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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