God Has a Plan for This Year

Hey, Carpool Crew! Happy Saturday. I'm Pastor Justin, and before we jump in, let me give a big shout-out to the Little Hearts For Jesus Bible Study from Athi River, Kenya. So glad you are with us this weekend. And this episode is for when you have decided this whole year is going to be bad. You know how a couple hard days can trick you into thinking, this is how the entire year is going to go? Yeah. Your brain does that. Let's jump in with the one thing I want you to remember for the ride: God's plans for you are good, even on the days that feel hard. Listen to this from Jeremiah 29:11. God says, "For I know the plans I have for you... plans for your well-being, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." God is not making this year up as He goes. He has a plan, and the plan is good, for your well-being, with a future and a hope in it. God said this to people going through a genuinely hard stretch, not an easy one. So this is not a promise that nothing hard will happen. It is a promise that hard days are not the whole story. Here is the part that lands. A couple bad days do not cancel a good plan. God can see the whole year. You can only see today. And He is telling you the ending is good. If Jesus were sitting next to you right now, He would probably smile and say, "I know this week felt rough. But I see the whole year, and there is so much good coming. Trust Me with the parts you cannot see yet." It is the weekend, and you are already dreading Monday, sure the year is doomed. But think about it like a book. You are on page ten of a really long story, and the Author already knows it turns out good. You do not quit a great book on page ten just because one scene was hard. Hey, this week, try these two things. First, when your brain says the whole year is ruined, answer it out loud: God has a good plan, I am only on page ten. Second, tell God one thing you are actually hoping for this year, and ask Him to be part of it. Hey, let's go back to that one thing I wanted you to remember for the ride. God's plans for you are good, even on the days that feel hard. Remember, no matter where you are or how you're listening, God loves you. And parents, if these episodes are part of your family's week, come follow us on Instagram for quick reminders you can show your kids. Before you go, let's answer this question together. What is one thing you have been dreading, and what could you say back when your brain says it is ruined? I'll see you tomorrow on Carpooling with Jesus.