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Peace rising

June 2, 20262 Comments

I’m not sure where this bog is going. Just being honest. However as I was praying yesterday morning on my back porch, I noticed the early morning sun shining on this solitary peace lily bloom standing tall in the sun. This thought resonated with me that we too can rise up in peace in the SON (Jesus). You see, last winter this beautiful peace lily almost died. I had forgotten to water it for an extended period of time. When I shared with my Mom about how it looked like it was dying, she recommended pruning it way back so it could possibly regrow. That’s what I did. It’s a marvel how nature bounces back, with pruning, water and sunlight.

We are just like that in life. We can pour into others so much, we neglect to take care of self. As I was reading the Bible this morning, I read the first two verses of Psalms 139. That’s one of my favorite chapters in the Bible. David is just so real and honest about life and bringing it to God. The first two verses say: “O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.” Psalms‬ ‭139‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) I find it comforting to know that God sees me completely. There is absolutely nothing hidden from Him. He sees my weariness underneath the “I’m okay”. He knows the deep longing, to hear and see well. He knows the deep longing in my heart for my son and husband. We have a unique family. We all have broken pieces whether it’s legal blindness , hearing loss and issues from a closed head injury. We deal with a lot and we do it together. He knows how we pour into others anyway. People don’t understand the cost to me, but God does: the striving to understand, the striving to see, read, study, prepare. It can be tiring. Life is stressful enough with just me, myself and I. I don’t need added un-necessary stress. So I’m praying for direction. Should I cut something free that is weighing me down? We can all ask these questions. God sees us completely already and knows the plans He has for us. Sometimes in life to get from Point A to Point B, it’s a “straight shot”, other times it’s a “winding road” going up and down hills. Regardless, God knows the best way to proceed and I’m willing to be obedient to what He shows me. Whether it is to write more books (three ideas came to mind recently) to continue or stop blogging, or continue or stop volunteering. Perhaps it’s to help a neighbor with dementia. She came by early last night with a bag full of her things, carrying her toothbrush. It’s hurts my heart to see the struggles but we listened and prayed with her as a family. She prayed for my son three times in a row, not remembering she had just prayed. I’m thankful she has retained the gift of prayer. Her husband tracked her and she got home safely and was smiling as she left. You never know what life will throw. God has the answers and I’m waiting on His direction.

This morning I also came across scripture in Matthew 11. Verse 28 spoke to my heart. It says: “Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” Matthew‬ ‭11‬:‭28‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) Perhaps you too are weary and are seeking rest for your heart. I will never understand God’s ways for they are so much higher than our own ways. You can find this in Isaiah 55:8-9, ‘My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”
‭‭Isaiah 55; 8-9 (NLT) So let’s just lay it down right there and trust our Heavenly Father who sees us so completely, who is familiar with all our ways, let’s lay it down for Him and trust Him for direction. In true Shannon fashion, a worship song just popped in my mind. “ I lay me down Lord, here at Your feet, all I have Lord is Yours. I lay me down Lord, my heart is Yours to keep. All of You is all I need.” I believe this is a Central Collective song but I don’t know the name and might possibly have the words wrong, but that’s how it’s playing in my heart right now.

Let’s cease the striving and just be Still and Know that He is God. (Psalms 46:10)
http://www.shannonkhinson.com

Deeply touched💙

May 25, 2026Leave a Comment

First let me say, Happy Memorial Day. I’m beyond thankful for the service men and women who have given it all for our freedom here in America. Take time to reflect on the “cost” of the freedoms we enjoy. 🇺🇸

I was not planning to write today but my heart was deeply touched this morning. Since working with the “Book Strategist”, reviews and ratings are beginning to trickle in on Goodreads. When my book first came out five years ago a few friends wrote reviews on Amazon. I greatly appreciate them taking the time. It’s a completely different thing when perfect strangers read and put into writing how the book moved them. I was in tears as I read the review this morning on Goodreads. Below is a screenshot of the review. This is why I wrote the book. Marion “nailed it” in the review. Just wanted to share. During my quiet time this morning I prayed, “Lord this is your story. Take it where you want it to go and reach those whom you desire to encourage.”

Another quick note….shout out to my son Joshua. I mentioned some things that I’d like to add to the basic website.It’s now a work in progress as he has taken over the website for me. He too faces visual and hearing limitation challenges, but it’s not as severe as mine. (Thank you Got and God willing his won’t worsen) He is a smart guy and wanted to see if he could figure out the website management. He was able to add my new book video trailer. He was so excited. You don’t realize how we use the computer….. we have to zoom in so we can see. I had not seen him on a computer in a while and it made me pause to watch him and his determination to figure it out. The “apple surely doesn’t fall far from the tree” He face timed a friend who is very talented with these things and his friend was laughing, telling him what he had accomplished wasn’t easy. Joshua wants to try to figure it all out for me. I’ll tell you, he can be a prankster though. He told me he thought about changing the name to “Rooted by the Booger”. I said, “You better not!!!” We have that playful kind of relationship. Anyway, check out the website link below if you’d like to see the book video trailer. We will see where God takes this. I am humbled and beyond grateful for this experience.

Blessings to you all!

Www.shannonkhinson.com.

Don’t despise “small things”

May 20, 2026Leave a Comment

I’m sitting here on the porch this morning working on the devotion to share with the homeless ministry later on today. I find it so amazing how God brings these topics and scripture to me that are just as much for me as they are for the precious people who will hear it later. Today I’m going to teach on not despising the small things or small beginnings in our lives. That can surely apply to anyone.

We all have those day, weeks and even seasons when thins seems so small and progress seems so slow. You know, “two steps forwards, three steps back”. These times can feel very frustrating and we can often wonder, “Lord, how is this going to play out?” The Old Testament prophet Zechariah could probably relate. He was a post – exile prophet.

Here’s a bit of history in a “nutshell”. King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquered Israel and sent the people into exile for approximately 70 years. During that time King Solomon’s magnificent Temple of the Lord was plundered and burned to the ground. Later the King of Persia defeated Babylon and he allowed the people of Israel to return to Jerusalem to rebuild. So the people of Israel returned to Jerusalem and began the process of rebuilding the temple. However what was coming up was nothing compared to the former glory of King Solomons temple. The progress was slow with limited resources and incomplete walls. It was unimpressive and likely discouraging. However God sent a strong message to Zechariah through a vision. Zechariah 4:10 says,“Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand.” (The seven lamps represent the eyes of the Lord that search all around the world.)”‬ ‭(NLT‬‬) So you see, God rejoices in small beginnings, in the work in progress. We need to do the same.

We can often feel frustrated with small beginnings and small things in our lives because it exposed our impatience. People are driven to see results. We want to see impact and often times get discouraged with slow progress. However God rejoices in our faithfulness and the work in progress. We must stay the course and keep looking to God for guidance.

One thing about people, we must look up to God for direction and validation. When we look around, we become distracted and discouraged by comparing ourselves to others. The world and culture are always telling us what our lives “should look like” or how we “should look”, what we “should be wearing, driving and doing”. It’s all distraction that deflated your peace and joy. Keep looking to God for direction. Proverbs 16:9 says, “The heart of a man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps. (NKJV)

Many people try to do things in their own strength, possibly out of a sense of pride. I’ve done this before by saying “I can do it myself, thank you.” Can you hear the sassy? Been there, done that. Just being honest. There are many things I can’t do because of my hearing and visual imitations. The things I can do, I like to do myself. God has worked with me on this and I am much better. God wants us to rely on His strength not our own. Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (That is from memory. Not sure which translation). I also came across a verse in Zechariah that I love. “Then he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.”
‭‭Zechariah‬ ‭4‬:‭6‬ ‭(ESV). I really have to take these scriptures to heart and let them sink deep within. Here’s a little testimony for you. When I signed up to help with the homeless ministry, I signed up with a friend who could help me understand through sign language. Yes, I can understand some with my cochlear implant but it depends on the situation and when you add my low vision to the mix, it is challenging. Well, right now my friend is out of town so I’ve been cooking the rice and beans and also teaching the devotion. Last week two ladies at the shelter approached me with health issues. One I could partially understand. The second lady I had great difficulty understanding. I asked her name and she pointed to her name tag, but with my low vision, I couldn’t see it. I explained that I couldn’t see her name tag, and I equally couldn’t understand her prayer request. However, I told her, “God knows your name and He knows exactly what you need, so let’s pray together and ask Him to meet your need”. I prayed with her and have to release it into the Lord’s care. I often wonder, “Lord, you know I can’t see that well and you know I have great difficulty understanding, why am I here doing this?” His answer seems pretty apparent, “It’s Him, not me” Not by my might, or my power, or special talent etc, but “By my Spirit says the Lord of Hosts”. From a human perspective it’s an uncomfortable place to be, but from a spiritual perspective it’s the best place to be…. Fully relying on God not on myself.

I will wrap this blog up with one last scripture: Philippians 1:6 says, “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” (ESV) Did you see that? It’s a “good” work and He will bring it to completion. God finishes what He starts. Let me encourage you to “stay the course”. Keep looking to Jesus in all things. He’s for you!!

Be blessed!

Www.shannonkhinson.com

Hindsight is SO interesting

May 12, 2026Leave a Comment

Tomorrow May 13, 2026, marks five years ago that I published my autobiography Rooted by the Water through Westbow Press. In hindsight, I shake my head in wonder, not at myself but at how awesome God is. As I look back at the writing process and publishing journey I am in awe of God. He enabled me to put into writing this unique journey He has me living with visual and hearing limitations. The resilience and grace He enables me to live out on a daily basis blows my mind. I remember writing my book with the font greatly enlarged on our computer. I mean seriously, it was like “pencils” it was enlarged so big. It is very hard for me to see the difference between comas and periods and I did most of my own editing. When I submitted the manuscript to Westbow Press, I was informed that I had used some strong language. I thought, “What in the world are they talking about? There is no bad language in my story!” Turned out the “strong:” language was using the world CRAZY! Seriously!!! They wanted me to go in and make changes to the word “crazy”. I can’t make this stuff up! I was like, “Can you give me a hint where it is in the book? You realized I’m visually impaired!” Somehow with God’s help, I got the changes made and submitted for publishing. It was indeed a journey and I’m so thankful God walked me through it. It’s His story as my life is lived out for His glory. It’s always been my desire to encourage others to not give up, to keep looking to Jesus for help. All of my help comes from the Lord! I could never live this life in my own strength.

After publishing my book in 2021, I realized that my story did not end there. Life continues and I continue to navigate life’s “waves”. It’s a never ending adventure, so my blog was born a couple of months later in the summer of 2021. I faithfully share my life and what God is teaching me. There are hundreds of posts available to read and be encouraged by. One thing that brings me great joy is pouring into others. God pours into me and I must share what He gives. One very interesting thing is to see the countries around the world that see my blog. It’s become a ministry that obviously is read on the other side of the world. Today there are views in Hong Kong, Singapore, Belgium to name a few. I just shake my head in wonder. I’m not saying I have MANY views but they trickle in and I often think, “What in the world.” I am a humble person, never thinking more highly of myself than I should. I know without doubt it’s God who has enabled me and not myself. I’m just trying to be obedient.

Something interesting occurred a couple of months ago. I got an email from a Professor who happens to be an Israeli historian. It was the oddest thing. He had done a search on the word resilience and that’s how he discovered my book. He asked me what I had done to market it because he felt it should have more reviews. I was completely honest. I had done nothing to market my book. I am an encourager, a prayer warrior but I don’t know anything about marketing a book. He encouraged me to ask authors I know how they market their books. He also shared that he too had been in my situation when he had written books in the past. He shared the person who did his own book strategy planning. I reached out to her a while back and she has been a joy to work with so far. I’ve been very hesitant to share any of this because it’s hard to trust people. I get scam e mail daily regarding my book. I have prayed through this process and it’s definitely an exercise of faith. I told her that I would love to reach more people, to encourage and share my faith. I haven’t held back one bit on sharing my faith in Jesus and even told her I was praying for guidance for her as she works on my project. We will see where this goes. If nothing more, I’ve touched one more soul for Jesus.

If you haven’t yet read Rooted by the Water check it out. You can scan below to see how to purchase. It is my life story, insights I’ve learned, wisdom gleamed through the struggles and encouragement to bloom where you’re planted. There are moments of humor, much transparency and even some raw moments. God is so incredibly faithful and my hearts desire is to bring glory to His name. I would be honored if you would write a review if it touches your heart.

If you go to my website http://www.shannonkhinson.com you can find all of my blog posts from the menu in the upper right hand corner. The website itself is a work in progress. I’m beyond thankful for the journey and for the Lord’s guidance every step of the way.

Be blessed and BLOOM where you’re planted.

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!!

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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!!

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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!

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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!