The Connection Corner

The Simple Secret of Prayer

Psalms 145:18 — The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth.

I’ve got a story to tell you. It’s about an old man who kept an empty chair next to his bed.

He didn’t have many visitors, except for the nurse and a young pastor who stopped by once a week. On one visit, the pastor noticed the chair and asked gently, “Were you expecting company?”

The old man smiled. “That chair is for Jesus,” he said. “Years ago, a friend told me that prayer isn’t complicated. It’s just talking to Jesus like He’s sitting right next to you. So, every day, I pull up a chair and talk out loud.”

He chuckled and added, “It might sound a little silly, but I’ve never once felt alone since I started doing it.”

The pastor was quiet for a moment, moved by the man’s honesty. Over the next few visits, they would pray together that way—like Jesus was right there in the room. And somehow, it changed the way the pastor prayed, too.

Then one morning, the man passed peacefully in his sleep. The nurse said he was found with his hand resting on that empty chair.

Now we don’t know much else, but maybe we don’t need to, because that is the kind of friendship Jesus invites us into. Real, near, and present.

So, friend, if today feels heavy or quiet or lonely…pull up a chair.

September 12, 2025/by Brenda Price

Strong in Every Storm

Daily Devotional, David Hall

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.

It was one of those mornings when I felt heavy long before the sun had fully risen.

I carried my worries like a weight across my shoulders. Responsibilities piled high. Problems without clear answers crowded my mind.

I turned to my Bible out of habit and hope, even though my thoughts were tangled and the words blurred. Still, I kept reading. That day, I found myself drawn into the story of Jesus on the boat with His disciples when the storm hit.

The scene played out clearly in my mind. The wind screamed across the water. Waves crashed hard against the wooden sides of the boat. The danger was real—enough to sink them.

And there, right in the middle of it all, Jesus was sleeping.

He was not absent or unaware of the storm. He was simply resting.

When the disciples woke Him, He did not join their panic. Instead, He asked a simple question: “Where is your faith?”

Those words struck me deeply. I knew the end of that story—how Jesus calmed the storm—but it felt like God was asking the same question to my anxious heart that day.

I closed the Book and stayed still for a moment. A truth swelled up inside me:

God is strong.

Not just strong in a distant, “back then” kind of way. He is strong here and now, with authority over the storms that press in around me.

More than that, He is not standing on the shore watching from afar. He is in my boat with me embodying peace.

And if you are wondering, no, the storm around me has not broken yet. The answers I want are still somewhere beyond the horizon, but I know I am not facing it alone.

If you can relate, I hope you will take courage with me. The waves are no match for Him.

September 11, 2025/by David Hall

Keeping it Together-ish

Daily Devotional, Heart of the Artist

Nahum 1:7 – The Lord is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in Him.

Am I a bad parent? I don’t know. Are you?

We all ask questions like that. Maybe not about parenting specifically, but about whatever we do. Some obsess about it. Just check Facebook.

Maybe they have a point. Odds are, you’re holed up in your favorite safe space—think bathroom—reading this right now. You’re well aware you’re needed in the next room to break up a family quarrel, and yes, reading in the bathroom could be interpreted as avoidance.

But this is your time. It’s sacred.

You’re enjoying your own little spa moment, sitting in an empty bathtub, one hand holding your phone, the other buried in the bag of M&M’s no one else in the house knows about.

But this isn’t what you would call wasting time. People don’t waste time anymore. We’ve renamed it. We call it recharging, resetting or decompressing. Whatever it is, you won’t beat yourself up about it. You’ve earned a few minutes of alone time.

Now, what was the question again? Ah, yes … Am I a bad parent?

Well, I’m not always the best role model. One time I told my son to behave like a man, so he took a nap on the couch. I’m not proud of that. Does that make me a bad parent? I don’t know.

But am I a good parent? I mean, my kids have most of their teeth. They’ve never shown up at school in their underwear—okay, once. But they were homeschooled, so no real harm done.

Let’s be honest: every generation of caregivers has found ways to check out to get some “fresh air.” So…Dad, Mom, teacher, coach…there’s nothing villainous about a needing to get away. The heroic thing is that you keep returning.

Parenting—like many callings in life—is about faithfulness. Half the battle is just showing up. So engage. Retreat. Recharge. Return. Engage again. Just keep being present.

And most importantly, we know where the M&M’s are.

— Tim Hawkins

Tim Hawkins will be at First West on October 9.

For information, go to our EVENTS PAGE!

September 10, 2025/by David Hall