The Connection Corner

Faith in the In-Between

Psalm 27:14 — Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.

My wife and I were standing on the highest peak of Tijuana, Mexico. There we experienced a breathtaking view of the city—and the gravity of deep disappointment settling in our chests.

We had spent the last year preparing to serve as missionaries in Central America. We met with teams and stepped forward, desiring to discern God’s call.

Yet despite our desire for the nations, doors closed in three different countries, leaving us in a season of waiting and uncertainty.

But how do you respond when a door shuts? What do you do when you’re trying to be obedient, and things don’t work out how you expected?

In the book of Nehemiah, we see a man burdened with vision. But in humility, he bowed low under the weight of God’s providence. Nehemiah’s conviction did not drive him to force outcomes; it drove him to his knees.

Just like Nehemiah, the calling of God is rarely the version we sketch in our minds. Instead, the calling is surrender—no matter the outcome. So, we pray. We fast, and we stay near to God as we walk with Him.

Because we don’t hold the vision—He does.

And here’s the comforting thing we were learning. God knows our dreams and passions. He has not ignored them or cast them aside. In His remarkable wisdom, He weaves His sovereign plans together with the desires He Himself put inside us.

So, when we sense a call, we remain faithful.

When a door closes, we remain faithful.

And we wait patiently for the Lord. We choose to be brave despite the outcome.

Because God is never confused.

He can redirect our future more beautifully than we could ever imagine.

In the words of a seasoned missionary, “God is faithful to finish the work He starts—not necessarily the works we start. So, stay obedient, my friend.”

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

Have you ever experienced a closed door when you believed God was leading you somewhere?
How do you typically respond when life doesn’t unfold the way you expected?
What does “waiting patiently for the Lord” look like in your current season?
Is there an area of your life where God may be inviting you to surrender the outcome instead of forcing it?
How can remembering God’s sovereignty give you courage while you wait?

May 13, 2026/by Brendan McClain

Let Go of What Can’t Love You

Daily Devotional, Denise Pagano

Philippians 1:9-10 — I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return.

I read something this week that made me go, “Huh?”

So, there was a study out of Arizona State University that looked at something called “material possession love.” They interviewed people about their favorite cars, computers, bicycles—even collectibles—and discovered that some weren’t just enjoying their stuff.

They were actually emotionally attached to it—giving it more time, attention, and affection than actual human beings. And honestly, I think that tracks, because we live in a world where people make a big deal out of stuff.

Your sneakers, your cars, your brand—none of those things are bad. But here’s the quiet danger. Possessions never talk back. They never disappoint you. They don’t require forgiveness. They don’t challenge you. They just… sit there and make you feel in control.

And that’s exactly why they’re so easy to love more than the things that actually matter.

In the Bible, when Solomon looked at everything he had built and accumulated (and he was the wisest and richest man that ever lived) he called it meaningless… a chasing after the wind.

Because stuff can be impressive, but it can’t love you back. Your phone won’t pray for you. Your car won’t sit with you when your heart is breaking. Only people can do that.

And more importantly, only God can. He can fill those deep places in your soul that keep reaching for something more.

Because nothing in this world—no possession, status, or achievement—was ever designed to carry the weight of your heart.

So, this is my hope…that your love would overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in the good stuff. Live for the things that really matter so you can live wisely until Jesus comes back.

You were never meant to love things more than people, or anything more than the God who loved you first. Today there’s an invitation to loosen your grip on what can’t love you back, and to turn your heart toward the One who can. Let your love land where it was always meant to—on people and on the God who loved you first.

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

What things in your life tend to receive more of your attention and affection than your relationships with God or people?
Have you ever looked to possessions, success, or status to fill a deeper need in your heart?
According to Philippians 1:9-10, what does it mean to “understand what really matters”?
In what ways can your love “overflow more and more” toward the people around you this week?
What is one practical way you can loosen your grip on material things and invest more deeply in eternal things today?

May 12, 2026/by Denise Pagano

Stretching Makes Faith Strong

Daily Devotional, Tammi Arender

Romans 5:3-4 — Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.

You know, in our lives, we are constantly reaching for comfort. We crave ease. We want to live on easy street, right? We plan for leisure and fun and rest.

And I am that person. I want every day to go smoothly.

I want to go to the beach, head to the mountains, or stay home and bake cookies. But that’s not real life. And more often than not, it’s not the plan God has for us either.

Our flesh loves the easy places that come with predictable schedules, smooth roads, and everything working out just right. But growth rarely happens there.

Think about it. Muscles don’t strengthen without resistance.

And faith? It doesn’t deepen without stretching.

Jesus never promised a life of ease. He promised a life that matters—a life with purpose. He points to the kind of life that asks you to let go of what feels safe so you can actually find what is real.

Because the truth is, those hard seasons are not pointless. They’re producing something—things like steadiness, endurance, and hope.

Not to harm us, but to shape us and to lead to our hope.

Because comfort feels good in the moment. But calling? Calling carries meaning that lasts.

And maybe that tension you’re feeling right now, you were not meant to try to escape it or retreat to your comfort zone. This is the very place where something in you is being built that comfort could never produce.

So friend, just stay a little longer—and see what God might be growing in you.

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

Where in your life are you most tempted to run back toward comfort instead of trusting God through the process?
Can you think of a difficult season that ultimately produced growth, endurance, or deeper faith in you?
What might God be building in your character through the tension or struggle you are facing right now?
How can you choose purpose over comfort in one practical way this week?
What would it look like to stay steady and trust God instead of trying to escape the hard season immediately?

May 11, 2026/by Tammi Arender