Looking Back on Month One

Hey, Carpool Crew! Happy Saturday. I'm Pastor Justin, and before we jump in, let me give a big shout-out to Sage from Carthage, North Carolina. So glad you are with us this weekend. And this episode is a chance to look back at a big deal you might have rushed right past: you made it through the first month of school. You know how you power through something hard and never stop to notice you actually did it? Yeah. Let's not skip this one. Let's jump in with the one thing I want you to remember for the ride: start the weekend by thanking God for getting you through the first month. Listen to this from Psalm 100:4. It says, "Enter his gates with thanksgiving... Give thanks to him and bless his name." The way you come to God is with a thank-you. Not because you have to, but because looking back and seeing what He carried you through actually fills you up. The people who first sang this had been through plenty of hard stretches. Thanksgiving was how they remembered God had been with them the whole way. The first month had scary parts, hard parts, tired parts. And you are still here. God did not leave you for one single day of it. That is worth stopping to say thank you for. If Jesus were sitting next to you right now, He would say, "Look how far you have come. I was with you on the nervous first day and every day since. Let's celebrate that together." It is Saturday morning, no rush. Instead of just flopping into the weekend, you take two minutes and name it: God, thank You for getting me through the first month, the good days and the hard ones. Looking back, you can actually see Him in it. Hey, this week, try these two things. First, name three specific things from the first month you are thankful for, out loud to God. Second, thank one person who helped you through it, a parent, a teacher, or a friend. A thank-you gets bigger when you say it out loud to somebody's face. Hey, let's go back to that one thing I wanted you to remember for the ride. Start the weekend by thanking God for getting you through the first month. 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 rhythm, come follow us on Instagram for reminders you can show your kids during the week. Before you go, let's answer this question together. What are three things from the first month of school you can thank God for today? I'll see you tomorrow on Carpooling with Jesus.