The Connection Corner

The Road Back To Peace

“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 I listened as people dissected faith, calling it outdated.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

From Hardship to Hope

Daily Devotional, Stories About Songs

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”

Romans 8:18

Albert Brumley had been working since sunrise, and he felt every minute of it. His back ached. His hands were raw. His mind ran in circles, weighed down by worries that had nothing to do with the field in front of him. The country was in crisis, people were struggling, and the work never seemed to end.

He exhaled hard and pressed his palm against the plow. Lord, how much longer?

That was when he saw it—a bird lifting off the fencepost. One beat of its wings and it was free, soaring higher and higher, carried by nothing but the wind.

Something deep in his chest cracked open. That’s what I want. To be lifted. To escape this heaviness.

He knew he wasn’t alone in feeling this way. He saw it in the faces around him—people carrying more than they could bear, pushing forward because they had no other choice. But what if there was something greater waiting beyond all of this? What if one day, every burden would be lifted?

That longing didn’t leave him. It stayed with him as he worked, as he walked, as he hummed a tune under his breath. A song was forming.

By the time he got home, he was writing as fast as his hands could move. That simple song—born from sweat and struggle—would go on to bring comfort to millions. It would be sung in churches, at funerals, in quiet moments when hope felt far away.

Because it wasn’t just a song. It was a promise.

Some glad morning, when this life is over
I’ll fly away
To that home on God’s celestial shore
I’ll fly away

I’ll fly away, oh glory
I’ll fly away
When I die, hallelujah, by and by
I’ll fly away

If your heart is tired, if the weight feels too much, remember this: it won’t last forever. God has prepared a place where every burden is lifted. Hold on—because on the horizon, joy is coming.

LYRICS

Some bright morning when this life is over
I’ll fly away
To that home on God’s celestial shore
I’ll fly away

CHORUS:
I’ll fly away, oh glory
I’ll fly away, in the morning
When I die, Hallelujah by and by
I’ll fly away

When the shadows of this life have gone
I’ll fly away
Like a bird from these prison walls I’ll fly
I’ll fly away

CHORUS

Oh, how glad and happy when we meet
I’ll fly away
No more cold iron shackles on my feet
I’ll fly away

CHORUS

Just a few more weary days and then
I’ll fly away
To a land where joys will never end
I’ll fly away

CHORUS:
I’ll fly away, fly away, oh glory
I’ll fly away, in the morning
When I die, Hallelujah by and by
I’ll fly away
I’ll fly away

April 6, 2025/by David Hall

When God Says, “It’s Time”

Daily Devotional, Lisa Williams

“The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way; though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord upholds his hand.”

Psalms 37:23-24

J.D. stood in front of the mirror, gathering his long hair into a loose ponytail. He had waited years for this—the chance to grow it out. His Christian school had always required boys to have short hair, but once we started homeschooling, he finally had the chance to let it grow. And so, he did.

I didn’t mind it much. It was just hair, and a chance for him to figure out who he was and wanted to be. Despite the challenges of being mistaken for a girl, I knew it was crucial to support his journey of self-expression and independence. But as time passed, I found myself wondering if I was doing the right thing.

Then, one evening, he came to me and said, “Mom, do you think I should cut my hair?”

I hesitated. “Well, what do you think?”

He shrugged. “I think I want to, but I am just not sure when.”

Everything in me wanted to say, Now! Right now is a great time! But instead, I swallowed my eagerness and smiled. “Whenever you’re ready, just let me know.”

Weeks passed. If I ever mentioned it, his answer was the same: “Not yet.” Then, one day, he walked into my home office with his face clouded with uncertainty. “Mom, I want to cut my hair… but I’m scared. It feels like part of my identity. I don’t know who I am without it. Will you pray for me?”

So, we prayed. For clarity. For peace. For him to hear God’s voice.

The next day at work, I got a text. “Mom, I was talking to my teacher, and she told me she had a dream that I cut my hair. I think this is what I want to do! I’m ready.”

That night, as the scissors snipped through each lock, J.D. lifted his head as he studied his reflection. His smile said everything. You see, it was never about the hair, but all about how he saw himself in God’s eyes. Now, he had his answer.

Years have passed since that moment, and J.D. now stands on the edge of adulthood, facing bigger decisions than a haircut. But when I think back to that night, I am reminded: If God could guide him then, He can guide him now. And He can do the same for all of us.

Because no decision—big or small—falls outside of His care.

April 5, 2025/by Lisa Williams