 God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. —1 CORINTHIANS 12:18-20 STARLOG ENTRY 1.001Greetings from the orbital platform Provider! My name is Gavin Greystone, and I live here on Provider with my family. My dad’s name is Phoenix, my mom is Nebula, my brother is Comet, and my sister is Aurora. You could say my family is living on the edge—both because we’re living on the furthest edge of human civilization, and because our work out here is so dangerous. Here on Provider, we are somewhere between 746 million and one billion miles from Earth, depending on our current position in the solar system. That’s a long way from our home planet! Provider orbits Titan, one of Saturn’s moons, and it was built by the Alliance of Spacefaring Nations (ASN). Five years ago, my family arrived at Provider on board a spaceship called Beyond. I was seven years old at the time. We moved here from Mars to oversee the construction of Inspire, the first human settlement on Titan and soon to be our new home. We have an artificial intelligence system named KEWD. (Don’t ask me what it stands for because no one ever told me.) This AI is built into all of our computer systems, helping us with our work and with living life out here in space. Most of our work on the surface of Titan is done remotely by our team of constructo-bots. With KEWD’s help, my family creates these robots’ tasks, verifies their work, and solves problems that happen along the way. There are a few other people aboard Provider too. Their job is making sure the station continues to function, communicating with the ASN command center on Earth, and conducting other experiments. But when it comes to establishing a settlement on Titan, it’s the Greystone family or bust. We are a hundred percent on the hook for the success or failure of our habitat, called a hab-dome, on Titan’s surface. Eventually, the Inspire settlement will include other hab-domes, but completing this one is our first priority. Our family has trained hard to become a fantastic team. Not that we don’t have the occasional setback or argument! My brother, Comet, likes to be in charge (even though he isn’t), and my sister, Aurora, thinks she has the answer to every problem (even though she doesn’t). I don’t let either of them push me around. I may be the youngest, but I’m taller than both of them, and I read a lot because, well, there isn’t a lot else to do out here at what feels like the edge of the galaxy. Dad and Mom are good about keeping us focused on our mission and helping us work out our differences. They take time to help each of us develop our own skill sets even if, at times, these skills aren’t necessarily something we want to learn. For example, why do I have to know how to solve math problems when KEWD can do all the calculations for me through my mTalk? I mean, isn’t that why we all have mTalk devices—to communicate, access information, and help us solve problems? If all goes according to plan, Team Greystone will be departing from Provider to the surface of Titan next week to become the first settlers there, making us the third group to establish a settlement on a moon or planet beyond Earth (after the colonies on Luna and Mars). We’ll be the very first humans to touch the surface of Titan! That’s mind-blowing to think about. I’ll be walking in places where no human has ever been. Amazing! Our current team consists of my family members, but it’ll soon expand with two additional families joining us down on Titan. And from there, our settlement will continue to grow. For now though, my parents will lead our family and the two additional families coming to Titan. I hope someday I’ll be as good at leading a team as they are. Faith at the Edge: TeamworkHello, this is KEWD again. I’ll be extracting insights from Gavin’s daily journal entry to take you deeper into some of the challenges he is facing. The Greystone family is a team. No matter what challenges come their way, they rely on each other for all of their successes and failures. Each person in their family has a different skill set that makes them all valuable team members. This is important to help them succeed in their mission to colonize Titan. No role is more important than another; each position is unique and helps the team work together more effectively. Mr. and Mrs. Greystone help Gavin and his siblings sharpen their skills and keep them focused on the task at hand. The Christian life works very similarly to the Greystone team. When you put your trust in Jesus Christ, accepting His offer of salvation, you become a part of a heavenly team. This is a team of Christians working together for a common goal or task: to share God’s love with the world! We learn in 1 Corinthians 12 that this team is similar to the human body. Each part of the body has an essential job, and one part cannot work as effectively without the other. The Bible says that God put each part exactly where He wanted it. God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. —1 CORINTHIANS 12:18-20 Just like Gavin’s parents help him and his siblings stay focused and sharpen their skills, the Lord does the same for you. He puts people in your life to help you grow in your relationship with Him, and He’ll develop your skills so that you can work effectively with your Christian team. Gavin’s family is part of a critical team working together to achieve the goal of establishing a settlement on Titan. You, as a Christian, are also a part of an essential spiritual team working together to achieve the purpose of sharing Jesus with the world. So remember that God loves you and values you as part of His fantastic team. Edge Questions:
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It’s back to school season again, which means the daily routine:
Devotions, yes, your time with God. Prayer and reading your Bible fills YOU, your soul, your mind, your emotions. We need fuel from God, which happens by spending time with Him daily. The time with our Creator helps us make it through our day. When I haven’t spent time with our Lord, my attitude sours, and I grow weary and tired from the rigors of our world. Only when He is at the forefront of my mind do I feel full and can reflect His love outward. Even my interactions with my family, friends, and co-workers are better. That's because when we fill ourselves with the good things God has for us (learning through His word), we begin to exude (which also means living out) Him in our attitudes and actions! So I want to encourage you to find a devotional to start the school year with, read it, stick with it, and find that time with God. I’ve got a great list of devotionals I wrote up in a post to get you started, and I would love to hear about the devotionals you use in the post's comments section. Check out the list at the button below. I hope this list of devotionals helps you start an awesome devotional time at home as you begin your back to school season. Faith and Science with Dr. Fizzlebop: 52 Fizztastically Fun Experiments and Devotions for Families
$15.99
Faith and Science with Dr. Fizzlebop features 52 easy experiments kids and parents can do together once a week or at their convenience. Each experiment will have a how-to video featured in the free Fizzlebop Labs web series launching in fall '21. Building on Dr. Fizzlebop's desire to show kids how faith and science connect, each experiment connects to a devotional that allows kids to go deeper and learn about God's amazing design for everything around them. On average, each experiment takes 5 to 10 minutes and the devotional is an additional 5 minutes. Plus 5 Bonus Holiday Themed Experiments Our expert and guide, Dr. Phineas Einstein Fizzlebop, is a bit quirky and maybe a little cheesy at times, but he is passionate about three things; God, science, and fizz and all come together wonderfully at Fizzlebop Labs. Guest scientists (families) will journey through the Bible in an extravaganza of experiments and bible studies full of fun, facts, and fizz. Dr. Fizzlbop's Fizzy Heart Experiment
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Join Dr. Fizzlebop in a fizztastic science experiment and devotional for Valentine's Day. This digital package includes a how-to video, downloadable instructions, and devotional (pdf). Edge of the Galaxy: 30 Faith-Filled Adventures
$15.99
Edge of the Galaxy is 30 faith-filled and action-packed sci-fi devotionals for middle-grade kids. This devotional follows Gavin Greystone as he experiences everyday challenges at the edge of our galaxy. ---------- The year is 2095, and humans have colonized Mars and Earth’s Moon; Luna, established orbital platforms near Saturn’s moon Titan and also near Jupiter’s moon Europa. These two moons are humanity’s next objectives for permanent colonization in our solar system. A robotic base camp on Titan, and progress for a permanent colony called Inspire is underway now. The Provider, an orbital platform near Titan, is where our story starts, 759k miles from Saturn, and anywhere from 746 million to 1 billion miles from Earth dependent on the two planets’ positions in the Solar System. The space station was funded and constructed by the Alliance of Spacefaring Nations (ASN) and is now the furthest human establishment from Earth. Gavin Greystone traveled with his parents and siblings aboard the starship Beyond to Titan’s orbital platform Provider when he was only six years old, even with advances in propulsion it still took nine months to reach Titan. His family joined the initial crew that established Provider and will be the first family to live on Titan permanently. The Greystones have lived aboard Provider for the last five years, with only a handful of trips to the surface of Titan. Robots have been the primary tool for completing the construction of the initial colony structure named Inspire. Occasionally Gavin’s mom, Aurora, or dad, Phoenix, go to the surface to fix a constructo-bot or verify progress at Inspire, but most of the time they remain safely onboard Provider. Of course, living in space can never really be safe, even when you take all the necessary precautions. Two of Provider’s original crew returned to Mars orbit to retrieve two additional families and a slew of animals. These families and animals will join the Greystones as the first settlers on Titan. In a week, those families will arrive at Provider, and upon completion of Inspire join the Greystones as permanent settlers on Titan’s surface. From here the families will have to learn to work together and create a life on the surface of Titan as they expand humankind’s footprint on the moon and prepare for more settlers. Through many trials, Gavin will learn who he is and the plan God has for him. Devotionals are a great way to engage your kids with the Bible as well as character-building traits. They allow kids to explore topics they may be experiencing at school or at home, and unpack them through an outside viewpoint. While connecting kids back to sound Biblical principles these devotionals go one step further in engaging your kids in exciting ways. Several of the devotionals on this list provide active ways for kids to experience and engage with their faith. All of these devotionals are sure to draw your kids closer to God and away from the screen. Below you’ll find a must-have selection of ten (plus one) devotionals sure to engage your kids with their faith. Faith and Science with Dr. Fizzlebop: 52 Fizztastically Fun Experiments and Devotions for Families
Edge of the Galaxy: 30 Faith-Filled Adventures
Made to Create with All My Heart and Soul: 60 Worship-through-Art Devotions for Girls
Fruit Full: 100 Family Experiences for Growing in the Fruit of the Spirit
God Is in Nature!: A Kids Devotional About His Awesome Creations
The Wonder of Creation: 100 More Devotions About God and Science (Indescribable Kids)
The Action Bible Anytime Devotions: 90 Ways to Help Kids Connect with God Anytime, Anywhere (Action Bible Series)
90 Devotions for Kids (Adventures in Odyssey Books)
Roar Like a Lion: 90 Devotions to a Courageous Faith
Seekers: An Interactive Family Adventure in Following Jesus
Devotions for Super Average Kids
Tell me about your favorite kids' devotionals in the comments below! |
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