The Connection Corner

A daily source of encouragement and inspiration to connect your heart to hope and faith.

Proof that’s Still Standing

John 10:10 – The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.

I love that God keeps us safe…though sometimes not in the way I expect.

Last year, we went through a series at my church on Wednesday nights called “Deep Dive to Revive.” We slowly walked verse by verse through John, and it was so good, like, really sitting in the Word instead of rushing past it.

One night, we were reading about Lazarus. It’s a story I’ve heard and read…oh, probably a hundred times. But this time, something caught me off guard.

After Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, they tried to kill him again.

What in the world? Leave this man alone. He’s already been dead once.

Then our pastor asked, “Why do you think they tried to kill Lazarus?”

It sat there for a minute, and then it clicked. If Lazarus is walking around alive, then so is the proof. Proof that death doesn’t get the final word. Proof that what God restores is real. And if you can silence the evidence, maybe you can make people question the miracle.

Because hasn’t life at times felt like that for you too? You finally step into something beautiful—an answered prayer, a restored relationship, or a healing you’ve begged God for—and then something happens that makes it feel like it might not last after all.

And your first instinct is to look inward: Did I mess this up? Did I do something wrong?

But that’s not how God works. He brings life—full, abundant, unmistakable life. And the enemy can’t erase God’s work. If he can shake your confidence, though, he can steal your hope.

That’s not new. It’s the same old story.

And yet, God’s goodness isn’t temporary or fading, even when everything around you feels uncertain. So, when those familiar feelings of doubt and fear show up again, I encourage you, don’t panic. You’ve seen this before.

Instead of shrinking back, let yourself remember all the ways God has already brought life where there wasn’t any. Remind yourself long enough to trust that what God brings to life, He will not abandon.

Because while the enemy still wants to steal, kill, and destroy, Jesus is still giving life—and life more abundantly.

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

Have you ever experienced a time when God answered a prayer or restored something you thought was lost?
After God moved in your life, did doubt or fear ever make you question whether it would last?
Why do you think Lazarus became such powerful evidence of God’s power after Jesus raised him from the dead?
What are some ways the enemy tries to steal your confidence in what God has already done?
When you face uncertainty, do you tend to focus more on your circumstances or on God’s faithfulness?
What “proof” of God’s goodness and provision can you look back on today?
Is there an area of your life where you need to stop asking, “Did I mess this up?” and start trusting God’s work?
How can remembering past victories help strengthen your faith in your current season?
What does Jesus’ promise of “life more abundantly” mean to you personally?
This week, what is one specific way you can remind yourself that what God brings to life, He will not abandon?

June 4, 2026/by Bri Dunn

Faith After the Fallout

Daily Devotional, Tammi Arender

2 Corinthians 4:18 — So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.

Storms don’t knock. They just show up and start rearranging things you thought were settled.

I had only been in my new house six months before I learned that truth the hard way. One minute it was just a normal day. The next, the wind had picked up, the sky went dark, and an entire tree fell into my house.

In that moment, everything went strangely still, and my mind kicked in.

How can I fix this? What is this going to cost? Who is my insurance guy again?

My mind was swirling—exhausted, overwhelmed, and searching for answers.

But standing there, looking at what was broken open, another thought began to surface—quieter, but steadier.

You’re still here. Still breathing. Still standing. God’s going to carry you through this.

Because yes, it mattered that a tree fell into the house. It was inconvenient, costly, and disruptive in ways I didn’t plan for.

But it was not the truest thing happening.

In life, what can be seen—splintered wood, exposed ceilings, unexpected bills, broken plans—often feels loud because it’s right in front of you.

But it won’t last.

And that’s where faith finds its footing. Not by pretending the storm didn’t hit, but by remembering it doesn’t get to decide the ending.

So, let’s not look at the troubles that can be seen. Instead, let’s fix our gaze on the things of God that cannot be seen because those things will last forever.

And if that’s true… then even here, even now, you’re not dealing with damage.

You’re being carried through it.

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

What visible challenge or “storm damage” is demanding most of your attention right now?
How does focusing on God’s unseen promises change your perspective on that situation?
Have you ever experienced God carrying you through something you didn’t think you could endure?
What does it mean to you that your current troubles are temporary but God’s faithfulness is eternal?
Where do you need to shift your gaze from what is seen to what is unseen?
How can you remind yourself this week that your circumstances are not the truest thing happening?

June 3, 2026/by Tammi Arender

Longing Less, Living More

Brendan McClain, Daily Devotional

Psalms 107:8-9 — Let them praise the LORD for His great love and for the wonderful things He has done for them. For He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.

Summer is both my favorite and my least favorite season.

I love the sun… but sometimes it feels unbearable.

I love the sand… but I hate how it sticks to everything.

I dream all year about sitting by the pool with a cold slice of watermelon, but when it finally comes—I’m hot, sticky, and already thinking about fall.

We spend so much time longing for what’s next that we don’t fully enjoy what’s right in front of us. Summer turns into fall, fall into winter, and we keep chasing the next feeling, the next season, the next moment that will finally satisfy us.

But it never quite does.

There’s always a small part of us still longing.

And if we’re honest, the problem isn’t the season—it’s the belief that something else will finally fill what only God can.

That’s the amazing thing about following Christ. Our deepest longing has already been met. We are not waiting for His love, presence, or promise. It’s already here.

Sure, we wait patiently as His plans unfold. But we are not waiting on His heart.

His love is already ours. His presence is already with us. Right here, right now.

He is the kind of God who doesn’t just notice empty places—He fills them. He’s the one who meets our real thirst with something that actually satisfies, deep down where nothing else seems to reach.

And when we begin to live from that truth, everything else starts to fall into place.

We can enjoy summer without needing it to be perfect and look forward to fall without wishing away today.

We can sit in the in-between—the longing and the having—and still feel at peace. Because the greatest desire of our souls isn’t something we’re chasing anymore. It’s something we already have.

So maybe today looks like this:

Feeling the sun and letting it be warm, not overwhelming. Laughing at the sand instead of fighting it. Eating the watermelon and actually enjoying it.

Not because everything is perfect—but because the One who satisfies us never changes.

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

What “next thing” have you been looking to for satisfaction lately?
Have you found yourself wishing away your current season instead of embracing it?
In what ways has God already met needs in your life that you sometimes overlook?
What does it mean to you that God’s presence is already with you right now?
How can you practice gratitude for the season you’re in instead of constantly looking ahead?
What is one simple blessing you can enjoy today as a gift from God?

June 2, 2026/by Brendan McClain