The Connection Corner

When Faith Is Fun Again

Psalms 16:11 — “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

It started with a bag of pretzels and a quiet parking lot. I was sitting with my car engine off while finishing a snack before heading home. That was when a dad and his two young kids came out of the store.

I was not trying to stare, but they caught my eye. There was something about the way they moved—like they were late for a plane. But they were not running.

Oh no. They were speed walking.

I mean it. Elbows bent, legs moving in exaggerated strides, eyes locked on their destination: the family car. It was so dramatic that I laughed out loud because it hit me—they were racing for the front seat.

Of course they were.

The younger one kept glancing over at his sibling to measure the gap, then picked up his pace. He was still technically “not running,” likely because their dad had told them not to. That just made it funnier.

And suddenly, I was seven again. My brother and I did the same thing. We would fling open the store doors and speed walk like our lives depended on it. Riding shot gun was sacred. You got to sit by Mom. You controlled the radio. And best of all, the coldest blast of AC hit you first.

I smiled at the memory. Then, a different thought crept in.

When was the last time I brought that kind of energy into my faith? That full-hearted, joy-soaked, eyes-on-the-prize kind of intentionality? It struck me because I think a lot of people can relate.

Somewhere along the way, faith can start to feel heavy. We forget that God calls us not just to run the race, but to enjoy it—to walk with Him not only seriously, but joyfully.

We need both. Steady purpose and deep delight. Obedience with laughter. Reverence that still knows how to smile. That is the kind of pursuit that changes you.

Are you moving toward God with that kind of energy? Are you making room for joy along the way? Do not pick between the two. There is power when you choose both.

July 18, 2025/by Bri Dunn

Help Is Already on the Way

Daily Devotional, Lauren Kitchens-Steward

Psalms 40:2 – “He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.”

The morning seemed like any other—peaceful, calm, and routine. But then, out of nowhere, chaos struck.

Two workers at a chocolate factory in Pennsylvania found themselves in a situation no one could have expected. They were waist-deep in a vat of thick, swirling chocolate.

At first, it didn’t feel real. They both slipped and thought it was a simple mistake, something that could be laughed off later. But as they tried to move, the chocolate transformed from an innocent, sweet substance into a gooey trap, pulling them deeper and deeper.

Fear set in quickly. They tried to reach the edges, to find something solid to hold onto, but the chocolate was relentless. The sticky, suffocating mass seemed to mock their every move, and desperation crept in. What if they didn’t make it out?

Thankfully, help did come, but it was not easy. Firefighters couldn’t just grab them and pull them to safety. No, they had to cut through the vat. It was messy, but it was effective.

In the end, the men were safe. No harm done. But the memory was haunting. How easy is it to get stuck in life and not know where to turn?

I can’t count how many times I have been there—overwhelmed and desperate for a way out. When life wraps around us like that, we panic. We try to fix things on our own, and the more we struggle, the worse it seems.

But here’s the truth: help is on the way, even when it feels like the situation is hopeless. Just like those workers had no way out on their own, help came through.

So, if you’re stuck, if you’re feeling trapped, know this: you are not alone. Don’t give up, and don’t fight alone. Reach out to the Jesus. His help is sure even when you can’t see it yet.

His word is true, and His love is constant. When we reach out to Him, He answers. He promises to pull you from the muck and place your feet on solid ground.

July 17, 2025/by Lauren Kitchens-Steward

Peace Starts With Perspective

Daily Devotional, Sarah Hall

Psalms 107:1 — “Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever!”

The AC gave out in the middle of a Louisiana summer afternoon, which is just about the worst timing possible. I was in our bedroom, stuffing pajamas into a suitcase and trying not to lose my cool, emotionally and physically.

We were packing up to stay at my husband’s parents’ house for a few days. While our house was basically a sauna, theirs at least had working air.

I was grumbling under my breath as I packed. This was not just about busted AC. I was tired of things not going smoothly and the endless to-do lists that never shrunk. I was frustrated from feeling stuck in places I thought I would have outgrown by now.

It was like the broken AC had cracked open a door I had been trying to hold shut.

I sat down on the edge of the bed, suitcase half-zipped, and started praying. It was not the sweet kind of prayers. No, it was an honest, messy pouring out of everything I was carrying. I told God how tired I was, how heavy it all felt.

In the quiet that followed, I felt Him meet me there, not with shame but with clarity. He helped me notice what I had missed in my storm of frustration: my complaining was not changing anything, but it was changing me.

I realized my peace was slipping through my fingers, and in its place, distress was robbing me of joy. In that moment I remembered: my family was safe, we were loved, and we had extended family willing to opening their home to us. Oh, the heat was real, but so was the goodness I had been missing in my spiral.

I could keep circling that same drain of frustration, or I could climb out (slowly, but intentionally) by choosing gratitude.

So, I took a breath, counted ten, and started counting the good. Not out loud, just in my heart. And I could feel it already—something in me softening.

Friends, gratitude may not fix your circumstance, but it reshapes the soul. It steadies you, lifts you head, and clears the fog. So, if you are feeling stuck in what is not right, maybe what you need is not a change in situation, but a change in perspective.

July 16, 2025/by Sarah Hall