Month: December 2024

Posted in fear, friends, life, prayer, pride, Scripture, sovereignty of God, spiritual battles

Happy New Year

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “God causes all things to work together for the good of those who love Him and who are called according to His purpose.”Romans 8:28

I slowly walked to the edge, paused, and…”. Well, it was a long time ago but most of the picture remains intact.  I was about nine years old, and our church Sunday School decided to have a picnic.  We loaded up on a bus or two and drove to the lake.  It was a natural freshwater lake with a beach and a dock.  And speaking of docks…this was a big one.  It left the shore and went out about a mile…well, it seemed like a mile…remember I was only nine.  In fact, it probably went out about fifty yards or so.  Then it made a 90 degree right turn and went on for another fifty yards.  By any standard it was a long dock.

However, it was what was at the end of the dock that caused me to pause.  There, built into the dock was the “Tower of Terror.”  Now for those of you who are familiar with Disney World you know that is the name for one of their attractions.  You are taken inside a building and end up in the dark (mostly) and then without warning…the floor gives way and you are falling for what seems like forever.  Now all this is speculation and hearsay for me because trust me I would never, will never find out personally. No. Not. Nada.  But that day when I was nine, I faced my own “Tower of Terror.”

The tower at the lake that day was probably thirty or forty feet in the air.  You climbed a ladder attached to the tower and at the top was a pretty good-sized platform.  This was where you could stand, look, and gather courage to walk to the edge and jump off.  Well, pushed by peer pressure and goaded by friends, I somehow found myself on the top and they were all saying one thing, “Jump!” Trust me, the last thing that I wanted to do was jump off that perfectly good tower.  I walked slowly to the edge and looked down.  The water seemed to be a zillion yards below me. There were only two options.  First, take the plunge or two, go back down the ladder.  With my heart pounding, with my peers all telling me to jump, I….

I honestly don’t remember what I did. I don’t know if I finally overcame my fear, swallowed my pride and jumped or swallowed my pride and slowly, with great humiliation, went back down the ladder.  Either one at the time felt unbearable and I know one thing even today…fear can paralyze you and fear can cause you to make some pretty crazy decisions.  Most of us personally know the truth in those words.

Well, today we find ourselves at the edge of another kind of platform…and for some, it might look like a “tower of terror.”  We are hours away from a New Year and honestly it can seem quite frightening…especially these days and with these circumstances. Considering all this, what should we do? What can we do?  Well, it seems logical to me that when I face something bigger than me, I need to find something or Someone bigger than the mountain, the obstacle that I am facing.  For me, hands down, that is God.  

There are two truths that I have found in God’s Word that really help me.  Maybe it will help you too.  First, is the sovereignty of God.  That simply means that God is in charge. I love the scripture that reminds me that every day is made by God…He is the owner and therefore the planner. It also means that He is in control…He.Is.In.Control. There is something peaceful in knowing that God is and if He is…well, worry shouldn’t rule us. But it gets better.

Not only does He make every day, He also makes us an incredible promise.  If you are a Bible person you probably know this one.  In the book of Romans, Chapter 8, it says, “God causes all things to work together for the good of those who love Him and who are called according to His purpose.”  Wow.  While that doesn’t mean that everything is good…we know that…it does mean that God can bring good from every circumstance.  What that also means is we have a promise from God that no matter how wonky 2025 may be, He can and will bring something good from it.  Now the truth of that should certainly bring some inner peace into the chaos of our lives.  

So, the bottom line is, “Happy New Year!” The God who makes the day makes the year and the God who makes the year manages the outcome.  Hey, sprinkling a little truth into a murky future can change a lot of things.  Now all of that isn’t a promise of easy but it is a promise of His faithfulness and that no matter what, “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne

Posted in communication, fear, Grace, Integrity, life, Scripture, spiritual battles

Trust the Truth

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword.” Hebrews 4:12a

On your mark, get set, go. Today is Monday.  While not the first day of the week, that honor is set aside for Sunday, for many it is the first day of their work week. But wait—this week there is sometime way bigger.  Wednesday is January 1st, the start of a new month and, wait for it, the start of another New Year.

In Psalm 118:24, we are reminded that, “this is the day the Lord has made.” We are also told what we are to do with that truth, “We will rejoice and be glad in it.” He makes each day and we get to celebrate each day. So if God is the author of each day then He is also the author of each week, month, and year and we should celebrate each one.

One of the best ways to celebrate all this newness is by reading and celebrating God’s Word. I cannot, we cannot, overstate the importance of God’s Word to each and every Jesus follower. You see, reading, studying, meditating and ingesting God’s Word is vital to our intimacy with our Abba Father—our Dearest Daddy. God’s Word is our weapon to fight against our arch enemy Satan. The Word is alive, active, and sharper than any two-edged sword. But wait there is more. When we hide Scripture in our heart, it helps us battle with the forces of evil. We have an enemy, and the last thing he wants us to do is trust God and His Word.

You can take this to the bank. Our spiritual enemy wants to keep us in a place of doubt, fear, guilt, shame and insecurity. But when we know who we are, children of the Most High God, we can confidently demolish every lie that distracts us. Jesus said of Satan, “He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.” Don’t miss that—no truth in him. Just think, whatever comes out of Satan is a lie so we must be careful to believe nothing he says.

I was reading one day and came across this list of some common lies we’ve all believed, and the truth we need to remember to overcome them. These powerful truths will help equip us  and help us to overcomer the enemy this year.

Satan Says — You are a failure, and can’t do anything right.

God Says — You may struggle, but you can do all things through Christ who gives you strength. (Philippians 4:13)

Satan Says – If God cared, why would He let these hardships happen to you?  

God Says — I cause everything to work together for My glory and My good (Romans 8:28). My grace is sufficient for you, and My power is perfected through your weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

Satan Says — You will always be the way you are.

God Says — You can change because you belong to Christ. The old you has gone and the new you is here (2 Corinthians 5:17)!

Think through the lies you’ve believed. Unfortunately the list is probably longer than we want to admit. It’s easier to entertain lies when we allow them to become a part of us. But once you recognize the lies you’ve internalized, you’re halfway to victory. God gave us His Word so that we could know the truth …  and it’s His truth that sets us free.  As we launch into this New Year, let’s start living more like the conquerors we are, and apply the life-giving, hope-delivering truth provided to us through God’s Word. Let’s make the commitment to live and believe that, “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Christmas, Family, friends, gratitude, heaven, life, loving others, Scripture

Memory Trees

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy.” Psalm 30:11

Just a heads up. Christmas trees. They all have their own time to be setup. They all have their own design and style.  They all have their time when they are trashed or stowed.  There is a common denominator.  Those three things are determined by the creators, the admirers of the trees.  That is what makes every tree special. At our house, we do something just a bit different.  We have four trees that make a small, enchanted forest of sorts.  The tallest is about six foot and the smallest is about 30 inches.  It was an idea that I came up with several years ago and we love it.  They are decorated with a wide variety of ornaments and keepsakes from over the decades…and we love that too.

On one tree, we have a Styrofoam snowman’s head that was made by my sister when she was in the third grade…and trust me…that was a really, long time ago.  As I hung that snowman’s head this year there was the somber realization that she is in heaven this year. Merry Christmas in heaven, sis.There is a glitter covered cross from when my wife Judy was in the fourth grade.  Of course, there are three “baby’s first Christmas” ornaments—one for each of our daughters.  There is a 3×5 index card with two buttons on it.  Written, by my oldest granddaughter when she was about 5 years old, is her name over one button and Papa written over the other.  It is priceless.  We were buddies…we are buddies. And on and on it goes…families, friends, and special memories all gathered in one place.

So, by now you are wondering, “Why are you writing about Christmas trees after Christmas has passed?”  It’s a bit of a story. When we were in Germany in 1979, we lived in base housing.  They were large, four-story apartment buildings, with three stairwells—all full of military families.  We were on the top floor, and we had one neighbor across the hall, and they had a phone in their home.  One year, near Easter, I needed to use the phone, so I knocked on the door and his wife came to the door.  I asked if I could use their phone and she was kind enough to say yes.

As I entered their apartment, I noticed one thing right away.  Sitting in their living room was their Christmas tree in all its splendor.  Now, keep in mind it was right before Easter.  I made my call and just had to ask the obvious question.  I politely said, “So why do you still have your Christmas tree up?”  And, without missing a beat, she said, “It makes me happy.”  I never forgot that simple answer and the great truth it taught me.  It.Makes.Me.Happy.

I love the fact that this sweet lady decided to keep her tree up…not based on popular opinion, not on what the masses did, or what was “normal.”  She decided based on what was good for her—for her mental health.  I didn’t think her odd at all—rather, I thought her strong and wise.  I wonder how many decisions we make every day that are not based on what may be good for us but based on what the Smith’s or Jones’ might think of us? I wonder how many things we wear, or eat, or watch, or do, that are based on the opinion of others?  I wonder how many of our faith decisions are based on the same.  Church—no church. Kindness—no kindness. Love—no love. Jesus—no Jesus. Hmmmm. I just wonder.

One year we decided to leave our trees up for several weeks after Christmas and it was ok.  They had transformed from Christmas trees to memory trees.  Maybe, perhaps we will do that again this year. So, if you drive by 217 you might see a small, enchanted forest in our front bay window.  It will be four trees starting at about six feet tall and going down to 30 inches.  If you could get close enough, you would see the trees covered with special ornaments—and almost everyone would represent a special memory or event.  And why will they be there?  Well, it might just be a reminder that we have so much to be thankful for.

If we do leave our trees up, or at least until we take them down, we will drink coffee and do our Jesus things like reading the Bible or praying and occasionally we will look up and be happy—happy for all the blessings that God has sent our way.  Someone writing about God in His Book said that God had turned their mourning into joyful dancing. He had taken away their clothes of mourning and clothed them with joy. I couldn’t agree more.  Even in these different days, these different months, and years, we will have happy moments.  We will pause and thank God that in the past He always showed up and today and all the today’s yet to come He will do it again. After all, He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Scripture, travel, wisdom

The Copyist

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.” Ephesians 5:1

There he was in the middle of the National Art Museum. Well, my wife Judy and I recently returned from a great trip to our nation’s capital—Washington D.C. It all happened on a whim when a hotel we had stayed at in 2017, that is smack-dab in the middle of everything including the White House, Washington Moment, all the war memorials, the Smithsonian just to name a few, was on super sale. We decided to go see Washington at Christmas.  We loved it. The weather was definitely tolerable and somehow being snuggled up in a coat and hat just added to the atmosphere.

We had three and half days of sightseeing—taking in so much history and frankly it left us very proud to be citizens of this great land. One of several things we visited was the National Art Museum. We loved looking at the beautiful works of art that filled the walls of the museum. We were able to get up front and personal and just marvel at the detail of the many works of art—almost all done with oil on canvas. As I was looking at one particular piece, I was amazed. The figure, a lady, wore several rings and the detail of each one was incredible. How could any one do this? How could anyone see this and not believe in a creator God that made the makers of the masterpieces? Well, that is beyond me.

When we entered one gallery, a man was setting up and was preparing to paint, to copy one of the masterpieces. Oh don’t worry, it wasn’t illegal in fact it was encouraged. The museum has a program called, “The Copyist Program” that allows an artist to attempt to recreate a masterpiece. We struck up a conversation with this gentleman. It turned out he had retired eight years ago and only then did he take up painting. He was about halfway through copying this particular piece of art having worked thirty hours with another thirty or forty to go. Two things were clear. First, he definitely had a talent or gift for painting and second, when he was done he would have his own masterpiece.

The goal of the copyist is to as closely as possible copy the work of art. There was no place for his own interpretation…no, he was to copy the original master. Then, and only then, would he be successful. My wife Judy thought of it first. She said, “That is exactly how it should be with us and Jesus. We are to be copyist and be as much like Him as possible.” She was exactly right. The goal of every Jesus follower is to be like Jesus…not our personal interpretation of Him but rather as He is. Anything else is, well, wrong.

Paul put it this way in Ephesians 5:1 “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.” In other words, in our actions, our speech, or thoughts, our beliefs we need to imitate Jesus. There is plenty of room for our personal interpretation in this world but in His world—there is no room. So, as we journey in life, let’s live like our copyist friend, let’s seek to imitate, to copy Jesus so that as far as the world can see—there simply is no difference. If it sounds challenging, that’s because it is—in fact it is beyond us but don’t worry because it is not beyond Him. He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Christmas, Family, gratitude, Holidays, Scripture, thankful

Santa Claus Came to Town

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 

It is one of my favorite Christmas memories and this is a story I have told before and most certainly will tell again. I wish I could tell you the lengths that my Daddy and Momma would go to make sure we had a wonderful Christmas.  Daddy had a good job, but with a bunch of kids, money was always tight.  If I were guessing, we were probably at the bottom of the middle class.  But somehow, they always managed to make sure every Christmas was a fairytale. One year stands out.

I was in the sixth grade and by now I had moved into the world of “nonbelievers”—if you get my drift.  I remember the year Momma told me I could stay up later with the adults.  I guess you could say I graduated.  That night, we visited, talked, and ate.  I’m sure Momma and some of the girls were in the kitchen preparing for Christmas Day.  At about 11:00 pm, I remember Momma telling me that perhaps I should go ahead and go to bed.  “Maybe,” she said, “Santa Claus might still be coming to town.”  Ho, Ho, Ho.

Since it was so late, I didn’t put up much of a fuss.  I never was much of a person to stay up late—until I started dating that is.  Smile.  So, off to bed I went.  There were no visions of sugar drops dancing in my head—like I said, I was a “non-believer”.  Our house was an old, former World War II barracks and was long and narrow.  At one end was the kitchen, then a small dining room, next a living room with the bathroom and two small bedrooms, a breezeway and finally a garage turned bedroom.  That is where I slept.

The next morning, sometime early, I got up.  I’m not sure if someone woke me up or it was just time.  I wandered through the breezeway into the living room where several of the family were sitting.  I backed up to the old two-burner oil stove and warmed up a little. After just a few minutes, Daddy said, “Dewayne, go get me a cup of coffee.”  Coffee was a big deal around the Taylor house, so it certainly was not an unusual request.  I lingered just a moment more, savoring the warmth of the stove before heading to the kitchen.

As I left the living room and entered the dining room, I almost stumbled on something.  There parked right in the middle of the walkway to the kitchen was the most incredible red, English-racer bicycle you have ever seen.  Now, keep in mind, this was back when bikes were all the rage—unlike today when if it doesn’t have batteries or require electricity, it’s not even worth mentioning.  It was beautiful. The frame was bright, metallic red, the fenders were chrome, it had three speeds, hand brakes and, wait for it, a generator light.

I was amazed.  Not in all my years could I have ever imagined such an extravagant gift. Somewhere there is a home video that my brother shot of the grand moment.  I was like someone who had just won the lottery—and from my perspective—I had.  I petted it, hugged every one I could find, threw on some clothes and went off into the darkness with my new English racer.  And that generator light—oh yes, it lit the way.  And if that wasn’t enough, keep in mind this was in North Florida, it was warm enough to ride—even early in the morning.

Like I said, my parents went way out of their way to gift us at Christmas.  Things might have been lean during the year but at Christmas, they pulled out the stops.  I had an idea how they did it.  Saving was not practical on such a limited budget, but they would get one of those loans from a finance company and then pay it off throughout the year.  It was so sacrificial.  I know I have many things to be grateful for from my parents, but the lengths they went to, so we could have Christmas, touches my heart to this day.  I know it probably didn’t make financial sense, but they loved us that much.

I have another parent who did something that didn’t make sense either…and it involved Christmas and Easter. That would be my Heavenly Father. Knowing the world needed a rescue, a redemption, He sent His only Son into this broken world as a baby just so He could grow up and then give Himself to a Roman cross—just for us.  Paul, the guy God used to write a bunch of the New Testament, said it this way, “But God demonstrated His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” While we were still broken, still messed up, unloving and unappreciative, Jesus died for us.  Nope, it made no sense but that is what I love about God.  I know sometimes He allows things that I don’t understand…like when I pray for someone to be healed and it just doesn’t work out like I want. But to know that He loved me enough to create Christmas and Easter—well, that’s just amazing.

Remember this Christmas day, to be grateful for the sacrifices made on your behalf by the people who touch our lives. I know for some that might be difficult.  But try and find the good that is lurking somewhere out there.  But first of all and most of all, be sure and thank God for the greatest gift ever—His own Son and His sacrifice, that we can be forgiven and look forward to being in heaven one day.  Of course, having God as your Dearest Daddy means you get the Gift that keeps on giving.  He walks with us every day and through everything, side by side, hand in hand, and we have the grand assurance that no matter what—He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Christmas, Family, Grace, gratitude, Holidays, life, love, Scripture, sovereignty of God, thankful

A Downtown Christmas

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love.” – Ephesians 3:17b-18

Looking back, my childhood Christmases were always special. We didn’t have a lot of extras, but we had enough—and we had each other. Christmas season always felt like a time of magic, starting with the rich traditions that led up to the big day. A few weeks before Christmas, we’d pull the decorations down from the attic and start filling the house with Christmas cheer. I remember a special Santa decoration that hung on our chimney, and the best part? I actually found one exactly like it! These days, he hangs in my office, but during December, you’ll find him glowing proudly in my kitchen, keeping an eye on me all year round to make sure I stay on the nice list.

But one of my absolute favorite Christmas memories? The trips we made downtown to pay our electric bill. Sounds strange, right? What do electric bills and Christmas have to do with each other? Well, with a tight budget, paying the bill on time was a non-negotiable. So, a day or two before it was due, we’d make the trip to downtown Jacksonville to drop off the payment. Nothing glamorous, but it was a part of the season. And here’s the twist—it was actually really special.

You see, back in those days, the department stores in downtown Jacksonville would go all out with their Christmas window displays. We’re talking moving figures, reindeer that looked like they were about to take flight, and kids skating on a magical, frosty lake. It was a full-blown Christmas wonderland—magical in a way that only the holidays can be. Especially as a kid, I could feel the Christmas spirit in those windows.

Now, here’s the kicker: If we hadn’t had that electric bill to pay, we probably wouldn’t have taken that little trip downtown at all. And that, my friends, feels like a perfect example of how God works. Sometimes, He leads us to unexpected places, through things we might not understand at the time, but they turn out to be exactly what we needed. We just don’t always see it in the moment.

God has this way of using even the little bumps in the road to bring something good into our lives. He works in mysterious ways, sometimes out front, sometimes behind the scenes. We don’t always recognize it at first, but when we do, we’re often amazed at how He’s been shaping our lives all along. If we can be patient and trust in His timing, we start to see how those seemingly random things in life were part of His bigger plan all along.

And you know what? I think that’s one of the best things about heaven—it’ll be full of surprises. We’ll finally understand all the things God saved us from, the opportunities He put in our path that we just thought were coincidences, and the many ways He’s been at work, even when we didn’t realize it.

Paul, the guy who wrote so much of the New Testament, said it best when he wrote: “I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love.” Honestly, that’s one prayer we may never fully see answered—His love is just that vast.

So, as we celebrate Christmas, let’s take a moment to really look for the ways God is working in our lives. Some things will leave us filled with gratitude, and others may make us just stop and think, “Wow, He’s got this.”—Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Christmas, Family, friends, gratitude, life, loving others, thankful, Thanksgiving

The Brothers

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are My disciples.” John 13:35

I have a big catalog of special blessings. You see, one of the things that blessed me through my years of pastoring were the hundreds of times people blessed us. Sometimes it was a big thing and sometimes it was a small thing. As it turns out, one of my favorites was ginormous to me but not so ginormous to the guys involved.

It was around Thanksgiving and that year on the Saturday after the big day we had our family celebration at my daughter’s house outside of Murray, Kentucky.  My wife and I went down Friday, spent the night and enjoyed some good family time.  The rest of the tribe joined us Saturday for a great meal and more family stuff.  It was a cold day and about mid-afternoon it was time to head home.  We had church the next day and there was a full night of preparation waiting for us. So, we headed north.  When we got home, I turned up the furnace (I had turned it down to save the planet and a few bucks) and started unloading the car.  After about thirty-minutes or so it occurred to me that the house wasn’t getting any warmer. Hmmmm.

I went downstairs and our furnace was stone, cold dead.  It was strange because the breaker had flipped. I called one of the brothers in our church who knew about boilers…in fact, he had helped me before when I had some trouble.  Our boiler is older than our first born so…well, you know.  Since it was Saturday evening I just called for some advice.  He gave some. Since it sounded electrical, he suggested I start with an electrician. That sounded like good advice, so I thanked him.

I called another brother in the church (we have a lot of brothers in the church) who knew about electrical stuff (which appeared to be the problem) and asked if he could maybe come by Sunday afternoon and take a look.  He refused.  He said it couldn’t wait till then and volunteered to come as soon as he finished supper. I thanked him and also thanked God for brothers to call when there is a need.  In just a few minutes the doorbell rang.  I assumed it was the electrical brother but in fact it was the boiler brother.  Before long, the other brother showed up too.  So, on a cold Saturday night, two brothers came to try and make sure Judy and I weren’t cold that night.  

Working together they found a short in the control box and within an hour the furnace was up and running. That night Judy and I slept warm because two brothers were willing to help another brother in a time of need.  I was pretty overwhelmed.  I said to them, “Thank you for loving us.”  The boiler brother said, “How do you know we love you?”  And the answer was simple truth.  I said, “Because of your actions.” I believe God allowed our furnace to fail so He could send two brothers over to say, “I love you.”  Isn’t that just like our Dearest Daddy?  I think it is.

The Bible says people will know we are Christians by our love.  Love is a great noun, but it is an even more powerful verb.  Compassion is love in action.  God demonstrated that by sending His Son to die on a Roman cross.  These two men, on a Saturday night, demonstrated it by coming and doing.  I believe the one quality that must be evident in a church is love.   We need to love God and we need to love each other.  God has made it clear that nothing will come between Him and us.  We must make sure that nothing Satan throws out today comes between brothers and sisters.

This season we talk a lot about how amazing it was that God could ask a young virgin girl to be the mother of Jesus.  She couldn’t understand how that could happen.  An angel simply said, “With God nothing is impossible.” We wonder how we can love when we disagree, when we are hurt, when we are being pulled in opposite directions.  The answer is simple…everything is possible with God.  Judy and I rested good that night with a warm house and a heart warmed by love…both His and theirs.  It reminded me fresh and anew that He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, Grace, gratitude, life, Scripture, sovereignty of God, thankful

Amazing Grace

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” Matthew 10:29-30

 It’s worth telling again. In the early days of Grits, before the Grits Facebook page and before the website, I wrote a story about something that happened on a Friday. And trust me…it was pretty amazing.  You see, I’m one of those people who believe that God is always working.  And on that particular day, I think He looked down from heaven and decided I was going to need a little extra help.  It goes like this.

So, it was Friday and my wife Judy tricked me into some really laborious yard work.  I kinda volunteered to rebuild a flower bed and ended up being drafted to build a sidewalk next to the flower bed.  It involved moving and setting 28 of those 16 by 16 concrete paving things and 15 of those blocks that you use to build a wall.  Well, several hours later we had a sidewalk and a small wall with a new flower bed.  It looks awesome.  She was tired…I was exhausted.

I showered up, sat on the couch for a while and then decided I needed to pick up the garage.  Our nightly vacation rental property is over our garage and due to a lack of storage space there were several containers of winter decorations from there that had taken up residence.  Either the car or the containers had to go.  I voted for the containers.

So, I pulled both cars out of the garages (yes garages…we have two…go figure.) In the smaller garage where my car is parked there is a storage shelf–an obvious new home for the stuff that Judy had put in the other garage.  Well, to make a long story shorter I started rearranging the shelf to make room for the stuff.  Finally, I began to move the heavy containers and I began to mutter.  It went like this, “I’m too tired to be messing with this stuff. I didn’t create the mess so why am I having to fix it.”  Honestly, I got just a little mad.

So, I finally got everything where it would now live but there were three winter doormats still on the floor.  I picked them up and carried them to the basement in our house.  I came out to finish and close up shop.  As I looked in my garage–there it was.  I had a tool rack mounted on the wall.  It held rakes, shovels, brooms, clippers…you name it. It was seven feet long and heavy. I hadn’t touched it but there it was on the garage floor–all of it. It didn’t fall down–it fell out–right where my car would have been if it had been in the garage.  Trust me it would have left more than a few small scratches.  We are talking “lions and tigers and bears–oh my.”

So, my first thought was what in the world happened? Well obviously, the wall anchors holding the rack had failed.  But my second thought–literally–was my car wasn’t in the garage for one reason–I had cleaned up Judy’s mess.  If I hadn’t done that–it would have been, well, never mind.  Now I drive a five-year-old vehicle by choice, but I have always tried to take care of our vehicles.  I figured if I am going to drive an older car it might as well look good.

So, I am amazed–not that I got the garage picked up; not that the thing with the tools fell off the wall, but that my Father carefully orchestrated a series of events to make sure my car wasn’t in the way.  “Dewayne, do you really think that God cares about such things?”  No…I don’t think…I know.  And that’s not all. I am certain that when I finally get to heaven, I am going to be amazed at the things He did that I didn’t even know about.

Now I know we continue to be frustrated and maybe even discouraged about the events that surround us. Just remember what Jesus said in Matthew 10:29-30 “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.”

Fear not.  Hey, crazy world…fear not. Hey, uncertain future…fear not. Watch out new normalcy…fear not. Higher gas prices…fear not.  Remember, if you know Jesus then God knows you.  You can call Him Dearest Father and He calls you His child. Trust me, you are of more value to Him than many sparrows. So, rest in Him.  He can move cars and mountains. He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Christmas, communication, food, friends, life, loving others, missions, Scripture, thankful, travel

Scoops Not Spoons

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 Ephesians 3:20 says, “Now all glory to God, who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.”

 It was sure more than I was expecting. So a week or so ago a group of folks from several local churches loaded up a couple of vans and headed to Atlanta, Georgia to work at one of the Operation Christmas Child processing centers. On our work day our shift was seven hours and I can tell you two things. First, it is a long seven hours. We go to work and we do work. Our station consists of two people checking the boxes for donations (funds can’t go overseas—that’s a big deal for customs). Four people then check the boxes for an inappropriate items—candy, food, war toys, toy guns and the like—once again things customs frown on. Oh and by the way, you might be wondering what happens to all those item. They are donated to local ministries that don’t have to worry about customs! Oh also by the way…those four people are the last people to touch the inside of the boxes before the child opens it in their country…what a privilege. Then two people tape each box and four people (two scanning the packing codes and two placing the boxes in their shipping cartons.) There you go…a lot of great team work makes it all happen.

Well, our shift was over so we took our traditional team photograph in front of the OCC Christmas tree and shortly after we headed to the bus—a little weary but with a deep sense of satisfaction. We were definitely the hands and feet of Jesus. This year right in front of the processing center was a Culver’s and if you know anything about Culver’s you know they serve delicious ice cream. One of our team members loves ice cream—especially chocolate ice cream. When our shift was done, she headed straight to Culver’s. As a little God wink the flavor of the day turned out to be Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch. She was smiling from ear to ear.

When I saw her heading for the door, she said she was going to Culver’s. I said to her, from a short distance, “Be sure and get two spoons.” The implication was I was going to steal a bite or two. So as I approached the bus, here she came and in her hands was not one cup of Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch but two! She said, “Here you go mister bus driver.” Now I was smiling from ear to ear. Of course I graciously thanked her and that was when she said, “Well, you said to get you two scoops too. It was then that I had to laugh because what I said and what she heard was two different things and her version was so much better. I didn’t get a couple of bites but a couple of scoops. She had accidentally blessed me more than I could imagine.

At that moment I realized that this is exactly like God. You see, time and again, God gives us more than we could even know to ask for. Is there a verse for that? You bet. Ephesians 3:20 says, “Now all glory to God, who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” How about that—more than we might ask or think. I hope this will be a game changer for us. We need to understand that God is anything but stingy—He is an abundant God—just waiting to give not only more than we can imagine but also what is just right for us. I love that—a lot. Imagine that, a “I’ve got this” God who just loves to bless us. Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Grace, life, pride, Scripture, travel, Trials, wisdom

Falling For Indian Point

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholds him with His hand.” Psalm 37:23-24

 I fell and I fell hard.  It was a Sunday afternoon a few years ago.  I had the opportunity to speak a couple of times at the church where I pastored and it was, as always, one of the things I just enjoy.  I love sharing and watching truth come alive in people.  It was a great day to be at church too because every Sunday someone new came back from the COVID blip.  Each Sunday was like Christmas morning and a family reunion all rolled into one.  After church there was lunch with a couple of friends and family and then…wait for it…the nap.

There is something about a Sunday afternoon nap that is almost sacred.  After speaking and eating, napping is just a natural.  Well, after all the essentials were done, I decided to…take a hike.  My wife Judy was down south visiting family so I had some time to myself.  I really enjoy hiking with her but second best is just taking a hike.  It was a beautiful day and Judy and I had talked several times about trying a trail called Indian Point.  That was my destination. So after a short drive,  I arrived and was glad to find it wasn’t too crowded

So, I hopped out of the car and off I went.  I forgot my hiking stick in the trunk until I was about ten minutes in and I would regret that a little later but hey.  The first part of the trail was like a nice walk in the woods.  There were plenty of rocks and roots to avoid but not enough to distract from the beauty around me.  I slowly ascended and soon, off to my right, I began noticing spurs off the trail that led to various lookouts.  They were amazing.  Atop large rock formations, the valley below spread out like a beautiful quilt in various shades of green.  God impressed me…again.

Soon I was back on the trail, still amazed and still climbing up.  Before long, I could see what had to be the trail’s name sake…Indian Point.  It was a large rock outcropping many, many yards wide and it just invited you to come and see.  So, I stepped up the pace in anticipation of what was coming.  I should have been a little more careful.  On my way to the point, I suddenly had an unexpected experience.  As I was walking and as I was looking ahead, the toe of my boot caught a small root knob and, well, it wasn’t pretty.

I’m not sure if my hiking stick would have saved me or not but since it was back in the car that didn’t matter.  I stumbled for one step and then just fell. There was no time to break the fall, no time to put my hand out—I fell and I fell hard.  I landed on my left side and frankly for the first few seconds I was just stunned.  And then, in a moment of brilliance, I said, out loud, “That hurt.” And it did.  In my pride, I was immediately glad that no one was around to see my descent and painful crash landing.

I slowly, ever so slowly, stood up and accessed the damages.  First, thankfully, it involved no blood but it did include a large knot on my left forearm, a banged-up knee and a rib cage that said, “Ouch.”  Ok, so, I proceeded to the lookout, determined not to let what had happened rob me of the moment—and it didn’t.  I continued on the trail and what lay before me was just amazing.  The incredible rock bluffs, caves and flowering trees were amazing.  I was blown away. God was obviously showing off when He made this part of Southern Illinois.

So, I made it back to the car and, yes, there were definitely some sore body parts.  A few minutes later, I had to cough and I quickly found out just how sore my ribcage was.  When I got home, I found out I couldn’t even bend over to get my boots off.  The good news is that after taking too much Ibuprofen, I could. For the record, I wouldn’t have missed the hike for anything.  I can’t wait to take Judy with me.

My big take away wasn’t the fact that I fell, or that I was going too fast, or that I should have been paying closer attention—though all those are valid.  My big take away—and don’t miss this—was how something so small could cause me to fall so hard.  The root knob was probably two inches high but it was all that was needed to bring me down. For all my trails in my future, at least as long as I remember how bad this hurt, I will probably be a little more careful.  I know I was a bit sloppy in my walking but it’s hard to look down when things above are so beautiful. There’s a lot of truth in that one!

My Dearest Daddy, of course, knew all about all of this and you might want to debate His goodness.  If He is so good why this and why that but you would be missing the point.  The fact is…I walked away.  The fact is…this morning, I can move.  The fact is…I was able to enjoy the rest of the hike.  The fact is…He is a good, good Father.  One of my favorite Bible verses says that He directs my steps and even if I do fall, He is there to pick me up.  I like that…a lot and He was there to pick me up.  And, He will be there to pick you up.

So, if you have some time and enjoy hiking, take a hike on Indian Point trail in Southern Illinois and be prepared to be impressed. Watch for the rocks and the roots and don’t get too much in a hurry.  You might take a tumble or miss something spectacular.  And don’t be afraid because whether it is a trail or day at the office, or no matter what, “He’s got this.”  Bro. Dewayne