The Connection Corner

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

The Secret to Being Blessed

Ephesians 1:3 — All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.

The tour bags were still packed when CAIN realized they might not be going anywhere.

You see, siblings Taylor, Madison, and Logan Cain climbed onto their first tour bus a few years ago and, at least in that moment, felt pretty convinced they had so much to be thankful for.

“We’re so blessed,” they kept telling each other.

Then the cancellations started.

Nearly 80 shows disappeared from their calendar. That’s when their little phrase became a joke. They would say, “I’m so blessed,” with just enough sarcasm to make it clear they weren’t feeling very blessed at all.

But eventually, something shifted.

They stopped letting their circumstances determine whether or not they were blessed. Instead, they started looking at what was still there.

They had a heartbeat. Breath in their lungs. Family beside them. And, most importantly, they had Jesus.

That attitude adjustment became the inspiration behind their song, “I’m So Blessed,” played here on 88.7 The Cross. The song celebrates a truth that can be easy to forget: your circumstances don’t get to decide whether you’re blessed.

And underneath all of it is a truth found in Scripture.

Centuries ago, Paul taught the church that in Christ, we have already been blessed “with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms.”

I love that because Paul isn’t saying you’re blessed only when the calendar is full, the bills are paid, your plans work out, or life feels easy.

He points us somewhere deeper.

Your circumstances may change, but what you have in Christ does not.

Because of Jesus, you have God’s grace. You have forgiveness. You have been welcomed into His family. You have an inheritance that isn’t dependent on what happens around you.

So today, before you measure your life by canceled plans, unanswered prayers, or things that aren’t going your way, look again.

Your circumstances may change every day, but your identity is in Christ, and that does not change.

Today, you are still His. You are still loved. And you still have reason to give thanks.

Because real blessing doesn’t start when everything goes right.

It starts with knowing who you belong to.

So when life doesn’t look the way you hoped it would, you can still say:

Because of Jesus, I am blessed anyway.

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

When life isn’t going the way you hoped, what do you tend to use to measure whether you’re “blessed”?
How does Ephesians 1:3 change your understanding of what it means to be blessed?
What spiritual blessings do you already have because you belong to Christ?
Is there a circumstance in your life right now that has made you feel less blessed? How might you look at that situation differently through the truth of Ephesians 1:3?
What is one thing you can thank God for today—not because everything is going well, but because you belong to Jesus?

I’m So Blessed

I’m so blessed (I’m so blessed)
Hallelujah, I’m blessed
I’m so blessed (I’m so blessed)
Hallelujah, I’m blessed

Trouble knocking at my door today
I ain’t gonna let it in
And worry wanna steal my joy away
But I ain’t gonna let it win

‘Cause on my best day, I’m a child of God
On my worst day, I’m a child of God
Oh, everyday is a good day
And You’re the reason why

I’m so blessed, I’m so blessed
Got this heartbeat in my chest
No, it doesn’t matter about the rest
If I got You Lord, I’m so blessed

I’m so blessed (I’m so blessed)
Hallelujah, I’m blessed
I’m so blessed (I’m so blessed) (okay)
Hallelujah, I’m blessed

And when I count the problems that I see
Hope looks all, but gone (Yeah)
But when I count the ways You’re good to me
You got me counting all day long
Oh, yeah!

I’m so blessed, I’m so blessed
Got this heartbeat in my chest
No, it doesn’t matter about the rest
If I got You Lord, I’m so blessed
(Hey) I’m so blessed, I’m so blessed
Got this heartbeat in my chest
No, it doesn’t matter about the rest
If I got You Lord, I’m so blessed

‘Cause on my best day, I’m a child of God
On my worst day, I’m a child of God
Oh, everyday is a good day
And You’re the reason why
(Hey)’Cause on my best day, I’m a child of God
On my worst day, I’m a child of God
Oh, every day is a good day (Every day is a good day)
And You’re the reason why (Reason why)

I’m so blessed, I’m so blessed
Got this heartbeat in my chest
No, it doesn’t matter about the rest
If I got You Lord, I’m so blessed (Sing it again)
I’m so blessed, I’m so blessed
And I’ve Got this heartbeat in my chest
No, it doesn’t matter about the rest
If I got You Lord, I’m so blessed (Hey, yeah)

‘Cause on my best day, I’m a child of God
On my worst day, I’m a child of God (Oh)
Oh, every day is a good day
And You’re the reason why (Reason why)
‘Cause on my best day, I’m a child of God
On my worst day, I’m a child of God
Oh, everyday is a good day
And You’re the reason why

I’m so blessed (I’m so blessed)
Hallelujah, I’m blessed
I’m so blessed
Hallelujah, I’m blessed
No, it doesn’t matter about the rest
If I got You Lord
Hallelujah, I’m blessed

September 6, 2026/by David Hall

God Isn’t Finished

Daily Devotional, David Hall

Ezekiel 37:5 — This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Look! I am going to put breath into you and make you live again!

The church had shrunk so small they started wondering whether it ought to keep going.

It had not always been that way.

There had been a time when the parking lot filled up on Sunday morning, children ran through the hallways, and somebody was always making coffee somewhere. But years have a way of changing things. People moved away. Some got older. Some stopped coming. A few left hurt. Before long, the church had become a handful of faithful folks trying to keep the doors open.

Then one day, somebody came and repossessed the copier.

That may not sound like much, but if you have ever been part of a small church, you know better. A church without a copier is getting pretty close to the end of the road.

They simply couldn’t afford it—or much of anything else anymore.

It felt like a sign that the once-vibrant house of worship should start preparing for its own funeral.

Only God wasn’t finished.

So the people started praying. I mean, really praying.

People who hadn’t been around in years came back. A new pastor arrived. The little congregation began looking outside itself again, serving their neighbors and giving to missions. They stopped asking how to keep the church alive and started asking what they could do with the life they still had.

And little by little, something changed.

That dying church found itself welcoming hundreds of people through its doors. The parking lot filled again. The smell of coffee filled the air. And, more importantly, hungry hearts were beginning to taste the goodness of God there like never before.

That story makes me think of Ezekiel standing in that valley.

God showed him a place covered with bones. Not fresh bones, either. Dry bones. Bones that had been there long enough to make the situation seem completely hopeless.

Then God said, “I am going to put breath into you and make you live again.”

God was showing Ezekiel that what looked completely hopeless to His people was not beyond His power to restore. The dry bones were a picture of Israel, a people who felt like all hope was gone. But God had not forgotten them.

And maybe you need that reminder today.

You may be looking at something you have already buried in your heart—a relationship, a dream, a calling, a church, or even a part of yourself. Maybe it really is beyond what you can repair. But that doesn’t mean it is beyond God.

God may not restore every situation in exactly the way we hope or expect. But nothing is beyond His power, and no situation is beyond His ability to bring purpose, hope, and new life.

Friend, it may feel finished, but God hasn’t forgotten you.

What looks like a grave to us can still become a garden.

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

What situation in your life feels hopeless or “too far gone” right now? Have you brought it honestly to God?
Where have you been tempted to decide that something is finished before God has finished His work?
What would it look like to stop asking, “How do I keep this alive?” and instead ask, “God, what do You want me to do with the life You’ve given me?”
How does Ezekiel 37 remind you that God’s power is greater than what you can see or understand right now?
Where might God be inviting you to pray, serve, or take a step of faith even before you see the outcome?

L Y R I C S

I searched the world
But it couldn’t fill me
Man’s empty praise
and treasures that fade
Are never enough

Then You came along
And put me back together
And every desire is now satisfied
Here in Your love

Oh there’s nothing better than You
There’s nothing better than You
Lord there’s nothing, nothing is better
than You

I’m not afraid
To show You my weakness
My failures and flaws
Lord You’ve seen them all
And You still call me friend

‘Cause the God of the mountain
Is the God of the valley
There’s not a place
Your mercy and grace
Won’t find me again

You turn mourning to dancing
You give beauty for ashes
You turn shame into glory
You’re the only one who can

You turn graves into gardens
You turn bones into armies
You turn seas into highways
You’re the only one who can
You’re the only one who can

Written by Steven Furtick, Chris Brown, Tiffany Hammer, Brandon Lake

September 5, 2026/by David Hall

When Everything Changes

Daily Devotional, Denise Pagano

Matthew 24:35 — Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear.

Life feels heavy for a lot of people right now.

I turn on the news and see rising gas prices, wars, uncertainty, and one more thing to worry about tomorrow. But despite all of that, I found it pretty interesting to hear that Bible sales are soaring.

Wow.

In 2025, more than 19 million Bibles were sold in the United States alone—the highest number in more than two decades. Bible sales were up 12% from the year before.

And I have to wonder if part of the reason is that when everything around us feels shaky, we’re looking for something solid.

That’s amazing.

Still, the truth is, a Bible sitting on a shelf won’t change your life.

But opening it might.

Not because every problem suddenly disappears. Not because gas prices go down or the headlines become less scary. But because God’s Word reminds us that what Jesus says is true, certain, and lasting.

Jesus said, “Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear.”

Heaven and earth may change. The headlines will change. Prices will change. Our circumstances will change. But Jesus’ words will never pass away.

That’s why God’s Word can anchor us when everything else feels uncertain.

So, if you’ve been feeling overwhelmed lately, don’t start by trying to read the whole Bible. That will definitely overwhelm you.

But can I encourage you to open it?

Maybe start in the Psalms. Sit with a few verses and let God’s Word remind you who He is—and who you are, too.

And if you’d like to go through the Bible Recap with us at 88.7 The Cross, it’s not too late. That can help you understand a little more of what you’re reading.

Because sometimes the greatest peace doesn’t come from knowing what’s going to happen next.

Real peace comes from knowing that God holds both tomorrow and today in His hands.

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

What feels uncertain or shaky in your life right now? How might God’s unchanging Word speak into that uncertainty?
Do you tend to reach for God’s Word when life gets difficult, or is it something you struggle to make time for? Why?
What would it look like for you to move your Bible from the shelf into your daily life this week?
When you don’t know what tomorrow holds, how does knowing that God’s Word will never pass away give you confidence today?
What book of the Bible could you begin reading today—not to finish quickly, but simply to sit with what God is saying?