Just wanted to share a short but profound truth to encourage you with whatever today holds. Psalms 139:5 say, “You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head”. (NLT) I read this chapter in the Bible this morning and I can’t help but see our Abba Father God so very carefully guiding us through this day. He knows what’s ahead and He knows what’s behind. He places His loving hand of blessing on our head. He also knows when we go our own way and get dangerously *out on a limb*
Whatever you are facing today, give it to God. He loves you and desires the very best for you. Make room for Him today. Don’t push him to the side and *do it yourself* when His loving guidance is right there with you. Never feel embarrassed that you need help. We all need help. Look to Jesus! Have a blessed beyond measure day. You are loved. 🤟🏼
Thanks to Amy for snapping this picture of me trying out her Potters Wheel
Today I was able to experience something I’ve wanted to experience for quite a while. A couple of weeks ago Mom and I went to a Christmas craft show where a friend of mine was selling her pottery and jewelry. She is the Real Deal as she makes her bowls and pottery from clay on her potters wheel. I’ve always wanted to try it to see what it’s like.
Years ago I made Christmas ornaments with an American Sign Language (ASL) “I love you” cookie cutter. About 31 years ago I worked as a teachers assistant at a preschool for deaf children. Making the “I love you” ornaments was one of the crafts we did. Back then we made the clay from flour, salt and water. The dough always got stuck in the fingers of the cookie cutter. About 15 years ago I decided to make a bunch of the “I love you” ASL ornaments. Honestly it was rather hard and I never tried it again. I was telling my friend Amy about these ornaments and asked if she’d help me make some with clay. Today was the day when I went over and she showed me some tricks of the trade. I wasn’t sure how I’d do since my vision is worse than it was years ago. She patiently showed me how to use the tools and I brought my cookie cutters with me. I was able to do it and it was so much fun. I wanted to put my great niece and great nephews names on four of them and she did that part for me. I will go another day to paint them.
Here is one of the ornaments. Amy stenciled the name on for me.
After finishing the ornaments, I asked her about the potters wheel and she let me give it a try. Wow that is some work of art!!! It gave me a new appreciation for the work she does. She explained that the clay had to be centered and it felt a certain way when it was. It’s hard to explain and I couldn’t get it centered. She did it quickly and showed me how to make a bowl. I asked if I was doing it right and she said ”No”, but it was my creation so I could make whatever. It was a fun experience.
When I think of a Potters Wheel, I honestly think of God creating us. Take a moment to grab your Bible and look at the first eleven verses of Jeremiah chapter 18. God tells Jeremiah to go down to a potters shop and watch the potter work at the wheel shaping a jar. Look at verse 4: “But the jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped, so he crushed it into a lump of clay again and started over.” Jeremiah 18:4 (NLT) Today I got to experience this. As Amy was demonstrating how to make a bowl, then let me try it, mine didn’t turn out so well. She said it would break when it dried, so I asked her if I should start it over and she said “yes”. I crushed it back down and started again.
It is so incredible to experience things that symbolize God’s power to shape and mold us as His creation. He has the power to define, shape and use us for His pleasure and glory. I can honestly say I really enjoyed the experience and can only imagine the satisfaction Amy must feel when her creations turn out as she desires.
I’m not a Bucket list kind of person. I mean, I don’t actually have a “list” but there are some things I’d like to one day try and today’s experience was one of them. I have such awe of God and His artistic abilities. He is the Master Potter, the Master painter, and every other creative title you can imagine. It literally blows my mind to just think of every thing God has taken such delight in designing and making for His pleasure.
That clay can be really touch. Amy showed me how to get the air bubbles out. Pressing and adding pressure, turning it over and over. It’s kind of hard to describe. Just think of how God has to take us through times of pressure and difficulty to “get the bubbles out” The clay has to be molded just right. When doing the ornaments, she showed me how to put the clay through a presser (I don’t know what it’s called) to flatten it out just right and at the correct thickness before I could cut it. I don’t know about you, but I feel like I’ve been through God’s Presser multiple times to get me to the right “thickness” before shaping me with the cookie cutter of His choice. That’s the beauty of creating something.
We are God’s creation. I’ve often struggled with the question of. “Why did you make me this way?” Having both hearing and visual difficulties due to having nerves that don’t work as they should. On top of that, passing it along to my son. I t has been one of the pressing / cutting things in life. Here’s where the BUT GOD comes in. Psalms 139: 13-14 says, “You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.”(NLT) It’s not too fun to be so unique but who am I to tell my Creator how to make me? I get put through a Presser of challenging situations quite often. I’m learning to see them before they come and say a prayer, “God this is the part I don’t like and I’m going to need Your help to shine through this for You glory.” I hope in some way He is glorified through my attempts.
Tomorrow will be another one of those Pressers. Tomorrow I will go to my friend Tami’s house and help with the cooking for RiceNBeans ministry for our homeless friends in Rock Hill. The cooking is fun and we talk and catch up. When it’s time to head to Rock Hill, I am out of my comfort zone. Sure I can serve up a meal but when it comes to communicating with the people I feel so inadequate. I smile and ask all I see if they would like a meal. We have been doing this since around March and many of them know I can’t hear or see really well. I can only hope and pray it encourages them to press through the situations that have them on the streets or living in shelters. Pray that being a Light for Jesus will direct them to the SOURCE of that light, which is Jesus Himself.
Sorry so long and so deep. God touches my heart through life experiences and I wanted to share with you this neat experience today. If you’d like to read my testimony you can find my autobiography Rooted by the Water on Amazon. (Hard cover, soft cover and ebook formats.) All for the glory of God. Www.shannonkhinson.com
Have you ever been invited to something that you didn’t feel quite capable of doing? A good friend of mine recently invited a few friends over to paint pottery. I remember having a conversation with my mom last weekend and saying, “I really don’t want to go. I’ll be overstimulated trying to see to paint. I have something to go to everyday this week and I don’t want to be worn out.” Yes, I did have that conversation with Mom. Then on Sunday at church, I saw my friend who was hosting. She was so excited about it and said she was going to make us a taco lunch, so I gave in and went. I’m so glad I did! It was a HOOT !!
When I got to her house last Monday I saw she had purchased a lighted magnifier to help me see better as I painted! I was shocked and also excited to give it a good try. She is one of the most thoughtful people. She had a variety of pottery to choose from. I love birds and wanted to try the owl. Searching on Pinterest, I found a color scheme I wanted to try. One friend helped me find the paint colors and mix them. Another helped by outlining with the paint and filling in where I missed. It turned out so cute and memories were made with life long friends. Honestly, they made it look much better than it would have doing it on my own.
Moral of the story, never be afraid to try. I was initially intimidated by the idea of painting, but it turned out to be a relaxing fun day with friends. This cute owl is a reminder of the experience and memories made. So give that intimidating offer a try! You never know what fun awaits you when you’re willing. You also never know the generous surprises you may encounter. Get out of your comfort zone and fly the coop Have a great weekend everyone!
I am sitting here kind of chuckling because in this highly divisive time we are living in, I’m sitting here getting ready to blog about “enjoying the journey”. Trust me, we sure can. Deep breath hang here with me please. Life is definitely not a “bed of roses” as they say. When we have a “bed of pretty roses”, rest assure there are some thorns in there as well. You’ve got to find ‘em and clip ‘em. There is always something or someone who is waiting to steal our peace and joy. The trick is to find those things and just “steer clear” of them. For example, if the news you watch leaves you feeling unsettled, turn it off and tune in to God and His Word. That is the surest way to welcome peace into your life. I’ve done that recently. Well honestly I make a point of prioritizing my time with Jesus. I just function much better when I make that daily choice.
Yesterday as life would have it, Ron and I were getting on each others nerves. If you’ve been married over 30 plus years, you will understand. Sometimes we just don’t see “eye to eye” and respond accordingly. Well it just so happened I was wearing a shirt that said “Spread Kindness”. Our son Joshua came up to me and read my shirt out-loud. I said “Yes, and it starts with me”. It’s important to see yourself honestly and how you come across to others and make adjustments accordingly. I know when I’m being a bit short with someone. I actually ask the Holy Spirit to check me and show me when I’m wrong. I always want to be humble and teachable. That too is part of enjoying the journey.
There are always conflicts to navigate. Conflict resolution is part of the journey. I don’t prefer to avoid people but can certainly do without the sticky issues. Politics is one of those. Oh my goodness! What a divisive topic and people are “diehard” party followers. I choose to vote policy. This afternoon I got on social media and saw some people debating on a post I had shared. Oh boy! As I read through the comments I began to sing I Speak Jesus. As I read the comments, I tried to picture each person and their hearts. I spoke PEACE over them all and explained my point of view. That is part of conflict resolution, hearing the other person. You don’t have to agree with me, I just ask you to look at the policies and see what you agree with and vote accordingly. Respecting others point of view is necessary for enjoying the journey. Together we stand, divided we fall.
Another aspect of enjoying the journey is not getting stuck on your emotional rollercoaster. Today our Bible study group wrapped up a lesson on lamenting. God invites us to humbly pour out our feelings to Him so He can help us sort through the emotions and disappoints and move forward. In this weeks lesson one of the things that stood out to me was using the words YET I will. Habakkuk”s prayer in chapter 3 is an eye opener. Here’s the second verse, If you have a chance look up the entire chapter. It is refreshing. “I have heard all about you, Lord. I am filled with awe by your amazing works. In this time of our deep need, help us again as you did in years gone by. And in your anger, remember your mercy.” Habakkuk 3:2 (NLT) Then a bit later in the chapter it says, “Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! The Sovereign Lord is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights.” Habakkuk 3:17-19 (NLT). Can I just say WOW. There are three “even thoughs” then a YET I WILL. It is like a flashlight beam of HOPE in an otherwise dark dark night. YET I WILL rejoice in the Lord. I will be joyful of the God of my salvation!
Jennifer Rothchild taught this particular week in “When you pray”. (Lifeway study) She is blind and her message was very enlightening. She challenged us in day 5 of this week to write our own version of Habakkuk (lament): Even though___, even though___, even though____, YET____, He enables me to_____. Can you fill in those blanks? Oh my! What an exercise that was. Let me be honest here. Here is mine. Even though I don’t understand why You allow me to live with hearing and vision loss and it brings loneliness and sorrow: Even though You have allowed our son to be born with similar issues and it honestly breaks my heart though Lord you know I push it down, way way down and deal, Even though we live in a fallen evil world where deceiption and sin are in our faces at every turn and Your people are holding on to You, YET I will trust in Your sovereignty, Your love, wisdom and perfect plan. You enable me (us) to over come through Your power. You never leave us and You never forsake us. We are Yours and You are ours. Amen! And I was wearing another shirt today that says Stronger than the storm Gotta love it. It’s all part of Enjoying the Journey. Walk with Jesus. Let Him show us the way. Let Him correct us when we are wrong. Let Him encourage us and comfort us in our weaknesses so we can comfort and encourage others in the same way we have been comforted.
Enjoy the Journey. Be blessed! Www.shannonkhinson.com
Do we groan or grumble? If you’re honest, I hope you say you do both. Although grumbling is not a good thing, I’m seeking a honest examination of self and if I’m honest I’d have to admit to doing both. I do try to refrain from grumbling.
I don’t like to grumble, murmur and complain. I think those are all pretty similar. There seems to be a sense of entitlement when we do these things. It’s as if it should all be our way and if not, you’ll get an ear full. That is so so not good. I know that’s a lousy choice of words but it gets my point across. When I come across posts or comments on social media of grumbling complainers, I just want to “roll my eyes and scroll on”. And if I’m honest, it’s best not to even respond to grumbling posts because when you do and have a difference of opinion, that grumbler is likely going to take offense. It’s just the truth.
You might wonder why I’m even talking about this. Here’s why, this week in our Bible study on prayer we are studying lament. This week I’ve learned the difference between groaning to God and grumbling to God. There’s a big difference. If you know some Bible history, you know that when God delivered the Israelites out of the land of Egypt with His mighty power and brought them through the Red Sea on dry ground they grumbled to God about the wilderness, about the Manna and lack of water. Whew, did God get mad! He said none of them would enter the promise land (except for Caleb and Joshua) due to their grumbling. OUCH! See Numbers 13, 14 and 21.
God does desire us to bring our struggles and hang-ups to Him. Groaning is a more humble approach. It’s like pouring out your heart to the Lord. It’s not accusing God but rather laying down the hurts and confusion. He desires us to bring our requests before Him and express faith in Him and praise Him for the answer He sends. Yes you can praise Him before the answer comes. That shows your faith in God. I do this all the time, “Lord I don’t see this yet but faith is being sure of what I hope for and certain of what I don’t see. And Lord, I don’t see it yet but I know it’s coming, according to Your perfect Will.”
As I’ve studied this week I’ve seen many different examples of lament in the Bible. God invites us to bring things to Him. Humble hearts, prayer and hearts full of praise to God are so essential to living victoriously.
Take your burdens to the Lord and leave them there. Romans 8:26 says, “And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.”( NLT) The beauty here is, God already knows our hearts. He knows what we are going to say even before we say it. (Psalms 139:4) Let’s humble ourselves and lay our hearts at the feet of Jesus. He will meet us there and comfort our souls.
If you liked this blog post please subscribe and share with others. I attempt to post at least once weekly to encourage others and challenge myself and others as we walk this journey of faith with Jesus. Be blessed! Www.shannonkhinson.com
I’ve been thinking on the word grace then I came across the following verse in 2 Peter chapter 3. Let’s take a look, “Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. All glory to him, both now and forever! Amen.” 2 Peter 3:18 (NLT). Let’s dig a bit deeper. What do you think it means to grow in grace ?
If you google the word grace you will find one of three definitions. The first being, simple elegance or refinement of movement. The second one listed is courteous goodwill. The last general definition is to honor or credit by one’s presence. However, those aren’t Biblical grace. I continued to google and finally found the following definition. Grace is undeserved favor. God freely gives us grace. It’s not something we work for or earn. It’s a free gift.
How great is our God! He loves us so much that He bestowes grace upon us simply because that is part of God’s character. As God freely gives to us, He desires for us to grow in His grace and give it to others as well.
Let’s think of some ways that we can grow in grace and give grace to others. First of all we need to remind ourselves that we are not perfect. We all sin, we all fall short of God’s glory. See Romans 3:23. If we drop our pride and acknowledge that we are not perfect, it helps to see others is a more gracious “light”. That’s a big dish of “humble pie” but it’s so needed. When we don’t’ exalt ourselves with self righteousness we are on an even ground with others around us.
Serving with RiceandBeans organization each week has been an eye-opener. The people we minister to and feed are people like you and me. There are all different circumstances of why they are currently in the situations they find themselves in. I’ve learned to look beyond the dirty clothes, rough around the edges – unkept look, to actually see the people they actually are. People come in a variety of packages, and homeless people are not all alike.
Last week we had an especially beautiful night of ministry. My friend Tami and I had the opportunity to pray with a transgender person. I honestly have a hard time with changing pronouns when it’s obvious what a persons biological gender is. This persons face and hands were so different , however, that person was in need of grace just like we are, so we prayed together. God knows the heart and maybe a seed was planted. There was another opportunity for prayer. A young man walked up to me but I had trouble understanding him with my hearing loss, so I got Tami. The young man was talking about cooking and showed interest in volunteering with us. One thing led to another and he ended up sharing about a friend who recently died. He introduced us to two of his friends, another guy and a girl. They had all been friends with the person who had died. Tami’s husband came over and we all held hands and prayed together. The beauty of God is so apparent even at a bus stop with many homeless people waiting for a ride to the shelter.
God has shown each of us so much grace and we are to share that with others. It’s not earned, but we don’t deserve the grace God gives us either.
These are just a few examples. We can honestly show grace to anyone. At the store, allowing someone to get in line in front of us at the checkout counter is an act of grace. Realizing that the angry driver who cut you off might be having a terrible day. Not to give them an excuse for rudeness, but just to see the possibility of another perspective. We can also treat special needs people like we treat everyone else. Everyone desires to be shown kindness. This is something we can each make an effort to work on.
This is a bit off topic, but today at Bible study we dug deeper into Psalms chapter 139. This is one of my favorite chapters in the Bible. I just love King David’s love and adoration of God. That chapter has 24 verses: 18 are adoration and 6 are petition. As David deeply adores and praises God for His many attibributes, it really gives me perspective on how awesome is our God. He knows us so fully, even before we speak, He knows what we will say. He knows my perceptions of people and circumstances, yet He desires me to grow in grace and knowledge of who He is. That’s a daily goal, to grow in grace.
It’s Tuesday evening and the day is just about over. As I look back on today, I can ask myself did I show grace to others? In all honesty I did pretty well but I see areas where I could have been a bit more kind or helpful. Tomorrow is a new day with fresh opportunities to continue growing. Tomorrow is actually RiceandBeans day so God willing, we will have a chance to bless many with a warm meal and possibly be a vessel God uses for spiritual nourishment through prayer and encouragement. Whatever tomorrow holds, let’s try our best to grow in grace Be blessed and better yet, Be a Blessing! Www.shannonkhinson.com
It’s been a week since I’ve published a new blog post. Sometimes It just seems life sucks the liveliness out of you. Not that my personal issues are any more than usual. My life pretty much stays stable. However the devastation of Western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene has left me unsettled.
I am one to think deeply on issues and that can be good but it can also been a burden. I am also one to question everything and that is not a bad thing. I’ve read about the devastation of this hurricane and I’ve also read about the lack of response from our government. That is very troubling.
While I am no weather person, so many aspects of this recent hurricane seem “of”. Who would have ever thought that such a horrific outcome would occur from this disaster? Whole towns have been wiped out from flooding and “rivers” of water than rushed through. How in the world do these things happen? Don’t even mention “climate change” All those”tooting that horn” go jetting around the world. It’s a “do as I say, not as I do” kind of thing. I know that ultimately GOD IS IN CONTROL! But…. I know… I know… I’m never to question God’s ways and why bad things and disasters happen. God has a way of bringing “beauty from ashes” or in this case “beauty from devastating floods and mud”. I will get to that later. Right now I want to highlight a few things.
Why why why did it take FEMA a week to be on the scene? Why have Americans been told not to fly drones, that can take accurate footage of whats really going on? I’ve read that the media is not fully reporting on what’s happened. Why has the government not helped with the rescue? Why has our military who want to help been told to stand down? Why? Why has our government spent tons of money on illegals and thrown a mere $750 to the victims of the horror? Some of which are even denied that. All the while sending loads of our tax payers money to Ukraine! Why? Thank God for a few platforms that continue to allow for our American right of “Free Speech”. Those shouting about misinformation are the ones wanting to control the narrative. Are you awake yet?
Dare I say, this administration cares nothing about the American people. Yes I do dare to say it! All in an election year, when they have tried every possible trick, weaponized our justice system and lied to keep Trump off the Presidential ballot, yet he stands! That’s a whole different blog, that I will try my best to refrain from writing.
Now back to the “beauty from the horrific flood and mud” , while our government cares nothing for the victims, the beauty of America rises! I have read story after story of people pulling together to take supplies, help rescue, pray and show love. Churches, businesses and American citizens pulling together to help. That is the beauty in this horror.I read of one crew going up to help. They dug six people out from a collapsed house. That is a beautiful thing. I know someone who was able to get food up to a family who had not eaten in three days. (That was last week) Another beautiful thing. Churches and businesses collecting clothing, food, water, generators and fuel. If you do feel lead to help please give to a church or a trusted organization.
In all this devastation what can we do? How do we deal with these things? Our best weapon in dealing with anything is PRAYER! We must PRAY! It’s true we can’t fix everything but we can PRAY and I assure you that nothing is impossible with God! It boils down to our foundation. What are you built on? I will admit that my foundation is built on a strong relationship with Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior. I have had many things in life that “rocked my world” and shook my faith, but I know at the end of each day, at the end of any situation I can fully depend on God! 1 Peter 5:10 says, “In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.” (NLT).
Having a firm foundation is so incredibly important. When things happen and devastate you, your foundation is what you fall back on. When you trust God’s sovereignty it grounds you to trust that He will ultimately work things out for your good and most of all for His Glory. Having a firm foundation enables you to trust in His Word. Scripture like Psalms 34:7 that says, “The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, And delivers them.” (NKJV) strengthens our faith to trust God. There is so much I don’t understand but I am encouraged to trust in the Lord with all my heart and not to lean on my own understanding.
A firm foundation can make or break you. A few weeks ago as I was riding with my friends to serve the homeless in Rock Hill, we passed by this massive structure of metal. It was the oddest looking thing. I noticed it as I sat in the back seat of their truck, looking out the window. I said “W in the world was that?” My friend took a quick picture and sent it to me so I could see it better. It appears to be a building that looks like a complete failure. It appears to be a building with metal framing that collapsed. I’m not an engineer or builder, however common sense tells you something was wrong with the structure or its foundation to cave in like it appears to have done. Your foundation is everything. Whether you “stand up tall” after a “massive blow in life” or if you crumble; it’s going to depend on what you’re built on. If you are build upon a firm foundation of faith in Jesus, when the “winds and waves” hit you will ultimately remain standing because you are “grounded in Christ” There is no time like the present to check your foundation.
Wow! I have not published a blog in almost two weeks. In the three years I have blogged, this is definitely a “first”. I have been overly stimulated with life lately. Two weeks ago I had another adjustment (Map) to my cochlear implant processor so my brain has been adjusting and I’m trying my best to do everything on my part to “understand speech”. Bible study with my deaf friends has also started back up with a new video format which is challenging for me. (Reading closed captions when I have to zoom in on the caption and it moves so fast). Visual stimulation from that and seeing more sign language. Sometimes I wonder if my vision is worse. No time to really figure that out. Life moves to fast and I just have to “move with it” There has also been some other stuff going on but it’s nothing anyone else doesn’t face…so face it…. I do! (Just with less vision and hearing than most) I have also been printing out all I’ve found with “life stories” on Anestry.com and Wow… it’s a book. 😂Fascinating information about my ancestors but I need to stop this subscription, so I’ve been tediously printing. Half the time I stop and wonder , why am I doing this? Then remember , I’ve put too much time into this to lose this treasure. Last night I finished! Glory to God! Happy Dance! (Now what to do with all of this is a whole different thing for another day.) In the midst of all that,Mom had an appointment to remove some skin cancer on top of her head. The biopsy revealed cancer cells. When the day came for her procedure to remove one layer of skin at a time to test, the surgeon could NOT find the skin cancer! The Dr could not even find the scar from where the biopsy was done. Nothing! Praise God! So thankful for those obvious “God things” and answered prayers to encourage me to keep moving forward. Keep digging in my heels, one step at a time.
So late on September 17, below is what I wrote but never finished……. (I will add more in and sent this off)
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It’s Tuesday night and I should be going to bed but I wanted to get some notes down for this blog so I don’t forget. I actually wanted to write this morning when several things spoke to my heart, but there was no time to writ today until now. I really should be asleep but I don’t want to lose these thoughts as tomorrow is likely to be another busy day cooking and serving with RiceNBeans ministry.
True to form, I wrote this blog title about two months ago. I wrote “Fan it” then the following scripture. 2 Timothy 1:6-7, “This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” (NLT) Also check out 1 Peter 4:10, “God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.”( NLT) Wow and now two weeks after writing that I’m actually going to finish this blog and put it out there to “fan into” someone’s life (For some reason a picture of a wild dandelion blowing, came to mind. The little seeds blow where ever God desires. )
Do you know your spiritual gifts? I took a test with my Bible study group a couple of years ago and discovered mine are intercession, faith, encouragement, discernment and evangelism. I love the idea of “fanning” these gifts God has given me to bring Glory to His name. I try to use my gifts through blogging to encourage others and serving my family, the Lord and those less fortunate.
Today the Bible study group I’m in met up to study “When you pray”. It’s a six week study on prayer. We talked about some distractions we might face while trying to develope a daily prayer life. I am pretty consistent in prayer but I need to spend more time with the Lord. I made a little confession to the group that things going on in our country with it being election year, the two attempted assisination attempts of Trump and the division among people because of lies and deception of the media and politics, really upsets me. I saw a short video reel on Facebook today that Julie Green ministries posted. I don’t remember exactly what it said but it something about God wanting us to have joy. The Joy of the Lord is my strength. She mentioned if you don’t have joy, then you need more of God’s Word in your heart. That is so spot on. As I told the group today that society events can leave me feeling unsettled. I explained that I was starting to get away in a quiet place and just focus on God. Taking deep breaths in through my nose and releasing it slowly though my mouth, is a way to bring a sense of calm. I then begin to focus on the Lord, thanking Him for various things. I want my focus to be on thanksgiving and rejoicing in all God is, rather than focusing on problems. God knows my heart and what troubles me. He can handle it. He just wants me to bring these things to Him. I truly want to sit at Jesus feet and learn from Him. There is power in His name, healing in His name: there is no other name but Jesus. Hosea 6:3 says, “Oh, that we might know the Lord! Let us press on to know Him. He will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn or the coming of rains in early spring.”” (NLT) ~~~~~~
The above was all I had written. As I just reread it,editing some typos, I spoke to me yet again. Oh Lord, help us to not look at the “storm/chaos/devastation from this recent hurricane” and just find peace in Your sovereignty. Knowing You are in control. Trusting You with our whole hearts and not leaning on our understanding. Help us Lord to “fan into flame” the gifts You have gives us. To PRAY PRAY and PRAY some more, to intercede for our country, our world, for Israel. To serve others with sincerity of heart because when we do so, Your light shines through us! Enable us to reach beyond our own shortcomings, and limitations to receive strength and courage to be useful vessels for Your Glory to this dying world. In Jesus name I pray~ Amen
“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.” Philippians 4:6 (NLT)
Welcome to”Over-thinker anonymous”. 😂That state when your mental wheels are always turning and you want to reach for a pause button or something to make the constant thoughts HUSH! Yes! Welcome indeed! Surely I’m not the only one. My husband Ron can take one look at me and say, “What are you thinking about?” I’m like, “I don’t think you want to know.” 😜My son Joshua also chimes in with sign language right smack in front of me. Mom “Stop thinking”. Why do I do this? I will take honest inventory here that might be somewhat humorous at times.
Being both hearing and visually impaired, I am beyond thankful for a sharp mind,even thought it may or may not be overly active. ~ Confessions of an “Over-thinker”
Due to the fact that I can’t drive, I have to prepare ahead. I need to always try to be prepared for whatever scenario might occur, thus the need for careful grocery lists with weekly meal planning. I have to make sure I have all the ingredients for meals for the week and any other supplies we may need, so Ron doesn’t have to run to the store for trivial things. ~ Confessions of an “Over-thinker”
Ever since Joshua was born I’ve been a list maker. The lists used to be written but now since I can’t see the hand written notes, I type them on my iPad in my notes app. ~ Confessions of an “Over-thinker”
When going on a trip, I make a detailed list of things I need or may need. Having a cochlear implant, I need to be sure to have my spare parts, enough rechargeable batteries, the charging device and dry aid kit. That’s just for my cochlear implant things. Now to list the rest of what I need. Some things I have to be overly sure I never forget, like Refresh PM eye lubricant. (Due to five eyelid surgeries I have to use this product every night for the rest of my life) ~ Confessions of an “Over-thinker”.
There are the more serious concerns that I consider such as how people say one thing with their mouth and a whole different thing with their body language. Yes I notice those things and find the topic fascinating. Body language speaks loud and doesn’t typically lie. ~ Confessions of an “Over-thinker”.
Then there is election year drama… which I confessed to the Lord this morning is troubling. I see propaganda, gaslighting, lies and deception. I see people with blinders on refusing to look at the real issues. I see contradictions in what the news says and it’s almost like a “state run media” (which it kind of is) Yep it’s troubling. I had to turn my iPad off last night and choose to focus on God. God is sovereign and He is in control. It is vital that I fall back on God’s Word. “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” Psalms 46:10 (NKJV) ~ Confessions of an “Over-thinker”
It is kind of odd that I don’t tend to worry much about the future (other than the election….. I’m working on that) I’ve always said “We will cross that bridge when we get to it.) I just can’t live in a constant state of fear. You know the drill. If so and so happens, what will we do? Nope! Not going there. Philippians 4:6-7 tells us, “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.” (NKJV) ~ Confessions of an “Over-thinker’.
Another biggie, our son has similar issues with his hearing and vision as me. It’s not the exact same but there are enough similarities to raise concerns. There is the need for me to daily set the example of walking in humility and in the power of the Holy Spirit. Life is not always about what we want. It’s about surrendering to what God desires to do in our lives. It’s about demonstrating, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13 (KJV) I’m always thinking about these things. ~ Confessions of an “Over-thinker”
This could seriously go on and on. I can think of many more examples but you get the idea of what I’m saying. I hope at some degree you can relate. I do realize that thinking is a gift and I need to use it wisely. I also realize that the mind is a “battle field” and we have to take thoughts captive and make them obedient to Christ. As Philippians 4:8 tells us,“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.”(NKJV)
Now let’s see if Facebook allows me to post this. They censored my last post because I shared “links” The links were to scriptures on healing and miracles. Go figure! Thankfully I can publish on WordPress and share through e mail , texts and X. Ironically on my Facebook feed, nearly every other post is a sponsored ad with links to buy things. God let whoever needs to see this, see this. All for Your glory Lord. I’m just an empty vessel the Lord pours into and I pour it out in writing. I pray this blesses you and you are encouraged today to Shine for Jesus regardless of your circumstances.
True to my nature, I wrote the name of this blog well over a month ago. Little by little I added scriptures as they came. For some reason today seems the day to pull it all together. I don’t understand why God has me in this process but I trust Him to accomplish whatever it is that He desires.
First let me say, I have a deep empathy and compassion for those enduring trials of various kinds. I totally understand what it’s like to feel fed up with the medical community. I know what it’s like to see doctor after doctor and to just loose hope in the medical field. But then again, I see how God orchestrated the best care for my brother when he had acute leukemia and is now cancer free! Glory to God!! I’ve seen both sides of it, and I understand.
Right now a childhood friend is enduring one diagnosis after another. I can’t even begin to understand the suffering she is going through and I’ve promised to cover her in prayer. There is another lady that I have never actually met, but is a friend of a friend. This woman is going through extreme pain in her body, her stomach does not work correctly and she has other health issues I can’t even comprehend. Yet these two people have remarkable faith and Jesus is what gets them through the fiery trials they face. While mine have been lifelong, they have not been physically painful like these two precious ladies. My trials with hearing and vision loss have been greatly frustrating and taught me perseverance on a whole different level. I don’t complain. Complaining does nothing good. I told a friend recently I was praying for patience. She wisely counseled me to pray for grace. Developing patience is most often through tribulations. *Lord I’ve had enough of those, I’ll go with Grace if that’s okay. * This same friend has sent me scriptures on miracles and healing. I was reading through those this morning and it brought peace and encouragement. I will post the links to these verses at the end of my blog.
It seems to me the fiery trials of life, whether they be physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, with family or even financial: either make you or break you depending on what you do while “In the fire”. So what do you do when you face hardships?
It is human nature to complain and murmur about what ails you. Try to refrain yourself from doing this. Complaining drags people down that are around you and it changes nothing. Over-thinking is also a big no no! That’s a confession of an “Over-thinker”. My son Joshua often says, “Stop thinking!” It’s become an ongoing joke of sorts. He will hold up his hand right in from of my face indicating “Stop” then finger spell the word “thinking”. It cracks me up every time. Yes I am a “Thinker”. Maybe I should write a blog on “Confessions of a Thinker”
I’ve come across some great Bible verses to guide and direct in these trials of life. Let’s first take a look at I Peter 4:12-14, “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.” (NKJV). Did you catch that? Don’t think it’s strange this thing is happening to you but rejoice that you partake of Christ suffering. *Wow! Ok Lord, I’m trying to listen and learn here. *
Let’s look at Romans 8:18, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” (NKJV) This tells me to not focus on the trial, but to focus on Jesus and all that is to come through faith in Him.
And still another verse to gleam from is I Peter 4:16 which says: “Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.” (NKJV) Here is another verse I’d like to share. Psalms 119:71, “It is good for me that I have been afflicted, That I may learn Your statutes.” (NKJV) This is a hard lesson to learn, but it’s true we learn in the trials of suffering. We can learn humility as we look at how Jesus endured whipping for our healing and the cross for our salvation. He who knew no sin, bore our sin for us on the cross so we can be saved through faith in Him.
Romans 5:3-5 teaches us another beautiful truth. “And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Romans 5:3-5 ( NKJV). Keep in mind that your trials are producing eternal things as we continue to focus on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.
While we endure various trails, let us hold tight to Jesus and His Word. I will tell you from experience that it soothes my soul to pray, praise and soak up God’s Word while “in the waiting”. Let me share one last scripture to boost your faith. I love this one so much. Isaiah 40:31, “But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.” ( NKJV)
My dear friend Lauren from church has sent me verses on healing and verses on miracles. It is so refreshing to read what God has to say about these topics. She has sent me three different links that are filled with scripture. I have them saved in a note so I can find them and read them easily. I will share them with you here. The first link has 100 verses on healing. https://biblegen.com/healing/ The second link also shared Bible verses on Healing. That link is https://get.tithe.ly/blog/33-bible-verses-about-healing The link she sent yesterday was verses on the topic of miracles. https://dailyverses.net/miracles/kjv I am thankful for her friendship and Godly counsel. That’s another thing, while in the “fires of trials” surround yourself with Godly people who will pray for you, speak the Word of God over you and speak life. I truly believe these friendships make God smile.
If you liked this blog post please subscribe and share. I really enjoy using this gift God has given me to encourage others. He has me on this life long journey of living with hearing and vision issues. I published my autobiography Rooted by the Water in 2021. You can find it on Amazon in hard cover, soft cover and ebook formats. God has seen me through much and I give Him glory for it all. Be blessed and better yet, be a blessing.
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