The Connection Corner

A daily source of encouragement and inspiration to connect your heart to hope and faith.

Running Low, But Not Running Out

Daily Devotional, Tammi Arender

Psalm 34:10 — Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry, but those who trust in the Lord will lack no good thing.

Have you ever looked at your bank account and thought, “Lord, I have absolutely no idea how this is going to work”?

The house payment is due.

The car payment is coming.

The grocery list keeps getting longer, but the money seems to be getting shorter.

And suddenly, tuna fish sandwiches are looking pretty good!

If you’ve ever been there, you know those are the moments when trusting God isn’t just a nice Christian phrase.

It’s something you desperately need.

Because faith feels a whole lot easier when the bills are paid and there’s money left in the bank.

But what about the seasons when there isn’t enough?

When you’re doing everything you know to do, and the numbers still don’t add up?

When you’re praying for provision, but you’re not sure where it’s going to come from?

That’s when Psalm 34:10 offers us a beautiful reminder.

“Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry, but those who trust in the Lord will lack no good thing.”

Think about that.

Even lions, some of the strongest creatures in the wild, aren’t guaranteed a full stomach every day.

Their strength doesn’t mean they’ll never experience hunger.

And our faith doesn’t mean we’ll never experience hardship.

But here’s what I love about this verse.

Our circumstances may change, but God’s goodness doesn’t.

Now, that doesn’t mean God promises to fill our bank accounts or make every financial problem disappear.

Sometimes His provision comes through an unexpected opportunity.

Sometimes it’s through the kindness of another person.

And sometimes it’s the strength, wisdom, and peace we need to make it through a difficult season.

But whatever the situation, we can trust that God sees us, knows what we need, and hasn’t forgotten us.

And there’s something else I’ve been thinking about.

When we know God is our provider, we don’t have to let fear make every decision for us.

That changes how we think about generosity, too.

Because isn’t it easy to say, “I’ll be generous when I have a little more”?

When the bills are caught up.

When the savings account looks better.

When there’s something left over.

And listen, we absolutely need to be wise with what God has entrusted to us. Taking care of our families and meeting our responsibilities matters.

But generosity isn’t always about money.

Sometimes it’s sharing a meal.

Sometimes it’s offering your time.

Sometimes it’s giving someone a ride, making a phone call, or helping a neighbor who’s having an even harder day than you are.

And yes, sometimes, when we’re able, it’s sharing financially even when we don’t have an abundance.

Because generosity isn’t measured by how much we have. It’s revealed in how willing we are to love.

Maybe you’re in a lean season right now.

Maybe you’re staring at bills and wondering how everything is going to come together.

If that’s you, I want you to hear something today.

Having a need doesn’t mean you’ve failed at trusting God.

And struggling doesn’t mean He’s stopped taking care of you.

You can bring those worries to Him.

You can ask Him for help.

And you can trust Him one day at a time, even while you’re still waiting for answers.

But maybe you’re in a season where you have a little extra.

If so, ask God to show you someone who could use some encouragement or help.

You never know.

The very provision someone else is praying for might be something God has placed in your hands to share.

And whether you’re the one who needs help or the one who can offer it, remember this:

God’s goodness isn’t determined by the balance in your bank account.

So trust Him with what you need.

Thank Him for what you have.

And keep your heart open to what He might do through you.

Because even when life feels like there’s not enough, God’s goodness has not run out.

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

Have you ever experienced a season when your financial circumstances made it difficult to trust God? What helped you through it?
Psalm 34:10 reminds us that even strong lions sometimes go hungry. How does that change the way you think about hardship and faith?
Have you ever experienced God’s provision in an unexpected way, perhaps through another person’s kindness?
How can fear about not having enough affect our willingness to be generous?
What is one way you could show generosity this week that doesn’t necessarily involve money?

QUESTION TO CARRY WITH YOU TODAY

Am I allowing what I don’t have to overshadow my trust in the God who knows what I need?

October 26, 2026/by Tammi Arender

Tree Climber Theology

Daily Devotional, Denise Pagano

Luke 15:4 — If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it?

Have you ever noticed how quickly we can decide we know someone?

Maybe we’ve heard a story about them.

Maybe we know something they did years ago.

Or maybe we’ve just watched them make a few bad decisions, and we’ve already made up our minds about who they are.

It’s funny how easily a person’s reputation can become their entire identity in our eyes.

But aren’t you glad Jesus doesn’t see people that way?

There’s a story in the Bible about a man named Zacchaeus.

And let me tell you, Zacchaeus had a reputation.

He was a wealthy tax collector, and in those days, tax collectors weren’t exactly winning popularity contests.

They were known for taking advantage of people, and Zacchaeus certainly wasn’t someone the crowd was eager to welcome.

But one day, Jesus was passing through Jericho.

And Zacchaeus wanted to see Him.

There was just one little problem.

Zacchaeus was short.

And with all those people crowding around Jesus, he couldn’t see a thing.

So he did what any determined grown man would do.

He climbed a tree.

Now, can you imagine that?

Here’s this wealthy, important man perched up in a tree like a little kid, just hoping to catch a glimpse of Jesus.

I wonder what he was thinking up there.

Maybe he figured he’d watch Jesus pass by and then quietly climb back down.

After all, why would Jesus want anything to do with a man like him?

But then something happened Zacchaeus probably never expected.

Jesus stopped.

He looked up.

And He called Zacchaeus by name.

“Zacchaeus! Quick, come down! I must be a guest in your home today.”

Now, notice what Jesus didn’t say.

He didn’t say, “Zacchaeus, straighten out your life first.”

He didn’t say, “Explain yourself.”

And He certainly didn’t say, “Once you’ve earned everybody’s approval, maybe we can talk.”

No.

Jesus simply called him down and invited Himself over.

Jesus saw the man everyone else had already decided they knew.

And that changes everything.

Because in Luke 15, Jesus tells us about a shepherd with a hundred sheep.

When one wanders away, the shepherd goes looking for it.

Not because that one sheep is worth more than the other ninety-nine.

But because the one that’s missing matters, too.

And isn’t that exactly what we see in Zacchaeus?

While the crowd saw a sinner, Jesus saw someone worth seeking.

While others grumbled that Jesus would spend time with a man like him, Jesus was already doing what He came to do.

Reaching the lost.

In fact, at the end of Zacchaeus’s story, Jesus says something that connects these two passages beautifully.

“For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”

And here’s what I love.

Jesus didn’t wait for Zacchaeus to get his act together before He approached him.

But that encounter didn’t leave Zacchaeus unchanged, either.

Zacchaeus responded with repentance and generosity. He promised to give half his wealth to the poor and repay those he had cheated four times over.

The man who had spent so much of his life taking from others was now ready to give.

Jesus didn’t overlook his sin. He offered him something powerful enough to change his life.

Grace.

And friend, I wonder how many people around us are a little like Zacchaeus.

People carrying reputations they can’t seem to escape.

People who’ve made mistakes and wonder if that’s all anyone will ever see.

People who feel like they have to watch from a distance because surely Jesus wouldn’t want anything to do with them.

But He does.

He knows their names.

He knows their stories.

And He hasn’t stopped seeking people who are lost.

So here’s a question I’ve been asking myself.

Am I seeing people the way the crowd saw Zacchaeus, or the way Jesus saw him?

Because it’s easy to notice someone’s failures.

It’s easy to remember their past.

It’s easy to decide who they are before we ever take the time to know them.

But love looks closer.

Grace makes room.

And sometimes, the most Christlike thing we can do is simply refuse to overlook someone everybody else has written off.

Maybe there’s someone in your world who needs that kind of love today.

Someone who needs to know their story isn’t finished.

Someone who needs to hear that their past doesn’t have to define their future.

Someone who’s waiting to be noticed.

So today, look around.

And maybe, just maybe, look up.

Because you never know who’s sitting in a tree, hoping someone will see them.

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

Have you ever felt that someone judged you by your past rather than who you are today?
What does Jesus’ decision to call Zacchaeus by name reveal about His heart for people who feel rejected?
Why is it important that Jesus welcomed Zacchaeus before Zacchaeus demonstrated a change of heart?
Is there someone you’ve written off because of their reputation or past mistakes? How might God be challenging you to see them differently?
What could you do this week to help someone feel noticed, valued, and welcomed?

QUESTION TO CARRY WITH YOU TODAY

Who might Jesus be asking me to notice that everyone else has overlooked?

October 25, 2026/by Denise Pagano

Ten Dollars Well Spent

Daily Devotional, Tammi Arender

1 Thessalonians 3:12-13 — And may the Lord make your love for one another and for all people grow and overflow, just as our love for you overflows. May he, as a result, make your hearts strong, blameless, and holy as you stand before God our Father when our Lord Jesus comes again with all his holy people. Amen.

Lately, I’ve had several young people knocking on my door.

And no, they’re not trick-or-treaters.

They’re looking for work.

I know that might sound a little unusual these days, but I’ve actually been pretty impressed.

One young man offered to clean up my yard.

Another wanted to mow.

And one even asked if he could clean my trash cans!

Now, I’ve got to tell you, that one caught me off guard.

But I admired their willingness to work.

These weren’t kids just standing there asking me to hand them money.

They were offering to do something to earn it.

And while I wish I could have hired every one of them, I couldn’t.

But there was one young man who stood out.

I don’t know exactly what it was.

There was just something about him.

Something sincere.

And as I listened to him, I couldn’t help wondering what might be going on in his life.

Why was he knocking on doors?

What was he trying to earn money for?

Was there something he needed that I couldn’t see?

I didn’t know his whole story.

But I knew I wanted to help.

So I found a simple little job for him to do.

Nothing complicated.

Just something he could finish and feel good about.

And when he was done, I reached into my wallet.

I had ten dollars.

That was it.

Not twenty.

Not fifty.

Just ten dollars.

So that’s what I gave him.

And friend, you should have seen his face.

He smiled.

And I watched him stand just a little taller.

Now, I don’t know what that ten dollars meant to him.

Maybe it helped him buy something he needed.

Maybe it was money he was saving.

Or maybe it was simply the satisfaction of knowing he’d worked hard and earned something.

But I could tell that moment mattered.

And you know what?

It mattered to me, too.

Because sometimes what we give someone is worth more than what’s in our hand.

Sometimes it’s encouragement.

Sometimes it’s dignity.

Sometimes it’s the reminder that somebody sees them and believes they’re worth a little time and attention.

And I’ve been thinking about that young man ever since.

Especially when I read Paul’s prayer in 1 Thessalonians.

“May the Lord make your love for one another and for all people grow and overflow.”

I love that word.

Overflow.

Not just enough love for the people who are easy to love.

Not just enough kindness for our friends and family.

But so much love that it spills over into the lives of people we don’t even know.

People who show up unexpectedly.

People whose stories we haven’t heard.

People who may need something we have to give.

And notice something else about that verse.

Paul is asking the Lord to make our love grow.

Because the kind of love God calls us to isn’t something we have to manufacture all by ourselves.

It’s something He grows in us as we follow Him.

And sometimes, He grows it through the smallest moments.

Like a knock at the door.

A conversation with a stranger.

Or a ten-dollar bill.

You know, I think it’s easy to overlook those opportunities because they don’t seem very big.

We imagine generosity means having a lot of money.

Or making some enormous sacrifice.

Or doing something that changes somebody’s entire life.

But what if love starts somewhere much simpler?

What if it starts with noticing?

Noticing the person who’s struggling.

Noticing someone who’s trying.

Noticing that there might be more to somebody’s story than what we see on the surface.

And then being willing to do something about it.

Now, we can’t help everybody in every situation.

And we need wisdom about how and when we help.

But we can ask God to keep our hearts open.

To help us see people the way He sees them.

And to make us willing to share what we can.

Because here’s what I’ve discovered.

When we choose to show compassion, it doesn’t just affect the person receiving it.

It changes something in us, too.

Our hearts become a little softer.

Our eyes become a little more open.

And our love has a chance to grow.

That’s what I want.

I want to be someone whose love doesn’t stop with the people I already know.

I want it to reach the person at my door.

The stranger at the store.

The neighbor down the street.

Whoever God places in my path.

So today, maybe you won’t have a young person knocking on your door asking to clean your trash cans.

But I have a feeling somebody will cross your path who could use a little kindness.

And maybe God will give you an opportunity to help.

It might not cost much.

It might not take long.

And you may never know what happens afterward.

But don’t underestimate what God can do with a willing heart.

After all, sometimes love begins to overflow when we stop long enough to notice who’s standing right in front of us.

And maybe that’s where it starts.

With an open heart.

Open eyes.

And a willingness to open the door.

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

Have you ever had an unexpected encounter with someone that made you more aware of the needs around you?
Why do you think being treated with dignity and respect can sometimes mean as much as receiving financial help?
Paul prays that our love will grow and overflow toward all people. Are there people outside your usual circle whom God may be encouraging you to notice?
How have small acts of generosity or compassion changed your own heart?
What is one practical way you can show someone today that they matter?