This past week, I saw a flood of photos from Fort Worth ISD graduations.
Proud families, beaming students, caps in the air were all beautiful moments captured everywhere.
But something quietly stood out to me in nearly every picture: phones.
Lots of them. People laughing, posing, snapping selfies.
On the surface, it looked like connection. But I couldn’t help but wonder… was it?
Because sometimes, even in a crowded room during a joyful moment, people can feel incredibly alone.
I’ve felt that before. Maybe you have, too. That odd tension of being around others, but feeling unseen.
Tethered to notifications, surrounded by conversations, yet somehow still empty.
It’s like being in a group chat where everyone’s talking, but you still feel unheard.
That’s what this week’s message, Connected But Broken, brought to mind, and, more importantly, to heart. We can be connected to all the right networks and involved in all the right things, but still feel like something’s missing.
In John 15, Jesus doesn’t just offer a fix for that feeling. He offers Himself. Not a motivational quote or a new self-help strategy.
He invites us to abide in Him. To stay. To remain. To live deeply connected to the true source of life.
Because trying to pour out when we’re disconnected from Him is like trying to turn on a coffee maker, and make coffee with no water. The lights might be on, but nothing is coming out.
Some of us are there right now. Tired. Running on fumes. Longing for connection that doesn’t leave us drained.
So what do we do?
We pause doing to be. We get honest. We pray. We ask God to help us get and stay connected to Him in real, life-giving ways:
🙏 Thank You, Jesus, for removing what holds us back, even when it’s hard to let go.
🙏 Thank You for pruning us to grow, not to hurt us, but to help us flourish.
🙏 Thank You for not giving up on us, even when we drift.
🙏 Help us stop settling for empty distractions. Draw us back to You, the true source of life.
🙏 Give us strength to walk away from what drains us, even if it looks good on the outside.
🙏 Teach us how to stay close and connected, not just when we’re in crisis, but every day.
🙏 Heal the places in us that feel dry, disconnected, or withered.
🙏 Fill us with Your joy, not the kind we have to fake, but the kind that runs deep and lasts.
Jesus, we’re done pretending that this ‘fake-it-til-you-make-it’ mindset and heart posture leads us to life-giving connection when it only leads to being connected, but drained.
We just want to be with You, connected and fulfilled.
Show us how to abide. Teach us how to stay. Grow something real in us, fruit that brings life to others and joy to our own hearts.
We want to live in Your love. We want to be connected to You in a way that changes how we live, work, and play to serve and love others well.
We’re listening, Jesus, giving our undivided attention to really be and remain connected to You.
See you at 12 pm!
God Bless,
Pastor Alvin & Mallary Brown
alvin@makingamosaic.com :: mallary@makingamosaic.com
P.S. Is there something specific you need prayer for this week? Just reply—we’d be honored to stand with you.
General Prayer Requests & Updates
For evangelism to flourish so communities and campuses in the greater Fort Worth area will be reached, and the lost will see and experience the love of Christ and be drawn to his kingdom.
For signs and wonders to follow the preaching of His Word.
For team unity and laborers to help carry the load.
For finances and provisions.
For fully funded campus missionaries (2 per campus) to help reach the next generation — Texas Christian University (TCU), Tarrant County College (TCC), Texas Wesleyan University (TWU) and Tarleton State University – Fort Worth (TSU), University of Texas at Arlington (UTA), and Dallas Baptist University (DBU).
Alvin Brown, the Lead Pastor of Mosaic Church Fort Worth, brings over a decade of pastoral ministry experience and more than 20 years of operational and technical leadership expertise. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Telecommunications Management from DeVry University and an MBA from Keller Graduate School of Management. He enjoys spending quality time with his wife, Mallary, and their three children and contributing as a writer to various media outlets.
