The Connection Corner

Lasting Lessons from Godly Leaders

Daily Devotional, Linda Meyers, Uncategorized

Hebrews 13:7 — “Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.”

The start of another school year always brings out the nostalgia in me. I love the smell of new pencils, fresh notebooks, and all the gizmos and gadgets that a new school year brings! It also reminds me of the important teachers who helped shape me in ways they may not have even realized.

Levi Kroeker was one such teacher. Though his name and nerdy glasses might have sparked some giggles, this man was always held in the highest regard.

You see, he was not only my middle school history teacher but also the principal.

His dual role could have been intimidating, and quite frankly it was! He was a tough teacher, yet students who went through his classes came out the other side with a new respect for him – both as a teacher and as the leader of our school. Despite his authoritative position, he had a unique ability to make his presence approachable and even endearing.

What truly symbolized his connection with us was his simple metal lunchbox. It told a thousand stories. It was adorned with a colorful array of stickers – each one representing a grateful student who had given him a sticker as a token of their love and respect for him.

When he passed away a few years ago, the gymnasium overflowed with students and alumni. The sheer number of people who came to pay their respects for the man with the lunchbox spoke volumes about the powerful mark he left on our lives.

As the new school year begins and fresh supplies fill the aisles, it is a perfect time to reflect on the mentors who have shaped your journey. Consider how their guidance aligns with the values taught in the Scriptures—kindness, integrity, and love.

Maybe this year you might take a moment to reach out and give your gratitude to those who have had an influence on your life and shaped you into the person you are today.

— Linda Meyers

August 15, 2025/by Linda Meyers

Comparison Kills Calling

Daily Devotional, Tammi Arender

Ephesians 2:10 — “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

I have been reconnected lately with a few of my old high school classmates, and honestly, it has been a lot of fun. There is something sweet about reminiscing with people who remember your bad haircuts and awkward stage.

I graduated from Tallulah Academy. My class had twenty-seven people, so yes, when I say I finished fifth, it sounds great. But let’s be honest… fifth out of twenty-seven is not exactly a headline.

Still, for me, it’s more than just a number. It reminds me of a mindset people often fall into. The way we all kept score in high school. Who was the smartest? Who made the team? Who got invited where?

And it is funny how those habits follow us through life. The scoreboard just changes.

Now I catch myself comparing houses, talents, jobs, and ministries. I notice who gets more recognition. Who seems to have more influence? Who is moving faster? And that same quiet voice creeps in—”You are behind.”

I have looked around and wondered, “Why can’t I do what they do?

But here is the thing—I was never meant to be them. I was made to be Tammi.

God had a plan for me long before I knew how to spell my own name, and He did not get it wrong. He knew what He was doing.

So, friend, instead of keeping score or asking why you can’t do what someone else can, maybe ask this—”What has God put in me that only I can bring to the world?”

What lane has God put you in? That is not a mistake. It is a calling, and no one can run it quite like you can.

August 14, 2025/by Tammi Arender

A Lesson Beyond the Classroom

Bri Dunn, Daily Devotional

Philippians 2:3 — “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.”

It was hard to get a read on Mr. O’Connor.

He was not mean, exactly; he was just tough. He was the kind of teacher who did not smile unless something was funny, and to him, most things were not.

He was a Vietnam veteran and a numbers guy. His math class was a no-nonsense zone. No one expected warmth from him, nor did he offer any.

“It drives me crazy when people say school should be fun,” he said. “It is nice if it could be, but you cannot make school fun.”

That about summed him up.

So, when senior Pat McGoldrick volunteered to help with a student blood drive and walked into Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, he was not thinking about Mr. O’Connor at all. But the second he mentioned that he went to St. Francis High School, all eyes lit up.

“Oh, you must know Jim O’Connor,” the nurses said. “Isn’t he just the best?”

Pat had to pause. Were they serious?

As far as he knew, “Jim O’Connor” and “the best” had never appeared in the same sentence. Something was clearly missing from his understanding, so he started asking questions.

That was when he found a plaque in the hospital that read, “Jim O’Connor, record blood donor.”

Not only that, but when he was not solving equations or terrifying freshmen, Mr. O’Connor spent three days a week in the hospital nursery. He fed, rocked, and comforted sick babies. He had done this for twenty years.

No one at school had a clue.

He had never been married. He had no children of his own, but you could tell he had fallen in love with those babies. They were his.

And now, Pat could see his math teacher in a whole new light.

“I have always respected him,” he said, “but now it is at a whole different level. I want to emulate him. He is the epitome of a man of service.”

Sometimes, you think you know a person, but you do not have the slightest idea.

Sometimes, you think you are learning calculus.

But the real lesson is love.

And that changes everything.

August 13, 2025/by Bri Dunn