The Connection Corner

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

Answering the Call Today

Psalm 39:4 — Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered— how fleeting my life is.

The moment didn’t look important at first.

Ann had pulled into the coffee shop lot just to catch her breath. The town square glowed under its string of lights, the kind that make even an ordinary day feel like a postcard. She was tired. Her mind was buzzing. A warm drink sounded like mercy.

But there it was—that gentle tug she’d felt before: Call Grandma.

She tried to reason with it. She’d call later. Surely a quick cup of coffee wasn’t too much to ask. But the tug only grew more insistent, the way a truth does when you’re trying to ignore it.

So, she stayed in the car and pressed the call button.

Her grandmother answered. They talked about how in the world she raised nine kids, about patience and grit and humor. It was just the two of them sharing a moment together.

Ann’s daughter chimed in from the backseat, crying out for hot chocolate, and Grandma laughed in that soft, knowing-what-it’s-like kind of way. Twenty more minutes passed before Ann realized it. They were simply treasuring each other’s company.

Five days later, Ann was standing at the graveside. She laid a single rose on Grandma’s casket and breathed a prayer of gratitude. She was so thankful she had listened to that still small voice.

As the pastor spoke, he shared a verse that has stayed with Ann ever since. It didn’t feel morbid. It just felt honest.

“Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered—how fleeting my life is” (Psalm 39:4).

That phone call had been a gift she didn’t know she was unwrapping.

Now, on the edge of a new year, Ann keeps telling that story—not because it’s tragic, but because it’s true. Life is short. Time slips away. But moments of presence, love, and faith? Those stay.

And it makes me wonder: if one tug on an ordinary December night became a treasure—what nudge might tomorrow hold… and will we stop long enough to answer it?

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

When was the last time you felt a gentle nudge to pause, reach out, or be present—but almost ignored it?
Psalm 39:4 reminds us that life is fleeting. How does remembering that truth change the way you spend your time today?
Is there someone in your life you’ve been meaning to call, visit, or check on—what’s stopping you from doing it now?
What small, ordinary moment might God be inviting you to treat as sacred this week?

December 31, 2025/by Linda Meyers

Grace in the Pickup Line

Daily Devotional, Sarah Hall

Job 19:25 — For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will stand upon the earth.

I ease into the Walmart pickup lane, toddler in tow. There are crayons scattered across the backseat, and the radio hums softly in the background. I just let myself sink into the moment.

For a minute, I just sit there and remember the first time I tried Walmart pickup. From what everyone told me, it was supposed to make my life easier. But when my bags arrived, I discovered that something had gone terribly wrong.

I noticed I was missing tomatoes, chicken broth, shredded cheese, and other key ingredients I needed.

First world problems, am I right?

But something about that poor experience made me decide that this kind of grocery delivery was not for me. There was, of course, no way I would ever do that again.

Then I became a mom.

Juggling burp cloths and bottles, working full time, and absolutely needing a break, I decided to give curbside delivery one more try. And it was amazing. I mean, the workers load the bags in your car for you, the toddler wasn’t wrestling out of a shopping cart, and I could take a moment to relax after a busy day.

There’s nothing like a re-do, right?

I left that first experience with a bad taste in my mouth, but it’s a shame it took me so long to give it a second chance. Now I’m it’s biggest fan.

And I know this is strangely deep when talking about Walmart Pickup, but that’s what the whole gospel is about. Isn’t it? Re-dos and redemption.

In scripture, Job said it best—declaring hope not from ease, but from the depths of loss. “For I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end He will stand on the earth.”

Jesus is our redeemer. He is the God of the Re-do.

And I realize grace like this isn’t just for other people, I need it too. Grace for trying again after a stumble and for giving myself a second chance when the first attempt did not go as planned.

As I merge back into traffic, I realize that God offers us these little invitations more often than I notice. Maybe what feels like a mistake is actually a blessing in disguise. Maybe God is saying, “Try again. This is meant to work this time.”

And I wonder, what might you discover if you say yes to a re-do today?

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

Where in your life have you written something off as a “bad experience” and decided not to try again?
How does knowing that Jesus is your Redeemer—the God of re-dos—change the way you view your past mistakes or disappointments?
Is there an area where you need to receive grace instead of withholding it from yourself?
What might God be inviting you to revisit, retry, or trust Him with again today?
How can you extend the same redemption and second chances you’ve received to someone else this week?

December 30, 2025/by Sarah Hall

You Will Make It Through

Daily Devotional, Tammi Arender

Isaiah 43:2 — When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.

You’d think by now I’d know better than to remodel anything. Kitchens especially.

But somehow, these projects always sneak their way into my spiritual life, turning simple frustrations into something bigger than they are.

A few months back, I was in full renovation mode. Boxes blocked the hall, dishes camped out in the laundry room, and a thin layer of dust kept appearing on every surface I owned—as if it had signed a lease. I kept telling myself I was handling it. Truthfully, I was just surviving it.

Then one morning, my flooring guy showed up bright and early and immediately dove in. Within minutes, he had spread a fresh coat of wet cement across my entire kitchen. Which would have been fine—except for one small detail. I only have one door that leads to the bathroom, and it’s through the kitchen.

Wonderful.

I mean, that day felt like the plot of a bad sitcom. You can’t make this stuff up.

I tried explaining that I needed to get through, but the man didn’t speak English. I pointed, gestured, and attempted a smile that probably looked more like panic. He responded with wide eyes and frantic hand motions that said a universal: “Absolutely not.”

We went back and forth. We were two people playing charades in different languages. He obviously did not like the idea, but here’s the thing, life doesn’t stop for wet cement, and neither does my bladder. So eventually I took a step.

Right into the cement.

It was the only choice I had, and I crossed the room in that squishy sludge, ruining my sneakers. When I reached the far side, I looked back at the line of footprints trailing behind me. The flooring man shook his head, and I shrugged. There was nothing else to say.

Hours later, I thought back over the day and found myself remembering something I had read long before this remodel ever began. It was Isaiah 43:2 which says, “When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.”

It struck me then that God never promised a life free of obstacles, detours, or wet cement. It didn’t say, “When you avoid the waters.” And it didn’t promise another route around them. No, He but promised to walk with usthrough challenges, hand in hand, side by side.

So, friend, if you’re wading through something right now—something that feels inconvenient or heavy or impossible to maneuver—I hope you’ll let that truth stay close to you today. You’re not stepping through it alone, and you’re not going to sink. You’re going to make it to the other side.

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

What “deep waters” or inconvenient challenges are you walking through right now?
How does it change your perspective to remember that God promises presence, not avoidance?
Where have you seen God meet you in the middle of frustration rather than removing it?
Is there an area of your life where you’re longing for a way around instead of trusting God to walk you through?
What would it look like today to take the next step forward, believing you won’t sink or be consumed?

December 29, 2025/by Tammi Arender