The Connection Corner

Surprised by God’s Love

“The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in His love He will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.”

Zephaniah 3:17

Every February, without fail, my siblings and I would walk into the kitchen to find a surprise waiting on the table. Our favorite candy, a small toy, and handwritten note in my mom’s handwriting. It was nothing big, but it made us feel so loved.

Those little baskets told us we were special, that we were her Valentines.

What I did not see as a kid was what happened the night before. My mom would wait until we were fast asleep, then sneak into the kitchen to set everything up. She didn’t rush. She didn’t throw things together. Each basket was planned, down to the tiniest detail.

I never thought about how much love went into those simple gifts, and I wish I could go back and tell my younger self to pay closer attention: to notice the way her face lit up when we squealed in excitement or how she held on while we hugged her extra tight.

In the Bible, there is this beautiful verse that says God delights in us, rejoices over us, and even sings over us. Isn’t that amazing? That is not a distant kind of love. It is personal. Intentional.

Just like my mom didn’t wait for Valentine’s Day to love us, God does not wait for special occasions to remind us that we are His.

Maybe today for you feels ordinary or even lonely. I believe God’s love is closer than you think. Look for it in the details—the kindness of a friend, the colors of the sunset, or the peace that fills your heart unexpectedly. God’s love is there, pursuing you, surprising you, and reminding you that you are deeply loved.

February 11, 2025/by Sarah Hall

Unashamed of the Gospel

Daily Devotional

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”

Romans 1:16

The first time R.C. set foot on the construction site, he knew one thing—keep your head down, get the job done, and stay out of trouble. The guys around him were rough around the edges and loud.

But R.C.? He kept to himself, earbuds in, and listened to his Christian music. But one afternoon, during a water break, a coworker nudged him.

“What are you always listening to, man?”

The question caught R.C. off guard. He hesitated, then mumbled something about uplifting music and God’s love.

The man nodded, surprisingly interested. “Huh. That stuff any good?”

Later that night, R.C. lay in bed thinking about that interaction. Something stirred inside him—was he missing an opportunity to share what he loved most?

The next day, he traded his earbuds for a Bluetooth speaker. As the first chords played, heads turned. He braced for ridicule, but it never came. By lunch, a few others were humming along.

So, he kept bringing his speaker to work, and as he did the transformation was undeniable around the job site. Days turned into weeks, and conversations grew kinder, tensions softened, and R.C. found himself laughing with men he once avoided.

Because that is the power of the gospel—it moves past differences, past pain, and speaks to the very core of who we are. The words of those songs told of a love so vast, so sacrificial, it could only come from God. Love poured out through Jesus on the cross, calling us to share it without fear.

If a simple song can shift an entire worksite, imagine what sharing love boldly could do in your world. Will you take that step?

February 10, 2025/by David Hall

Be Known by Love

Daily Devotional, Stories About Songs

“By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

John 13:35

The camp hall was alive with the sound of teenagers sharing their thoughts, struggles, and deepest questions. Their bell-bottom jeans brushed the floor; a girl with a braided headband tucked her knees to her chest.

A lanky boy with thick-rimmed glasses blurted out what everyone was thinking. “If love is supposed to fix everything, why does it feel like nothing changes?”

Their youth pastor, Peter Scholtes, had been listening from the back. As he stepped toward the wooden podium, he took a breath. He had no easy answer.

Outside the retreat, the world seemed fractured beyond repair. Tensions flared in the streets, communities splintered over ideologies. Even the church was not immune to the division. These teens carried that weight with them, and their confusion mirrored his own.

“I think,” he said slowly, “that the kind of love most people talk about is too small. But the love God calls us to? That’s the kind of love that can change everything.”

Hours later, after the teens went to bed, Peter sat alone in the makeshift chapel. The dim lights flickered, and the hum of cicadas filtered through the windows as he thought about their questions.

What could he give them—something that pointed to a love stronger than hate? He wasn’t trying to solve the world’s problems, but he felt compelled to give them something enduring. Pulling out a notebook, he began to write:

“We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord
And we pray that our unity will one day be restored
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love.”

The next morning, as the group sang the new hymn, the room seemed to change. Their voices wove together in a harmony that felt like hope.

Today, that same love still has the power to speak into the confusion and disillusionment of our lives. When the world feels too divided, too harsh, or too broken, remember that love is not passive. It is active, deliberate, and often sacrificial. Where can you choose to show that kind of love today? Who in your life needs to see God’s love through you?

February 9, 2025/by David Hall