The Connection Corner

Loved by a Good Father

James 1:17 – “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”

Looking back, I never understood the idea of ‘missing out’ on having a son to throw a ball with. My dad was different. He was excited to have a daughter to teach. He is the reason I fell in love with sports!

My dad, a 6’4 gentle giant standing, is one of the kindest and strongest men I know. From blending my baby food for daycare to tucking away extra bows so I’d always look cute, he has invested in me from a very young age.

I have two brothers, yet I have always been the athlete of the family. From a young age, Dad taught me to play catch with a Velcro mitt and introduced me to basketball. The joy in his face when he saw me progressing and beating him at his own game is something I will never forget.

Dad’s love was not just about cheering at a game; it was an entire investment in who I could become. He nurtured my talents, big and small, and believed in me more than I believed in myself.

When I think of what it means to be a godly man, I immediately think of him. He reminded me that my gifts come from Jesus. He taught me sportsmanship in working hard and handling setbacks with a positive attitude.

He never raised his voice and always disciplined us in love. In sports, He always made sure I had the best equipment like bats, knee pads and cleats.

Reflecting on his constant encouragement, I see parallels with God. Like my earthly father, God, the Father of Lights, desires to give good gifts to His children and equip them for success in all aspects of their lives.

So remember that God is a good Father, and He wants to help you, not just on the court, but in everything you face today.

June 5, 2025/by Bri Dunn

More Than Just a Job

Daily Devotional, Sarah Hall

Colossians 3:23–24 “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”

He had never been one to sit still.

Right out of high school, Cliff went straight to work at the GE factory. It was hard work—long hours, heavy lifting—but it felt good to build a life with his own hands. He stayed there for twenty years.

Until one day, it was over.

The shutdown had been looming for months, but nothing prepared him for that final walk out. There would be no more clocking in and no more steady paycheck. There was just a clean locker and a lot of unanswered questions.

He tried to stay ahead of it. He sent out applications and made phone calls, but doors stayed shut. When he sat down at the kitchen table that night, Cliff felt like he had let his family down.

He remembered something his pastor had said about trusting God to meet their needs, so he said a simple prayer. Just, “Lord, I need help.”

The next morning, the phone rang. It was his pastor. The janitor at church had just retired, and they needed someone to step in. They were also starting a building project and needed help managing it. It meant more hours, more responsibility, and more pay than Cliff had made at the factory.

He said yes.

At first, it just felt like a job. But over time, he began to see the fingerprints of God everywhere. It was there in the quiet early mornings before the lights came on and in the way people worshiped in a clean, welcoming space that felt safe.

And he realized something: this was ministry.

God does not waste any space He gives us to stand in. Whether you hold a Bible or a broom, you have a platform to serve people and point them to Jesus.

Believe me, you do not have to chase something “bigger” to make an impact.

Just be faithful where you are.

That is where He works best.

June 4, 2025/by Sarah Hall

What Happens When You Are Available

Daily Devotional, Heart of the Artist, Stories About Songs

Isaiah 6:8 – And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.”

Eighth grade was a big year for me.

It was the summer I found myself kneeling under a tree at youth camp. I was far enough away from the noise to think yet close enough to still hear the music drifting from the chapel.

I did not know how to pray the right way. I just knew I needed to talk to the One who made all of this—the trees, the sky, and somehow, even me.

I remember looking up and saying, “God, I know You’re the Creator of all things. I have no idea if You can even hear me, but I’m available.”

I meant it. Every word.

When I went back to school that fall, the world around me looked the same—rows of lockers, math homework, everyday middle school chaos. But inside, something had shifted. I began talking to God more in private. Again, my prayers were not eloquent. Most days, they were just raw honesty. Still, I kept showing up and kept staying open.

Years have passed since that summer, but I still remember what it felt like to pray that first real prayer. Today, I get to write songs that help people talk to God. That still stuns me. Not because I think I have earned it, but because it reminds me how powerful one simple moment of surrender can be.

Most of the songs I write are still just prayers like the one under that tree.

Maybe that is the point. So, if you are wondering what comes next or whether God still has something for you, start there.

Get honest. Get still. Ask Him what He wants.

You do not have to map it all out. You just have to stay open. The Creator who made you already knows exactly what He’s doing.

He always has, and He always will.

— Chris Tomlin

LYRICS:

Verse 1
A thousand generations falling down in worship
To sing the song of ages to the Lamb
And all who’ve gone before us and all who will believe
Will sing the song of ages to the Lamb

Pre-Chorus 1
Your name is the highest
Your name is the greatest
Your name stands above them all
All thrones and dominions
All powers and positions
Your name stands above them all

Half-Chorus
And the angels cry, Holy
All creation cries, Holy
You are lifted high, Holy
Holy forever

Verse 2
If you’ve been forgiven and if you’ve been redeemed
Sing the song forever to the Lamb
If you walk in freedom and if you bear His name
Sing the song forever to the Lamb
We’ll sing the song forever and amen

Chorus
Hear your people sing, Holy
To the King of Kings, Holy
You will always be, Holy
Holy forever

Tag
You will always be, Holy
Holy forever

Holy Forever
Written by: Brian Johnson, Chris Tomlin, Jason Ingram, Jenn Johnson, Phil Wickham

June 3, 2025/by David Hall