#faithoverfear – Page 6 – rootedbythewater.blog

Deep Water

May 25, 2024Leave a Comment

I opened You Version App this morning to finish my Bible plan on Revelation. My heart did a little happy dance when I saw Isaiah 43:2 is the verse of the day. “When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression,you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.” Isaiah‬ ‭43‬:‭2‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

While I love water; whether it’s deep or not, whether it’s a river, ocean,lake or even pool, I enjoy them all. Water is invigorating and soothing at the same time. There is always the element of adventure especially in natural bodies of water. Even the pull of tides, waves and rushing of rapids add excitement.

Let’s symbolically transfer that to real life. Everyday you wake up, you are in the “waters of life”. How do you navigate it? There are the currents, dealing with your abilities or lack there of. There are the safety devices; prayer, praise, self pep talks, the Word of God and good ole common sense. There are the rip tides which you have no control over. For exampl dealing with humanity and all that comes with that. One example of this is being locked out of your iphone. Oh my goodness! From the response of the person, you’d think it was the end of the world. This person came to me all frustrated and I was like, “why are you dumping on me? I’m not an IT person! Just wait until it unlocks. It’s just one hour! Geez!” Another example is a family member losing their wallet recently and oh my word, again the world had come to an end. Thankfully h tracked it down with technology and it had been turned in. Just two simple examples when you have to deal with the “Riptides” of human nature.

I was scrolling through Facebook posts yesterday and saw someone posting about “being over” dealing with people. Sometimes people are just so self centered and unkind and dealing with such can be draining. I encouraged this friend to “let it go” and move on. We can’t control what people do or how they respond but we can control our own response. We can also pray for wisdom because we all need it.

Dealing with low vision and hearing loss is so challenging. If you only knew. I don’t complain because only God can change it. Sometimes I feel I try in vain to understand. I’m always willing to try but I don’t always “get it”. The constant trying can be down right exhausting. I guess that can be like navigating rocks while kayaking down the Catawba River. I see the “rock” or “struggle” and try to strategically maneuver around the issue. You get around it in one way or another. Sometimes you “Hit the rock” and other times you mange to successfully clear it. That’s just life. It can be so tiring at times and you just want to “float” but that can become boring quite quickly and you want to be in the “movement” of life again.

As Isaiah 43:2 reminds me, God is with me through it all. He is with you too! He’s not going to let us drown! He’s going to get us through whatever the day holds. He’s going to help us with people issues and our own logical attempts to understand life. Keep focusing on Jesus! Keep praying! Keep spreading love, peace and joy. You’ve got this, because God has you. Deep breath, now exhale! Paddle on!

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

The Beauty of Change

May 16, 2024Leave a Comment

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.

Who are you looking to?

April 30, 2024Leave a Comment

Yesterday the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department suffered a great loss. Several US Marshalls and Charlotte Police were shot, injured and some killed in the line of duty protecting our community. (I’m going to say several since I don’t know if the number has changed. ) My heart is heavy. I was born and raised in Charlotte and live right across the state line now. A dear young man at church is in that police division and I immediately thought of him and prayed. He is safe.

As I had my quiet time this morning, covering this situation, I came across the following verse. “O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.”” 2 Chronicles‬ ‭20‬:‭12‬ ‭(NKJV‬‬)

You don’t need to be informed about the lawlessness in our nation and world. When I see the corruption in our courts and government and how people are against our police that risk their lives to protect our community, it makes me MAD. Our government and justice system are supposed to lead and protect, but they do not. Look t our Southern border being wide open. So many politicians and judges are bribed, it is outrageous. It’s like an impossible evil sinister force raging war against what is right. As I read this verse this morning and the opposition they were facing, this stood out to me, “nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.”

Let me tell you something, we are NOT without HOPE. Our HOPE is in the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY. He is sovereign and sees all this madness. I don’t know why bad things happen but I know God can be trusted. This all makes me think about Habakkuk and his question to the Lord. “O Lord, how long shall I cry, And You will not hear? Even cry out to You, “Violence!” And You will not save. Why do You show me iniquity, And cause me to see trouble? For plundering and violence are before me; There is strife, and contention arises. Therefore the law is powerless, And justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; Therefore perverse judgment proceeds.” Habakkuk‬ ‭1‬:‭2‬-‭4‬ ‭(NKJV‬‬)

Please don’t miss God’s response. ““Look among the nations and watch— Be utterly astounded! For I will work a work in your days Which you would not believe, though it were told you.” Habakkuk‬ ‭1‬:‭5‬ ‭(NKJV‬‬). Open up your Bible and read the rest for yourself. God is in control.

We must humble ourselves, repent and pray. If you are not one to spend much time in prayer, there is no time like the present to start. Our eyes must be on the LORD, not the lawlessness surrounding us. 2 Chronicles‬ ‭7‬:‭14‬ says, “if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” (NKJV‬‬)

Will you join me in praying for our police officers? They risk their lives daily to keep our communities safe. Humble yourself and seek God’s face. We must look to Him. Our eyes must be upon The Lord. His ways are so much higher than ours. It might not make sense to us but we can trust Him and His holy, righteous and loving character.

I’m going to post a music video of an awesome song. This battle surely does belong to God. Have no fear, HE WINS.

The “rooms” of your heart

April 27, 2024Leave a Comment

I wasn’t intending to blog this morning but I’ve ben working on my “heart”. Let me explain just a bit. Our Bible study group is on our very last lesson in our current book. We have been studying about God’s plan for men and women and the role of a submissive wife.

This week we had an excellent discussion and went “off course” just a bit to talk about the “rooms in our heart. Submission doesn’t just happen in a marriage. We are first to submit to God as Lord of our lives.

The Lord dropped something into Tami’s heart and it was a “hands on visual” activity to help us to understand what’s in our hearts and what we have or have not surrendered to God’s control. Tami drew some hearts for us with different rooms for us to fill in. It’s really an eye opening exercise. I will put a copy of one of the hearts that you can screenshot and fill in digitally like I did.

This is what Tami gave our Bible study to fill out under the direction of the Lord.

Psalms 139 is one of my many favorite chapters in the Bible. I have many. In this chapter the following two verses can be found. “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.”Psalms‬ ‭139‬:‭23‬-‭24‬ ‭(NLT‬‬). It’s amazing what God can show you when you are open to Him. There are some rooms in my heart that I believe I have give Him control over. There are also rooms I offer to Him then unintentionally grab back. For example let’s look at worry. While I don’t make it a habit to constantly worry. After all the Bible tells us in Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭25‬-‭26‬, “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are?” *(NLT‬) I see a reminder of this everyday when I look out the window and see the mourning dove momma sitting on her nest right outside my window. Recently we had an unusually cold day and while I can’t see that well, I noticed the dove was kind of hunched up and moving. I asked my husband Ron to take a look and he said it was shivering because it was cold. I felt bad for the little dove sitting on her nest but God takes care of her. While I do’t worry about material things, I do worry about situations and people. I have to give that over to the Lord daily. Lord help me not to snatch it back but leave it in your hands.

Here’s one more example: a little bitter root. Bitter? Who me? Ok just hear me out. I don’t think I’m bitter for the most part. I’m grateful for so many things. But when I think of my low hearing and vision and see my son dealing with similar (but not as bad) issues I can’t help but t have just a tiny bit of…. Can I even admit it….. bitterness. There is a lot of “whyLord “. Sure, I have given it to the Lord millions of times and I’m doing so much better in this area but there is still a tiny bitter root that God needs to help me uproot and burn. That’s just two examples of my “heart” I’m filling out. I will even share with you what I have so far. We will never be perfect but we CAN choose to seek God first in all things.

So today once again, I’m starting off in worship, prayer , meditating on the goodness of God and His precious Word. Hebrew 4:12 says, “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”(NKJV‬‬)

Out of the blue, I just started singing out loud…. (The guys aren’t here) It is my desire to honor you Lord, with all that is within me I worship you. All that is within me, I give you Praise. All that I adore is in You. I give you my heart, I give you my soul. I live for you alone. Every breath that I take, every moment I’m awake…. Lord have your way in me. I believe the song is called “I Give You my heart.” Knowing me, my lyrics are slightly off but it’s what I’m singing anyway.

So what about you? What do you have in the rooms of your heart? Are you willing to open the door and let God enter and clean it out? We are human and will never be perfect but we can live our life surrendered to God and His Lordship. I will tell you the truth, He fills me with so much joy sometimes it is just amazing. I struggle with many things but I attempt to give them to Him everyday. I know He is sovereign over all and can be fully trusted. Have a wonderful weekend.

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

When you PUSH through

April 9, 2024Leave a Comment

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)

The Art of Existing

March 19, 2024Leave a Comment

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.

Www.shannonkhinson.com

Be Kind

March 13, 2024Leave a Comment

As I get older, thankfully I’ve gained some wisdom along the way. I finally stopped coloring my hair and my word… it is full of gray, much more than I realized. But I’d like to thank I’v earned each one of them.

God has taught me many things in life. I wish I had been quicker in learning some of them when I was younger. Mistakes are a great teacher. Live and learn and pass on the gleamed wisdom to the next generation.

One thing I have learned in life is to be the kind of person you’d like to be friends with. If you want to meet kind and compassionate people, be kind and compassionate. If you long to find a good listener who speaks life into your situations, be that kind of person to others.

I absolutely love to serve others. It is something I can do and it makes my heart happy. Today as I prepared the beans for the homeless ministry that we have gotten involved with, it made me happy to contribute in some way. As we served in Rock Hill this evening, I saw one of our new homeless friends and I called out his name in greeting. Everyone is deserving of kindness. It doesn’t matter the situation just be kind.

Another thing I’ve learned in life is to reach out to others. Earlier today I was in our home office doing Bible study and making notes to share. I also texted several different people to encourage them or let them know I was thinking about them. I told Ron, “Just imagine if I could hear well enough to talk to people on the phone.” He laughed. Honestly it makes people feel good when they are thought of. The heart does a happy dance when you know people love and care. Reach out and encourage people. Imagine how much better the world would be if people did that more.

Another value lesson I’ve learned is to know my limits. Last week was honestly too busy. Being hearing and visually impaired is tiring on a day to day basis. I have to work to understand. It takes longer to do things but I love the challenge. It is just a fact of life. However I refuse to “sit on the sidelines”. I prefer to LIVE. So besides the usual day to day, I also did Food pantry volunteering, RiceNBeans cooking and outreach and prepped and taught a long Bible study. With the high pollen here in South Carolina my allergies had flared up and my eyes were so very DRY. This made seeing my notes that were “zoomed in large” hard to see. I had signed up to participate in a 5K at our church but it was forecast to rain. I was exhausted. I felt the rain was God giving me an “out” for the 5K. Im sad I missed it but I was beyond my limit and I needed rest. This week I’m back at it but asked the Bible study girls if we could divid the lessons in two parts. It’s more manageable for me and gives us more of a chance to discuss life application. It’s okay to ask for a favor. It’s more than okay to request prayer. It’s okay to say “I’m sorry I can’t but will join next time.”

It is also fine to not see “eye to eye”with everyone about everything. Healthy calm discussions are needed. We have a generation that is so confused by nonsense in our culture and easily offended. It’s important to have the “hard talks” and pass along wise council. Just be sure to do it respectfully, trying to see the other persons point of view. There are so many angles to view a situation.

It’s also vital to demonstrate leadership skills and a faithful walk with Jesus. The other night I had a rare opportunity of a deep talk with our son. Those talks don’t happen often since he is grown and own his own. As I listened to his hopes and dreams and how he wanted to move forward, I had to seize that opportunity to stress the importance of bringing God into each of those decisions. Our kids no matter the age need to know how much they are loved. I said, “ God loves you so much. Way more than me and dad. Imagine that.” Each and every decision God wants to be a part of. You know you can talk to God about anything. Our Abba Father cares about every thing. I told Joshua, “ You can pray that God will open a door or opportunity or close it, after all He knows what’s behind each door.” Love, direct and pray over your kids no matter what their age. They are a treasure from the Lord.

There is so much more but I will end with this last thing. Trust God. God is working even when we don’t see it. Last week at Bible study the oldest in our group shared the idea of God weaving a beautiful masterpiece. Each one of us is a
“thread”. We all come together as God chooses, as a little part of the bigger masterpiece. Isn’t that beautiful? She’s raised three kids and has a bunch of grandkids. She shares the wisdom she’s gleamed in many trails. I know I can always ask her for prayer. Recently when a situation was discouraging, I texted her and asked her to pray. She reminded me that “God was busy weaving”, He is always working on us. Trusting is hard especially when you don’t yet “see” the answers to your prayers. Just know God is working out His best and while we don’t see the BIG PICTURE, He does. He will bring it all together. Just trust Him.

If you liked this blog post please subscribe and share. I’m thankful for this gift to share when God puts something on my heart. You can find my autobiography Rooted by the Water on Amazon. (Hard cover soft cover, and e-book formats.) I pray it gives you great hope and courage to surrender to Jesus. He is all you really need. All for the Glory of God.

Www.shannonkhinson.com

Barren

March 3, 2024Leave a Comment

Pondering on a deep level tonight. We have a few lessons left in the Bible study book some friends and I are doing. I’ve noticed that quite a few of the women of the Bible we have studied were barren for a long time before God turned things around. Here are a few of the ladies: Sarah, Rebekah, Hannah and Elizabeth.

This week we will discuss Elizabeth, John the Baptist mother. The thing about Elizabeth is she was faithful to God through her barrenness. Sarah took matters into her own hands and gave her maid servant Hagar to Abraham as a wife, so she could have children through her. Rebekah told Jacob to give her children or she would die. But Elizabeth faithfully served God in her barrenness.

As my friend Tami and I were wrapping hotdogs for Rice N Beans ministry last Wednesday afternoon, she said barrenness could be more than physical. We can be barren in other ways. For example, praying for years for something and God seemingly says no. He could possibly be saying wait, or maybe it’s Yes to His best. His timing is indeed perfect but there is heartache in the wait. It’s a goal to be thankful in the trials. Not complaining but being thankful. I have a pet peeve over people that complain about rival things. I won’t go down that rabbit hole.

Back in Biblical days it was a disgrace to be barren. Imagine the talk of the people. You know gossip has existed since time began. Imagine Elizabeth in the market place, neighbors see her and say, “It’s sad she has never conceived.” We don’t know that for sure but knowing human nature, it probably did occur. I have friends who have prayed for their prodigals a long time. I have a college friend going through the process of lung transplant. It’s a long process she has to endure. Some have prayed for things for so long and you wonder, God are you listening? Of course he is. His timing is always perfect. Although from a human perspective it seems so off.

There is a young man who takes notes at church and shares them on the Bible app. I like to read them and see if I missed anything. Last week I missed something Big. Pastor had asked if we want to be “delivered or developed.” Whoa what a huge question. Pastor said he would rather be developed. I hope one day I can honestly say that. If God chose to deliver me from hearing and vision difficulties I’d be jumping with Joy over here. If God chose to deliver my son from similar issues and never healed me, I would be over joyed. Life is down right tough. You don’t think about it you just push through. See where God is at work and dive in and help. But being busy doesn’t take the heartache away. Being silent and not talking about it doesn’t make it any easier. It is easier for me to focus on serving and making things easier for others. That does help. It is also easier to just keep to the norm. When I get out and do things I notice more what I miss and it stings. Just being honest here. But on the other hand, getting out with people who’s understand encourage is a breath of fresh air.

This evening a friend texted me and as we were talking I shared with her some of my story she didn’t know. She said “wow.” I said, “If you only knew”. Life is challenging in so many ways that it’s almost funny. Here is a little example, the other night I was heating some apple cider in the microwave. I have some difficulty (ok honestly great difficulty ) seeing the control panel. I thought I set the timer for one minute and forty five seconds. I accidentally put it on 11 minutes and forty five seconds. I couldn’t see the double 1. I could just see one of them. I walked to a different room for something and came back in the kitchen. Realizing my mistake I quickly stopped the microwave and sure enough, it was splattered all over the inside. Welcome to my adventurous life. 🙃

I wonder what its life to have smooth sailing in life. You know, the joys of understanding people without having to work at it . Being able to read without using some assistive device. Getting in a car and driving where you want to go. These are just some simple pleasures normal people take for granted without even thinking abut it.

No I’m not having a pity party. I’m just pondering life as I prepare for a bible study. I feel like I live out some of these stories. Take Elizabeth, she had joy and a song in her heart. It is kind of odd but I often wake up with a song playing in my heart. Thank you Jesus for joy in the trials. I want to say I’d rather be developed like Pastor said but I’d honestly take deliverance. It’s just been so long. God definitely has me in a developing fire. I only hope when people see me, they see Jesus strength because I can’t do it on my own.

There is something about praise and worship, it is a release. When you offer up a song of praise it’s like an aroma that is pleasing to the Lord. It’s good to meditate on Gods goodness. Mediate on His sovereignty. He is in control even when it doesn’t feel like it. He’s got the big picture in mind. He is always working behind the scenes. Working in circumstances to develop our character, endurance and faith. He is refining us as a silversmith. Oh Lord give us patience in the wait.

I am going to wrap this up. I’ve done enough pondering on biblical application for one night. On one last note, the one thing about each of the ladies we studied who were barren, God did remember them and brought favor and blessing. He actually worked in mighty ways in each circumstance. If yu are like me and in a seemingly LONG waiting game, just hold on. God will bring us through. He is faithful. He who began a good work, will complete it for His glory.

Www.shannonkhinson.com

Spreading love on a corner in downtown Charlotte.

February 15, 2024Leave a Comment

Ron and I last night on our way to serve. We can’t actually take pictures while serving.

Last night Ron and I spent Valentines night serving with Rice N Beans ministry on a corner in downtown Charlotte. Some friends of ours have faithfully ministered to the homeless for years, serving a hot meal and providing needed clothing and blankets.

I had been wanting to go and see first hand how they ministered to the needs of the homeless. Last week I did just that. It was kind of a last minute plan and my husband Ron already had his Bible study group to attend, so I joined my friend Tami and her son Eric. They had been before and picked me up to go volunteer with them. I was intrigued as I witnessed the love shown by the leaders, Cheri and Daryl and their team . They are willing to be the “hands and feet” of Jesus to minister to those who are hurting. The Bible tells us in Colossians‬ ‭3‬:‭23‬-‭24‬, “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ.” (NLT) Even though there was some unrest at the beginning, peace soon enveloped us and the people were fed and received items they needed.

I really loved going and being a part of this outreach. We never know the stories and situations that lead to these people being on the streets. It’s no reason to look down on them. The Bible tells us in James 1‬:‭27‬, “Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.” (NLT‬‬ ) I believe that is spreading the love of Jesus in the darkness of the world.

I talked to Ron about it and asked if we could go together last night. He agreed and we met up with our friends to help out again. I was again on “hot dog duty” and Ron helped people find items of clothing they needed from what was donated. It was a wonderful way to spend Valentines evening serving together with our brothers and sisters in Christ. Ephesians‬ ‭5‬:‭1‬ ‭says,“Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children.” (NLT‬‬)

We want to go again next week but experience a different location. There are lots of hurting people in the world. We need to put Ephesians‬ ‭5‬:‭16‬-‭17‬ into action. It says, “Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.” (NLT‬‬) There are many ministries you can get involved in to make a difference in your community and in the lives of others. The first time I went, I looked through our closets to see if we have coats and things to share. Sure enough we had way more than we need and I was able to donate a box of coats, hoodies, back packs and shoes. I will put the Rice N Beans website at the end of this blog. You can pray, donate or volunteer.

There are other ministries that you can support or volunteer with. My Mom and I also help at a local food pantry that serves people in need of food in the community. Think about ways you can help or get involved. Check your local churches or shelters to see what is needed. Together we can make a difference and spread the love of Jesus everywhere we go. Here is the Rice N Beans website. Www.ricenbeans.org

Www.shannonkhinson.com

An unlikely topic

February 5, 2024Leave a Comment

Lately I’ve been preparing for this Thursdays Bible study time with my friends. We have been studying women of the Bible for some time now. I have been familiar with all the women we have studied so far until this week’s character. This week and next week we are looking at Jezebel. When I saw her name, I thought, why in the world are we going to dig into the story of this very evil person. I just figured it would be one of those “what not to do” studies.

Since the girls have me teaching the lessons I like to be prepared and able to explain. Keep in mind we are doing these studies in sign language. Three of us are deaf. If you add my low vision and inability to see our book except with my video magnifier, you would see my need to prepare, even memorize. So I’ve been reading and rereading 1 Kings chapters 18 and 19.

As I’ve been studying I see some direct connections to life today. Jezebel caused Israel to sin greatly against the Lord, especially in the area of worship. Not only did she promote the worship of idols but she persecuted God’s people, killing the prophets. She was zealous for removing Israel’s true worship of The Lord God.

Let me stop right there. Here’s the thing, America was founded on Christian principles. Now look around you and really think about our society, culture, government and even some churches. Slowly but surely God’s truth is being dismissed and replaced by false religion and false doctrine. People search for what they want to hear. There is a form of godliness that denies the true power of God. See 2 Timothy‬ ‭3‬:‭5‬, “They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!” (NLT‬‬). You see how messed up kids are today? What are they teaching them in our schools? Keep in mind the Bible and prayer have been removed. Where there used to be common sense , respect and moral, we now see the most foolish idealolgies being taught. Whatever happened to scientific facts? There is the pronoun nonsense, gender identification nonsense, not to mention Critical Race Theory. If you truly think about it, it makes sense how bad our society has gotten.

I certainly was not intending to go down the education path. Let’s get back to the spiritual issues. Jezebel was a huge stumbling block to the nation of Israel. What are some stumbling blocks we encounter today? I can name a few: the entertainment industry, main stream media, social media, pride, money and perhaps instant gratification. Let’s look at the middle letter in the words pride and sin. See the I? I, I, I, I, me, me, me, and ME. I had a t shirt when I was in college that said, “There is only one God and you’re not Him.”

We have to stop wavering back and forth in what we believe and stand up for Gods truth. I love the “show down” that happens in 1 Kings 18, when Elijah challenges the prophets of baal to a contest. Elijah had a good question for the people of Israel. Check out 1 Kings‬ ‭18‬:‭21‬,“Then Elijah stood in front of them and said, “How much longer will you waver, hobbling between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him! But if Baal is God, then follow him!” But the people were completely silent.” (NLT‬‬.) Question to ask ourselves, are we silent when asked to make a choice about the true God?

There is a lot of wavering and hobbling going on today. Yesterday our Pastor made a statement about eating at the table of the Lord and nibbling at the things of the world. Think about that for a minute. The music industry is full of disgusting lyrics. Movies are full of vile language, sexual inappropriate content, violence, drug use etc. It’s so common that vile language and violence seem normalized. This should not be! People shouldn’t play around with these things. What we listen to, watch, play and read feeds our spirit. It’s time to come apart from the world. Get off the fence. You can’t have two Masters. We can’t love God and love the world. Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭2‬ says, “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. (NLT‬‬)

There is no time like the present for a full surrender to God. Let us put our full focus on living for Jesus and bringing glory to Him. I will end this blog with 1 Timothy‬ ‭6‬:‭11‬-‭12, “But you, Timothy, are a man of God; so run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have declared so well before many witnesses.” ‭(NLT‬‬) Stay on track and let’s let our lives shine for Jesus. The devil is deceiving many. We must keep praying and keep reading the Bible. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth. If you aren’t currently in a Bible teaching church, find one and go. Don’t stop meeting together for fellowship and praying together. Don’t let the things of this world hinder your victorious race for Jesus. Let’s go!!!

Self disclaimer, I am not a Pastor. I am a spirit filled Christian and believe the Bible is true. I am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ. 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.