Scripture

“If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities.” - Luke 16:10 (NLT)

Message

The word “faithful” means to be true to one’s word and promises. Faithfulness is a character quality of God’s that we, as His children, can reflect. God has been, and will be, fully faithful to His promises that we read about in the Bible.

Because He is faithful, we too are called to be faithful. When we tell someone we are going to do something, we follow through. When we are gifted with a specific ability, we can be faithful to exercise that gift for God’s glory. As we continue in faithfulness, God’s character will be on display through us to the world around us! Something as simple as doing what our parents ask us to do shines God’s light in the darkness!

Conversation Starters

• Who do you know that is faithful?
• How are you a faithful person?
• How has God been faithful to you?

Mystery Code

FAITHFUL

Input the Mystery Code in your profile in Lightglider Academy to receive a surprise in the game!

Additional Activities

• Review the Spark - Faithful
• Reflect upon the Prayer - Prayer for Guidance

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We are getting in the Christmas spirit here at the Academy! Be sure to check out all of the features in the game this month to get you in the Christmas spirit, including holiday decorations for your Treehouse, and stop by Glider Gear to grab a snowman head, new outfits, or some fun and festive stickers! Help us spread joy and wonder all month long!

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Scripture

“So it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.” - Romans 12:5 (NLT)

Message

When we place our faith in Jesus as our Savior we become a part of His church - a community of people who follow Jesus together. As a part of this faith community, we all offer something unique. God has made each one of us with specific gifts, talents, and passions in order to display His light throughout the world. No person is better or worse than another as God has made us all in His image.

When we come together as a church, we can put God’s glory and light on display in a great and powerful way for all the world to see! As a community, we are to encourage each other to be who God made us to be to shine!

Conversation Starters

• What are you gifted in?
• Who are three close friends of yours and how are they different from you?
• What does it mean to be in a community of faith?

Mystery Code

COMMUNITY

Input the Mystery Code in your profile in Lightglider Academy to receive a surprise in the game!

Additional Activities

• Review the Spark - Community
• Reflect upon the Prayer - Prayer for Parents

Scripture

‍“Be still, and know that I am God!” - Psalm 46:10a (NLT)

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‍Message

Our world operates at a fast pace. We wake up, eat breakfast, go to school, come home, do homework, eat dinner, go to bed, and repeat it all the next day. If we’re not careful, our schedules can quickly control our entire lives.

In this verse in Psalm 46, God is commanding that we be still before Him. Why? Because being still and slowing down allows a couple of things to happen: 1) we have the opportunity to reflect and remember all that God has done for us, and 2) we are reminded that we are not in control, that none of our working or our hustle gives us anything. All we have has been freely given by God. Being still shows us that God is God and we are not, and reminds us that He is good and in control.

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Conversation Starters

•What does rest look like to you?
•How do you reflect upon God and what He is doing in your life?
•What will you do to be still before God this week?

Mystery Code

REFLECT

Input the Mystery Code in your profile in Lightglider Academy to receive a surprise in the game!

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Additional Activities

•Review the Spark - Time to Rest
•Reflect upon the Prayer - Prayer for Peace

Guy Valiant Avenger is back on top of the leaderboard this week!

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Who can take him on next week to claim the top spot?!

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Scripture

“Never stop praying.” - 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NLT)

Message

Prayer simply means talking with God. The goal of prayer is always the same - intimacy with the One who made us! God loves when we talk with Him about our lives, thank Him for the good things He has given us, and ask Him to help us when we need Him. Prayer doesn’t have to be long and full of big words for it to matter. Prayer is offering up to God what you want to say to Him. As our theme verse says, we can constantly be praying. We can constantly turn our minds and hearts toward God. We can constantly connect with the One who loves us so much. This is prayer!

Conversation Starters
•What does your prayer life look like?
•What are three things you can thank God for in prayer?
•Who is someone you can pray with?

Mystery Code

PRAYER

Input the Mystery Code in your profile in Lightglider Academy to receive a surprise in the game!

Additional Activities
•Review the Spark - Ways to Pray
•Reflect upon the Prayer - Prayer for School

Guy Valiant Avenger blew the competition away in Forest Defense this week!

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Nice work!! What a...Guy!

Scripture

“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.” - 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NLT)

Message

The Bible. It’s a big book that has a lot of meaning. Some see it as an intimidating book that is hard to read and understand. However, the Bible reveals the true story of God’s love for us. God has made Himself known through the pages of the Bible and we have the amazing opportunity to get to know Him every time we read it! Not a word is wasted in the pages of the Bible. All of it points to our good, loving God who created, redeems, and restores His people. While some of the stories can be hard to understand, as we continue to grow in our knowledge of God, ourselves, and the world around us, the Bible begins to become more clear. We can pray and ask God for wisdom and understanding when we open up our Bibles. We can ask those that are older and wiser to read the Bible with us and help us understand! Engaging with the Bible isn’t a one time thing. We can read it for a lifetime and gain more knowledge, understanding, and wisdom with each new time we open it up!

Conversation Starters

• Do you read the Bible? Why or why not?
• Why is the Bible so important?
• How can you grow in reading your Bible?

Mystery Code

BIBLE

Input the Mystery Code in your profile in Lightglider Academy to receive a surprise in the game!

Additional Activities

•Review the Spark - Reading the Bible
•Reflect upon the Prayer - Prayer for Purity

Corrigan Hickory Sage topped the leaderboard this week!

Nice work, Corrigan!

Scripture

“You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.” - 1 Peter 1:8-9 (NLT)

Message

Faith is a word you will hear quite a bit among Christians. The word literally means trust and belief. We all practice faith on a daily basis. If you sit down in a chair, you trust and believe in that chair, that it will hold you up when you sit down! Faith in Jesus is similar. It means that our trust and belief is in Him and in what He did for us on the cross. We can live with confidence and joy because our faith is in the One who has never let us down. And, according to our theme verse this week, the reward for our faith in Jesus is salvation. Jesus saves us from our sin and gives us eternal life.

Conversation Starters
•What do you have faith in?
•What are ways to exercise your faith?
•How can faith in Jesus give you confidence?

Mystery Code

FAITH

Input the Mystery Code in your profile in Lightglider Academy to receive a surprise in the game!

Additional Activities

•Review the Spark - What does it mean to have faith?
•Reflect upon the Prayer - Encourage My Faith

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Scripture
‍“For when we place our faith in Christ Jesus...What is important is faith expressing itself in love.” - Galatians 5:6 (NLT)

Message
‍Choosing to love others through our words and actions can also be known as compassion. As we understand God’s compassion towards us, we will want to show compassion to others.  Being compassionate means that we are kind and tenderhearted toward other people. We try to place ourselves in their shoes and treat them with love, dignity, and respect. We treat them how we would want to be treated.

Showing compassion to others can happen in many different ways. We can hold the door open for our mom or dad, invite a new friend to eat lunch with us at school, or write a kind note to our siblings. Small acts of compassion make a big difference.  

Can you imagine if everyone showed a little bit of compassion every day? It would change the world!

Conversation Starters
•When has someone been compassionate toward you?
•What are ways to show compassion to others?
•How can being compassionate show the love of Jesus?

Mystery Code

COMPASSION
Input the Mystery Code in your profile in Lightglider Academy to receive a surprise in the game!

Additional Activities
•Review the Spark - Compassionate
•Reflect upon the Prayer - Prayer for My Neighborhood

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Justice Tenacious Strider made it to the top of the leaderboard this week!

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Who will rule next week's Color Craze?!

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Don't miss the game of the week for your chance to be on top!

Scripture

‍“So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.” - John 13:34 (NLT)

Message

‍Last week, we looked at the cross and how Jesus’ death and resurrection gives us new life. Jesus’ willingness to die on the cross in our place is the greatest act of love this world has ever known. He willingly gave up His life so that we might live.

This love was not a feeling. It was a choice. Jesus made the decision to love us, and He followed through. So often we think of love just as a feeling. If love is just a feeling, our motivation to care for others can quickly go away. When love is a choice we make, one that is motivated by God’s love for us shown on the cross, we can follow through on choosing to love others, no matter how we may feel toward them.

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‍Conversation Starters

•What does love mean to you?
•Why do you love others?
•How is love more of a choice than a feeling?

Mystery Code

LOVE
‍Input the Mystery Code in your profile in Lightglider Academy to receive a surprise in the game!

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Additional Activities

• Review the Spark - The Value of Love
• Reflect upon the Prayer - Strength to Love

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Scripture

‍“I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said.” - 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 (NLT)

Message

‍All that we have talked about in The Far Greater Story--Creation, Rebellion, Redemption, and Restoration--is based upon one historical event: the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Think about that. Something happened in human history that confirms that the story is true!
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Please watch all The Far Greater Story sparks this week.

•Creation tells us how this world became a reality. God created.
•Rebellion explains why there is suffering, brokenness, and strife all around us. We are each sinners, and our sin requires judgment.
•Redemption shares how Jesus paid the penalty for our sin at the cross and bought back our lives.
•Restoration gives us insight into why our future is bright. Jesus will restore all that is broken and God will live with His people forever.
•The Cross reminds us that this is not a fairy tale. This is a true story based upon a historical event, the death and resurrection of Jesus.

Christianity rests upon this event. If Jesus did not die on a cross and come back to life, then our faith in Him is ultimately useless.

But the truth is that He did die. He was buried in a tomb and He rose again, defeating death and conquering sin on our behalf. This is what we call the Gospel. Gospel simply means “good news,” and the good news that we have in Jesus is that through His death, burial, and resurrection we can be forgiven and live with God forever.

Conversation Starters

•Why is the cross important?
•What does the word “gospel” mean?
•How can Jesus’ death be good news for us?

Mystery Code

‍CROSS
‍Input the Mystery Code in your profile in Lightglider Academy to receive a surprise in the game!

Additional Activities

• Review the Spark - The Cross
• Reflect upon the Prayer - From East to West

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The leaderboard has been lighting up from this week's Game of the Week - Glider Training!

Congrats to all the Lightgliders listed below!

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Scripture

“The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart.” - Psalm 28:7 (NLT)

Message
‍We have recently been looking at the final chapter of The Far Greater Story known as Restoration. We have learned that Jesus will come back one day and restore all that is broken. Because of this, we can live with hope. Hope is a feeling of trust that the future is bright. And, because of this hope for tomorrow, we can be thankful today.

Being thankful is a practice we can put into place in our daily lives. Yes, that’s right. We can practice thankfulness. I’ll show you how.  Just think of three things you are thankful for.  

Ok, now do this again tomorrow. And the next day. And the next.  

You get the idea! Thank God for these things. Everything good comes from Him.

And, if you can’t think of anything to be thankful for (which I find hard to believe), look back to the cross. And look ahead to the future restoration. Because Jesus paid for our sins at the cross and promises to make things right one day, there is always reason to be thankful.  When we trust in the LORD, we are thankful for Him.  

So, what are you thankful for? Allow me to tell you what I’m thankful for. Maybe that will help.  I am thankful to God for waking me up this morning, giving me a place to live, providing people in my life who care about me, and showing me the beauty of creation - blue skies, green grass, and a warm sun. And, I’m also thankful for my guitar and for soccer!

God is good and He provides good things to His people.

~Santiago

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‍Conversation Starters
•What are you thankful for?
•Why can you live with joy and thankfulness?
•How can you spread joy to others through thankfulness?

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‍Mystery Code
‍THANKFUL
‍Input the Mystery Code in your profile in Lightglider Academy to receive a surprise in the game!

‍Additional Activities

• Review the Spark - Thankful for Others
• Reflect upon the Prayer - Thank You For My Friends

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Congrats to Flip Balanced Noodle, this week's Game of the Week Winner! Yay, Flip!

Scripture
"Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal comfort and a wonderful hope, comfort you and strengthen you in every good thing you do and say." - 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 (NLT)

Message
‍Hope is the belief that the future is bright. It is a core value of the Lightgliders. Because of God’s promises of life everlasting and a future restoration, we always have reason to live with hope no matter how hard things are right now. Hope is contagious and can be a tremendous source of encouragement to others. To live with hope means to look to the future with the belief that good things are coming.  

This is tough to do sometimes, especially if the circumstances around us are difficult. But hope is invigorating. It is electrifying. It is powerful! When we live with hope, we give hope to others. And, like a spark, the fire of hope spreads and the future actually begins to look brighter and brighter.
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Conversation Starters

• What do you hope for in life?
• How can you live with hope and spread it to others?
• How does Jesus' love for us give us hope for the future?

Mystery Code

HOPE
‍Input the Mystery Code in your profile in Lightglider Academy to receive a surprise in the game!

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‍Additional Activities

• Review the Spark - The Value of Hope
• Reflect upon the Prayer - Hope in Hard Times

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Scripture
‍"He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever." - Revelation 21:4 (NLT)

Message
‍The final act of The Far Greater Story is Restoration. God has redeemed His children through Jesus, but we still experience the consequences of sin and rebellion in our world today. The hope we have in Jesus is that one day He will return and make right all that went wrong. To restore something means to bring it back to its original condition. This is what God will do with our broken world. Scripture tells us that there will be no more pain, or crying, or suffering for those that have placed their faith in Jesus.

Even now, as children of God, we can work to restore the world around us. Because we belong to the One who will one day restore all things, every act that we do in His name points to the future restoration. When we shine light in the darkness, we are a signpost of what is to come!

Conversation Starters
•What does it mean to restore something?
•How does God restore us?
•What are some things in your world that are broken and in need of restoration?

Mystery Code

RESTORATION
‍Input the Mystery Code in your profile in Lightglider Academy to receive a surprise in the game!

‍Additional Activities
•Watch the Spark entitled “Restoration” led by Santiago!
•Reflect upon the Prayer called “Prayer for Healing”
•Send a Restoration Postcard to a friend in the game!

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Scripture

"And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow - not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below - indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." ~ Romans 8:38-39 (NLT)

Message

We have been talking about The Far Greater Story of God’s love for us in recent weeks. We are currently learning about redemption and how God bought back our lives with the blood of His Son Jesus. As we understand this truth, we can live with great confidence knowing that our identity can be found in God’s never ending love for us.

And, if we are confident, then we can be courageous!  To be courageous is to be brave. We can take risks. We can initiate. We can try new things. We do not have to be afraid of failing.  We do not have to worry about the opinions of others because our identity comes from God’s love for us alone.

As Lightgliders, we will not shrink back from difficulties or danger. We will not run away from opportunities to help those in need.

Be courageous today, Lightgliders! You are never alone, and nothing can separate you from God’s love.

Conversation Starters

•What does it look like to live with courage?
•When have you been courageous?
•How can God’s love help you be more courageous?

Mystery Code

COURAGE
‍Input the Mystery Code in your profile in Lightglider Academy to receive a surprise in the game!

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Congrats to Game of the Week Winner - Flash Fearless Sweeper!

Be sure to visit Lightgliders on your desktop to send a postcard with your *NEW* Dancefloor Sticker!

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Keep playing Lightgliders to see your name at the top of the leaderboard!

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Scripture
‍"Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God's presence." - Ephesians 3:12 (NLT)

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Message
Lightgliders live with confidence because we believe that we are extremely valuable. We are so valuable to God that He sent Jesus to die on the cross for you. Do you realize what this means? It means that we never have to question our value. We are greatly loved. We have a strong reason to be confident and to shine light into the world.

Never forget how valuable you are. You always have a reason to be confident because of what Christ did for you. It is important to know that our confidence does not come from our abilities, our friends, or our moral performance. Our confidence comes from God's immeasurable love for us, which was showcased at the cross! When Lightgliders understand that their confidence is anchored upon the unchanging rock of God's love, they will walk with the courage and boldness required to shine in dark places, to stand up for what is right, and to repent to God when they make mistakes.

Conversation Starters
•Where does your confidence come from?
•How does understanding God's love impact our confidence?
•What is an example of a time when you stood up for what was right?

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Mystery Code
CONFIDENCE
Input the Mystery Code in your profile in LIghtglider Academy to receive a surprise in the game!

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Congrats to Game of the Week Winner - Flash Smashing Superstar!

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Be sure to visit Lightgliders on your desktop to send a postcard with your *NEW* Obstacle Course Sticker!

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Keep playing the Game of the Week for your chance at a fun prize!

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Scripture

"He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed."- 1 Peter 2:24 (NLT)

Message

Continuing in our unit on The Far Greater Story, we have come to its climax, known as Redemption. God created everything good. Man rebelled against His perfect standard. Because of our rebellion we are separated from God. Without the next part of the story, we are left without hope.

But God, in His goodness, didn’t leave us hopeless! He sent His Son Jesus to redeem us from our sin. Redemption means to be bought back, or to be freed from captivity. By Jesus living the life we should have lived and dying the death we deserved to die because of our sin, He bought us back!

When Jesus died on the cross, He paid for our sins with His blood, so that we may be restored to God and live forever with Him. This is what it means to be redeemed. We can have full life because of what He did for us! What a gift!

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‍Conversation Starters
•What is redemption?
•How have you been redeemed?
•How can being redeemed give you confidence?

Mystery Code

REDEEM

Input the Mystery Code in your profile in Lightglider Academy to receive a surprise in the game!

Scripture

"Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away." - Acts 3:19 (NLT)

Message

We have been learning about The Far Greater Story inside of Lightgliders in recent weeks, which is the basis for a biblical worldview. We have learned that God is good and has created all things good. However, we have rebelled against Him and His standard for goodness. This is called sin. It causes destruction and separates us from God. Once we recognize that we have rebelled and sinned against God, we have the opportunity to be repentant. To repent means to turn away from sin and turn to God. The Bible tells us to repent of our sins so that they may be wiped away. God will forgive us our sin and put us in a right relationship with Him.  As we understand that God is willing to forgive us even when we don’t deserve it, we can forgive others as well. So being repentant and forgiving go hand in hand.

Conversation Starters

•What does it mean to repent?
•Why can we be willing to forgive others?
•How can you know your sins are wiped away?

Mystery Code

REPENT

Input the Mystery Code in your profile in Lightglider Academy to receive a sticker pack for your postcards!‍

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Gear up Lightgliders!

A major update to the Lightgliders app was released today!  Lightgliders has a new look and feel.

So make sure you download the update to the Lightgliders app!

It's now easier than ever to find the games and activities you love with the new content layout and scrolling system. And, there is a new weekly frontage system to showcase new themes, Bible-based lessons, and game competitions each week. See how other Lightgliders are doing, and challenge them by getting to the top of the leaderboard visible from the homepage.

So, again, download or upgrade your Lightgliders app. We look forward to seeing you in Lightgliders!

Glide on!

"Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had." - Philippians 2:3-5 NLT

Even though we have gifts and talents, we are not perfect. We have weaknesses and flaws. We have missed and continue to miss the mark in many ways. Remembering this helps us to not think of ourselves too highly, but to be thankful that God loves us anyway. Our sense of identity and joy does not come from our strengths or our weaknesses, but rather it comes from God’s love for us.

To truly live with humility means to take the focus off ourselves, so that we can focus on others. Make sure you remember this important point about humility - it is not thinking less of yourself. It is thinking of yourself less.

In this passage, we are called to imitate the attitude of Jesus. What kind of attitude did He have?

With the tremendous gifts and talents God has given you, you will accomplish great things with your life. Therefore, you must remember to remain humble and not become proud or arrogant. Humility is one of the core values of a Lightglider.

To be humble means to not think of yourself as too important. When we recognize how far short we fall when compared to God’s standard of goodness, we will live with humility.

Only through humility will we consider the needs of others before ourselves. And, as Lightgliders, this is what we seek to do each and every day.

Go check out what Kwan has to say about “Humility” in this week’s Spark!

"For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard." - Romans 3:23 (NLT)

We’ve just spent three weeks learning about Creation. To understand Creation is to understand that God created everything, including you and me!  And, because of this, our lives have purpose and tremendous value. This is the first part of the Far Greater Story.

The second part of the story is called Rebellion.

A rebellion is an open resistance to an authority.  As our Creator, God is our authority. To rebel against Him is to disobey His commands. This is called “sin.” It happens every time we do not live up to God’s standard of love and goodness. Whether we sin on purpose or by accident, we are rebelling against the way God has commanded us to live.  This happens a lot by you and every person you meet. We all rebel against God and His goodness. And the Bible tells us that the penalty of our rebellion is death.

This is why we need to be rescued. This is why we need a Savior. The penalty for our rebellion needs to be paid. Our sin needs to be forgiven.  Until we understand this, the story of Jesus will never make any sense to us.  

Pray this week for help to recognize when you sin and for the courage to confess your sin to God.

In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. - Romans 12:6a (NLT)

The last two weeks we have learned that God is our Creator.  Because of this, we have tremendous purpose. We can live with the knowledge that our lives matter because they do! If God took the time to make you, then you are extremely valuable.  

We also learned that God created us in His image. Because you are made in the image of a creative God, you can be inspired to use your imagination to create. How has God made you creative? Think of ways each day to use your unique gifts to put a smile on other people’s faces. Dream of ways to make an impact on the world around you. Live with passion. Pursue beauty.  Do everything you do with excellence. This is being creative and inspired.

If you play Lightgliders this week, use creativity to design an awesome treehouse.  Use imagination with every postcard you send out.  Inspire others to play games together at the Academy.  

As you live creative and inspired, others will follow!  

To live with purpose means to live every day with the belief that your life matters and that you can make a difference.

Here at Lightglider Academy, we rescue Gliddles, clear the blight, and seek to help others any way we can. The whole world is in need and we were all uniquely created to make an impact.

So what do you want to do with this gift of life you’ve been given? You have the opportunity every day to make a positive impact on the world in the ways that you respect, love, and serve those around you. You have been created with great purpose.  

~Bryce

Have you sent a postcard to a friend yet? Create something with this week’s theme verse and send it to your friends in Lightglider Academy!

"For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." - Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)

Just as we’ve learned about how God created each of the Lightglider Leaders over the past few weeks, He has created YOU for a specific purpose with specific gifts that are unique to YOU! Maybe you are good at being organized, or can make your friends laugh, or excel in a particular sport or subject. Though your gifts, strengths, and personality, God wants to use you to do good things!

What are some of the good things God is doing in and through you?

"So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them." - Genesis 1:27 (NLT)

The Bible begins by telling us that God created the world and everything in it. This includes you and me!  It doesn’t take us very long in the story to read that God not only created us, but he made human beings in his own image. We were made in the image of a good, holy, and loving God. Do you realize what this means?

It means that our lives matter! We were uniquely designed and created for a purpose!  And, every day we have the opportunity to reflect God’s image. We can be creative because God is the Creator! We can be loving because God is love! We can do good in the world because God is good!

As you play Lightgliders, you will learn that our number one goal is to respect ourselves and each other. We seek to do this because of what Genesis 1:27 says. Everyone bears God’s image and, therefore, has dignity given to them by God. When we respect others, we are honoring the One in whose image others were made.

What is the evidence in your life that you bear the image of God?

The Far Greater Story

As Lightgliders, our goals are to RESPECT, RESCUE, and RESTORE.  These goals are based upon the The Far Greater Story, the story of God’s love for us found in the Bible. Let me show you how.  

We seek to RESPECT those around us because God loves you and everyone else.  He created us in His image.  

We go on missions to RESCUE the Gliddles from the clutches of the Machines. God sent His Son Jesus on a mission to rescue us from the grip of sin. 

We work to RESTORE the land from the blight. One day God will restore everything to its original beauty, purpose, and goodness.  

God respects us, rescues us, and restores us. This is the Far Greater Story of His love. Knowing this story helps us to live with hope and purpose each day. Your story is a part of the Far Greater Story!

Have you watched the Spark yet? Listen in as Bryce and Santiago give a tour of Lightglider Academy!

Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God. 

- Ephesians 5:1-2 NLT

Our lives are grand stories. This passage was written to help us live those grand stories in a way that brings honor and glory to God. 

What are ways to follow the example of Christ?

You were made to shine. With a lot of darkness in the world, that can feel like a big responsibility. But like a candle in dark tunnel, even the smallest light can be blinding. 

The Bible tells us that Jesus’ light will never go out. God sent His Son Jesus to shine light into the world and to save it. He also made us to shine with our unique passions and abilities. We have the opportunity to use our uniqueness to show God’s love to others. And, when we do, we are reflecting Jesus and shining light into the darkness. You may never the impact you are having as you shine each day.  

Watch this week’s episode of LGTV for a Gliding Tutorial!

The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. God sent a man, John the Baptist, to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. 

- John 1:4-7 NLT

This passage calls Jesus the Word and tells us that He brought light to the world. John the Baptist was a man who told the world about this light. John lived to point others to Jesus. We have the same opportunity each day with our words and our actions.

How can we point others to Jesus?

Our last Gliddle Principle is Responsibility! That is a big word that can be carried out in small ways. Has your mom or dad ever asked you to make your bed? Being responsible is actually making your bed! Just like being honest and kind, when we are responsible it shows that we respect the things that have been given to us to take care of. We do the best we can in everything that we do - whether that is going on missions in the Yonders, completing Glidebook Challenges, doing our homework, or doing the things that our parents ask us to do. We do our best because it’s the responsible thing to do!

Check out this week’s Prayer for Responsibility and ask God to help you grow!

"Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people." - Colossians 3:23 (NLT)

Being responsible means doing your best no matter what. This verse tells us to think of everything we do as for the Lord. This includes our homework, our chores, and even our hobbies. If we think of everything we do as an opportunity to honor God, we will be responsible. Care about everything you do, and do it with excellence!

Do you give your best in everything you do?

Our second Gliddle Principle is Kindness! Lightgliders show kindness to one another by being encouraging with their words and supportive in their tasks. They also show kindness to the land in the Yonders by restoring the blight! Kindness doesn’t have to be a big gesture for all the world to see. It can be something that some see as small, like smiling or giving a friend a high-five or introducing yourself to someone new at school. Showing kindness is a principle that we all choose to live by every day. Your kindness will shine light in dark places!

Show kindness to a friend in Lightglider Academy by sending them a boost or a postcard!

"Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience." - Colossians 3:12 (NLT)

This verse tells us to clothe ourselves with lots of different character qualities. Have you ever thought about that? You can put things like kindness on the way you put on your clothes in the morning. Just like we pick out which shirt or pair of shoes we are going to wear, we can choose to be kind, humble, gentle, and patient every single day. Clothing ourselves with kindness shows God’s love to the world around us. And since we are God’s people, it is something we must do.

Where could you show more kindness?

This week we’re starting a new unit on character qualities to live with called “Gliddle Principles.” We’re going to talk about Honesty, Kindness, and Responsibility! As Lightgliders, it’s important to us to grow as people who love God and love those around us. One way we can show love and care to people in our lives is by being honest with one another. Have you ever been lied to? It probably didn’t feel very good. Telling the truth not only encourages others, it also shows people that we can be trusted. Speaking the truth honors God and shows respect to others.

Check out this week’s Spark to see what the Gliddles think about Honesty!

"Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds." - Colossians 3:9 (NLT)

You may have heard, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say it at all.” This applies to honesty as well. If what you’re going to say isn’t true, don’t say it at all. Honesty with ourselves and one another shows respect for what God has created. And, He tells us in His Word not to lie to each other! When we tell the truth, we are honoring God with our words, and building trust with those around us.

Are you an honest person?

Now that you’ve learned more about the leaders in Lightglider Academy, which one do you relate to? Which one would you want to hang out with?  It’s encouraging to see so many different types of people using their own unique gifts to work together and serve everyone in the Academy!

God has created each of us with unique strengths and gifts! He has planned good things for you to do with your life. As you go on missions, play mini-games, complete Glidebook Challenges, and interact with other Lightgliders, you can discover what you are passionate about.  Are you like Marlon and think things through before acting? Like Bryce, are you always up to lead an adventure? Or, like Kwan, do you prefer to work behind the scenes?  

However you were created, God will use you to do good in the world! You were made to shine!

Send someone a postcard this week to encourage them!

"For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." - Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)

Just as we’ve learned about how God created each of the Lightglider Leaders over the past few weeks, He has created YOU for a specific purpose with specific gifts that are unique to YOU! Maybe you are good at being organized, or can make your friends laugh, or excel in a particular sport or subject. Though your gifts, strengths, and personality, God wants to use you to do good things!

What are some of the good things God is doing in and through you?

How do you know if you have somebody else’s cheese? When it is nacho cheese!

Did you get it? If you thought it was funny, then please know that it was my joke. If you didn’t think it was funny, then it was Marlon’s!

Hey everybody! I am SANTIAGO! I bring the life to the Lightglider Academy party! I cannot tell you HOW MUCH FUN it is to be a Lightglider. You know what our goals are, right? RESPECT. RESCUE. RESTORE.

I believe that to RESTORE includes bringing JOY to people who need it. Sometimes through laughter. Sometimes through music. Sometimes through just hanging out and bring friendly. Everyone is totally different, so it can be difficult to know what will bring joy to another. I make it my goal to find out! Do you know what brings you joy? I would love to know.

I grew up in Honduras in a large house with a bunch of other boys. None of us were related but they are my brothers. We’ve been through a lot together. Do you know what brings me joy? People. Having people to talk to and care for is the greatest. You can have that here at Lightglider Academy.

So glad you’re here!

Ok, one more joke. Do we get fur from a skunk? Yes, as fur as possible! (Sorry, that joke stank!)

~Santiago

Enjoy more of Santiago and by checking out his story in this week’s Spark!

"The joy of the Lord is your strength." - Nehemiah 8:10 (NLT)

This week we met our final Lightglider Leader - Santiago. He is someone that always brings joy with him wherever he goes!

Joy simply means - a source of delight. Santiago’s joy, or delight, comes from the Lord. Since God doesn’t change, we can always draw joy from Him. It doesn’t mean that life will always go the way we hoped or planned, but it does mean that we always have a reason to live in joy. That is why Santiago’s key word is “Enjoy.” He looks to enjoy this life that God has given Him and to spread that joy to others.

How do you receive and give joy to others?

Forward Base

In order to stop the spread of blight, Lightglider Academy wants to set up a new base in the Yonders! We need your help to defend it against the oncoming hordes of Machines while upgrading your defenses! Just remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day. If at first the base is overrun, just regroup, make some upgrades with the scrap you find from the Machines, and try try again! Persistence is key on this one!

Hi there! My name is Tova. You met Marlon last week who follows his head. Well, I am led by my heart. I was one of the first to become a leader at Lightglider Academy. Why? I saw the Gliddles in trouble and I saw the land being destroyed. My heart was burdened by it and I had to help. It really didn’t take a lot of thought or planning. And before I knew it, Bryce sent me on a mission to the Yonders. Now the Gliddles have my heart. They continue to teach me so much about sacrifice, loyalty, and joy!

I grew up in the United Kingdom. Growing up, I always enjoyed meeting new people and striking up conversations. I realized that many people are hurting, so I made it my mission to be a vessel of healing to the poor, to orphans, and to those who are lonely. I want to care for them by showing they are loved! My biggest passion is listening to people’s stories and seeing if I can be a source of care or encouragement.

I never know what new adventure, friend, or significant moment awaits me. I don’t need a plan or a strategy. All I need is a heart that wants to help those who are hurting.

~Tova

Tova’s story is highlighted in this week’s Spark! Get to know her better by checking it out!

Jesus replied, “You must love your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.” This is the greatest commandment. A second is equally important, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” - Matthew 22:37-39 (NLT)

Tova takes these commands very seriously. Her heart overflows with love for God and for others. Similar to Marlon’s desire to know God’s truth with all his mind, Tova’s desire is to honor God with all of her heart by helping those that are hurting.

This week’s verse talks about loving God with all your heart, soul and mind. Tova’s strength is her big heart. With this gift, she is a source of encouragement and care to everyone she comes into contact with.

In what ways do you look to care for others?