lifehacks – Page 3 – rootedbythewater.blog

Release it again

May 6, 20224 Comments

Sometimes we think we have things handled well until something triggers a flare up in anxiety and you realize it’s been hiding deep down inside unnoticed. Several flare ups have occurred this week and it has somewhat surprised me that anxiety is still lurking. Past experiences can leave little scars that you don’t realize are still there. This week I have kept busy while our son is doing an adventurous cross country camping trip with a friend, in tents. Each day I have either walked with my neighbor or a friend. We walk, talk, encourage and pray. Several times this week I have confessed my feelings of rising anxiety about hidden fears that I didn’t realize still exist.

As the week unfolded I thought of how James 5:15 tells us, “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” In my heart I know that Jesus doesn’t want us walking around anxious but wants us to bring each and every fear and situation to him. As I type this there is a severe thunderstorm warning in effect. Storms have never bothered me but the boys are traveling home. I keep repeating; pray, believe trust, release. Repeat… pray, believe, trust and release. We have zero control over many things in life. The saying goes, “Life is10% what happens to you and 90% how you deal with it.” My way of dealing with life is to pray, pray and pray some more. The Bible also tells me in Philippians 4:6 “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.” Maybe I need to add thanksgiving in as well. Lord thank you that we can come boldly before your throne of grace because of the shed blood of Jesus and you hear our hearts prayer.

Today as I ended my walk with my friend Valerie I told her I wanted to pray with her. We were standing at the end of my driveway. As I held her hands and prayed over her, her family, my family and just everything, it was a precious time. As I said “Amen” I noticed a FedEx truck was parked nearby. I told my friend that the driver probably saw something he didn’t see often, people praying together in the driveway. I sure hope it was as big of a blessing to that driver as it was to us.

Life is such a toss up of so many things. We never know what’s around the next corner. As I’ve been writing this blog I’ve seen many severe weather alerts, a couple tornado watches and now sun. I had the dog move with me to the floor of the bathroom. I honestly set my iPad on the commode lid as I typed and waited. My dog must have thought I was out of my mind. I ventured out and saw the sun shining through the windows. Now it’s dark again. All I can say is “ Lord I don’t know what’s on the radar but you do. Amen! He is El Roi the God who sees. As long as my Heavenly Father is at watch, everything is going to be alright. So let’s rest in that knowledge and pray, believe, trust, give thanks and release it as many times as needed.

If you’d like to read more of my story please check out my autobiography “Rooted by the Water”. It’s a true story of how God has enabled me to overcome great difficulties, not by my own strength but through His strength made perfect in my weaknesses. You can find it on Amazon and many other online retailers such as Barnes & Noble, Books a Million, Target and Walmart.
Www.shannonkenleyhinson.com

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To Abide

February 23, 2022Leave a Comment

This week I have been focusing on John 15. I especially love the English Standard Version of this chapter. Jesus tells us to abide in him. He uses the example of how a branch must abide in the vine to bear fruit. We also must abide in Jesus and he in us, so we can bear fruit for his glory.

So what does it mean to abide? The Webster’s Dictionary defines abide as remain, last, reside or endure. Jesus tells us to abide in him, meaning to remain in him. Just like a branch can not bear fruit without remaining in the vine, we also can’t bear fruit unless we remain in Christ.

Every single day we are faced with decisions in how we are going to deal with life. We can wake up and choose Jesus. Choose to be obedient to all he desires for us. Some days are more of a struggle with our fleshly desires. We get frustrated with situations, feelings, opinions, disappointments and the list goes on. So what do we do? Do we choose to abide in Christ or do we choose our own way? I’ve learned from experience that when I choose my own way my joy and peace are lacking.

As I prayed this morning I found myself asking the Holy Spirit to check my heart. God knows what I’m going to say before it comes out of my mouth. Sometimes I feel a check in my heart telling me “Don’t say that” or “Don’t do that”. It’s wise to choose obedience. I’m not saying it’s easy! God knows the struggle is real but he doesn’t leave us on our own to deal with things. God has given us the Holy Spirit and Im so thankful. I can’t make it through a day without leaning on the Lord.

Apart from abiding in Christ, we can’t bear fruit. Galatians 5 tells us that the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. As we abide in Christ these fruits will be evident in our lives.

Living with hearing and visual issues, I need patience, peace, joy and self control not to react in a sassy manner. Oh I can be sassy! I have found that when I choose to abide; choose prayer, times of worship and reading scriptures, when I choose obedience to what God desires, I am more likely to respond to life struggles in a more God honoring way. As we continue in 2022 my prayer is that we will abide in Christ……remain in him… flourish in our spiritual growth..
bloom and bear much fruit for the glory of God.

Check out my autobiography “Rooted by the Water” available online at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books a Million, Target, Walmart and Park Road Books. My story of learning to live triumphantly despite disabilities, through Gods strength and lessons He has taught me along the way. Be inspired!

Www.shannonkenleyhinson.com

An EXTRA BIG dose of GRACE

September 29, 20211 Comment

It’s been over a week since I’ve sent out a blog post. Just like everyone else, I’ve been busy navigating daily life. But unlike most people, I navigate the daily ups and downs with hearing and visual issues.

Yesterday I was helping my Mom look for a dress to wear to my nieces wedding. We were in a NC mall where masks are required. So that means a lovely masks with already a device on each ear ( Advanced Bionics Naida cochlear implant processor on right ear, Cross link device on the other. ) I’m always checking to make sure my devices are secure because the mask has caused them to shift before. It’s an anxious feeling when one of the devices worth thousands of dollars falls off in public and I have to find them with low vision. Masked people have muffled voices + the Nadia processor is in need of programming so my hearing is slightly off = overwhelming annoyance…. BUT GOD!

I’m so beyond thankful for the extra big dose of Grace and mercy God pours on me everyday. He truly enables me to have Joy and radiate kindness. With the extra dose of grace He gives I’m able to extend that Grace to others.

Pictured above is a shirt I have. When I ordered it last year I thought it was hilarious. Truth be told, when I wore it the other day, it also reflected my mood. I prayed, “Lord help me show grace.”

Life is not about me or you but about sharing the Love of Jesus with others. I know when I’m overwhelmed playing worship music lifts my heart. I recently updated the software on my iPad so when I tried to play a worship song recently, a rock and roll song came on. 😳 I’ve never heard it before and thought “what in the world” … just forget it.🤦🏻‍♀️ You see with my low vision issues relearning each update takes time and all I wanted to do was play my worship music. Instead a friend picked me up and we talked. It’s helpful to get attention off the frustration at hand. Later when I took time to figure out how to play my music I can’t tell you the relief that washed over me as I listened to “Yes I Will” (Vertical Worship) Right there in my kitchen with my husband, I raised my hands in worship to Jesus and sang along…. “ Yes I will lift you high in the lowest valley, yes I will bless your name. Yes I will sing for joy when my heart is heavy… all my days, yes I will… give you praise”. I might have the chorus slightly off but it’s what’s in my heart

So thankful for the Extra BIG doses of grace the Lord pours out on me. Everyday is a new day with fresh mercies.

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.”‭‭Lamentations‬ ‭3:22‬ ‭NIV‬‬

To read more of my story, check out my autobiography “Rooted by the Water” available in hard cover, softcover and e book formats on Amazon, and other online outlets such as Barnes & Noble, Westbow Press.com, Books a Million, Target and Walmart.

Www.shannonkenleyhinson.com

Amazing Fun

August 20, 2021Leave a Comment

Yesterday I finally went kayaking while down at Cherry Grove. I did this last year with friends on a two seater kayak. This year I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it. I was so thrilled that I could indeed do it solo. The weather was perfect with gorgeous sunshine and blue skies reflecting off the water. It was so peaceful and relaxing… the first half 😁
At half way point we got lost in a maze of tall sea grass. We also came up on some shallow places where we had to turn around. Truth be told the maze of sea grass was a bit intimidating. I’d say a silent prayer, “Lord help us find our way out”. I would laugh and sign to my friend we were going the wrong way but she got us out.
Once we were out of the sea grass, we were hit head on with incoming high tide. Oh my goodness. It was like paddling hard but making no progress 😳🤦🏻‍♀️ We made little goals: let’s make it to the dock over there then rest, then have another goal. I lost sight of my friend a couple of times so I’d turn around and find her. I wore my old Harmony cochlear implant processor so I could hear her if she called since I couldn’t see her sign to me. I can’t see far 😂At one point I thought, where in the world did she go. She had gotten tired and decided to take a short cut through some sea grass and another friend pulled her out onto the road in front of the house 🤣 I couldn’t see what she was signing but I knew they could see me so I signed “ I’m going around on the water to the dock”. God gave me another burst of strength to get through that last bit of incoming high tide before reaching the canal behind the house. I was thankful to get out of that kayak. It was a BLAST but I had used up all my energy and was so tired.
Thank you Lord for a great learning experience. I will have to think on this one. I know there are many hidden lessons to learn from. I did prove to myself that I can indeed do it! But with God’s help of course and a buddy system. Hopefully we can find a place to rent two more so our whole group can go together.
If you’ve never kayaked the coastal waters of SC I highly recommend it. It’s so beautiful. Gods creation is stunning.
Www.shannonkenleyhinson.com

Eliminating Clutter

July 29, 2021Leave a Comment

During the last few weeks my husband Ron and I have been working on various house projects. In order to even start these projects we had to get rid of unnecessary clutter. I cleaned out a walk in closet that we could NOT walk in. Lots was thrown out and some donated. We also went through this process in the garage in this humid SC heat! It’s a process but was much needed.

Our hearts can be the same way. Over the years we can push things down deep in our hearts that we don’t especially want to deal with. Things like past hurts, un-forgiveness, poor choices…. and the list goes on. Clutter isn’t fun to sort through but it’s much needed to free us to live “lighter and fuller” lives. (both spiritually and physically) I had to address some “heart clutter” this morning during my quiet time with the Lord. I’m so thankful that He is always willing to listen and forgive. I quite often ask the Lord to search my heart and expose things I need to address.

Psalms 139:23-24 “Search me, God, and know my heart: test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

Have a Blessed Thursday!

www.shannonkenleyhinson.com