The Connection Corner

The TJ Maxx Testimony

Psalm 10:17 — Lord, You know the hopes of the helpless. Surely You will hear their cries and comfort them.

The stroller wheels squeak just a little as I push them across TJ Maxx.

I’m not here looking for anything in particular—I just wanted to get out of the house. My son Lennox is content. He’s smiling at strangers, mean-mugging a few, and doing all the normal baby things.

But my mind is somewhere else.

As I wander the aisles, I think about all the years I waited and prayed to be a mom. My friend Felicia and I used to dream out loud about days like this, back when we worked at the daycare. We bounced babies on our hips, half-joking about how good we were at it, imagining marriage, children, and a future that felt far away.

Now, I’m living that life.

For a long time, I struggled to believe it would ever happen—a husband, a baby, answered prayers. God responded so completely that sometimes I forget this wasn’t always my normal.

I keep pushing my cart. Then I look up and see Felicia.

She’s here too.

We hug, amazed at how fast the last ten years have flown. Her husband stands beside her—it’s their anniversary. And she has kids too. Her stroller parked next to mine feels like a quiet reminder that God never forgets what He promises, even when we do.

He didn’t just answer my prayers. He remembered the people who prayed and believed alongside me.

Scripture tells us, “Lord, You know the hopes of the helpless. Surely You will hear their cries and comfort them.” — Psalm 10:17

God heard our heart’s cries all those years ago, back in that daycare infant room. And He hasn’t stopped listening.

Seeing my old friend reminded me just how faithful God is. Sometimes all it takes is a familiar face—or a simple moment—to remember that God cares deeply about what we care about.

So today, pause and think about the ways God has shown up in your story. Remember what once felt impossible? God was listening then, and He’s listening now. No prayer is wasted when God is at work.

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

What prayer or hope in your life once felt impossible but now reflects God’s faithfulness?
Are there desires you’ve stopped praying for because they’ve taken longer than expected?
How does Psalm 10:17 encourage you to trust God with quiet or unseen prayers?
Who has walked with you in prayer—and how might you thank God for them today?

February 10, 2026/by Bri Dunn

When Chains Start to Shake

Brenda Price, Daily Devotional

Colossians 3:2-3 — Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.

The chains are the first thing you notice.

Cold. Unforgiving. Every movement pulls at iron, and the chains answer back with a reminder: you’re not going anywhere. The air is thick enough to taste. The floor is hard stone. There’s no light to flip on, so you sit in pitch blackness.

This is an ancient jail.

Paul and Silas are here—bound in chains.

This is where the story should be falling apart. Fear should be crawling in. Bitterness would make sense—they’ve done nothing wrong. Most of us would focus on the injustice, the pain, the impossible situation.

And yet… they sing.

Their worship echoes through the prison. They don’t sing because relief is guaranteed, but because they’ve chosen where to fix their focus. Not on the chains. Not on the darkness. But on God—where their true help comes from.

Other prisoners listen. And heaven does too.

Suddenly, the ground shakes. Prison doors swing wide. Chains fall off. And that night doesn’t just change circumstances—it changes hearts. The jailer watches, falls to his knees, and puts his faith in Jesus. His whole family follows. Freedom multiplies.

Years later, Paul would put words to the perspective he lived that night:

“Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.”

Paul knew firsthand that earthly circumstances don’t define us. Chains don’t tell the whole story. What’s visible is never all that’s real.

Most of us aren’t sitting in literal chains today—but we know what it feels like to be stuck. Fear can feel like iron. Disappointment can lock doors just as tight. You don’t need stone walls to feel trapped.

But even the darkest night is stitched with stars.

The invitation here isn’t to deny the darkness. It’s to lift your eyes anyway. To choose joy. To trust that God is holding the outcomes—even when the situation hasn’t changed yet.

Because when you fix your mind on what’s above, freedom always has room to follow.

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

What “chains” are most visible in your life right now—fear, disappointment, uncertainty, or something else?
Where have you been tempted to focus on circumstances instead of God’s presence?
How do Colossians 3:2–3 challenge you to shift your perspective this week?
What might worship or trust look like for you before your situation changes?

February 9, 2026/by Brenda Price

Living for an Audience of One

Daily Devotional, Kirstie Ford

Proverbs 29:25 — Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the Lord means safety.

Terrian Woods stands on the stage at her church. Her legs are shaking and her throat is dry before she ever sings a note.

The room feels bigger than it should. Her heart is pounding so hard it’s distracting. All she can think is, Don’t mess this up. Everyone’s watching.

It’s ironic—she grew up in a church pew in North Memphis. Her grandfather preached. Her aunt led worship. People said she was called to sing. One guest preacher even told her her worship would be her weapon.

She believed it. Mostly.

But standing there, all of it fades beneath the weight of fear. She wants to worship Jesus, but anxiety keeps pulling her attention toward the crowd. The pressure to be seen, approved, and evaluated feels overwhelming.

That’s when something shifts.

Like a whisper cutting through the noise, she remembers the truth: worship isn’t about her performance—it’s about God’s presence. She realizes she’s been focused on many faces instead of the Audience of One.

Her legs still shake. Her heart still races. But she redirects her focus—away from the people, away from herself, and upward toward Jesus. She takes a deep breath and sings.

That moment changes her.

Years later, Terrian is leading worship on bigger platforms and writing songs like “Honestly, We Just Need Jesus.” And when she looks back, she sees a pattern: every time she trusted God more than the opinions around her, His presence met her in ways she couldn’t manufacture.

Scripture names that tension clearly:

“Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the Lord means safety.” — Proverbs 29:25

We all feel that pull. We might not be standing on a stage, but we face moments where fear of opinion, rejection, or failure tempts us to shrink back. The trap is real—but so is the safety that comes from trusting God.

When we lift our eyes from the crowd to Christ, trembling can turn into trust. Nerves can become worship. Ordinary moments can become encounters with God’s strength.

So don’t let fear hold you back—in your work, your relationships, or your faith. Even if you show up scared, God invites you to find His face in the crowd and discover a presence that comforts, steadies, and carries you.

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

Where in your life are you most aware of the fear of others’ opinions?
How does Proverbs 29:25 reframe the difference between fear and trust for you personally?
What would it look like to shift your focus from the crowd to the “Audience of One” this week?
How might trusting God—rather than yourself—create space for His presence to meet you?

LYRICS:

This is the moment
Where everything turns
Didn’t think I would see it
Was hard to believe
Heaven crashes to earth
I’ve read the stories
Of all that you’ve done
Parted the sea, (and) set captives free
Never thought I’d be one

I am a living, breathing, walking testimony
I am the living proof of what the Lord has done
May call it crazy, but they can’t take away my story
Cause I am a living, breathing, walking testimony

They said I wouldn’t make it
That I should give up
But they didn’t know that
The God that I serve
Is more than enough
He can move mountains
He can make broken beautiful
I never run out of hope
When I run to the God of miracles

I am a living, breathing, walking testimony
I am the living proof of what the Lord has done
May call it crazy, but they can’t take away my story
Cause I am a living, breathing, walking testimony
Look what the Lord has done
Look what the Lord has done
Oh, the enemy did what he could
But the Lord he has used it for good
Look what the Lord has done
Look what the Lord has done
When the thief tried to steal and destroy
The Lord gave me an anthem of joy

February 8, 2026/by Kirstie Ford