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Don’t despise small beginnings.

March 25, 2026Leave a Comment

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Www.shannonkhinson.com

Another storm ~ A doozie!

March 3, 2026Leave a Comment

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Www.shannonkhinson.com.

Nearing the 20 year mark.

March 2, 2026Leave a Comment

Me wearing my Advanced Bionics Marvel cochlear implant processor.

Last Wednesday, February 25, was international cochlear implant day. I’ve been meaning to take a moment to write this blog, but life has been busy lately. I didn’t want to miss an opportunity to write about how this technology has impacted me personally. Almost 20 years ago, I underwent cochlear implant surgery on my right ear. It’s incredible how times flies and how much I rely on and appreciate this technology.

I’d like to clear something up. Cochlear implants don’t restore your natural hearing or bring it back. The sound is different than the way a hearing person hears sound. Cochlear implants stimulate the auditory nerve by electrical impulses to the brain via implanted electrodes. Your brain has to learn how to interpret those signals. It’s takes time, patience and much practice. I’m almost 20 years into the journey and still adjusting. Every time I go to the audiologist for a “map” or computer program update to the processor and implanted device, I have to adjust again. The technology is always evolving and improving and our brains have to adjust every time.

Would I do it again? In a heart beat! This has been such a huge blessing even through there are obstacles to navigate, adding my low vision to the mix makes it even more challenging. Do people around me expect me to hear like normal people? It depends; some do, some don’t . Without my external processor on, which you see in the above picture, I can comprehend no speech. With my processor on I hear most environmental sounds, musical instruments, birds singing, wind chimes, and language. Does my brain process all the language? No, not in my own experience, however compared to my lack of comprehension without it, I think I do above average. Many things factor in such a rate of speech, tone, if a voice carries and then there is back ground noise.

I am so thankful it’s an option and a valuable tool I can use to attempt living a more normal life. (But honestly, normal is overrated.)

I know many people with cochlear implants. Some do remarkably well while others don’t like it. It depends on the person and their individual needs. In a world with many having hearing loss, it is a tool to experience the world of sound. I especially love music. I’m not talking about loud music but rather the harmony and beauty of instruments that are a poetic symphony of beauty. It does my hear good to hear such beautiful things. Birdsong is another favorite, followed by the sound of the ocean. It is such a gift to hear such beautiful things. It’s also a gift to occasionally take a break from daily sounds of electronics and chatter in general. Sometimes my brain needs a break from the over stimulation. That’s okay too. Options are nice.

If you meet someone using cochlear implant technology, take time to project your voice clearly and make sure they can also see your face. Many I know who use this technology will listen and lip read at the same time. Being also visually impaired, I don’t really have that option unless the person is close enough for me to see them. Be patient. We are trying hard to understand. If we don’t get it the first time, perhaps a second or third time will help. Just being real. Regardless, I am so beyond thankful for this gift. God is good always!!

Www.shannonkhinson.com

Courage in the face of fear

February 24, 2026Leave a Comment

This past Sunday afternoon I told my husband Ron that I had no clue what God wanted me to teach on this Wednesday. Sunday afternoons are usually the day I work on the devotion to share but I was drawing a blank. I prayed and for some reason a ship came to me. At first, I thought perhaps it was the account of one of Paul’s ship wrecks. Monday morning I woke with the word “courage” in my heart. I felt prompted to study Mathew 14:22-33. In this passage Jesus walks on water and Peter did too briefly.

Prior to the account of Jesus walking on water in Matthew 14, He had just performed an incredible miracle of feeding the 5,000 with just five loaves of bread and two fish. There were 12 baskets of leftovers too. It was evening and Jesus directed His disciples to get back in the boat and cross the lake while he dismissed the crowd to their homes. (They were in a remote place.). Jesus then goes alone into the hills to pray. Later that night the disciples were caught in a terrible storm far from land. The strong winds and heavy waves were terrifying.

Matthews 14:25-32 says, “About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!” But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!” Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” “Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?” Then the disciples worshiped him. “You really are the Son of God!” they exclaimed.”(NLT)

There is a parallel here to our lives today. Often times “storms” and uncertainties arise and we feel overwhelmed. Just like Jesus said to His disciples “Take courage, I am here!’ Jesus still says the same to us today. Jesus wants us to trust Him with our concerns. Anything that concerns us, concerns our Savior. He wants us to “come” to Him just like He told Peter to “come”. And, just like Peter, we often times take steps of faith towards Jesus, then see the “raging winds and waves” and begin to sink. I’m so thankful that when we cry out, “Lord help me!” Indeed He does.

From the first book of the Bible to the last book,God is inviting us to trust Him! I found quite a few scriptures on courage in the face of fear. Joshua 1:9 is one of my favorites. It says, “This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”” Joshua‬ ‭1‬:‭9‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) For some reason the word “IS” stood out to me. God IS with us wherever we go! Just like in Matthew 14:27 Jesus said, “Don’t be afraid! Take courage. I am here”. HE IS HERE with us in our storms. We don’t need to be discouraged. God is with us. He will up hold us and bring us victory. His kind of victory, for His glory. I’ll never understand it but I will cling to His truth!

There are two more scriptures that stood out to me. In Psalms 31:22 David says, ““In panic I cried out, “I am cut off from the Lord!” But you heard my cry for mercy and answered my call for help.”‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Do you ever feel “cut off” from the Lord? Unreachable? Like you’ve fallen so far you just can’t find your way back? I’ve come across people like that before. Let this scripture encourage you. When we cry out to the Lord, He hears us in His mercy and compassion. He answers when we call for help!

Another scripture I found is Isaiah 41:10: it says, “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.” (NLT‬‬) Let these scriptures build you up with courage to stand in the strength God gives you. We all face “storm” and uncertainties in life. Life happens and I encourage you to invite Jesus to calm your fears, calm the mental and emotional storms. He is able to do far more than we ask or imagine. Will you trust Him? If you have never given your heart to Jesus and asked Him to be your Savior, He is waiting with open arms. Call out His name and He will answer you. That reminds me of a song we sing at church. I’m not the best with lyrics because I can’t hear well and sign language and English don’t always go “hand in hand”. (One sign can mean multiple words.) I think it goes like this, “whisper His name Jesus, whisper His name Jesus, whisper His name and He will answer you.” You can look up “Whisper His name/The name of the Lord” lyrics by William McDowell. It’s beautiful. Another song just came to mind that I used to play on the piano. “It is well”. I will attach the music video at the end of this post. The waves and wind still know His name. Let Jesus bring His peace, calm and strength into your life so you too can say “it is well with my soul”. Be blessed!!

Www.shannonkhinson.com

Comfort & Joy trickling in~

December 21, 2025Leave a Comment

To say I’ve been stressed lately is an understatement! I mean, really, everyday life is stressful with trying to see things and understand. (Visual and hearing impairments are no joke) Trust me, there is much miscommunication that goes on around here. Half the time I can do nothing about it but adjust my attitude and response. While at Great Clips for a haircut on Friday, as I walked in while Ron was parking, a guy acted like he knew me and asked where my husband was. It turned out to be one of my husband’s friends and I was embarrassed that I didn’t see him well enough to know who he was. That’s just a tiny example. When I’m at home, I’m fine but in unfamiliar areas, it can be stressful. Plus the fact, it’s Christmas time.

While we don’t do a lot around the holidays, we do a few things. Year round we are on a team that serves the homeless. We will be serving Christmas Eve, but most of our team won’t be able to come: out of town or “under the weather”. When God opens a door, I typically step in, even though I’m so unprepared. I’ve been praying for about two weeks about this upcoming time of ministry, that God would work it out to be something very special for the people so they could see God’s love for them. Let me just say, as of right now, things are falling into place unlike I could have ever imagined. Some friends from the book club that I’m in are bringing desserts and a friend just sent me a picture of 150 cookies that she and her boyfriend had made. Ron and I thought we could be cooking for the event but it sounds like a group has stepped up to totally bless these precious people with BBQ, beans and coleslaw. I am in tears at the faithfulness of God. Once the dinner is complete and I have a chance, I will give an update. I am so blown away by the faithfulness of God and watching Him work it all out. Many sweet people are helping and it is beautiful!

The last few weeks I’ve talked to the people about different parts of the Christmas story. This Wednesday we will wrap it up. Well, actually God has already wrapped it up in the gift of Jesus birth. I pray He gives me the words to speak well for His glory. (It will be a pretty short devotion but to share how God has brought it all together for the special meal and desserts, just WOW!).

We had our girlfriend’s Christmas dinner last week. One friend gave us all a nice Christmas mug. I think everyone’s had their initial and a Christmas design. Mine had “Comfort & Joy” with a Christmas design. It was like God was telling me something. He brings good tidings of comfort and joy when we trust in Him. In trusting Him, I have to let go of the situations troubling me and trust Him to work it out. As I pour out my heart to the Lord, He has used different parts of the Christmas story to impress things upon my heart. From being obedient like Mary in a perplexing situation, the shepherds hearing the angels in noise, to eagerly following Jesus like the wisemen followed the star, to making room for Jesus, there is much the Lord has impressed upon me this season. As I “let go and let God”, truly trusting Him when I don’t see how it’s going to work. Seeing God work behind the scenes to bring things together, I’m in awe of God. He is faithful always. He loves us so much He came, with a manager as His bed. Such humility, compassion and love. People were expecting a ruler not a baby born to a virgin and placed in a manager. But that baby changed everything. Jesus! Immanuel, God with us! His good tidings of comfort & joy are trickling in and my heart is full. I wish you a blessed Christmas week with your family and friends. Don’t forget those less fortunate. Give the gift of you: your time, kindness, compassion, a listening ear, prayer and resources if you can spare anything. I’ve learned it is far more blessed to give than receive.

Merry Christmas to you all!

Www.shannonkhinson.com

My husband Ron, me, our son Joshua and his puppy Moose.

How is your pursuit?

December 10, 2025Leave a Comment

I’ve been prepping for what God has put on my heart to share in the devotion tonight with the homeless ministry. What I love about this “assignment” is, God works it in me before I can share with others. Going over and over a topic, helps me to apply it first to my own life, which I hope enables me to share with passion. Tonight I am going to share on the wise men who earnestly were driven to follow the star leading to where baby Jesus was. Sometimes we can become so acquainted with a story that we lose sight of its life application. The scripture reference is Matthew 2;1-12 (which I plan to ask my husband Ron to read. I don’t like to read out loud in front of people because of my low vision)

For your reference :

“Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ ” Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.” When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬-‭12‬ ‭(NKJV‬‬)
https://bible.com/bible/114/mat.2.1-12.NKJV

Let’s really think about the above passage. The wise men had seen the star arise and they followed it diligently to find the new born King. First, let’s not miss the fact that God uses His creation to speak to us. Psalms 19:1 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork.” (NKJV)‬‬ God used the star, rising and leading the wise men to where baby Jesus was. The wise men endured a long dangerous journey, but were intent on finding the new born King. How passionately do we pursue Jesus? It’s a question we need to ask ourselves. I’m not talking about pursuing a church or a certain pastor. I’m talking about pursuing Jesus~ King of Kings, Lord of Lords! Are you earnestly seeking Him on a daily basis?

Another question we can ask ourselves is HOW do we respond when we find Jesus? The wise men had exceedingly great joy, as they followed the star leading to Jesus. When they found Him, they fell down in worship. What would that look like for us today? When the wise men found baby Jesus they were full of joy and reverence, recognized the holiness of God in the flesh. How do we approach Jesus? Do we have awe, humility and reverence for our King? This is not just a Christmas season encounter, this is a daily pursuit of worship.

Now let’s consider the wisemen’s generous gifts: gold,frankincense and mirth. They brought their best for Jesus. It’s a sacrificial kind of giving. What do we bring Him? I’m not just talking about for Jesus birthday. I’m talking about everyday. What are the best sacrificial things we can give? It doesn’t take lots of resources to please Jesus. We can give Him our time, our talents and our resources. He especially loves when we give out of our need and when we give with a cheerful heart. How might we give Him our time? Taking time to pray and worship Him daily is a gift to Jesus. A gift He loves! What about our talents? We have each been gifted with talents of different kinds. I have been told I have a talent for transparent encouragement. I aim to give God that each week when I stand before the homeless people to share God’s Word. Trust me, it doesn’t come naturally. It is rather “nerve wracking” as I must depend on God to do this and trust Him with the results. How can you give of yourself with your talents to bless God and others? As for resources, what can you give to help others? If you are like us, you probably have way more blankets, jackets and warm clothes that you actually use. There are many without shelter during these cold months. We can go through things and see what we can share with others in need.

One thing about the wise men’s account that I never really thought about until recently was the fact that they let God change their journey home after meeting baby Jesus. They were warned in a dream not to go back the way they came, not to go back to King Herod. As I think about that, it seems to me that the journey home might have been longer and perhaps more dangerous, but they obeyed God. Do we allow God to change our paths? That could mean not returning to old patterns or behavior and habits. That could mean allowing God to set us on a whole new path for His glory. It’s something worth thinking and praying about.

Wise men and women still seek God. Psalms 14;2 says, “The Lord looks down from heaven on the entire human race; he looks to see if anyone is truly wise, if anyone seeks God.” (NLT‬‬) It’s my prayer that God will see each of us earnestly seeking Him with great joy, reverence and sacrificial giving.

I want to end this blog with a YouTube video. This is off topic but yesterday this version of this Christmas song played in my head ALL day. I texted a friend of ours who plays bass at Central Church, asking if he had a video of the song. I didn’t know if the particular version had a different name. I texted, “It goes something like this…. Gloooooooooorius in excesses dayo”. I love the version Central Church performs. This morning he sent me the below video. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. It made me smile BIG.

Be blessed. Oh and one more thing, Shout out to Singapore. I see some of you have discovered my blog and have been viewing the last couple of weeks. I am humbled and honored. I pray rootedbythewater.blog blesses and encourages you. To God be all glory!

Www.shannonkhinson.com

Let the festivities begin

December 1, 2025Leave a Comment

Me a few years ago at a Christmas party. It makes me laugh every time I see it.

I can hardly believe it’s December 1! This year has literally flown by. The season is upon us for gatherings, baking, decorating, shopping and blessing people. Let the festivities begin.

In all seriousness, it can be a very busy and sometimes stressful time of year. So many traditions and adding new ones. One thing I enjoy is decorating our home. I love Christmas lights. I just find them very peaceful, adding joy to our home. This year I tried to keep things a bit simpler. I decorated our main Christmas tree in the dining room and a mini tree in the foyer. The main tree has some ornaments our adult son Joshua made when he was little. They are still is great condition because I put them carefully away each year. The mini tree has some antique ornaments on it and my baby shoes. Our son has always had his own tree with his own ornaments from trips and memories. He wasn’t sure about putting it up since his puppy Moose is nine months old. I decided to try putting it on a table. So far so good.

Joshua’s tree up on a table. You can slightly see the dining room tree to the right as well.

I’ve found myself singing Christmas carols or sometimes signing them. (sign language). Today my husband saw me signing and asked, “Are you worshipping?” I replied, “No, it’s a Christmas carol ~ Fa la la la la”. 😂 I do love Christmas carols.

We weren’t sure how Moose would do with the Christmas things. He is nine months old now but he has done well. Joshua bought him a stocking and hung it on his snowboard upstairs that is mounted over a door. He said that was his “mantel”. He has also already filled that stocking with dog toys and treats. I said, “Joshua you’re supposed to fill stockings the night before Christmas, not a month before Christmas”. He cracks me up. One stuffed Christmas toy he gave him lasted 15 minutes. Moose was having a blast with that squeaking stuffed toy until he tore off the ear exposing the stuffing. Oh well, that one wasn’t worth the money.

With all the things going on, we must pause and remember what it’s all about. Today I was working on the devotion for the homeless ministry we serve at on Wednesdays. Every Wednesday this month I want to touch on key points leading up to Jesus birth. Christmas is a promise kept. It was foretold long before it happened. God is always faithful and fulfills His promises. Another thing that touches my heart is Mary’s response to Gabriels visit to her, telling her she was chosen by God to be the virgin mother of Jesus. Can you imagine how she must have felt? Let’s look at her response in Luke 1:38, “Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.” (NLT‬‬) I pray each of us can be as obedient in the midst of troubling things we don’t understand.

I pray as your start the month of December, your hearts are filled with Joy and you are able to rise above any tough situations you may be facing. God pours into us every day. His coming was the best gift we could ever receive. In the busyness of this season, remember to take time to worship and adore Him. He is worthy of all our praise and adoration. Be blessed!

http://www.shannonkhinson.com

Moose and Joy in their Christmas bandanas. This was the closest I could get to have them sit together. Moose always wants to play and old Granny Joy doesn’t.

Faith ~ Part 2

November 20, 2025Leave a Comment

Tonight I finished up the devotion at the homeless ministry on “living by faith”. This topic is ingrained in me, as it’s my life each day. I choose to “walk by faith, not by sight”, because I can honestly “see” much more through faith than I can by what I really see. I hope that makes sense. God wants us to take Him at His Word and that is how I try to live life. There is so much to the topic of “living by faith” but I finished up on it tonight. (At least for now, unless God prompts me to speak on it again.)

As I began, I shared Hebrews 11:6, “And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.” (NLT‬‬) I explained that while we can’t actually “see” God, He is there. Just like we can’t see air, however when we take a deep breath we see the effects of taking in air, as our chest rises and falls. Just like air, God is there. We can’t see Him, but when we put our faith in Him, we will see the effects of God moving in our lives. Forget human logic, we have to trust God. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”(NLT) Side note, I try to use the New Living Translation when I share because most of the Bible’s we give out are that translation.

As I continued to share, I told them they might be wondering how much faith they needed. I just love how the Bible says faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains. Mustard seeds are tiny. I did look through my pantry to see if I had any, but I must have thrown them out. I did however have a little bit of poppy seeds. I knew they were similar in size. According to Google, mustard seeds are about twice as big as a poppy seed. I brought along some poppy seeds, since that is what I had, and told them the mustard seeds were twice as big, but they are still tiny. Faith that small can move immovable things in our lives. Matthew 17: 20 says, ““You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.”” (‭‭NLT‬‬)

We each have been given a measure of faith but sometimes we doubt. I will tell you I am so “sure of what I hope for, and certain of what I don’t see” that I can visualize myself with great vision. I can also visualize my son with great vision. Do we have great vision? NO! But I believe! I know, I know, I’m a bit of a “radical” but God says “all things are possible to the one who believes”. However, my “real vision” gets in the way of my faith. When reality hits, demanding I acknowledge we don’t see well, I have to confess, “Lord I believe, help my unbelief”. This is pretty much what happens in Mark 9. A father has brought his child who has an unclean spirit, to Jesus disciples to ask them to cast it out. They couldn’t. The father asked Jesus to help them if He can. “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.” The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!”” Mark‬ ‭9‬:‭22‬-‭24‬ ‭(NLT‬‬).

We live in a fallen world where trials, struggles, hurdles and obstacles abound. The best way to get through these things and thrive is having a heart surrendered to God. He is able to do far more than we ask or imagine. I also shared James 1; 3-4 that says, “For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” ‭(NLT‬‬) As we face our trials and struggles, when we give it to God, He can develop and refine us to perfection. I know giving it to God is hard, but it sure beat trying in vain to do it in our own strength.

Last Sunday Ron told me to take a picture of the screen at church. (I can’t ever read whats on the screen.) We have been visiting a church that is close to where we live. Ron drives our son Joshua to work on Sundays and this church is right down the road. I will add the picture below but it said “ Sometimes the place that feels like the biggest punishment, God will use to become your biggest platform”. Whoa! That is honestly so true in my life. While I don’t like living with these limitations, not one bit, but….. God is apparently enabling me to glorify Him despite the struggles. Who would have ever thought I’d share my struggles with homeless people? No I can’t quite relate to them in that area but I can relate to struggles and trials that seem like mountains. I can relate to situations that seem like they will never change. I can encourage them to put their faith in God. I told them tonight, “who would have ever thought I’d be doing devotions when I can’t hear and see well, but I’m standing here doing it and thriving.” That’s only because of God. I can honestly say God is good and so so faithful! I don’t understand why we have to deal with some hardships. However, I’m not supposed to understand it, I’m supposed to trust God, which is what I do.

Part of Judah Church’s message last Sunday.

Some rewards are down here on earth, other rewards are in Heaven. I’m banking on Heaven. It’s gonna be good! As Job says in Job 23:10 , “But He knows the way that I take; When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.” (NKJV‬‬)

Whatever you are facing, whether it be huge obstacles in your life or trials that seem impossible to overcome, let me encourage you to put your faith in God and let Him move the immovable, break the unbreakable. He can do far more than we can imagine. We just have to trust Him. He’s refining us through difficulties. Let’s not despise the hard situations, but rather let God refine us in those “fires”. “He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi, And purge them as gold and silver, That they may offer to the Lord An offering in righteousness.”Malachi‬ ‭3‬:‭3‬ ‭(NKJV‬‬) I don’t know much about refining silver but from my understanding, the blacksmith keeps the piece in the fire until he sees his reflection. Oh boy…. I’ve got a ways to go, BUT GOD!

Have a great rest of the week everyone. I hope I caught all the typos. I should have been asleep hours ago. Until next time. Be blessed and better yet, be a blessing.

http://www.shannonkhinson.com

Your pain is NOT in vain

October 22, 2025October 22, 2025Leave a Comment

I just made a big pot of tomato basil soup for dinner since it is ministry day and dinner will be ready when I get home later. My can opener apparently needs replacing, as I had the hardest time opening a can of broth for the soup, but I managed to open it enough, just barely. Now that soup is in the crockpot, I’m studying todays devotion to share with our homeless friends.

It is interesting how God works these devotions in my heart before I can honestly and transparently share with others. This devotion for today came to me one piece at a time. A few weeks ago I saw a pastor use chains as a promp to emphasize his point. On Sunday as God brought this to me, I was greatly frustrated. As I sat praying and meditating, the thought came to make a long paper chain to symbolize things that weigh us down, spiritual bondage for unbelievers and our “hang ups” in life. I knew one day all that construction paper would come to use.

I was unable to go to church Sunday for something completely out of my control. (we woke to a lot of water in part of our back yard. Our neighbors had a pipe burst and they weren’t home.) I was frustrated. I “need” the Word to strengthen me for the week. I watched several online services but I can’t comprehend it all. I was like, “Lord you know if I could see well enough to drive, I’d be able to go. Why do I have to deal with this dependence on others for these things?” Usually it doesn’t bother me, but occasionally it “boils up” and I have to let that frustration out, sometimes in the form of tears. So I made a LONG paper chain and I plan to “bust through them tonight” to show how Jesus can break every single chain.

Pain, whether it be physical or emotional can weigh us down. Frustration, anxiety, worry, addiction, bitterness, unforgiveness, pride, deception, and ANYTHING that weighs you down, God can set us free from. John 8:36 says, “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”‭‭(ESV‬‬) Jesus does want us to fully surrender to His Lordship and lean on HIm for strength. Our test can become a testimony when we give it to Jesus.

Another verse I plan to share is Isaiah 43:2: When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.” I love that verse. Notice how it says “when you pass through the waters, I will be with you.” You ARE going to go through things but the promise is that, God is with us as we go through it. Notice how it says “though the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you.” Think about a river; there’s water currents, rocks, critters, etc but the promise is that it will not overwhelm us. When we walk through fiery things in life, it’s not going to burn or consume us because God is with us.

I also feel impressed to share about the Apostle Paul’s “thorn” that he shared in 2 Corinthians 12. The Bible doesn’t tell us what the thorn in his flesh was, but it does say it tormented him. Three times Paul asks God to take it from him. Three times! 2 Corinthians‬ ‭12‬:‭9‬ ‭says, “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”(ESV) Wow! That’s my goal to be able to boast about my weaknesses because Jesus power rests upon me. And for the record, I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve asked God to rid me of these visual and hearing problems. Too many times to count. Then the unforeseeabke pain of having to see our son deal with it too. Life is not fair. Not many can grasp the frustration, BUT GOD! His grace IS sufficient for HIS power is made perfect in my weakness.

Do you see how God works this in my heart before todays lesson? Oh my goodness! Lord fill me and give me the words to encourage these people today. Life can be tough. and they need the encouragement to surrender to Jesus and let Him help them through life. Say a prayer that seeds will be planted and chains will be broken in Jesus name!

http://www.shannonkhinson.com.

Sheeple

October 5, 2025Leave a Comment

Just a “heads up”, this is NOT a political post. Actually, it’s far from that. I have put off blogging this week. Just praying, thinking and praying some more. Truth is, I’ve been thinking about sheep. How random is that? But I honestly can be “off the wall random” at times. Stick with me as I process this.

Let’s talk about sheep. Not long ago I read a Charles Martin book called The Keeper. In that book, one of the characters repeatedly asks,”What do you know about sheep?” I did a google search just out of curiosity and turns out sheep are quite intriguing. According to http://www.four-paws.org sheep are quite intelligent and have impressive memory. They can recognize other sheep and human faces. Sheep recognize emotions by facial expressions and prefer a smile over a frown. Sheep also developed friendships, sticking up for each other and show sadness. ( https://www.four-paws.org/campaigns-topics/topics/farm-animals/10-facts-about-sheep ) I also discovered sheep have strong flocking and following instincts, being highly social and docile, meaning submissive and willing to accept control. These animals have some fascinating features including their unique eyesight and scent glands not only on their faces but also hind paws. Google for more information on those things. For the sake of this blog, I’m going to stick with the above.

What is so interesting is the Bible refers to us as sheep. Let’s look at Isaiah 53:6, “All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” (NKJV‬‬) Here is another verse referring to us like sheep. “Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.” Psalms‬ ‭100‬:‭3‬ ‭(NKJV‬‬). I could actually reference quite a few verses here, but let’s look back at that list of characteristics. People and sheep do seem to have quite a bit in common and we do accept control and are submissive when persuaded. Thus the term “sheeple”. If you look up that word online it will say people who are like sheep being foolish, docile and easily led. Um…. sounds familiar. We are in need of Jesus. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.” John‬ ‭10‬:‭11‬ ‭(NKJV). The comforting image in the Bible of Jesus being our Shepherd, protecting and guiding us. He will leave the 99 to go after one lost sheep who has wandered off. (See Luke 15:4-7) We all need the guidance and loving protection of Jesus. Psalms 23 is so beautiful. Let’s consider the first four verses. “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” Psalms‬ ‭23‬:‭1‬-‭4‬ ‭(NKJV). According to these four verses, Jesus takes care of our needs, as He leads us along the paths of righteousness. Yes He does have to use His rod and staff to guide and direct us. We get out of hand sometimes, but He is always willing to bring us back into the fold. Even when we are going through hard and difficult times, we don’t have to walk in fear. He comforts us. Let’s not be stubborn in our walk but rather submit to His Lordship and pursue a deep satisfying relationship with our Savior.

This is what’s been on my heart lately. I kept thinking and praying about the next thing to do a devotion on with our homeless and low income friends. “What do you know about sheep?”, kept coming to mind. Unless God changes my direction, my blog notes will end up being the devotion notes for Wednesday night. I think I’ll add a music video to end this blog. Be blessed this week and listen closely to the voice of Jesus as He directs our paths.
http://www.Shannonkhinson.com