Trusting God in the Journey Ahead

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." — Joshua 1:9

Every journey of faith begins with a step into the unknown. When Joshua stood on the edge of the Promised Land, following in the footsteps of Moses, he wasn’t handed a perfect road map. What he was given, though, was far more powerful—a promise: God would be with him wherever he went.

Joshua was leading a people into a new season. The wilderness was behind them, but the future still felt uncertain. In this pivotal moment, God’s call was not simply to move forward, but to trust. To believe that the God who had brought them this far would guide them the rest of the way.

As I read Joshua 1, I can’t help but think about where we are as a church. We are on the edge of something new—new possibilities, new ministries, and a new generation of disciples ready to be formed. And just like the Israelites, we are being called to trust.

One of the greatest steps of faith we can take right now is to invest in our children and youth ministry. Not just because it sounds good or looks good on paper, but because our future depends on it.

I can say that with full conviction because I am standing here as your pastor today because people in another church years ago believed in that very same mission.

I was a teenager with questions, insecurities, and potential I couldn’t yet see in myself. But the adults around me could. There were volunteers who gave up their evenings to sit a youth group with us, who drove vans full of loud middle schoolers to retreats, and who prayed for us by name. There were church members who opened their wallets and gave generously—not always because it was easy, but because they believed it mattered.

Those people weren’t just giving their time or money. They were trusting God with the journey. They were stepping forward in faith, believing that God could do something incredible through the next generation.

They were right.

And now, we have the same opportunity.

God is calling us to move forward—not in fear, but in faith. As we seek to reach new families, nurture young hearts, and build a church where all generations can grow together, we must cling to the same promise that God gave Joshua: “I will be with you.”

So, let’s be strong and courageous. Let’s give our best to our children and youth—not just because it’s good strategy, but because it’s faithful obedience. Let’s believe that God will raise up future leaders, pastors, teachers, and faithful disciples—because we dared to trust Him now.

We don’t know every detail of what lies ahead, but we do know this: God is with us.

And that changes everything.

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Reflection Question: What is one step of faith you can take this week to support the next generation in our church?

Let’s journey together—with trust, with courage, and with hope.

In God’s grip,

Pastor Chuck Church