Hey, Carpool Crew! It's the very first weekend of a brand new school year. I'm Pastor Justin, and before we jump in, let me give a big shout-out to Cameran and Wyatt from Corpus Christi, Texas. So glad you are riding with us today. On the podcast we treat the start of August as day one, even if your school starts a little earlier or later, so we are all walking in fresh together. And this episode is all about starting over. You know that feeling when last year did not go the way you wanted? Maybe a grade you were not proud of, or a friend thing that went sideways, or a habit you could not shake, and it feels stuck to your back like a sticker you cannot peel off? Yeah. We've all been there. Let's jump in with the one thing I want you to remember for the ride: with Jesus, a new school year is a clean start, not last year all over again. Listen to this from 2 Corinthians 5:17. Paul writes, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away, and see, the new has come!" A new creation is not the old you touched up a little. It is God making something brand new. Here is who wrote that. Paul used to be the guy who chased down people who loved Jesus and threw them in jail. If anybody had a messy last year, it was Paul. Then Jesus met him on a dusty road and changed everything. So when Paul says you can be brand new, he is not guessing. He lived it. Then comes the part that lands. The old has passed away. With Jesus, last year's worst day does not get to ride along into this year. He is not keeping a list of it. He already wiped the board. If Jesus were sitting next to you in the car right now, He would lean over and say, "Last year is not who you are. Today we start fresh, you and Me, and I am not holding any of it over your head." It is the first morning of school. You pull a brand new notebook out of your backpack and flip it open. Every page is clean. No crossed-out answers from last year, no notes you wish you could erase, no big red marks. Jesus says that is what He did with you. He did not hand you last year's messy notebook. He handed you a clean one. Hey, this week, try one of these three things. First, name one thing from last year you want to leave behind, and say it out loud to God on the way to school: God, I am leaving this with You. Second, pick one fresh-start move and do it, sit by someone new, raise your hand once, try the thing you quit. Third, and this is the one nobody sees: when your brain tries to replay last year's worst moment, do not argue with it. Just remember Jesus already called you new, and keep walking. Hey, let's go back to that one thing I wanted you to remember for the ride. With Jesus, a new school year is a clean start, not last year all over again. Remember, no matter where you are or how you're listening, God loves you. And parents, if a fresh start is something another family needs this week, send them this episode. The new year is better when we walk in together, and thank you for being part of Carpooling with Jesus+. Before you go, let's answer this question together. What is one thing from last year you are ready to hand to God so you can start this year fresh? I'll see you tomorrow on Carpooling with Jesus.
