#faithoverfear – Page 5 – rootedbythewater.blog

From Prison to Palace

January 8, 20254 Comments

Image found on Pinterest One of my favorite verses.

I’ve been reading through Genesis this week and the story of Joseph’s struggles always hits me. Every single time! You know the beauty from ashes kind of storyline? Joseph was Jacob’s (Israel) beloved son born in his old age. Joseph’s brothers were jealous because of his father’s love for him, the coat of many colors his father gave him and the dreams he had. They desired to kill him but threw him in a pit then decided to sell him instead. He was bought by Potiphar, Captain of the Guard of Pharaoh of Egypt. God showed Joseph great favor and he was elevated to run the household. Potiphar’s wife wrongly accused Joseph and he was thrown in prison. Genesis‬ ‭39‬:‭21 says, “But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.” (ESV‬‬)

I always find the story of Joseph so remarkable. He went through trial after trial, but through it all God was with him, showing him favor despite all the wrong treatments he endured. Joseph didn’t know one day he would be in the palace of Egypt. Each and every trial prepared him for what was next. In reading his story I see how he was faithful in each trial.

How often are we faithful through trials? There have been times in life when it seemed like one thing after another went wrong and I just wondered, God where are you? Joseph was human and likely had those fleshly moments too. In Genesis 41:46 it says, “Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh and went through all the land of Egypt.” (ESV‬‬) That is a long journey of trials and I’m sure he never thought he would end up in Pharaohs palace.

Each trial was preparation for the palace. He had to eventually be in prison to interpret Pharaoh’s Chief Cupbearer and Chief Baker’s dreams, that lead to him interpreting Pharaoh’s dream. Each hardship set him up for *advancement*.

These next two verses really show us how Joseph felt. In Egypt two sons were born to him. “Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh. “For,” he said, “God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father’s house.” The name of the second he called Ephraim, “For God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.”” Genesis‬ ‭41‬:‭51‬-‭52‬ ‭(ESV‬‬) Did you catch that? God had made him fruitful in the land of his affliction. God helped him forget his hardship.

Let’s think on that for a minute. How has God made us fruitful in our trials? How has God helped us to forget afflictions? I can share part of my journey. At the age of 55, I’m sitting here blogging, after a day of cooking and serving the homeless with RiceNBeans. It’s been a LONG time since I was diagnosed with optic nerve issues. It’s also been a LONG time since I lost a good portion of my hearing. There have been moments of questioning God. There have been many tears of frustration and tears of victory. While I’m still in the land of disability/affliction God enables me daily to go beyond myself and do things most people would never attempt from the sheer frustrations of it all. BUT GOD!!! Say that with me…. BUT GOD! He pours strength into me that is beyond my years. He has allowed me to endure to develop a sincere empathy and love for those hurting. He has gifted me with prayer, discernment and writing to pour into and encourage others. He enables me to let things go. He satisfies my soul. That is being in the palace!
The beauty of God’s Word is He impresses on our hearts things we each need to learn in the land of affliction. I want to encourage you to ask God to direct you as you read His Word, to help you uncover the beauty in the trials you face. There is always a hidden lesson if we are willing to seek Him in the daily grind and especially the difficulties. The next blog I plan to write about Joy. I can’t wait! There are hidden treasures to discover there. Until next time~ Blessings!

Www.shannonkhinson.com

Just a thought

November 21, 2024Leave a Comment

Just wanted to share a short but profound truth to encourage you with whatever today holds. Psalms 139:5 say, “You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head”. (NLT) I read this chapter in the Bible this morning and I can’t help but see our Abba Father God so very carefully guiding us through this day. He knows what’s ahead and He knows what’s behind. He places His loving hand of blessing on our head. He also knows when we go our own way and get dangerously *out on a limb*

Whatever you are facing today, give it to God. He loves you and desires the very best for you. Make room for Him today. Don’t push him to the side and *do it yourself* when His loving guidance is right there with you. Never feel embarrassed that you need help. We all need help. Look to Jesus! Have a blessed beyond measure day. You are loved. 🤟🏼

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The Afternath 😳🙏💓PS..I love you 🤟🏼

November 8, 2024Leave a Comment

I just checked my iPad battery and I’m at 18%. It is also bedtime so my energy and mental level are about the same. However I’m going to get this written before I head to bed. God willing, it won’t take too long.

Monday or Tuesdays are usually the days I chose to post a new blog but this week I’ve put it off. As you all know, Tuesday was a historical Election Day in America. (I do realize I have a few readers outside the country but I think anyone can benefit from this blog.) Let me tell you a little bet about this week prior to Tuesday. Prior to the election I felt unsettled for some reason. The media in our country has failed us by not having a fair balanced approach to news. If there is anything I detest, it would be dishonesty. I choose to get my news from online sources and people who do research. I can’t tell you the last time I watched mainstream media. A biased one sided approach to news is not informative but misleading.

From seeing posts, comments and scrapes of what the media says online, I felt burdened to pray. I prayed earnestly about our election. On Tuesday I woke up feeling at such peace, trusting that God indeed is Sovereign and His Will WILL be done. I got ready for Bible study. We had been studying on intercessory prayer and discussed our lesson that morning. On the way to Bible study, my Fitbit, which is synced to my iPad started shaking due to text coming in. I checked the text and it was from a friend sharing some voting fraud. I said, “Nope! I won’t have my peace disturbed. I have prayed and I’m trusting the Lord”. I took my Fitbit off so I wouldn’t be disturbed any further. While at Bible study, a friend showed me how to mute texts and that has been wonderful. I exercised my right to vote last week, so I decided to not watch the “play by play” of the election results and went to bed.

On Wednesday when I woke up, my husband told me Trump had won the Presidency. Relieved, I went into another room to have my quiet time. I had prayed, God answered and I was ready to give Him praise and thanksgiving.. I finished my quiet time then checked about the election. I was stunned to see not only the Presidency was won but also the House and Senate. I was beyond relieved. Please note, my relief is because I’ve followed truthful news over the last few years. I have not been deceived by the mainstream media. I went on to my friend’s house to help cook for our homeless friends, then went to serve them the food. We did not talk much about the election. The election doesn’t rule my life. I am just passing through here. My citizenship is Heaven and we were about our Heavenly Fathers work.

On the way home after serving the homeless, I was catching up on social media. I was stunned to see the variety and I do mean extreme variety of responses. It hurt my heart to see friends I grew up with, white and black, talking of moving to Canada because of our election results. Oh my Gosh! Do they even really know what the government is like there? I read accounts of people being scared because they feared Trump. That is so beyond sad. No he’s not perfect, but he took a bullet for our country and continued to fight for our freedoms and constitution. All Trump supporters were suddenly racist. 😳To my bewilderment I saw today some of the things people think will happen all because they did not get the honest news. All I can do is shake my head and pray some more. There is much division because the media was biased. People are individuals and are unique. Just because some people vote for Trump does not mean they are labeled as racists and several other rather ugly names. I treat all people the same regardless of what color their skin is or their sexual preference. I had just spent the day cooking and serving homeless people. Giving hugs and encouragement. Come on people! Stop labeling everything you don’t understand! So the Afternath is really disturbing. People are either elated or angry and scared. I am excited to see what the future holds. I do hope people in power will be held accountable for weaponzing our justice system. I pray for peace and speak life over everyone. Do not fear! God puts authorities in place. Let’s trust Him! He knows the future, we don’t!

I was thinking about this blog as I was cooking dinner. After eating a late dinner, I was planning to blog but decided to do my Bible study lesson for today first. I’m so glad I did. It truly is beyond amazing when my Bible study somehow aligns with daily life. Last week it was on intercessory prayer. This week it’s on “prayers of unity”! Yes you read that right! Just WOW! The key scripture this week is Jesus’ prayer in John 17:20-21, which says ““I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.”( ‭NLT‬‬) Jesus was praying for us! He was praying for unity so the world would believe.

As I studied tonight, the following two verses stood out to me and are so worth adding here. This first two verses were after Jesus washed His disciples feet; “So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.””John‬ ‭13‬:‭34‬-‭35‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Ask yourself this, can people see love in you? In the things you share on social media? Do they see your passion for your political beliefs more than you love for God and your neighbor? Let’s clarify who our neighbor is. It’s not just the person living next door, it’s also the people in the grocery line. It’s also the people you see on the streets. We are to LOVE others. Loving others will make the world a beautiful place to live.

The next verse I want to share is John 14:1 ““Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me.”( ‭NLT‬‬) God is love and His perfect love casts out fear. You need not be afraid. Yes we have a new President, but God is King Eternal! Do you know Him? There is no time like the present to surrender your life to Jesus. He loves you! He died for you! Salvation is a free gift. Will you choose Him today? “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭10‬:‭9‬-‭10‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

If you are a believer, I encourage you to speak love, peace and unity over all you encounter. Let’s pray for unity and peace among our brothers and sisters living around us. It is vital that we pray and interceded for one another and for those around us. I know this is a bit lengthy and I apologize but if you’ve gotten to the end here you will realize it all comes together…..and PS~ I love you all🤟🏼 Good night. It’s past bedtime and I’m beyond tired. Tomorrow is a new day to love one another ~

Enjoy the Journey

October 29, 2024October 29, 2024Leave a Comment

I am sitting here kind of chuckling because in this highly divisive time we are living in, I’m sitting here getting ready to blog about “enjoying the journey”. Trust me, we sure can. Deep breath hang here with me please. Life is definitely not a “bed of roses” as they say. When we have a “bed of pretty roses”, rest assure there are some thorns in there as well. You’ve got to find ‘em and clip ‘em. There is always something or someone who is waiting to steal our peace and joy. The trick is to find those things and just “steer clear” of them. For example, if the news you watch leaves you feeling unsettled, turn it off and tune in to God and His Word. That is the surest way to welcome peace into your life. I’ve done that recently. Well honestly I make a point of prioritizing my time with Jesus. I just function much better when I make that daily choice.

Yesterday as life would have it, Ron and I were getting on each others nerves. If you’ve been married over 30 plus years, you will understand. Sometimes we just don’t see “eye to eye” and respond accordingly. Well it just so happened I was wearing a shirt that said “Spread Kindness”. Our son Joshua came up to me and read my shirt out-loud. I said “Yes, and it starts with me”. It’s important to see yourself honestly and how you come across to others and make adjustments accordingly. I know when I’m being a bit short with someone. I actually ask the Holy Spirit to check me and show me when I’m wrong. I always want to be humble and teachable. That too is part of enjoying the journey.

There are always conflicts to navigate. Conflict resolution is part of the journey. I don’t prefer to avoid people but can certainly do without the sticky issues. Politics is one of those. Oh my goodness! What a divisive topic and people are “diehard” party followers. I choose to vote policy. This afternoon I got on social media and saw some people debating on a post I had shared. Oh boy! As I read through the comments I began to sing I Speak Jesus. As I read the comments, I tried to picture each person and their hearts. I spoke PEACE over them all and explained my point of view. That is part of conflict resolution, hearing the other person. You don’t have to agree with me, I just ask you to look at the policies and see what you agree with and vote accordingly. Respecting others point of view is necessary for enjoying the journey. Together we stand, divided we fall.

Another aspect of enjoying the journey is not getting stuck on your emotional rollercoaster. Today our Bible study group wrapped up a lesson on lamenting. God invites us to humbly pour out our feelings to Him so He can help us sort through the emotions and disappoints and move forward. In this weeks lesson one of the things that stood out to me was using the words YET I will. Habakkuk”s prayer in chapter 3 is an eye opener. Here’s the second verse, If you have a chance look up the entire chapter. It is refreshing. “I have heard all about you, Lord. I am filled with awe by your amazing works. In this time of our deep need, help us again as you did in years gone by. And in your anger, remember your mercy.” Habakkuk‬ ‭3‬:‭2‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Then a bit later in the chapter it says, “Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! The Sovereign Lord is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights.”
‭‭Habakkuk‬ ‭3‬:‭17‬-‭19‬ ‭(NLT‬‬). Can I just say WOW. There are three “even thoughs” then a YET I WILL. It is like a flashlight beam of HOPE in an otherwise dark dark night. YET I WILL rejoice in the Lord. I will be joyful of the God of my salvation!

Jennifer Rothchild taught this particular week in “When you pray”. (Lifeway study) She is blind and her message was very enlightening. She challenged us in day 5 of this week to write our own version of Habakkuk (lament): Even though___, even though___, even though____, YET____, He enables me to_____. Can you fill in those blanks? Oh my! What an exercise that was. Let me be honest here. Here is mine.
Even though I don’t understand why You allow me to live with hearing and vision loss and it brings loneliness and sorrow: Even though You have allowed our son to be born with similar issues and it honestly breaks my heart though Lord you know I push it down, way way down and deal, Even though we live in a fallen evil world where deceiption and sin are in our faces at every turn and Your people are holding on to You, YET I will trust in Your sovereignty, Your love, wisdom and perfect plan. You enable me (us) to over come through Your power. You never leave us and You never forsake us. We are Yours and You are ours. Amen! And I was wearing another shirt today that says Stronger than the storm Gotta love it. It’s all part of Enjoying the Journey. Walk with Jesus. Let Him show us the way. Let Him correct us when we are wrong. Let Him encourage us and comfort us in our weaknesses so we can comfort and encourage others in the same way we have been comforted.

Enjoy the Journey.
Be blessed!
Www.shannonkhinson.com

Check your Foundation

October 7, 2024Leave a Comment

It’s been a week since I’ve published a new blog post. Sometimes It just seems life sucks the liveliness out of you. Not that my personal issues are any more than usual. My life pretty much stays stable. However the devastation of Western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene has left me unsettled.

I am one to think deeply on issues and that can be good but it can also been a burden. I am also one to question everything and that is not a bad thing. I’ve read about the devastation of this hurricane and I’ve also read about the lack of response from our government. That is very troubling.

While I am no weather person, so many aspects of this recent hurricane seem “of”. Who would have ever thought that such a horrific outcome would occur from this disaster? Whole towns have been wiped out from flooding and “rivers” of water than rushed through. How in the world do these things happen? Don’t even mention “climate change” All those”tooting that horn” go jetting around the world. It’s a “do as I say, not as I do” kind of thing. I know that ultimately GOD IS IN CONTROL! But…. I know… I know… I’m never to question God’s ways and why bad things and disasters happen. God has a way of bringing “beauty from ashes” or in this case “beauty from devastating floods and mud”. I will get to that later. Right now I want to highlight a few things.

Why why why did it take FEMA a week to be on the scene? Why have Americans been told not to fly drones, that can take accurate footage of whats really going on? I’ve read that the media is not fully reporting on what’s happened. Why has the government not helped with the rescue? Why has our military who want to help been told to stand down? Why? Why has our government spent tons of money on illegals and thrown a mere $750 to the victims of the horror? Some of which are even denied that. All the while sending loads of our tax payers money to Ukraine! Why? Thank God for a few platforms that continue to allow for our American right of “Free Speech”. Those shouting about misinformation are the ones wanting to control the narrative. Are you awake yet?

Dare I say, this administration cares nothing about the American people. Yes I do dare to say it! All in an election year, when they have tried every possible trick, weaponized our justice system and lied to keep Trump off the Presidential ballot, yet he stands! That’s a whole different blog, that I will try my best to refrain from writing.

Now back to the “beauty from the horrific flood and mud” , while our government cares nothing for the victims, the beauty of America rises! I have read story after story of people pulling together to take supplies, help rescue, pray and show love. Churches, businesses and American citizens pulling together to help. That is the beauty in this horror.I read of one crew going up to help. They dug six people out from a collapsed house. That is a beautiful thing. I know someone who was able to get food up to a family who had not eaten in three days. (That was last week) Another beautiful thing. Churches and businesses collecting clothing, food, water, generators and fuel. If you do feel lead to help please give to a church or a trusted organization.

In all this devastation what can we do? How do we deal with these things? Our best weapon in dealing with anything is PRAYER! We must PRAY! It’s true we can’t fix everything but we can PRAY and I assure you that nothing is impossible with God! It boils down to our foundation. What are you built on? I will admit that my foundation is built on a strong relationship with Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior. I have had many things in life that “rocked my world” and shook my faith, but I know at the end of each day, at the end of any situation I can fully depend on God! 1 Peter‬ ‭5‬:‭10‬ says, “In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.” (NLT‬‬).

Having a firm foundation is so incredibly important. When things happen and devastate you, your foundation is what you fall back on. When you trust God’s sovereignty it grounds you to trust that He will ultimately work things out for your good and most of all for His Glory. Having a firm foundation enables you to trust in His Word. Scripture like Psalms‬ ‭34‬:‭7‬ that says, “The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, And delivers them.” (NKJV‬‬) strengthens our faith to trust God. There is so much I don’t understand but I am encouraged to trust in the Lord with all my heart and not to lean on my own understanding.

A firm foundation can make or break you. A few weeks ago as I was riding with my friends to serve the homeless in Rock Hill, we passed by this massive structure of metal. It was the oddest looking thing. I noticed it as I sat in the back seat of their truck, looking out the window. I said “W in the world was that?” My friend took a quick picture and sent it to me so I could see it better. It appears to be a building that looks like a complete failure. It appears to be a building with metal framing that collapsed. I’m not an engineer or builder, however common sense tells you something was wrong with the structure or its foundation to cave in like it appears to have done. Your foundation is everything. Whether you “stand up tall” after a “massive blow in life” or if you crumble; it’s going to depend on what you’re built on. If you are build upon a firm foundation of faith in Jesus, when the “winds and waves” hit you will ultimately remain standing because you are “grounded in Christ” There is no time like the present to check your foundation.

Www.shannonkhinson.com

Fan it

September 28, 2024Leave a Comment

Wow! I have not published a blog in almost two weeks. In the three years I have blogged, this is definitely a “first”. I have been overly stimulated with life lately. Two weeks ago I had another adjustment (Map) to my cochlear implant processor so my brain has been adjusting and I’m trying my best to do everything on my part to “understand speech”. Bible study with my deaf friends has also started back up with a new video format which is challenging for me. (Reading closed captions when I have to zoom in on the caption and it moves so fast). Visual stimulation from that and seeing more sign language. Sometimes I wonder if my vision is worse. No time to really figure that out. Life moves to fast and I just have to “move with it” There has also been some other stuff going on but it’s nothing anyone else doesn’t face…so face it…. I do! (Just with less vision and hearing than most) I have also been printing out all I’ve found with “life stories” on Anestry.com and Wow… it’s a book. 😂Fascinating information about my ancestors but I need to stop this subscription, so I’ve been tediously printing. Half the time I stop and wonder , why am I doing this? Then remember , I’ve put too much time into this to lose this treasure. Last night I finished! Glory to God! Happy Dance! (Now what to do with all of this is a whole different thing for another day.) In the midst of all that,Mom had an appointment to remove some skin cancer on top of her head. The biopsy revealed cancer cells. When the day came for her procedure to remove one layer of skin at a time to test, the surgeon could NOT find the skin cancer! The Dr could not even find the scar from where the biopsy was done. Nothing! Praise God! So thankful for those obvious “God things” and answered prayers to encourage me to keep moving forward. Keep digging in my heels, one step at a time.

So late on September 17, below is what I wrote but never finished……. (I will add more in and sent this off)

~~~~~~~

It’s Tuesday night and I should be going to bed but I wanted to get some notes down for this blog so I don’t forget. I actually wanted to write this morning when several things spoke to my heart, but there was no time to writ today until now. I really should be asleep but I don’t want to lose these thoughts as tomorrow is likely to be another busy day cooking and serving with RiceNBeans ministry.

True to form, I wrote this blog title about two months ago. I wrote “Fan it” then the following scripture. 2 Timothy‬ ‭1‬:‭6‬-‭7‬, “This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” (NLT‬) Also check out 1 Peter‬ ‭4‬:‭10‬, “God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.”( ‭NLT‬‬) Wow and now two weeks after writing that I’m actually going to finish this blog and put it out there to “fan into” someone’s life (For some reason a picture of a wild dandelion blowing, came to mind. The little seeds blow where ever God desires. )

Do you know your spiritual gifts? I took a test with my Bible study group a couple of years ago and discovered mine are intercession, faith, encouragement, discernment and evangelism. I love the idea of “fanning” these gifts God has given me to bring Glory to His name. I try to use my gifts through blogging to encourage others and serving my family, the Lord and those less fortunate.

Today the Bible study group I’m in met up to study “When you pray”. It’s a six week study on prayer. We talked about some distractions we might face while trying to develope a daily prayer life. I am pretty consistent in prayer but I need to spend more time with the Lord. I made a little confession to the group that things going on in our country with it being election year, the two attempted assisination attempts of Trump and the division among people because of lies and deception of the media and politics, really upsets me. I saw a short video reel on Facebook today that Julie Green ministries posted. I don’t remember exactly what it said but it something about God wanting us to have joy. The Joy of the Lord is my strength. She mentioned if you don’t have joy, then you need more of God’s Word in your heart. That is so spot on. As I told the group today that society events can leave me feeling unsettled. I explained that I was starting to get away in a quiet place and just focus on God. Taking deep breaths in through my nose and releasing it slowly though my mouth, is a way to bring a sense of calm. I then begin to focus on the Lord, thanking Him for various things. I want my focus to be on thanksgiving and rejoicing in all God is, rather than focusing on problems. God knows my heart and what troubles me. He can handle it. He just wants me to bring these things to Him. I truly want to sit at Jesus feet and learn from Him. There is power in His name, healing in His name: there is no other name but Jesus. Hosea‬ ‭6‬:‭3‬ says, “Oh, that we might know the Lord! Let us press on to know Him. He will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn or the coming of rains in early spring.””
‭‭ ‭(NLT‬‬)
~~~~~~

The above was all I had written. As I just reread it,editing some typos, I spoke to me yet again. Oh Lord, help us to not look at the “storm/chaos/devastation from this recent hurricane” and just find peace in Your sovereignty. Knowing You are in control. Trusting You with our whole hearts and not leaning on our understanding. Help us Lord to “fan into flame” the gifts You have gives us. To PRAY PRAY and PRAY some more, to intercede for our country, our world, for Israel. To serve others with sincerity of heart because when we do so, Your light shines through us! Enable us to reach beyond our own shortcomings, and limitations to receive strength and courage to be useful vessels for Your Glory to this dying world. In Jesus name I pray~ Amen

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭6‬ ‭(NLT)

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Keeping on ~

July 21, 20246 Comments

Time truly FLIES! I “blink” and three years have gone by. This past Friday marked my three year anniversary of blogging with WordPress.com This has become a passion of encouraging others to face life with Jesus. Blogging started out as a continuation of things God has taught me through living with limitations. It continues to be a time of sharing my journey which I first shared in my autobiography Rooted by the Water published in 2021 through Westbow Press. (You can find it on Amazon in print and ebook format).

By the grace of God, in the past three years I have written 213 blog posts with 6,964 views. All for the Glory of God! It’s an honor to share the things the Holy Spirit reveals through nature and life in general. Oh the lessons He teaches me as He refines and sharpens me. Convicting me at times, humbling me and cheering me on. I’m grateful for this process He has me in. It’s my hope and prayer that Jesus love and care are seen through the words He enables me to write.

The Bible tells us to “let our light shine”. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭16 (NKJV) So I write. I am astounded that Rootedbythewater.blog is read around the world. Each week the blogging site tells me in what countries it is viewed. I am not saying many people read it, but it humbles me that God uses this gift He has given me to touch someone here and there: in China, another in England, Nigeria, France, Canada and so many countries. (There have been a couple I’ve never heard of. Looking them up, turns out they were small countries in Africa.) The majority of views are here in America.

The times we live in are evil. It’s a worldwide peril. In a sense, it’s like being out at sea on a stormy night. With darkness and raging winds and waves surrounding, we strive to catch sight of a “lighthouse” to guide us to safety. In these times, let Jesus use you to “shine” for Him. I’ve always had this hidden gift but God has chosen to bring it out during the last three years for “such a time as this”.

We all have God given talents. Whether it’s music, dance, acts of service, teaching, encouraging, speaking life and so many more….. whatever your gift may be, will you offer it back to God? Can you pray, ‘Lord I’m so humbled and thankful you chose me to have this gift. I give it back to You, asking You to enable me to use it for Your Glory, not mine. Lead me through the Holy Spirit to encourage someone today and lead them to You. Help us to overcome this evil world with the blood of the Lamb and Word of our testimony (Revelation 12:11)” I pray that you can surrender and pray that prayer with me. God is at work all around us. Join in this labor of love! It’s all for Jesus! He’s worthy of it all!

Here’s to many more blogs or whatever else He calls me to do. As long as He continues to pour into me, I will continue to pour out. It’s all for Jesus! 🤟🏼❤️
Www.shannonkhinson.com

Grab a Shovel!

July 14, 2024Leave a Comment

Yes you read that title right! The title is inspired by a post my cousin Craig Kenley posted. I asked if I could quote him.and he said “yes “. He said, “It’s a deep hole America and everyone has a shovel.” Now that’s is truth. We all have a responsibility in this mess called life. What do we do? The answer to that lies in which mess we are referring to.

There are a lot of ‘“Holes” out there. Which one do you find yourself in? There is a “Hole’ called “Depression”. There is another “Hole” called “lies and misinformation”. Oh my goodness! You could really open up a “can of worms” exposing all the types of “Holes” people fall into. Alrighty, let’s name some more: Financial holes, deceptive holes, political holes, censorship holes, addictions, affairs, evil sinister holes and the list goes on.

First I want to touch on the “Hole” America finds itself in right now. The “Hole” has been getting deeper and deeper for YEARS, but with the decline of common sense and intergrity in our country, it’s taken a nose dive. The country I grew up in is no longer recognizable. It really doesn’t matter what “Party” you are aligned with. Sinister greed and power infilterate all levels of our government. It is spiritual, whether you agree or not. It is what it is. Our Founding Fathers created a government with “checks and balances”: The President, Congress and Supreme Court. The darkness and censorship of truth, has infiltered all those branches of government to the point many can not be trusted. We have a Justice in the Supreme Count that can’t even define what a woman is. Is there any wonder that we are where we are as a country? Our current President and Congress care more about Ukraine than they do American citizens. The care more about the illegal immigrants than they do American citizens. This should NOT be! Our media spews out half truths and down right lies and people with no common sense just “eat it up”. Journalist have a responsibility to report truth! Do they? You tell me!

Yesterday I was at a birthday party in the late afternoon when someone said Donald Trump had been shot at a rally in Pennsylvania. I was stunned to say the least. I got my iPad and got on Twitter X to see what was happening. I also got on Facebook and there was nothing. Isn’t that a bit odd? One platform is censored, the other more for freedom of speech. We have a right to a free election. It is election season and our current President has had our borders open wide. Drugs, human trafficking and violence abound. The powers want those illegals to have a right to vote in our election. That should NOT be! Oh my word people! Open your eyes to what is and has been going on for a long time. Stop listening to the lies and start digging for truth. Don’t believe everything you hear. God gave you common sense and expects you to use it.

The devil is deceptive and is the father of lies. Are you listening to him? Whether it be politics, spiritual or personal, it’s time to get out of the “Hole”, whichever one you find yourself in. If you have your head in the sand, it’s time to get out. It’s past time!

I’m not saying be rude or offensive, I’m saying, learn how to have a civil disagreement without it ending a friendship. Learn how to win without cheating. Learn fairness, integrity, truth and practice those things. PRAY PRAY and PRAY some more! If you notice people struggling, whether it is spiritual, relational, or whatever….. you can help “dig them out” with encouragement. You can “throw a life line of prayer”.

Recently I had a conversation with someone who has been in a “hole” for eight months. I will not reveal the person or situation but I will say this, I told that person it was time to “get out of that hole”. I used the example of listening to the lies of the devil that are contrary to the Word of God. I used the example of them falling into a “hole of lies”. I said, “Every time you believe or accept another lie from hell it’s like the devil pouring more dirt on your head. Enough! It’s time to get out”. The person changed the subject and I said “O no you don’t! You are going to deal with this! It’s time”. Do you want to know what happened? As I prayed with this person, there was a breakthrough! Prayer changes things. It changes you and me. We don’t pray for our will but God’s Will be done. He knows what is best. Surround yourself with praying friends, family, people who care and want to see God’s best for you and your family. (That’s quite the run on sentence but sometimes it’s needed to keep the momentum) You can be that kind of friend for someone in a “hole”.

As for the mess our country is in. ..It is vital and I do mean vital, that we Pray for our country, our leaders, and our election process. It is vital that our elections are fair for the American citizens. I am not against those less fortunate, as a matter of fact I help cook for the homeless in our community each week and serve them in the elements (heat, rain, cold) It is a honor and privilege to serve others and I don’t take that lightly. However, flooding our country with illegals to use them for illegal votes is wrong! Silencing Americans is wrong. Inciting violence is wrong. The powers that may be and media are beyond hypocritical.

The Bible warns us about the last days and that is where we are. 2 Timothy 3:1-5 says, “You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!” ( ‭NLT‬‬)

There is no time like the present to surrender your life to Jesus. We can not fight this battle alone. It must be fought on our knees in prayer. We must live a life of obedience to God’s Word! God’s Word is contrary to the flesh and things of this world. God wants us to walk in love and kindness. Hate can’t drive out hate. Only love can do that. We must unite in prayer and love. The battle belongs to the Lord and He has already won it! There is a song we sing in church and part of it goes like this, “Almighty fortress You go before us, nothing can stand against the power of our God. You shine in the shadow, you win every battle. Nothing can stand against the power of our God.” I’m going to post a video link so you can hear the whole song. Sing it out! Rise up! Grab your shovels and dig! Help dig out friends, family and people fallen into “holes”. Help dig them out with prayer, love, encouragement, and common sense. When people are ugly, show kindness. Overcome evil with good! Now DIG!

Www.shannonkhinson.com

Morning Squab Fun

July 6, 2024Leave a Comment

Opening the dining room blinds this morning, I noticed the Squabs (baby Mourning Doves) were very active and have grown so much. I grabbed my iPad to video them. They are such a wonder to observe. They really do make my heart happy. The Momma Dove sits all regal while her Squabs “carry on” with their activity. It is truly the neatest thing to watch.

Yesterday when I looked out the window, the Momma had left the nest but the Squabs were there. I told my husband Ron, the Momma was possibly watching from somewhere in the yard. I’m guessing from their size, they may be near the time to leave the nest. I was telling my Mom about them yesterday and mentioned how I’d like to clean the front porch once they have learned to fly and leave the nest. I told her, “ I’m going to put a pause to any more “dovey” reproduction plans until I get my porch cleaned. “ Every time I get ready to pressure wash the porch we see a new nest. They are messy but they are also worth the mess with how precious they are.

Life is like that in so many ways. Sometimes our “plans” are put on hold for whatever reason. We have to wait until the “busy squab-messy” season has transitioned to resume a “normal” life. (If there is such a thing) We are in a season like that. Our son moved back home in April and has been in a full time Massage Therapy program. He has given up driving and sold his car, due to his visual issues. He’s trying out his hearing aids once again to see if they might help him understand better in class. That’s yet to be seen. He hears some voices better than others. I am so proud of him. He’s not perfect, far from it actually (but aren’t we all) but he has humbled himself and is doing his best with what he has. He’s learned to “laugh” at what life throws. He has a resilience and takes his frustrations out in the gym.

Like the Momma Dove, we as parents are there while he’s learning to transition and handle what life throws. He is a marvel to watch and he makes my heart smile. Ron has been so awesome with him, willing to take him wherever he needs to go. The things you do for your “squab” but it’s worth every second. God has a plan and we are trusting Him every step of the way. I will be the first to tell you, it’s not easy. It can be hard. As a parent you want to “fix things” but God is the one who is leading. Sometime we need to stay out of “His” way and just pray and trust. That’s where I am at this point.

I know God has us. He is trustworthy and won’t fail us. He has a plan and we are holding tight to His hand. God has you too! Whatever your situation, you can give it to Him and trust Him to strengthen you as you wait for His plan to unfold. Jeremiah 29:11-13 says, “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.”(NLT)

If you liked this blog post, please subscribe and share. It’s interesting the way blogs come to life. I will see something, read something, or something might ha and God speaks to my heart. Those are the times I write. It usually happens once a week, sometimes more. I am coming up on my third anniversary of blogging and have posted over 200 blog posts since July 18, 2021. The blog is a continuation of my journey that I shared in my autobiography, “Rooted by the Water”. You can find it on Amazon. I am considering writing a fiction novel, but awaiting on confirmation from the Lord concerning that. We will see where He leads. Life sure does give much fodder for story line.

God bless you all and have an awesome Saturday. I will post on my Facebook page, the video I took of the Squabs this morning. Check out my page on Facebook, Rooted by the Water.
Www.shannonkhinson.com

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Learning to Be Still

June 19, 20242 Comments

I find it slightly ironic that I’m writing on “the fly” today about learning to “Be still”. I’m not talking about physically being still but rather “being Still before the Lord”. It’s vital to learn to rest in Jesus despite any and all worldly chaos churning.

Sometimes you can feel so alone even in a group of people. You begin to feel kind of “down and out”. You can go from a season of constant movement to one of a slow pace, seemingly alone. In those alone and quiet periods, the enemy tries overtime to cloud our minds with half truths and speculation. When you don’t have the previous rapport of companionship for whatever reason (vacations, busyness with families, or just dealing with life) thoughts can pop up and your imagination runs with it. Knowing enemy tactics is so so important.

A friend sent me a word of encouragement the other night. Just kind of out of the blue and it touched my heart. In a nutshell, she told me , “Shannon I feel impressed to tell you stop worrying and stressing yourself. He’s got you, Joshua and Ron in his hand and will. You are never a burden on people who love you. Satan tries to cloud your head with that. He’s a liar. You all are a beautiful family. Rest my dear sister and friend and let God do what you can’t. I love you. Nite nite”. A beautiful sister in Christ sent that to me and it touched my heart. Yes I had been stressing and yes I had been worrying. If you knew my story, you’d completely get it. BUT God doesn’t want me to stress and worry but rather to “Be Still” before Him and trust Him.

Knowing there are things I can’t do and need help with, like drive and make phone calls: I’m guilty of going “over and beyond” with the things I can. That puts additional stress on me. I must learn and maybe you should too, that I can’t be everything even in those duties I can handle well. I’m trying to cook more for our family to save money. ( Eating out with three adults is expensive even at the cheaper places.). I can cook just fine but the stove/ glass top range is the new digital kind and I have the hardest time seeing it. I can’t see if it’s on high or medium. I turn the dial and watch the burner. If it’s fully red I’m assuming it’s high….. and you get the picture. It’s a challenge but with God’s help I’m getting it done. That is just one tiny example of dealing with life with low vision. Don’t get me started on the hearing loss issues. What can I say….I’m unique. 😜

Living ilife can feel so lonesome at times. It’s during these times, it’s so vital to turn our thoughts on Jesus and stay in His Word. I will tell you as I was just typing that, my iPad completely closed and went to my homepage. Isn’t that just like the enemy to try interfering with “Kingdom Work”? The devil tries to frustrate us and make things more difficult, hoping we will “throw in the towel” and just forget it. Not going to happen here! When my iPad messed up, I just “dug in my heels” and found where I left off and kept the encouragement flowing.

Do you understand where I’m going here? These times when we feel alone, God is actually teaching us things people can’t teach us. He is molding us and forming us into vessels that absolutely MUST SEEK HIS FACE to make it through the day. I know from a human perspective that’s a hard place to be BUT from a spiritual perspective that is THE PLACE TO BE! Let’s give GOD GORY IN THESE QUIET TIMES as HE IS PREPARING US FOR WHAT LIES AHEAD! Nope… I’m not yelling at y’all but I AM emphasizing an important point. Armor up Saints. The devil plays very ugly vile games BUT he is DEFEATED already! ALL GLORY TO JESUS!

I think I’m done here but publishing this blog will have to wait until later tonight after RiceNBeans outreach. Right now I’ve got to get the hotdogs cooking and rice in the oven. Beans have been on all morning. It’s going to be an awesome day. Whether you’re alone or in a crowd, keep your eyes on JESUS! Reach out and encourage someone. Don’t wait for them to reach out to you. Ministry is a two way street. Let’s go!

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