The Connection Corner

Goodbye Negativity, Hello Grace

Proverbs 16:24 — Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

Adios Negativity

Every year in January, we complete a spiritual fast for 21 days. Starve your flesh, feed your spirit. That is the goal of the fast—to become closer to God by denying yourself of what you typically rely on more than Him.

Over the years, I’ve fasted from the usual things—food, social media, and other comforts I swore I could quit “anytime.” But this past year, God nudged me toward something different. I fasted from negativity.

Yes… negativity.

For 21 days, I made a conscious effort not to speak negative comments to anyone. It sounded reasonable. Noble, even. But what I didn’t expect was how loud my thoughts would become once my words were put on lockdown.

Turns out, negativity doesn’t just live on our tongues—it likes to hang out in our minds too.

I assumed God was going to teach me how to filter my speech and turn me from a negative Nancy into a positive Polly. Instead, He worked much deeper. In the silence, He taught me godly wisdom, self-discipline, self-control, gentleness, and—most importantly—how to love like Christ when it would be easier to say exactly what I was thinking.

There is a verse in Proverbs that says, “Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones,” and let me tell you. That is so true.

One evening during dinner, my seven-year-old daughter looked up at me and said, “Mama, you look like Jesus.” And just like that, my mama heart melted. In that moment, I knew this fast was changing more than my words—it was shaping my heart.

When the 21 days ended, I didn’t want to stop. I had seen firsthand how much words matter. They carry weight. Every sentence holds the power to tear someone down or build them up—and the choice is always ours.

So today, I encourage you: Don’t wait for a church-wide fast. Start now. Choose words that reflect Christ. Because sometimes, the most powerful fast isn’t from food—it’s from the words we decide not to say.

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

Where do you notice negativity showing up most often—in your words, your thoughts, or both?
How might your relationships change if you became more intentional about speaking gracious words?
Is there a conversation or situation where God may be inviting you to pause before you speak?
What would it look like for your words to bring “healing” to someone this week?
If you tried a short fast from negativity, what do you think God might reveal to you?

January 3, 2026/by Kirstie Ford

The Reward of Consistency

Daily Devotional, Sarah Hall

Hebrews 12:11 — No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.

The alarm goes off. The room is dim, and the house is silent. I crack my eyes open and debate whether I should get moving.

I stand in my pajamas, slip on my sneakers, and pull out the treadmill walking pad with little enthusiasm. My first steps are slow and stiff. I really do not want to do this, yet discipline, not motivation, keeps me moving.

When I skip mornings like this, I notice it later. My shoulders tighten. My thoughts spin faster than they should, and there is a restlessness that I feel all day. Showing up—even when it feels inconvenient—creates a steadiness I cannot manufacture any other way.

Over time, the practice begins to shape me in ways I did not expect. Strength forms where there was once weakness. Peace stretches into the gaps between my thoughts, and I realize that this is strengthening something deeper than muscle.

It is training my spirit to trust the slow, steady process.

Discipline is rarely enjoyable in the moment, but it leaves something good behind. Scripture reminds me of this truth: “No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it is painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way” (Hebrews 12:11).

I step off the pad, breathing heavier than when I started, and pour my iced coffee. The house is still quiet, the lights still low, but I feel different.

Every day we face the same choice: comfort or discipline. When we choose ease, we never walk away changed. Consistency shapes what “want to” never can.

So this morning, I want to encourage you: whatever your goals are—spiritual, personal, or practical—lean into God and keep moving forward. You may not feel ready. You may not feel strong. But by His grace, you can do this. You were made to tackle hard things, and showing up matters more than you realize.

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

Where in your life do you find yourself waiting for motivation instead of practicing discipline?
Can you identify a small, consistent habit that has produced peace or steadiness over time?
How does it change your perspective to view discipline as training rather than punishment?
What “peaceful harvest” might God be growing in you through a hard or inconvenient season right now?
What is one small way you can choose faithfulness over comfort this week?

January 2, 2026/by Sarah Hall

The Strength to Say No

Brenda Price, Daily Devotional

Galatians 5:22-23 — But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Is there something that you struggle with that you just love, so much but you know that you’re enjoying it a little too much? I know I do.

For me, it has been ice cream. And no, I am not pregnant. It has just been comforting. The kind of comfort that shows up right on time, night after night, after the day finally calms down. It has become part of my bedtime routine.

One night, I was standing there with the freezer door open, spoon already in my hand, reaching for Blue Bell. And I realized something uncomfortable. I was already counting on it to fix the day. I had not even taken a bite yet, and I was expecting relief.

I remember thinking, “Oh, I don’t like that.”

I still filled the bowl with the ooey gooey, frozen goodness. I still ate it, but the thought stayed with me. Not in a dramatic way. Just enough to make me pay attention. It felt like something small had quietly become a little too important.

So when the bowl was empty, I made a decision. Just for a month, I would let it go.

A few days later, I stood in the grocery store freezer aisle, staring straight at the Rocky Road and forcing myself to keep walking. I laughed under my breath and said it felt worse than a breakup.

That’s silly. Yes, I know. But it helped me name what was happening. This was not really about food. It was about learning to notice what I rely on for comfort.

Back at home, I leaned into other things I loved. I baked zucchini bread and banana bread. I filled my kitchen with familiar smells and warmth. And without the nightly ice-cream habit, I realized I was not missing anything. I felt lighter. More present. Not restricted, just more aware.

It turns out this was never about dessert. It was about remembering that I am not ruled by habits or cravings. Scripture talks about self-control as one of the many fruits worth growing in our lives by the help of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). Learning to practice self control was not punishment. No. Instead, God was doing this so that I could discover the fruit of His Spirit was sweeter and worth forming in my life.

It makes me wonder if there is something small you might pause for a season too. Not forever. Just long enough to notice what fills the space. The month will end. Ice cream will still be there, and I will enjoy it again. But I am grateful for what I learned along the way. Sometimes the lesson is not loud. It is simply waiting to be noticed.

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

Is there something small in your life that has quietly become a source of comfort or control for you?
What might it look like to pause from that thing for a season—not as punishment, but as awareness?
Which fruit of the Spirit do you sense God wanting to grow more deeply in your life right now?
How does it change your perspective to remember that self-control is something the Holy Spirit produces in you, not something you have to force on your own?
What space might God be inviting you to notice or fill differently as you lean into His Spirit?

January 1, 2026/by Brenda Price