I didn’t want to end this day without giving Glory to God for the amazing miracle of my brother Forrest’s life. God is good and so so faithful! Not many people have three birthdays but my brother has three: the day he was born, the day he accepted Jesus as his Savior and the day he had a bone marrow transplant. Today marks his 4th birthday and we are so thankful! Some of you have followed my blog from the beginning and were part of the team that prayed for him. Thank you! Today he continues to be cancer free. He is thriving and quite frankly, it’s hard to keep up with him. He’s a busy family man who loves God, loves his family and serves faithfully. Four years ago, God brought him through the fiery trial of acute leukemia. He now is PopPop times 4. His fourth grandbaby was just born.
As I was cleaning up the dinner dishes tonight, I began to sing the chorus of “Say Amen”. I will post the music video for you below. The chorus goes like this… Has anybody here found Him faithful? Anybody here knows He able? Say Amen! Has anybody here seen His power? Anybody here brought through the fire? Say amen! Has anybody here found joy in the midst of sorrow, peace in the storm, hope for tomorrow and you’ve seen it time and time again, just say Amen! I love that song and the testimony that it shares.
We all have a testimony and are called to testify and give Glory to God. I couldn’t let this day end without doing just that. Life is unpredictable. My brothers acute leukemia diagnosis back in 2020 came like the “meanest curve ball” out of no where, but today I can say “God knocked that ball out of the park!” Don’t stop praying! God’s ways are so much higher than our ways. All we can do is submit to God, pray, worship, serve and trust Him for His best. You are loved! Keep looking to Jesus! He will see you through! Thank you Jesus for the Miracle of my brother’s life and thank you for blessing his family over and beyond! Www.shannonkhinson.com
Do you ever feel like the “odds” in life are stacked up against you? Life can feel like a battleground from a spiritual perspective (and political and cultural as well. Just being real but back to the topic) Society’s acceptance of evil as good is constantly thrown in our faces. It wears on those who desire to live with integrity. You know the lies, the propaganda, sexual nonsense and just down right “darkness”. What are we to do? Read on~
There are all different types of “battlegrounds”. Mine can be a constant drip from the enemy… you can’t do this, you can’t do that, you will never be enough, and the list goes on. You know the drill. Surely I’m not alone. You can take authority over the enemy and tell him he’s a liar and to go back to hell where he belongs! Just being honest here. We can and need to do that. There is power in the name of Jesus to break every single chain, lie and deception. It’s our right as Children of God, to stand in the authority and power of the name of Jesus.
There is the battleground of anxiety and depression. Sadly, in this day that’s always lurking. You take one look at the world around us, see the lack of leadership, censoring of speech , the thrust of acceptance of evil things, etc. and worry raises its ugly head. Listen to me here. I recently felt anxiety rising in me and I immediately confessed it to the Lord. Having hidden God’s Word in my heart over the years the following scripture came to mind. “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7 (NKJV ) You see, I knew I was feeling anxious about something I had absolutely NO control over. I realized God did not want me to be anxious but rather confess that anxiety, thank Him for the ability to bring it to Him in prayer, knowing that He was the one who could change whatever. Sometimes that change is me, and trust me, I’m all for a divine change from my Abba Father. In that particular case, God gave me such peace when I bought my worries to Him in prayer and He did work in the situation and I’m trusting Him to continue working it all out.
These are just a few examples of battlegrounds. God does not leave us helpless to face these things alone. Check out the following scripture: “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,”2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (NKJV) We’ve got to guard our hearts and minds.
I came across a really grea devotion in Read&Pray devotion from August 13 (they are all awesome and you can find information about the devotion book at the following link ) https://centralnc.org/read_prayer_devotional One statement that really stood out to me was: “Sometimes earthen vessels have to be broken , so the enemy sees the light and knows he doesn’t stand a chance. “ That is so true. You see, it’s when we are broken and the light of Jesus shines through us, that’s when the enemy takes notice. The enemy can defeat us in the flesh BUT when the Holy Spirit operates within us, the enemy doesn’t stand a chance. Thank you Jesus!
That does take admitting our need for Jesus. We have to drop our pride. There is no place for pride in life, especially on a battleground. We surrender to Jesus and He empowers us to overcome. The Bible tells us in Romans 12:21, ”Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good. ( NLT) God never said it would be easy, but rather we are to take up our cross daily and follow Him. Romans 12:12 tells us “Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.”(NLT)
The multiple battlegrounds are inevitable, but we can rejoice in it all knowing the battle is already won! Glory to God! We can rest in the assurance that Jesus is with us, we will not fall. I actually bought a bracelet recently to remind me of that when I’m out in the world, doing life. When that sense of overwhelming weariness strikes, I need only to look at this bracelet and be reminded that God has me. He has you too. Sometimes we just need to sit quietly in His presence and soak up the peace and strength He pours into us. Rest in Him! Keep reading God’s Word! Pray continually and give thanks in all things! It makes all the difference in the world! Be blessed! Www.shannonkhinson.com
My new stainless steel bracelet. “God is within her, she will not fall” Got it on Amazon
I woke up this morning planning to go work out with a friend but that plan got scratched. So here I sit, praying and having my quiet time with the Lord. Funny how He uses early morning quiet times to nudge my heart and bring hidden things to light.
In dealing with life, I have the tendency to just ”dig in my heels” and push through. Living with hearing and visual issues is hard enough but watching your grown son deal with similar issues is a very HARD thing. This morning I read a devotion about taking on Jesus yoke. One of the scriptures was Matthew 11:28: “Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” (NLT) Do you carry a heavy burden too?
Ok I’m going to be a little “Raw” here. Rest? Life is a daily struggle just dealing with my own issues but then to see our son deal with his….It’s like running into a mountain that is too HUGE to even imagine getting around. Something insignificant came to light recently but it was like a “cork”popping off a well of hurt, disappointment and anguish. I can deal with my issues but I can’t really help someone deal with theirs. That’s something God has to do.
This morning when I opened my iPad, it had created a video from some pictures in my album. It was like going down memory lane in our family and watching Joshua grow into a remarkable strong young man. The video had pictures of our little family of three and Grandma and Grandpa, our prayer Team. Grandpa is no longer with us, and that still leaves a “hole”. Joshua sure did love his Grandpa.
So as I prayed this morning, I let it out. God knows! He wants us to bring our burdens to Him and find rest in Him. I also came across scriptures I had put aside in my notes section of my IPad. One of those scriptures was Zephaniah 3:17 that says, “The Lord your God is in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.”” (NKJV)
Last Sunday Larry Green was singing a song that says “there ain’t no mountain high enough, to keep my praise from going up. In everything give thanks”. Wow! That sure is a challenge but starting each day with the Lord in prayer and His Word is the way to go. Last night I got on amazon to order a bridal shower gift. I decided to browse Christian bracelets and came across one that says “God is with her, she will not fail”. I ordered it and will wear it as a reminder that God is indeed with us, strengthening us. He foresaw our whole lives before they began. He knows the ending and every step until we reach that point. Deep breath! It’s ok to show your vulnerable side. It shows your humble and human. I take comfort in transparency because it shows me I’m not alone. It’s sad a lot of people have too much pride to show weakness. It’s a blessing to be able to genuinely be there for people knowing what it’s like to endure. I truely believe that brings joy to our Lord when He sees us love, encourage, listen and pray for each other.
Mom and I recently went to a little shop in Pineville NC. We had passed it many times and Mom wanted to check it out. (Truth be told, I can’t see well enough to read the signs of stores well and had no clue what it even was.) We went in and saw the loveliest lady. She said she sells things for elderly people when they downsize their home. The items were a beautiful mix of home furnishings and antiques. As we went into one room there was a beautiful prayer tree. I had never seen one before. There were tags that you could write a name on of someone needing prayer, then attach it to the tree. Mom wrote on a tag and placed it on the tree. I wrote on my tag and handed it to her to place on the tree. We wrote the same persons name. 💓God knows and I know He will answer with His very best.
I do not usually share such personal things, but perhaps this will encourage you. I also don’t typically share prayer requests with just anyone simply because some people just want to know your business but don’t really care. It’s just the truth. But God knows. As I’ve been writing this another song came to mind. I had the honor of learning how to play this on the piano and I so wish I had stuck with it but my piano playing season ended. But the memory of the song still remains. I will attach the YouTube video below. It’s an Elevation worship song , titled “Do it again.”
Be blessed. Keep praying. Never give up! Www.shannonkhinson.com
A little over a week ago, the title “Transformed” came to me. As I read the Bible I came across different scriptures and added them to my notes but wasn’t sure how the Lord would enable me to tie it together. Instead of an overload, I think I will break it up over a few days.
From my own perspective, transformed is being totally changed, hopefully for the better. There are so many things that can bring about transformation in people: friends, influencers, your interests, music, entertainment, what you immerse yourself in, etc. There are too many things to name. What you allow to mold you is evident in your choices, attitudes, speech and responses.
Last Sunday, I listened to our early church service online as I was getting ready for the late service. Thank God for Bluetooth technology. With my recent cochlear implant processor adjustments, I’m doing a little better comprehending but I’m not consistent. On the way to church I told my husband Ron and son Joshua, what I thought the service was about. Afterwards we realized I had done pretty good following. (I missed some big chunks of it but got the main things.) Joshua asked why there are so many different teachings on Jesus. I answered, “There are false teachings thrown in with scripture. The devil is the father of lies and deception. He will give you a “grain’ of truth and twist it. You will know truth if it’s from the Bible; adding nothing and taking nothing away. When opinions, politics, special interests, etc. are thrown in, that is a “RED FLAG”.
Our society and world are full of deception and lies. There is the redefining of marriage and sexual nonsense. There is the watering down of truth to not offend. It is imperative that you read the Bible and know the truth. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 tells us,“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. (NKJV) Do you see it? Scripture transforms us, not the other way around. Be careful the Bible translation you read. They don’t all have the same verses and some verses are left out completely in some translations. Have you ever noticed that there are updates to translations in the Bible App? That troubles me since the Word of God does not change.
If you profess to be a Christian, let me ask you this. If people observe how you live during the week, the things you post on social media, your speech, how you treat others, your attitudes: do they see Jesus in you? We are to “Shine for Jesus”. It is Jesus in us who transforms us. Check out 2 Corinthians 4:6-10, “For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.” (NLT)
I challenge you to spend more and more time in prayer and studying the Bible. It will change you from the inside out. 1 John 4:17 says, “And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world.”(NLT) That should be our goal.
I’m going to stop here and pick up on this soon. Take the time to pray over and digest these truths. Don’t take my word for it. Open up your Bible and seek the face of the Lord. He will meet you there. You are greatly loved. Be blessed and better yet, Be a blessing. http://www.shannonkhinson.com
Yes you read that title right! The title is inspired by a post my cousin Craig Kenley posted. I asked if I could quote him.and he said “yes “. He said, “It’s a deep hole America and everyone has a shovel.” Now that’s is truth. We all have a responsibility in this mess called life. What do we do? The answer to that lies in which mess we are referring to.
There are a lot of ‘“Holes” out there. Which one do you find yourself in? There is a “Hole’ called “Depression”. There is another “Hole” called “lies and misinformation”. Oh my goodness! You could really open up a “can of worms” exposing all the types of “Holes” people fall into. Alrighty, let’s name some more: Financial holes, deceptive holes, political holes, censorship holes, addictions, affairs, evil sinister holes and the list goes on.
First I want to touch on the “Hole” America finds itself in right now. The “Hole” has been getting deeper and deeper for YEARS, but with the decline of common sense and intergrity in our country, it’s taken a nose dive. The country I grew up in is no longer recognizable. It really doesn’t matter what “Party” you are aligned with. Sinister greed and power infilterate all levels of our government. It is spiritual, whether you agree or not. It is what it is. Our Founding Fathers created a government with “checks and balances”: The President, Congress and Supreme Court. The darkness and censorship of truth, has infiltered all those branches of government to the point many can not be trusted. We have a Justice in the Supreme Count that can’t even define what a woman is. Is there any wonder that we are where we are as a country? Our current President and Congress care more about Ukraine than they do American citizens. The care more about the illegal immigrants than they do American citizens. This should NOT be! Our media spews out half truths and down right lies and people with no common sense just “eat it up”. Journalist have a responsibility to report truth! Do they? You tell me!
Yesterday I was at a birthday party in the late afternoon when someone said Donald Trump had been shot at a rally in Pennsylvania. I was stunned to say the least. I got my iPad and got on Twitter X to see what was happening. I also got on Facebook and there was nothing. Isn’t that a bit odd? One platform is censored, the other more for freedom of speech. We have a right to a free election. It is election season and our current President has had our borders open wide. Drugs, human trafficking and violence abound. The powers want those illegals to have a right to vote in our election. That should NOT be! Oh my word people! Open your eyes to what is and has been going on for a long time. Stop listening to the lies and start digging for truth. Don’t believe everything you hear. God gave you common sense and expects you to use it.
The devil is deceptive and is the father of lies. Are you listening to him? Whether it be politics, spiritual or personal, it’s time to get out of the “Hole”, whichever one you find yourself in. If you have your head in the sand, it’s time to get out. It’s past time!
I’m not saying be rude or offensive, I’m saying, learn how to have a civil disagreement without it ending a friendship. Learn how to win without cheating. Learn fairness, integrity, truth and practice those things. PRAY PRAY and PRAY some more! If you notice people struggling, whether it is spiritual, relational, or whatever….. you can help “dig them out” with encouragement. You can “throw a life line of prayer”.
Recently I had a conversation with someone who has been in a “hole” for eight months. I will not reveal the person or situation but I will say this, I told that person it was time to “get out of that hole”. I used the example of listening to the lies of the devil that are contrary to the Word of God. I used the example of them falling into a “hole of lies”. I said, “Every time you believe or accept another lie from hell it’s like the devil pouring more dirt on your head. Enough! It’s time to get out”. The person changed the subject and I said “O no you don’t! You are going to deal with this! It’s time”. Do you want to know what happened? As I prayed with this person, there was a breakthrough! Prayer changes things. It changes you and me. We don’t pray for our will but God’s Will be done. He knows what is best. Surround yourself with praying friends, family, people who care and want to see God’s best for you and your family. (That’s quite the run on sentence but sometimes it’s needed to keep the momentum) You can be that kind of friend for someone in a “hole”.
As for the mess our country is in. ..It is vital and I do mean vital, that we Pray for our country, our leaders, and our election process. It is vital that our elections are fair for the American citizens. I am not against those less fortunate, as a matter of fact I help cook for the homeless in our community each week and serve them in the elements (heat, rain, cold) It is a honor and privilege to serve others and I don’t take that lightly. However, flooding our country with illegals to use them for illegal votes is wrong! Silencing Americans is wrong. Inciting violence is wrong. The powers that may be and media are beyond hypocritical.
The Bible warns us about the last days and that is where we are. 2 Timothy 3:1-5 says, “You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!” ( NLT)
There is no time like the present to surrender your life to Jesus. We can not fight this battle alone. It must be fought on our knees in prayer. We must live a life of obedience to God’s Word! God’s Word is contrary to the flesh and things of this world. God wants us to walk in love and kindness. Hate can’t drive out hate. Only love can do that. We must unite in prayer and love. The battle belongs to the Lord and He has already won it! There is a song we sing in church and part of it goes like this, “Almighty fortress You go before us, nothing can stand against the power of our God. You shine in the shadow, you win every battle. Nothing can stand against the power of our God.” I’m going to post a video link so you can hear the whole song. Sing it out! Rise up! Grab your shovels and dig! Help dig out friends, family and people fallen into “holes”. Help dig them out with prayer, love, encouragement, and common sense. When people are ugly, show kindness. Overcome evil with good! Now DIG!
I find it slightly ironic that I’m writing on “the fly” today about learning to “Be still”. I’m not talking about physically being still but rather “being Still before the Lord”. It’s vital to learn to rest in Jesus despite any and all worldly chaos churning.
Sometimes you can feel so alone even in a group of people. You begin to feel kind of “down and out”. You can go from a season of constant movement to one of a slow pace, seemingly alone. In those alone and quiet periods, the enemy tries overtime to cloud our minds with half truths and speculation. When you don’t have the previous rapport of companionship for whatever reason (vacations, busyness with families, or just dealing with life) thoughts can pop up and your imagination runs with it. Knowing enemy tactics is so so important.
A friend sent me a word of encouragement the other night. Just kind of out of the blue and it touched my heart. In a nutshell, she told me , “Shannon I feel impressed to tell you stop worrying and stressing yourself. He’s got you, Joshua and Ron in his hand and will. You are never a burden on people who love you. Satan tries to cloud your head with that. He’s a liar. You all are a beautiful family. Rest my dear sister and friend and let God do what you can’t. I love you. Nite nite”. A beautiful sister in Christ sent that to me and it touched my heart. Yes I had been stressing and yes I had been worrying. If you knew my story, you’d completely get it. BUT God doesn’t want me to stress and worry but rather to “Be Still” before Him and trust Him.
Knowing there are things I can’t do and need help with, like drive and make phone calls: I’m guilty of going “over and beyond” with the things I can. That puts additional stress on me. I must learn and maybe you should too, that I can’t be everything even in those duties I can handle well. I’m trying to cook more for our family to save money. ( Eating out with three adults is expensive even at the cheaper places.). I can cook just fine but the stove/ glass top range is the new digital kind and I have the hardest time seeing it. I can’t see if it’s on high or medium. I turn the dial and watch the burner. If it’s fully red I’m assuming it’s high….. and you get the picture. It’s a challenge but with God’s help I’m getting it done. That is just one tiny example of dealing with life with low vision. Don’t get me started on the hearing loss issues. What can I say….I’m unique. 😜
Living ilife can feel so lonesome at times. It’s during these times, it’s so vital to turn our thoughts on Jesus and stay in His Word. I will tell you as I was just typing that, my iPad completely closed and went to my homepage. Isn’t that just like the enemy to try interfering with “Kingdom Work”? The devil tries to frustrate us and make things more difficult, hoping we will “throw in the towel” and just forget it. Not going to happen here! When my iPad messed up, I just “dug in my heels” and found where I left off and kept the encouragement flowing.
Do you understand where I’m going here? These times when we feel alone, God is actually teaching us things people can’t teach us. He is molding us and forming us into vessels that absolutely MUST SEEK HIS FACE to make it through the day. I know from a human perspective that’s a hard place to be BUT from a spiritual perspective that is THE PLACE TO BE! Let’s give GOD GORY IN THESE QUIET TIMES as HE IS PREPARING US FOR WHAT LIES AHEAD! Nope… I’m not yelling at y’all but I AM emphasizing an important point. Armor up Saints. The devil plays very ugly vile games BUT he is DEFEATED already! ALL GLORY TO JESUS!
I think I’m done here but publishing this blog will have to wait until later tonight after RiceNBeans outreach. Right now I’ve got to get the hotdogs cooking and rice in the oven. Beans have been on all morning. It’s going to be an awesome day. Whether you’re alone or in a crowd, keep your eyes on JESUS! Reach out and encourage someone. Don’t wait for them to reach out to you. Ministry is a two way street. Let’s go!
It’s my prayer that you have received encouragement or perhaps even been challenged through this blog. I find it so refreshing when people can be real and transparent. We can all learn from each other. Life lessons are amazing teachers. I’m thankful for all The Lord is teaching me. Please check out my autobiography Rooted by the Water on Amazon (hard cover, soft cover and ebook formats) I pray it’s a blessing to you and encouragement to never give up in hard situations. Be blessed and better yet, be a blessing. Www.shannonkhinson.com
Today I went back to the pictures my friends took of the Angel Oak Tree, to zoom in on the roots. Only the base of the tree trunk that becomes the root system slightly shows, but you know with a massive tree of that size the root system must be incredibly complex. While the root system is not visible; however with the size, magnitude and leaf canopy observable, can you even imagine the potential size of the roots? Roots provide water and nutrients for all parts of a tree. Roots also act as an anchor providing stability.
Stay with me here. In my last blog “The Most Magnificent Tree”, I reflected on all the storms and history the tree possibly endured to reach its present age and size. I was intrigued thinking about the roots feeding and bringing water to that HUGE tree. In my momentary line of thinking, I’m considering the tree bark kind of like an armor providing protection. Is that too far fetched?
People are like trees in all their variety , shape and beauty. While a persons root system is not easily seen, you can tell what roots a person. Yesterday at church the altar was full of people desiring prayer and strength for their burdens. One of my friends mentioned how many people are just weary and weighed down by “life”. However, rather than breaking under the pressures of life, these people were going to Jesus in prayer. He provides the “living water” and life giving nutrients that sustain us and help us rise above life’s weight. As Christians we are rooted and established in love: our love for God and desire to rise up and give Him glory propels us forward! Ephesians 3:17-19 says,“that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” ( NKJV)
Like the bark on the Angel Oak Tree, we also need the protection of the Armor of God! That includes the belt of truth fastened around us, the breast plate of righteousness shielding our hearts, the helmet of salvation to protect our minds, our feet fitted with the gospel of peace, the shield of faith to extinguish the devils lies and schemes and the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. (See Ephesians 6:10-18) We fight in prayer! Prayer changes things! Most of all, prayer changes us.
I would like to address one more thing. This is the very first year we have attempted a raised garden. I received a cedar planter for my birthday in April. I watched our backyard to determine the best area that received the most sunlight. We chose the soil to use and plants to plant. We’ve watered the plants daily and take delight in watching them grow. Our tomato plants were getting a bit weighed down so my husband Ron put in some stakes to give them support. There are sixteen tomatoes growing! So far we don’t see any colored peppers or cantaloupe. Hopefully we will have a harvest and plant more for the Fall and Winter garden. The tomatoes have done better since Ron added the stakes to support them. Just like those stakes, God puts friends and family in our lives to encourage us and pray for us when we are tipping over by the weight of life. I’m thankful for the wonderful people, family and church family, God has placed around us to reinforce our faith, speak life and God’s Word over us and pray.
There are so many lessons we can learn from God’s creative expressions in creation. Take the time to really look at all God has done and let Him teach you from His inspiring nature. From the dove nest on our porch this Spring, to flowers, trees, our dog Joy, personalities of people, the stunning artistic colors of the sky to ant hills…. I see my God, my Creator, everywhere and it makes my heart smile. I don’t know why He made me such a deep soul but I delight in His truths and the wonderful way He shares them with me.
It’s my prayer that you have received encouragement or perhaps even been challenged through this blog. I find it so refreshing when people can be real and transparent. We can all learn from each other. Life lessons are amazing teachers. I’m thankful for all The Lord is teaching me. Please check out my autobiography Rooted by the Water on Amazon (hard cover, soft cover and ebook formats) I pray it’s a blessing to you and encouragement to never give up in hard situations. Be blessed and better yet, be a blessing. Www.shannonkhinson.com
Today marks 30 years of marriage. If I knew in the beginning what I know now, I would have held my tongue on the petty stuff that wasn’t worth arguing over. The saying “you live and learn” has certainly proven to be true. Marriage goes so much further than that though. You also grow, learn to work through tricky situations, listening to each other, Praying for each other individually and together. There is a balance of love, encouragement and persevering that develops over many year.s. We have seen some great times, making great memories. We have also seen some of the toughest of times, shedding tears and even laughed through some of them in utter disbelief but we do it together.
We are better together. Are we perfect? NO! We fall down, we get back up. We fuss, we apologize. We forgive and honestly move on. Marriage is working through life together. We are not a Ron or a Shannon, we are a couple. We’ve seen so many couples hit rough patches, have midlife crisis, entering new stages in life then “toss in the towel”. Little do they realize that when a couple works through these things together, they come out so much stronger. Hold on to your marriage! It’s worth fighting for. You won’t always feel the “warm fuzzy feelings” that are there in the beginning. Love is a decision. When we exchanged our vows, we meant it.
I’m thankful to be Ron’s wife. Through it all, God has strengthened our love for each other as we grow stronger in Him. I’m thankful for this life we have built together and continue growing each day. I pray God blesses us with many more. Happy Anniversary Ron! I love doing life with you!🤟🏼
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.
Wrapping up the birthday week. It’s been a good one. Some friends surprised me with an early birthday lunch last Saturday and a fun “Girls Day”. Italian must have been the “Double Nickels” birthday theme. Lunch was Italian Saturday, Italian Sunday and the very best Italian around on my actual birthday. I’ve had enough pasta to last for months..
We are in a transitional time of adjustment. Our son has moved back home while he figures out a career change and fresh path. It’s an adjustment but it’s all going to work out. (And I love getting his awesome hugs every day)
In the meantime, God has sent some of His divine “God winks” to bring joy each day. We have another mourning dove resting on the same top shelf of our bakers rack on the front porch. The funny thing was that Ron discovered it behind a small sign that says “pray without ceasing”. He moved the sign because sometimes the wind makes it fall. We also slightly moved the bakers rack s we can watch the nest from inside. When I saw it I had such joy, and peace in my heart. It was like God saying” I’ve got you all. Trust me.” I go check on the nest several times of day from inside. It appears that the male and female take turns sitting on the nest.
Our Mourning Dove. Not the best picture but it gives an idea of my view.
So those days of celebrating have been followed by bird watching and several days of serving. There is nothing quite like giving the gift of yourself to others. Whether it be your time, your talents or encouragement: acts of service have a way of coming back to you in the sweetest way.
Wednesday was RiceNBeans day. I work with my friend Tami to prepare the food for one of the local locations where we help serve a warm meal to the homeless. We are so happy Pastor Daryl and Cheri have entrusted us with cooking for one location. After a few hours of cooking rice, beans and 120 hotdogs, we took it to the location but no volunteers showed up besides staff. No worries, we all worked together and got the bags of food ready then rode out to the bus stop to meet people with a warm meal as they waited at the bus stop. One funny thing happened. In my haste to get out the door to get to Tami’s, I accidently picked my husband Ron’s s shirt instead of mine. I was wondering why it was so big but I just got busy with the cooking. Later Ron met us and his shirt was rather small. It kind of looked like a body builders fit. Ron thought he had gained weight. Tami checked the size of my shirt and sure enough, I was wearing the wrong shirt. Ron and I disappeared for a few minutes to switch shirts, then we were out the door.
It is so rewarding to be a part of such an awesome outreach. Tami mentioned the people are starting to recognize us. Pastor Daryl brought a pair of work boots for one of the men. While I wish I could hear well enough to “hear” the stories, I do get them second hand. Tami said the man was so surprised about the boots. Another lady was smiling and laughing as we talked to her.
Just imagine what it would be like to be in their situation. You never know some of the stories or how these precious people end up on the streets. I was exhausted when we got home that night but it was a good kind of tired. I went to bed at 9 pm with a heart full of thanksgiving for the opportunity to serve.
Thursday morning I woke up and prepared one last time before our girls Bible study. One more chapter and we will be finished with our book. I am so grateful that God unexpectantly gave me the opportunity to teach my deaf friends. In all honestly, God has shown me what He can do when I surrender to His Will. This was not something I just volunteered for. God put the opprtunity in front of me and I obeyed. I can’t say it’s been easy. It hasn’t but it is so rewarding. The girls have come such a long way since we started. I can’t wait to see what else God has in store for us. I have also gleamed so much from the time invested studying and preparing, even memorizing because of my low vision. I have sat hours “signing” the lessons to myself to make sure I can present it in a way they could understand. Often I would stop and pray, “ Lord help me do this is a way that is clear and understandable.” We studied the women of the Bible. So many of the stories I knew, but teaching them takes you to a whole different level of understanding. I am so thankful for this gift of trust the girls have placed in me. But most of all I’m beyond thrilled at how we have all grown in our relationship with Jesus.
On this next “trip about the sun” I’m eager to see the new things God will teach me and ways He will continue to stretch my faith. This year is brought to you by… my true roots of gray (hair). Some women have the midlife crisis. I’m embracing this new stage. Live, learn, laugh and grow stronger each day.
As I had my quiet time the past two mornings, I decided to study 1 Thessalonians chapter five. I love the whole chapter but some verses really stood out. The chapter spans from being prepared in the last days, being on your guard and alert, keeping on the armor of faith and love with our confidence in our salvation. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 says, “So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.”(NLT) 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 is my heart. “ Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”(NLT).
A little side story for you. The other day Ron fixed the rotors on the back wheel area of his car. (You can tell I know nothing about these things, even if I spelled the part properly.) It was a tough job but he got it done. He came in the house and got under the kitchen sink to fix another issue. At the same time I had run from one bathroom to another with a plunger to unstop the toilet before it overflowed. I wasn’t going to even mention the stopped up toilet to Ron. As I was plunging the toilet, I had a mental picture of what I was doing, and then Ron under the sink in the kitchen , and I burst out laughing at the absurdity of it all. That’s life for ya. Things happen but we have a choice in how we respond.
There was one more verse in this chapter that I cling to. It is 1 Thessalonians 5:21, ‘but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good.” (NLT) Can I get an amen there? God gives us a brain. Use it. Be a leader not a follower. Look for the good in situations and cling to it. Some people can be so critical. Just look for the good. Ask God to help you see things from His perspective. Things look a whole lot better that way. No one is perfect. We all sin, we all fall short. There is always room for grace. Since God is merciful to us, shouldn’t we also be merciful to each other? Just some things to think about. Be blessed and most of all, keep on being a blessing. What you do for Jesus is not in vain.
One short note… wow… this blog was a HASSLE. In all my years of blogging this has never happened. For some odd reason the format would switch up while I was typing for no reason at all. I turned this iPad on and off, restarting five times. Started this blog last night but put it away in frustration until this morning. Here’s to hoping it posts without any strange formatting. I tell you the truth, I don’t think all those Apple updates are “all that” with fixing software flaws. 🙄😂 Just being real.
I pray this blog post has been a blessing to you. If you like it, please feel free to pass it along to bless someone else. We all need encouragement. You can find my autobiography Rooted by the Water on Amazon. I hope it inspires you to never give up in hard situations. Push through. God is always there to help us. Surrendering to Him years ago was the best decision I’ve ever made. Be blessed and better yet, be a blessing. Have a great weekend. Www.shannonkhinson.com
rootedbythewater.blog 