The Connection Corner

Delay is Not Denial

Ecclesiastes 3:11 – “He has made everything beautiful in its time.”

We were finally on our way. Newly married, passports in hand, and headed off on our long-awaited honeymoon. We had saved and planned for months, dreaming of rest, romance, and the trip of a lifetime.

The plan was simple: fly out of Shreveport, connect in Dallas, and wake up in London.

We made it to Shreveport in plenty of time. But then came the voice over the intercom—our first flight was delayed. No big deal. We still had time.

But minutes turned to hours, and I felt joy shift into anxiety. My mind began to race. What if we miss our connection flight? What if we lose our first day? What happens then?

Our plane arrived, but when we finally landed in Dallas, we had only five minutes to make it to our next gate. Five minutes.

There was no time to think. We took off running, dragging our bags, legs burning, lungs gasping. We looked ridiculous. But there was no room for dignity when your dream is about to take off without you.

Somehow—miraculously—we made it. We slid into our seats, breathless and stunned, exchanging nervous laughter and wide-eyed relief.

I will never forget the rush of relief. But more than that, I will never forget the lesson that came later. I have felt that same sense of panic in other areas of life. When the doors for job opportunities closed, when plans fell through, or when I looked around and wondered if I was behind, I have really struggled.

But, you know, delay is not denial.

God is not bound by our timelines. It is hard to wait, but what I have learned—what I’m still learning—is that God is never late. And if He has called you to something, He will not forget you.

So, if you feel delayed, stuck, or like your turn will never come, take heart. Even if you are breathless right now, God knows where you are, and He is still getting you there.

May 3, 2025/by Sarah Hall

A Friend Who Stays

Daily Devotional, David Hall

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