The Connection Corner

When Hope Feels Impossible

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.

Hebrews 10:23

Courtney reached for the stuffed giraffe, waving it in front of the baby in front of her. He let out a squeal as his tiny arms reached up to grab it, fingers barely able to close around its soft body.

She laughed, brushing a curl off his forehead. “You like that one, huh?”

He giggled in response. A tube ran from his nose, looping over his chubby cheek. Another fed into his stomach, connected to the machine beside him. A year ago, the sight of it would’ve sent a lump straight to her throat.

Now?

Now she just saw him.

Her miracle boy.

She hugged him close, rocking back and forth, soaking in the warmth of him, the weight of him.

She remembered sitting in a doctor’s office, gripping her husband’s hand like it was the only thing keeping her grounded.

“Your son has a rare form of dwarfism. He will not live.”

The words landed like bricks, one after another. No hope. No future. Just impossible decisions no parent should ever have to make.

Except—something in her refused to accept that. So, she fought.

She dug into research, spent late nights scouring medical journals, and prayed like never before. And somewhere in that searching, she felt it—that quiet nudge, that voice that said, Keep going. Don’t be afraid.

After six months in the hospital, against all odds, they brought him home.

Now, here he was—laughing, playing, thriving.

Courtney knew the road ahead wouldn’t be easy. There would be more hospital visits, more scary nights, more unknowns.

But she also knew this—God had been better to them than she had ever dared to hope.

It’s easy to get caught up in the fear of what’s ahead. To wonder if you’ll have enough strength or faith to make it through.

But today, she wasn’t looking forward. She was looking back.

At every time, God had provided. At every moment, she thought they wouldn’t make it—but did. And if God had carried them this far, He wasn’t about to stop now.

Maybe that’s something we all need to remember. When fear whispers about the future, look back. Look at all He has done. And dare to believe He will still be good in the days to come.

April 9, 2025/by Lisa Williams

Bloom Where You’re Planted

Daily Devotional, Sarah Hall

“Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.”

John 15:2

I don’t know why I thought keeping plants alive would be easy. Water, sunlight, and a little love—how hard could it be?

I envisioned a home filled with thriving greenery and blooming flowers. So, I headed to the store to buy all the supplies: pots, soil, a watering can, and a few plants I had no idea how to care for.

But I was confident I would become a plant mom in no time.

But as you might guess, things didn’t go as planned. I either watered them too much or too little, put them in too much sun or not enough. Despite my best efforts, a few of them started to wither.

I felt a little defeated—why was this so hard?

After doing a little research, I quickly realized my mistake. I had not taken the time to learn what each plant needed to grow. Some love sunlight, and some love shade. Some want constant watering, while others prefer dry soil. I had been treating them all the same—assuming what worked for one should work for another.

Life with God isn’t so different. How often do I make my plans, set my expectations, and assume things should grow a certain way? But when something withers—when relationships change, when opportunities don’t work out, or when life takes an unexpected turn—I feel lost.

But God is the Master Gardener, not me.

He knows exactly what He’s doing. Sometimes He prunes things I thought were good. Sometimes, He allows seasons of waiting, where nothing seems to be happening. And sometimes, He uproots me entirely and plants me somewhere unexpected. Just like with my plants, I may not always understand why—but that does not mean He isn’t working in my life.

Maybe you are in a season of your life that does not make sense. Can I encourage you?

Trust the Gardener. After all, a plant can’t see the full picture—but it does not have to. It simply needs to trust that the gardener knows how to make it bloom.

April 8, 2025/by Sarah Hall

The Road Back To Peace

Daily Devotional, Heart of the Artist

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

Hebrews 13:8

My son tugged at my shirt, his tear-streaked face looking up at me, searching for reassurance. I bent down, wrapping him in my arms.

“It’s gonna be okay, honey,” I whispered.

And the second I said it, I felt the weight of those words. Because I remembered a time when I was not so sure.

I grew up in church. I knew all the right things to say and all the right things to believe. But when I got hurt—really hurt—by people who claimed to follow Jesus, it shook something in me. Suddenly, I didn’t feel safe anymore.

By the time I got to college, I wasn’t sure what I believed. I listened as people dissected faith, calling it outdated. And little by little, I started wondering if maybe they were right.

So I went looking for the truth.

I read, studied, and explored different religions, hoping one of them would bring me peace. But the more I searched, the more lost I felt.

And then, one night, I hit my lowest point.

I was tired. Empty. Done. And in that moment, with nothing left to give, I prayed the most desperate prayer of my life.

“Jesus, if You are real, I need You.”

And in that moment, I knew. He was there restoring and uplifting me.

It wasn’t an argument that convinced me. It wasn’t a philosophy that finally made sense. It was a peace that wrapped around me that could only have come from Him.

Now, holding my son, I breathed in that same peace, kissed his forehead, and whispered again.

“It’s gonna be okay, honey.”

And I knew, beyond any doubt, that it really would be.

— Tasha Layton

Lyrics “Never”

Verse 1
When this broken world is breaking me down
When my tears and knees both fall to the ground
When my questions make me doubt You more than ever
You remind me that Your answer is always “never…”

Chorus
Never forgotten
Never forsaken
Never abandoned
Not for a second
I am safe in Your hands
Always and forever
You’re never not working
My heart is the proof
There’s not a broken too broken for You
Will there ever come a day when You’re not holding me together?
You say “never”

Verse 2
Every single time I look back I see
There’s never been a promise You didn’t keep
You don’t waste the wounds, You use them for the better
When it comes to You Your answer’s always, “never ”

REPEAT CHORUS

Bridge
You never let me down
No, You never let me down
When did You ever let me down?
Never, No Never

You never let me down
No, You never let me down
When did You ever let me down?
Never

REPEAT CHORUS

Outro
You say “never”
You say “never”

You never let me down
When did you ever let me down?
Oh, never
Never!

Written by Tasha Layton, AJ Pruis, Keith Everette Smith, Matthew West

April 7, 2025/by David Hall