Read a compelling article in BYU Magazine (Winter 2005) by Val D. Hawks that really gets the gist of how I view my standards: Looking Toward the Mark. Rather than finding excuses to allow more lenient behavior (a moral anesthetic if you will), we must stand firm in the path that Christ has set. As Dr. Hawks says, “When those of the world say they are ‘pushing the limits’ or ‘living on the edge,’ they are focused on relaxing or removing the limits of acceptable behavior. If we are using those limits as our guide, we will go down with them. We must not only not follow but remain immovable in taking the Holy Spirit as our guide and in a life patterned after Christ, who is our mark.”

I also really liked the Beggars article and the Reading for Truth article.