Hey, carpool crew. Maybe you already started Thanksgiving break and you're relaxing at home, or maybe you're driving around doing some errands, getting ready for Thanksgiving. I'm Pastor Justin, and I'm so glad you're here today. Let me ask you, has anyone ever told you to say thank you and you didn't really feel like it? Maybe someone handed you a gift and everyone was watching and you kind of mumbled thanks and wanted to disappear. Yeah, saying thank you can feel awkward sometimes. I know that, especially when you have to say it out loud. But here's the thing. Thankfulness actually does take courage. First Thessalonians chapter five, verse 18 says, give thanks in everything for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. That means God wants you to be thankful, not just when things are easy, but in everything, even when life is messy, even when you don't get your way, even when you are nervous or shy, because thankfulness doesn't just show good manners, it shows a brave heart. It's easy not to say thank you. It takes no effort to be rude or selfish. But when we say thank you and show gratitude, especially if it's hard for us, it does take courage and God's with you. When the Apostle Paul wrote that verse, he wasn't sitting on a beach drinking lemonade. He was in prison. You might think, it always seems like Paul's in prison. Well, he was imprisoned a lot for his faith. He would go to cities and tell people about Jesus. And they didn't like that, so they'd put him in a prison that was cold. He was tired and he was unsure what would happen next. But even there, he wrote, give thanks in everything. That's courage. That is bravery. He was showing us that gratitude isn't about your situation, it's about your heart. See, if Jesus were sitting in the backseat with you today, I'd think he'd smile and say, it's brave to be thankful even when it's uncomfortable, even when it might feel new. When you say thank you, you shine my light into someone's day. Think about it like this. Have you ever told a teacher, a coach, or even your mom or dad, thank you for helping me, and you really meant it? It takes guts to do that. You have to stop what you're doing, look someone in the eyes and say, I'm thankful for you. It takes humility to do that because you're saying, I'm thankful for you because I couldn't do something myself. And because of you, I was able to. See, when you do that, something powerful happens. Your heart grows, your faith grows, your love for others grows. And guess what? So does theirs. When you actually feel the difference, when your thank you is real, it fills the room with warmth and joy. So here's your challenge today. Pick one person, maybe a teacher or a coach, or someone who helps you, and say thank you, and don't stop there. Tell them why you're thankful. A couple weeks ago on the weekend, we did an episode about writing thank you notes. If you subscribe, you can go back and listen to it, and we give you step by step on how to write a thank you note. Maybe that is different for you or maybe it feels awkward at first, but looking at someone and saying thank you, taking the time to write a thank you note to them, it is a big deal. Maybe say something like, thank you for helping me when I didn't understand, or thank you for believing in me and coaching me. It might feel awkward at first, but we remember gratitude takes courage, and courage grows your heart. Remember, no matter where you are or how you're listening, God loves you. And parents, if you love today's podcast, consider sharing about it in a Facebook group for your community or your school. Let other parents discover carpooling with Jesus. Now, before you go, let's answer this question together. Why do you think it's sometimes hard to say thank you? I'll see you tomorrow on carpooling with Jesus.
