The Connection Corner

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

Taco Soup for the Soul

Psalm 98:1 — Sing a new song to the Lord, for he has done wonderful deeds. His right hand has won a mighty victory; his holy arm has shown his saving power!

There is just something about fall.

The days get shorter. The air gets cooler, and the leaves start to change.

Porch lights come on a little earlier, and suddenly everybody seems to have a pot of something warm on the stove.

And maybe that’s why I loved this particular evening so much.

My wife and I have a set of couple-friends who are pretty special to us. They’re the kind of friends who somehow knew both of us separately for more than a decade before Sarah and I ever started dating.

They actually introduced us.

Needless to say…

We love these people.

It had been a while since we’d all gotten together, so they invited us over for taco soup.

And if you’ve ever had really good cornbread with taco soup on a fall evening, you might already know where this story is going.

We sat around the house while it got dark outside.

We ate.

We laughed.

We talked about the highs and lows of life.

Their girls ran around the house and loved on our toddler.

And somewhere in the middle of all of it, I just felt grateful.

Not for one big thing.

For all of it.

Lately, I’ve been hearing Forrest Frank’s song THANKFUL, and it reminds me to notice the things I often overlook.

A roof over my head.

A bed to sleep in.

Food in the kitchen.

Good friends.

Even a big mess that I’m actually grateful to get to clean up.

It’s a reminder that sometimes we’re surrounded by blessings we’ve simply gotten used to seeing.

Sitting there with our friends, that’s all I could think about.

Soup on the stove.

Blankets on the couch.

Laughter in the next room.

People I love sitting across the table from me.

There was only one word for it.

Breathtaking.

And I think that’s one of the beautiful things about fall.

It gives us so many ordinary moments to notice.

And when we turn our attention toward God in those moments, something happens.

Gratitude starts to rise.

And before you know it, you’re singing your own song of praise.

Psalm 98 says, “Sing a new song to the Lord, for he has done wonderful deeds.”

Maybe your new song today doesn’t start with a melody.

Maybe it starts with noticing.

Look around.

Notice what God has given you.

Notice the people He has placed in your life.

Notice the ordinary blessings you’ve stopped seeing because they’ve become so familiar.

And then look up.

Because when you begin to recognize the goodness of God in the middle of an ordinary day, you may discover that you have more reasons to sing than you realized.

We really do have so much to be thankful for.

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

What is one ordinary blessing in your life that you’ve become so accustomed to that you rarely stop to thank God for it?
When was the last time you felt grateful “not for one big thing, but for all of it”? What made that moment special?
Who are the people in your life who make ordinary moments feel extraordinary? Have you told them how thankful you are for them?
What changes in your perspective when you intentionally look for God’s goodness in the small things?
If you were going to write your own “new song” of gratitude to God today, what would you include?

QUESTION TO CARRY WITH YOU TODAY

What blessing have I gotten so used to seeing that I’ve forgotten to thank God for it

L Y R I C S

I’ve got so much to be thankful for

Look, I’ve got a roof and a bed
A couple groceries to stay fed
I’ve got a phone and clean water
And some shoes when I wanna go farther

Today, I’ve got so much to be thankful for (hey)
I woke up this morning thinking, “Thank You, Lord” (hey)
For giving me everything I could ever need and more
I’ve got so much to be thankful for (oh, yeah, run it back)

Ayy, I have lights and a fan
A couple people who know who I am (know)
I have a car and clean clothes
Pots and pans I can cook on the stove

I have the sun and air in my lungs
And a big mess that I get to clean up
But most of all, one thing’s true
Jesus, I’m grateful for You (you, You, ah)

Today I’ve got so much to be thankful for (thankful for)
I woke up this morning thinking, “Thank You, Lord” (thank You)
For giving me everything I could ever need and more (need and more)
I’ve got so much to be thankful for (ayy)

One more time
Today, I’ve got so much to be thankful for (thankful for)
I woke up this morning thinking, “Thank You, Lord” (thank You, Lord)
For giving me everything I could ever need and more
I’ve got so much to be thankful for
Oh, say it again, say it again
I’ve got so much to be thankful for

October 5, 2026/by David Hall

The Night Love Went to Work

Bri Dunn, Daily Devotional

1 Corinthians 15:58 — So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.

There is something special about a fall festival.

The air turns crisp. Friends catch up over steaming cups of apple cider. Somewhere nearby, kettle corn is popping, and funnel cakes are making it very difficult to remember that you already ate dinner.

I take it all in and look around.

Kids are trying things they’ve never tried before. Parents are laughing and talking while their children run around. Candy bags are getting heavier by the minute.

And I love it.

But the longer I watch, the more I realize what I’m really witnessing.

I’m watching a community love its people.

A volunteer kneels down beside a child who isn’t quite sure she wants to try the game.

Someone else is laughing with a group of kids.

Parents relax because they know somebody is looking out for their children.

There’s no spotlight on any of it.

It’s just people showing up and trying to show others the love of Jesus.

And it reminds me how easy it is to overlook the ordinary ways God uses us.

Sometimes we imagine ministry has to be a microphone, a Bible study, or some grand opportunity to make a difference.

But what if ministry can also be a folding chair?

A game booth?

A smile?

A conversation with a child?

A simple act of kindness that nobody else notices?

Paul told the church in Corinth to remain strong and steadfast and to give themselves fully to the Lord’s work, because their labor for the Lord is never wasted.

And I think that’s exactly what I’m seeing here:

Labor that won’t go to waste.

These people are doing little things that may matter far more than they will ever know.

Maybe that child who was nervous will remember the volunteer who knelt down beside her.

Maybe a parent will remember how welcomed their family felt.

Maybe a simple conversation will stay with someone long after the festival is over.

We may never see the full fruit of those moments.

But God does.

So keep showing up.

Keep serving.

Keep loving the person right in front of you.

Because in the hands of God, ordinary acts of faithfulness—really and truly—are never wasted.

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

What is one ordinary thing you do that you sometimes wonder whether it really matters? Could God be using it in ways you cannot see?
Have you ever had someone’s small act of kindness make a bigger impact on you than they probably realized?
Where is God giving you an opportunity to serve right now—even if it doesn’t feel significant or impressive?
Are you more likely to serve when people notice, or can you find joy in serving when only God sees?
Who is the person right in front of you today who might need a little encouragement, kindness, or your willingness to simply show up?

QUESTION TO CARRY WITH YOU TODAY

What if the ordinary thing God has put in front of me today is more important than I realize?

October 4, 2026/by Bri Dunn

Gathered and Growing Together

Daily Devotional, Denise Pagano

Psalm 133:1 — How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!

I was thinking about church picnics the other day.

Church picnics were once a big deal.

I mean big, big.

Folding tables covered with homemade food. Kids running everywhere. Somebody stringing up a volleyball net. And at least one person convinced their potato salad was the reason everybody came.

That’s how it was when I was a kid, and honestly, we had the best time.

I got to go to church with my cousins, and the ten of us would disappear on some adventure while the adults talked around the tables.

Through the years, we ate together, laughed together, and watched our own kids become friends.

Lately, it feels like a lot of that has disappeared.

Maybe life got busier.

Maybe our calendars got fuller.

Maybe we just got used to rushing from one thing to the next.

But I realized something.

I don’t actually miss the food.

Trust me, those church ladies could cook.

But what I really miss is what happened around those folding tables.

The stories.

The friendships.

The laughter.

Nobody was trying to impress anybody.

We were just there.

And there’s a reason Scripture says, “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity.”

That doesn’t mean everyone agrees on everything.

It means there is something beautiful when God’s people choose to be together—to know one another, love one another, make room for one another, and enjoy one another.

I think that’s part of the harvest, too.

Yes, we’re called to go out into the world and share what God has given us.

But God also grows something in us when we gather around the table.

When we slow down long enough to hear each other’s stories.

When we laugh together.

When we notice who might be sitting alone.

When we choose relationship over another item on the calendar.

So maybe it’s time to bring back the church picnic.

It doesn’t have to be an actual picnic.

It could be coffee after church.

Dinner with another family.

Inviting someone over.

Or simply pushing back the calendar and saying, “Stay a little longer.”

Because sometimes the most spiritual thing we can do is make time to be together.

And before you get any big ideas, just know…

I’m bringing the potato salad.

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

Who are the people in your life you genuinely enjoy being around, and when was the last time you intentionally made time for them?
Has busyness or a full calendar caused you to lose some of the simple relationships and connections that once mattered to you?
Is there someone in your church, family, or community who might be feeling disconnected or alone? What could you do to make room for them?
What does “living together in unity” look like in your relationships right now? Is there someone you need to listen to, forgive, encourage, or simply spend time with?
What is one thing you could say no to this week so you could say yes to more meaningful time with people?