#speaklife – rootedbythewater.blog

Breaking forth new ROOTS

August 17, 2026Leave a Comment

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

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

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

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

Www.shannonkenleyhinson.com

Praising in the “hallway”

July 29, 2026Leave a Comment

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

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

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

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

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

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

Www.shannonkenleyhinson.com

Global Megaphone

July 16, 2026Leave a Comment

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Www.shannonkenleyhinson.com

It’s ok to “slip away”

April 21, 2026Leave a Comment

Sometimes in life we get pressed from every side and need some “down time’. Years ago there was a chewing gum commercial jingle that said “When you need a little lift but you just can’t take a break, chew Wringleys spearmint gum”. Oh…. the things I remember back when I could hear well. But seriously, sometime we do need a “little lift” in life.

For me, I feel the tension through my shoulders throughout the day as I deal with ‘life” with vision and hearing issues. The attempts to see what I can, to see where I’m going in unfamiliar places, not missing steps, crossing steers and so on, and the constant need to understand speech with my cochlear implant processor. It can be a lot. What can I do when I need that ‘little lift” but “can’t take a break from life”? Honestly, I will go to my bedroom and lay down with a good book to unwind. Speaking of which, I recently started a new book that I borrowed from the library app. The thing is, the largest font on the app was not quite large enough to comfortably read it. I checked Apple Books app and saw the book there with adjustable font so I could actually enjoy the book. Oh the things I have to do. Sometimes I sip out on the back porch to pray and mediate on God’s Word. I have to be conscious to relax my shoulders and breathe. I’ve told the Lord I’d like to go far away by myself and sit on a beach: just me, myself and I. To soak in the warmth of the sunshine and ocean breeze. But alas, I’m stuck. Just have to learn to “let it roll”. Let the tension go.

As I was praying this morning I just poured out “life struggles” to the Lord What amazed me is when I finished praying I opened my Bible app and a new seven day reading plan was on the screen. I thought, “Okay, let’s take a look at this.” It was about the widow and Elisha in 2 Kings 4:1-7. The widow had a lot of problems coming at her and she asked Elisha for his help. He asked her what she had inside. He gave her practical instructions to use the oil she had to pour into empty vessels. This made me think, what do I have? How can I use what God has already given me to pour into “vessels”. What about you? What do you have that could possibly be multiplied to pour into others? For me, it could possibly be my writing, encouraging others and serving my family. One thing about serving others, whether it’s through writing blogs, sending encouraging text or commenting on posts, it takes the focus off yourself and seeks to uplift another. In so doing, you end up uplifted yourself.

In seasons of trials, because sometimes it is a SEASON. We have to be mindful to “bloom” in that hard places. Smile anyway! Serve anyway! Write anyway! Use what you have to the best of your ability then release it to God and allow Him to use it for His glory. At the end of the day, that is a day well lived, even in the midst of struggles. God is with us. 2 Timothy 1;7 says, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love and of a sound mind (NKJV) Let’s be mindful to grasp on to the power, love and sound mind that God gives us. We are equipped for every good work. Press forward! It’s a new day with new mercies. Be blessed.

Www.shannonkhinson.com

Architects of Atmophere

February 9, 2026Leave a Comment

In the prayer room at The Cove in November 2021

Recently I was reading a devotion online and came across the term “architects of atmosphere” and it struck a deep cord in my soul. The devotion itself was about the overflow of the Holy Spirit. Through Jesus we are a living sanctuary. 1 Corinthians 6;19 says “Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself,” (NLT‬‬) With this being true, we can choose to invite God’s presence everywhere we go! Living in the overflow. The atmosphere of our homes, work places, social circles, churches, everywhere really. God pours in and we pour out. It’s a continuous flow of living water. John 7‬:‭38‬-‭39‬ says, “Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’” (When he said “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.)” ‭(NLT‬‬)

The Bible creates a beautiful picture for us to live by. Psalm 1:1-3 says, “Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.” (NLT‬‬) That is my goal in life. To be like a tree planted by stream of living water, producing fruit in season, never withering but thriving in the flow of the Holy Spirit.

We can choose to embrace an atmosphere of prayer where it is welcome everywhere we go. We can choose an atmosphere of humility where we don’t look down on others and not have “judging spectacles” on. Lord help us to see things through Your eyes. We can embrace an atmosphere of worship where we always give spontaneous praise to God. There is much to be said about the atmosphere we usher in around us. Our speech, posts, comments, facial expressions and actions are all things we need to submit to God on a daily basis.

Some things that have occurred in the public eye recently haven’t settled well with me. Some of it is political (both sides) and the Super Bowl half time show was another. There was criticism by some for those who chose to watch the All-American show. Just the comments and smears weren’t appropriate in my view of things. We live in a very divisive world. More and more, wrong is seen as right and right is seen as wrong. More and more when we choose to do the right thing and have a morally upright stance in life, it’s STILL slandered. I try to look to Jesus and see how He handled such things. Jesus prayed for those who opposed Him and we should do the same.

Now don’t label me as a “super religious” person. I have a relationship with my Savior. I don’t view it as religion. I am a sold out child of God. I live to bring honor to my Lord. I am a sinner, washed in the blood of Jesus and forgiven. I am an ambassador of Christ. I’ve had someone tell me, “You always talk about Jesus.” When Jesus is your everything you can’t contain the praise for Him that overflows.

Now back to atmosphere; lets aim to always invite Jesus into every situation and conversation. He sees it and hear it all anyway. Let’s usher in peace and speak it over situations instead of planting seeds of discord. Let us live in the overflow of the Holy Spirit, where Heaven touches earth and hearts are comforted and healed from hurts.

Lord prepare me, to be a sanctuary. Pure and holy, tried and true. With thanksgiving, I’ll be a living, sanctuary for You! (Old worship chorus)

Be blessed and better yet, Be a blessing unto the Lord.

Www.shannonkhinson.com

The “shape”of Love

September 11, 2025Leave a Comment

A small pocket cross, reminding me of Jesus’ love.

This has been one of those days/ weeks when I could write a couple of blogs on different topics or as troubled as I am by recent events, I could just be silent. I’m going to attempt a blend of these.

Today would have been my Dad’s 83 birthday. We sure do miss him but know he’s in the best place with Jesus. I miss his wisdom and insight and would have been seeking out his counsel over recent local and national events. (Excuse my run on sentence) Dad worked hard for our family but always took time for us and our activities. He’d come to our games/ activities then go back to work and stay until his work was done. Some of his long time employees truly loved him and Mom. They seemed like family. Most of all he was a man of faith. He loved Jesus and served the less fortunate at his church’s food pantry.

This morning my brother sent a little group text to me and Mom, sharing a picture video of memories with Dad. It brought a big smile to my face and he sent Dad’s signature emoji 😎 We sure do miss him and continue to live out his legacy of faith, family and service to others. I told them in this mornings group text that we should do something to celebrate him by looking out for others. He was always doing that. I knew him many times to bless someone without them ever knowing it was him. With an upcoming beach trip with girlfriends I got some snacks today I knew the others would like. That is something Dad would have done.

He would have liked the devotion I taught last night for the homeless and less fortunate friends we have. Last night I shared on biblical love and how much God loves us all. I asked my husband if I could buy some pocket sized crosses to give out and he agreed. I shared the following verses. “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” John‬ ‭15‬:‭13‬ ‭(ESV‬‬) Following this, I shared two verses from 1 John 4 at the end of verse 16, “God is love, and all who live in love, live in God, and God lives in them.” And also verse 19, “We love because God first loved us” (NLT) This sets the stage for understanding that God’s very nature is love. He doesn’t just show love, He IS love. He loved us first. The end of the devotion was sharing 1 Corinthians 13 on biblical love. It is so different than worldly love. Lord help us to demonstrate Your love to the world. After I finished, I told the people about the crosses we had brought for them. I carried one in my pocket many years ago. Now I have a cross necklace I wear. I explained I knew some days can be tough. You can reach in your pocket, feel the cross and remember God’s love for us. He sent His only son Jesus to die on the cross for our sins. (John 3:16).

It was a somber time because we heard Charlie Kirk had been assassinated. However being a little short on volunteers, we all worked together to love and serve the people who were there. It’s about being the “hands and feet of Jesus”. I love being a part of this.

We were exhausted when we got home but we wanted to know what had happened to Charlie Kirk. We were shocked and saddened at what we discovered. He was only 31 years old. A loving husband and father and champion for Faith Family and Freedom. What has baffled me the most besides the tragedy itself is the comments and rash remarks made. Even more perplexing is people making it about racism. The world is truly evil and troubling. This is not politics as usual people! This is spiritual warfare! “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Ephesians‬ ‭6‬:‭12‬ ‭(NKJV‬‬) We are really living in evil times.

There was also the stabbing of the Ukrainian refugee on the light rail train in Charlotte. Totally unprovoked. She was a beautiful young lady who had fled war torn Ukraine but was murdered in cold blood in Charlotte NC. She didn’t get a second chance in life, but her killer got 14 chances and released from jail again. SICK world. Our justice system is such a failure. When people have dogs that are known to attack those dogs are put down. Meanwhile multiple time offenders are released back on the streets to do it again or worse. This is outrageous!

Bottom line, we are in a time where evil runs widespread. We have to stay Prayed up and constantly aware. Do you know Jesus? These days, you never know when it might be your last and like the young lady who was stabbed, you might not get a second chance. Praise God for His love, grace and mercy. He is always ready to wrap you in His loving arms when we surrender to Him and confess our sins. There is no time like the present to ask Jesus into your heart to be your Lord and Savior. Let Him turn your life around for His glory, honor and praise.

Lord helps us shine for you in this dark evil world. Shine brightly Jesus for the whole world to see. 🙏🏼 Be blessed, and better yet, Be a Blessing.

Www.shannonkhinson.com

The power of the tongue

September 5, 2025Leave a Comment

Toothpaste tube under pressure = a mess!

You might be wondering about the above picture. Let me briefly explain. Two days ago I shared a devotion with our low income and homeless friends. The devotion time is 10-15 minutes so I pray for a powerful impact in a short time. That night I used the toothpaste demonstration to show how when under pressure, tooth paste is going to come quickly out, oozing in a mess. The same thing goes for the words that come out of our mouths. I was trying to decide whether to share this in a blog post, but considering so many people have trouble “holding their tongue” I figured it wouldn’t hurt.

Let’s be real! Our words can have a very powerful and lasting effect on us and others. We are wise to choose carefully the things we say. I shared Proverbs 18:21, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.” ‭(ESV‬‬), explaining there are consequences to the things we say. We can build up with genuine encouragement or we can tear down with gossip, negativity and complaints. It is astounding how words can have such a lasting sting or comfort. Can you think of a time or two when you have experienced this? I certainly can. For example, I am not the best with receiving “praise” simply because my hearts desire is to be humble. When people speak words of kindness and encouragement over me it truly means so much. Another example is being hurt by misunderstandings and gossip. I don’t have trouble forgiving but forgetting and moving forward after something like that takes God’s healing touch. It is wise to be mindful of the things we say and how they have an impact. I do realize sometimes people need to “vent”, just be careful to whom you vent so it doesn’t go into the “gossip-mill”.

Another thing that baffles me is when people get “heated” and strong language comes out. I shared the following scripture in my devotion. The every end of Luke 6:45 says, “What you say, flows from what is in your heart.” So if our words are rash, critical, negative complaints, we need to take a look at what’s in our heart. We might think “no one sees what’s in my heart”, that’s true BUT our actions and words reflect what’s there. Ephesians 4:29 says, “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” (ESV‬‬)

The last scripture I shared comes from the book of James. “but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.” James‬ ‭3‬:‭8‬-‭10‬ ‭(ESV‬‬) I explained at the end of the devotion that we all need God to help us control our words. Several of the people thanked me afterwards. It is truly something everyone needs to be aware of whether you are a Christian or not. The tongue is powerful. From the toothpaste demonstration, what comes out can’t easily be put back in, so choose your words wisely.

Hope everyone has an amazing weekend. Be blessed, and better yet, be a Blessing!

Www.shannonkhinson.com

When you want to Run ~ DON’T

August 13, 2025Leave a Comment

Me doing devotions a few weeks ago at our RiceNBeans location in Rock Hill. Photo credit Terry P.

Have you ever been given an opportunity that you never thought you’d do? Un-nerving opportunities that you can’t do on your own? That’s been me. The RiceNBeans location that I serve at had to change locations for unforeseeable reasons. In the Rock Hill location we are now serving inside where there is a large kitchen. The people can come in and get cooled off in the air conditioned meeting area and have ice water and a meal. At this new location we also get to do a short devotion with the people. It’s a chance for “spiritual food” along with a warm meal. Pastor Daryl asked me if I would lead the devotions. I didn’t realize he meant every week. I honestly texted him recently to let him know I was thinking about stopping with volunteering. Let me explain a bit. Before we were meeting at a bust stop and I was busy doing “hands on” things that didn’t require me to hear people. The cooking and passing out food was easy for me.

In our new location it is a new dynamic where we let our wonderful volunteers to really get involved so they are busy and enjoy their experience. I’m not gifted with “directing” people so I felt like it wasn’t a good fit. I was asked to do the devotions and that is something I can do, with a lot of direction and help from the Lord. The thing about doing the devotions; I can’t see well enough to see the peoples response, I can’t tell if I’m speaking loud enough in the large room, I have a hard time seeing what I’ve prepared and have to zoom in large on my iPad. Bottom line…. it is un-nerving. With all these things, the devil had a good time of making me question if I was reaching the people and if I made any sense at all. A few weeks ago I asked Pastor Daryl if we could give out Bibles and that night we gave them all out except for one. Another night I felt so uncomfortable when the Lord prompted me to tell the people I’d be glad to pray with them if they wanted to accept Jesus. I was obedient and did what the Lord asked but not a single person approached me for prayer but one lady gave me a hug. In a sense I kind of felt like Jonah, wanting to run far away from this challenge but I didn’t. Every time I have spoken the Lord has given me the scripture to share.

Earlier today I did not know they wanted me to do devotions today but when I found out, scripture immediately came to me. I spoke briefly on our “thought life”. Our minds are bombarded with all kinds of thoughts all the times, but we don’t have to let them make a “nest” in our heads. I shared with the the following scripture. “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭8‬ ‭(ESV‬‬). I looked at a cross reference and saw the New Living Translation says to “fix your thoughts”. We have a choice in what we allow to stay in our minds. Choose what is lovely, pure, just, commendable, praise worthy etc. I also shared 2 Corinathians 10:5 with them that says, “We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,”. 2 Corinthians‬ ‭10‬:‭5‬ ‭(ESV‬‬) We have authority to take our wayward thoughts captive. I always try to throw in a true story or two to demonstrate the point. Tonight I shared about when we went to a little place within the campground at the beach last week to get some hamburgers for lunch. We ordered then sat at a picnic table to eat. The cashier was a “ray of sunshine”. She was so sweet and friendly and that set the stage for the experience. The food was NOT good. The hamburgers were cold as if they had been cookened then put in a refrigerator. However the lettuce was crisp and the tomatoe was also good. I laughed and told Ron the lettuce and tomatoe were the best part. It’s all a matter of perspective. Choose to find the good in things and it helps things go better.

Not sure what God is preparing me for, but I’m thankful for His grace, strength and wisdom to know when the devil is trying to make me “throw in the towel”. Not a chance. I’m going to keep serving as long as the Lord keeps this door open. It’s stretching me but He’s growing me for something and I’m honored and humble to be along for the journey. Don’t give up! Don’t quit. Be strong and courageous. God is with us wherever we go. Be blessed and better yet, Be a Blessing! Good night!

http://www.shannonkhinson.com

The “Art” of Forgiving

July 26, 2025Leave a Comment

Oh boy! Talking about a hard thing! We ALL experience forgiveness and the need to extend it towards those who wrong us, usually on a daily basis. I see this in humanity, people I know and love, and see it’s a “God” thing. We need Gods help to truly forgive from the heart. As I was praying this morning I asked God to release me from the hurt caused by hurtful untrue things people say. I am always a forgiving person, but lets be honest, the hurt inflicted by people can weigh us down.

It’s kind of interesting, after I prayed this morning asking God to help me to forgive and let it go, including the hurt, He allowed me to see the verse of the day. “Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.” Colossians‬ ‭3‬:‭13‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Okay Lord, I’m listening! The thing is, forgiveness in itself is a choice and it’s not a hard choice to make when you want to live in peace. However, what in the world do you do with the disappointment and hurt? Looks like some Holy Spirit healing is needed.

Often times conversations and intentions are totally misunderstoood or taken out of context Other times people get so emotionally disillusioned they don’t see a situation clearly. I’ll throw in miscommunication when people simply don’t understand yet repeat something that didn’t happen. I will go as far as to say, ASL (American sign language) and spoken English are two very different languages.

As I have been reading through the Bible again this year, I love how it “sticks” to my mine. Proverbs talks about gossip and it is so true. “A troublemaker plants seeds of strife; gossip separates the best of friends.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭16‬:‭28‬ ‭(NLT)‬‬ This is so true. As I was praying this morning I said, “Lord humanity is such a mess! We are created to bring You glory yet the devil messes it up.“. Everyone, and I do mean everyone gossips sometimes. Some more than others. Just being honest here, There is a wealth of instruction for Godly living in the Bible. Let’s take it to heart and apply it to our lives. The world would be a whole lot more peaceful and joyful. Take for example the following verse from Psalm. “Then keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies!” Psalms‬ ‭34‬:‭13‬ ‭(NLT‬‬). In the book of James it really “hammers home” this point. “And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.” James‬ ‭3‬:‭6‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

The Bible is FULL of wise counsel on how to live in this fallen world. It directs us in how to navigate life. As I shared with the homeless during devotions last Wednesday on how powerful God’s Word is, I old them it’s like a map for life. It’s God’s loving instructions to us to get us through this journey. It would be wise to read it and apply it to our lives. We had 9 Bibles to give away last Wednesday. I told them as they lined up to get physical food, to also take a Bible for spiritual food. Eight people took a Bible! Praise God!

Life is messy. From most standards I lead a boring life but yet as I read God’s Word and see life unfold around me, it is messy. I see people with struggling marriages. I see people trying to make it look like their life is perfect, when it’s an illusion. I see people trying to truly forgive people for things done to them decades ago, they say they have forgiven but still refuse to talk to those who wronged them. Then there are those homeless and living in shelters for various reasons, trying to make life work. Just looking at the whole isssue called LIFE, it’s MESSY. It is vital we seek God at every step. The devil is active to stir up trouble BUT Jesus overcomes it all. It’s also wise to be careful about your circle of friends and support group. You need others who will speak life and encouragement into your life not critism. Think before you speak, and yes I am speaking to myself as well.

When I saw the verse of the day, there was a video devotion that went with it. The devotion. tied forgiveness and empathy together. I love empathy! Being able to put yourself inside someone else’s shoes. Try it! It will change your perspective if you attempt to see things from someone else’s situation. A world of wisdom there. I think I will stop here. We can’t change people but we can change how we respond to them and we can creat boundaries to avoid some of people’s chaos. Lord help us respond well and in a merciful gracious way that brings You glory.

Have an amazing weekend. Be blessed and better yet, be a blessing!

http://www.shannonkhinson.com

Today marks 4 years~ An ongoing testimony of Faith & Resilience

July 21, 2025July 21, 2025Leave a Comment

Happy Blogging Anniversary to me! Wow four years have flown by and many posts have been shared on a range of topics. Every week God gives me something to share and I’m so thankful for this journey He has me on and mostly that He is with me every step of the way. I just reread my very first blog post written exactly four years ago. My goal was and still is to encourage everyone to “Bloom where you’re planted”. We can’t always choose where we end up in life but we can choose how we deal with it. We can choose to Bloom for the Glory of God! We can choose to Rise Up in the power He gives us. God is so incredibly faithful.

While I have no clue exactly how many posts I’ve written: I usually average 1-2 posts per week for the last 4 years. WordPress is worldwide so posts can potentially be read anywhere in the world. Here are a few stats from my blogging journey. I am humbled and overjoyed that God would allow me to speak life over such an incredible audience. There have been a total of 10,516 views in 136 countries during this journey. Praise God for His faithfulness. While I do not make money doing this, I look at it in terms of speaking life and encouragement. My treasures are in Heaven and I’m just being obedient to share what comes to my heart. You are welcome along on this journey by subscribing. That way the blogs come directly to your e mail. I don’t know how long this journey will last but I will continue to be faithful in the process. Please feel free to share and brighten the world around us. Be blessed and better yet, Be a Blessing! Www.shannonkhinson.com