My wife and I recently worked on turning our porch into a more welcoming space for friends and family. The final step? New patio furniture. When I ordered, I had two delivery options:
Option one: curbside. I imagined the truck slowing down just long enough to dump boxes at the end of my driveway.
Option two: white glove delivery and assembly. Pricier, but worth avoiding the hassle.
When the furniture arrived, the crew unloaded the parts and got to work. Everything seemed fine—until ten minutes later when I heard a knock on the door.
“Bad news, sir. We can’t assemble the furniture—there’s no hardware.”
Just like that, the whole project came to a halt. A few missing screws and bolts made the furniture useless. Small, invisible pieces—but absolutely essential.
It reminded me of the spiritual life. We often overlook the small practices that hold everything together. But when they’re missing, our connection to Jesus feels loose. When they’re in place, the fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, and more—begins to grow and feels secure.
Jesus said in John 15:5:
"I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit..."
Here are two small but powerful “nuts and bolts” for your faith:
1. The First Fifteen – Spend the first 15 minutes of your day in prayer and Scripture. Use the Believers Church App, found on the Apple and Google Play Store, for a helpful reading plan.
2. The Pause App – Take two one-minute breaks each day to reconnect with Jesus. You can find the app on the Apple and Google Play Store at: https://wildatheart.org/apps/one-minute-pause.
They may seem small—but they hold everything together.
