This Sunday was Graduation Sunday. A day to celebrate and honor people who graduated from High School or College. We at Guthrie Grove have regularly given honor to those who have a giant mile marker in their life by acknowledging their accomplishments, pointing out next steps and offering guidance and support for their next chapter. We asked Adam Sharp to give the charge this year and his talk starting with King David’s charge to Solomon from 1 Kings 2 on obeying God, followed by personal lessons on patience, persistence, and humility from his own experience upon entering the real-world post college, and ending with practical encouragement. Pastor Andy gave a quick lesson titled “step up”.

Pastor Andy started with a short story. A man once said, “When is the best time to plant a shady tree?” He smiled and answered, “Thirty years ago. The next best time is today.” Then he added, “I can’t do anything about thirty years ago, but I can do something about today.” That simple picture carries a profound spiritual truth. Scripture reminds us that we cannot relive yesterday, but we can obey God today. Paul writes, “Forgetting what lies behind… I press on” (Philippians 3:13–14). Yesterday is gone—its failures, regrets, and missed opportunities cannot be replanted. But today is filled with grace. God meets us in the present moment, inviting us to take one step of faith. Regret is a terrible gardener; it never plants anything. Faith does.

Jesus teaches that even the smallest seed planted today can become something life‑giving tomorrow. The mustard seed is tiny, almost invisible, yet it grows into a tree large enough for birds to rest in its branches (Matthew 13:31–32). In the same way, small acts of obedience—prayer, kindness, repentance, encouragement, generosity, become future shade in our lives and in the lives of others. You plant, but God makes it grow. Never underestimate the power of a small beginning.

That’s why Scripture urges us to act now. “Encourage one another… as long as it is called Today” (Hebrews 3:13). Today is God’s invitation. Today is where faith lives. Today is where obedience matters. Delayed obedience is simply disobedience in slow motion. The Spirit nudges us toward action—not tomorrow, not someday, but now. You can’t change thirty years ago, but you can plant something beautiful today. And if you do, God will turn today’s seed into tomorrow’s shade.

The students that graduated are:

High school – Ethan Farr, Kate Winner, Hope Allen .  College  - Kaylee Blackwell, Tye Moorehead.