The Connection Corner

Closer to God, Closer Together

Psalm 105:4 — Search for the LORD and for His strength; continually seek Him.

I remember when my husband and I first started dating. I put in so much effort getting to know him. There never seemed to be enough hours in the day to spend together. I looked forward to his presence with full-on giddy anticipation—and somehow, that feeling never wore off while we were dating.

Fast forward nearly fourteen years.

I love him more now than I did back then, but if I’m honest, there are weeks when our marriage gets neglected. Not intentionally. Life just gets loud and demanding. I want to show up better, but I’ve learned something the hard way: wanting a strong marriage doesn’t create one. Investing in one does.

At a marriage retreat, a speaker really helped us. He illustrated a simple, yet, impactful visual on a white board. He drew a triangle where God was at the top, the husband on one corner, and the wife on the other. Then he drew arrows from the husband to God and from the wife to God.

His point was clear: as each person grows closer to God, they naturally grow closer to each other.

It made sense. If I wasn’t consistently spending time with God, looking for His strength instead of my own and turning my heart toward Him again and again, why would I expect to have the desire or discipline to prioritize my marriage? And I think that’s true for any kind of relationship.

Turns out, “marriage takes work” isn’t just a saying—it’s a lifestyle. For us, that work looked like intentional date nights, reading devotionals together, joining a marriage group, and serving alongside one another.

Any loving relationship—friendship, parenting, marriage—requires time, effort, and intentionality. Following Christ is no different. No relationship deepens accidentally. Closeness follows pursuit.

If you are wondering where your priorities lie, then I encourage you to ask yourself “What do I value?” and “What am I actually giving my time to?” Because time tells the truth.

And sometimes, the most loving thing we can do is realigning our priorities— by returning to the top of the triangle. One intentional step up at a time.

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

Where in your life have you been wanting growth without actively investing in it?
What does it look like for you to continually seek God in this season—not just occasionally, but consistently?
Is there a relationship (with God or others) that needs intentional time and attention right now?
What is one practical step you can take this week to realign your priorities toward God?
If “time tells the truth,” what does your current schedule say about what you value most?

April 14, 2026/by Kirstie Ford

Not Condemned but Loved

Daily Devotional, Denise Pagano

John 3:17 — God sent His Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through Him.

Can I tell you about a moment most of us know too well?

I know I have done this recently.

You know, you mess up. Maybe not publicly. Maybe nobody even knows, but you know, and your brain goes straight to, “Oh, of course you did this. You always do this. God’s probably disappointed too.” And suddenly faith feels less like freedom and more like waiting for judgment.

But friend, I want to tell you that is not the gospel.

Everybody quotes John 3.16, but John 3.17 says, “for God did not send His son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved.”

Not condemned, friend, but saved.

Somewhere along the way, a lot of us picked up this idea that God is hovering. Jesus did not arrive carrying a clipboard of charges against you. He came delivering mercy.

Look at who He moved toward—the outsider at the well, the tax collector in the tree, and the woman caught in shame. He stepped closer when others stepped away. He restored before He rebuked. He called people forward instead of writing them off.

God’s posture toward you is not rejection. Neither has it ever been embarrassment.

It is love.

You are fully known with all of your doubts, habits, questions, and parts you keep hidden. And yet, you are still fully loved.

Faith is not a courtroom. It’s a rescue. And that’s exactly why Jesus came — not to condemn, but to save.

You are not on trial anymore. You are being invited into freedom.

And maybe today, instead of bracing for disappointment, you could take one small step toward the One who is already stepping toward you.

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

When you make a mistake, what story do you usually tell yourself about how God sees you?
How would your daily life change if you fully believed Jesus came to save you, not condemn you?
Is there a part of your life where you’re bracing for judgment instead of accepting mercy? What would it look like to bring that to God today?
Who in your life might need to hear the truth that God is for them, not against them? How could you share that hope this week?

April 13, 2026/by Denise Pagano

Hope in His Name

Daily Devotional, Heart of the Artist, Stories About Songs

Psalm 135:3 — Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; celebrate his lovely name with music.

Our apartment in Houston was barely 800 square feet. Texas heat pressed against the windows, and I was sweeping crumbs across our tiny kitchen floor with worship music playing in the background.

I wasn’t trying to have a moment. Not really. But then “I Speak Jesus” came on—the Here Be Lions and Darlene Zschech version. The melody drew me in, and by the time the chorus rose, the room felt different. Holy in the most ordinary place.

My husband Ryan looked up to me, and we both knew.

At the time, I was finishing my album Endless Praise. I hadn’t written this song. It wasn’t mine to claim. But standing there with a broom in my hand, I felt it—this song carried something people needed.

“This is it,” I said. “This has to be on the album.”

It wasn’t strategy. It wasn’t about building the perfect track list. I just wanted people to know the beautiful name of Jesus.

Because when you realize how good He is, praise isn’t something you plan—it’s something that rises.

I knew that when His name is spoken, things change. Fear loosens. Peace settles. Because there’s a goodness in His name. When you know it, you know. His name is pleasant to the soul in a way nothing else is.

After the album released, the song started traveling. Into churches. Into homes.

Stories came in waves. A mother singing it over her daughter every night before bed. Friends blasting it in hospital parking lots during the pandemic when they couldn’t go inside. People speaking the name of Jesus over addiction, fear, and depression.

Every testimony reminded me: the power isn’t in my voice. It’s in His lovely name that is worthy of praise.

Now when I think about that day, I don’t picture a stage. I picture that tiny kitchen. The broom in my hand. A regular afternoon that turned holy. I know without a shadow of a doubt, His name still does what it has always done. It steadies shaking hearts. It pushes back darkness.

So maybe that’s the most important thing you could focus on today. Speaking His name right where you are—in kitchens, in car rides, in hospital hallways.

Because when you speak the name of Jesus, you are not just singing—you are releasing hope, healing, and freedom into places that desperately need it.

— Charity Gayle

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

When was the last time you experienced God’s presence in an ordinary moment?
Do you tend to treat worship as something reserved for church, or something woven into everyday life?
What does it personally mean to you that the Lord is good?
How have you seen the name of Jesus bring peace, hope, or change in your life?
Is there a space in your daily routine (car, kitchen, work) where you could intentionally turn your attention to praise?
What would it look like for you to “celebrate His name with music” this week—not out of habit, but from the heart?

L Y R I C S

I just wanna speak the name of Jesus
Over every heart and every mind
‘Cause I know there is peace within Your presence
I speak Jesus

I just wanna speak the name of Jesus
‘Til every dark addiction starts to break
Declaring there is hope and there is freedom
I speak Jesus

‘Cause Your name is power
Your name is healing
Your name is life
Break every stronghold
Shine through the shadows
Burn like a fire

I just wanna speak the name of Jesus
Over fear and all anxiety
To every soul held captive by depression
I speak Jesus

‘Cause Your name is power
Your name is healing
Your name is life
Break every stronghold
Shine through the shadows
Burn like a fire

Shout Jesus from the mountains
Jesus in the streets
Jesus in the darkness, over every enemy
Jesus for my family
I speak the holy name
Jesus, oh (oh)

Shout Jesus from the mountains
And Jesus in the streets (oh)
Jesus in the darkness, over every enemy
Jesus for my family
I speak the holy name
Jesus (Jesus)

‘Cause Your name is power
Your name is healing
Your name is life
Break every stronghold
Shine through the shadows
Burn like a fire

Your name is power (Your name is power)
Your name is healing (Your name is healing)
Your name is life (You are my life)
Break every stronghold (break every stronghold)
Shine through the shadows
Burn like a fire

I just wanna speak the name of Jesus
Over every heart and every mind
‘Cause I know there is peace within Your presence
I speak Jesus

Songwriters: Jesse Reeves / Dustin Smith / Abby Benton / Kristen Dutton / Carlene Prince / Raina Pratt

April 12, 2026/by David Hall