Hey, carpool crew, whether you're picking out your shoes, eating some cereal at the table, or rushing off to the car. I'm Pastor Justin, and I'm so glad you're here. Let's talk about something sweet for a second. Ice cream. Yep. Ice cream is awesome. I love eating ice cream, but there's one little problem with it. It melts, and here where I live, it gets really hot. So ice cream melts pretty quickly. Just picture it. You're holding a cone. Everything's fine. The birds are chirping, people are smiling. You are ready to dig in, and then suddenly, drip, drip, drip all over your knuckles, all over your shirt. It's running down your hand and you're racing to finish it before it disappears all over the ground. Truth is, that is a picture of happiness. I love eating ice cream. I love doing it with my kids. It's great. It's a fun time. But here's the thing, it doesn't always stick around. What if there were something better than just happiness? What if there was something that didn't melt or fade or lose battery? Well, that's joy. That's what Jesus gives us. Here's what it says in John chapter 15, verse 11. I have told you these things so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete. See, Jesus doesn't just want us to have fun or feel good when everything's going right. He wants to give us deep down joy. Joy that sticks with you, even when life gets tricky. Jesus shared this with his disciples right before he went to the cross. He wasn't at a party or a fun picnic. He was in a quiet garden getting ready for a really hard moment, and still he talked about joy. Why? Because he knew that that kind of joy, the kind that he gives, isn't based on what's happening around you. It's based on who you're connected to. If Jesus were sitting in the backseat or at the table with you right now, I think he'd say, I'm not here to give you a joy that melts like ice cream. I'm here to grow something strong in your heart. Joy that doesn't give up. Yes, school will be hard. Yes, friends will let you down. Yes, I am still there with you when it happens. My joy doesn't go away. Jesus wants to fill your heart with a kind of happiness that doesn't depend on perfect days or everything going the way you planned, but on being close to him every day. So how can you stay close to Jesus and grow a real joy every day? Start your morning with him, just like this podcast. You're already doing it and you could make a short list of things that you're grateful for for him. You can open your Bible and read a verse of your own to share with mom, dad, and your siblings. You could be the one to lead the prayer at breakfast. You can start your morning with him. You can also talk to him when you're feeling blah, you know, blah, right? Say, Jesus, help me feel your joy right now because I'm feeling blah. You see, I even have a little bit of joy saying blah. Okay. That's a good word. Be thankful on the good days and the hard days. You know, sometimes we will only say thank you to God when things are going the way we think they should, right? Well, the test got canceled, or we have a substitute teacher and they wanna play dodgeball, but oh, you know, now we have a test today, or we have a book report that's due. It doesn't matter what the day holds. Be thankful for the good days and the hard days. Jesus wants to grow something more than just smiles in your good days. He wants to grow something deep, strong, and lasting in your heart. Joy. So don't just chase happiness. Stay close to Jesus. That's how your joy gets full. Remember, no matter where you are or how you're listening, God loves you. Parents, if you love today's podcast, share it with some parents over the weekend so they can start their new week listening to carpooling with Jesus. And before you go, let's answer this question together. What brings you joy that stays even when life gets hard? I'll see you next week on carpooling with Jesus.
