Hey, carpool crew. I'm Pastor Justin, and today we're talking about something that shows up in school, sports, friendships, even faith. What if I try something new? Trying something new can be exciting. It can also be really scary. Why? Because when you try something new, you might not be good at it. You might mess up, you might feel embarrassed or behind everyone else. That's normal. That's human. But you know what? Jesus sees you in those moments and he doesn't walk away. He doesn't judge you or think less of you. He walks with you and he cheers you on. This month we're talking about what Jesus would say about the things that scare us, and today's verse is from Galatians chapter 6, verse 9. "Let us not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don't give up." When we start something new, like a sport, a new school, a new class, or even just a new routine, we usually expect to do well. But often we are not great at things right away. We stumble, we fall, we get lost, we get discouraged. We don't know where to sit, and we think, maybe I'm not good at this. I'll never catch up. I'll never get it. Why should I even try? But what if the goal isn't being perfect and having it figured out right away? What if the goal is to keep going and learning? So I want to tell you a story about my son. He was five years old when he entered his first BMX race in Arizona. He was excited, he'd been practicing. When the race started, everything felt bigger and louder and faster, and in his heat, he came in second to last. He didn't make the main event. After the race he looked at me and said, dad, did I make it to the finals? And I had to tell him no. And he cried. He probably felt a little embarrassed and really bummed. He might have even felt like he wasn't good enough. Now, he could have said, I'm not doing that again, or I'm done with BMX. But he didn't quit. He went back to practicing, back to the track, again and again. And guess what? He never missed another main event for the next four years, and it's still going. He races hard. He improves every month, and now he's one of the top BMX riders in Arizona for his age. Why? Because he didn't give up, even when trying something new felt discouraging at first. He kept going. If Jesus were riding with you in the car and you said, I don't want to try this new thing, I might fail, I think he'd say, you don't have to be amazing on day one. I gave you courage, not perfection. Keep going, keep trusting, keep growing. Every time you try, you learn a little bit extra. In Galatians chapter 6, verse 9, the Bible reminds us, don't give up. Keep doing good, because in the right time you'll see the reward. Jesus never said following him or trying new things would be easy, but he did say, I'll be with you. I'll help you grow, and I'll walk with you every step of the way as you're learning. So if you're facing something new and feeling scared about it, here's something you could do. First, don't expect to be perfect. Growth at anything new takes time, and it takes humility to admit you don't have it all figured out yet. Mistakes help you get better. Celebrate the progress, not just the wins. Second, cheer for others trying something new. We're all learning, and your encouragement helps more than you know. You don't have to crush it on the first try. You don't have to be the best on day one. You just have to be brave enough to begin. Remember, no matter where you are or how you're listening, God loves you. And parents, don't forget, we do weekend episodes, special bonus episodes, and we have two brand new shows launching in November. It's so easy to subscribe on Apple Podcasts. We'd love to have you part of the crew. Now, before you go, answer this question together. What's something new you've tried or want to try, and what makes you nervous about it? I'll see you tomorrow on Carpooling with Jesus.
