scripture – rootedbythewater.blog

Lessons from a kayak outting

September 25, 2025September 25, 2025Leave a Comment

Our “turning point”: Atlantic Ocean to the right and Intercoastal Waterway to the left.

I love when you can find Bible principles in hobbies you enjoy. Today I used kayaking as an illustration for the Bible verses I shared. Wednesdays find me helping with a low income and homeless ministry where we feed the people and I give a short devotion. It’s an honor to be a part of this ministry. I aim to show compassion and transparency, being mindful that none of us are perfect. I demonstrate a need for God’s strength in a daily way. We all have different circumstances, however we can encourage each other, especially through the Bible.

Recently I came across a post on social media that was talking about what makes a boat sink. It’s not the water around the boat, but the water that gets inside the boat, that weighs it down. That made me think of our kayaking outting last Friday. My friend Leasa and I took kayaks out on the coastal canal and intercoastal waterway. Before we set off, we checked the kayaks for water that was inside. Turning the kayaks long way up and unplugging to release internal water, before plugging them again.

For some reason I knew there was a Bible principle there. I texted my friend Amy and told her I was looking for a Bible reference and explained what I was thinking. She referred me to Hebrew 12:1 which says, ”Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin that clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.” (ESV). Sin can be like water in a kayak. Sin can weigh us down. One sin can lead to another and before you know it you are spiritually drowning. Sins cling to us, kind of like bad habits. We need Jesus forgiveness and strength to say no to sin.

I went back to the kayaking illustration. Once we were paddling along the canal we had to “keep our eye on the goal”. At the end of the canal we would turn a left corner and head back along the Intercoastal Waterway. On the canal we had to paddle hard against the tide. We had to “look beyond” the momentary resistance of the tide and remember the “turning point” was ahead, way ahead. Life is like that. We have to keep our spiritual eyes on Jesus, enduring the momentary circumstances and hardships we find ourselves in. As Christians, this world is not our home. We keep our eyes focused on Jesus, who will strengthen us and see us through this journey called life. I continued with Hebrews 12:2. “looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” (ESV‬‬) I explained how Jesus endured the cross, knowing what was coming, He looked beyond it to the joy that was before Him. He knew He was providing redemption for all mankind. He was making a way for us to be with Him forever with The Father, through His sacrifice on the cross. We too, must look beyond our hardships towards the prize to which we are called. I encouraged everyone to keep their eyes on Jesus and if they didn’t know Jesus, we’d be happy to pray with them.

I love this opportunity to serve each week. Ron and I were talking on the drive there today. I told him a lot of people won’t take the time for low income and homeless people but they are worthy of compassion and kindness too. Showing compassion toward the vulnerable expresses a faith that is genuine. James 1:27 emphasizes this point. “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” (ESV‬‬). So thankful for this opportunity to serve. I encourage you to look for a ministry, church or organization to serve others. As we serve the least of these, we in turn are serving the Lord. Your heart will swell with joy as you minister comfort to others.

Be blessed and better yet, Be a Blessing! You are loved!

http://www.shannonkhinson.com.

Glimpse of His Glory

September 17, 2025Leave a Comment

My view while laying on the beach today.

There is just something about nature that really gets me tuned in to God. Between watching the sunset, watching the tide go in and out, seeing the ripples of the water currents, crashing of waves and seeing the antics of the seagulls makes me think about God our Creator and sustainer, the Author of life itself. Psalms 19:1 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.”(ESV‬‬) That scripture is so very true. Between the colors God paints the sunrise and sunset with to the cloud formations, it’s stunning!

This week away has been much needed, especially after last week with things going on in our nation. Looking in the book of Romans it all comes together. Let’s take a look. “For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceive, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” Romans‬ ‭1‬:‭20‬-‭21‬ ‭(ESV‬‬) That’s where we are folks. Creation clearly proclaims God’s eternal power yet people are spiritually blind as a bat. With the assassination of Charlie Kirk last week and seeing people actually celebrating murder was the most evil thing I’ve ever seen. BUT…. Of course there is a BUT…… from what I understand, church attendance is up and people are turning to prayer. My friends and I sat on the deck last night and watched Central Church of God livestream prayer service. It was amazing! While the enemy tries to keep us divided with misinformation, many are choosing to unite in prayer to seek the face of God!

This morning as I sat on the porch overlooking the canal at the beach, my heart turned to prayer and praise. As I sat there a song I used to play on the piano came to mind and tears came to my eyes. I will add the music video at the end of this blog. It is Well by Kristene Elizabeth DiMarco and Bethel Music. I will put some of the lyrics but the YouTube video has lyrics added. Grander earth has quaked before. Moved by the sound of his voice. And seas that are shaken and stirred, Can be calmed and broken for my regard. Through it all, through it all. My eyes are on you. Through it all, through it all. It is well. Through it all. Through it all. My eyes are on you and it is well, with me. Far be it from me not to believe. Even when my eyes can’t see. And this mountain that’s in front of me, will be thrown into the midst of the sea. I especially love the “bridge”: So let go my soul and trust in him. The waves and wind still know his name. So let go my soul and trust in him. The waves and wind still know his name. (2014 Beth Music and Kristene Elizabeth DiMarco)

That song sure does move me to tears. Having low vision and being hearing impaired, I understand having to depend on faith, even when my eyes can’t see what I am hoping for. I can honestly tell you there are quite a few mountains I’d love to see God throw into the midst of the sea. As I wait, I can be sure that the waves and winds still know His name and because of that fact I can say it is well with my soul.

As I laid on the beach today, I was watching the cloud formation. It was a sunny day but a few clouds rolled in blocking the sun. As I watched the sun would break through different “holes” in the clouds and the sun would shine through. As I watched, the clouds moved together to once again block the sun but there was a “glow” that seemed to come from behind those clouds. It was like glimpses of God’s glory shining forth despite the clouds. That’s just like life. Things happen in life that seem to cloud our vision and bring despair, but we must remember that we might not “see” God, yet He is still there just behind that problem or situation. He is always working behind the scenes to bring about His perfect Will. He always has our best interests in mind. Let’s keep our eyes on Jesus! He is the author and finisher of our faith. (Hebrews 12:2) Jesus begins it, sustains it and brings it to completion. Keep on holding on. Even when life gets “cloudy”, look for glimpses of His glory. They are there. Be blessed! I better go to sleep. It’s almost 1:00 in the morning. Good night.

Www.shannonkhinson.com

The Power of Words

May 27, 20252 Comments

Lately I’ve been reading and listening to the book of Proverbs that is so rich in sound advice. I’m currently going through the New Living Translation Today as I listened to several chapters (it’s good auditory therapy for me) I was struck by how many verses are about our speech, the power of words and their impact. Here are quite a few verses I came across today, all of which are from the New Living Translation. “A fool’s proud talk becomes a rod that beats him, but the words of the wise keep them safe.” Proverbs‬ ‭14‬:‭3‬, “The wise are known for their understanding, and pleasant words are persuasive.” Proverbs‬ ‭16‬:‭21‬, “Kind words are like honey— sweet to the soul and healthy for the body. Proverbs‬ ‭16‬:‭24‬, “A troublemaker plants seeds of strife; gossip separates the best of friends.” Proverbs‬ ‭16‬:‭28‬, “Gentle words are a tree of life; a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.” Proverbs‬ ‭15‬:‭4‬, “Everyone enjoys a fitting reply; it is wonderful to say the right thing at the right time!” Proverbs‬ ‭15‬:‭23‬, “The heart of the godly thinks carefully before speaking; the mouth of the wicked overflows with evil words.” Proverbs‬ ‭15‬:‭28‬, “If you listen to constructive criticism, you will be at home among the wise.” Proverbs‬ ‭15‬:‭31, “The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.” Proverbs‬ ‭18‬:‭21‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

Wow this was just from a few chapters. There is so much power in words whether spoken or written/ typed/ texted. How often do we think about the impact of our words? How often do we say or text something in haste, then regret it? (Or edit what was sent?). Editing is a luxury of modern times, however spoken words once said can impact in a powerful way.

Let’s think about our words. With words we encourage, inspire, spread cheer, correct, hurt, tear down, gossip and crush. We would be wise to choose our words carefully. We can light up the world or burn it down with the words we choose. Let’s choose to encourage and build up, refraining from causing destruction.

Today I got a notification from my blogging site that I’ve hit a milestone: over 10,000 views. I was humbled. I never take lightly the responsibility of blogging. God will hold me accountable for the words I send out. I want to always encourage and inspire people to trust God in life’s storms. Four years ago in the midst of Covid-19, when I published my autobiography, I felt a burden to encourage people. Rooted by the Water is my testimony of walking with God and relying on Him despite life’s hardships. That’s why I started and have continued to blog for the last four years, to spread hope, joy, resilience and the fact that You can do hard things with God’s help.

As I read Proverbs today, saw the notification of having over 10,000 views on rootedbythewatere.blog it was confirmation of the power of words. I pray that God continued to guide me in topics to blog on and stories to share to bring joy and laughter to the heart.

You don’t have to be a blogger, writer, teacher, preacher etc to realize the impact of the words you choose to use. Let’s all be aware of power behind what we say. Let’s build up and encourage others.

If you’re going to say negative things, gossip, argue, bring division and tear down, do everyone a favor and zip it! Those negative words have an impact that spills into those around you. Positive words have the opposite effect and bring joy to others. Let’s make the world a better place, one positive encouraging word at a time.

You can find my book Rooted by the Water on Amazon (ebook, soft cover and hard cover). If you know someone who could use some encouragement, send them a copy. You can also subscribe to my blog. This coming July will mark four year of blogging once or twice a week. It’s my hearts desire to bring glory to God through sharing how He brings beauty from the hard things in life. Thank you all for your support and prayers. God is faithful always. Be blessed!!

Www.shannonkhinson.com

Holding tight

May 3, 2025Leave a Comment

Good morning 😊 As I was reading in Psalms this morning many scriptures stood out to me and I highlighted them as I read. I love the writings of David. He had a heart for God yet quite often was pursued by his foes. Sometimes he was surrounded by troubles, yet he held tight to his trust in God. Here is one of the scriptures I highlighted this morning; “The Lord’s promises are pure, like silver refined in a furnace, purified seven times over.” Psalms‬ ‭12‬:‭6‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

Have you ever put your hand over an open flame and held it there? How long can you endure a single flame of a candle? Now imagine a furnace with constant extreme heat and flames. That’s not something I’d want to be near for long. Silver is refined in a furnace. In the intense heat it brings out the pure beauty of the silver. God’s promises are like that, refined in a furnace seven times over. God’s promises are so true and pure. They are trustworthy always. When we are struggling in daily life, we can hold tightly to God’s promises. The Bible is full of the promises of God, but how can you know them unless you read it?

Life can be stressful, coming at us from all sides. You have your own issues to deal with in my case hearing and vision issues. You also have the normal day to day stresses everyone has. You can feel stress that others in your family are facing. There is the helplessness that you feel with “outside” stressors that you have no control over. There have been several days like that recently. I know I’m not alone here. I hear it from others and I pray for their release from the “weight” stress brings. God answered one of those prayers yesterday. I woke to a text from a friend. She said, “Shannon my depression is gone!” I was so overjoyed for her. It’s frustrating how the enemy will come in and steal that momentary joy. I talked with my friend about what was troubling me and she also encouraged me.

The fact remains that we can trust in God’s promises. The world is full of troubles and when your heart is set on pleasing God, you end up as a target for the enemy. Let’s look at one of God’s promises to us. Jesus says, “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”” John‬ ‭16‬:‭33‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) I can tell you that really encourages me. We can expect the trials and sorrows in this world but can be sure that Jesus has overcome it all! Absolutely nothing can separate us from the love of God. I love the following scriptures; “And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭38‬-‭39‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Be encouraged!!!

Back when I played the piano (chords memorized) my teacher/ friend Charisanne wrote out the chords from an Elevation Worship song Do it again (2017). I love all the lyrics. I will post a YouTube video below in case you’ve never heard it. The chorus goes like this; Your promise still stands Great if your faithfulness, faithfulness. I’m still in Your hands. This is my confidence You’ve never failed me. Towards the end of the song it says; I’ve seen You move. You move the mountains and I believe I’ll see you do it again.You made a way when there was no way and I believe I’ll see You do it again.🙌🏼

Somebody worship the Lord with me this morning. God’s promises stand! He is faithful and just! Absolutely nothing is impossible for our God! Be encouraged. You are loved.

Www.shannonkhinson.com

The FIRE Hydrant

February 6, 2025Leave a Comment

For several days FIRE Hydrant has been on my mind. I’m not exactly certain why but I’m going to attempt piecing this together. Two days ago the wildfires in California were still ablaze. Watching the footage, it was astounding that the fire hydrants were empty at one point. How in the world were firefighters supposed to fight this monster of a fire with empty fire hydrants? I refuse to go in a political direction here so let’s head in the spiritual direction.

Fires can certainly erupt in our lives. Our enemy is always on the lookout to strike us down in our weak moments. Not long ago I was reading about how fire fighters fought fires before there were fire hydrants. It took a lot of people passing buckets of water from a water source to a fire in a attempt to put it out. Once the fire hydrants were invented, hoses were able to tap into the water source, making the process much better.

In a sense, the fire hoses are like our prayers. We attach to the Holy Spirit / fire hydrants for a powerful steady flow to extinguish the fires the devil sets in our lives. ‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭4‬:‭12‬-‭13‬ ‭says; “Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world.” (NLT‬‬)

It is vital that we stay connected to the Holy Spirit during these last days. We need the Holy Spirit’s steady flow of discernment, wisdom, strength, restraint and reminders of Scriptures to be able to STAND FIRM! We do need to always be alert and sober minded, putting on our spiritual armor each morning so we can face what the day holds.

What about fighting fire with fire. It the physical that won’t work but in the spiritual, oh yes indeed! Let’s take a look at what John the Baptist says in Matthew 3;11, “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” (NKJV‬‬) So you see the Holy Spirit is also considered Fire. In the early church, after Jesus had ascended into Heaven, Jesus’ disciples and followers gathered in an upper room in Jerusalem. In Acts chapter 2 we find the following verses. “When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” Acts‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬-‭4‬ ‭(NKJV‬‬)

I know not all Pastors preach on the baptism of the Holy Spirit but I can testify that it is real and oh so powerful. How can I explain the joy and strength the Holy Spirit gives me each day to force life. (Living with hearing and visual limitations is not easy.) The Holy Spirit brings to my remembrance scripture at various times to help me through situations. I know God goes before me, follows me and puts His hand of blessing on my head. (See Psalms 139:5)

Before Jesus assended into Heaven He said, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”” Acts‬ ‭1‬:‭8‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) God has equipped us with everything we need to live this life victoriously! He gives us the power of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God.

So don’t be discouraged when you face fiery trials in life. There is such a wealth of Scripture to support you. Check out the following scriptures. “For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.” Hebrews‬ ‭4‬:‭12‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Here is one last scripture to wrap up this blog. “But as for you, be strong and courageous, for your work will be rewarded.”” 2 Chronicles‬ ‭15‬:‭7‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

Let me encourage you to stay connected to the Holy Spirit to empower you to extinguish every fiery arrow of the enemy. We will overcome by The Blood of the Lamb and the power of our testimony(see Revelation 12;11). I’m going to leave you with the following music video by CeCe Wianans I love her song Fire. Be blessed

Fan it

September 28, 2024Leave a Comment

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)

~~~~~~~

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)

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🔥While in the FIRE

September 7, 20242 Comments

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.

Www.shannonkhinson.com

Finding Peace on the Battleground

August 15, 2024August 15, 2024Leave a Comment

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

What are you waiting for?

August 4, 2024August 4, 2024Leave a Comment

I can be sassy, bold, funny and serious at times. Today calls for a bold serious tone. Bear with me….There seems to be a lot of people “on the fence” there days. People want to dabble in society with all its “look at me”, “see what I have”, “see my accomplishments” or maybe “I really want what they have”. On the other hand, some sit in church Sunday after sunday, while the message goes in one ear and out the other. There are many who say they are Christians but their choices, attitudes, language and actions don’t reflect Jesus. It’s almost like they come to the Lord’s table, grab some “food” (the message) and throw it back on the table. Something isn’t right there.

I know I’m not the only one who notices these things. If this describes you or people you know, what are you waiting for? What will it take to make a true decision for Christ? Every morning we awake with a new day to make the right choice. We can’t do it on our own. We need the Holy Spirit’s guidance and direction. We need grace.

Every morning I have a routine and it’s a life saver. I wake up, feed the our dog Joy (she will stare me down until I feed her), make a cup of coffee then sit down and pray. It’s not always a smooth flowing prayer but I make an effort to seek Jesus with the “first fruits” each day. King David wrote in Psalms 5:3,“Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly.” (NLT‬‬) Yes, we need to wait expectantly for His answers. They aren’t always what we want but I guarantee the answers will be what is best in the long run.

Truth be told, last night when I went to sleep I was a bit unsettled. I made the mistake of checking out news (online) in the world before I went to bed. Why did I do that? With the tensions escalating in the Middle East and the political unrest here during an election year, I’d say a “storms brewing”. The mainstream media is absolutely disgraceful. If they would only tell the truth, nothing but the truth, without a hidden agenda. Sorry but I call it like I see it. I’’m not going to veer off course down a political rabbit hole. I will advise that whatever you hear, read or see, question it. Pray abut it and seek God’s discernment. God is sovereign and can be trusted! So pray!

Let’s be extra careful who we listen to. Whether it is friends, society, influencers, pastors (they aren’t all teaching the true Word of God), the anchorman, etc question everything. A sure fire way to know the truth is to seek if it lines up with God’s Word. If it is contrary to God’s Word, there is your “RED FLAG”. We should be listening to Jesus every second of everyday. Hebrews‬ ‭10‬:‭22‬-‭23‬ says, “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” (NKJV‬‬)

God is faithful and true! He can be trusted with every single concern that we have. It’s vital to place our hope in Him without wavering. It is important to “Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. Hebrews‬ ‭12‬‬:‭14‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

Today is the day of salvation. Jesus is coming back soon! Are you ready? If not, what is the holdup? The events surrounding us today match up with events of the last days. See 2 Timothy3. Verse 5 of that chapter troubles me, “having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!” 2 Timothy‬ ‭3‬:‭5‬ ‭(NKJV‬‬) You may ask ,“Why does the Lord tarry in His return?” 2 Peter 3:9 says, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” (NKJV‬‬) God gives us chance after chance. He is so rich in love, mercy and grace. If you haven’t done so, surrender to Him today. He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins. (1 John 1:9 ) God sent His only son Jesus to die in our place on the cross, so that we can have forgiveness and live with Him forever. See John 3:16

Jesus loves you! He’s waiting with open arms for you to come to Him. Tomorrow is never guaranteed. If you are already a Child of God, spread the Good News of Jesus. The world is in dire need of Hope and that is only found in Jesus Christ. Join with me in praying for our world, our country, our leaders, for Israel and for blind eyes to be opened to the truth of God’s Word. Be blessed and better yet, Be a Blessing!!

http://www.shannonkhinson.com

Who is your enemy?

July 9, 2024July 9, 2024Leave a Comment

Don’t be offended by the title. Sometimes it’s important to ask the hard questions.

This is an “off the wall” topic but it settled in me this morning and has me thinking. While I don’t profess to have enemies. If I take a closer examination of certain attitudes, there is work to be done. Sigh…. There is always something to work on, but that is life.

Last Saturday I moved wrong and pulled something in my lower back. Sunday morning I watched church livestream from the church Facebook page, with pillows prompted up behind me. The service is closed captioned on the Facebook page so I zoomed in on the captioning, attempting to follow with what I was hearing with my cochlear implant. All went reasonably well until the caption froze. It froze on the word “Let’s” and that word stayed on the screen for the remainder of the service. I shifted approaches and zoomed in on Pastors face, trying to lip read him and catching a few clues when the camera was on the sign language interpreter. So I got the first half of the service but not so much the second half. At the end of the service, a notification dropped in from the Bible App. A man from church had posted his notes from the sermon. God sent Sergeant D’s notes to the rescue. The man can take some GREAT sermon notes. I am thankful as they filled in a lot of “blanks” of things I missed. Pastor talked about Godliness. One thing in the notes that “hit home” was we should treat people with the same attitude that we treat Jesus! Whoa! Do I do that? I would like to say yes, but truth be told, my attitude towards some situations and irritations fall short. Feeling conviction, I had to address and confess of this to the Lord. Which brings me to my title, “Who is your enemy?”

You might think of enemies as in war, people who want to harm you, people who want to exclude you, people who just “rub you the wrong way”, people with opposing beliefs, people with opposing political views, and the list goes on. But really, who is the enemy? I will tell you it is not the person with the attitude or the person who is being harsh or offensive in some way. The enemy is the devil, plain and simple. Ephesians‬ ‭6‬:‭12‬ says, “For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.”(‭‭ ‭NLT‬‬)

I failed a test a couple of weeks ago. I usually don’t let people bother me and simply smile and carry on but….. A nice new gym recently opened near us. My husband Ron and son Joshua both anticipated the opening and joined it. I go to a smaller gym that is also close by. Ron said I could get a one time free trial at the new gym, so I agreed to go check it out. The girl who was working the front desk was rather rude and would not let me in. She said if I came in with Ron I would have to pay $15! I don’t pay that for a full month at the gym I belong to. Side note, they do give out cards for a free one day pass to try the gym, she was just not being nice. Ron asked to speak to the manager and she said she was the manager. I said, “forget it” and we left. Fast forward a few days, someone had given Ron a free pass for me and talked me into going again. We walked in and the same girl was at the desk and looked surprised to see us back. She then asked for my id, which I did not have. I don’t drive and can’t remember the last time I had to show my id. She was unwavering so we went home to get my id. Seriously…. All this to just try a gym! I told Ron that she would run off new business if she was rude to people like she was to me. I was ticked off. Ron told me to just get my id and we would go back but honestly a business is as welcoming as the people who greet you. We went back with my id and another girl was at the front desk. However, the rude girl did come up once again. I guess she thought we were a problem. Wow! Really? Ron is a paying member. I wanted to give her a piece of my mind, but Ron was nudging me in the leg. I looked at the rude girl and said, “I brought my id and by the way, Kindness is a good business policy”.

I would never think of this girl as an enemy but the way she treated me brought out an unpleasant side of me. That so rarely happens but I realize my attitude was not right even if she was rude. It shouldn’t have gotten to me the way it did. I confessed to the Lord, “I failed that one and I’m sorry.”

The best way to avoid such responses is to be persistent in prayer. I should have offered up a prayer asking God to help me respond in a way that glorified Him. Maybe she was having a bad day/week/month/year. Who knows! The fact remains, no matter how people are towards us, we can choose to respond with the same attitude we would have towards Jesus. The only way we can do that is by having a strong prayer life and actively pursuing God in everything. As the following verse says, we can dress ourselves in humility. 1 Peter 5:5 says “In the same way, you who are younger must accept the authority of the elders. And all of you, dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.””( ‭NLT‬‬) Here’s a couple more verses for you. “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are.” 1 Peter‬ ‭5‬:‭8‬-‭9‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

Let’s choose to respond in love. Start your day in prayer and keep your focus on Jesus. He will get you through whatever comes your way this week. When you fall short, confess, repent and Press on. God bless you all!
Www.shannonkinson.com