I was looking over my last couple posts, and I sound like an idiot who thinks he knows everything so instead of talking about something important I decided that I would just update you all on my life. I don't know everything, and I don't want it to sound like I don't accept advice or that all my life opinions are set in stone.

I had my birthday a couple weeks ago. Turned 19, I think it is a pretty useless age but it's going to be a great year regardless. I just finished the fall semester of my sophomore year at BYU, so that's great. I'm really not feelin' the whole school thing right now considering BYU doesn't have the major I want (fire science). It's something I need to pray about. Hopefully this semester will go better because I'll be getting into some of my major (fitness and wellness) classes. Plus, season is starting and I'm super stoked. My tennis has been improving and my hard work is starting to show up a little bit. Unfortunately, with this winter break and getting my wisdom teeth taken out (please, hold the lame jokes.. I've heard them all) I am going to have to hit the practice courts hard in the next couple weeks.

I recently discovered snowboarding, and I think it's the coolest thing I've ever done. My buddy hooked me up with some cheap equipment (80$ for everything!) and I have gone every chance I've gotten. I think I'm going to have to start selling my body to pay for lift tickets (hint hint - season pass for Christmas next year mom!). Speaking of Christmas, I think our family had the best Christmas ever and it's not just me saying that. All the kids loved it, ask them, and my mom hit the jackpot with gifts so she better have. I didn't even get to enjoy Christmas dinner but I still had a great time and a ton of noodle cups. Only thing missing was snow. If there was snow I might have been boarding though, so I'm happy. It's kinda funny, Christmas really came up quick for me. Same with my birthday. And now they are both over. When I was younger it took forever for my birthday to come, let alone Christmas. The anticipation killed me every year. Now it's a lot more fun. Getting gifts for everyone is great too, I like getting something personal for everyone (gift cards suck!).

I've been really blessed this year to be living with a family from my church out here. They opened up a room in their basement for my best friend and I, and we have been mooching ever since! The family also has a son who is in his first year of college. Needless to say, we have had several late nights playing halo and watching movies. That's just one of the ways the church has blessed me, but I can't even explain all the other ways. The fellowship has been amazing. I'm dating a wonderful girl who has really encouraged me to live for Christ, and the leadership has provided accountability and advice that has really helped out. It's exciting to be learning so much, but I only wish I knew more to tell everyone around here. Utah valley needs prayer! I need to pray more. The church is building a new building that should be finished in a couple years, so I'm excited to see all that God is doing here and hopefully I can be used on a 98% mormon campus.

I took a Book of Mormon class this last semester and it taught me a lot about mormonism (they believe Jesus and Paul were married). I talked to the teacher a lot, so I think everyone in the class got to know me. It's hard to be an example here when righteousness and good deeds come right before eating, sleeping, and surviving on everyone's priority list. God taught me something this year. It's all about a relationship with him. So many people believe they are "good" people overall, and God couldn't send a nice person to hell, but I disagree. I serve an awesome God and he doesn't have to justify himself to his creation. Anyways, witnessing is something I always need prayer for. I read a quote on the cupboard at my house that said, "You should live your life in such a way that people who don't know Christ but know you should come to know Christ because they know you." I want to be living like that all the time, not just when I feel like it or when it's easy. I need to show Christ's love because he's given me a lot more. Thankfully, I want to.

Not much else is new. I'm not a very exciting person, but I did get a new camera so if you look on facebook you might get a visual into what my life is like. I kiss my girlfriend a lot! haha jk I hope when you guys read this you laugh because I throw in a lot of jokes and if you take me too seriously you might think I'm going to hell. I'm not. Why so serious?

Praying for all of you, and wishing for a wonderful 2009.

-Evan Van Ness Urbina

I've been learning a lot lately about God. I'm in a Bible study group on Tuesday mornings, and we're going through Romans which is a book that basically says God can do whatever he wants. I like that. I want God to be all-powerful, awesome, and scary. I think if he isn't, then he's not really worth worshipping. My God isn't a puppet.

Everyday I'm surrounded by people who have conjured up a god who isn't almighty, and they don't allow for him to be unpredictable. Even in my own life I expect certain things from God and if I don't get them I get upset and moody. For example, I've been working hard in tennis and things haven't always gone my way lately. That pisses me off. I know that isn't the greatest example, but God's in control of my tennis and he doesn't have to let me win matches even if I'm doing everything right.

I just have been reading about Job a lot, and Job did everything right. God took everything away, and didn't give him a reason. Even after Job's entire family was taken away Job still praised the Lord saying, "The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away." And STILL the Lord tested him. After it all, when God restored everything to Job he never gave an explanation. He really said to Job I was here before everything, I AM. That's amazing.

I think it's really important to know that God really is that powerful. If you don't allow for a God that can do anything he wants then when the hard times come you won't have anyone to turn to because God isn't really active and in control of our lives. It's so cool that God is active in our lives and in control of every single little thing, and that we can go straight to him for repentance. It's awesome! And then there are things that I don't really understand fully like the Trinity and election. Sometimes these just don't feel right because I can't really fathom how awesome and almighty God really is. But I've learned that it's not about feelings, and some of these things that just didn't feel right I've started to understand better, and God's given me more knowledge about those things. I'm so thankful that I don't need someone to tell me more about God, but that he tells me everyday through his creation or certain situations that I'm in.

So, knowing that God is all-powerful is a big relief for me, and it also inspires me. I make mistakes everyday, but that just shows even more his greatness in saving me. I know that since he is powerful enough to save me, he can also give me the strength to live with integrity.

I'm glad I play tennis because I think I would be a pretty useless person if I didn't. I've learned a lot of valuable lessons being a tennis player. Here are three moments that I think have taught me the most about life, that have shaped me into who I am today.

When I was younger my coach was the coolest person in the world. He taught me a lot about tennis, and made the sport "cool" to me. I always hated tennis as a kid. I would've quit if my dad let me. I was a spoiled kid, and I didn't want to practice. I remember going to one practice having a bad attitude throwing my racket around, screaming and yelling, throwing the biggest, gnarliest temper tantrum you'll ever see (John McEnroe would've been proud). My coach stopped me and made me run. Since I was such a spoiled kid I just walked around the court for a couple laps because my pride was screaming, "I'm going to do what I want to do and I'm going to get what I want." Eventually my coach said he wouldn't coach me if I didn't start running. Since I really liked the guy I eventually started running. Some people can run forever, but I think running is the most boring thing in the world, so my mind wandered and I got to thinking about how spoiled I was. It changed me for sure. After that, I always made a conscience attempt to not get what I don't need. It's really shaped how I live today. I'm not the type of person that needs a lot to survive. I don't care about the nicest car, house, or shiny new toy. I'm really thankful for that "horrible" night at practice.

When I was around thirteen, I played a designated in Florida. A designated is a pretty big tournament, and the USTA had one once a month for the entire state. I was playing in the 14's, and I was in the quarterfinals which was the farthest I had ever been in a designated at the time. I was playing a kid I knew I could beat, but for some reason I was playing so terribly and I lost the first time. I threw another one of my famous temper tantrums and a referee came over from four courts away to give me a point penalty. I was absolutely livid, but I wanted to win so badly and I show emotion when I play (Sorry, I'm not Sampras). Somehow I stuck it out and went to a tiebreaker in the second set. I started playing better and I thought that I was going to come back and win. I started getting really pumped. By this time I had invested a lot of everything into this match. My opponent got to match point, but I wasn't nervous. Sometimes as an athlete you just know you can do it. I knew I was going to win this match. This kid could've been god and I still would've thought I was going to win. We played a long point and the kid dropped a ball short, I was ready to kill it, but it landed just out. I called it out, and the referee (who was standing right there) overruled me. I know this ball was out. I would bet your eternal salvation on it. I couldn't believe it! I started crying harder than I think I ever have. That night I was supposed to spend at my friend's house, but my parents didn't let me because I "had a bad attitude." After that match I was embarrassed, angry, sad, and a bunch of other emotions. It got me thinking about how much I cared about that one match. Tennis was the most important thing to me at that time in my life. Tennis! Think about that. Tennis was more important to me than my family or God. I think if you are honest with yourself you have always had those times where you put one thing above everything else too. It was kind of a reality check. While I'm still upset that I lost that match because my referee was a complete stupid, idiotic, retarded, nincompoop I'm glad I was able to take something away from that match. Even now, it's still a struggle to make sure my priorities are straight, but because of that match I do a much better job than I would if I hadn't been through that. Today, I can lose a match and smile (because I tried my best). I can get a 40 on my American Heritage final and rejoice (because the class is finally over), and I can be ok with my headphones breaking (because I don't need to listen to music all the time).

Recently, I played a tournament here in Utah. It's the preseason so it didn't count for much, but I decided that I don't want my college career to go by without me kicking serious butt all the time. I played a kid in the finals who beat me 6-2, 6-0 in conference matches last year. Down 5-1 in the first set, all I could think to myself was, "Is this really happening again?" I'm not sure if you gathered this already, but I absolutely hate losing. I did everything I could to stay in this match. I came back and won the first set 7-6. I let up a little in the second set and lost that 6-3. I was upset with myself for getting away from what I was doing that won me the first set and trying to end the point too quickly. Thankfully, I picked it up and won the third set 6-4 to take the tournament. I took my revenge (yay), but I also took a lot more from that match. A year ago I would've lost it. You can't say enough about never giving up. It's easy to take pity on yourself and find excuses to lose or to not do what you are supposed to. I'm pretty sure God won't accept excuses. He's going to ask us, "Why didn't you sell everything you had and follow me?" Knowing me, I could probably find a million reasons to justify why I couldn't just let go of that sin, why I needed it. It's easy to give up. It's easy to be comfortable. It's not easy to do what God tells us to. It's not easy to "sell all your possessions" and live for Him. So lately I've been learning that yes, I am ok with not being comfortable. I'm not going to give up. Ever. Romans 8:37 - We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. I can do whatever God wants me to, no matter how hard it seems.

I love tennis. You probably can't relate, but that's ok with me.