The Connection Corner

Faith After the Fallout

2 Corinthians 4:18 — So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.

Storms don’t knock. They just show up and start rearranging things you thought were settled.

I had only been in my new house six months before I learned that truth the hard way. One minute it was just a normal day. The next, the wind had picked up, the sky went dark, and an entire tree fell into my house.

In that moment, everything went strangely still, and my mind kicked in.

How can I fix this? What is this going to cost? Who is my insurance guy again?

My mind was swirling—exhausted, overwhelmed, and searching for answers.

But standing there, looking at what was broken open, another thought began to surface—quieter, but steadier.

You’re still here. Still breathing. Still standing. God’s going to carry you through this.

Because yes, it mattered that a tree fell into the house. It was inconvenient, costly, and disruptive in ways I didn’t plan for.

But it was not the truest thing happening.

In life, what can be seen—splintered wood, exposed ceilings, unexpected bills, broken plans—often feels loud because it’s right in front of you.

But it won’t last.

And that’s where faith finds its footing. Not by pretending the storm didn’t hit, but by remembering it doesn’t get to decide the ending.

So, let’s not look at the troubles that can be seen. Instead, let’s fix our gaze on the things of God that cannot be seen because those things will last forever.

And if that’s true… then even here, even now, you’re not dealing with damage.

You’re being carried through it.

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

What visible challenge or “storm damage” is demanding most of your attention right now?
How does focusing on God’s unseen promises change your perspective on that situation?
Have you ever experienced God carrying you through something you didn’t think you could endure?
What does it mean to you that your current troubles are temporary but God’s faithfulness is eternal?
Where do you need to shift your gaze from what is seen to what is unseen?
How can you remind yourself this week that your circumstances are not the truest thing happening?

June 3, 2026/by Tammi Arender

Longing Less, Living More

Brendan McClain, Daily Devotional

Psalms 107:8-9 — Let them praise the LORD for His great love and for the wonderful things He has done for them. For He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.

Summer is both my favorite and my least favorite season.

I love the sun… but sometimes it feels unbearable.

I love the sand… but I hate how it sticks to everything.

I dream all year about sitting by the pool with a cold slice of watermelon, but when it finally comes—I’m hot, sticky, and already thinking about fall.

We spend so much time longing for what’s next that we don’t fully enjoy what’s right in front of us. Summer turns into fall, fall into winter, and we keep chasing the next feeling, the next season, the next moment that will finally satisfy us.

But it never quite does.

There’s always a small part of us still longing.

And if we’re honest, the problem isn’t the season—it’s the belief that something else will finally fill what only God can.

That’s the amazing thing about following Christ. Our deepest longing has already been met. We are not waiting for His love, presence, or promise. It’s already here.

Sure, we wait patiently as His plans unfold. But we are not waiting on His heart.

His love is already ours. His presence is already with us. Right here, right now.

He is the kind of God who doesn’t just notice empty places—He fills them. He’s the one who meets our real thirst with something that actually satisfies, deep down where nothing else seems to reach.

And when we begin to live from that truth, everything else starts to fall into place.

We can enjoy summer without needing it to be perfect and look forward to fall without wishing away today.

We can sit in the in-between—the longing and the having—and still feel at peace. Because the greatest desire of our souls isn’t something we’re chasing anymore. It’s something we already have.

So maybe today looks like this:

Feeling the sun and letting it be warm, not overwhelming. Laughing at the sand instead of fighting it. Eating the watermelon and actually enjoying it.

Not because everything is perfect—but because the One who satisfies us never changes.

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

What “next thing” have you been looking to for satisfaction lately?
Have you found yourself wishing away your current season instead of embracing it?
In what ways has God already met needs in your life that you sometimes overlook?
What does it mean to you that God’s presence is already with you right now?
How can you practice gratitude for the season you’re in instead of constantly looking ahead?
What is one simple blessing you can enjoy today as a gift from God?

June 2, 2026/by Brendan McClain

Running Home to Rest

Daily Devotional, Denise Pagano

Psalm 91:1 — Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

The alarm goes off, and your thumb hits snooze before your eyes ever open.

Then you hit it again…and again…and again.

At some point, you stop counting because counting would ruin your day.

You tell yourself you’ll go to bed earlier tonight.

But somehow, that doesn’t always happen.

Because that is the rhythm now. You call it “winding down,” but your mind never really does. You don’t sleep—you scroll, replay conversations, and answer texts that could’ve waited until morning.

And eventually, it catches up.

Researchers have found that even one night of very little sleep can increase stress hormones and leave your body feeling more anxious and on edge. Your heart works harder. Your mind feels foggier. Everything seems heavier.

But even a short nap or a season of intentional rest can help your body recover and reset.

That’s the power of rest.

And maybe that’s what this means for you and for me: rest isn’t laziness.

It’s repair.

God designed our bodies with a reset button, and sometimes that reset looks less like grinding harder and more like closing your eyes.

I know we live in a world that glorifies burnout, but maybe that’s why rest can be such an act of faith.

Because Scripture paints a picture of someone who isn’t striving or scrambling. They’re dwelling in the shelter of the Most High. They’re resting in His shadow.

They rest not because life is easy, but because God is safe.

Trust that God is still holding everything together even when you’re not.

And if that’s true…

Then maybe rest isn’t something to feel guilty about.

It’s something to run home to.

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

What has been stealing your rest lately—busyness, worry, distractions, or something else?
Do you view rest as a gift from God or something you have to earn?
What would it look like to trust God enough to slow down this week?
How does Psalm 91:1 change your perspective on where true rest is found?
What is one practical way you can create space to rest in God’s presence today?

June 1, 2026/by Denise Pagano