Pitfalls of Life - Submitted by Tammie Mailloux

Pitfalls of life
Primary theme Tough Times
Scripture Romans 8:28

Game: Pits
Despite its complicated nature, this has proven to be a worthy game as discussion starter.  There will be 42 sheets of 81/2 x 11 cardstock. To begin 40% of the cards will be pits and 60% will be safe spots. The shuffle cards will be placed down on the floor in a rectangle pattern of 7 columns and 6 rows. Markers will be at least two feet apart and arrange in an orderly pattern so legal moves will be obvious. One maker of the field will be the starting and the other end will be the exit maker.

To begin the game the player starts at the starter marker and begin by turning the marker over. If it's a safe spot, then the player may stand on it and proceed to the next one.  But if the marker is a pit, the person must sit down immediately because they are now stuck in a pit. Only the players standing on safe spots may continue playing by each flipping over adjacent marker. Diagonal moves are NOT allowed. Touching a marker in any way is a commitment to move to that space. NO exceptions!

Players are not doomed to remain in the pits for the rest of the game- there are two ways they can return to the game and another way they can help their teammates avoid the their same fate:

1. Rescue: Two players may join together in one adjacent safe sot and pull a player out of the pit, but three must now link arms and stay together for the duration of the game. Where one goes the other two must go unless they fall into another pit. Any threesome that falls into a pit is no longer obligated to remain together.
2. Escape: Two players in a pit may discharge a third player by pushing them out of the pit, they must agree on who will leave.  Then that player may move to adjacent space that has been revealed as a safe spot or an unrevealed space marker. And if the unknown marker is a safe spot, the discharged player may continue playing alone. However, the space is a pit, that player is stuck alone in the adjacent pit.
3. Bridge: Two players in a pit can agree to serve as bridge for other players to cross an adjacent safe spot. The bridge option simply saves time when it's decided that going through the pit is the best route for the group. Once you are a bridge you will remain in the pit for the rest of the duration of the game.
Once players reach the exit spot and leave the field of play, they may not return. When all players either exited safely or remain stuck in the pits the game is over.
Questions

? What was some the difficulties in this game?
? How is this game may resemble life?
? What kinds of pitfalls are normal for teens?
? Do you sometimes feel like you are stuck in a pit?  Tell us about it!
? What sort of things do you do over and over again?  Do these things feel pointless?
? How do you usually respond when tough problems come your way?
? How do most people view pain and trials?
? Is it easy being a Christian?  What is easy and what is hard?

Have a volunteer to read Roman 5:3-8
? Is it humanly possible to consider trials all joy? Even the really bad stuff? Why or why not?
? What would happen if you began to view trials as opportunities to grow and become more like Jesus?

Have a couple of volunteers to read Roman 8:28 and Roman 8:38-39
? How might these scriptures give us hope?
? What pitfall have you gone through in the past year?
? What pitfall are you going through in your life right now?
? What can you do this week to help you remember God's desire to be involved in your life during a pitfall?


Close in Prayer