September 2026 – Grits with Grace

Life at the Laundromat

Posted on September 30, 2026September 27, 2026 by Dewayne Taylor

“When He went ashore, He saw a large crowd and had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd.” Mark 6:34a

I bumped into the real world at a laundromat. We were in Lincoln City, Oregon for the night and it was time to do something normal–we had to wash clothes. Back at 217 that meant a simple trip downstairs to the basement. There were our washer and dryer–again normal for a lot of people. But those were a couple of things that didn’t make our packing list so we had to go to a place we don’t normally go–the laundromat. So we gathered our dirty clothes, searched our GPS for the closest one and off we went. Now we had been to a laundromat before but trust me–it was a long time ago. We had just returned from our assignment in Germany with the Air Force and hardly anything in our house. Our bed and other furniture hadn’t arrived yet and we didn’t own a washer or a dryer.

The GPS led us to the right place and we once again gathered our clothes. We fed the change maker a five dollar bill and it gave us a hand full of quarters. We tossed our clothes in the washer and began the wait for the load to finish. There was a Family Dollar store close by so we wandered over there for a few minutes and then returned to the washing and drying Meca. I found a chair and waited for time to pass and it was then that I started seeing the people. I quickly noticed that the laundromat was an island of hurting people. I didn’t know their stories but it one thing seemed to be apparent. Each person wasn’t there because they wanted to be. They were there because they had to be. For whatever reason they didn’t have the means to wash and dry their clothes in the comfort of their homes.

The expression on their faces and body language all seemed to say, “My life is hard.” One lady who has struggling mentally was washing and drying the same clothes over and over again. A younger couple came in with their clothes stuffed in a bag and he leaned on a cane as he walked. There weren’t a lot of smiles but there sure seemed to be a lot of burdens.

I’ve always knew that my life is largely surrounded by healthy people with decent incomes and Jesus smiles. While I would see people with hard knock lives during my walk about life, I rarely entered their world. The laundromat helped me to not only see but to feel, to experience their world. It was an experience that I hope will lead me to love others and be more open and willing to help others. Let me encourage you to find an island of lostness and hurt and visit there. When you do you can thank God that you are just visiting but you can also ask Him to help you help them. That will probably make Him smile as He replies, “Don’t worry…I’ve got this.” Bro. Dewayne

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Beautifully Broken

Posted on September 29, 2026September 27, 2026 by Dewayne Taylor

“For He raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of His grace and kindness toward us.” Ephesians 2:6-7

Beautifully broken. It sits on the top shelf in the kitchen of our Airbnb. When it was born, probably somewhere in China, it was an attractive clay pot with a small neck and two small handles, one of each side. It began its journey with the Taylors in our home and when we started up our Airbnb, somehow and for some reason, it went to live there. Well, one day we received a text message from one of our guests. She let us know that she had bumped the clay pot, and it had fallen and broken into several pieces.

She was very sorry and even offered to pay for the piece, but we told her not to worry about it. We appreciated her letting us know. After she left, we went over to the Airbnb and there on the counter was the shattered pot—one big piece and several smaller ones. My first thought was to repair it but that lasted about two seconds. My wife Judy and I decided it was best just to let it go. But then…we looked again.

We discovered that when the pot was laid on its side, it no longer looked like just a broken pot but rather an ancient piece of pottery. It was then we moved it to the top shelf, carefully laid it on its side and allowed it to now play a new role. It went from a rather cheap piece of imported pottery to what appears to be a valuable antique. If my memory serves me right, more than one person has commented on our valuable piece of pottery.

It’s amazing that the pot became more beautiful in its brokenness…something that the Japanese discovered a LONG time ago (late 15^th century). They call it kintsugi, where broken pottery is repaired with gold making it more beautiful than before. The pieces are carefully put back together and then the cracks are filled with gold or gold paint. Instead of hiding the imperfections, they choose to call attention to it—and it is indeed beautiful.

Now watch this. In a similar way, God’s grace doesn’t just patch up our weaknesses, our brokenness, rather He transforms them into our most compelling testimony. We become; we are—trophies of grace. Paul describes it this way in Ephesians 2:6-7, “For He raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. So, God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of His grace and kindness toward us.” How about that. For all eternity, God will point to us and declare us trophies of this grace.

So rather than hang your head in shame over your imperfections…embrace them. They’re not flaws to be hidden, but opportunities for God’s power to be displayed. In your weakness, His strength shines brightest. Like the kintsugi, we are testimonies, our stories are stories of His marvelous grace. So, lift your head, child of God, because “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne

gratitude, heaven, life, Scripture, thankful, travel

Stars and Satellites

Posted on September 28, 2026September 25, 2026 by Dewayne Taylor

“I will praise you because I have been remarkably and wondrously made.” Psalm 139:14a

It was silently majestic. We were staying at an Airbnb that overlooked the Columbia River Gorge. This gorge is nationally known for its natural beauty. The Oregon side is steep and mountainous and the home of dozens of waterfalls. The Washington side is more of a steep slope that culminates at the top of a ridge hundreds of feet above the Columbia River. A home on top of that ridge was our home for a couple of nights. Our host had done a wonderful job of decorating the patio area with beautiful flowers in full bloom and comfortable furniture that included a full-length couch that begged to be stretched out on and a plush chair just made for slouching in. It was a little piece of heaven on earth.

Both nights we made it a point to spend the end of our day watching as the daylight slowly vanished and night came on. As darkness arrived—so did the stars with all their majesty. It wasn’t hard to feel and almost hear the heavens singing and shouting the glory of God. There was very little light pollution, so the stars seemed almost as bright as those we experienced in the West Africa wilderness. We were simply amazed. On the first night, I saw a falling star streak across the sky. Amazing.

As the last light of day gave way to the first darkness of night, we began to see something else. Mingled among the stars were satellites, dozens of them, streaking across the sky. While not nearly as amazing as the stars, they still managed to amaze us. Those small dots of reflected light were all shot into space on top of a rocket and traveling in space at 17,500 miles per hour. And that, Grits friends, is the point of the story. First, creation itself declares in unabashed boldness that there is a God and He is amazing in every aspect of His existence. Then comes part two.

I watched in silent amazement as those tiny dots zoomed across the sky. It was then I was reminded that they were created by men. That reminded me that we are not products of evolution but are marvelous creations of God. You see, monkeys and apes don’t make satellites or planes or cars or anything else like that. They may be smart, but they never have been, are not now, and never will be smart enough to do anything like that. Nope…it takes a fearfully and wonderfully made creation like us to do something like that–and even then it is way past amazing.

So as a gentle reminder, all creation reminds us of the great God who loves us, and all this amazing mechanical and technological stuff we’ve put together reminds us that we didn’t come from globs of jelly on a beach or a monkey swinging on a tree. We are indeed fearfully and wonderfully made. Don’t believe it? Just read His Book, and you will clearly see that from day one and before—He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

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Dessert or Desert

Posted on September 25, 2026September 24, 2026 by Dewayne Taylor

“By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:35

Hmmm…I said. I like to talk, and I guess it can be said I like to write. When I write I love to use words in special ways. One of those is playing words off one another—using the same word in the same sentence in a different way. I’ve found that I often bump into words that can dramatically change in meaning by changing just one letter. Here’s an example. First, we have the word dessert. Now this is one of my favorite words because of all the images that pop into my mind. In one corner of my brain, a picture of a perfectly prepared pecan pie appears. Over in another corner is my daughter’s apple crumb pie. Oh my, is that good! Wait, over there is my friend Maggie’s fried pecan pies. And then over there is the dessert display case at my favorite local restaurant. It is filled with pies, cakes, cookies and cream horns.

Well, now that we are all drooling you can almost taste the word dessert. Even if you are not a fan of sweets surely it made you salivate just a little. Now we are going to change just one small letter. Are you ready? We are going to go from dessert to desert. Wait? What? Yup, just remove one “s” in the word and we go from sweets heaven to the Sahara. We go from visions of sugar plums dancing in our heads to sand…lots of sand. Now we are not thinking about pleasure but rather pain. There is not abundance…there is leanness. Just like the word dessert makes our mouth water…desert makes us thirsty. And it all happens by removing one small letter.

What is true with words is also true about birds. I was reading the other day, and it talked about two different kinds of birds. Even though they are radically different, the bottom line is they are still both birds. Both defy gravity and fly, and both have feathers. One is one (there’s that play on words) of the smallest birds in the world and the other is one of the larger ones. One is tiny and cute and the other is large and ugly. One is a hummingbird and the other is a vulture. Both birds…but both miles apart…just like our words dessert and desert.

One of the ways the birds are different is their eating habits. The hummingbird spends it’s time zipping around our yard, going from feeder to feeder and flower to flower looking for “dessert.” Their diet consists of a few small sips of sweet, nectar. The vulture, on the other hand, soars overhead. He could care less about something sweet—he is looking for his next meal too but his is a “desert” or to put it plainly…something dead. Both are birds, but both are entirely different. Their differences may seem big, but really, they are not. You might say they are separated by a letter or two.

You know, that is true about us. We really aren’t that different and yet…we are. Each one of us is uniquely made by God. You might say we are each handcrafted by the Master craftsman of it all. An old children’s song that used to float around the Christian music world said, “Look all the world over, there’s no one like me…no one like me. Look all the world over, there’s no one exactly like me.” God made each one of us different…on purpose. What a boring world it would be if we were all the same.

Now my intention when I started writing this story was to say how in our world we should be more like the hummingbird and look for sweetness than the vulture who looks for death and decay. But as I wrote I realized the bigger truth is that we should just be who we are…and allow others to do the same. Skin color, economic status, music tastes, piercings and tats or not…we are all uniquely made. I wonder how much better the world would be if we learned to love one another. I mean after all, the biggest sign that a person is a Jesus follower is not if we go to church but if we love other people. How about that?

So, the next time you are in a bakery…or your backyard…remember that we aren’t as different as we seem. Rather than judge and criticize, why not go ahead and see people as creations of God. After all,…the Bible does say He loved everybody enough to send His Son to die on a Roman cross…everybody. And if you happen to know that story…then be sure and spread it around. It is the best news ever. And while you’re chatting with that person, be sure and let them know that there is Someone who, no matter what, has it under control. Tell them that, “He’s got this…no matter what this or that is.” Bro. Dewayne

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Proximity Promise

Posted on September 24, 2026September 23, 2026 by Dewayne Taylor

“For I am the Lord your God, who holds your right hand, who says to you, “Do not fear, I will help you.” Isaiah 41:13

I just needed to know. This may cost me my man-card, but it is the truth. When I was a kid—I was afraid—a lot. I was afraid of what might happen, I was afraid of what did happen—or at least the consequences. I was afraid sometimes in broad daylight and many times in the dark—especially in the dark. It was not uncommon for me to lie in bed on a hot Florida night (with no air conditioning), covered up to my nose, listening and waiting for the monsters of the night to come and devour me. Every sound outside my window, every creak on the floor was certainly a sign that they—whoever they were—were coming to get me.

I probably knew in my young mind that monsters weren’t real. I probably even knew that there were no chainsaw murderers lurking in my neighborhood. I knew that we had probably remembered to lock our doors and that would probably keep us safe. Probably. And I guess it was all the probable’s that caused the problem.

Because of all that, and a whole bunch more, sometimes, many times, I would sneak into my parents’ bedroom and quietly lay down on the floor where I would fall asleep. You see, just knowing that Daddy was close by made everything better. I somehow managed to believe that no matter how big the monster, the threat, my Daddy could and would keep me safe. There was never any doubt that he would do his best to protect us—me. Why? Well, in my limited world, that was just what daddies did. Even if I was bad—he was still there for me.

That all seemed so logical because I believed it. Now for the question that really matters. If I believed that, why do I wrestle with trusting my Dearest Daddy with my present—and future? Why is it that somehow I struggle to believe that if I fail Him—He will fail me? Why do I believe that my performance determines His proximity? Now there is the root of the problem. Too often we believe that God only sticks around because we get it right and should we not get it right—He is gone.

Well, the truth is that is a lie. You see, God loves us with absolute perfection. He is constant and steady in His affection for us. There is nothing we can do to make God love us more or less, and furthermore there is nothing that we can do to cause Him to abandon us. Once again—His proximity to us is not determined by our performance. It is based solely on His character as a loving Father.

While we probably won’t be totally free from fear this side of heaven, we can find peace in knowing that our Dearest Daddy is close by—very close by—and nothing is going to change that. So, when the unknown rattles your world, when darkness closes in around you, lay down and take a nap knowing that your Father is close by. No matter what the threat—no matter what the fear—He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

communication, food, friends, Grace, life, Scripture, sovereignty of God

Lost and Found

Posted on September 23, 2026September 22, 2026 by Dewayne Taylor

“And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” Philippians 1:6

They were as lost as a gaggle of geese. A couple of years ago, we had a large gathering of people from several states. While they were diverse…they had one big thing in common—they all had a heart for children and families. Each person there represented a different ministry that ministered to families and children. It was an annual meeting held in a different state each year. Thay year it was Illinois’ time to host the meeting. A friend was kind enough to allow them to use her large Airbnb located out in the country—way out in Shawnee Forest country.

Our church was serving the meal, and I was speaking. When it came time for me to head out to “the farm” I had to choose which way I wanted to go. There was the regular route and the road less traveled. I was at the point of decision when at the very last minute I changed my mind and chose the road less traveled. I was taking my time since I had a little time to kill. Before long I was out in the country and on the road less traveled. Driving at a blazing 35 miles an hour, I saw a van coming toward me…followed by another vehicle. It was then I noticed it.

It was an arm sticking out the window and flagging me down. I thought maybe there was a deer in the road ahead but not at all. As we came side by side, he asked a question, “Do you know where Nan’s farm is?” These folks were hopelessly lost and had apparently been so for a while. I assured them I did (especially since that was where I was going) and told him to follow me. I gave them time to turn around and before long we were at the farm—safe and sound.

As it turned out, these folks had been calling the already arrived group trying to get directions to the farm. The problem was exasperated by the fact they had no clue where they were. As we pulled into the driveway, they were sending someone to find them. The good news is they found me first. That makes this story have a “happy ever after” ending. They got where they were going—in time for supper—and I got to be the hero—leading them to their destination.

Probably the only reason this story earned a Grits story is one simple fact. Back in Harrisburg, I made a last-minute decision to go “the road less traveled.” Had I gone the way I always went…well, they might still be lost today. Smile. One simple decision changed everything, and do you know what? I don’t think it was an accident. I believe the timing and the route I took was one of those God things that people talk about. I don’t believe it was a coincidence or an accident—I believe it was just one more example of our Dearest Daddy looking out for His kids. I believe He does that—a lot.

Whether you are the one led to change lanes at the last minute or the one hopelessly lost, you need to know that your Dearest Daddy is watching out for you. You see, with Him watching, you are never as lost as you think you are. After all—He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

heaven, life, Scripture, travel

Planes, Trains, A Ship and Automobiles

Posted on September 22, 2026September 21, 2026 by Dewayne Taylor

“Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6

“How did you get there?” So in 1987 there was a movie entitled, “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” and from what I know, which is very little, it is a comedy about a couple guys on a happenstance road trip to somewhere. And, I suppose, it involved them traveling on planes, trains and automobiles. One thing my wife Judy and I have learned is if you are going somewhere you need a way to get there. In the case of our last journey, we started out by driving to Carbondale to catch a train. We rode the train to the Chicago train station and then caught another train to the Chicago airport. From there we caught an airplane heading to Seattle, Washington.

After arriving in Seattle, we boarded a cruise ship to Alaska. Wait…don’t leave…we are going somewhere…no pun intended. After seven days we returned to Seattle and rented a car and drove all around Washington State, Oregon and Northern California. Nine days later we headed back to Seattle, caught another airplane back to Chicago where we caught another train back to Carbondale where our son-in-law picked us up and dropped us off at home. Whew. What a journey…planes, trains, a ship and automobiles.

Now let’s get where we were going. You see, there are lots of ways (as in modes of transportation) and ways (as in flight paths, train paths and roadways) to get to all those places. The options are many and varied. And in life I suppose that is true too. Each day is filled with decisions that will take us down the various paths of life. But remember this…choose carefully because some our better than others. In fact, some can lead to disasters and some can cause us to get lost. Choose carefully.

But here’s the real point. When it comes to heaven–there is only one way and one path. It has been said that all roads lead to Rome but trust me–all roads do not lead to heaven. It has also been said that it doesn’t matter what you believe as long as you believe in something. Wrong again. It is not enough to just believe–you have to believe in the right thing–or in this case the right Person. You see, the Bible makes it crystal clear that the way to Heaven is through believing in Jesus Christ. More specifically it is believing in who He is–the Son of God and what He did–dying for our sins and resurrecting (or coming back to life) after three days. If we are willing to put our faith in Him then God is willing to forgive our sins and allow us to spend eternity in heaven with Him.

Yup–there are lots of ways to lots of places but when it comes to heaven–only One will work. If you want to know more, why not get a Bible and read what God says about you and Jesus and how you can go to heaven when it comes time to leave here. I know one of the things that Judy and I enjoy about our trips is the variety of travel. I also know that the most important thing in making plans for Heaven is getting it right–doing what God says and going the way He says. Just ask Him and He will tell you all about it in His Word. He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

gratitude, life, Scripture, thankful, travel

And Now You Know!

Posted on September 21, 2026September 20, 2026 by Dewayne Taylor

“For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see His invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.” Romans 1:20

So what in the world do y’all do? Now that is a good question. Perhaps it all started with our twelve years in the Air Force and especially our three years stationed in Germany. The bottom line is my wife Judy and I have always loved to travel. As you can imagine that was a little difficult during my 42 years as a pastor. When your calendar is defined by Sundays, Wednesdays and holidays…well, it somewhat limited our travel opportunities. With that said, we both were so grateful for the mission trips the church allowed us to lead and for the vacation time the church granted us. I always chuckled when we would escape for vacation and someone would invariably say, “Is that preacher gone again?” And I guess we were.

So when retirement came we immediately embraced and enjoyed the freedom that it granted. And in the last two years, three months and twenty days we have travelled with abandon. Sometimes it was another continent, sometimes another country or state and sometimes, well, just another city. But wherever and whenever, we have enjoyed our journeys. And here is the part that is most important…at least for us. Our travels don’t take us to the biggest and best amusement parks…no it usually takes us to places were we can see and embrace this wonderful creation of God. Nothing thrills us more than to just look and see what God has done. Whether it is a majestic mountain, a cool mountain stream or a thundering waterfall, we see the handiwork of God. And we look, we ooh and awe, we smile and grin and we talk about it.

This latest trip took us to the Alaskan Inner Passage and several small towns along the coast. It also took us to and through the Olympic National Park where we saw Hurricane Ridge and the Hoh Rainforest. We followed the Washington Coast and drove over to the Columba River Gorge where we saw waterfalls that were so tall they seemed to fall straight from heaven. We laid in a backyard and just looked at the stars and the satellites as they raced across the sky. We even saw the International Space Station doing the same. We spent some time walking the Oregon Coast listening to the mighty Pacific Ocean thunder before driving down to see the mighty Redwoods in Northern California. Yup…it was amazing and I suppose I’ll be writing about some it in the coming days.

Now here is the amazing thing. Right here in Southern Illinois, just next door in the Shawnee National Forest, or maybe just down the road or in your own neighborhood, we…you…can see the handiwork of God. Every sunrise and sunset, every cloud and ever changing leaf all shout the God of creation. So whether you travel like Judy and I or whether you just like to sit in the backyard and have a cup of coffee, be sure and look for God because surely He is there just waiting to sit with you. Take the time to enjoy Him for surely…He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

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It’s A Grits Sabbatical

Posted on September 18, 2026August 27, 2026 by Dewayne Taylor

“The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath.” Mark 2:27

Hi Grits family. First and foremost a big thank you for reading our short stories with big truths. You are very much appreciated. The Bible talks a lot about Sabbath’s and taking time to rest. After all, even God took a break after six days of creating. He gave us the Sabbath because He knew the importance of taking a break.

As you probably know since my retirement we have had so much more freedom to do the things we enjoy and near the top of that list is having time to travel. So with that said, my wife Judy and I will be unavailable for a while but Grits will be coming back around the middle of September.

Now remember, you can always go to our website “gritswithgrace.com” and search all the articles that we have published over the years. For those of you who use this as part of your devotional life, this would be a great way to continue to supplement your daily devotions. Thank you again for reading and we look forward to seeing you in mid-September. God bless and remember, “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne

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