This is one of those spontaneous blog posts. I did not plan to write again this week. One blog per week suits me just fine. However, I wanted to share with you all some things that brought a smile to my heart. This morning I was so surprised when I opened the dining room blinds and discovered the mourning dove is back. There it was sitting in its previous nest. I was planning to clean the porch soon but I guess it will have to wait. I love that this little dove family keeps expanding on our bakers rack on the front porch. God’s creation is so amazing.
The second thing that made me smile was noticing five flowers on Nanny’s peace lily. Nanny passed away in 2015 and this peace lily was sent to the family. In the nine years since she’s passed away I’ve never been able to coax more than a bloom or two from this plant, but there are currently five flowers on it. It’s the little things that make me happy.
Nanny’s Peace Lily.
The last “God wink” today is seeing how our little cedar raised planter is doing. We have two tomato plants and there are fifteen tomatoes growing on them. I also planted three colored pepper plants but so far I don’t see any peppers coming in yet. The last plant is a cantaloupe plant. I had no idea it was a vine and it was trying to take over the planter. I did manage to adjust it on a very short trellis, which I hope works. There are about six little flowers on the vine and God willing, I hope each will mature to a sweet cantaloupe. This is an experiment as we have never grown anything before. It is rewarding to watch things grow as we water them faithfully.Nature is so captivating. There are so many lessons we can learn from just observing creation. Just like the dove family that finds a safe place to nest on our porch, God guides us daily in the safe path He has prepared for us. When the peace lily had two blooms, I prayed for three and God gave me five. Just these little things make my heart happy. As for our little garden, I am amazed at how well it is doing. Even though I don’t see peppers or cantaloupe yet, I hope they will come in. I love the “raised garden” idea because it keeps the weeds out. I can’t wait to make some meals with these fruits and vegetables. Just like these plants, God also “tends” to us each day. He waters us and adjusts us so that we grow better. He sees us begin to bud and watches as fruit appear in our lives. I’m thankful for the little lessons. It’s good to be content with where God has you in life and learn from the different situations He places you in. Moment by moment, piece by piece, bloom to bloom and more doves likely coming soon. Thank you Lord! You certainly declare Your glory through your wonderfully complex creation.
Today I went back to the pictures my friends took of the Angel Oak Tree, to zoom in on the roots. Only the base of the tree trunk that becomes the root system slightly shows, but you know with a massive tree of that size the root system must be incredibly complex. While the root system is not visible; however with the size, magnitude and leaf canopy observable, can you even imagine the potential size of the roots? Roots provide water and nutrients for all parts of a tree. Roots also act as an anchor providing stability.
Stay with me here. In my last blog “The Most Magnificent Tree”, I reflected on all the storms and history the tree possibly endured to reach its present age and size. I was intrigued thinking about the roots feeding and bringing water to that HUGE tree. In my momentary line of thinking, I’m considering the tree bark kind of like an armor providing protection. Is that too far fetched?
People are like trees in all their variety , shape and beauty. While a persons root system is not easily seen, you can tell what roots a person. Yesterday at church the altar was full of people desiring prayer and strength for their burdens. One of my friends mentioned how many people are just weary and weighed down by “life”. However, rather than breaking under the pressures of life, these people were going to Jesus in prayer. He provides the “living water” and life giving nutrients that sustain us and help us rise above life’s weight. As Christians we are rooted and established in love: our love for God and desire to rise up and give Him glory propels us forward! Ephesians 3:17-19 says,“that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” ( NKJV)
Like the bark on the Angel Oak Tree, we also need the protection of the Armor of God! That includes the belt of truth fastened around us, the breast plate of righteousness shielding our hearts, the helmet of salvation to protect our minds, our feet fitted with the gospel of peace, the shield of faith to extinguish the devils lies and schemes and the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. (See Ephesians 6:10-18) We fight in prayer! Prayer changes things! Most of all, prayer changes us.
I would like to address one more thing. This is the very first year we have attempted a raised garden. I received a cedar planter for my birthday in April. I watched our backyard to determine the best area that received the most sunlight. We chose the soil to use and plants to plant. We’ve watered the plants daily and take delight in watching them grow. Our tomato plants were getting a bit weighed down so my husband Ron put in some stakes to give them support. There are sixteen tomatoes growing! So far we don’t see any colored peppers or cantaloupe. Hopefully we will have a harvest and plant more for the Fall and Winter garden. The tomatoes have done better since Ron added the stakes to support them. Just like those stakes, God puts friends and family in our lives to encourage us and pray for us when we are tipping over by the weight of life. I’m thankful for the wonderful people, family and church family, God has placed around us to reinforce our faith, speak life and God’s Word over us and pray.
There are so many lessons we can learn from God’s creative expressions in creation. Take the time to really look at all God has done and let Him teach you from His inspiring nature. From the dove nest on our porch this Spring, to flowers, trees, our dog Joy, personalities of people, the stunning artistic colors of the sky to ant hills…. I see my God, my Creator, everywhere and it makes my heart smile. I don’t know why He made me such a deep soul but I delight in His truths and the wonderful way He shares them with me.
It’s my prayer that you have received encouragement or perhaps even been challenged through this blog. I find it so refreshing when people can be real and transparent. We can all learn from each other. Life lessons are amazing teachers. I’m thankful for all The Lord is teaching me. Please check out my autobiography Rooted by the Water on Amazon (hard cover, soft cover and ebook formats) I pray it’s a blessing to you and encouragement to never give up in hard situations. Be blessed and better yet, be a blessing. Www.shannonkhinson.com
It’s been over a week since I published my last blog “Meet the Squabs #200”. Since that post, the baby doves have flown away, embarking o n their new adventures. Truth be told, I was sad to see them go. I had watched the parents and squabs throughout the days. Now the nest is empty. There has been a nest on our porch for the last three years though so perhaps they will choose our porch again.
When Joshua was in his teens I used to joke about our house being the “Hinson Inn”. There was always someone here.You know you got really accustomed to people over when you would forget to close the bathroom door. At one point I even thought of putting a sign saying, “No Vacancy, Drive On”, but of course we never did. Being a parent is one of the greatest gifts and each change can be beautiful. When Joshua “flew the coop” several years ago and lived in Arizona for a while, that was a hard but beautiful thing to witness.
Each stage in life brings its challenges and beauty. I guess it’s all in how you look at things. When you look for the good, you are more likely to find it. When you look through “a critical lens”, no one measures up.
That’s one of the beautiful things about being a Mother. (I meant to write a blog in honor of Mother’s Day but I never got around to it so I will touch on that here.) Being a Mother is a God opportunity and priveledge to pour into your child no matter what their age. My Mom still does that and she is 81 years old. I know she’s always there and that is a comfort and joy. Joshua knows the same is true about me.
Now that Joshua has moved home and will be starting Massage Therapy school in June, we again have this gift of opportunity to pour into him. I’m beyond thankful he chose to not move to Florida with his roommates. God has him on a different path now. I told my husband Ron that Joshua sees how we respond to situations. For example, he has seen my heart for serving others. He jokingly asked me last week how much I was getting paid for the various things I do. I looked at him and said, I don’t do this for money. My reward is in Heaven. Blogging, teaching, serving in ministry to the less fortunate and serving my family cost me something but I don’t get paid for it in earthly things but the treasures I receive through smiles, seeing growth, encouraging others, being molded by Jesus into what He desires, is priceless.
Joshua also sees my response to situations that are less than appealing. Everyone has to deal with the flesh and how we humanly would like to respond but know God desires a godly response. Joshua said to me a couple of weeks ago, “Mom you don’t have to be a Saint 24/7”. I responded, “God is always watching.” As a parent, teacher, volunteer, friend or whatever our role, we have this god given opportunity to respond in a way that is pleasing to the Lord. No matter how hard it is at the moment, we can choose to die to the flesh and live according to the Spirit.
Which brings me to the beauty of change when we “let go and let God”. Last week we finally finished our “Women of the Bible” study. I would have never thought I could do that. I kind of “fought God” with yielding to Him in the process because it required large chunks of my time and, preparation, and memorization BUT HE ENABLED me to do it when I let go and said “okay Lord I will do this”. He taught me much in that surrender and submission to His desires. I witnessed the beauty of change in not only myself but in the other girl’s in our Bible study. We are created with His purpose in mind for such a time as this. Wherever He has you, submit to His desires. It is so worth all the stretching.
Our next study is potentially Revelation. That is such a daunting topic because I know little about it. Another girl in our group would like to lead this one and I am encouraging her all the way. She is more of a “visual teacher” which is great because we have some “Visual learners” but she wants me to help. I told her “she can do this” but of course I’ll do whatever she needs to support the effort. We can “tag team” it. We are looking forward to this change and can’t wait to see what God will reveal to us.
I’m also looking forward to this new season Joshua is entering. I know it won’t be an easy one but I intend to pray him through it. We will move forward trusting God to guide the way and open or close doors that should or shouldn’t be entered.
What a privilege to witness change unfolding right before your eyes. Remember “beauty lies in the eys of the beholder” so if you want to witness the beauty of change, adjust those “lens” and ask God to reveal it to you. It’s there, you have to look for it sometimes.
I love sharing what God puts in my heart. I pray it’s a blessing to you. If you like it, please feel free to subscribe and pass it along to bless someone else. We all need encouragement. You can find my autobiography Rooted by the Water on Amazon. I hope it inspires you to never give up in hard situations. God is always there to help us. Surrendering to Him years ago was the best decision I’ve ever made. Be blessed and better yet, be a blessing. Www.shannonkhinson.com
Today marks 30 years of marriage. If I knew in the beginning what I know now, I would have held my tongue on the petty stuff that wasn’t worth arguing over. The saying “you live and learn” has certainly proven to be true. Marriage goes so much further than that though. You also grow, learn to work through tricky situations, listening to each other, Praying for each other individually and together. There is a balance of love, encouragement and persevering that develops over many year.s. We have seen some great times, making great memories. We have also seen some of the toughest of times, shedding tears and even laughed through some of them in utter disbelief but we do it together.
We are better together. Are we perfect? NO! We fall down, we get back up. We fuss, we apologize. We forgive and honestly move on. Marriage is working through life together. We are not a Ron or a Shannon, we are a couple. We’ve seen so many couples hit rough patches, have midlife crisis, entering new stages in life then “toss in the towel”. Little do they realize that when a couple works through these things together, they come out so much stronger. Hold on to your marriage! It’s worth fighting for. You won’t always feel the “warm fuzzy feelings” that are there in the beginning. Love is a decision. When we exchanged our vows, we meant it.
I’m thankful to be Ron’s wife. Through it all, God has strengthened our love for each other as we grow stronger in Him. I’m thankful for this life we have built together and continue growing each day. I pray God blesses us with many more. Happy Anniversary Ron! I love doing life with you!🤟🏼
Monday morning after a weekend of rest, I don’t typically wake up and think about rest. Truth be told, I really don’t rest as much as I should. I can be still but my mind is always going places. Being a thinker and trying to figure things out causes me to usually be in some “state of thinking”.
Last night I was trying a new recipe for Chicken Philly hoagie sandwiches. (They turned out great. Just need a bit more seasoning next time.) Right before that I was working on Bible study notes which I need to figure out how to shorten. After cleaning up the kitchen I was editing notes to send to my Bible study group. Then I got online to research two entirely different things. One of those things being related to how to do a raised garden box. I’m trying to figure out what to put in the cedar planter that ended up being smaller than I thought. So many things to consider and figure out. You see it? A constant turning of my thoughts in one way or another.
Last night I forgot to take my Fitbit off so I woke to a series of vibrations when a friend texted me before the birds woke up. Once I was awake, I was right back at the “thinking game”. I sat down to pray and have my quiet time. I came across an acronym that really got my attention. R.E.S.T. Release every single thing. Wow. That is exactly what I need to do. R.E.S.T. Release every single thing to God.
It’s Monday and I’m already striving and trying to figure things out. I often try my best to “help” God but God does not need my help. He wants my submission and surrender. I’m like, “Lord I can only do so much. I can do my part but I can’t make things happen. Please open doors concerning Your Will or close doors we have no business entering.” That’s kind of how my prayer went this morning. I need to do a lot more R.E.S.T(ing) Releasing every single thing to God, and leave it there.
Surely I’m not alone. Is there anyone else out there who needs to R.E.S.T.? Let’s do this. It will be a lot lighter load when we release it and let our Heavenly Father work things out according to His Will. Have an awesome week.
Wrapping up the birthday week. It’s been a good one. Some friends surprised me with an early birthday lunch last Saturday and a fun “Girls Day”. Italian must have been the “Double Nickels” birthday theme. Lunch was Italian Saturday, Italian Sunday and the very best Italian around on my actual birthday. I’ve had enough pasta to last for months..
We are in a transitional time of adjustment. Our son has moved back home while he figures out a career change and fresh path. It’s an adjustment but it’s all going to work out. (And I love getting his awesome hugs every day)
In the meantime, God has sent some of His divine “God winks” to bring joy each day. We have another mourning dove resting on the same top shelf of our bakers rack on the front porch. The funny thing was that Ron discovered it behind a small sign that says “pray without ceasing”. He moved the sign because sometimes the wind makes it fall. We also slightly moved the bakers rack s we can watch the nest from inside. When I saw it I had such joy, and peace in my heart. It was like God saying” I’ve got you all. Trust me.” I go check on the nest several times of day from inside. It appears that the male and female take turns sitting on the nest.
Our Mourning Dove. Not the best picture but it gives an idea of my view.
So those days of celebrating have been followed by bird watching and several days of serving. There is nothing quite like giving the gift of yourself to others. Whether it be your time, your talents or encouragement: acts of service have a way of coming back to you in the sweetest way.
Wednesday was RiceNBeans day. I work with my friend Tami to prepare the food for one of the local locations where we help serve a warm meal to the homeless. We are so happy Pastor Daryl and Cheri have entrusted us with cooking for one location. After a few hours of cooking rice, beans and 120 hotdogs, we took it to the location but no volunteers showed up besides staff. No worries, we all worked together and got the bags of food ready then rode out to the bus stop to meet people with a warm meal as they waited at the bus stop. One funny thing happened. In my haste to get out the door to get to Tami’s, I accidently picked my husband Ron’s s shirt instead of mine. I was wondering why it was so big but I just got busy with the cooking. Later Ron met us and his shirt was rather small. It kind of looked like a body builders fit. Ron thought he had gained weight. Tami checked the size of my shirt and sure enough, I was wearing the wrong shirt. Ron and I disappeared for a few minutes to switch shirts, then we were out the door.
It is so rewarding to be a part of such an awesome outreach. Tami mentioned the people are starting to recognize us. Pastor Daryl brought a pair of work boots for one of the men. While I wish I could hear well enough to “hear” the stories, I do get them second hand. Tami said the man was so surprised about the boots. Another lady was smiling and laughing as we talked to her.
Just imagine what it would be like to be in their situation. You never know some of the stories or how these precious people end up on the streets. I was exhausted when we got home that night but it was a good kind of tired. I went to bed at 9 pm with a heart full of thanksgiving for the opportunity to serve.
Thursday morning I woke up and prepared one last time before our girls Bible study. One more chapter and we will be finished with our book. I am so grateful that God unexpectantly gave me the opportunity to teach my deaf friends. In all honestly, God has shown me what He can do when I surrender to His Will. This was not something I just volunteered for. God put the opprtunity in front of me and I obeyed. I can’t say it’s been easy. It hasn’t but it is so rewarding. The girls have come such a long way since we started. I can’t wait to see what else God has in store for us. I have also gleamed so much from the time invested studying and preparing, even memorizing because of my low vision. I have sat hours “signing” the lessons to myself to make sure I can present it in a way they could understand. Often I would stop and pray, “ Lord help me do this is a way that is clear and understandable.” We studied the women of the Bible. So many of the stories I knew, but teaching them takes you to a whole different level of understanding. I am so thankful for this gift of trust the girls have placed in me. But most of all I’m beyond thrilled at how we have all grown in our relationship with Jesus.
On this next “trip about the sun” I’m eager to see the new things God will teach me and ways He will continue to stretch my faith. This year is brought to you by… my true roots of gray (hair). Some women have the midlife crisis. I’m embracing this new stage. Live, learn, laugh and grow stronger each day.
As I had my quiet time the past two mornings, I decided to study 1 Thessalonians chapter five. I love the whole chapter but some verses really stood out. The chapter spans from being prepared in the last days, being on your guard and alert, keeping on the armor of faith and love with our confidence in our salvation. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 says, “So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.”(NLT) 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 is my heart. “ Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”(NLT).
A little side story for you. The other day Ron fixed the rotors on the back wheel area of his car. (You can tell I know nothing about these things, even if I spelled the part properly.) It was a tough job but he got it done. He came in the house and got under the kitchen sink to fix another issue. At the same time I had run from one bathroom to another with a plunger to unstop the toilet before it overflowed. I wasn’t going to even mention the stopped up toilet to Ron. As I was plunging the toilet, I had a mental picture of what I was doing, and then Ron under the sink in the kitchen , and I burst out laughing at the absurdity of it all. That’s life for ya. Things happen but we have a choice in how we respond.
There was one more verse in this chapter that I cling to. It is 1 Thessalonians 5:21, ‘but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good.” (NLT) Can I get an amen there? God gives us a brain. Use it. Be a leader not a follower. Look for the good in situations and cling to it. Some people can be so critical. Just look for the good. Ask God to help you see things from His perspective. Things look a whole lot better that way. No one is perfect. We all sin, we all fall short. There is always room for grace. Since God is merciful to us, shouldn’t we also be merciful to each other? Just some things to think about. Be blessed and most of all, keep on being a blessing. What you do for Jesus is not in vain.
One short note… wow… this blog was a HASSLE. In all my years of blogging this has never happened. For some odd reason the format would switch up while I was typing for no reason at all. I turned this iPad on and off, restarting five times. Started this blog last night but put it away in frustration until this morning. Here’s to hoping it posts without any strange formatting. I tell you the truth, I don’t think all those Apple updates are “all that” with fixing software flaws. 🙄😂 Just being real.
I pray this blog post has been a blessing to you. If you like it, please feel free to pass it along to bless someone else. We all need encouragement. You can find my autobiography Rooted by the Water on Amazon. I hope it inspires you to never give up in hard situations. Push through. God is always there to help us. Surrendering to Him years ago was the best decision I’ve ever made. Be blessed and better yet, be a blessing. Have a great weekend. Www.shannonkhinson.com
We all encounter things in life that seem to be blocking our path. It could be something hindering you from moving forward. It could also be a lack of resources to reach your goal. I will throw in one more, lacking ability to reach your destination. Whatever the obstacle is, you’ve got to push through or find a way around it.
This week I’ve been studying some of the women of the Gospels. The account of the woman with the bleeding condition in Mark 5 beginning with verse 25, has always resonated with me. I mean the testimony of this women has always stirred me inside since I was young. Why? Well I can relate to suffering from something for many years. I can also relate to seeing many doctors who couldn’t really help. Besides the doctor who did my cochlear implant surgery in 2006, my incredible audiologist, and the doctor who assisted me when our son was born, the rest of them weren’t so helpful. ( well honestly they help with general things but not the hearing and vision issues) I’ve had a total of five eyelids surgeries and found out one was not even needed. That’s a little hint to my wariness of doctors.
As I studied to prepare for our weekly Bible study, once again the woman with the bleeding condition stirred my heart. One thing about teaching on a subject, you end up going a bit deeper. I have seen the story so many times but never really considered how negatively her bleeding condition impacted her life. Back in the Old Testament, people with a continuous discharge of any kind were considered unclean. What they laid on or sat on was unclean. Leviticus 15 explains the Old Testament laws concerning these things.
So this woman has suffered for 12 years with this bleeding condition. She has depleted her financial resources by seeing many doctors who could not help. She in fact got worse. Think of her physical, emotional, social and spiritual distress for 12 long years.
The word had spread of Jesus, His power and healing touch. Everyone must have been talking about Jesus and the special ministry of healing and compassion He shared. The woman heard that Jesus was there and she wanted to touch the edge of His robe. Mark 5:27-29 says, “She had heard about Jesus, so she came up behind him through the crowd and touched his robe. For she thought to herself, “If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed.” Immediately the bleeding stopped, and she could feel in her body that she had been healed of her terrible condition.”(NLT)
That sounds like a pretty bold act of faith on her part. The crowd was pressing in on all side. She was probably weak and tired from blood loss. People in the crowd who knew her were possibly wondering ”Why is she here? She’s unclean”. She obviously didn’t care what the people thought. She was determined to get through the crowd and touch the hem of Jesus robe. She believed. She had great faith and acted n it. As a result she was healed immediately. Everywhere the Bible is shared, the story of her faith can encourage others.
She did not let the stigma of her condition prevent her from pushing through the crowd. She didn’t let her weakened condition or the pressing crowd hinder her. She was determined to push through and touch Jesus.
Is something stopping you from reaching out to Jesus in faith? Are you afraid of what others might think? God wants us to step out in faith. James 2:22 , says, “You see, his faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete.”(NLT) James 2:26 goes on to say, “Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works.”( NLT) Lord help us have that kind of faith that moves and acts, believing and trusting you.
Years ago there was a woman at our church with kidney problems. She had gone up to the front of the church for prayer. I felt a prompting to go pray for her but I resisted. I was like, “Lord who am I to go pray for her?Can’t I pray for here from where I am?” A period of time passed and there was an altar call at another church service. Many people had gone forward for prayer and the lady was on the stage. Once again I felt a prompting to go up and pray for her. This time I obeyed. She told me later she had the best week following that. What if we always acted promptly in faith, believing God for the impossible? Just like the woman with the bleeding condition who was determined to act in faith. The more we get to know Jesus and spend time in His Word (the Bible)the more likely we will walk in genuine faith. Praying, acting in faith, and watching to see what only God can do. He is God of the impossible. I love Ephesians 3:20-21, “Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.”(NLT)
I pray this blog post has been a blessing to you. If you like it, please feel free to pass it along to bless someone else. We all need encouragement. You can find my autobiography Rooted by the Water on Amazon. I hope it inspires you to never give up in hard situations. Push through. God is always there to help us. Surrendering to Him years ago was the best decision I’ve ever made. Be blessed and better yet, be a blessing. Www.shannonkhinson.com
Yesterday I came across a devotion on our church’s App. It’s actually a book called “Read and Pray” which is portions of sermons our Pastor Loran Livingston has preached over the years at Central Church of God. We bought many copies about a year ago and gave them away as gifts. Recently a friend reminded me of the devotions and I started reading them again on the church app. You can find the devotion on https://centralnc.org/read_prayer_devotional The website is http://www.centralnc.org Past messages and music are on there. Check it out.
Yesterday, April 3 devotion was titled, “What have you done with this gift of suffering”. Please go to the website and check it out for yourself. I don’t know about you but I don’t think I’ve ever thought about suffering as a gift. Suffering can be depressing. It can be annoying and discouraging. But a gift?
One of the scriptures listed to look up is Philippians 1:29 which says,“For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him.” (NLT) There it is folks. The New Living Translation calls it a privilege to suffer for Christ. That sure is a “game changer”.
There is an old saying, “If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.” If you take a good look at people around you and really see them and their situations, you will see suffering on all different levels. You can see emotional suffering when people are having relationship issues. There is financial suffering when families try so hard to make “ends meet” in this ridiculous inflation.There are people suffering from physical pain and health issues. Other people suffer from their lack of ability.
If we look at our “suffering” through the lens of “privilege “ or a “gift”, what are we doing with it for the glory of God? I will be the first to admit that it’s tough. Honestly you can’t do this in your own strength, but you can in the strength of the Lord. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
In my personal situation, many might see my low vision and hearing issues a suffering. I’ve heard many people complain when they couldn’t drive for a certain period of time like that was the end of the world. I get it. At the beginning that was one “tough loss” but here I am about 35 years since I stopped driving, and I’m just fine. It was not the end of the world. My priorities have changed. I don’t always have to be going somewhere and I’m sensitive to others around me that have “lost”something. Add to that low vision hearing and speech comprehension issues, is it easy? Not by any means but God has given much perspective and empathy for others.
God has given me opportunities to get involved in serving others and helping to meet their needs. There is nothing like taking the attention off yourself and helping others. Forget the “woe is me” outlook. A couple of months ago my husband Ron and I got involved with some friends helping with Rice N Beans Ministry. We are helping with the Rock Hill location. A few weeks ago we met a homeless man and he said he was so blessed because he knows Jesus. This man has no earthly possessions but he has Jesus and he feels so blessed. That is the biggest testimony. With his “gift of suffering” in being homeless, he is declaring the goodness of God. Wow.
Another example of doing something with the “gift of suffering” would be in teaching bible study to my deaf girlfriends. Three of us have hearing loss and one is hearing. Our learning approaches are all different and so are our reading skills. With my vision issues and preparation for the lessons, it takes a lot of time to prepare. As I have pressed through, God has given me a deeper understanding of His Word. The girls who bought Bibles at the beginning of the study are now looking up and reading scripture. They participate in the discussions. One friend who has always been shy about praying out loud, is now signing short prayers. She said she didn’t know how to sign it in English. I said “ Prayer is talking to God. It doesn’t matter how you sign it, just talk to our Heavenly Father, and so she did. These things are priceless.
So what are you doing with your “gift of suffering”? Can you even see suffering as a “gift”? Think about the hardships you have endured. Has God brought people along side you to help “carry the load”? That could be in the forms of encouragement, offering to pray, bringing a meal, offering a listening ear. Reading Pastor’s devotion and reflecting on life, helps me see things more clearly.
I pray this blog post has been a blessing to you. If you like it, please feel free to pass it along to bless someone else. We all need encouragement. You can find my autobiography Rooted by the Water on Amazon. I hope it inspires you to never give up in hard situations . God is always there to help us. Surrendering to Him years ago was the best decision I’ve ever made. Be blessed and better yet, be a blessing. Www.shannonkhinson.com
I’ve been a Christian for a long time. Learning to pray God’s Will and not my own has been something I’ve had to learn over a long period of time. Sad to admit that it took me so LONG to learn this truth but I learned.
With this being the week leading up to Resurrection Sunday, I am so beyond thankful that Jesus chose the Father’s Will over His own Will. As Pastor preached this morning, tears silently rolled down my face. The magnitude of what Jesus did for us on the cross is so beyond our understanding. There is no way to express the thankfulness that I feel for Jesus sacrifice for me.
Jesus, God’s only son, who had never sinned, never done anything wrong, laid down His life for us. He took the wrath and fury of God, on Himself. Oh how I praise Jesus! To know that He paid my debt in full, so that I can live forgiven. God’s gift to us is a free gift that anyone can receive. How can anyone reject such an incredible free gift? Check out these verses from Romans chapter 3. “Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he makes sinners right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.” Romans 3:24-26 (NLT) Such amazing love God has for us!
God had to look away when Jesus was on the cross, bearing our sins. But….Yes there is a but, God saw the Big picture. He was looking ahead at the Resurrected Jesus! He was looking ahead at the Triumph over the enemy! He saw the big picture of His adopted children spending eternity with hHm in Heaven. Oh Lord help us to pray, “Not my Will but thy will be done.”
I was texting my Mom this afternoon. I asked her to keep praying about a situation. She said she would. We both agreed not to press the issue but let God do His work. We often try to “fix things” ourselves. “ Lord I have some ideas on how this might work!” How many of you do this? Surely I am not alone in trying to solve issues. But God! That is such a huge truth! But God! He sees the “Big” picture. He knows what He’s doing. My little ideas might not be over all bad ideas, but He sees ahead. He is timeless. He knows the beginning from the end and the end from the beginning. One step forward of faith, two steps backward trying to work things out on my own. It’s a back and forth shuffle but Praise God, as I continue to walk with Him, daily seeking Him, I’m moving more ahead than back. Thank you Jesus!
How many of you try to get out of what God’s brought you to do? I know I’m not alone here. I am still struggling with the concept of teaching Bible study when I can’t see the book and have trouble seeing my notes zoomed in on my iPad.
Teaching God’s Word is a weighty matter that I don’t take lightly. I can grasp a tiny bit the burden Pastors have . I see a little glimpse of that. So many times I have said “God I don’t want to do this”. Here I am still doing it because God has this door open and I am trying to obey. Not my will but thy Will be done.
I shared with my husband Ron and my Mom about this struggle. I know they are praying. As I’m preparing this week I feel a bit “lighter”. I’m trying to “let go and let God” sink this lesson deep down within the “spiritual well” of my heart. He is teaching me and I know He will let it “bubble up and pour out” as only He can make that happen.
What are you struggling to give to the Lord and let Him have His way? It’s not an easy place to be but the stretching is rewarding. God wants us to be a part of His work. John 4:35 says, “You know the saying, ‘Four months between planting and harvest.’ But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe for harvest.” ( NLT). Jesus is talking about a “spiritual “ harvest.
Let’s be open to God’s perfect Will. Let’s open our eyes to see where He is at work and be willing to join in as He leads. Whatever you are facing, be encouraged that “It is finished’. Jesus has overcome it all. In His presence every “high place must come down”…every stronghold shall be broken”. Jesus wears the”Victors Crown”. All Glory and Honor to Jesus! So incredibly humbled and thankful.
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.
Right now I’m at the Fort Mill Church of God food pantry. Today has been a slower day, just having to pack one round of boxes. One round equals 24 boxes of food. I am thankful for the team of volunteers that work together here. Since I have to wait until 12 (noon) when mom is finished to leave, I figured I would use my time wisely. Got a little online shopping done for a cousins baby gift and now I’m thinking about life. Give me some spare time and a keyboard and I will go exploring through thought processes and how to cope with what life throws.
An example of existing with limitations…. well actually way more than just existing but actually living with Joy. Every Tuesday before the Food pantry opens to the community we have group prayer. This is so tricky for me because I can’t comprehend much of the speaking that goes on around the big circle. I can sometimes tell who is speaking by movement but not always. Today I thought they had started the prayer but actually one person just had a rather long prayer request and was still talking. Mom had her head bowed, but I guess in hind sight she was just looking down. Um… I guessed they weren’t praying quite yet. Then two men too off their hats so I know that was a big indication prayer was beginning. I dont hear the requests but I offer up a prayer. “Lord you heard the requests even though I didn’t”.
When you live with hearing and vision issues you just have to “go with the flow”. Predetermine that you’re not going to let things get to you. Don’t be easily offended and just “let it roll”.
Yesterday was another prime example of just choosing a poisitive outlook. Yesterday was Monday and boy did it turn out to be just that. Mom and I had our mammogram appointments . We left with plenty of time to be there and get signed in. We weren’t anticipating any construction or who knows what it was, in front of the parking deck. There was no place to park and we circled the lot quite a few times. Ended up finding a spot quite a distance from where our appointment was. Oh welll… just do it. Right as we walk into the building, Moms phone rings. A friend was calling to let her know a family friend had passed away. I didn’t know until after we signed in for our appointments. Speaking of signing in, they seem to be “masking up” again. Oh joy ….NOT. Mom was a little flustered. Too much at once: being late, no parking space, someone died, need to help me sign in etc. Bless her heart. She’s a “trooper”. I gave her a hug and we pressed on through. Her appointment was first. I told her to let the lady know of my issues since she was wearing a mask. When it was my turn the lady technician was nice and trying to be helpful. I said “Im good. Same old drill. Let’s get it done”. After our appointment we grabbed some lunch and went in a few stores then she took me home.
Last night when I finished studying for Bible study, I got on X/Twitter to scroll through some posts. I saw someone asking for prayer and how people manage with depression and anxiety. I said a little prayer for the person as I typed a few tips on how I cope with those things.
The first tip I gave the person was to cover the situation in prayer. You see, Abba Father cares about every little detail of our lives. We humans try to do things in our own strength which is really pointless. Pray about whatever it is that is depressing you or causing anxiety. God can open or close doors. He can orchestrate situations to work for the best. Include Him in every detail. That is one of the keys to living with Joy.
Another thing I suggested to the person was to have fellowship with other believers. I know when you’re depressed you feel like you want to be left alone. I get it. Been there, done that but secluding yourself will not help matters. When I get out and get involved, it brings a lightness to my heart. Not only that, but everyone is going through something. We can help each other. We are not alone in our struggles. You can isolate yourself so you feel alone. That’s a choice you make but you won’t benefit much if any, from isolation. Get out and do something. It does take dropping your pride to admit you don’t have it all together. That’s ok. No one has it all together even if they try to act like they do. We all need each other.
The last thing I suggested to the person was to play worship and praise music. There is something so healing about praising God when you are struggling or feel broken. God has turned my sorrow into dancing so many times I can’t even count them. Sing it out. I did just that on Sunday. With the increase in pollen my throat has felt full of mucus. I told my husband Ron I was going to watch church online. My cochlear implant processor has a blue tooth feature so I just tuned directly in to the live service from my iPad. As the music played I just began to worship. The place of worship isn’t important. It’s the state of the heart. I worship at home just like I worship in church. I sing out loud (off key of course) and raise my hands in praise to Jesus. There is something so freeing about just letting go and worshipping God.
These were a few tips I shared with the depressed and anxious person looking for ways to cope. God fills my life with such joy in the midst of struggles. He enables me to do more than just exist. He enables me to “Live”. It’s the art of living life. Life isnt perfect. Mine is so far from perfect. We can choose to surrender each day to Jesus and face the day with “God glasses” on. Ask God to help you see it from His perspective. He will do it. Take that first step and He will meet you there.
If you need encouragement or prayer, reach out. I’d be more than happy to pray for you. It’s a privilege to lift each other up to the Lord. We are the body of Christ. We work together for the Glory of God. I hope you all have a beyond blessed week. Don’t give up. Keep pushing. You’ve got this and best of all, God has you.
f 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.
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