THE STATE OF THE HAM: SUMMER 2024

Blog God Moments Posted July 22, 2024


This ain't no disco club or country club.
This is L.A.


The game I made was probably the best that I could do – at least with the few friends and limited resources I had available. Most of the feedback ended up being positive, but I’ll be surprised if the game ever leads to any Kingdom growth. It’s become very clear that in order for that to happen, I would need to work with like-minded followers of Christ.

But finding a community that loves shining an entertaining light on the Gospel has been difficult. In many instances, I've been met with indifference at best and being called "childish" and "a stumbling block" at worst. So I was a bit nervous when something called a ‘Christian Game Developers Conference’ came up in my web search. Was this even a real thing? Was it worth going to? Would this actually make me play nice with other Christians? And do I even have the slightest chance to find any success in the gaming development industry? As it turns out, the answer is a resounding YES.


Azusa Pacific University.


The conference was held near Los Angeles, California. While I certainly have opinions and concerns about this particular city and State, it all seemed to vanish once I stepped foot onto the Azusa Pacific University campus. I just felt loved and taken care of all throughout my visit. At one point I was lost and a little dehydrated ( carrying a massive amount of electronics in near-hundred degree heat for several hours will cause that ), and one of the faculty members gave me a ride and plenty of water. At another point, I was having a panic attack and some of the security personnel counseled and prayed for me on the spot. When I discovered that I forgot my passport and had effectively ruined any chance I had on visiting Tijuana, the university gave me another night to stay for free. And after the conference, a group of people brought me along to explore the city and beaches ( even my lunch and ride back to the airport was taken of ).

But it wasn't all take and no give; I made sure to offer my services and be supportive wherever and whenever I could. The conference itself was very informative and I got to meet, talk, exchange ideas, and – of course – play board games and video games with all kinds of people. I was also able to show off my game at the expo and had a surprising amount of people not only play it but beat it to completion – achievements and all. I honestly felt like a kid again, and I was so full of energy that I didn’t even need any caffeine at any given point. I genuinely felt like myself all throughout this trip and I firmly believe I finally found my tribe. I ended up flying out of California feeling much more inspired in my work, and many of my friends and coworkers since then have noticed.



My gaming booth!


So what is the takeaway from all this? There really are genuine Christ followers and groups out there. Somewhere out there are people who really want to meet others where they are and to address their needs. Somewhere out there are people who are determined to pour every ounce of love they could possibly give. And somewhere out there are people who are determined to utilize anything ( in the case, the many creative and interactive platforms that exist ) to make the concept of Jesus and our need for salvation make sense. These are the people you want to be with and work with. These are the people you want to hold on to. These are the people who will change the world.


So much love...


So if your spiritual life feels stagnant, ask the Lord for wisdom ( He gives that no strings attached ) and for someone or something to come along. Maybe your answer lies within a web search. Or maybe you will meet your answer during a dreadful layover or work shift. It may take some time. It may even take a long time. But whatever you do, keep holding on to whatever faith you have left. Because faith is more than just hope and wishful thinking. It's more than a shot at a dream...

It is complete assurance.


This is life!


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