Hi Nintendo,

I'm so sorry, I just now saw your post.  I am sorry that it must seem that no-one in here heard the cry of your heart, or cared enough to respond to you.

But I just want to tell you, you are precious in the Father's eyes.  There is nothing you can do to make Him disgusted with you.  I once heard a story (true story) about a man who was a bona fide sinner: a biker in a gang, running drugs, with all the crime and junk that goes along with gangs.  To make a long story short, one day this guy unlocked the door to his apartment, and looked in the room.  He saw, as real as real could be, a vision of Jesus on the cross, looking at him, saying, "I love you Mac".  Mac (that was the guy's name) just collapsed: he said, "No, you couldn't possibly love me, not the way I live, the things I do.  But over and over, Jesus said, "I love you, Mac". 

Well, it undid him, the fact that Jesus loved him in all his crime and rotten lifestyle.  Because he couldn't forget the look in Jesus's eyes, he began to believe that he was loved.  And bit by bit, it changed him.  Bit by bit, because of love, he changed. 

Nintendo, you too are loved.  That is something that we, the church, have not been able to adequately convey to our kids: how much God loves them.  Lots of us were raised thinking that God only loves us when we are good.  Well, if that's true, then not a one of us, old or young, has a chance.  But it's not true!

Here's what I would encourage you to do. 

Forget about you, yourself, your stuff. Concentrate on Jesus, who was made righteousness,  for us.  If you haven't done this yet, say, "Jesus, I give my life toYou, completely.  Fill me with Your Spirit.  Work in me to will and do according to Your Good pleasure."  (That text is found in Phillipians 1:13). When I finally got ahold of that, it changed my life: that God "works in us to will, and to work, for His good pleasure".

So, you see, Nintendo, it's His work.  Your character development, that is.  Your work is to stay connected to the Vine, which is Jesus.  Read His Word, ask Him to fill you with His Spirit, and make His Word come alive for you. Fall in love with Jesus.  He will meet you where you are!

You know, last week I heard again, what it was like for Jesus, when He walked the road to the cross.  A doctor was giving his analysis of all the medical and physical realities of the beatings and the crucifixtion.

I came away from that meeting, saying, Jesus, you're my Hero. 

Your friend,

Mae