The Connection Corner

Small Deeds, Big Love

Daily Devotional, Lauren Kitchens-Steward

“And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.”

Luke 6:31

Recently, an old friend of mine sent me a message out of the blue. It started with, “Lauren, I will never forget the time you…” and I thought, “Oh no, what did I do?”

Turns out, it was not bad at all. She told me about a moment in high school I had completely forgotten about. Our drama teacher had gotten upset with her over something she didn’t even do.

She was shy as a church mouse and did not know how to defend herself, but I was not one to let things slide. Apparently, I jumped in and told the teacher, “Now, hold on, she didn’t do anything wrong!”

Here’s the kicker: I didn’t even remember it. But she did. Decades later, she still remembered how much it meant for someone to stand up for her when she couldn’t.

That message stopped me in my tracks. It reminded me of what it looks like to be the hands and feet of Jesus—stepping into someone else’s struggle, even in small, everyday ways.

You never know when the next opportunity might come. It could be a simple word or a small act of kindness. Whatever it is, do not underestimate it. God works in those little moments, and they often mean more than we could ever know.

February 4, 2025/by Lauren Kitchens-Steward

Feeling Heavy-Hearted?

Daily Devotional

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Matthew 11:28

Avery’s shoes squeaked as she moved through the crowded hall. She slipped into the school bathroom, the one place she could cry without an audience. She checked the stalls—empty. Good.

She was exhausted. Between keeping up her grades, trying to fit in, and laughing away the hurt, she had spent years convincing everyone she was fine. But today was too much, so she let the tears fall.

That evening, she threw her backpack on the bed and collapsed beside it. Out of habit, she turned on the radio. She expected music to fill the room, but instead, she heard a woman’s voice. It wasn’t polished or scripted; it was raw and real.

The woman spoke about battling anxiety and feeling unworthy of love. Avery could not believe it. It felt like someone was peeling back her own heart and reading it out loud. Yet, the woman’s story didn’t end in despair. It ended in hope. She talked about a God who met her in her pain, who saw her and loved her right there.

For weeks, Avery listened. She clung to each story, letting their vulnerability chip away at her own defenses. And one night, as she stared at the ceiling, she dared to hope that maybe, just maybe, this love wasn’t out of reach for her.

That night, she stopped hiding. Alone in her room, she spoke her fears out loud and prayed for the first time in years. For the first time, she felt free—not because her struggles were over, but because she wasn’t carrying them alone.

Today, friend, if life feels too heavy or if you are having to hide your pain, I want you to know the same love Avery found is available to you. Jesus meets you in your pain, sees you as you are, and loves you completely. His love is constant, restoring, and life-giving. just reach out and let Him carry you.

February 3, 2025/by Linda Meyers

This is My Father’s World

Daily Devotional, Stories About Songs

“Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”

Revelation 4:11

The world outside never seemed to stop turning, but here, by the lake, the world felt still. Maltbie Babcock moved slowly along the path, breathing in the scent of pine and earth.

He glanced out over the water and thought of the people he had passed in town earlier. Their faces, lined with worry and fatigue, spoke of burdens they could not lay down. In the whirlwind of a rapidly changing society, many were asking what the future held.

The world beyond the lake seemed so complicated, so fractured. Yet here, by the water’s edge, he saw a different truth. Creation was telling another story.

A heron took flight across the shimmering surface, its wings spread wide in perfect, effortless grace. Wildflowers burst with color as leaves rustled gently in the trees. Each detail whispered of a love that wasn’t hurried or uncertain but constant and intentional.

Maltbie slowed his pace. His breathing steadied as he let the scene before him speak. “This is God’s world,” he thought. “Even with its aches and uncertainties, it still belongs to Him!”

He paused to sit on a rock by the shore, pen in hand, and began to write a hymn:

This is my Father’s world:
I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas—
His hand the wonders wrought.

And it is still His world, even now. Perhaps today, when you step outside and feel the breeze against your skin or watch the sun set on the horizon, you can be reminded of the same truth. God’s love is woven into every corner of His creation, and His love reaches deeper than any worry.

February 2, 2025/by David Hall