The Connection Corner

Family On the Move

John 13:35 — Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.

The move nearly did me in.

First the engine blew, then the tire went flat, and before long, I was stranded on the side of the road. It took twenty hours just to limp the moving van into my new town.

By the time I finally arrived, my own car was sitting abandoned miles away, and I was too tired to even cry about it.

The next morning my phone buzzed. It was my radio friends. They wanted to know if I was okay. I didn’t have the energy to sugarcoat it. I told them everything: about my broke down vehicle and about feelings bone-tired and a little afraid.

Before I knew it, my friends came to my rescue. Not one or two people, but a small army of them. They showed up at my new apartment and got my car to a safe place. They carried boxes, lifted furniture, and encouraged me.

The funny thing is, I never asked. They just came.

And somewhere between the boxes and the laughter, one of them looked at me and said, “Brenda, you’re part of the family now. Your family is here to help you.”

Wow. That’s what it means to be the Church, isn’t it. It’s not a radio slogan. No, it’s real love on display. Sacrificial, supportive, and never missing a beat.

And it makes me wonder: how can I live that out for someone else? How many people are quietly stranded on their own roadside, too tired or too proud to ask for help?

What if we slowed down long enough to notice them? What if we showed up without waiting to be asked?

The truth is, every act of kindness and every burden shared preaches louder than any sermon ever could. Because what we call the body of Christ, I think that’s just another word for family.

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

When have you experienced someone showing up for you without being asked? How did that reflect God’s love?
Who in your life might be quietly struggling right now — and what’s one way you can “show up” for them this week?
How does being part of the body of Christ — this family of faith — inspire you to live more generously?

October 29, 2025/by Brenda Price

Learning to Live and to Give

Daily Devotional, David Hall

Proverbs 3:9-10 — Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce. Then he will fill your barns with grain, and your vats will overflow with good wine.

I moved to Alabama with more faith than funds.

Ministry school felt like the next right step, and I did it because I was desperate. I needed God’s help with real struggles, and I needed older, wiser Christians to steady me.

But I wasn’t wise with money. I had just graduated from a four-year university, and until then, I had lived for the weekend and was having fun having fun.

And as you can see, I needed to grow—in more ways than one.

Now I was hours from home, without a safety net. I believed God called me here, but I knew faith alone wouldn’t pay the bills. If I was going to stay, I had to learn how to honor Him with my finances.

So I got a job at McDonald’s. It was grease-on-the-sleeves, hard work. And to my amazement, living on a budget actually worked.

My tuition? Paid. Grocery bills? Paid.

But then came my student housing bill. I handed it to the church secretary, and after checking her computer, she looked up and said, “David, it seems someone anonymously paid your rent for the rest of the year.”

My jaw hit the floor.

In that moment, I felt the weight of undeserved kindness. Somebody, flesh and blood like me, gave in a way that felt radical. It felt like the love of God. That gift bought me time to breathe, to study, and to save for a missions trip I knew I was called to take. It changed me. It made me want to be that kind of giver, and to live wisely and open-handed.

That year taught me something important: money isn’t a word to avoid in church. If we learn to honor God with it, He can use us to point others toward hope.

So, whether you’re in need or in abundance today, let your budget reflect faith in tomorrow. Live generously. Save with purpose. And let God write a better story with what’s in your hands.

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

When has someone’s generosity reminded you of God’s love for you?
What would it look like for you to “honor the Lord with your wealth” this week?
How could your giving become part of someone else’s story of hope?

October 28, 2025/by David Hall

Every Hour, I Need Him

Daily Devotional, Heart of the Artist, Stories About Songs, Tammi Arender

Psalms 34:17 – The Lord hears His people when they call to Him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles.

Some days, even your own shoes feel too heavy.

That was me not long ago, dragging through the morning like I was wading through syrup. I wasn’t falling apart in some dramatic way—it was just the small stuff that piles up. Bills. Work. Loneliness. The creeping fear that maybe this is all life will ever be.

I sat in the car before heading inside, gripping the steering wheel like it might hold me together. I was praying, but not really. I was mostly just breathing.

Then, over the hum of my car’s speakers, Matt Maher’s song started: “Lord, I need You, oh, I need You; every hour I need You.”

Inside, my heart felt flooded with peace. I didn’t say anything. I just let the words wash over me, like water for my soul. I knew God was doing for my heart what I couldn’t.

Later, I looked up the story behind that song. Turns out, Maher had been asked to write something for a worship conference. He said the only way he could do it was by starting with what he himself needed.

So he sat down, thinking of old hymns and books read from C.S. Lewis, and out came that prayer of desperation set to melody. “Lord, I need You” was born from weakness.

That’s me. That’s us. Weak people, whispering weak prayers, and somehow finding strength to make it through one more hour.

And maybe that’s enough. Maybe that’s the point.

Because every hour, I need Him. And every hour, He’s already there.

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

When was the last time you felt too weary to pray—and how did God meet you anyway?
What small, quiet ways has God reminded you of His presence when life feels heavy?
How might weakness actually draw you closer to Him, rather than push you away?
Is there a song, verse, or memory that helps you remember you are never alone?

Lyrics

Lord I come, I confess
Bowing here, I find my rest
Without You, I fall apart
You’re the one that guides my heart

Lord, I need You, oh, I need You
Every hour, I need You
My one defense, my righteousness
Oh God, how I need You

Where sin runs deep, Your grace is more
Where grace is found is where You are
And where You are, Lord, I am free
Holiness is Christ in me

Lord, I need You, oh, I need You
Every hour, I need You
My one defense, my righteousness
Oh God, how I need You

So teach my song to rise to You
When temptation comes my way
And when I cannot stand, I’ll fall on You
Jesus, You’re my hope and stay

Lord, I need You, oh, I need You
Every hour, I need You
My one defense, my righteousness
Oh God, how I need You
You’re my one defense, my righteousness
Oh God, how I need You

My one defense, my righteousness
Oh God, how I need You

October 27, 2025/by Tammi Arender