ACE #445: Are You Ready to 'Level Up'?

Philippians 3:13-14 New King James Version (NKJV)

¹³ Brethren, I do not count myself to have ^[a]apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, ¹⁴ I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

This past weekend, Robert and Charliese Lewis Ministries Inc. hosted our first women’s conference with the theme, “Level Up: Reaching for the Higher Calling.” Saying it was awesome is an understatement. God truly got the glory!

We focused our workshops in three areas:

·        Mental Health and Wellness

·        Spiritual Growth and Development

·        Personal Growth and Purpose

Our primary goals were to shed light on personal, cultural, and spiritual topics that are relevant for individual growth and to our local communities. Further, we wanted to encourage the attendees to make new connections and embark upon new relationships – personally, professionally, and spiritually. I believe the goals were accomplished…and then some.

As I reflect, what I realize most is that God prepares us for our next level through the good, the bad, and the ugly. We might think that life has dealt us a bad hand when, in fact, God is helping us to hone our skills and our gifts, and also strengthening our prayer lives and our faith to elevate us to the next level – a higher, more challenging, more rewarding position. It’s been said on many occasions that the crushing brings the oil. The crushing position keeps us humble, but truly allows that anointing to flow much more freely. While there is often pain in the crushing, there is great value.

Don’t say that you want to “level up” if you’re not ready to endure the crushing; it’s part of the process. Are you ready to ‘level up’?

“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed” 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 (NIV).