The Connection Corner

A Friend Who Stays

Romans 12:10 – “Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.”

Before the boat even left the dock, I could feel it—I was nervous.

Jordan moved like he was born doing this. He was checking rods, organizing bait, steering around Lake D’arbonne like it was second nature. I did my best to follow his lead, but I was out of my element.

I hadn’t fished much growing up—not seriously. And even though I had been part of a men’s Bible study for a while, where I was finally learning how to feel at home around other men, being out here stirred up something old and unwelcome.

You should know this already. You’re a guy. You’re from the South. What’s wrong with you?

That shame crept in fast. I felt like an outsider again.

But Jordan did not let those lies breathe for long.

He never made a show of helping, and he did not laugh or point out my mistakes. He just came alongside. No judgment. No pressure. Just a guy who cared enough to stick beside me until the knots were tied and the cast was clean.

We didn’t catch any fish that day, but I left the water with something I did not expect. Confidence. Not because I had suddenly figured it all out, but because someone treated me like I already belonged.

That trip reminded me of what real brotherhood can do.

I want to be the kind of friend who helps someone feel safe when they are unsure. Who silences insecurity by refusing to flinch when it shows up. Who stays, even when the fish don’t bite.

I want to be for others who I needed on that boat: a real brother, like Christ is to us. And I want to do that on purpose.

May 2, 2025/by David Hall

The Instructions Work

Andy Youso, Daily Devotional

Psalm 119:105 – “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

I had owned the van for almost a year before I finally learned how to use one of its best features.

The van was a gift from my parents — practical, clean, dependable. And, according to them, it had remote start. “You’ll love it once it gets cold,” they told me.

Well, I tried. I really did. I stood in the driveway and pressed all the buttons… nothing. The lights blinked, but the engine never started. I pressed them again. Still nothing. Just silence.

After a few tries, I figured it was broken. Maybe something disconnected when they passed it down to me. Whatever it was, I stopped bothering with it. I was too embarrassed to admit I didn’t know what I was doing. I just acted like I had it all under control.

And then — almost a year later — winter came again, and my mom said, “Isn’t that remote start the best?” And I knew I could not fake it anymore. I went home and pulled finally did what I should have done a year ago: I opened the manual.

It took me less than sixty seconds to find it. Press the lock button twice. That’s it. I ran outside and tried it, and the van started right up. Just like that.

I could not help but laugh. All this time, the answer was sitting in my glove box. I just had not taken the time to look.

And then I felt a deeper sting — the kind that hits when God quietly shows you yourself.

How often have I approached life like that? Trying things on my own, assuming I am broken or that something is not working, when really… I just haven’t opened His Word?

God has already spoken. He has already given direction. The Bible is not a riddle or a guilt trip. It is His voice: steady, trustworthy, close. If life feels stuck, you are not alone. But do not stay stuck. Open the instructions He has already given you.

May 1, 2025/by Andy Youso

When You Think You Can’t, God Says You Can

Daily Devotional, Lauren Kitchens-Steward

Luke 1:37 – “For nothing will be impossible with God.”

When we adopted Knox, we thought we knew what we were getting into. The paperwork said he had cochlear implants, spoke a little English, and was fluent in Chinese. But the minute we met him, we realized real quick—that was simply not true.

And suddenly, we weren’t just new parents. We were new parents with no idea how to communicate with our son.

I won’t lie to you. It was overwhelming. If we had known upfront how much we would be stretched, I don’t know if we would have had the courage to say yes. That is just the honest truth.

But here’s the thing—God knew. And He had a plan far greater than ours.

Now, years later, Knox is the most incredible kid. He is bright, funny, and kind. And while we still have plenty to figure out, I know now that he was always meant to be ours.

Looking back, I see it so clearly—God knew we could handle more than we thought. And I think that’s true for you, too. Right now, you may feel overwhelmed by what’s in front of you.

You may be looking at something and thinking, “There’s no way I can do this.” But friend, God has already gone ahead of you. He sees the full picture, and He knows exactly what you are capable of even when you don’t.

And one day, you will look back and see—it was never impossible. It was just bigger than you.

And bigger than you is where God does His best work.

April 30, 2025/by Lauren Kitchens-Steward