#waymaker – Page 3 – rootedbythewater.blog

You choose

June 1, 2023Leave a Comment

Two blog posts have been brewing: You Choose and Take A Stand. Both are similar but the first having a gentler approach, while the latter is more straight forward. Tonight I will address the gentler stance.

Do you ever come across passages that you highlight one thing after another? Colossians chapter three was like that for me recently. Part of the chapter addresses the character of a new man. Every single verse in that section of the chapter is highlighted in a different color. As I read the bible, I ask God to give me a teachable heart.

Read Colossians 3:12-17 with me.“Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” ( ‭NKJV‬‬)

Do you see what I’m seeing? We are encouraged to PUT ON; tender mercies, kindness, meekness, long suffering etc. I’m reading this as an admonishment to choose the things of God. God wants us to choose to put on His character. We can choose to let Gods Word dwell in us richly. We can choose the eternal or the temporal pleasures. What do you choose? (As you can see emphasis is added by capitalization, using bold and italics.)

As the times we live in are becoming increasingly more evil we must choose the things of God! You can choose to be a light in this dark world. We can choose to speak life to all around us. Proverbs‬ ‭18‬:‭21‬ ‭says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.” (NKJV)
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Everyday God blesses us with a free will to choose Him. We can choose to deny the flesh and submit ourselves to the ways of God. We can choose words to build others up rather than tear down. Now more than ever we must focus of Jesus and submit to what He desires to do through us. It’s time to choose Him all day, everyday! It’s time to take a Stand. God willing, that will be the next blog I tackle. I’m just waiting on the Lord to give me the words for that important topic. As I close this blog, I would like to pray for everyone reading this.

Dear Heavenly Father I come to you in the precious name of Jesus. Lord I thank You for Your grace and mercy that is new every single day. I thank You for Your faithfulness. Lord forgive us when we fall short. Help us to have teachable hearts that are tender to Your Holy Spirit’s leading. Bring to our remembrance Your powerful Words and give us the strength to live according to Your Word. I thank You and praise You that Your alone are sovereign over everything, I thank You that no weapon formed against us shall prosper. In the mighty name of Jesus. Thank You for loving us and equipping us for all You desire. We praise You that there is power in the name of Jesus to break every single chain. I give You all the praise, honor and glory! In Jesus name I pray Amen!

Good night everybody! To read more of my previous blog posts check out my website http://www.shannonkhinson.com You can find two years worth of blog posts in the menu. Be blessed

29 Years Strong

May 1, 2023Leave a Comment

A cord of three is not easily broken (Ecclesiastes 4:12) As we sat in church yesterday morning I thought about how we were at the very same church 29 years ago exchanging our wedding vows. Twenty nine year of being together through thick and thin, serving the same Lord Jesus Christ that keeps us together.

A cord of three: husband, wife and Jesus, is not easily broken. It takes a lot of love, grace, forgiveness, humor and a whole lot of prayer. I’m thankful God brought me and Ron together all those years ago. He’s been a tremendous support to me and our son. We are blessed to have each other. We are not perfect, each having our short comings. The thing is, we never throw in the towel. We don’t esteem ourself above each other. We made a promise before God 29 years ago and we are determined to keep our promise to each other and God.

Marriage works with JOY. You might be thinking, what in the world is she talking about. Everyday of marriage is not joyous. Give me just a minute to draw this picture. J =Jesus, O=Others, Y=Yourself. If we put Jesus first then our spouse second, things will fall into place.

Marriage is like a thrilling rollercoaster. There are some unforgettable times of joy and excitement. There are also some scary and troubling times when you can’t see how things will work out. But God! God is the third cord that keeps us together. He is the glue that holds, when everything seems to be falling apart. He is our compass that keeps us moving in the right direction together. It’s not easy but it’s worth it. Our love has been tested by trials and is stronger today than it’s ever been. I’m thankful in those tough times we didn’t give up. We pushed through it together. A strong marriage is worth fighting for.

Happy anniversary Ron. I am proud to be your wife. You never meet a stranger. You share the love of God everywhere you go and it’s a marvel to see God working through you. I love you and look forward to celebrating many more years together.

If you liked this blog post please subscribe and share. I write when God puts something on my heart. You can find my autobiography Rooted by the Water on Amazon. I pray it gives you great hope and courage to surrender to Jesus. He is all you really need. All for the Glory of God. Be blessed!

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Springing into Spring

April 14, 2023Leave a Comment

This has been such a BUSY week and I’ve sprung right into whatever came at me. Might have sprung a bit too much as I am now alternating ice and heat on my lower back. Lord remind me that I’m going to be 54 tomorrow and not 25. Mom saw a coffee cup a while back that said “My mind thinks I’m 25 but my body says I’m an idiot.“ Yep! I need that cup!

Spring brings change and sometimes change isn’t too fun. Ron took the plunge and bought us a new stove/ oven. Truth be told we needed it two years ago. He can alway fix whatever is broken but the old stove parts were no longer made. I had been sticking my pinky into this hole to turn the heat up to the right temperature. One time I nearly pulled the oven door off trying to get something out of the oven, so this new updated appliance was much needed. I let Ron pick it out. I just wanted it to have an air fryer feature and the controls to be on the near side so I can see them. The controls behind the burners are a “no go” for me. With low vision I can’t see them. We welcomed a shiny new stainless steel appliance last week. It is so shiny it reflects things and makes it hard to see even with the dials inches from my face. This thing is intimidating. I avoided using it for a few days besides brewing tea. I made things in the crockpot. Last Monday I decided it was time to figure this out. I took pictures of the controls with my iPad and zoomed in. I saw a little bit but it was so different than the old one. I wanted to have dinner ready for Ron Monday night and was stressed out trying to figure this device out. Nearly burned his dinner and I rarely have done that in 29 years of marriage. Ron was gracious and ate his well cooked, I mean over cooked dinner. Afterwards we had a little lesson to learn how to use the new device. I still can’t see it. I can feel a click on the dials and can watch the burners. I can feel a line on the dial for the off setting. Turning dials left is low temperature. Turning the dial right is high and the between is well in between. T he oven control panel I have to memorize but I told him I would make it work. That was on Monday.

Tuesdays are the days I go volunteer at the Food Pantry. Afterwards Mom and I split some lunch at Brix then went to a plant nursery in Rock Hill. We love Wilson’s plant nursery. Mom missed the exit off the interstate so I used my iPad to get us there the back way. Forgetting my iPad is directly synced to my cochlear implant device, I could hear the navigation but she couldn’t. Seeing my error, I disconnected and made sure she could hear it. We got there and were not disappointed. That place is full of life and beautiful plants. She found her plants and helped me find a few I wanted. I went in search of a trellis for a flowering vine. Found the trellis but couldn’t find her in the sea of colored flowers. She was wearing a deep red and white striped shirt so I looked and looked. She was camouflaged right in with the plants. Finally she found me and we left. (Side note… that happened again yesterday at Lowe’s. The “watering people” were out with their hoses. It was nearly an obstacle course, popping wheelies with her cart to get over hoses and she was wearing green! You don’t realize how much green is in Lowe’s until you are looking for a green shirt to find someone!)

I don’t mention all this for pity. My life is like a comic book. Yes there are many limitations but God has given me a drive to embrace life “head on”. You take what you have and you get it done.

Ron surprised me when I got home on Tuesday late afternoon. He had gotten a bunch of bags of mulch for our natural areas. Miracles happen y’all! It’s been 4-5 years since he got some. Happy birthday to me! I don’t know if this is my birthday present but I sure am one happy girl. With the color contrast, I can now see the weeds! He laid down most of it but Wednesday morning while he was at work, I decided to get the remaining bags laid down to help him out. Once I was finished I realized it would be a good idea to buy a back support brace. My friend Leasa came by to get me and we went to Home Depot and found the perfect back support brace. We both bought one.

My friend Leasa and me with our new back support braces 😂

Yesterday I promised Mom I would help her with her mulch. Mom is 80 and she loves her yard. She told me when she and Dad planted everything years ago they didn’t think about getting old. She ordered a pallet of mulch over a week ago but everyone’s schedule has been so different and we had not been able to get together to lay it out for her. I told my brother and Mom I’d go get started to help with the process. Below is a screenshot of me and my brother Forrest’s text. When the guys were able to come later, I had used the wagon to lay out the bags of mulch in the natural areas surrounding the house. I wore my new back brace and was willing. God provided the energy, determination, a beautiful day and wonderful breeze. Even Mom picked up bags of mulch, much to my dismay. I told her to let me do it and she stared me down. OKAY, do whatever you want. I’m thankful I come from a strong line of “Tough Cookies”. My brother and nephew spread it all out until we ran out of bags. We got it done! So thankful!

Bottom line, don’t be afraid to get dirty, maybe look a bit foolish but give it your best try. What you do with what you’ve got isn’t in vain. Team work and family are awesome!

Thank you Lord for an awesome, adventurous tiring week. It’s been productive and good. 50,648 steps on four days. Whew! Today is a pajama day but I will probably get up and get moving. Don’t sit on the sidelines of life. Have an awesome weekend. Get out and enjoy Spring!

Www.shannonkhinson.com

Don’t spill the beans!

March 17, 2023Leave a Comment

While I normally don’t “spill the beans”. Yesterday I did. Allowing others to see brokenness is never a fun thing. It’s uncomfortable and vulnerable. Because of my hurts and brokenness I have a passion for encouraging others and praying for them. If I can bring a smile and lift someone’s heart, directing them to Jesus, its worth it. Trouble arises when I look at my brokenness rather than Jesus.

Yesterday at my Bible study we covered two women of the Bible: Ruth and Hannah. The study on Hannah hit me hard. I’ve never thought of myself as barren. God has blessed us with a son. As we did the study this week on Hannah, I saw there are other kinds of barrenness. As I sat at my video magnifier two days ago finishing up the lesson, tears were rolling down my cheeks. I thought, “Lord why do I have to sit at this machine to do this study? I’d like to be able to see the book and write the answers without something largely magnifying it. So like Hannah, I was focused on what I couldn’t do: complete the lesson without aids. I want to see well, comprehend well, not constantly be trying to fill in the blanks of what I’m not seeing or hearing/ comprehending. I thought I’d dealt with these things but it appears to be deep rooted. This study on Hannah “picked the scab off of my wound”.

It was hard showing my Bible study sisters the items I had checked off for my areas of barrenness. Four of the items I checked were employment, ministry, health (visual and hearing) and pleasure. I think my sisters were surprised I checked off ministry since I blog. The thing about writing, I do it home alone. It doesn’t really seem like ministry because I don’t see the fruits from it, however God does. I told them I can’t do this alone. God gives me the patience for the process that is so frustrating, it is downright amusing. Maybe one day I should get someone to video the process of me blogging on a touch screen iPad. Type, then zoom to see what I’ve typed, see typos galore, zoom, unzoom, over and over until God has enabled me to pour it out in writing. It’s not a fun process and it is time consuming, but if it encourages someone to keep putting one foot in front of the other, you know, keep moving forward… its worth it. It still hurts.

They were also surprised I checked off pleasure. I have learned to be content in my situation. Well in all honesty I guess its more like I try to be content. I can’t see like normal people. It’s so hard to explain. I see some but I don’t see it all. I miss a whole lot! I am blessed with sweet friends. My friend Leasa is especially sensitive to what I might not be seeing. S he texts me to go to the store or lunch. I ask her the different things opening in the shopping centers. I can see the signs but I usually can’t read them. I guess I don’t know half of what I’m really missing.

I could go on and on here but that’s not the point. The point is that I realized, just like Hannah I was looking at the ”barren” issues instead of Jesus. I don’t consider myself a bitter person but deep down there are things I strongly desire: Good vision, connection with people, being able to hear and comprehend.

This morning as I prayed I said, “Lord can you trust me with healing?” In my spirit I heard, “Can you trust me without it? Lord get me to the place of surrender where I can honestly say YES! I always say Jesus is more than enough. After this study He has much more work to do in my heart so I can fully surrender. One day, God willing, I can totally put it all on the altar and leave it there. Just looking to Jesus and all He is and not on what I perceive I’m missing.

What about you, do you have areas of barrenness in your life? It could be in relationships, finances, love, respect just to name a few. As I type this a song has come to mind that I have not heard in years. It’s amazing how the Lord brings music to my heart from years ago when I could hear much better. If I can find the song and video I will add it to the end of this blog. Let’s pour out our hearts, our hurts, our brokenness to Jesus and allow Him to do what only He can do… bring peace and joy once again.

If you liked this blog post please subscribe and share. You can find my autobiography Rooted by the Water on Amazon. I pray it gives you great hope and courage to surrender to Jesus. He is all you really need. Be blessed.

Now let me go find that song. Went online and even texted a friend, trying to find the song. It was a little “ goose chase” but I found it. Friend Indeed by Billy and Sarah Gaines. Take a listen. Whew.. it’s a old one and might show my age but the lyrics are spot on. Here’s the link. Enjoy!

Www.shannonkhinson.com
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The heart of the matter

March 14, 2023Leave a Comment

What’s the state of your heart? It’s a pretty heavy question but begs an answer. All you have to do is turn your tv on, surf the web, see whats getting all the attention in society and the big arguments being heard everywhere and it spells depravity of hear! I’ve always been fascinated by why people act the way they do. More and more things are being twisted out of proportion. It makes me wonder where is logic? Do people even bother to think these days? It’s a relevant question worthy of consideration.

Right now I’m doing a couple of different Bible studies and reading through the Bible as well. It is astounding how stubborn the Israelites were in the Old Testament. One of the studies I’ve done recently talked about sheep and how incredibly stubborn they are. We can be referred to as sheep needing a shepherd. That particular lesson was on the Lord my Shepherd. It gave insight into how sheep behave and how Jesus provides for us, cares and protects us.

The lesson we discussed yesterday spoke on the Lord our righteousness. My Bible study sister asked me what difference knowing Jesus this way has made in my life. I told her it has made all the difference in the world. Because of Jesus sacrifice on the cross for my sins, because of his resurrection, because He forgives me when I confess my sins, He is my righteousness. When God looks at me, He sees His Son Jesus Christ. I’m forever thankful!

This evening I decided to cross reference a few of the scriptures to see how difference translations compare. I don’t typically read the Message but these next few verses I will share from the Message are quite interesting in that translation. “The heart is hopelessly dark and deceitful, a puzzle that no one can figure out. But I, God, search the heart and examine the mind. I get to the heart of the human. I get to the root of things. I treat them as they really are, not as they pretend to be.”” Jeremiah‬ ‭17‬:‭9‬-‭10‬ ‭(MSG‬ ) OUCH!! I’ve done some pretending before, how about you?

‬ Here’s another one. “Everyone’s after the dishonest dollar, little people and big people alike. Prophets and priests and everyone in between twist words and doctor truth. My people are broken—shattered!— and they put on Band-Aids, Saying, ‘It’s not so bad. You’ll be just fine.’ But things are not ‘just fine’! Do you suppose they are embarrassed over this outrage? No, they have no shame. They don’t even know how to blush. There’s no hope for them. They’ve hit bottom and there’s no getting up. As far as I’m concerned, they’re finished.” God has spoken.” Jeremiah‬ ‭6‬:‭13‬-‭15‬ ‭(MSG‬‬)

Whoa! Now that’s our present society right there! There are so so many half truths, flat our lies and darkness that people try to “ superficially heal”.

What the world needs is the Light of Jesus shining bright and exposing sins. God knows the helpless state of humanity, that’s why He gave us the new covenant. He wants to take away the hearts of stone and put His laws in our hearts. Ezekiel 36: 26-27 says, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.” (NKJV)

I find it so amazing how the Bible is so relevant today. It’s God’s love letter to us. It’s our instruction book to get through this life. I don’t know about you but falling in love with Jesus and accepting His free gift of salvation is the best thing I’ve ever done. The prayer of my heart is like King David’s in Psalms 51:10, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.” (NKJV)

God understands our desperate need for Him. Sometimes in the chaos of dealing with life, He seems so far away He is right there with you every step of the way. He can give you a new heart. He desires to be the “lover of your soul”.

The Bible study I refer to in this blog is written by Kay Arthur. It is called Lord I want to know you. I purchased the digital version but have also seen her Bible studies on Amazon. I have done many of her studies. They take you deeper into The Word of God.

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A Sign

March 6, 2023Leave a Comment

Tonight as I was getting ready for bed I noticed something different on my Christmas cactus. Upon closer inspection it looked like a bloom! It is definitely not the plants blooming season and since I have low vision I asked my husband Ron to come take a look. Sure enough there is a single bloom on this Christmas cactus. How odd! This beautiful plant belonged to my Nanny, Dads mom. It usually blooms mid to late November, around Nanny’s birthday. She’s been gone for several years but lived to be 101.

As I noticed this single bloom tonight my heart was full of wonder. I’ve never been one to notice “signs”, most likely because I can’t see well. BUT I saw this single bloom! It has me wondering if there is some significance.

This coming Sunday my husband Ron will reach a milestone birthday. I won’t reveal the number but he definitely does not look his age. This Sunday will also be my Dad’s second heavenly birthday. I sure do miss him but know he’s with Jesus. The tulip tree we planted in his honor is in full bloom. Now I see this single unusual bloom on Nanny’s cactus. Maybe I’m over thinking but for whatever reason, it makes my heart feel light. I hope to see this little beauty open into full flower. I will wait and see what happens.

I better get to bed. I had intended to go to bed early but just had to blog about this beautiful surprise. Good night everyone.

Thank you Lord for this bright moment to end my day. You are full of wonder and I never cease to be in awe of you.

Www.shannonkhinson.com

Change Me

February 19, 2023Leave a Comment

As I recently heard about the Asbury Revival in Kentucky, it got me thinking. We are in such a dire need of revival. Our world and culture are so evil. We are bombarded daily by sin and people’s indifference to it. I “sat on” this blog topic all last week because it seemed an overwhelming task to even address. There is a fierce spiritual war going on and many people just sit on the sidelines and do nothing. We must repent and pray! We ALL sin and fall short of the glory of God.

This is not about going around judging people. It’s about allowing God to really examine our hearts and motives. Last week in my Bible reading I came across two verses in Psalms 24 verses 3-4: “Who may climb the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? Only those whose hands and hearts are pure, who do not worship idols and never tell lies.” (NLT). We need to ask, Lord are my hands clean? What abound my heart?

What people seem to forget is how Holy our God is! People are bombarded so much by sin they begin to accept it. Sex, violence, deception, pride, idolatry, worship of self, racism, disrespect and hate are constantly thrown in our faces by the media and entertainment industry. I personally don’t watch tv so I am careful what I expose myself to. When I am exposed to things of the world it really bothers me because I’m not used to it. I know what Gods Word says is right and wrong. I don’t water it down. It is what it is. Recently I finished a book that my book club was reading. It was a somewhat good book. However, for some reason the author shared the sex life of one character. It was so unnecessary. It would have otherwise been a good book without the casual sex encounters. That is a reflection of the society in which we live.

It’s not only spiritual warfare it’s psychological warfare as well. When people are exposed to some things so constantly over and over, it’s like they begin to just accept it as the way it is. However, Gods Word does not change. Since the beginning in the Garden of Eden, satan has twisted the Word of God. It is Imperative that we know the Bible and let it transform us through and through.

We need a revival and it starts with each individual person. Pastors must stop watering down the living Word of God! Preach the Cross! Preach the blood of Jesus! Preach repentance for sin! Preach resurrection! In Psalms 139, David cries out to God. “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” Psalms‬ ‭139‬:‭23‬-‭24‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

This is War! It is crucial that we put on the armor of God every single day. (Ephesians 6:11-13) I recently was pretty annoyed by someone and was tempted to respond in the flesh which would not have been honoring to God. I asked my Bible study sisters to pray for me to resist the temptation. One reminded me to put on the helmet of salvation which included a mouth piece. I told her I needed a finger guard too to keep me from texting exactly what I thought. Just being real. No one is perfect. I never did say what annoyed me. I just needed prayer to not react in the flesh. The next day “Don’t rain on someone else’s parade” popped in my mind. When someone shares their experiences with me, I should not think of implications they might miss. If God wants to convict them, He will. I need to mind my own business. I‘m thankful for a teachable spirit.

I could go on and on with this but I’m going to wrap it up. Lord change us! Purify us and let revival come!
“So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.”
‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5‬:‭16‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

A worship song is playing in my heart and I probably don’t have the words exactly right but here is what I’m singing right now. I’m going to praise you with everything in me. I’m going to lift you on high for all the world to see. I’m going to worship in every way that I can and when I’ve done it all, I’ll do it all again.

If you liked this blog post please subscribe. You can find my autobiography Rooted by the Water on Amazon. I pray it gives you great hope and courage to surrender to Jesus. He is all you really need. Be blessed.

Www.shannonkhinson.com
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I’m in Awe🙌

February 9, 2023Leave a Comment

This morning as I let our dog outside I noticed the milder temperature and decided to have my quiet time out on the back porch. As I watched the sun rise I prayed and thanked God for all He is! I am always awestruck by nature. The heavens declare the glory of the Lord. Whether it be a sunrise, sunset or the beautiful moon, I delight in seeing them all. I can no longer see the stars. I’ve always wanted to look through a telescope to see the beauty of the night sky.

This week has been much milder and brings anticipation of Spring. My daffodils are coming up and there are buds on my tulip tree. Spring makes my heart so happy. After the dead season of winter, things come back to life. I stand in awe of you Lord. In the beauty of the sunrise. Then it’s suddenly hidden by a cloud. The beauty is still there, it’s just momentarily covered up. My heart sings praises to you Lord even though I have no idea what this day will hold. I do know you hold this day and that is enough. Jehovah sShalom my peace!

Not only does God’s creation inspire me but also seeing His hand at work in our lives, For months we have fought an insurance company on a situation arising from Ron’s eye surgery last summer. The insurance company gave us the “run around” and did not do what they were supposed to do, That left us with a very large hospital bill that we were never supposed to pay. In December Ron ‘s doctor told him he was glad Ron was fighting it. This has been a huge weight but I kept reminding Ron that God had it all covered. This week we got a letter from the hospital that the our balance is 0! ZERO! Ron was awestruck and had me to read it just to confirm. Indeed the balance has been written off and we owe nothing! We serve an AWESOME GOD!

Excuse me as I have a moment of worship….. I stand I stand in Awe of you… I stand I stand in awe of you ..🙌. Haven’t heard that song in years but my heart started praising so I looked it up for yu all. Never give up praying. When things seem impossible, that’s the perfect time for God to show up and show you that He is always able. Nothing is impossible with God.

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“Thrown under the bus?“

January 23, 20234 Comments

What do you do when you get “thrown under the bus” by life? Lately I’ve been studying the life of Joseph in the Bible. His life story is full of life lessons.

I began working on this blog last night. As I was trying to sum up Joseph’s life for the blog, I felt overwhelmed with the details. I’ve read it so many times over the years but for some reason this particular time is showing me life applications I missed before. If you aren’t familiar with Joseph’s story, please find a Bible and read Genesis chapters 37, 39-48.

As I studied this life story I began to see how he dealt with situations from what the Bible shares. I also began to think of loved ones and friends facing one difficulty after another, including myself, and how his story can encourage us.

Joseph was a beloved son and his brothers called him a dreamer. ( Genesis 37:19). They were jealous of him and threw him in a pit, then sold him into slavery. Talking about a real nose dive detour in life.

In Egypt he was purchased by Potiphar the captain of the guard of the Pharaoh of Egypt. The amazing thing was, God was with him in all this hardship. He prospered in his service and everything he did. Potiphar noticed this and put him in charge of his household. Potiphar’s wife began to lust for Joseph. Day after day she tempted him until he fled. After hearing her scandalous lies, Potiphar puts Joseph in prison. Wow! Talking about one bad thing after another!

Once in prison, God continued to bless him there. Genesis‬ ‭39‬:‭21 says, “But the Lord was with Joseph in the prison and showed him his faithful love. And the Lord made Joseph a favorite with the prison warden.” (NLT‬‬). While in prison God enabled Joseph to interpret two dreams, which ends up bringing him before Pharaoh when no one could interpret his dreams. Pharaoh promotes Joseph as second in command over his kingdom to oversee the the years of plenty and years of famine that were coming. There is so much more to this story but space and time are limited.

One thing I want to point out is, God was faithful to Joseph in the land of his grief. Whether it was in the pit, in slavery, prison or the palace: God was faithful to Joseph in all these things. Talking about making a way in the wilderness. He went from beloved son, despised brother, slave, prisoner to second in command of Egypt. Psalms‬ ‭12‬:‭7 says, “Therefore, Lord, we know you will protect the oppressed, preserving them forever from this lying generation.” (NLT‬‬)

Another point I got from all this is Joseph remained faithful to God even in his numerous trials. While the Bible doesn’t tell us that Joseph cried out to the Lord, I’m certain he did. During all these difficulties God was preparing Joseph for his next assignment. God is always working in our lives, hearts, and situstions even when we don’t understand. Focus on Jesus! Cry out to Him and He will answer. It may not always be the answer you want but it will be the best answer concerning His will for your life.

I see this at work in my own life. There have been so many trials over the course of my life that sometimes I really wonder what God is up to. But God tells me to not lean on my understanding but rather trust Him in every single detail. I must learn to be faithful in the land of my grief, frustration and difficulties in order to be ready for the next assignment. I don’t know what the next assignment will be but I must trust Him. My purpose is to bring Him glory whether it’s through writing, blogging, encouraging, serving at the food pantry, etc.

As I’ve been writing this I have thought many times of my brother. For the majority of his life he has been very healthy. God has blessed his family and blessed him professionally. I was often jealous. He was the “golden child” and I was the one with all the problems. (God has changed my perspective over the-years.) I’ve never told him this. I was the one born with vision issues and later loss some of my hearing and comprehension. I often wondered why I had to endure so much for so long but he was so blessed. I too was blessed but in different ways.

In 2020 he was diagnosed with acute leukemia. When it became apparent that he needed a bone marrow transplant I asked God to allow me to help. God allowed me to be a perfect match for his bone marrow transplant. The transplant was successful. However there were many set backs. It was like one step forward, two steps back: over and over again. Right now he is dealing with sinus infections and his ears are full of pressure. Pray for his complete healing. We continue to trust God in each step of his healing. My brother has remained faithful to God in all this and God is using him to minister to others, In all these difficulties I know God is preparing him for a big assignment. I’m so thankful to have a front row seat to see what God will do. ** Forrest I know you will read this. I love you and pray for you daily. I am so proud of the way you are enduring! Hang in there. God is working and preparing you for what lies ahead. You are His child so you can rest assured it will be good and bring Him great glory! Keep on looking to Jesus! He’s got you!🤟🏼🙏

“But thank God! He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ’s triumphal procession. Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume.”
‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭2‬:‭14‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

Eyes wide open

January 18, 2023Leave a Comment

A couple of days ago I blogged on Something new. Today I would like to pick up on this topic but go in a different direction. When God is doing something new it can be unnerving. Some people don’t like change. In order to grow in life, we have to embrace Gods plan and be willing to follow Him.

This morning I had an extra long quiet time and it was so refreshing. A friend sent me some sermon notes on a sermon she heard this past Sunday. The sermon was about Jesus healing Bartimaeus the blind beggar. (Mark 10: 46-52) The pastor apparently used this story to teach on moving with God despite obstacles in life. The story of Bartimaeus always resonates with me because I am legally blind. If you throw hearing impairment in the picture,that’s me. I love how Bartimaeus did not listen to the crowds when they told him to hush but shouted even louder. He pushed past what the people thought. When Jesus stopped and called him, he threw off his cloak and went to Jesus. After Jesus healed him, he followed Jesus. The cloak that identified him as a blind beggar was left behind. He wasn’t afraid but moved forward into what Jesus had for him.

Often times people are afraid to move into the unknown. 2 Timothy 1‬:‭7‬ says, “For God gave us not a spirit of fearfulness; but of power and love and discipline.” (ASV‬‬). If God is guiding you, walk by faith and move past any obstacles. God is able to move things out of your path so you can keep walking with Him. Nothing is impossible with God! Mark 10:27

As God opens new doors in your life, don’t be afraid! Move forward in faith. Don’t let others perceptions hinder you. Put your eyes on the prize, Jesus! “Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have declared so well before many witnesses.”
‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭6‬:‭12‬ ‭NLT‬‬

There is much more to say but I will save it for another time. If you liked this blog post please subscribe. You can find my autobiography Rooted by the Water on Amazon. I pray it gives you great hope and courage to surrender to Jesus. He is all you really need. Be blessed.