Hey, Carpool Crew. Happy Wednesday, halfway through the week. I'm just so glad that you're joining me today. I'm Pastor Justin. Now let me ask you this question: Have you ever had a brand new year coming up and part of you really wants it to be different this time? You don't even know where to start exactly. It's a whole new year and it's almost here, and it can feel huge. Maybe you're thinking, "I want to be better this year or try harder. I want to do everything right." And that's way too much to aim for all at once. And most of it slips away by the second week of school, if we're being honest. So today, I want to give you something way simpler. Let's jump in with the one thing I want you to remember for the ride. Pick one word with God to aim at all year long. Listen to this from Philippians chapter three, verse 14. Paul is writing this, by the way, to a very young church in a place called Philippi. Here's what he says, "I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God's heavenly call in Christ Jesus." Notice Paul had one goal he was aiming at, not 50, one. He pointed his whole self at one thing and kept pressing forward toward it. You don't have to go into this year with a ton of goals. You just need one really clear goal to aim at. One word you and God pick together, like brave, kind, honest, steady. And here's why one word works so well. When you have 50 goals, you forget most of them. But one word, you can remember one word on the hardest day. You can whisper it before you walk into school. You can write it on your notebook and see it every day. You can have it whenever you need it, and it's easy to remember. If Jesus were sitting with you, I think he'd say, "Don't try to carry 100 different things this year. Pick one word with me, and I'll help you aim at it on the good days and the hard days all the way through." So it's the last week of summer, and you're thinking about the year ahead. Instead of making a giant list, Carpool Crew, you get quiet. Talk to your parents, talk to God, maybe even talk to your siblings. What's one word for me this year? And guess what? That word is going to come to you. Maybe it's brave because last year you stayed too quiet. You write that one big word on a card, on your notebook, on a Post-it note you put on your mirror in the bathroom. And all year, when you're not sure what to do, you look at that one word and remember what you and God are aiming at together. So this week, here's a couple things you can try as you get ready for the school year. First, ask God for your one word and write it somewhere you'll actually see it on a daily basis. Second, every morning of the new year, whisper this one sentence, "God, help me aim at this word today." And make sure you put in whatever the word is. Here's the thing, Carpool Crew. You can do this. You can have a great year and have a plan for your year. Let's go back to the one thing I wanted you to remember for the ride. Pick one word with God to aim at all year long. Remember, no matter where you are or how you're listening, God loves you. You can get Goodnight Psalms, Carpooling with Heroes of the Bible, and all of our bonus episodes. For less than the cost of a cup of coffee a month, you could be a subscriber on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. And before you go, let's answer this question together. What's one word you'd want to aim at this year, and why that word? I'll see you later, Carpool Crew. Have a good one.
