Hey, Carpool Crew! Happy Friday. I hope you have an incredible weekend ahead. I'm Pastor Justin, and before we jump in, let me give a big shout-out to Madalyn-Reece, Tillman and Silas from Liberty, South Carolina. So glad you made it to Friday with us. And this episode is about that feeling when the whole school year lands on you at once. You know the one, you start thinking about every test, every project, every hard thing all the way to next summer, and your chest gets tight? Yeah. We've all been there. Let's jump in with the one thing I want you to remember for the ride: you do not have to carry the whole year today, just take the first day. Listen to this from Matthew 6:34. Jesus says, "Therefore don't worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Jesus is not saying never plan. He is saying do not drag every future day into this one. You were built to carry one day at a time. Jesus said this to a big crowd of regular, worried people, the kind who lay awake wondering about tomorrow. His fix was simple: shrink it down to today. Worry happens when you try to carry Monday, and next week, and the whole semester all at once. Nobody can lift that. But today? Today you can do. If Jesus were sitting next to you right now, He would lean over and say, "Put the giant pile down. You only have to carry today, and I am carrying it with you." It is the end of the first week. Your brain wants to sprint ahead to every hard thing coming. So you picture the whole year as a backpack so stuffed you cannot lift it, then you take out just today's stuff, one small bag, and leave the rest with God. Hey, this week, try these two things. First, when your brain sprints to next month, pull it back with five words: I only have today. Second, at bedtime, hand God one thing you are worried about for next week and let Him hold it overnight, so you do not have to. Hey, let's go back to that one thing I wanted you to remember for the ride. You do not have to carry the whole year today, just take the first day. Remember, no matter where you are or how you're listening, God loves you. And parents, this weekend on Carpooling with Jesus+ we have two episodes your kids really need after week one. Tomorrow, When You Sit Alone at Lunch, for the kid nervous about the cafeteria. And Sunday, God Sees the Nervous Kid, a reminder that God notices them on the hard days. For less than a snack run, Carpooling with Jesus+ gets your kids the weekend episodes plus bonus content all week. Before you go, let's answer this question together. What is one thing you have been worrying about for later that you could hand to God and leave for today? I'll see you tomorrow or next Monday on Carpooling with Jesus.
