what actually happens in the foster care system. Yesterday, I attended a Town Hall for the Caucus on Foster Care under the Capitol building. It was very informative; in fact, an issue was brought up which I am very interested in. One of the foster youth talked about how she was in the foster care system and ended up being trafficked. This is an area I would love to explore and work in. I never realized that some children in our foster care system end up being sexually exploited, not in the United States.

Fear and Courage

This past week has been filled with emotion: fear of going into an invironment that is totally new and completely out of my comfort zone, sadness of leaving my new family and friends in Virginia Beach, and the excitement of starting to see God opening doors with things that excite me (adoption/ foster care work). I spent the week packing up my apartment and moving it to Bethesda, Maryland, which is where I'll be staying for the next 3.5 months while I working in D.C. I moved in yesterday and set up my new place, complete with one plastic 3-drawer container, a blow up matress, and a plastic bin! Welcome to missionary training?! I got creative and it looks like home for now. I took the metro this morning and found my job, and now i'm sitting at a Starbucks across from the Capitol! D.C. is definately a city for professionals, which is a part of the fear of coming here. I don't see myself as a city dweller and feel a bit out of place. I keep being reminded of Abraham who picked up everything he had and left and wandered for about 10 years. I only have 3 months! I'm kind of a wimp; so, it's a good thing I was reading about faith this morning. Satan tempted Jesus in Matthew 4, and Jesus never asked for a sign or a miracle. He fought Satan and the temptation to sin with the word of God alone. So often I ask for God to give me a sign that He is present and working. God is still powerful and already at work at the Congressional Coalition for Adoption Institute (my internship). He has already paved the path and it is set. I plan to take the advice God gave Joshua and be strong and very courageous for the Lord is help rock and my salvation, my fortress in times of trouble (or fright). Although I am anxious, I am excited to see what God will do here in Washington D.C.

Summer Plans

Well, this summer has brought with it new challenges and exciting adventures. Once again, I am reminded that the Lord has me in law school for a different reason than most people, or at least a different plan towards potentially the same result. I took a visit to the Virginia Beach city jail last week and got to meet the chaplains, who apparently go to my church and I didn't realize it. Myself and two friends from the doctoral psychology program took a tour of the womens side of the jail. The inmates told us about the chaplain's Life Empowerment Program and how they became incarcerated. The program is very interesting because these 10 ladies are isolated from the general population of women and go through an intensive bible study course. They do about 3 studies a day, on their own and in groups, and they have only christian movies, music, and books to entertain themselves. The psych girls and I debriefed a few days later and we came up with some interesting questions about the program, how the ladies were progressing, and how we felt about it as christians who want to offer mercy but also want to see real results. It is easy to have a somewhat jaded perspective when inmates say they have changed in prison, especially if you have any personal experience with jail programs or people who are or have been incarcerated. It's a terrible to think this way, but so often people disappoint us. The psychology students are planning to get involved with the program as a part of their class project, and I am considering helping. Interestingly, I'm turning away from an opportunity to be apart of a law school activity, which at first I felt really guilty about. Then, I remembered how much I love working with people, especially the outcasts. I think the Lord may be shifting my heart away from the typical academic approach to law school, what I feel is expected of a "successful law student," to be involved in the trenches elsewhere maybe in the jail, maybe legal aid, or maybe pro bono work for some firm. The Lord has been showing my strengths and weaknesses and still He is opening doors. I may not be a strong academic, but if I can help overworked attorneys during law school by providing free help, especially to those who work with society's outcasts, then I think it will be worth rearranging my priorities.

No longer a 1L

Well, I made it through my first year of law school. I walked out of my last exam and saw a sign that said "congratulations 1Ls." I wasn't sure if I was going to cry or shout for joy. I can't believe it is over already. It seems like it just started, yet so much has happened since then. Coming out of the first year, I'm not exactly sure how it happened but I'm certain it was the Lord. They tell us coming into the first year that it is the most difficult year of law school and that you won't talk to your friends and rarely your family. They told us that it would be the hardest year of our lives and thus far I believe them. I'm sure i've never studied harder, ever! All in all, I know that I have gained so many new friends, a new appreciation for and dependence on Christ, and a whole new way of thinking and analyzing. Now that I've survived a year of law school, I don't think the same way as before. If not for the analytical frame of mind, law terms and theories are triggered in my mind frequently. I'm so thankful for my community and all that I've learned. It goes to show that pain is gain and sometimes you have to push a little harder to really see what you're capable of- usually it is more than you imagine! Now, I get to relax for a bit, have a cup of coffee, and finally enjoy the tv (without the pressure of looming work)!

Tomorrow I head into my hardest exam of the semester, property. After this I will no longer have to look at property law until the bar. I hope! Going into exams this semester has been a good experience. I feel more prepared and completely at peace. There are moments of high stress and the pressure to get 5 different 30-50 page outlines crammed into your head within about 16 days, but the Lord has given me great peace. In fact, Philippians 4 talks about presenting your requests to God and He will give you peace that passes all understanding. This time around, I feel tempted to be guilty for the way I feel. I feel like I should be more worried and anxious. That's the way the enemy wants us to feel. Defeated in a way. Inadequate. Stressed. These things aren't what God has for us. Matthew 6 talks about worry and how it adds nothing to our lives, not one minute. In my experience, especially last semester, the worry only makes it more difficult to focus on the task at hand. The Lord keeps reminding me that He has called me here, and I am confident He won't let me fail. My dad sent me this scripture as an encouragement and it was needed at the time. "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you." John 15:16-17. We ask for peace and He will certaintly give it. Two more exams and then I get to look forward to working in Washington D.C. for the summer and learning about adoption and foster care laws and the incredible experience of working with advocates who really care about the orphans in our country. Only two left!

On to the next thing

Today is actually my last day of classes for 1L year. Praise the Lord! It has been... a learning experience. I was thinking this morning how ready I am to be finished with school and finals and ready for a break. This semester has certaintly been less overwhelming than last and a bit busier but more manageable over all. It's amazing how easily my mind reverts to the next thing on the agenda. If I can finish this task, I can move on to the next and then the next and then the next. The Lord has been teaching me to be full of each moment lately. Be present in that moment, because ultimately I have no idea what the next moment will hold. Moving into the summer, I know that I'll be working with the Congressional Coalition for Adoption Institute but I have no idea what i'll be doing or where I'll be living, and I have no idea how my schedule should look for the fall (although I've already picked classes). When the future is full of uncertainty, I think we have two choices: (1) Worry- because we have no idea what's ahead and that quite frankly is scary, or (2) live fully in the present moment and trust that God will take care of whatever is ahead. Option 1 is our default as humans and option 2 is counter-cultural. I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye. Psalm 32:8. Our responsibility to is to tust the Lord and to be certain of what is hoped for and confident in what is not yet seen (Hebrews 11:1).

Christian leadership....change the world?

Regent's motto is Christian leadership to change the world. Today, I sat in a lunch meeting with a professor who teaches at Uganda Christian Unversity in Uganda (obvious I know). He teaches at their law school! He told a story about how the Lord called him to Uganda after a short term mission trip, and he ended up leaving his practice after 9 years and making partner. He said that shortly after he felt God call him to Uganda, a leader at the law school in Uganda approached him about teaching some courses there. He also told a story about how they started the law school- they walked down the street in some urban part of Uganda and asked various young people if they wanted to be judges- thus, the creation of the law school. It's amazing that young people are being raised up to promote biblical worldviews of the law in a nation like Uganda that is built on a corrupt government. The law school is currently working with the Ugandan people to uphold property rights, citizenship rights, and things like wills and life planning. What an amazing thing God is doing in Africa through the rule of law. The center I currently work for, the Center for Global Justice, Human Rights and the Rule of Law, is partnering with this University and will hopefully have a summer program at this univeristy. I hope to be one of the pioneers to participate in this program, provided we get approval from the American Bar Association. One of the great opportunities I have before next summer, however, is to take a class at Regent that will teach about developing the rule of law in different nations. I will get to do a case study on a country and look at the developing laws of that country. Then, there's potential to study the rule of law in Eastern Africa and Human Rights issues while in Uganda at the University (provided the ABA approves the program). What an amazing thing God is doing through His people! I'm so thankful God has lead me here for such a time as this! While all of this is still in the works it's an exciting prospective to look forward to.

Paradox

This week in school I have been doing oral arguments. I have argued 3 different issues in front of a mock court. I ended up advancing once in the oral competition and was eliminated after the first round. I had a great time arguing before a panel of judges and had really ejoyed the experience! It's intimidating, but quite fun. This week, I also attended a luncheon on adoption. I was astounded and somewhat disturbed to hear that there are 500,000 children ready and waiting to be adopted and there are about 600,000 churches in the United States! If every church in this nation stepped up to adopt 1 child there would be no abandoned children in this nation! Convicting isn't it. I am reminded of James 1:5, in which Christ calls us to take care of the orphans and the widows. I'm challenged to consider if I'm using the resources that God has given me to fulfill this call, and if I will fulfill this call when God provides the resources. This week, we had a lot of prospective students on campus and it was exciting to tell them about how great Regent is. In my property class on friday, my professor asked us to share what the Lord is doin in each of our lives. It was amazing to hear how each of us is growing and not just out of desparation because of the difficulty of school but because God is doing so many things: He is stretching, providing, comforting, loving, and guiding. I think it was good for the prospective students to see what Regent is truely about. For example, in our competition this week, 3 of my friends got together and shared case law and policy arguments and other information to help with our arguments. We all made it to the first round. My friend Thomas made it to the second, and my friend Beau made it to the4th. I stayed after I was eliminated to help my friend prepare his argument. It was so much fun to prepare with them and to know that we all genuinely wanted each other to do well. As busy and difficult as it all was, I think it was an incredibly valuable and challenging experience.

My Appellate Brief has been submitted to the fake court and I am free to sigh a relief! I ended up pulling an all-nighter the night before it was due and encountered a few issues (as always) before I had to turn it in. I turned it in monday and unfortunately didn't get much sleep the rest of the week. I'm so glad its over! This was the last major writing assignment before finals. Friday, I got to present my oral argument in front of mock judges, and I think it went pretty well. Because it's an appellate court the judges get to interrupt your presentation of your case to ask you questions about the law and why it applies. It's pretty nerve-racking because you have to know the law very well in order to apply it to the facts. Plus, the judges can ask easy or hard questions and interrupt as much as they want. I actually really enjoyed the oral arguments better than writing the brief. This week, I have to present my oral arguments twice in front of mock judges from school, which will be professors and upper level students. If I make it to the final round of the competition I will present in front of attorneys and judges from around the area. It should be exciting! As crazy and emotionally drained as I have been this week, I have been able to really depend on the Lord so much and experience His faithfulness. God has been so gracious and has not abandoned me in this process; rather, His grace has been my strength! I have also gotten to gain some really great relationships with the girls in my youth group this week, which is really exciting! They are great girls and it has been really fun getting to know them better.

"I pray for a clear eye to see through the fog of popular opinion, and a will strong enough to withstand the currents--a will surrendered, laid alongside Christ's. He is my model. This means a different set of ambitions, a different definition of happiness, a different standard of judgment altogether. Behavior will change, and very likely it will change enough to make me appear rather odd--but then my Master was thought very odd."

I sent these words by Elizabeth Elliot to a friend at Moody Bible Institute a couple of months ago. I was refreshed to receive a letter from her with the same quote written on it. I desparately needed to hear these words. School has been particularly rough the past couple of days. I have an Appellate Brief due monday that has been absorbing all of my energy. I'm now at the point of exhaustion and want to quit and move to the jungle...if only. These words have been particularly uplifting to me because the Lord keeps reminding me that sometimes He calls us to do things we don't want to do, really hard things. Taking up our cross and following Him means seeing life differently; it means having a different set of ambitions, a different meaning of happiness, and being surrendered to Him- obedient in every task. While I may not want to take on these hard tasks, they are necessary because my behavior needs to change. If I want to be an advocate for the poor and abandoned, I need to be able to write a brief to the court. It's comforting to be reminded that pain only lasts for the night and joy comes with the morning.

Lesson: New ambitions. Different understanding of happiness. The Lord delights in obedience. It's hard!