The Connection Corner

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

Lessons from a Zoomie Dog

1 Peter 5:7 — Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.

Well, you probably know by now that I have a Bernedoodle named Porsche.

And let me tell you—she has exactly two speeds: sleeping (because she has absolutely no responsibilities in life) or running through the house like she just drank three energy drinks.

The other night she got the zoomies.

She was racing in circles, sliding across my hardwood floors, and bouncing off the couch like gravity was optional.

I just sat there laughing.

Because Porsche doesn’t have a schedule to manage. She isn’t stressing over bills or replaying yesterday’s conversations. She’s not worried about tomorrow.

She’s simply enjoying the moment.

And somewhere between childhood and adulthood, I think many of us forget how to do that.

Life gets serious.

We get married. Bills show up. Kids arrive…and then one day they move out. Responsibilities pile higher, and before we know it, we’re carrying worries we were never meant to carry.

Watching Porsche race around the house reminded me of something.

She isn’t dragging yesterday behind her or trying to control tomorrow.

She’s free because she isn’t carrying the weight of the world.

God never asked His children to carry that weight either.

Instead, He lovingly invites us: “Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you.”

What a beautiful promise.

Not only does He tell us to give Him our worries—He tells us why.

Because He cares.

He cares about the burden keeping you awake.

He cares about the decision you’re trying to make.

He cares about the thing you’ve been quietly carrying by yourself.

Friend, when you release what was never yours to carry, you make room to rest in the care of the One who never stops carrying you.

So maybe today, take a deep breath.

Give God one worry you’ve been holding onto.

Laugh a little.

Look for His goodness.

And remember…

Joy grows where trust begins.

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

What worry have you been carrying that God is inviting you to give to Him today?
How does knowing that God cares about you personally make it easier to trust Him with your burdens?
What is one simple way you can choose joy today instead of dwelling on tomorrow’s worries?

July 7, 2026/by Denise Pagano

Peace In Your Piled-Up Day

Brenda Price, Daily Devotional

Psalm 55:22 — Cast your burden on the Lord, and He will sustain you; He will never permit the righteous to be moved.

Oh, you know those days where you’re functioning…but barely?

Maybe that’s today for you.

You’re showing up. You’re answering the messages. You’re doing what needs to be done. But inside, you feel heavier than anyone knows.

The truth is, some burdens don’t announce themselves.

They accumulate quietly…stress, pressure, responsibility, worry, disappointment.

Little by little, the weight builds until one day you’re carrying more than you were ever meant to.

If that’s where you are today, I want you to hear this clearly:

God never asked you to carry it all by yourself.

Scripture invites us to cast our burdens on the Lord. Why? Because He’s the One strong enough to carry what we can’t.

And notice the promise. God doesn’t say every burden will disappear overnight.

He says, “I will sustain you.”

That’s a different kind of promise.

It means strength for today. Grace for the next step. Peace that steadies you even before your circumstances change.

You may not have the words for everything you’re feeling, but you don’t need perfect words to come to God.

He already knows.

Bring Him your prayers, your tears, your questions…even your silence.

Nothing you place in His hands is too heavy for Him.

So before you move on to the next task today, pause for just a moment.

Hand Him one thing you’ve been carrying.

Take a deep breath.

You’re not failing because you feel the weight.

You’re human.

And God is still holding you.

When you release what was never yours to carry alone, you make room to experience the peace only He can give.

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

What burden have you been carrying that God is inviting you to place in His hands today?
How does God’s promise to sustain you encourage you, even if your circumstances haven’t changed yet?
What is one practical way you can pause today and intentionally give your worries to the Lord?

July 6, 2026/by Brenda Price

Holding on Through Heartbreak

Daily Devotional, Heart of the Artist

Matthew 26:39 — He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”

Have you ever noticed how some of the strongest people carry hurts nobody else knows about?

Maybe it’s a job that didn’t work out. A dream that slipped away. A prayer that got a different answer than the one you hoped for.

I was thinking about that when I heard the story behind Hillary Scott’s song “Thy Will.” After losing a baby through miscarriage, she found herself in a place no parent wants to be. The pain in her heart must have been so excruciating. The questions were real. Out of that heartbreak came a song that wasn’t just music—it was a prayer. The cry of someone carrying a burden she desperately wished could be lifted.

It reminds me of another prayer offered in a garden long ago. On the night before the cross, Jesus Himself prayed, “Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me.” He knew the suffering that lay ahead, yet He surrendered Himself completely to the Father’s will.

Moment’s like these remind me that faith isn’t pretending the pain is small; it’s trusting God when the pain is big.

Somewhere in the middle of her grief, Hillary stopped trying to carry it all herself and placed it in God’s hands. Out of that surrender came a song. And through Jesus’ surrender came our salvation.

So if you’re carrying something heavy today, don’t carry it alone. Bring it honestly before God. Tell Him exactly what hurts. Jesus showed us that surrender isn’t pretending everything is okay—it is trusting the Father even when your heart is breaking.

And as you take the next step, remember this: the same Father who strengthened Jesus in the garden is still faithful to walk with you today.

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

What burden have you been trying to carry on your own instead of bringing honestly to God?
What does Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane teach you about trusting God even when His answer is different from what you hoped?
What would it look like to surrender your situation to God’s will one step at a time today?

L Y R I C S

I’m so confused
I know I heard You loud and clear
So I followed through
Somehow I ended up here
I don’t wanna think
I may never understand
That my broken heart is a part of Your plan
When I try to pray, all I’ve got is hurt
And these four words

Thy will be done
Thy will be done
Thy will be done

I know You’re good
But this don’t feel good right now
And I know you think
Of things I could never think about
It’s hard to count it all joy
Distracted by the noise
Just tryna make sense
Of all Your promises
Sometimes I gotta stop
Remember that You’re God
And I am not
So

Thy will be done
Thy will be done
Thy will be done like a child on my knees, all that comes to me is
Thy will be done
Thy will be done
Thy will

I know You see me
I know You hear me, Lord
Your plans are for me
Goodness You have in store
I know You hear me
I know You see me, Lord
Your plans are for me
Goodness You have in store

So, Thy will be done
Thy will be done
Thy will be done like a child on my knees, all that comes to me is
Thy will be done
Thy will be done
Thy will be done
I know You see me
I know You hear me
Lord

Songwriters: Bernie Herms / Emily Lynn Weisband / Hillary Scott

July 5, 2026/by Tammi Arender