The Connection Corner

The Instructions Work

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

When You Think You Can’t, God Says You Can

Daily Devotional, Lauren Kitchens-Steward

Luke 1:37 – “For nothing will be impossible with God.”

When we adopted Knox, we thought we knew what we were getting into. The paperwork said he had cochlear implants, spoke a little English, and was fluent in Chinese. But the minute we met him, we realized real quick—that was simply not true.

And suddenly, we weren’t just new parents. We were new parents with no idea how to communicate with our son.

I won’t lie to you. It was overwhelming. If we had known upfront how much we would be stretched, I don’t know if we would have had the courage to say yes. That is just the honest truth.

But here’s the thing—God knew. And He had a plan far greater than ours.

Now, years later, Knox is the most incredible kid. He is bright, funny, and kind. And while we still have plenty to figure out, I know now that he was always meant to be ours.

Looking back, I see it so clearly—God knew we could handle more than we thought. And I think that’s true for you, too. Right now, you may feel overwhelmed by what’s in front of you.

You may be looking at something and thinking, “There’s no way I can do this.” But friend, God has already gone ahead of you. He sees the full picture, and He knows exactly what you are capable of even when you don’t.

And one day, you will look back and see—it was never impossible. It was just bigger than you.

And bigger than you is where God does His best work.

April 30, 2025/by Lauren Kitchens-Steward

Prioritizing Peace in Pressure

Daily Devotional, Sarah Hall

Matthew 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

Eight days. Just eight more days until I walk down the aisle and say, “I do.” Eight days until a thousand tiny details—flower arrangements, last-minute Amazon deliveries, and seating charts—would either come together or fall apart.

And I felt like I was drowning in all of it.

I would wake up each morning before the wedding already feeling behind. My mind would sprint through the day’s tasks before my feet even hit the floor. I wanted to start my mornings with God—I knew that was the right thing to do—but instead, I reached for my phone or for my planner for control.

Then, one morning, in the middle of my mental storm, a thought cut through the chaos:

“Is this how you want to enter marriage? Frazzled? Exhausted? Trying to hold everything together by yourself?”

I sat there, phone in hand, convicted. I had been so focused on making everything perfect that I had left God out of the picture. I had forgotten to take a moment to breathe and center myself on Him.

So, I did something different. I put the phone down. I closed my eyes. And I prayed, not for my list to magically disappear, but for my heart to be re-centered on Him.

I reminded myself that with Him, I could face anything.

It is funny—nothing about my circumstances changed in that moment. But I did. Whenever I placed God as my priority, the knots in my stomach loosened, and I felt strengthened to tackle each day’s task.

Is there something in your life that is weighing you down? Perhaps it is a to-do list or an overwhelming task you’re trying to manage on your own. If your mind is crowded and your heart overwhelmed, take a step back. Pause. And give it to God.

Because when we put Him first, everything else falls right into place.

April 29, 2025/by Sarah Hall