Hey, Carpool Crew, happy Friday. I hope your week is ending and there's a great weekend ahead, I know it. I'm Pastor Justin. So let me ask you this. Have you ever been lying in bed the night before a big first day of something and everything's ready by the door, and your stomach does that little flip because tomorrow everything starts and you don't know exactly how it's gonna go? The start of a brand new school year is a big deal. It's a fresh start, and that excited and nervous swirl that comes the night before is normal. So before the first day, I wanna hand you the best thing you could carry into that first day. Let's jump in with the one thing I want you to remember for the ride. You can be brave on the first day because God goes ahead of you. Listen to this from Deuteronomy 31:6. It says, "Be strong and courageous. Don't be terrified or afraid of them. For the Lord your God is the one who will go with you. He will not leave you or abandon you." Notice why God says be brave. Not because the day will be easy, because He's going with you and will not leave you. So think about that. You're not walking into school this year alone. You're not just hoping it goes okay. God is there, and He's gone ahead of you in every part of that day. He is there, and He promises that He will not leave your side, not even once. And what does that mean to the nervous feeling you have? Well, brave doesn't mean you're not a little nervous or a little scared. Brave means that you're scared and you walk in anyway because you know who is going with you. God is. The flip in your stomach can be there, and you can still step forward, hand in His. If Jesus were sitting there right now, I think He'd say, "I'm already in the school year. Every hallway, every new face, every teacher, every classroom, every recess, every moment you're nervous about, I'm already there. So be brave. I'm going with you." So the school year's close, you're lying there, that swirl hits, and instead of letting it grow all night long and losing sleep, you sit up, you pray, "God, I'm a little nervous about school this year. Thank you that You're already there, that You promise to be with me every step." And then you lay down, you close your eyes, and you rest because the school year is coming, but you're not going into it alone. This week, as we're getting ready, I have a couple things I want you to try. First, the night before your first day, I just want you to pray an honest prayer to God. "God, I'm a little nervous. I'm ready, but I know You're gonna be with me, and I'm so grateful for that." Second, ask yourself, do I think I have to face the school year alone, or do I believe that God is already there waiting for me? Hey, let's go back to the one thing I wanted you to remember for the ride. You can be brave on the first day because God goes ahead of you. Remember, Carpool Crew, no matter where you are or how you're listening, God loves you. And parents, before we head into the weekend, here's what's coming up on Carpooling with Jesus. We've got two episodes for your family that I think you're gonna love, and it's all about the new school year. Saturday and Sunday is for subscribers, and if you haven't subscribed yet, I hope you consider it. They are gonna be some great episodes, and you can subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Hey, and before you go, let's answer this question together. What's one thing about this school year you're nervous about? And what would it feel like to hand it over to God right now? Have a good one, Carpool Crew. I'll see you tomorrow or next Monday on a new episode of Carpooling with Jesus.
