#pray – rootedbythewater.blog

Peace rising

June 2, 20262 Comments

I’m not sure where this bog is going. Just being honest. However as I was praying yesterday morning on my back porch, I noticed the early morning sun shining on this solitary peace lily bloom standing tall in the sun. This thought resonated with me that we too can rise up in peace in the SON (Jesus). You see, last winter this beautiful peace lily almost died. I had forgotten to water it for an extended period of time. When I shared with my Mom about how it looked like it was dying, she recommended pruning it way back so it could possibly regrow. That’s what I did. It’s a marvel how nature bounces back, with pruning, water and sunlight.

We are just like that in life. We can pour into others so much, we neglect to take care of self. As I was reading the Bible this morning, I read the first two verses of Psalms 139. That’s one of my favorite chapters in the Bible. David is just so real and honest about life and bringing it to God. The first two verses say: “O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.” Psalms‬ ‭139‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) I find it comforting to know that God sees me completely. There is absolutely nothing hidden from Him. He sees my weariness underneath the “I’m okay”. He knows the deep longing, to hear and see well. He knows the deep longing in my heart for my son and husband. We have a unique family. We all have broken pieces whether it’s legal blindness , hearing loss and issues from a closed head injury. We deal with a lot and we do it together. He knows how we pour into others anyway. People don’t understand the cost to me, but God does: the striving to understand, the striving to see, read, study, prepare. It can be tiring. Life is stressful enough with just me, myself and I. I don’t need added un-necessary stress. So I’m praying for direction. Should I cut something free that is weighing me down? We can all ask these questions. God sees us completely already and knows the plans He has for us. Sometimes in life to get from Point A to Point B, it’s a “straight shot”, other times it’s a “winding road” going up and down hills. Regardless, God knows the best way to proceed and I’m willing to be obedient to what He shows me. Whether it is to write more books (three ideas came to mind recently) to continue or stop blogging, or continue or stop volunteering. Perhaps it’s to help a neighbor with dementia. She came by early last night with a bag full of her things, carrying her toothbrush. It’s hurts my heart to see the struggles but we listened and prayed with her as a family. She prayed for my son three times in a row, not remembering she had just prayed. I’m thankful she has retained the gift of prayer. Her husband tracked her and she got home safely and was smiling as she left. You never know what life will throw. God has the answers and I’m waiting on His direction.

This morning I also came across scripture in Matthew 11. Verse 28 spoke to my heart. It says: “Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” Matthew‬ ‭11‬:‭28‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Perhaps you too are weary and are seeking rest for your heart. I will never understand God’s ways for they are so much higher than our own ways. You can find this in Isaiah 55:8-9, ‘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) So let’s just lay it down right there and trust our Heavenly Father who sees us so completely, who is familiar with all our ways, let’s lay it down for Him and trust Him for direction. In true Shannon fashion, a worship song just popped in my mind. “ I lay me down Lord, here at Your feet, all I have Lord is Yours. I lay me down Lord, my heart is Yours to keep. All of You is all I need.” I believe this is a Central Collective song but I don’t know the name and might possibly have the words wrong, but that’s how it’s playing in my heart right now.

Let’s cease the striving and just be Still and Know that He is God. (Psalms 46:10)
http://www.shannonkhinson.com

Trusting God in uncertain times.

May 14, 2026May 14, 2026Leave a Comment

I wore these on my wrist all through 2020 The orange bracelet said Psalms 91 on the other side. The “miracles happen” bracelet I wore out.

Last night I spoke at the homeless shelter on “trusting God in uncertain times”. This is for everyone walking through times of uncertainty. You know those times when changes can and do occur in an instant. When life’s storms seem to be a whirlwind, an important question comes up, Who or what can we really trust? I can share from experience itself but most importantly from the Bible that God Himself is the best and most reliable source we can trust.

From my personal perspective, nothing speaks of uncertain times like the year 2020. It wasn’t just the COVID-19 pandemic! Oh no…. It was much more. I can try to break it down as briefly as possible. Let’s see….. mid March 2020 COVID-19 broke out. I remember it well because I was on a little trip with my parents at Hilton Head, SC. The oddest thing was that toilet paper seemed to disappear from stores! Seriously? That was weird! In my personal opinion, it was a glorified cold or flu. Why was toilet paper scarce? Were people using that to blow their nose? Sorry, I had to throw some humor into this trying time That was March. Mid April 2020 my older brother was diagnosed with acute leukemia. Saying the family was shocked is an understatement. My brother pretty quickly started chemotherapy. Because of Covid-19 no one could visit him in the hospital in Charlotte. He had a window in his hospital room so “visits” were from the parking lot below. His family, church and friends are incredible. Hold this story briefly for another major hit that came a few weeks later…..

Around May 4, 2020 (I recall the time but not exact date) A friend of our son Joshua had spent the night at our house. A group of friends were going on a day trip a couple of hours away to hike the highest waterfall East of the Rockies. My husband Ron and I went about our day, but when the guys didn’t return home, I began to worry. They were several hours late and we had not heard from them. I was praying and texting to try to find out information. Ron was making calls. Since the group was in the mountains cell service was sketchy. We got in touch with another parent and they heard someone was missing. It was the scariest experience. The group made it home the next day, minus one friend. (The one who had spent the night before the trip.). The details began to unfold. The group had taken off their shoes at the bottom of the waterfall and started hiking their way up. At one point, they stopped due to safety but two brothers continued the climb. The oldest slipped and fell down the waterfall. No group of friends should endure this type of tragedy but it is what happened. Some of the group went down for help, the others stayed in place. Search and rescue found the missing friend’s body in a cave under the waterfalls. This was early May 2020. Joshua and one of his friends needed to clear their mind after this experience and stayed in Florida with a friends dad for a couple of months.

Meanwhile, back in Charlotte, it became clear that my brother needed a bone marrow transplant The hospital in Charlotte didn’t have that program at the time so he was admitted to Duke University hospital. I ended up being a perfect match for his donor. Towards the end of August 2020, me, Ron and my parents went up to Duke for the harvesting procedure. My brother had been in the hospital there and his wife was staying up there with him. My dad was also battling cancer at the time. It was such a whirlwind of uncertainty. Dad died about 6 1/2 months after the transplant.

During this time, my brother and his family clung to Psalms 91. The promises in this chapter are like a “beacon of hope” during a dark storm. Psalms 91:1-2 says, “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” (ESV‬‬) This is an affirmation of trust in the eternal God in whom we can find a safe dwelling place. A safe place with extraordinary strength. I’m not talking about your own human strength, rather divine “beyond you” strength.

If you have never really taken Psalms 91 to heart, I challenge you to read it and make it personal. My mom taught me years ago to insert my name into the passage to make it personal. If I insert my name into Psalms 91:14-16 it would read like this: ““Because (Shannon) holds fast to me in love, I will deliver her, I will protect her, because she knows my name. When she calls to me, I will answer her; I will be with her in trouble; I will rescue her and honor her. With long life I will satisfy her and show her my salvation.”” (This is an example of how you can insert your name and pronouns into the ESV). It becomes personal.

May I challenge you to consider how God is your refuge, your guide in uncertain times, your strength and ever-present help in trouble. Consider these things and how this scripture can become a lifeline for you in your trials and storms. In doing so, you can find confidence in God to walk boldly in times of dark trouble. This reminds me of Psalms 23:4 that says, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” (ESV‬‬)

Indeed God was with us in 2020 and continues to be with us today. My brother is a walking testimony that miracles still happen. Today he is cancer free and serving the Lord in his church and community. God is faithful. He takes us through the fiery trials but He guides us through them, refining us along the way so we can be a reflection of Jesus. Bottom line, God is more than trust worthy in the good and the bad. You can cling to His promises. I’ll end with one last scripture, 2 Corinthians 1:20, “For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.” (ESV‬‬)

Be blessed! Www.shannonkhinson.com

Tarry in the stillness

April 29, 2026Leave a Comment

Yesterday I thought about writing on the much needed peaceful rain we were getting. We’ve been in a drought here in the Carolinas and needed rain so much. It was peaceful to sit on the porch and listen to it fall (I’m thankful my cochlear implant allows me to hear such beauty. ) However, I decided not to write and just be still and enjoy it.

This morning, I’m sitting on the porch again for my quiet time with the Lord and once again it is lightly raining. As I was reading scripture I came across Luke‬ ‭24‬:‭49 that says, ”Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”” (NKJV‬‬) Tarry means to linger or stay longer than expected. I needed to look up the meaning of endued. That word means to provide, invest or clothe someone with a particular quality, power or talent. So, we are to
“stay put” until the Holy Spirit “clothe” us” with power for what lies ahead.

I think we need to take this to heart and do it more often. Honestly, I’ve been burned out with life recently: just trying to do too much with my limitations. I’ve always pushed myself but there is a “fine line” when you push too hard. I (we) must realize, we can’t “save” the world, only God can do that. I (we) must realize that being still in God’s presence is refreshing. I (we) must realize it’s okay to say no. I (we) must realize that breaks are good and fortifying. I (we) must realize we have to take care of ourself before we can take care of another. We can’t pour into others when we have exhausted ourself. We chat learn balance. These are things I’ve learned lately.

When I started out the year God impressed on me to “be still and know that He is God”. I can’t make things happen. I can pray and try my best but only He can move mountains. My job is to pray, trust and evidently tarry.

I find it quite amazing how God aligns things in our lives to gently teach us and reinforce those teaching points again and again. He’s done that with me lately. I’m so thankful for a sensitive and teachable heart, where I see my faults, confess, repent and show grace to others.

I’ve been reading a fiction book recently and the characters try to manipulate situations and make the biggest “mess” in their lives. Then they realize the need to surrender to God their own “wills or desires” and trust God has a perfect plan. Then this morning in a group text, one friend shared words of encouragement and wisdom that our prayers are never wasted. God hears and remembers our prayers. We are to work on relationships and trust God. Then again coming across this scripture on “tarrying”. Just one gentle reminder after another to wait on God and be clothed with His power not our own.

So many try to do things on their own. We live in a success driven world of “get it done” and “moving on up” and “look at me”. A world of “impress everyone with all you’ve done and all you have”. In the grand scheme of life, those things don’t have eternal value. We need to build up our riches in Heaven. Check out Matthew 6:20-21, “but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”‬ ‭(NKJV‬‬)

Humility is so so very important. So many people are all about “ME”. Jesus was about “others”. We need to be the same.

Another thing I’ve noticed recently and this too was “reinforcerd” through a character in the book: we all make mistakes. I see and hear people talk about each other and I am reminded that NO ONE is perfect. We MUST pray for one another. It is vital! When you pray for people it’s hard to be critical of them. We aren’t made “judges”, only God does that. Love one another and pray. God is working among us, making a way in the dry places in life. Trust Him! Lay your “load” down and be still in His presence. Tarry in the stillness, it’s there we will find refreshing for our souls. Be blessed.

Www.shannonkhinson.com

Bloom in hard places

April 23, 20262 Comments

My two Bible promise books under my Optelec video magnfier

Have you ever been in a “hard place” and had to find a way to thrive in the midst of it all? I realize this blog is read in countries around the world: mostly the USA but quite a few in Europe and Asia as well. A “hard place” to me might look very different from your “hard place”. What are we to do in these difficult situations when we must keep putting “one foot in front of the other”? Hope has kind of been the topic of the devotion at the homeless ministry recently. As I have continued to share on having a “hope that thrives” I can only pray the precious people apply the truths to their lives.

Last night I shared on God’s promises and how we can cling to those promises. The Bible is FULL of God’s promises. When I graduated from high school back in 1987 someone gave me a book of God’s promises. I found it the other night and put it under my video magnifier so I could see it. Back when it was given as a gift I could actually see it without assistance but now in order to see such luxuries, I say that because you have no idea what a luxury you have when you can read without a machine to magnify it so you can see it. Low vision is a hard place. Anyway… back to the point…. I put that little book of God’s promises under my machine and started to read. It’s organized by topic and gives many many verses per topic to share the promises of God in the bible.

Last night as I taught, I started by sharing 2 Corinthians 1:20; ”For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory.” (NLT). I started with that to establish the fact that God’s Word is a firm foundation that we can rely on. We can anchor our hope in God by hiding His Word and promises in our hearts. I have to do that daily. It is a struggle but I cling to God’s Word and it enables me to bloom despite the difficulties. Sometimes my “bloom is watered with a few tears” but those are cleansing. I just wipe them away and continue on.

So here we were last night at the homeless shelter to bring food for nourishment and a devotion to nourish the soul. It was not our typical night. We usually have five staff members there plus up to ten volunteers. Two of our staff are traveling at the moment and one had hand surgery the day before. With my hearing and vision issues it’s a real “stretch” for me in the kitchen with the volunteers: trying to understand what they were saying and dealing with the commercial size kitchen. It was a bit overwhelming for me. I always slip away to pray before the devotion and to review my notes, enlarged big on my iPad, for the lesson. As I took that private moment in the storage room to offer up a prayer for assistance from the Lord, I’ll be honest, I blinked back tears of frustration. But what a perfect place to be as I “totally” depended on God to fill me in that moment. I know the precious homeless people are dealing with their own frustrations and I am to be an example of someone facing difficulties with God’s help. Fortified by that prayer, I went out and shared what God had given me. I shared 10 promises from the Bible that they could anchor their hope in God. I told them that God is bigger than any problem we might be facing I also encouraged them to use their words to affirm God’s goodness and promises over their life, rather than using words to magnify their problems. God is BIGGER than any trial. We can bloom in hard places. We must be obedient to step forward in faith in how God wants to use us. These teaching moments on Wednesday night are way out of my comfort zone but God never ceases to show up and enable me to pour in to the people. Before we even left the house yesterday my husband Ron found me outside sitting on the deck stairs. He said, “Are you praying?” I replied, “I’m just soaking up a bit of sun and yes, I’m praying a little since I don’t know how today will play out.” I’ll say,God answered my prayer because it all worked out for His glory. Ron said the people really listen as I share and two ladies accepted a Bible last night. That always warms my heart when they accept a free Bible.

Where does God want to use you? You can bloom anywhere with God’s help. It doesn’t have to be something extra-ordinary. It could be a shift of attitude, taking focus off yourself and seeing where you can serve others. It could be pouring into your family, friends and even strangers. It could be as simple as offering words of encouragement to people around you or perhaps responding with grace instead of the pent up frustration. God sees it all. He is cheering us on. You can “bloom in the hard places”, it just takes dropping all pride and sense of “self” and fully relying on God. He’s waiting for you. Just BLOOM!

Www.shannonkhinson.com

Finding Hope

April 16, 2026Leave a Comment

Let’s be honest, life’s “waves” of trials, difficulties, despair… you name it… often crash and we are left “storm weary”. Where do you find hope that thrives? Where do you find hope that anchors you despite circumstances? Personally, I find my hope in God’s unchanging character. Our emotions and circumstances are like the wind, always changing but God’s steadfast faithfulness is an unwavering fact. We can trust God. He has proven Himself throughout the Bible and in my own life, to be a firm foundation that anchors me.

A healthy change in perspective is so helpful. We must learn to take our focus off the present trials and instead focus on the God of Hope, who is trustworthy and so faithful. He has a “bird eye view” while we just have “tunnel vision”. What I mean is, He sees the BIG picture of our life, while we just see a little bit of it.

There is much wisdom in looking beyond our circumstances and trusting God with the future. What would it take to look through the “lens” of eternity, rather than the here and now? Romans 8:18 says, “Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.” (NLT‬‬) To live with eternity in view is to live with hope.

Let’s face it, often times life just doesn’t make sense. We need to see our trials from a positive point of view. Trials refine us and help us to grow. They have a tendency to smooth out the rough patches in our character so that we are more Christ – like.

We all can occasionally get worked up about our trials and situations. I sure do get a chuckle out of Ecclesiastes 1:2 that says ““Everything is meaningless,” says the Teacher, “completely meaningless! (NLT‬‬) If I look at life in hindsight I’d agree. Like the grass of the fields, we are here today and gone tomorrow. Our momentary trials are but a vapor, here for a little while then they vanish. We see this in James 1:14 which says, “whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.” (NKJV‬‬)

Choosing to live with hope is not ignoring the present painful situations, but rather choosing to look beyond the trials to see what’s coming. Just like the sun that rises every morning, sometimes there are clouds and fog hiding the sun, but it’s still there, just temporarily out of view. Look beyond the trials (clouds) to see God’s promises. Lamentations 3;21-23 is so encouraging to me. “But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations‬ ‭3‬:‭21‬-‭23‬ (ESV‬‬)

In true Shannon fashion, a worship song comes to mind. Still by Hillsong Worship (2003) would illustrate this blog well. I will try to find the music video to attach below. Part of the song says, “when the oceans rise and thunders roar, I will soar with You above the storm. Father you are King over the flood. I will be still and know that You are God”. That is what I call hope: being still and trusting God is with us. The eternal God is walking with us through our temporary trials. Let’s trust Him. He is our anchor of Hope. He is faithful. Be blessed.

Www.shannonkhinson.com

https://youtu.be/_n6dfB2Z-Ko?si=ltgyl1qFfnmj0E0r

Great need ~ Greater Grace

April 8, 2026Leave a Comment

Let’s face it, we’re all flesh and blood. We can and do fall short,simply because we have fleshly responses. We say one thing yet we do another. In this world so much is said yet never carried out. I suppose it’s a human flaw. As I’ve been thinking on this recently, the disciple Peter came to mind. Although many biblical people can fall into this category, I think Peter has been on my mind simply because we just celebrated Easter, the resurrection of our Lord Jesus.

Peter had much human weakness in need of divine grace. When Jesus told the disciples about His coming death Peter boldly protested. Let’s see the series of events. In Mark 14:29-31 we see, “Peter said to him, “Even if everyone else deserts you, I never will.” Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, Peter—this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny three times that you even know me.” “No!” Peter declared emphatically. “Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you!” And all the others vowed the same.” (NLT‬‬) Whew! Such courage until things start happening. Following Jesus arrest, while warming himself in the courtyard of the High Priest, Peter does indeed deny Jesus three times in one night. So much for the bold words. Let’s see what Mark 14:72 says: “And immediately the rooster crowed the second time. Suddenly, Jesus’ words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny three times that you even know me.” And he broke down and wept.” (NLT‬‬) Can you imagine the anguish Peter must have felt? He did love Jesus very much but in those fleshly moments of fear, he caved in and denied His Lord.

Last Sunday we went to Life Pointe church for Easter. The Pastor there touched on the following scripture. Mark 16;6-7, “And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.”” (ESV‬‬) Pastor underlined that and in his notes. (I’m thankful they shared the notes with me since I can’t hear him very well. ). I had never noticed the “And Peter” either. Why do you think the Angel singled Peter out? I mean, Peter was one of the disciples. Why not just say, “Go and tell Jesus disciples?” The more I think about it the more I realize that Peter may have been “beating himself up” over his fleshly denial of the Lord. Perhaps he thought, “Yes, Jesus is alive but would he want to have anything to do with me, especially after I deserted him?” It’s a valid assumption. However, Jesus is FULL of divine grace and John 21 tells us that Jesus restored Peter to ministry.

How many of us fall short? Come on, you know we all do. Romans 3;23 says, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” (NLT) We mess up sometimes and need to humble ourselves, seek Jesus face and ask for forgiveness. Jesus will meet you where you are in your situations if you surrender to Him. He met Peter at the Sea of Galilee. Where do you need Him to meet you? Let Him restore you and get you back on track to living the life He created you to live for His glory. He often meets me on my back porch in the mornings when I pour out my heart to Him. You see, this hearing/visually impaired life is no joke. It takes tremendous patience with all I encounter. Sometimes I just don’t feel up to being merciful and respond to frustration in ways the Lord probably doesn’t approve of. Just being real. That’s one thing I’m real good at, being real. But quite often I pray, “Lord help me die to the flesh and live according to Your Spirit. Help me respond in ways that please You.” And you know what, He sure does! I’m so thankful His divine grace meets me in my human weakness.

May I challenge you to examine your heart before the Lord? Ask Him to take a look at your heart and clean up what He sees that needs to be cleansed for His glory. The song Worth com to mind (by Anthony Born 2015) It goes like this: You thought I was worth saving, so You came and changed my life, You thought I was worth keeping, So You cleaned me up inside. You thought I was to die for, so You sacrificed Your life. So I could be free, I could be whole, I could tell everyone I know. I’m going to find the lyrics video and add it below. It’s Wednesday. We’re right smack in the middle of this week. Get your praise on and let God meet you where you are with a heart surrendered for His glory. Be blessed

Www.shannonkhinson.com

Don’t despise small beginnings.

March 25, 2026Leave a Comment

Right now I’m sitting on our back porch for my quiet time with the Lord. I had thought about not blogging this week, taking a break but this dropped in my heart. I aim to be obedient when the Holy Spirit drops something in my heart. My thoughts are a swirl of Spring, regrowth, rising up “yet again” , resilience and persevering for the glory of God.

The worship song Goodness of God (I don’t see how to underline that) was just playing in my head. I decided to find it on my iPad. As I started to sign the song in ASL (American Sign Language) our silly gran-pup thought my hands were a moving target game for him and He was trying to nibble my fingers. Nothing like the joy of a dog. That was off topic but a fun little addition so you can envision me blogging.

Now back to the topic —— In every season of life, we have to start somewhere. It’s a very rare moment when it’s not a small beginning. Just like seeds that are planted, we go through those small insignificant moments of isolated darkness as we grow up for the glory of God. For me, I just try to be obedient in whatever situation I’m in. Quite often it feels insignificant and unseen, but God sees me. That’s all that’s important.

So many things can seem like a “planting”. Sort of like a new start, a replant or even transplant. Last week I had to have a new “mapping” for my cochlear implant processor. That is sort of like reprogramming the processor that attaches magnetically to my head to the internal implanted device. For some reason that we don’t understand.some of the electrodes (there are 15) that are implanted in my brain were giving me some issues. Sounds were more “sharp” and bothered me like “fingernails going down a chalk board” kind of effect. My audiologist is amazing. She made adjustments so once again I’m having to transition and it makes me very tired. My husband Ron is really the only one that sees how this affects me. It can take a couple of months for my brain to adjust but I’m working on it and trying to balance out social life so I don’t get too drained. It’s a “replant” of sorts. My audiologist makes the changes (kind of like a replant) and I try in vain to bloom with it. 😂 (an emoji is suitable here)

Last night I was drained again. As I studied my notes for tonight’s devotion, I prayed, “Lord will I always be invisible?” My problems are unseen. My low vision can be somewhat hidden, mostly because of stubbornness to push through. My hearing impairment can also be hidden. My speech is pretty good so it doesn’t “give away” the hint of hearing loss. Combined the two issues together and it can really be a doozy, especially with a new cochlear implant processor”Map”.

Yesterday my 83 year old Mom and I went to hear my brother speak at the Novant Cancer Center. He is five and a half years post bone marrow transplant. Praise God he is doing so well. He spoke on his journey, his amazing wife’s strength, God’s provision and healing through the wonders of medicine. He spoke over the staff there, telling them they were like God’s angels as they cared for the patients. It was a beautiful thing. Mom signed a little bit of it so I could basically follow. The thing was, we had to find my brother and hie wife before it started. My Mom was driving (I can’t see well enough to drive) and she put the address in her gps then decided to go another way. So the entire time the gps was telling us to go in a different direction. 🤪 (another suitable occasion for an emoji) We get to the parking deck and didn’t know where to go. Seeing a flight of stairs we went that way. Up several flights, I turned to Mom and said, “Wait here, I’m going to see what’s up there”. So glad I did because it just led to the upper parking deck. Now the thing is, I detest flights of concrete stairs Low vision and flights of stairs don’t go hand in hand. I can’t tell you how many times I have missed a stair while going down. Going up in fine, down, not so much. But I was not going to let my elderly Mom go up all those stairs. We walked across the parking deck towards the “light” (outside). I’m like, “Lord help me not to fall in this parking deck”. We made it (I never mentioned any of this to Mom) went in and supported my brother. When I got home I was so tired. I made dinner, studied for tonight and went to bed. Moral of the story, everyone you see might be struggling with an “unseen” issue. Be mindful of that. Always be open to hearing others situations and needs in a loving way. Always bloom in whatever situation you are in. It’s not about us as individuals but about giving God glory in whatever situation we find ourselves in. In order to bloom we have to watch our attitudes, face expressions, cover whatever it is in prayer and step forward in faith that God is with us every step of the way.

One last thing: last night as I was checking e mails and also the junk email file I saw an intriguing email from a professor. He had found my book Rooted by the water by looking for stories of resilience. Interesting thing is he wanted to know what I have done for exposure for my book. He said it has a 4.6 rating on Goodreads but only 11 reviews. I’m not on Goodreads so I have no clue. I haven’t responded to his e mail. If you knew how many scam emails come through weekly regarding my book, it would blow your mind. That was what I was actually doing last night, deleting potential scammers. This morning a trusted family friend (actually my aunts sister) told me to try a certain app, saying that perhaps it would help with exposure. She said my words needed to be exposed. I’ll take her word for it. I just write what God gives me and “hit publish”. The small beginning started with social media posts, then my autobiography Rooted by the Water , then on to blogging. The audience has been interesting with blogging. It evidently trickles around the world with a few views here and there world wide. It is very interesting to see the map and the country names. So often as I look at it you could hear me say, “This is so weird”. Just being honest. I’m just a hearing and visually impaired woman speaking life into others, advocating for those who might need it and spreading God’s truth. It’s a small beginning but the rewards come in Heaven. If you have read my book, please consider writing a review. It could be on Amazon or Goodreads. (I wasn’t’ aware I was on that.) I would love to somehow get into the library system but have no clue how to go about doing that. I personally read ebooks off Hoopla library app because it’s a way I can see them, zooming the font on my iPad. If you know how to go about entering a recommended book, please reach out.

Wherever you are, whatever the situation don’t despise the small beginnings. God sees you! That’s all that matters. Pray for one another. Be mindful of others issues. Speak LIFE! I say it again… speak LIFE over people and others situations. God bless you all! Now let’s spring into this Spring day. I’ve got to study some more for tonight’s devotion. This teaching never gets easy. Lord take the wheel!! Stepping forward in Faith, knowing God is with us all! Be blessed.

Www.shannonkhinson.com

Matters of the Heart

March 18, 2026Leave a Comment

Once again I’m prepping for tonight’s devotion. It’s my hearts desire that the “Word” takes root in such a way that when I stand in front of the homeless people that God’s Word flows. Tonight I am going to share about Jesus’ parable of the Farmer sowing seed. As I have meditated on this it seems such a matter of the heart.

What’s in our heart is so important. For example, whatever is in your heart, your mouth speaks. (Matthew12:34) The Bible also tells us to guard our hearts above all else, because it determines the course of our lives. (See Proverbs 4:23). As I’ve thought deeply on matters of the heart, I realize that over time our hearts can become incrusted with hardness due to hurts, un-forgiveness, bitterness and struggles. I know someone who as a child and youth had such a tender heart. However hurt after hurt, accident after accident, witnessing a tragic accident, health issues, and relationship issues…. You get the “Picture” ….has developed a hardness over that once tender heart. I’ve witness that “wall” being torn down as well. Glory to God! This is a real life illustration. This “matter of the heart” sets the stage for how I see this parable of the sower found in Mark 4:1-20. (Tonight I plan to summarize it because with low vision I’m not going to read 20 verses in front of a group of people.)

Here is my summary –

Jesus is once again teaching a large crowd of people on the lake shore. He got into a boat, sat down and began to teach them by telling stories called parables.

A farmer went out to plant some seed. As he scattered it in his field some fell along the footpath and birds came and ate it. Other seeds fell on shallow soil that had underlying rock, It sprouted quickly because of the shallow soil but the plants wilted and died under the sun because the plants lacked deep roots due to the underlying rock. Other seed fell among the thorns that grew up and choked the plants so that it didn’t produce any grain. Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, that sprouted and grew and produced a harvest, 30,60 and even 100 times as much as was planted. Anyone with ears, let him hear and understand.

Later Jesus explained the story to his disciples. The seed is the “Word of God” shared with people. The seed that fell on the footpath, as soon as the people hear the Word of God, satan snatches it away. The seed that fell on the rocky soil, represent those that hear the Word, receive it immediately with joy, but since they lack deep roots they fall away when problems come in life and they are persecuted. The seed that fell among the thorns represents people who hear God’s Word but all too quickly the cares of this life, desire for wealth, and other things crowd it out so it doesn’t produce fruit. Cares of this life can be many thing: over concern about what people think about you and your situation. The cares could be getting ahead and doing more, living for yourself etc. Cares of life are just that, things that burden you and distract you from what’s really important. The seed that fell on good soil are the people who receive God’s Word accepting it and it produces a harvest 30, 60, and 100 times more than what was planted.

Let’s make some connections. Do you understand what spiritual fruit is? Galatians 5:22-23 tells us, “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” (NLT‬‬)

Let’s make a couple more connections here. Our hearts are like the soil. Our hearts need to be ready to accept and apply God’s message to our lives. Sometimes when we are listening to a message or reading God’s Word (the Bible), our minds are on other things or problems and we don’t really gleam from the message. We need to ask God to help us prepare our hearts so we can receive His Word and produce a harvest for His Glory. I have thought about this illustration in the past of checking in your “baggage” at the door before you come in to church, your bible study or fellowship time. What I mean is, when we come in with a heart uncluttered and weighed down with life “baggage” struggles, worries, problems then we are more likely to receive the life transforming Word of God. So let’s check in our “life baggage”, leaving it at the Lord’s feet so we can truly receive.

I often pray “create in me a clean heart, O God and renew a right spirit within me”. David wrote and prayed that in Psalms 51:10. Let us learn from this mighty man after God’s own heart, and ask God to cleanse us and prepare the “soil” of our hearts to receive His Word so we will produce fruit for His Glory!

Be blessed today and pray as I share this with the people tonight.

Www.shannonkhinson.com

We need more Trail Blazers

March 16, 2026Leave a Comment

For some reason the word “Trail Blazer” popped in my head this afternoon. I can just hear a friend of mine saying, “Girl, you’re thinking too deeply”. Maybe so, but sometimes deep thinking is needed. A trail blazer is a pioneer who sets the way to guide others, possibly in uncharted territory. I’m not talking about physical land, rather I’m talking about being a light for others experiencing darkness. Whether that darkness is social barriers, communication barriers or spiritual barriers. We need people willing to go the “extra mile” to serve others. People who are willing to get out of their comfort zone to help others around them. I do this on Wednesday nights when I share a devotion with people from the homeless shelter. Is it comfortable for me? No but I know God works in our weaknesses if we will surrender. I’ll tell you the truth, it’s a very rewarding experience and it’s never easy doing it.

I heard recently that only 2% of deaf people know Jesus. That is astounding!!! Of all the churches I know of only one has a program for the hearing impaired where they provide sign language interpreters. That same church also provides translations into other languages. It is truly amazing. I’d say, they are Trail Blazers in sharing the Gospel among various languages. It would be nice to see other churches do the same. I have a friend whose family has been attending a church in South Carolina for years. There are no services for her at her church. She has to see it on social media closed captioned in order to receive the message. Church is not only for worship and teaching of the Word of God. It is also for fellowship. Social media is not fellowship. If you are a Pastor or in church leadership and you have someone in your congregation needing special help, go the “extra mile” to provide what is needed for them to participate in the worship service. Some might say, “it’s never been done”. Perhaps so, but perhaps the need is something that is new. Many people won’t speak up and advocate for their needs. It is completely fine to say, “Hey is there anything you can do to help?” Sometimes you have to push a bit but remember only 2% of deaf people are Christians. That is a HUGE population that can be and needs to be reached for the Glory of God!!!

Now on to a different need. There are many people in our communities that need encouragement, prayer, a helping hand etc. It could be the elderly, widows, single mom’s struggling to raise their kids, the homeless. So many people could benefit from someone going out of their way, getting out of their own comfort zone to be a blessing. There is an amazing organization that helps us on Wednesday nights. I’m not sure of the exact name but it’s young men and their moms that show up to help serve the food at the homeless shelter. They are such a blessing. I’m not sure where all they serve but it could be in many places.

In our present culture people are so “sucked in” to their phones, tablets and computers. We need to encourage each other to put those devices aside and interact with people around us. Many young people need mentors that help them to learn social skills. Our children are a valuable blessing to us and they should be protected from worldly ideologies and mentored to serve others and solve problems.

We need people who actually want to get involved and not just sit on the “side lines” as a spectator of the Gospel. The mission field is huge and just needs people who are willing to be the “hands and feet of Jesus”.

Do you see why “Trail Blazers” popped in my head today? There are so many areas of need. Sometimes we need to speak up in a nice respectful way, to “plant some ideas” of things that would be worth the hassle of doing them. It never hurts to ask nicely. It never hurts to try something new that’s maybe never been done in your organization, that would benefit others. It never hurts to serve , as a matter of fact it will bless you beyond your imagination. So… what will you do with this? I know this blog is read in countries around the world. This applies to anyone, anywhere. What will you do with this? Who will you serve? Who will you help? Who will you share the Gospel with? I think you get the idea. Now go and be a blessing and I guarantee you will be so blessed in return.

Www.shannonkhinson.com

Another storm ~ A doozie!

March 3, 2026Leave a Comment

As I was preparing for this weeks devotion for Wednesday, I felt prompted to share about the Apostle Paul’s shipwreck recorded in Acts 27. Last week I spoke about another storm and immediately thought of this storm. Why in the world am I on the “storm” theme? My inquiring mind wants to know. I’ll share the conclusion at the end of this post.

As I was researching on this particular account in Acts 27, I came across an interesting article with 5 things we can learn from Paul’s experience. You can find the article here. https://share.google/dXAPC835qW5JRCmfT. This had great insight and it applies to us today.

Paul, a prisoner because of the Gospel, on board a ship, under the guard of a Roman Centurion. Paul was on his way to Rome to stand trial before Caesar. The Centurion was kind to Paul on the journey. There were also 276 others on board. The journey consisted of several stops at different ports along the way.

Acts 27:10-11 says, ““Men,” he said, “I believe there is trouble ahead if we go on—shipwreck, loss of cargo, and danger to our lives as well.” But the officer in charge of the prisoners listened more to the ship’s captain and the owner than to Paul.” (NLT) Not too long after Paul said this a HUGE storm came up and the ship was battered. The crew wrapped ropes around the hull of the ship to strength it. Cargo and ship gear were thrown overboard, and the storm raged on. Check out Acts 27:21-26. “No one had eaten for a long time. Finally, Paul called the crew together and said, “Men, you should have listened to me in the first place and not left Crete. You would have avoided all this damage and loss. But take courage! None of you will lose your lives, even though the ship will go down. For last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me, and he said, ‘Don’t be afraid, Paul, for you will surely stand trial before Caesar! What’s more, God in his goodness has granted safety to everyone sailing with you.’ So take courage! For I believe God. It will be just as he said. But we will be shipwrecked on an island.””Acts‬ ‭27‬:‭21‬-‭26‬ ‭(NLT) The ship did go down. Some jumped over board and swam for shore. Others clung to pieces of the shipwreck and floated in. Either way, they all reached shore without a single person dying.

If you look at the link I shared a few paragraphs up you will see the article with the 5 things we can learn from this shipwreck. I’m going to put it in my own words. Number 1: Paul “saw” trouble coming before it even happened. Born again believes have the Holy Spirit to direct us and show us things others might not see. Another important point to note, Paul was not a sailor. He was a teacher of the law, writer and Bible scholar, however he was NOT a sailor. Yet he boldly spoke to the ships captain and Centurion, (although this didn’t listen to him. ). God loves to use people who are dependent on Him, rather than their own knowledge and talents. The third point the article made is: Who are you listening to? Whoa! That is so true! One of the most costly mistakes we can make is to listen to the wrong source of information. If the Captain and Centurion had listened to Paul the ship would have not gone down and the cargo would have been spared. In present times, think about the misinformation we are fed daily on the news and by the press. (Depending on which news source you listen to.) Yep! It’s costly to listen to the wrong source! The Word of God needs to be the deciding factor in our life, not what people say.

Another point the article mentioned is that discouragement is a choice. If anyone onboard that ship had a right to be discouraged, it was Paul, but he chose to encourage the others. They has not eaten in days, had not seen the sun or stars and yet the storm raged on. The people onboard lost hope of being saved yet Paul encouraged them to eat to regain strength. Storms do come up in life and we get battered sometimes, however we must keep the faith and trust God. We are going to make it to our “destination”. We might be “holding on to pieces of shipwreck” but we’re going to make it. Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” (NLT) God did cause everything to workout for the good after Paul’s shipwreck. Paul and all 276 people made it safely to shore and God used Paul in miraculous ways to heal those on the island. The last point the article made was: Every time you call (pray) God is near to you. Paul called on the Living God and the fear was replaced by faith. When we pray, God hears and He answers.

After I prepared my notes to teach from tomorrow I still wondered why do I feel so strongly the need to share this? The answer settled in my spirit….. We are on a journey in life. Our destination is Heaven. (If you know Jesus and have surrendered to Him) We are “battered” by the storms of life. It can be so many things: losing a loved one, have a health crisis, being taken advantage of or someone taking things from you they have no right to take. It could be a divorce, loss of a job or your home. The list is endless and as unique as each individual. YET and I emphasize that for a reason! YET we can “wrap” our situations in prayer for strength just like the crew wrapped the hull of the ship with ropes. Wrap your situation in prayer and keep your faith. Don’t fall into dispair but hold on just a little longer. You’re going to make it to your destination even if you’re clinging to something for support. You WILL make it with God’s help!! Do not give up!!! Years ago one of my Pastors preached on a topic I can’t quite remember but I remember the visual he used. It was a stretch of a person with a towel wiping sweat from their face. If I remember correctly, his illustration was someone “throwing in the towel” (like… I’ve had enough of this!) and God throws the towel back and says, “Wipe your face! It’s almost over!” That’s us folks! The storm batters us and we’ve had enough and God says “Hold on! It’s almost over! Keep your eyes on ME! I’ve got you!’

Okay, I’ve done what I’ve been prompted to share here and I’ll share it tomorrow as well. These lessons are for me as well. Funny how God will impress it deeply upon me so I can share with a bold conviction. God is all we need!! Keep the faith!!! Have a great rest of the week and pray for our world! It is a mess right now but God is working! He’s always working! Much love and prayers!