LEVEL UP!

"No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it."

                                                      -1 Corinthians 10:13  NIV

One night in July I was laying in bed thinking about some awesome insights God had given me the day before when suddenly the phrase, "level up" came to mind out of no where. I had learned this phrase in some of the videos games I play with the girls. As you play you go through all types of challenges and battles and when you go through and complete certain tasks ( in the beginning, as a novice, this usually happens after hours of dying and trial and error trying to figure things out) you 'level up" with new and stronger powers.

I am certain as Christians we "level up" as well.  We level up when we are battling a vicious cycle of addictive habits until they become virtuous cycles, or through prayer and meditation on His word and, naturally, by reading and studying the Bible. One thing I do know... we won't get to experience this sweet sensation if we give up and turn off the game and walk away.

REMEMBER:

 

"But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one."  

 -2 Thessalonians 3:3

MOM STORY

I will never forget the time my oldest daughter, Cigi, and I were playing a video game one night when she was probably only eight or nine years old. I was propped up in bed on my pillow watching as she frantically played- fingers and thumbs clicking away ninety to nothing on the controllers. She was sitting on the end of the bed on the edge looking up at the screen as she played. When I could see she was getting overwhelmed being completely surrounded by the enemy I would yell, "Relentless, Cigi! You must be relentless!"

Encouraged to work even harder she put her whole body and soul into it. Her little body was shaking the bed as she leaned left then right to dodge her opponents attack. This one time, however she lean hard to the right... the side of the bed she was on.

I watched in horror as things kicked into slow motion and she begin to tilt off the bed onto the carpet below. I was never prouder of that child...why?

On the way down towards the ground I could still here the clickity-clicks of the controller as she was on her way down! Now that's "relentless!"