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A “Doggie” Staycation

October 11, 2026Leave a Comment

It’s been a busy few days but I have survived! My son Joshua had to go to Charleston S.C. for the “hands on” in person part of a nationally recognized certification program for Licensed Massage Body Work Therapists to get certified to work with oncology patients. My husband Ron drove him down last Thursday and I’ve been on “dog duty” since they left. I really wasn’t sure how it was going to work out since Joshua’s 18 month old Berna-doodle (Moose) has never been with just me and our old dog Joy.

Thursday I got the house cleaned up and prepared for a luncheon for friends on Friday. I wasn’t sure how the dogs would do at night. Moose had never slept in my room before. He kept going to the garage door and staring at it as if waiting for Joshua to come get him. I finally got a blanket with Joshua’s scent and spread it on my bed, sure enough, he hopped right up and snuggled down for the night. I didn’t sleep well though since I was unsure how the dogs would do during the night. There was a weather front coming through and seemed to affect Joy’s back hips and back legs. Joy is 15 1/2 years old. She’s the Queen of the house.

Friday when my four friends arrived, Moose was very sh. I had ordered two bones to keep the dogs busy while my friends were over. Moose stole Joy’s bone from her though. I just have to shake my head at these dogs sometimes. They act like kids. The lunch was fun. We had homemade tomato basil soup, salad, ham and cheese sliders and a carrot cake to celebrate a birthday. That night I slept 10 hours. I had been so tired. Thankfully there were no issues with either dog.

Saturday I woke up to rain and it rained all day and all night. Joy was having the hardest time on the deck steps as she went out to use the bathroom and come back in. I had to give her a boost so she could make it back in. It was a long day. We had just had the yard aerated and seeded and the rain made for a muddy mess. Meanwhile, Moose would go on a “fun run” in the mud to release some energy. 😳 He is a beautiful dog but he is such a DOG: loving mud and chewing on sticks, playing fetch and all that. He woke me up several times in the night to use the bathroom.

Today I watched church online twice. I also finished switching out seasonal clothes and cleaning the closet. Almost every time Joy goes outside I have to help her up the steps to get back inside. I decided I needed a nap this afternoon so I laid down for two hours hoping the dogs would be fine. I woke to both of them beside my bed wanting out. Joy had left a surprise “trail of poop” on the kitchen floor. I got that cleaned up and floor mopped. The guys are about one hour away from home. I can say I survived this! I have no clue what Ron did with the tv remote control. It has been the most quiet weekend ever. I did play some “dog music” on Saturday while I was cleaning the closet. I had never heard of that before until a friend told me about it last year. It put both dogs to sleep and almost put me to sleep too.

I will say that I had some powerful quiet times with the Lord over this weekend. Even though I’ve been home alone (except for my friends coming for lunch Friday) and have not been anywhere, God has been with me and the dogs. He is always there and always faithful. I will be so glad when the guys walk through the door. I know they are ready to be home too. It’s a good thing we did not take Moose down to Charleston because it rained there all weekend. My friend would have been stressed about Joy’s issues on the deck steps. God worked it all out. I’m sure there will be a wrestling match later between Joshua and Moose. I’m going to sleep well tonight. It is well with my soul!

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Handling the Heat🔥

September 29, 2026Leave a Comment

I’ll tell you a secret, I don’t like fire. We used to heat our home with a wood burning buck stove. While the warm heat on a winter day was wonderful, I hated adding wood and using a poker. I’m not too keen on “fiery/heated situations” either. Temper flares, scams, hiring people that don’t fulfill their service etc. I’m not a fan. It’s a rare day when I get upset and even rarer when I’m angry. Life happens though so occasionally we all have our moments. If you check out you current top 12 emojis, it might give you a little picture of your life at present. Here are mine: 🔥❣️😊🍁🙌😂🤪💓😁😴🥰🤟🏼. Last week there was a mad face in there which is so unlike me.

Here’s my question, how do you handle fiery heated situations or things that make you angry? Well, we are all human and it’s a natural emotion. So we are bound to have moments of anger from time to time. Yet, how we face those moments is key! Ephesians 4:26 says, ““Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath,” (NKJV‬‬) It doesn’t tell us to not be angry. It tells us not to “sin” when we get angry. Ways we respond “in the flesh” are usually sin. Last week I responded in the flesh by cursing. (I did a lot of repenting too) I was SOOO upset. In a “nutshell” we hired a man that was recommended by a friend, to do some drainage repair work. We thought we were hiring him, but he wasn’t here much and sent two young people out to do the work. It was pricey and they did a poor job, not fixing our problem AND the girl signed her name in a concrete slab! I kid you not! There was supposed to be a one year warranty on the work but we had much trouble getting the man to come back out. There was much miscommunication due to him speaking Spanish. My husband and I had a really hard time with all of this. We had gotten ‘poor work” one too many times and I was not going to let it slide. So we were all angry. Whew! Last week was not good, not at all! Here’s the thing, responding in negative ways when angry drains you physically and emotionally. A friend from high school reminded me that we should praise God in our hard times. She was exactly right.

In 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 it says “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (‭NKJV‬‬) (emphasis mine) Ouch! The Holy Spirit will really correct us! It didn’t matter if we had been “shorted” I needed to rejoice, pray, give thanks and “Let God be God”! Saturday evening, I told my husband I was going to take a hot detox bath (epson salt, baking soda and organic lavender essential oil). While soaking, I decided to wear my cochlear implant processor so I could listen to worship music via Bluetooth technology. I put my hair in pigtails so it wouldn’t get wet, laid back in the hot water to de-stress. I listened to Central Collective music. You can check them out on YouTube and Spotify. As I listened I began to sing and then sign the songs. My guardian angel got a good chuckle! I began to release all that was troubling me. It had really drained me. As I soaked, prayed and worshiped, I felt a shift in my spirit. I aimed to give this “drainage project” to the Lord.

Monday morning the guy came out with his worker to fix some of the issues. He was not happy about it. My husband watched as they worked to make sure it was done right. My husband came in and said, “They don’t like me. They said they would work this one day and that was it.” (Remember we paid several thousand dollars for this work plus there was a one year warranty on the work.). I felt in my spirit, we were to show grace. I said, “Why don’t we provide lunch for them and let them know we appreciate them returning to work on the issues.” I will tell you, grace goes a long way in softening people. They worked hard all day and the job was much improved, and the girls “writing” on the concrete was removed. Now God willing, the system will work well when it rains to move water away from the foundation.

A friend sent me the sweetest text earlier today telling me how she saw humility in me. I told her it was something God was refining in me through the fires of struggle. I kid you not. Living with hearing and visual limits is no joke. It’s hard and requires me to surrender daily to God’s power and help. (And help, HE sure does!) I reminded her of my “bad” week last week. She knew because she had been praying for the situation. I told her we are all being refined by daily life. Lord help us choose well. Yesterday those men saw God in us and they saw grace. God gives us grace and we ought to pour it out on others. I pray God will bless them for doing the right thing. I’m grateful for the lesson!

Have an amazing week!

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Don’t “Bury” your talents

September 24, 2026Leave a Comment

Recently I came across a devotion on the parable of the talents.(Matthew 25:14-30) It was a different perspective and stuck with me. Sometimes we are rushed to get to the moral of a story and miss some important details. The Master gave all three of his servants “talents” according to their abilities. He gave according to each servants capacity. Not randomly or by what they deserved. Three different amounts; one given two talents, one given one and one given five. Three different amounts, three different abilities. Two of the servants doubled what they had received. One servant buried the talent in fear.

God does not compare our fruitfulness to each other. He wants us to be fruitful in what He has given us. Each of us has different abilities, circumstances and seasons in life. It’s tempting to compare ourselves with others but that’s not wise. Comparison can immobilize us in our walk with the Lord. Scrolling through social media can be tempting and depressing. Let’s be clear though, all those who just post all the “glories” of life, also experience struggles, they just don’t want you to see that side.

I want to encourage you to not “bury” your talent, whatever it may be. God equips us to fulfill His desires. See Ephesians 2;10, “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” (NLT‬‬) So take courage, rise up and do what God calls you to do. Don’t be afraid. Fear immobilizes us so we aren’t affective. Push all fear aside. Also see 2 Timothy 1: 7, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.”‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) So get out there today and everyday, using the abilities God has already equipped you with. The time is short. We must be fruitful and help expand the Kingdom of God. Also be sure to do your work as unto the Lord. It is God we are serving, not men. “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.”
‭‭Colossians‬ ‭3‬:‭23‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

Let’s get out there and be fruitful today. God is with us. When we surrender our day to Him, He will bless our efforts. Have an amazing Thursday.

Www.shannonkenleyhinson.com

Growing…More and More

September 11, 2026Leave a Comment

I am writing…. I’ve actually meant to blog earlier this week but I’m just getting around to it. Last Sunday, Pastor asked everyone to read 2 Peter this week. It’s only three chapters so he said read one each day then do it again. The more we mediate on God’s Word, the more we grow in His truth. The first several verses of 2 Peter are well worth sharing here. ~ “I am writing to you who share the same precious faith we have. This faith was given to you because of the justice and fairness of Jesus Christ, our God and Savior. May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord. By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone. The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” ‭‭2 Peter‬ ‭1‬:‭1‬-‭8‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)(emphasis mine)

Whew! What a treasure of wisdom that is! In this world that we live in, with sinful ways embraced by society and pretty much shoved in our faces daily, it is VITAL to stay in PRAYER and THE WORD OF GOD!!!

The more we study God’s Word and stay in prayer, the more we will grow in wisdom, putting down strong roots. I love the concept of “roots”. I even named my memoir “Rooted by the Water”. Why? Because Jesus is the “living water”. Check out Jeremiah 17:8,“They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit.‭(NLT‬) (emphasis mine) #goals! That’s my desire! I want my “roots” to grow down deep into the “living water” Jesus. Having such roots keeps you stable in a world and culture that’s constantly shifting in the wrong areas.

We need a shift back to Jesus, His Word and a deep relationship with Him, where we are constantly praying and seeking His face for anything and everything. That folks is where we need to be. If you aren’t there, it’s time to change course so that you can GROW more and more and reflect Jesus more and more. I’ll stop here. This is not only a reminder for you but for me as well. We must keep our focus on Jesus and His True Word. Ask for wisdom and discernment to detect falsehood because it abounds. Be on your guard always, testing the spirits and walking in God’s truth. He will lead us in victory. Stay faithful! You are loved!

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Breaking forth new ROOTS

August 17, 2026Leave a Comment

For some reason I feel a need to share this. A few weeks ago I snipped off some long overgrowth on a plant on our porch. I typically just throw the clippings away but figured by “rooting” them in water, I could add to an existing small plant in our dining room. As you know, any clippings not placed in water, will eventually wither and die. This is so true regarding our spiritual lives as well.

Let’s think about this. How many of you have gone through very dry seasons in life? You get distracted with raising a family, the pleasures of enjoying life, or perhaps your career…. Slowly you begin to read your Bible less and less. Your church attendance can become sporadic. Before you know it temptations come in “undetected” because you have “stopped walking with the Lord”. You become a “dry shoot” in desperate need of “living water’. Jesus is referred to as ‘Living water” many times in the Bible. (See John 4:10, 13-14 ) John 7:37-38 says, “On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’”” (NLT‬‬) Jesus is our “living water”. He brings renewal, spiritual refreshing, salvation and eternal life when we surrender to Him. Jesus wants to refresh you! You might say, “I’ve made some bad choices, done the unforgivable, sinned one too many times” or whatever the excuse is you might have. Jesus is merciful and full of grace. Check out Romans 5:8, “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” (NLT‬‬) (emphasis mine) When we confess our sins, He is faithful to forgive us. Sometimes you have to “get over yourself”! You have to admit, “I was wrong Lord.” Jesus wants to restore YOU! The Bible says He leaves the 99, to run after the 1 sheep who wandered away! What an amazing loving Savior! (See the parable of the lost sheep Luke 15;3-7) There is also the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-32.

Scripture after scripture we see a loving Savior with open arms saying “Come to me!” The Bible is full of these merciful invitations, with Jesus’ nailed scarred hands reaching out to you, He says “Come!” You don’t have to live feeling dried out and incapable of getting out of your “pit” He is the “Living water” that will bring such a refreshment to your soul.

Just like those clippings I placed in water in the picture above, when we feel “cut off” and we re-immerse ourself back into seeking the Lord whole-heartedly, you will find yourself once again breaking forth roots into all God has for you. Don’t delay another day. We must live with eternity in mind. Have a blessed week!

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Praising in the “hallway”

July 29, 2026Leave a Comment

Picture from my friend Marcella Burk’s daily devotion. Used with permission.

This morning I received the above devotion picture through email. It deeply resonated with me so I reached out to my friend to ask if I could use it in my blog. Why did this touch me? I’ve been in a lot of “hallways” in life… patiently (or maybe not) waiting for God to open a door. Those hallways aren’t always well lite and you can become quite “discouraged” in the waiting.

There are lessons we can learn in the waiting. God uses these time in waiting to refine and prepare us for what lies ahead. It’s tempting though to wonder why do I have to endure so much. I know people who ponder this very question. I know God gives us these little signs that He is indeed with us and He is in control. Sometimes that “sign” is a text of encouragement, a worship song or scripture to redirect us. Just like in the quote in the picture above, perhaps God is asking, “Will you trust me in this?”

Last Sunday I was able to go to my “home” church with a friend. I love this church because the Word is preached and never “watered down”, the music ushers in the Holy Spirit and there are always church family to hug and fellowship with. Oh, and the late service always has a sign language interpreter. Part of what Pastor talked about was how we must enter through the narrow gate. You can find this in Matthew 7:13-14, ““You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.” (NLT‬‬) Jesus tells us the road is difficult. I suppose I should not be surprised. Pastor also touched on the fact that it doesn’t end with entering the narrow gate, we have to keep walking and serving. Everyday we have to get up and do it again. Get up, choose Jesus, seek His presence through prayer and receive spiritual nourishment through reading God’s Word. Starting my day in this way gives me joy not of this world. My husband Ron found me dancing in the kitchen recently and said, “You’ve got joy”. I replied, “Thank you Lord.” I guess in a sense it’s like “dancing and praising in the hallways while I wait for answered prayers. I don’t know why God works the way He does. I do know that He is a promise keeper and all of His promises are yes in Christ Jesus. (2 Corinthians 1:20). As we study God’s Word, we are assured of God’s character. God is good all the time. His mercies are new every single day. He pours new strength in us every single day. He is faithful and trustworthy. You fill yourself with God’s truth so that when those “hallway” experiences come, you can praise Him while you wait.

We also find in the Bible that we are to take up our cross and follow Him. Here is the scripture for that. “Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.” Matthew‬ 16: 24 (NLT‬‬) So what is your cross? For me it’s living with my hearing and visual limitations. It is so not easy! But God never said it would be easy. He did say He would be with me and give me strength. He did say He would give me peace. For me, it’s all about Jesus. He is my all in all! For me, there is no other way! 1 Peter 5:10 reassures us by saying, “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) Another encouraging scripture is Romans 8:37, “No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.” (NLT‬‬)

As we praise in the “hallways” of uncertainty, let’s hold fast to Jesus. He is a Way Maker and we need to trust Him in every situation. Trust me, I know it’s hard at times but all things are possible with God. Stand firm, deeply rooted in faith in Jesus. Have a blessed rest of the week. He’s got you! You’re going to make it!!

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Daily “Manna”

July 22, 2026Leave a Comment

Back in the Old Testament in the book of Exodus, God sent the hungry Israelites manna from Heaven, every morning as they traveled through the wilderness for 40 years. They were only to gather enough for one day. If they hoarded it, it would rot. In this way God tested their obedience to trust Him to fortify them for each day.

I see some connections with modern day life. While we don’t have physical manna falling from Heaven each morning, we do have God’s Word that we can partake of each and every day to fortify and strengthen us for whatever we face. When I have my quiet times with the Lord in the morning: time in prayer and in scripture, God truly does refresh me This is a discipline I’ve learned that really helps me each day. I often think what an incredible difference it would make in peoples lives if they learned the habit of going to God each morning to be fully equipped for the day. We don’t know what’s coming at us but He sees the full picture.

The last two weeks I’ve been very stressed and drained by life situations. I’ve been struggling with my comprehension again for some reason. I guess I’ll need to go back and start doing auditory exercises again. My low vision has also given me issues lately, thats not to mention people. The thing about people, we are all flawed in some way. No one is perfect, but with my hearing and visual limits it takes a special kind of patience to deal with it. Last Saturday night I broke down and just cried. I explained to my husband, “I am always thinking about everyone else. Making sure everyone else is happy and taken care of, but what about me?” I struggled Saturday trying to understand what everyone was saying around me. There was that, and no notes for several weeks from the church we’ve been visiting, dealing with emails coming through regarding marketing my memoir….. combine it all and it’s just stressful. I finally did talk to my Mom about it. She told me it’s not God’s will for me to be stressed. She’s praying along with me and this week has been much better.

I can relate to the Israelites wandering in the wilderness for 40 years. My life with my visual and hearing limitations poses some obstacles that can seem impossible at times. I must remember that God IS in control. I came across a verse in Joshua 1 this morning: “This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”” Joshua‬ ‭1‬:‭9‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) I was also reminded of another scripture found in Exodus 14: “The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.”” Exodus‬ ‭14‬:‭14‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

Do you need these reminders as well? We can trust God. He is faithful. He answers prayers. I’ll be the first to tell you, His timing is not like ours, however it is perfect. He sees the BIG picture and has our best in mind, as a Father watches over his children, so God watches over us.

Learning to trust God’s perfect Will is sometimes hard. About a month ago a scout came across my memoir Rooted by the Water and it was entered into some sort of selection process for “page to screen” with a production company for the inspirational true story category. I had to sign a non-disclosure so I couldn’t say anything. (I was released from that on Monday.) Out of many books I made the top 20, then I made the top 5. Two days ago I heard they have selected another story and I’ve been released from the non-disclosure. I was like, “Okay Lord, this wasn’t Your Will. What’s next?” So I wait for direction on that end. The following verses come to mind: ““My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭55‬:‭8‬-‭9‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

Where ever you are in life, whatever you are facing, God IS trustworthy and loves us so much. We can rest in Him. When you are beyond stressed and drained by life, step back and just breathe. I do this and it really helps. Breathe, pray, worship the Lord, read the Bible and watch Him work things out in His way. Older worship songs always come to me at these moments. One is with me right now: Breathe by Marie Barnet (1995 Mercy / Vineyard Publishing) Once again the YouTube video isn’t loading. Let me add the link so you can check it out if you’re unfamiliar with it. He will refresh you are you worship along. https://youtu.be/oZhUesUaM98?si=HXoW5SAKBQ9lu3pO

Have a productive and peaceful rest of the week. Stay in prayer and God’s Word. He is faithful always. God bless you all.

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Global Megaphone

July 16, 2026Leave a Comment

Recently I came across an interesting devotion online titled, Faith in the Feed. You can find so many short devotion Bible reading plans on the YouVersion Bible App. I love browsing through the topics and seeing what devotions are offered. As I find one that resonates with me, I save it for reading. Seeing different peoples perspectives on scripture is interesting. The Holy Spirit can show people different things and I enjoy learning from others.

This particular devotion that I came across was talking about sharing the Gospel online. Sharing your faith on your social media feed, email, through comments or even blogging. Back in biblical days, people had to use the infrastructure of the day to travel; whether it be by the Roman highways or by ship. Jesus sent out His disciples to reach everyone. He wants to do the same through us.

Going to the ends of the Earth has never been easier. You don’t even need a passport. Whatever you are reading this blog on, your smart phone, tablet or computer is your digital highway. The infrastructure of today includes fiber optics. Isn’t that amazing! 1 Chronicles 16:24 says, “Publish his glorious deeds among the nations. Tell everyone about the amazing things he does.” (NLT‬‬) You can testify of the goodness of God through the things you share online. Doing a check of your screen time can be eye opening. How much time do you use just scrolling through entertaining nonsense? I’m guilty of it too. What if we shift our onscreen time to sharing about the Lord and what He is doing in our lives or testifying to what He’s already done. Can you imagine how encouraged people would be and the seeds that would be planted. Matthew‬ ‭9‬:‭37‬-‭38 says, “He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.””‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Another scripture is Luke ‭14‬:‭23‬; “So his master said, ‘Go out into the country lanes and behind the hedges and urge anyone you find to come, so that the house will be full. (NLT‬‬)

Your smart device is a “global megaphone”. (That term came from the devotion I read.) I found this to be quite impactful. You don’t have to actually leave the country to share the Gospel overseas. You can use your smart phone, tablets or computer. This type of evangelism is important to me because it doesn’t matter that I have hearing and visual limitations. God can use anyone. Be sure that what you share is biblical truth. God’s Word is the foundation on which you build.

Almost five years ago I start this blog as a continuation of my memoir Rooted by the Water. (Amazon) I knew my story didn’t end with the last page of the book. Never in a million years did I think it would reach around the world. I’m not talking about many views, I’m simply saying it’s read all over. This week there have been over 100 views from ten countries including: USA, Italy, Belgium, Singapore, Hong Kong, China, Vietnam, France, Germany and the Netherlands. This is very humbling and I surely don’t take this lightly. It is an honor to share God’s Word and how we can bloom for His glory through His strength, even in our lowest weakest points in life. God remains faithful through it all.

I have been thinking about inviting people occasionally to be a guest here on my blogging site. I want to pray on this and see where God leads. God wants us to testify of His goodness and share His Word with others. It’s definitely something I’ve thought about many times.

In true Shannon fashion a song is playing in my heart that I haven’t heard in ages: Lord Most High by Bob Fitts (1996). Part of it goes like this, if you’d like to sing along. “ From the ends of the earth, from the depths of the sea, from the heights of the heavens, Your name be praised. From the hearts of the weak, from the shouts of the strong, from the lips of all people, this song we raise.” Let me see if I can find a video for those who don’t know it. See below for the music video with lyrics. ( I apologize. The video won’t load but you can find it on YouTube.) We all can be a part of sharing the love of God to the ends of the earth. Be blessed in your coming and going and through what you share with others. People are always looking for encouragement. God can use us to to be His hands, feet and even through sharing in our online feed.

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In the “trenches”

July 9, 2026Leave a Comment

This blog may take a bit of time to put together. A friend and his wife who are missionaries in Italy, actually sent me the above picture recently and it resonated with me deeply. I decided to follow “Salt & Light” because inspiring messages are always welcome.

I am not one to complain or showcase my struggles but there comes a time when sharing, although uncomfortable, most likely encourages others also in the “trenches” of life. In all honestly, in my 57 years of life, there has always been some struggle. God has always enabled me to bounce back. If you have ever read my memoir Rooted by the Water many of the chapters begin with the metaphor of water stirring, churning, waves forming then the BIG one. It seems God allows the build up of life issues, as not to totally overwhelm. I told my husband Ron recently, I feel like one of those punching toys, where you hit it, it rears back then bounces back up. I told him I feel like those punches come from all sides in life. So when my friend Jack sent me the above I totally got it. I’m often like Elijah saying “Lord, I’ve had enough! I’m done!” But it keeps coming.

Let’s see if I can briefly summarize the “trenches”: communication lapse with just about everyone…. I don’t hear it all and I dont’ see it all either. Whether I’m with hearing people or deaf people I miss something. Hearing people expect me to “get it”… well I don’t always and it’s not my fault. Deaf friends will repeat and help and I so appreciate that. Then there is the vision limitation…. Oh my goodness. “Lord why in the world do I have to deal with this?” I have not been to the eye doctor in years. At last check my vision was 20/400 (what I see at 20 feet, if you have good vision, you can see it from 400 feet. Let that sink in). There is the church issue. I miss my church. We stopped going so my husband could take our son to work. He has to be at work at the exact same time of the interpreted service. Other churches we visit don’t have sign language interpreters. Sometimes notes are sent and sometimes not. There are things with friends too: friends come and friends go, people go through different seasons in life and you feel left behind. It’s no ones fault, it’s just life.

This past Spring I began to try marketing my memoir again. A professor came across my book when looking for books on resilience. He really liked it and reached out, wondering why I have a good rating but not many reviews. I told the Lord, “You enabled me to write this story, the journey you have me on, but I have no clue on the visibility end or the marketing end. You created me to encourage and inspire for a reason. It’s not meant to sit buried online.” So, I hired a “Book Strategist”. I throughly checked the references she gave and everyone spoke highly of her. She seems very knowledgeable and kind, but we’ve hit a “hiccup”. I purchased Tier 3 which would greatly help with visibility. She is now insisting I need a professionally designed website (by her team) in order to fulfill what I pad for. This is not part of our agreement. My son Joshua created a wonderful website with all the features she said my first one lacked. We now need to add my social media links and it should be pretty much finished. She says it’s not enough for a long term career. This is not a career, but more a ministry. She and others think I will write more books. While I would love that and I’m full of ideas, alas… my vision is a real issue.

Now here comes the technology issue. Two days ago I was sent a some forms to fill out. I wanted to do it digitally because it looks more professional. I spent more than four hours trying to fill out these simple forms. More than FOUR HOURS to no avail! It would not work for some reason. The font went back and forth between small and large. The large font wouldn’t fit the line due to being cut off every single time. . It was the most absurd experience. Even Ron tried and it didn’t work for him either. He finally said, just give up. I said, “If I gave up in life I would not be standing here right now.” I finally caved, printed and filled the forms out by hand. My handwriting is not pretty. I have to use a video magnifier to be able to see what I’m writing. I carefully filled it out and Ron took it to get it uploaded for me to send off as an attachment. Guess what? The attachment wouldn’t come through! Seriously?!?! Ron caught me talking to myself and he asked, “What did youn say?” I replied, “I said I can’t do this.” And wow, I never say that! Ron went back to ask what the issue might be and he tried again. It still wouldn’t come through. They finally sent it to our son and he sent it off for me.

It seems like life is a joke at times. The struggle comes from every single side. I’m like “Hello God, I could really use some help down here”. Everyone wants something. Unsolicited advertisements come in all the time and I’m learning to trust no one. I’m the kind of person that aims to be kind and appreciative to all, but there is a fine line when it’s too much. I respond to many of the emails and many comment on how kind and pleasant I am. I try to reflect Jesus. “But Lord, I’m not meant for all these marketing pitches.”

Three days ago I was looking through Bible devotions on the Bible App. There are many plans to choose from on many topics. I found one of “EquipHer’ It talks about the “trenches” in life and how God does not waste these times. Yesterday’s lesson talked about when the trials are a long season. One of the quotes is : Faith is the glue that holds your journey together, even when everything feels fragmented. – Christa Crawford. Faith does not cancel difficulty or deny your exhaustion, it gives you strength and courage to walk through it. (Bible App reading plan. EquipHer Devotional series Volume 27, Day 3)

This devotion has been a breath of fresh air for a weary soul. Yes, I was already aware of these truths, but reminders are so helpful. Even the people closest to me don’t realize the struggles, I don’t complain. Ron is probably the only one that sees it. (Most of it) But God sees it all! He knows and he equips. This season is some sort of training for what lies ahead. All I can do is “be still and know He is God”, take some deep breaths, dig my heels in and steady myself with the deep roots of faith that have gone deep over many years of struggle. God’s got this!

Today I’m heading out for a refreshing time with good friends. Lunch, time by the pool and laughter is just what I need. Thankful for this “break” in life. If you too are struggling and can’t seem to catch a break, know that God doesn’t waste these “life trenches” He is training you because He knows you will rise up to declare His glory. Hang in there. I’m hanging with you!!🙏🤟🏼

Www.shannonkenleyhinson.com

Times of refreshing

June 28, 2026Leave a Comment

It’s officially summer here in upstate South Carolina and it’s already been hot. This year our grass has looked better than it ever has but, yes there is a but, with the heat and little rain it’s starting to turn brown. The last three days we have had short periods of rain and it has been so refreshing. It not only cools things off a bit, but provides much needed hydration. I love the short periods of rain.

Today I not only got the short rainfall but also a much needed spiritual rain. You might wonder what I mean. Let me explain life a bit. While there are many solid Christian churches around here, I only know of one with sign language interpreters for the hearing impaired. One!! Today I got to go “home” to that one and it was refreshing to my soul. My husband and I got married in that church 32 years ago. It will always be “home” to me. Life has us in a different season right now where we can’t make it to the service that is interpreted but today I went with a friend. Oh the joy of worshipping among friends that are like family. The joy of understanding the message in a way that I could gleam from.

While I greatly appreciate notes from Pastors of churches we have gone to, it’s not the same as understanding. Being a part of worship, where I can actually participate is so refreshing. I love to worship the Lord and know many worship songs, both old and new. Being both hearing and visually impaired, I can’t see lyrics on a screen even if I’m on the first row. So worship through sign language is a huge blessing. My friend told me to go again with her sometime and my husband encouraged me to go as well. He can hear and see so he doesn’t have the comprehension issues.

For anyone in ministry, I highly encourage you to provide services for the hearing impaired where they can fully participate in the service, receiving of the Word of God and worship. Because of language barriers many deaf people do not know Jesus. Many churches send teams for mission work when there might be mission work right under your roof. Just saying. While I always appreciate any kindness, any notes or assistance, it honestly is truly refreshing to fully be able to participate. I’m so thankful for this church and the hearing impaired family there. The interpreters are like family. Such an amazing blessing to all who enters their doors or watch online. You can check them out at http://www.centralnc.org

I pray you too have times of refreshing coming your way. The daily grind of life can wear us down, but time in prayer, God’s Word and worship brings rest to our hearts and makes the burdens lighter. Have a blessed week.