So in case you haven't heard, my new webseries Super Apartment Bros that I am doing with Eric Stover (my cousin, for the few non-family people that read this blog), has officially launched over on youtube.

You can watch the introductory episode, "Episode 0" as we're calling it, at the link provided. And you can subscribe to the youtube channel if you want to keep up to date on new episodes. We will be releasing a new episode every Monday starting July 16th. Enjoy!

Just a Thought

I was out with some friends at a bar tonight, when I had a revelation of sorts.

It was a friend of a friend's birthday and I was invited along to hang out. I have been making a conscious and concerted effort to get out and meet new people at every opportunity that comes my way (networking and such). So I went. It wasn't until I got there, however, that I learned the next stop on the night's agenda: a nearby strip club.

When I discovered this, I was asked if I was planning on going. I, of course, said that no, that didn't interest me. But it was when I was asked "Why?" that I had my revelation.

To set up the scenario a little more thoroughly, I have been listening to podcasts of sermons my pastor did a few years ago on sexuality. It's really put on my heart how this whole battle for purity is typically gone about completely wrong. We try to fight off symptoms without ever treating the disease in our hearts. We're fighting a fire without turning off the fuel valve feeding the fire first. The truth is, if we're seeking after Christ for our satisfaction and validation in life, the rest comes a lot easier.

Faith is the name of the game. Either we trust God or we don't. Trust him to provide for us. To meet our needs or even desires, in his time. Trust that he knows what's best for me, even if (and especially when) I think I know better. Trust that God's ideal is just that; the ideal. He isn't trying to be a buzz kill or keep you from enjoying your life. His way will provide the most reward in your life; both this one and the next.

Now that isn't always easy either, so don't get me wrong. But we need to be focusing this fight on the source and not on the front lines. To put it into a nerdy perspective: You can't blow up a Death Star if you're stuck fighting TIE Fighters the whole time. At some point you have to take the fight to the source of the problem and blow up that main reactor. God is remaking all of us, in time. Stay the course because once you've given your life to him, he's not going to let you go. Honeybadger takes what it wants...

So back to the bar, and the hanging question we left there. The correct answer isn't "Because I'm a Christian" or "I'm not supposed to" or anything like that. The true answer is "Because I don't want to", because when you're seeking after Christ, and his best for you, you really won't want to. This is something that we need to start taking ownership of as Christian men and women. God is not some dad that grounded us or some cop waiting to bust us when we stray. He's wants for our hearts to want the things his heart wants. And when that happens, we don't want to do such things.

So don't pass the blame and don't shift the responsibility. Be accountable for your decisions (which they are), because how you respond to this and questions like it can actually shape how others perceive God. It's not because he said not to, it's because we don't want to. I don't want to go. I don't want to do it. It's not God's ideal for the beautiful gift of sexuality that he gave us. It's a perversion of what is right and I don't want to participate in it. It's not about what you should or shouldn't do, it's about what your heart wants: your own selfish desires or God.