The Connection Corner

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

Laughing Pride Away

Brenda Price, Daily Devotional

Psalm 68:3 — But let the godly rejoice. Let them be glad in God’s presence. Let them be filled with joy.

I have an issue with pride.

Do you?

I’ll admit it. Because Scripture says when we confess our sins, healing begins—so maybe this is a good place to start.

Earlier today, I made a mistake. And someone brought it to my attention.

In moments like that, I can feel it instantly—my insides tighten. My mind starts replaying everything. And there’s that familiar temptation: either beat myself up or get defensive to protect my ego.

This time, I felt it rising…

…but I chose something different.

Instead of shutting down or pushing back, I acknowledged it. I had messed up. And honestly? It was kind of funny.

So I laughed.

And that’s when it hit me:

Pride feeds on pressure.
Joy loosens it.

Laughter and humility can shift the whole atmosphere of a moment that pride wants to control.

Pride makes me focus on how I look.
Joy reminds me who holds me.

So right there—in the middle of getting it wrong—I chose joy.

I chose to be glad in God’s presence instead of stuck in my pride. And something changed.

When God is my source, I don’t have to scramble for approval. I don’t have to defend every misstep. I don’t have to prove I’ve got it all together.

I didn’t walk away from that moment perfect.

But I walked away lighter.

Stronger, even—not because I avoided the mistake, but because I didn’t let pride define it.

Psalm 68 reminds us to rejoice, to be glad, to be filled with joy in God’s presence.

And sometimes that looks like choosing humility… and even learning to laugh at yourself along the way.

So when pride shows up—and it will—don’t let it harden you.

Invite joy in.

Stay humble. Stay open.

Because what you choose to feed is what will grow.

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

How do you usually respond when someone points out a mistake you’ve made?
Why do you think pride can feel so quick to rise in those moments?
What does it look like to “rejoice” even when you’ve gotten something wrong?
How can joy help you respond with humility instead of defensiveness?
What is one situation this week where you can choose joy over pride?

March 17, 2026/by Brenda Price

Provision in Plain Sight

Daily Devotional, Kirstie Ford

John 6:35 — Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”

The lunch hour rolled around, and my stomach was rumbling.

So I reached into my work bag with full confidence that something—anything—would be in there. I found papers. Lip balm. A charger. Receipts I definitely didn’t need.

But no food.

I dug deeper.

Still nothing.

I was sure I had packed something that morning, and realizing I didn’t was frustrating. Hours passed, and the hunger stayed with me. I kept replaying it in my head. I knew I had checked that bag before leaving the house.

And yet, here I was—hungry, annoyed, and confused about how I missed something so basic.

After work, with no energy left and no real reason to keep looking, I casually glanced into that same bag.

And there it was.

A bag of chips.

Sitting right on top.

I actually laughed out loud.

“Are you kidding me?” I said. “I had what I needed with me the whole time.”

Later that day, God gently used that moment to remind me of something deeper.

The problem wasn’t provision—it was perception.

How often do we search everywhere trying to fill the deeper hunger in our hearts? We dig through achievements, distractions, approval, or control—hoping something will satisfy.

But Jesus offers something better.

He calls Himself the Bread of Life—the One who truly satisfies. The One who meets the deepest hunger and thirst of our souls.

What we’re craving can’t be found by searching harder. It’s found by coming to Him.

Everything we need—His presence, His peace, His strength—has already been given to us in Christ.

Sometimes we’re just too busy searching to notice.

So this week, slow down long enough to see what God has already placed in front of you. The grace you carry. The strength you’ve been given. The quiet ways He is already caring for you.

Because real satisfaction isn’t hiding somewhere out of reach.

It’s found in the One who has been with you all along.

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

When have you searched for something only to realize it was already right in front of you?
What “hungers” do you sometimes try to satisfy with things other than God?
What does it mean to you that Jesus calls Himself the Bread of Life?
Where have you seen God already providing for you in ways you might overlook?
How can you intentionally turn to Christ this week when you feel spiritually empty?

March 16, 2026/by Kirstie Ford

When Worship Found Its Heart

Daily Devotional, Heart of the Artist, Stories About Songs

Romans 12:1-2 — And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

The band didn’t play that morning.

It was the late 1990s and the church was full. Matt Redman stood off to the side of the stage without his guitar. The lights were on, but the sound system was silent.

His pastor, Mike Pilavachi, had made the call.

The church had become increasingly focused on excellence—production, sound, atmosphere. None of those things were wrong. But something underneath it all had started to thin out.

So he stripped it away.

No instruments.
No band.
Just voices.

He told the congregation they needed to remove everything and check where their hearts really were.

So they did.

Week after week, the room stayed bare. There were no crescendos. No polished sound. Just human voices—thin, imperfect, and honest.

And in that quiet space, the words of Scripture felt closer than ever: offer your bodies as a living sacrifice to God. That is your true act of worship.

Not the set list.
The heart.

Not the atmosphere.
The offering.

Without the music, the question became unavoidable: What is worship when all the extras disappear?

Only a life offered to God.

During that season, Matt Redman picked up his guitar at home and wrote words that would circle the world:

“When the music fades
All is stripped away
And I simply come…
I’m coming back to the heart of worship
And it’s all about You, it’s all about You, Jesus.”

It wasn’t written for charts. It was written from conviction.

Because worship was never meant to be just a moment on Sunday. It’s a life—offered daily to the One who gave it.

That’s what Romans invites us to do: not just sing songs to God, but offer ourselves to Him.

So today, lay down whatever has become performance. Let go of what only looks spiritual. Bring God what’s real.

Because when the music fades, what matters most is not the song that filled the room…

…but the life that found the altar.

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

When do you find it easiest to focus on the “experience” of worship instead of the heart behind it?
What does it mean to you to offer your life as a “living sacrifice” to God?
How might your daily choices reflect worship beyond a Sunday service?
Is there anything in your life that has become more about appearance than surrender?
What is one practical way you can offer yourself to God today?

Lyrics:

When the music fades
All is stripped away
And I simply come

Longin’ just to bring
Something that’s of worth
That will bless your heart

I’ll bring You more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required

You search much deeper within
Through the ways things appear
You’re looking into my heart

I’m comin’ back to the heart of worship
And it’s all about You
It’s all about You, Jesus

I’m sorry Lord for the thing I’ve made it
When it’s all about You
It’s all about You, Jesus

The King of endless worth
No one could express
How much You deserve? Lord

Though I’m weak and poor
All I have is Yours
Every single breath

I’ll bring You more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required

You search much deeper
You search much deeper within
Through the way things appear
You’re looking into my heart

I’m comin’ back to the heart of worship
And it’s all about You
It’s all about You, Jesus

I’m sorry Lord for the thing I’ve made it
When it’s all about You
It’s all about You, Jesus

I’m comin’ back to the heart of worship
And it’s all about You
It’s all about You, Jesus

I’m sorry Lord for the thing I’ve made it
When it’s all about You
It’s all about You, Jesus, yeah
It’s all about You

Every song we sing
Every breath we breathe, Jesus
It’s all about You
It’s all about You, Lord

I’m comin’ back to the heart of worship
And it’s all about You
Since it’s all about You, Jesus

I’m sorry Lord for the thing I’ve made it
When it’s all about You
It’s all about You, Jesus

Sing to say, it’s all about You
Every melody every heartbeat
Every breath we breathe
It’s all about You

There’s no one
It’s all about You
It’s all about You
It’s all about You
Yeah we know that

You will not share Your glory with another
Oh, You shall not share Your glory with another
Jesus, You will not share Your glory with another
Oh, You shall not share Your glory with another

You will not share Your glory with another, Jesus
Oh, You shall not share Your glory with another
There’s no other

You will not share Your glory with another
Oh, You shall not share Your glory with another
There’s no other

There’s no like you in the Heavens and the Earth

March 15, 2026/by David Hall