One Year Ago, Our World Changed

A Facebook Post by Jordan Roten

written September 25, 2025

A note from Ben Cox, owner and publisher of JourneyNC.com: For this weekly blog we are going to do something different than we’ve ever done before!!

We got permission from Matt and Jordan Roten to share a recent Facebook post that Jordan did commemorating the one year anniversary of her own family’s close escape from the floodwaters of Hurricane Helene. I have known Matt and Nate Roten and their dear parents Jack and Monnie Roten for years. In fact in our Winter 2015 edition of our Journey Magazine we featured a story about Jack, a great football coach at Watauga High School, whose untimely death shook our community. Nate Roten, Jack’s youngest son, wrote a touching eulogy to his dad in that edition. Thus, I really wanted to share Jordan’s touching post with our JourneyNC.com family.

One year ago this Saturday, our world changed.

We waded through waist-high, rushing floodwaters, holding our children above our heads. We cried out in prayer, thanking God for carrying us and helping us keep our footing as the flood overtook our home.

The sounds, the images, the fear still live close to the surface at times. Even now, the sound of rushing water comes with memories. But more vivid than the chaos is the unmistakeable hand of God.

“𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐈 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮; 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐦 𝐲𝐨𝐮.” 𝐈𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐚𝐡 𝟒𝟑:𝟐

The water rose, but He carried us.

Before we left, our children laid hands on their makeshift tent of stuffed animals and prayed God would protect it. That tent, sitting in the lowest part of the house, remained completely dry even as the rest of the house flooded. The lantern they left flickering was shining brighter than ever when the waters receded, standing as a sign to their little hearts that prayer matters and God hears.

We drove roads where trees fell behind us, mudslides closed in, and houses slid from foundations moments after we passed. But we made it to safety, shielded by the hand of our Almighty God.

“𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐲 𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐤, 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐫; 𝐦𝐲 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐲 𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐤, 𝐢𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐨𝐦 𝐈 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. 𝐇𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐝, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐦𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐲 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐭𝐲.” 𝐏𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐦𝐬‬ ‭𝟏𝟖‬:‭𝟐‬ ‭

He provided a beautiful cabin for us and my mother-in-law to live in while we were displaced. He gave us peace in the storm, and provision when we had nothing to hold onto but Him.

But He didn't just preserve us—He repurposed our pain.

Through Kingdom Overflow Ministries, we’ve now walked into 29 homes devastated by floodwaters, with 23 more in progress. We’ve stood with families where we once stood ourselves: in the wreckage. And we’ve had the privilege of bringing hope and help in Jesus’ name.

“𝐇𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐇𝐢𝐦, 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞.” 𝐑𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝟖:𝟐𝟖

This storm deepened our compassion. It gave us a new understanding of what it means to rebuild—not just homes, but lives. God has given us increased endurance, boldness, and purpose.

Today, one year later, we look back not just on a storm, but on a story of God’s faithfulness. A testimony written in the floodwaters.

Yes, we will praise Him in the valley.

Yes, we will declare His goodness, even when the waters rise.

Yes, we will trust Him still.

“𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐧 𝐮𝐩, 𝐎 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫; 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐩𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐬. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐬, 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐞— 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞!” ‭‭𝐏𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐦𝐬‬ ‭𝟗𝟑‬:‭𝟑‬-‭𝟒‬ ‭

One year ago, our world was shaken.

But today, we stand grateful, grounded, and guided by His hand. To God be the glory for all He has done.