The Connection Corner

Love in the Little Things

1 Chronicles 16:34 — Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.

You ever have those moments where things aren’t perfect? Like, there are still real needs, but if you pay attention, you catch a glimpse of something that feels like a deep, surprising answer to prayer?

Nothing big had happened. But I was really living in the moment.

It was because we were transitioning Lennox out of his nursery into his new “big boy room.” Lennox was playing with his new toys, completely content. Chris was in there too. I was sitting on one of the soft play pieces with a book in my hand, not even really reading… just watching.

And I remember thinking, I wish I could take a picture.

Because in that moment, nothing else mattered. Just my little family, all in one place, laughing, playing, and just… happy.

Now, was dinner still waiting to be cooked? Yep.

Was Lennox probably going to cry in a few minutes? Also yep.

But in that moment, this was all I cared about. It was beautiful, and something in me just said, Lord, thank You.

Because if I’m honest, I can spend so much time waiting on the big unanswered prayers that I almost miss the small, already answered ones right in front of me.

And when I stop long enough to notice, I realize… His love hasn’t run out. It’s right here.

So maybe today—especially today—there’s a moment like that waiting for you too. Nothing huge. Just a glimpse in a loved one’s eyes or a blessing already within your reach.

Maybe it’s worth slowing down long enough to take a snapshot. Take in the laughter, the peace, the loved ones around you, and give thanks to the Lord because it’s there you can see…

His faithful love really does endure forever.

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

What “small answered prayers” might you be overlooking right now?
When was the last time you truly paused and thanked God for an ordinary moment?
What keeps you from slowing down enough to notice God’s faithful love in everyday life?
How could gratitude reshape your perspective this week?
What memory or moment recently reminded you that God’s love is still present and enduring?

May 10, 2026/by Bri Dunn

Beauty in the Slow Down

Daily Devotional, David Hall

Psalm 37:7 — Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes.

There are some things in life you have to learn to appreciate, aren’t there?

Porch sitting is one of them. As a kid, it used to bore me to tears. I couldn’t understand why that was all the adults wanted to do—just sit there. But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve discovered it really might be one of the greatest pastimes there is.

Most simple things are.

Things like slowly reading a book or watching the clouds roll by.

For me, one of those simple pleasures is time spent watching hummingbirds with my mom.

Back during COVID, we would do this daily. I’d sit on the porch working on my laptop. My mom would sit nearby, keeping me company. We wouldn’t always say much. We’d just be there, together, occasionally pointing out the skittering birds when they showed up, and we’d refill the feeders when they ran dry.

It was mesmerizing. It felt like catching a glimpse of something you were never meant to miss. They stopped by just for a moment, then dart to and fro again. They would be gone almost as soon as you noticed them.

But if I’m honest, I think this would’ve bored me to tears before, too.

So, what changed?

It really boils down to one thing.

Stillness.

That’s the acquired taste that most simple things require. Simple pleasures like front porches, slow books, and hummingbirds ask you to sit down enough to pay attention. And that’s harder than it sounds.

Because life will hand you plenty to fixate on. Things that feel unfair. Things that seem like they’re falling apart or impossible to manage.

But out on that porch, none of that follows you.

You sit. You breathe. You notice the beautiful things God is doing around you.

So today, maybe there’s an invitation there—to be still in the presence of the Lord. To wait for Him to act instead of trying to carry everything yourself. To loosen your grip on all the noise and let Him meet you in the quiet.

Because it’s often there—in the stillness—that the smallest, most beautiful things come into view.

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

What distractions or worries have been making it difficult for you to be still lately?
When was the last time you slowed down enough to notice God’s presence in ordinary moments?
What would it look like for you to wait patiently for God instead of trying to control the outcome yourself?

May 9, 2026/by David Hall

From Complaints to Calling

Bri Dunn, Daily Devotional

Isaiah 43:18-19 — Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.

I was so frustrated I was about to scream.

So dramatic. I know.

But I was scrolling my phone, and I could not take it anymore.

I’m talking about how so much “mom content” online is so unnecessarily emotional and sad. Like, “Oh, you’ll miss breaking your ankles on these Legos. So don’t blink. They grow up fast.”

Yes, I know there’s some bittersweetness to that, but it’s like people want me to be sad all the time that my child is growing up.

No way. I refuse. Healthy things are supposed to grow.

But there I was — complaining about it again. Frustrated, again.

I felt the Lord gently pressing on my heart telling me, “Bri, do something about it or quit complaining.”

I didn’t love that…but it did get me thinking. I sat with the Lord for a minute, and I told Him, “You’re right. If you want me to start something that can actually encourage new moms, I will.”

I don’t have it all figured out. But I know this: I don’t want to live stuck in complaining when God is calling me to make a difference.

Maybe it’s time to stop circling your same frustrations too. Replaying those same worn-out thoughts never helps, so instead pay attention to what God is doing. He is always doing something new. Sometimes the new thing God wants to grow starts when we stop dwelling on what frustrates us and start paying attention to where He’s leading us.

Even here, even now… And I’ll miss what God wants to do through me if I stay stuck in complaining.

Maybe you’ve felt that too—frustrated, worn down, catching yourself complaining over things others do that you just don’t agree with.

I know you want to scream, but move into faith. Go from complaining to action because it could be that the very thing you’re tired of seeing is the very place God wants you to make a difference.

So, step in. Speak life. Build something better.

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

Is there an area of your life where you’ve become stuck in frustration or complaining?
Could God be using that frustration to show you where He wants you to make a difference?
What “former things” might you need to stop dwelling on so you can notice the new thing God is doing?
How can you move from criticism to encouragement in your everyday life?
What is one practical step you can take this week to “build something better?”

May 8, 2026/by Bri Dunn