Thankful for the People in Your Life

Hey, carpool crew. Maybe you're looking around the table or looking around the car, thanking God for the people he put in your life no matter what. I'm Pastor Justin, and I'm so grateful you're here all month long. In November, we're gonna be talking about thankfulness. No shock because Thanksgiving is coming up at the end of the month, and it's not just for this month though. Thankfulness is something we should have every day of every month of every year. And guess what? It's not just thankful for what we have, but it's thankful for who we have. Because when you think about it, the most important gifts in your life aren't the things you hold or the things you play with. They're the people around you, your parents, your siblings, your grandparents, your friends, teachers, and coaches. All of them are gifts from God. Our verse today is from Philippians chapter one, verse three. I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you. The story behind that verse, the apostle Paul wrote those words to his friends in the church at Philippi. It was a small church that was growing, but they were still figuring out how to do church. A lot of the people there were friends of Paul, and even though he couldn't be with them, Paul wanted them to know how thankful he was for their friendship and support. He didn't say, I'm thankful for what you gave me. He said, I'm thankful for you. Imagine looking at your mom or your teacher or your siblings or just your friends and saying, I'm thankful for you. See, that's how gratitude works in God's family. It's about people. It's about remembering that every person in your life is someone God put there for a reason. If Jesus were sitting in the car with you right now or at the table, I think he'd say something like, be thankful for the people I've placed in your life. They're not random. They're part of my plan for you. He might remind you that every person you love and everyone who sometimes frustrates you can help you grow, learn and love people better. And when you say thank you for them, you're really saying thank you to God. See, think about your life for a second. Your family, your friends, your teachers, coaches, they are people who help you every single day. Your parent who wakes you up, they make you breakfast. The friend who makes you laugh and lets you borrow a pencil or paper in class. The teacher who believes in you and the coach who encourages you and pushes you to try again. Sometimes we forget to say thank you because we see them every day. But Jesus wants us to pause, notice those people and be grateful for the love and care they show us. So how can you live this out today? Easy. Say thank you out loud. Find one person today and tell them why you're thankful for 'em. Also, write it down. Make a quick list of people you are thankful for and pray for each one by name. Being thankful for the people in your life changes how you see them. You start to notice how much love, care, and support God's already given you because of the people around you. Remember, no matter where you are or how you're listening, God loves you. Parents, if you like today's podcast, head over to Instagram, give us a follow at carpooling with Jesus, and even post a picture of you and your kids enjoying the podcast together. Before we go, let's answer this question together. Who's one person in your life you are really thankful for, and how can you show them that they matter to you? I'll see you tomorrow on carpooling with Jesus.