#amwriting – Page 6 – rootedbythewater.blog

Something New

January 8, 2024Leave a Comment

I love when different things I’ve heard or read come together, fitting like a puzzle. As I sit here this evening just thinking, I see how our message at church yesterday, a message at a friends church and todays verse of the day on YouVersion app seem to all run together. The scripture for today is Isaiah 43:18-19, “But forget all that— it is nothing compared to what I am going to do. For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.” (NLT)

January is always fresh, providing a new start and a chance to part ways with any baggage from the past. Not that I personally have baggage, but I k now many who do. They would benefit from leaving old baggage and entering this journey of 2024 fresh and clean. I hope one day people can learn to forget the former things and watch God as He does a new thing in our lives. People get so hung up on problems that they can’t see past them.

Yesterday our sermon message at Central Church of God was titled, “What are you expecting?” In a nutshell: God has great plans for us, it rarely unfolds the way we think it should, but His ways are so much higher than our ways. He knows the beginning from the end. We can trust God with our issues and our lives. He knows what He’s doing. Trust Him. Check out the following scripture. “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.”
‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭29‬:‭11‬-‭13‬ ‭(NLT‬‬.) Here’s another one to check out. “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭28‬ ‭(NLT‬‬). These are good scriptures to hide in your hearts. We can trust God. I will tell you His timing is different but He is always on time. Wait for it.

After church a friend sent me her Pastor’s sermon notes. We went to that church for many years and I like their tradition of having a 21 days of prayer and fasting. She told me that it was starting today in case I wonted to participate. I do! The sermon title was, “Praying the Word over the want.” Whew! That’s a strong message right there. All three times the devil tempted Jesus in the wilderness, Jesus came back with, “It is written. …“. Jesus speaks the Word. He comes back with scripture to put the enemy in his place. Hebrews 4 12 says, “For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.” (NLT‬‬.) Jesus set an example for us to follow. Pray the Word of God!

Fasting is not a popular discipline today but the Bible does tell us to fast and pray. Fasting does not “strong arm” God into getting what you want. Rather it changes the individual that is fasting. It will change you. Dying to the desires of the flesh and saying, “Thy will be done”, is a sacrifice that is pleasing to the Lord.

I know of several churches doing a fast right now. One in Fort Mill, one in Myrtle Beach and Free Chaple in Georgia. I got on Free Chaples website last night and saw a map representing people participating in their fast around the world. This warmed my heart to see people hungry for God and desiring to go deeper in their relationship with Jesus. There is lots of religion in the world but not so much in the matter of relationship with Jesus. A relationship with Jesus is what changes everything. Relationships cost you something. No relationship is a one way thing. It involves time spent together. Time loving and listening. I’ve heard many people say they are busy or give some other lame excuse. Sorry people but there is 24 hours in a day. We can carve out some time to devote to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He paid the ultimate price for our salvation. He is worthy of our time, our hearts, our all. He loves us all so much. He gives us a free choice to choose Him. He already chose us.

Today marks day 1 of 21 days. I’d love for you to join me in this fasting journey. Let’s humble ourselves, pray and fast and watch as God does a new thing. If you read this and would like prayer, I’d love to pray for you. Leave a comment and I will lift you up to Jesus. He loves you more than you could ever imagine. God bless you all.

If you liked this blog post please subscribe and share. I’m thankful for this gift to share when God puts something on my heart. You can find my autobiography Rooted by the Water on Amazon. (Hard cover soft cover, and e-book formats.) 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.

Www.shannonkhinson.com

Live Intentionally

January 5, 2024Leave a Comment

Villa Posh inspirational poster found on Amazon.

Happy 2024. We are on day 5 of the new year. Did you make any resolutions? I honestly did not make any for this year. In general I want to continue to grow and develop into all God calls me to be. I do plan to be intentional about living life with purpose. Intentional means to do just that, do something on purpose or deliberately. Yes that sounds like a good way to begin this year.

One thing I did deliberately do on January 1 was to choose a new Bible reading plan for the year. You Version Bible app has many Bible reading plans. I picked a different one this year. There is a daily schedule of what to read each day of 2024 so I end up reading the whole Bible by the end of the year. I look forward to the accountability of the plan and fresh revelations the Holy Spirit gives. The Bible never grows old. It’s refreshing and new everyday.

There are always things to work on in our personal lives. I really want to continue to grow in humility. Thinking of myself less and thinking of others more is a beautiful way to live. Living life with grace toward others is a “gem” I need to daily “polish”. ( Work on.)

Truth be told, we don’t always feel like being nice and joyful. Living with low vision and hearing loss can be utterly frustrating and sometimes I fall short in the patience category. BUT I must remind myself that it’s no one else’s fault that I have these challenges. I have found when I focus on others needs or listen to someone else issues, it takes my attention off my own and makes it better. It’s just an approach I take in dealing with life that seems to work for the most part.

In 2024 I plan to live day by day, moment by moment. The past was a lesson learned not a prison sentence. Don’t beat yourself up. Don’t bring baggage into the new year. It’s a fresh year to start anew . Don’t worry about what lies ahead. Today is a gift thats called the present. Embrace it and be thankful for a new day to make a difference.

Here are some things to intentionally do this year to make 2024 the best year ever:
Be brave. Spread kindness. Find a place to volunteer. Read one chapter of the Bible daily. Start each day thanking God for all He’s done and is doing in your life. Find the silver liner in every situation. Love like Jesus. Put on “God glasses” and see things from His perspective. Always try your best. Never give up. Smile anyway, it makes things better. Say something nice to everyone you encounter. Get over yourself, no one is better than anyone else. Pray, pray and pray some more. Get involved in a Bible teaching, spirit filled church. There are so many more but you get the general idea.

I’d like to close this blog with a prayer for you all. Dear Heavenly Father, I come to You in the precious name of Jesus. I thank You and praise You for all that You are. You are our creator, our Savior, our peace, our healer, our provider, our righteousness and so much more. I praise You because You are everything we need. There is nothing too difficult for You. You go before us and are our rear guard. I bless Your Holy name. Thank You Jesus for dying on the cross for our sins. Forgive us when we fall short, and I know thats daily. Help us to die to our fleshly desires and to choose You every single day. Lord we don’t know what this year will bring but we trust You are in control. Help us be a true reflection of You everywhere we go. May we reflection Your joy, Your love, Your peace, Your mercy and Your grace. Lord we ask You to pour out Your Holy Spirit into us and enable us to live boldly and victoriously for Your glory. I pray You will draw people to You who need to receive You free gift of salvation. Thank You Lord for all You are and all You are doing. Thank You that Your goodness and mercy follow us all the days of our lives. You are worthy of all glory, honor and praise. It’s all about You Jesus. In Jesus name I pray Amen.

May God bless you this year. If you liked this blog post please subscribe and share. I’m thankful for this gift to share when God puts something on my heart. You can find my autobiography Rooted by the Water on Amazon. (Hard cover soft cover, and e-book formats.) 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.

Www.shannonkhinson.com

Crossover in sight

December 28, 2023December 28, 2023Leave a Comment

Many of my blog cover pictures from this year.

Just a few more days and 2023 will be behind us. I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for a fresh new year. At the beginning of 2023 God dropped the word “soar” in my heart. At the time I had no clue why. Honestly, I’m still not quite sure. The year did seem to SOAR by. It seems like it just started and here we are near 2024.

2023 was a year of growth. God has worked with me on overcoming some fears. I will get to that in a minute. Getting feedback from my husband Ron, I evidently have grown in the area of peace. There is peace in my heart even though life is full of uncertainties. At the end of the day, I am confident in who holds my future and I can say 100% that God is faithful and so so GOOD!

About overcoming some fears, I’m learning more and more that I can trust God with everything. Everything can range from family health issues, fear of inadequacies, frustrations with our culture and how to live a life of humility. The list goes on. I’d like to share two key things I learned this year. There’s a big third but some things involve others and I respect their desire for confidentiality.

Late in the Spring, Ron bought us two “sit on top” kayaks. This was such a surprise that he agreed to buy us two. He is not yet a “Kayak lover” but I have hope. We are only about five or six miles from the nearby lake. Since we used to have a SeaDoo, I’m familiar with the water and area. I feel comfortable as I sort of know my way around.

Truth be told, there is an adventure element because my vision is 20/400. Yes you read that right. BUT I can see enough to do it and I love the water. Respecting the challenges, dangers, my limitations, the unknown and being willing to learn is all part of it. I started out on a two seater kayak but I wanted to be free. Being on a one seater with my limitations is pressing it, but God has given me a sound mind to approach the adventure with sound judgement.

I finally got Joshua, our 25 year old son to go with me. He thought he was going to wear me out, but he was in for a surprise, as my endurance gave him a “run for his money”. He also has a vision problem, however his is not nearly as bad as mine. I let him decide on our destination. He remembered an island way out in the lake, back from when we used to SeaDoo. So we set off. We didn’t know how far it was. All we knew was the general direction. We paddled and paddled for quite a while. Getting a bit tired, I finally told him if we didn’t see the island or reach it within 30 minutes, we would turn around. 30 minutes later we had almost reached the island. Talking about a huge accomplishment. We got out of the kayaks at the island and swam around for a bit and rested. Then we had to paddle all the way back. What an adventure! Perseverance , courage, stamina and sheer will to finish what we started. We made a goal and reached it!

The next big challenge to overcome came about in August. My Bible study group had decided to break over the summer and pick back up in September. Our leader got involved in a small group at her church and told us we could go ahead. I was totally stunned when the girls asked me to lead. I agreeded to try but inside I was like, “Lord are you kidding me? I can’t see the book. How in the world am I supposed to do this?” Truth be told I still feel that way. I know my limitations and God knows His power to work in them. I gave in and let Him have His way. I can’t but God can. I oftentimes feel so inadequate. There is a saying, God does not call the quipped, He equips the called. Wow. Boy am I a testament to that. I’m not saying I’m called, but I have definitely made my inadequate self available. We are going to pick back up in January. I can’t wait to see what God has in store.

The third thing I mentioned which I can’t fully disclose but I can share vaguely. It’s been the latter part of the year. Some experiences we had never faced. God has taught me to trust Him more. He has impressed upon me humility. Putting others before myself even if it costs me. Listening even though it wears me slap out with not hearing very well with my cochlear implant processor. That’s something I hope to get right in 2024. 2023 was not a good hearing year, probably due to menopause and hormonal changes. Who knows. I’m not going to worry about it. I’ve learned to say, God this is all I have, help me to make it be all it needs to be. I can’t hear but I can listen and I’ve done a whole lot of that this year. Listen to others needs and pray, pray and pray some more. God has taught me to speak wisdom over situations and trust Him. So it’s definitely been a year of growth, which has soared in some ways.

Im thankful that God still allows me to put into writing the many things He continues to teach me. I have continued to blog each week during this year. Ron got me a real keyboard that magnetically attaches to my iPad. It makes blogging so much easier to be able to “feel” the keys as I type. Me and touch screens don’t get along. To date there have been 5,210 views. Here are my end of the year stats for blogging. This is post #60 for this year. That’s 40.9K words this year, averaging around 693.4 words per post, reaching countries round the world but mostly in the USA. This is no reason for pride but simple gratitude. I could not do it without God. I wouldn’t even want to try.

God has not yet given me a word for 2024. I’m not sure if He will. I do know I will continue to strive to be empty so He can fill and use me in whatever way He desires. As we bring 2023 to a close I can say it is well with my soul. I will wrap this up with Philippians‬ ‭3‬:‭13‬-‭14, “No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” (NLT‬‬)

At this point in life if a song could show my testimony I would choose It is well by Bethel Music. I will attach the YouTube music video with lyrics below. Be blessed and Happy New Year. May you experience the love of Jesus like never before.

Www.shannonkhinson.com

Heart full of joy

December 26, 2023Leave a Comment

Candle light service at Fort Mill Church of God. Photo credit Joshua Hinson.

On this day after Christmas, I find myself reflecting. It’s been the perfect day for it, with rain pouring most of the day. It’s kind of like silent pondering after a busy time of celebration.

After almost thirty years of marriage, raising a son who no longer lives at home, Christmas time has changed a bit. This is also our third Christmas without my Dad. He loved this time of year and would have liked that Mom decorated two trees this year. She always does a beautiful job making her house look festive for Christmas.

We never really know how Christmas will unfold even with traditions. The week before Christmas our son was in Florida and we weren’t sure if he would be back in time for our Christmas Eve plans. With adult kids, you never really know how it’s all going to play out. Thankfully our son made it back in town just in time to join us and Grandma for the Christmas Eve candlelight service at Fort Mill Church of God. This was the church we raised Joshua in. We went there for seventeen years.

As we walked in we saw some familiar faces and got a few hugs. I was surprised that we each got a real candle. Mom signed for me. Well she tried her best as the Pastor speaks so very fast. It was an unusual Christmas Eve service but it was so very meaningful. I assumed we would sing the usual Christmas carols and hear the Christmas story. I was so moved by the worship. We gathered to celebrate Jesus birth and the music Pastor led us in beautiful anointed worship of Jesus our King. The Pastor spoke on Revelations 5. He brought it all together from Genesis to Revelations…. JESUS! We had communion then one by one everyone’s candle was lit as we sang O come let us adore Him. It was one of the highlights of this Christmas.

After the service we drove to Waffle House which is our tradition. Why Waffle House? It’s usually the only thing open but the place was packed. We did find a Mexican restaurant close by and had a nice dinner there, enjoying time with Grandma. We usually also ride around to see Christmas lights but Grandma was tired and Joshua was too. After a short visit at her house we headed home. Joshua spent the night with us.

The very best gift was spending time with our son. He always has a friend or two with him so it’s not often to get his undivided attention. Even though he was tired, we talked for hours. It was like old times and it was pure JOY!

Late Christmas afternoon, we went to Grandmas to meet up with my brother’s family and celebrate again. My two year old great niece was there and she brought such joy and smiles. She took her little baby doll into the study room to “change the diaper”. She had her little diaper changing cloth on the floor. As she looked up on the wall, she saw Great Grandpas golf ball collection and she wanted to see a few. Gigi (my Mom) got several down for her. She placed them on her diaper changing cloth. It was so cute. I know my Dad would have loved that. It’s the little things that bring a big smile to my heart.

So this Christmas is a wrap and it’s “one for the books”. It was wonderful! It’s not about the gifts that were exchanged. What made it extra special was the meaningful candlelight service, long talks with our son and time with family. Those things are priceless. My heart is full and I am truly thankful. I pray you all had a wonderful time of celebration and time spent with the special people in yours life.

Www.shannonkhinson.com

ChristmasEve Eve Eve

December 22, 2023Leave a Comment

‘Twas Christmas Eve Eve Eve
When all through Steele Creek,
People were hustling and bustling,
Shopping at a frenzy peak!

All our shopping was done,
but we went out anyway.
It always nice to spread smiles
and say ,”have a nice day”

Spreading cheer is s gift
that people surely need,
Saying “Merry Christmas”
Is quite like planting a seed.

A seed did she say?
Why yes she sure did.
Planting tiny seeds of joy,
Bring out smiles that were hid.

I often do wonder,
Do they know what it means?
It’s not the gifts, nor Santa
It’s not the decorating scenes.

It’s about Baby Jesus,
Gods only son born long ago.
God’s plan to redeem us
Because He loves us all so.

It’s truly about
Jesus birthday.
What gift will you bring Him
The sweet babe in the hay.

All my broken pieces
Aren’t much to give
But with His love and His touch
He can make anything live!

So I will give Him my heart,
all of me everyday.
Happy Birthday sweet Jesus
Please keep showing us Your way.

Merry Christmas everybody!

Finding Joy

December 14, 2023Leave a Comment

Just a little while ago I was in the kitchen brewing a pot of tea and all the sudden I burst out laughing. My husband Ron heard me and wanted to now what was so funny. I told him, “You never know whats going through my mind.” I was going to leave it at that, but he insisted to know so I told him. The Christmas carol, “Deck the Halls” was playing in my head but with a slightly different twist. Singing in my off key voice: Deck the halls with boughs of holly, fa la la la la la blah blah blah Tis the season to be jolly, fa la la la la la blah blah blah. We both started laughing. Why in the world does my mind work this way? Who needs Hollywood when the mind can be so comical?

I know… I’m not right but I am real. There is no pretense with me. I’m one of those : “take a situation and make it work” kind of people. We can’t fix people or situations but we can adjust our approach and expectations.

This is the most wonderful time of year simply because we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. The greatest gift ever. When we keep to the true meaning of our celebrations I’m good. When we throw the hustle, chaos, shopping, events, gatherings, and traditions in, it can overstimulate and overwhelm me. Don’t get me wrong, I do love it. Dealing with all of it and having visual and hearing limitations makes it hard. I’m most content in going with a smile and doing my best to make sure everyone else is enjoying themselves. That is just the way I “roll”. It brings me joy to see others enjoying themselves.

While there is cheer and joy all around. I also see suffering and people struggling. There are people with limitations whether it be physical, financial, relational or emotional. There are people not eager to experience this holiday without a loved one who is no longer with us. I know some people who are grieving and others with health issues.

So how can we find joy in the midst of it all? I will share with you what works for me. First, I keep my focus on the true meaning of it all. It’s all about Jesus. Plain and simple. Every single day when I wake up Jesus gets my first fruits of the day: time for prayer and study of the Bible. It brings me such peace, joy and strength to face whatever the day throws. Often times it throws some curve balls. All I can say is “batter up”.

Another thing that brings me joy is giving. It doesn’t have to be things. I can be giving of my time or a listening ear. Encouragement is one of my spiritual gifts and I take great delight in encouraging others. Today I asked Ron if we could give a gift card we received for a local ice cream shop, to a single mother of four. He was all for it. It made us happy to pass on the blessing to her. There is such joy to be found in giving. It is much more blessed to give than receive.

Another way to find joy is being okay with saying no. You don’t have to go to everything you’re invited to if it wears you flat out. Prioritize! You must take care of yourself so you can take care of others. Finding balance is key.

Find a way to get your shopping and errands done without totally depleting yourself. I will tell you I am not a shopper. I’m not the best with gift giving simply because stores overwhelm me. With my low vision and the way everything is so high tech, going to the store is down right over stimulating. There is too much to look at and when I see something thats a possible gift idea, then I need to see the size. I get my ipad out and use my camera to find the right size. I know… I’m stubbornly independent. I just never want to be a bother. Thank God for Amazon and online shopping. I don’t need to drive to get it and I’m not overloaded with images. I can just search what I’m looking for and scroll through the selection. This year I had most of my shopping done before December 1 thanks to Black Friday online deals and cyber Monday deals. It worked for me. Find what works for you and don’t stress about it. Joy is not found in a gift under a tree.

Find joy in the special people in your life. God blesses us with family, be it big or small. God also blesses us with friends to enjoy and laugh with. I honestly had the best time with a group of friends recently. We decided to have a pajama Christmas Mexican party. We all wore our Christmas pajamas and brought something for a Mexican dinner to share. We all drew a name and brought one gift that was color themed. Whatever color the person we drew wanted, we found something that color. It was a neat and fun idea. Each person opened their gift beside where I was sitting so I could see everything. I did not ask them to do this. They are just so thoughtful! Such a blessing! We also played Uno with EXTRA LARGE cards. My friend Leasa bought them on Amazon, thinking I could see them better. It was hilarious and I surely could see them better. It was the best time I’ve had in a long time. Their thoughtfulness and friendship is such a gift and most of them are in my Bible study group.

My prayer for you all is that you find true joy this Christmas season and in the coming year. Life is not perfect. There are always challenges of some kind to face but you dont have to do it alone. I love Matthew 1:23, “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’”” ‭(NLT)‬‬. Isn’t that beautiful. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we are not alone. Find true joy this Christmas in the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. Oh come let us adore Him… Oh come let us adore Him… Oh come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.

Www.shannonkhinson.com

Full court press

December 6, 2023December 6, 2023Leave a Comment

A few Sundays ago the term “ full court press” dropped in my spirit. I’m talking out of the blue this basketball term came to mind and I haven’t watched a game in quite a while. I was pretty certain I knew what it meant but asked on social media anyway to see what people said. As different people described the strategy, I realized that it’s kind of like ALL OUT DEFENSE, all the way down the court. I sensed there was a spiritual element to this which was why I began thinking about it. Opening up my “notes app”, I typed “full court press” and left the note blank.

As a few weeks passed by I came across scripture in my daily reading and added them to my note, not knowing how I was to pull this together. Not only has this basketball strategy been on my mind, also a few different events have happened. Last Sunday my Pastor preached a message titled Next Generation. Then yesterday my husband Ron was talking to a friend at the gym. As they walked side by side on treadmills the man told Ron about people in his church. Sounds like many went to church but their everyday lives weren’t lived as Christians. That’s what I call a “Sunday morning Christian”. Then another person shared with me that her adult son says all she talks about is God.

Truth be told, my own son has said the same about us before. If I remember correctly, I explained it by saying when someone fully completely surrenders to Jesus, He is all that matters. Israel & New Breed have a song titled Jesus at the Center. The lyric as so moving. I will post a YouTube music video at the end of this blog so you can listen.

So how does this all tie in together? We need a ”full court press”, all out defense, when it comes to life and dealing with the devil and his deception. The devil sits on the sidelines eating popcorn, while Team Christian are playing their own game, not listening to The Coach Jesus! Jude‬ ‭1‬:‭3‬-‭4‬ ‭says, “Dear friends, I’ve dropped everything to write you about this life of salvation that we have in common. I have to write insisting—begging!—that you fight with everything you have in you for this faith entrusted to us as a gift to guard and cherish. What has happened is that some people have infiltrated our ranks (our Scriptures warned us this would happen), who beneath their pious skin are shameless scoundrels. Their design is to replace the sheer grace of our God with sheer license—which means doing away with Jesus Christ, our one and only Master.”(MSG‬‬). Folks, this is serious business. It’s time to pray like never before. Being a Christian is all about having a relationship with Jesus. You can’t have a relationship if you don’t spend time with someone and value time spent together. God wants all of you. Not just the parts you are willing to share with Him. Come on! Generations are at stake. The world needs to see our love for God and our surrender. Our walk needs to match our talk. 1 Peter‬ ‭2‬:‭9‬ ‭ tells us, “But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.” ‭‭(NLT‬‬)

It’s past time for a “full court press”, all out defense. I see people struggling to live victoriously. In all honesty, we can’t do it alone. We need to walk in the power of the Holy Spirit. Today I read the following scripture: “But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God’s love. And you must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering. Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others, but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives.”Jude‬ ‭1‬:‭20‬-‭23‬ (NLT‬‬)

I know life is tough. It’s easy to focus on struggles and problems. What we need to do is get over ourselves. Thinking of ourselves less, frees us to focus on Jesus and the things that are of Him. 1 Peter‬ ‭1‬:‭6 -9‬ says, “So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.” (NLT‬‬)

Let’s rise up and seek the Lord like never before. Walk in unity and love. Pray and praise your way through each day. Build up your brothers and sisters in Christ. Let’s let our light shine for Jesus glory. Full court press, all out defense…. from the moment you wake up until you lay your head down at night. Defense! All throughout your day. Let’s go! The world is watching. Team huddle…1,2,3…all for JESUS!

Www.shannonkhinson.com

Love a Challenge

November 27, 2023November 27, 2023Leave a Comment

Truth be told, I do love to challenge myself. Today was no different. I sent a text to my 80 year old mom to let her know I would be available to help her with her Christmas decorating. My husband Ron was stuck at our house since our garage door was being replaced. He said he would join us later in the afternoon.

Mom picked me up and we headed over to her house. She had five containers of Fall things in the garage to put upstairs before starting on Christmas. I really didn’t want to wait all afternoon until Ron came. I told her I could get the containers up and down the stairs, just one step at a time. I’d lift the container a few steps then move up, then do it over and over. Once reaching the top, I’d just slide it in place then went down to do it again. On the first trip up to the attic I was searching for the light and smacked my head on a low ceiling board. Thank God I didn’t break the skin and it was behind the hairline. Whew! That was close. I didn’t want a “shiner” for the Christmas season. That knock “upside my noggin” was just the beginning. We girls could do this. I got all the Fall boxes up, then it was time to bring Christmas down.

Mom came up and picked out all she wanted me to bring down. We were just going to put up the window wreaths but once we got started we kept going. No surprise there. The same process for taking boxes up the stairs, worked just fine to bring them down. I would take a few steps backward down the stairs and slide the boxes along the edge of the stairs. It worked like a charm. Even the two Christmas tree boxes worked that way, turning them long ways, I slide them right down.

Our next task was for her to decide where she wanted her big tree and the pencil tree. We rearranged a few pieces of furniture until she decided where she wanted things. I put the pencil tree together and she decided she wanted that in the foyer so I moved it there. It was a perfect place for that skinny tree. I originally had no intention of putting the big tree together. We wanted to see if it would fit in a corner with the furniture where it was. I told her I’d get the bottom part out and see the tree limb spread so we could get an idea. Putting the tree stand on the floor in that corner, I inserted the bottom portion of the tree, expanding the limbs, it was a perfect fit. The oddest thing though was I couldn’t find a power cord. I laid on the floor under the tree, fluffing limbs and searching for the power cord. I did notice two light connections with a bit of red tape on the ends. I have low vision but I can see red. This was beginning to be like a big puzzle and I was determined to figure it out. I went to the garage and for the next section of tree and the power cord was on that part. I also noticed another cord that had five light connections on the end. Ummm…. Okay there were five connectors and power cord on this piece and two connectors on the bottom piece. I decided to plug the power cord in and connect all the light connectors I could find. The lights started to light up. There was still one more light connection I could not find. I went and got the final top piece and attached it. I found one more light connector there and attached it to the remaining one and BINGO!! It all lit up. I lifted my hands and said “YES”! I was so tickled and pleased that I was able to do it myself. Ron was pretty astonished. Truth be told, there was a whole lot of prayer going on. “Lord helps me do this”. “Lord where are those light connectors”? On and on it went and piece by piece God allowed me the ability to connect the pieces. Christmas lights are my favorite part of decorations. Just having the lights turned on the trees is so soothing.

When “push comes to shove, it’s ok if you’re pushing yourself. Persistence pays off. I started today like I start every day, in prayer. I asked God to help me be a blessing to my husband and also to my mom as I helped her decorate. We had not put the big tree up since my dad passed away in 2021. Dad loved Christmas decorations. I told mom today our “tree fluffier” was in Heaven. He always fluffed the tree limbs. He would be pleased. Now to help her put the decorations on. That’s another task for another day.

Tonight Ron was telling me how I’m always consistent. I think persistent is a better word. I dont give up or give in easily. I keep trying until I get it right. That’s something he admires about me. I see it more as a way of life. Being hearing impaired and having low vision makes every day life a challenge to some degree. God has given me a positive perspective to look at tasks kind of like a game. The game of life. The goal is to get through every day with a sense of humor and giving God glory through whatever is thrown my way. Perspective is key. Ask God everyday to help you see it from His point of view. I promise that makes all the difference in the world.

I was going to put a selfie as my blog picture BUT I was a sweaty mess today. It was a no makeup, no frills kind of day.I will spare you all the chuckle. Be blessed.

Www.shannonkhinson.com

A blooming legacy

November 16, 2023Leave a Comment

On this day 110 years ago my Nanny Kenley was born. We were blessed to have her 100th birthday party in the church she went to for the longest time. She passed away at the beginning of 2015 at the age of 101.

Nanny was such a remarkable woman. She loved her family and her family loved her. We have a family text group with 26 people. Today the cousins were talking about her special day: sharing pictures, memories and a video that warmed our hearts. Some of my fondest memories as a child were with her, at her house with all the cousins.

I’ve been doing some searching on Ancestry, trying to put our family tree together. From what I have gathered it looks like she married my grandfather on March 31, 1935. They had three boys in 11 years. My grandfather died at the age of 43. She never remarried because she said she wouldn’t be able to find someone like my grandfather. It takes a strong woman to raise three boys. Her legacy continues to live on in her remaining son, grand children, great grand children and great great grandchildren. It’s such a beautiful thing when we all remember her so fondly.

Nanny was a strong, independent, fun loving lady, and an excellent cook. No body made biscuits like our Nanny. Family meals, Christmas Eve and Easter at Nanny’s were the best. Good food, fellowship and lots of laughter come to mind when I think of her. She was so active. She loved card games and had a sharp mind. In her later years, we would sit around my parents kitchen table, four generations playing Skipbo. She would never let you win. She played well and it was so much fun.

The last few years of her life she lived at a rehab/long term care facility. We would race her down the hallway in her wheelchair. She would get her hair done and put her powder and lipstick on for meals. She loved to dress nice and play games with the other residents. There was a nice window near her bed and she would keep her plants there. There was also a bird feeder outsider her window where she enjoyed watching the birds. I have her cactus which is blooming right now for her birthday. This year it is full of buds that are beginning to open. It always makes me smile when it blooms. Just like her rich beautiful legacy of a life well lived and full of loving memories, that cactus grows bigger each year with more blooms. Tomorrow I will be going up to our attic to bring down Christmas things. I will hang the stocking she made for me when I was a little girl. She started with my name and apparently ended with someone else’s. It says “Sharrot” on my stocking. I have never had it fixed because it is what she made and it is extra special.

So today we celebrate our Nanny. She’s been gone for almost 8 years, but her legacy lives on. She continues to bless us even though she is gone. That’s a life well lived when your legacy continues to BLOOM.

Www.shannonkhinson.com

A truly beautiful thing

November 8, 2023Leave a Comment

I’m laying here on the bed considering “calling it a day and hitting the hay“ For anyone reading this outside the USA, thats just a figure of speech meaning I’m tired and ready for a good nights sleep. My heart is so full right now though and while the day is fresh on my mind, I figured I would get some blogging done.

It seems like this is going to be one of those really transparent blogs. From time to time those are good to share. I love when people are real and genuine.

Towards the end of summer my Bible study group decided to pick up with our Fall study. The only setback was our leader was a part of a different study and wasn’t able to join us. When the girls asked if I would lead the study, I remember slowly responding, okay. Inwardly I was asking God, “Are you serious Lord? How can I do this? I cant see the book. “. There are four girls in our Bible study group: one hearing and three deaf. I am also legally blind. We all have different reading skills and different ways of learning. I knew the book we were planning to do was a bit difficult for a couple of our members but they wanted to try anyway. Over the summer one had told me she liked it best when someone explained things to her. Kind of like acting it out in story form. I have kept that in mind.

Funny thing, when you tell God He’s got the wrong person for the job, He will prove you wrong. I cant tell you how many times I’ve flat out said “Lord help me. I cant do this”. Every time I buckled down to give it my best try, I end up standing amazed at how God is working.

I can’t see the book unless it is under my video magnifier machine. So I sit in our home office in from of my machine with the book zoomed in so I can see. I have my ipad notes ready to take notes to teach from and use the iPhone to look up scripture on YouVersion app. I like being able to see different transplations,when trying to interpret into sign language. Some translations are easier to interpret than others. Sign language is in a different word order and conceptual. As I prepare my notes I’m trying to see it from their perspective and word the notes in such a way they can really gleam from the study. Since it’s hard for me to even see my ipad notes unless they are zoomed in large, going over the notes again and again so I dont have to look frequently has been the best approach so far and the girls are participating. That is so so beautiful.

Over the last two weeks we have been studying Leah and Rachel who were both married to Jacob. To be honest, I’m not a fan of speculation. God has given us His Holy Bible that was inspired by the Holy Spirit. In my point of view, you don’t add anything to it nor take anything away from it. While we are getting a lot out of the this study, some things the author says doesn’t quite sit right with us. Meaning we aren’t in total agreement, simply because the author speculates about certain aspects of the study. This really creates some awesome discussions among us. Today one of my deaf friends took the open Bible on the table and began searching for a certain scripture to prove her point. My other deaf friend thought she knew what she was looking for and they found it together. Talking about awesome. These two girls just bought their bibles last fall and now they are digging in deeper to see what God has to say about something. That is a truly beautiful thing. There is nothing more beautiful that a person fully surrendered and submissive to the Lord.

I would have never thought I’d ever be teaching a bible study. However I am a willing empty vessel that God is choosing to prove He can use. It is so humbling and exhausting. God can use anything He wants to full fill His divine purpose.

Just about every week I find myself saying, “God help me. I can’t do this. It’s too much.” Then in response, each time I say that, God pours His grace, enabling God to get it done. I am in awe of how God works. He chooses the broken things to bring about His desires.

Moral of this blog, never say never. In everything do it for the glory of God. You’d be surprised at how many people are watching how we handle situations. Make it a priority to shine for the Lord. It’s a dark world in need of light. Be willing to be a light for Jesus.