Category: fear

Posted in communication, fear, friends, Grace, life, loving others, Scripture

Turn Off the Mike

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “If anyone thinks he is religious without controlling his tongue, his religion is useless, and he deceives himself.” James 1:26

It wasn’t what it seemed.  The life of a pastor is, well, interesting.  In fact, the life of the pastor’s family is interesting.  For forty-two years you could say that we live in a glass house and that would be so true.  I remember when we lived in a parsonage (that’s a house provided by the church) and we had a wood burning stove.  It was difficult to control the heat so often we would leave the front door open to allow some cooler air in.  There was a sweet (and she really was) older lady who attended our church and she was very concerned that we had our door open.  She would call saying, “Judy, do you know that your front door is open?”  Of course we did, but she felt it was her civil and religious duty to make sure we were stewards of our electricity.

When we moved to Cobden, Illinois our girls were very young…five and four.  Back in those days during worship, the pastor had a big chair where he was to sit on the stage.  I don’t know if we did it that way to make the pastor seem important or so everyone could stare at him. It was just the way we did it.  Now here is what was interesting.  While I was sitting on the stage looking at everyone and everyone was looking at me, Judy was playing the piano.  Many pastors are blessed with musically talented wives and I certainly was one of them.  Now don’t miss this.  I am on the stage and Judy was at the piano. Who do you suppose was watching the girls?  Well, that would be no one.  And you know, girls will be girls.

Like so many siblings, the girls loved to pick at one another.  It was always nothing serious…just enough to make mom and dad nervous.  Well, that Sunday was one of those days.  They were being little girls and poking and pinching each other. They were giggling enough to cause a bit of disturbance and to catch their mother’s eye.  Judy gave them “the look”.  Now every married man knows about “the look”.  Personally, I would rather stare down a cobra than face “the look”.  The problem was, while Judy was looking…they were not.  They were busy poking and pinching.  You might wonder what I was doing.  I was sitting on the stage trying to ignore the two little girls on the first or second row.  I was pretty good at it, too.  However, there was no ignoring the lady at the piano.

When they didn’t get the message, Judy made sure I did.  I don’t know if it was “the look” or smoke signals coming from behind the piano, but I got the message loud and clear.  Handle it.  As much as I didn’t like sitting on the stage on the throne, I preferred that to handling the girls in public.  I rose from the throne and walked straight to the girls.  I took them by the hand and as casually as possible led them out the side door of the sanctuary.  Now there is one thing that every pastor has to remember whether he is going to the restroom or taking his kids out to have a come to Jesus meeting.  Turn your microphone off. I didn’t.

As the door closes behind us, Becca, our oldest, and in her sweetest five year old voice says, “Daddy, please don’t hit us.”  Now, pause, because I know in this world the idea of hitting a child conjures up all kind of bad things.  If there was any hitting it was only going to be a gentle swat on the bottom.  Period.  I knew that and the girls knew that.  Thanks to my not turning my microphone off—everyone in the sanctuary knew it too.  You can probably imagine that sweet little voice coming over the speakers.  There were no tears between the three of us but there were plenty of tears in the sanctuary.  No, they weren’t grieving for those precious little girls—they were fine.  They were tears from laughing so hard.  We walked back into the sanctuary and every person was either rolling on the floor or trying to stay in their seat.  It was a Hallmark moment.

Yup…we live in a glass house for sure.  Even worse, I still had to stand up and preach later in the service. Amazingly, somehow, we made it through.  It is things like that which make our relationship with the families we serve so special.  I deeply appreciated that through the years.   Anyone who knows the Taylor tribe knows that we are unapologetically human.  If you are looking for a perfect, plastic pastor family…well, you won’t find it with us. I’ve often said that people can handle Christians who make mistakes…they get that.  What they can’t handle is when we act like we are perfect and better than they are. Truth is we are neither.

James, the half-brother of Jesus, said if anyone thinks he is religious without controlling his tongue, his religion is useless and he deceives himself. Well, spoken, James.  In fact, we could probably put several actions in place of controlling our tongue and come to the same conclusion.  I am always so grateful that God can handle our imperfections. He never regrets inviting us into His family but He does desire for us to be honest and real…and so does everyone else.  Go ahead, take off the mask and just be you.  You can rest assured that His unconditional love will still be there…even when you leave your microphone on.  And, if you do, don’t worry, He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne 

Posted in communication, fear, life, Scripture, travel

Wildfire

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

“A word spoken at the right time is like gold apples in silver settings.” Proverbs 25:11

Nothing could have prepared me.  When my wife Judy and I traveled out west a while back we witnessed what we had only seen from afar on the news. The devastation of a wildfire.  It seems like everyday this time of year there is a story of yet another fire gone wild.  Sometimes, too often, they are in California but this one was in Colorado.  While we didn’t actually see the fire, we were engulfed in its affects.

As we drove on I-70, we traveled some of the very same places we went when we traveled with Amtrak going west on the California Zephyr.  It was interesting to see from the car what we had seen from the train.  Part of that route had been the victim of a wildfire a year or two before.  While much of the ground cover had recovered, many of the ravaged trees were still there reminding those who saw it of what had happened there.  At least there was a glimpse of life from the greenery that covered the ground.  It seemed to say, “There is hope.”

When we arrived on the west side of Rocky Mountain National Park we saw something totally different…something that said anything but hope.  I wasn’t sure exactly when but it was obvious a much more recent wildfire had consumed what it had taken nature hundreds and hundreds of years to grow.  Acres and acres, in fact, hundreds upon hundreds of acres had been burned to the point that only a black char remained.  As it turned out, in October of 2020, a fire had swept through a vast portion of the park.  Sadly, it appears to have been started, not by something, but someone.

The ranger said that the fire was driven by winds of hurricane force as it swept over the hills and through the valleys.  And yet, there was a miracle.  Right before it would have consumed the town of Grand Lake, a moisture laden fog moved in and saved the town.  For the lush forests, it was simply too late.  In a matter of 24 hours, that part of the park was horribly scarred for the foreseeable future.  The power of the wildfire that I had seen on the news suddenly became very real and personal.

It made me think.  It helped me remember.  You see James, the half-brother of Jesus, wrote in the Bible book that bears his same, about another kind of wildfire.  He was writing about the tongue and the damage it can cause when he said, “But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire and among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire.”  A.Flame.Of.Fire.  There is nothing else quite like the tongue.  A harsh word casually spoken, a criticism thoughtlessly thrown, a sarcastic comment—in a moment in time just as the fire consumed the beauty of nature so our words can scar the people-scape around us.

While a word thoughtlessly cast can destroy, a word of kindness can have the opposite affect.  Proverbs, a Book of Wisdom in the Bible, tells us, “A word spoken at the right time is like gold apples in silver settings.” What a strong contrast. Our words can be like a fire that destroys or a gentle fog that holds the fire at bay—like the one that stopped the fire that October evening.

Destruction or delight, ravaging or restoring…the choice is ours. Today, as we journey, let’s be “word aware”…understanding that we hold in our words the power to destroy or heal. I know my past holds some painful memories of word abuse and for that reason I am very grateful for grace. Today ask God to help you hold your tongue when needed and release it for good when the opportunity arises. Need a little help? Not a problem. Simply ask God and He will be there to help you make the right move…the right choice. Rest assured…He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

Posted in fear, Grace, life, priorities, Scripture, spiritual battles

Giants in the Land

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with a sword, spear, and javelin, but I come against you in the Name of the Lord of Armies, the God of the ranks of Israel—you have defied Him. Today, the Lord will hand you over to me. Today, I’ll strike you down, remove your head, and give the corpses of the Philistine camp to the birds of the sky and the wild creatures of the earth. Then all the world will know that Israel has a God, and this whole assembly will know that it is not by sword or by spear that the Lord saves, for the battle is the Lord’s. He will hand you over to us.” 1 Samuel 17:45-47

There are giants in the land. If you are older than five, you probably know that life is filled with giants. Giants are things that are bigger than we are…things that we simply can’t overcome by ourselves. When we are five just about anything and everything is giant like. Giants, like monsters, often hide in the shadows just waiting to jump out and eat you. As we get a bit older, the giants no longer hide, in fact, they are bold enough to stand in the roads and paths of our lives…daring us to approach them.

These giants can take on many forms. Sometimes it is the insecurity caused by the loss of a job. I was talking with someone this weekend and he was telling how one day, without warning or cause, he was fired from his job. He was left without a way to provide means for his family. Just.Like.That. Sometimes the giants that block our path have those strange and frightening names that doctors use to describe a life threatening disease. Like my friend who lost his job, these giants can steal away our lives…with little or no warning.  Marriages can fail, children can suddenly steer off course, and whatever security we had for the future can be robbed away by someone’s senseless decision. So long 401k…so long security.

David (the kid giant slayer in the Bible) knew all about giants…after all he faced more than one. His most famous was of course Goliath. This guy was huge and mean but regardless, David was willing to take him on. Well, actually that isn’t true. You see, David didn’t take him on–His God did. In reality David wasn’t the giant slayer, he simply trusted the one who was. Trusted.The.One.Who.Was. The truth is David was no match for Goliath but the bigger truth is that Goliath was no match for David’s God! I like that. And that same God is more than willing to step up and fight for me…and for you.

When God called Jeremiah to face His own giants, He gave him a promise. He said, “They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you.” The reality was there was a fight coming–but the outcome was already decided because God was going to show up and He was on Jeremiah’s side. You gotta like that.

Now here is the best part: that promise isn’t just for Jeremiah. It’s for you and me. It is true every time you’re calling feels too big, your fears too loud, or your strength is too small. God doesn’t call you because you’re qualified; He calls you because He is. And He doesn’t send you out alone; He goes with you, fighting for you, every step of the way.

So, no matter what giant stands in your way–call out to the One who is always bigger. He has never lost a fight and He never will. You call, and He will answer and show up for you. No matter what–He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, fear, gratitude, life, loving others, Scripture, thankful

Here Comes Niagara Falls

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “The Lord Himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.” Psalm 121:5

I had always wanted to see it—but not here and not then. So a while back we had one of those “Oh no” moments. Part of the Taylor tribe that normally lives somewhere else was staying with us.  They have three boys who are absolutely 100% all boy.  Accordingly, it is important, very important, that they shower every night.  So, my wife Judy, AKA MaMa,  gave them their marching orders, “Hit the shower.”

Slowly and somewhat reluctantly, they did. Well, Judy and I were upstairs and suddenly there came a very loud commotion from downstairs.  Above the din we heard the voice of grandson number 2 hollering, “MaMa, come downstairs NOW!” Well, she scurried down the stairs and I was right behind her.  What was the cause of the commotion?  Niagara Falls had come to Southern Illinois—217 W. Poplar Street to be exact.  When we arrived downstairs, from the light fixture in her home office, water was pouring. Now it wasn’t dripping, it wasn’t sprinkling, it was pouring.

As it turned out it wasn’t a broken pipe—it was grandson number 1 who had forgotten to put the shower curtain inside the shower. So if you forget to put the shower curtain inside the shower, all the water runs down the shower curtain and straight on the floor and from there—right through the ceiling and into MaMa’s office. Holy Moley.  Now to add to this story, this all happened on Saturday night at 9:00 pm.  You know, the night before the Papa preacher was supposed to preach on Sunday morning.  You know, 9:00 pm when people are supposed to be winding down and not winding up.

Well, because of the quick thinking of the father of grandson 1 and 2, we were able to contain the water pretty quickly.  It took several dozen towels (ok, that’s an exaggeration) but is was several and the quick removal of a rug and the moving of a desk.  Well, in a matter of minutes, the worst was over except I had some confessing to do to my Dearest Daddy about patience and not losing “it.”  But wait, there is a pretty bow in this story.

You see, for whatever reason, the water only came through the ceiling where the fan and light were located.  The ceiling was not hurt at all—not a bit.  And, believe it or not, even with all the water flowing in and through it, the light and fan still worked.  Can someone say, “God moment?”  I think it was another of those times when God was just watching over us.  In this case we didn’t avoid the commotion but we did avoid the catastrophe. 

Tucked away in the Psalms is this verse, “The Lord himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.” I believe that absolutely true and it is true even if the commotion grows into a catastrophe!  No matter what, He watches and as always, He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

Posted in fear, life, priorities, Scripture, sovereignty of God, Trials

When the Wind Blows

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “The Lord is good, The Lord is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in Him.” Nahum 1:7

It came up suddenly and without warning.  One day, I was chatting on the phone with my wife Judy.  She was grand dog sitting in Murray, Kentucky and I was manning the fort at 217.  So, while we were talking, I happened to look out the window and noticed that the wind had gone from nearly nothing to a whole bunch.  I mentioned it to Judy and then I remembered that the patio umbrellas were up, and I knew that they weren’t big fans of the wind.

I quickly gave an “Oh, no” to Judy explaining about the umbrellas in about ten words, said a quick goodbye and ran for the patio.  Sure enough, the large, nine-foot sails were rocking in the wind which by now was surely gale force. I got one of the umbrellas down and then turned around to lower number two.  Just about the time it started cranking, a big gust of wind came and literally tried to lift the table, and umbrella, off the ground.  Surely if I had not been there, it would have been turned over and surely damaged…or destroyed.

Well, it began to rain but I still managed to get it down before heading into the house but here is the ironic part.  As quickly as the wind and storm came, it was over. The rain continued for a little while, but the wind was over, gone, done.  The next time I spoke with Judy, I told her about the storm, the umbrellas and the near miss.  I was grateful to have remembered but there was one thing that would have been even better…to have known ahead.

You see the possibility of storms had been forecast but the threat was so small I chose to ignore it.  Looking back, it would have been better to prepare for the possibility by lowering the umbrellas ahead of time.  Had I lost one or both umbrellas I would have surely regretted my lack of attention.  The motto of the Boy Scouts is that we should always, “Be prepared” and truthfully, I wasn’t. There is surely a big truth to be learned here.

The storms of life can blow in and leave just as quickly as the storm that assailed my patio that afternoon.  The other day a storm blew into my life.  I didn’t see it coming and I learned that I probably wasn’t as well prepared as I should have been or thought I was. My bad.  I read a story about a farmer who hired a young hand to help around the place. When he hired him, the young man said, “I can learn to do anything, and I can sleep when the wind blows.”

The farmer didn’t understand what the young man meant but he hired him anyway.  Sometime later, a storm blew up in the middle of the night.  The farmer tried to waken the young man but to no avail.  He was somewhat put out but headed out to prepare for the storm. When he got to the barn yard, to his surprise, the wagon was covered, the barn secured, and all the animals safely put away. It was then that the farmer realized what the young man meant.

A wise person will do two things in preparation for the storms of life.  First, live in a constant state of trust in the Master of the storms and always be prepared…no matter or regardless of what that means.  The windstorm caught me off guard and so did the storm that blew into my life. I am hoping that I learned a little from both.  Trust God because we can, no matter what, “He’s got this.”  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in communication, fear, Military memories, Scripture, Trials, wisdom

Foot in Mouth Disease, Sir!

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” Ephesians 4:29

I just shouldn’t have said it.  We all have said things that we wish we hadn’t.  I learned a lesson about that the hard way.  I had two bumps in Air Force basic training. One involved singing…you can check that one out on my blog www.gritswithgrace.com (https://gritswithgrace.com/2020/06/01/i-said-sing/). The other one also involved my mouth. I wonder if there is trend there?

In basic training guys were assigned to a flight (group) and each flight had a dorm chief.  He was someone, a peer of sorts, the flight chief selected from within or outside the flight.  Ours was selected from outside.  He had a weight issue so was put in a special group that helped men get down to a weight level that was acceptable.  That of course meant they had to stay longer in basic.  Well, our guy, whose name was Guy, was one of those guys.  Because of his longer tenure in basic he was appointed our dorm chief.

Now it could have been a little jealousy on my side, or it could have been that I was a little judgmental or maybe I had a momentary case of the stupid’s but I said something to one of the guys about this guy.  The words are lost to time, but it was probably something like, “Who does this guy think he is? He’s not a leader…he is a loser.”  Well, anyway, something like that. I said it and forgot it assuming it just died away.  It did not.

So, apparently either that guy told another guy who told another guy who told the guy named Guy.  The guy named Guy told the guy named Sergeant Catchings who was the same guy that caught me about singing.  Well, things were about to go south.  There was a lesson that needed to be taught and I was the object of that lesson.

Sergeant Catchings gathered the flight outside his office and, leaving the door open sat down at his desk.  We all were like, “What’s this about?”  I quickly found out it was about me.  Soon a booming, “you’re in deep weeds son” voice said, “Airman Taylor, get in here.” I got up and went in the office and he instructed me to close the door.  I stood smartly at attention in front of the desk. Sergeant Catchings harshly invited me to take a seat.  There was no chair.

He had me place my hands flat on his desk and then squat by bending my knees till my arms were parallel with the top of his desk. Three things immediately came to my mind.  One, what in the world have I done? Two, this is very uncomfortable.  Three, I’m going to die.  Well in about one minute I found out that Dorm Chief Guy had told him I was mouthing off.  I had broken a cardinal rule…don’t mouth off about those in leadership above you.

Sergeant Catchings jumped to his feet and began to lecture me about respect for leadership and how I should never, ever disrespect those put in authority over me.  Now don’t forget that, first, I still “sitting” in the invisible chair with my hands on his desk.  Second, the entire flight is outside the door.  And by now he is screaming at the top of his lungs.  For added effect, he would occasionally walk over to the door and kick it or slap it making it sound like I was dying.  I was.

Finally, after about ten or so minutes he opens the door and says two words, “Get out.” Imagine 27 guys looking in the office and seeing me squatting with my hands on the desk.  I can’t move.  I am locked in place.  My leg muscles and arm muscles were frozen.  He said it again, LOUDER, “I said get out.”  So, I fell over and managed to crawl, yes, I said crawl, out of his office. I was in agony and the rest of the guys were in shock and we all learned a lesson about respect for authority.

The lesson that day was very valuable. I wish I could tell you that I learned it so well I never had the “stupid’s” again but that wouldn’t be true.  But I can tell you this.  There is a reason the Bible talks so much about the tongue and the mouth. It isn’t a matter of finding a verse…it is a matter of choosing a verse.  We can start with a little nugget found in Proverbs 21:23, “Watch your tongue and keep your mouth shut, 

and you will stay out of trouble.” I wish I had remembered that one before I uttered the words that prompted my visit to Sergeant Catchings office.

But the one that probably says it best is this, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” Imagine how less complicated our lives, our families, our marriages would be if we mastered that one.  Imagine how our work lives and even our worship lives would change.  A pastor once said that if we knew we would have to personally apologize to every person we slandered or gossiped about, we probably would hit “pause” a lot more often.

Oh well, I’m sure glad we have a graceful God.  I have learned over the years to deeply value his patience with me and His mercy for me.  There have been too many times I’ve had to go to my Dearest Daddy and have a chat about “foot in mouth” disease.  I’m glad He graciously invited me to come sit close beside Him. He has always heard my confession and honored my repentance.  I find rest right there…next to Him…because He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in fear, life, Scripture, sovereignty of God, thankful, Trials

Windshields and Words

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” Ephesians 4:29

Go figure.  It was about seven years ago when it happened.  I was driving back from Evansville, Indiana and there was a school bus coming toward me. Of course, I didn’t think a thing about it…school buses come and go all the time.  Well, this one had a surprise waiting for me. Just about the time we met, in opposite lanes, of course, something came flying out of the bus.  To this day I don’t know what it was but whatever it was…it was big and heavy. It hit my windshield near the bottom and shattered it there.  In fact, it was so heavy, that it almost broke all the way through…glass scattered on my dash.

Well, needless to say, I was shocked.  I really wasn’t sure what had happened but it scared the pants off of me.  But then, I smiled.  You see when I bought the car it was, of course, used and the windshield had a couple of obvious defects.  First, it looked like it had been sandblasted and was covered with a zillion small pits.  Second, the top of the windshield had a medium to dark blue tint all the way across.  The dealer had placed one of those stickers on the outside that told what year it was and it stayed on long enough to leave a permanent oval-shaped shadow.  Being a perfectionist, both of these drove me nuts.

I wanted to replace the windshield but just couldn’t bring myself to do it and then when “it” happened, it was replaced courtesy of the insurance company…and that was why I smiled.  Oh, I guess I wish it hadn’t happened but since it did, I was grateful for the new windshield.  

The company did a great job installing the new glass and asked me to leave a review for their small town company…so I did.  Well, the following week I received an email from my friends at Google congratulating me on the fact that over five hundred people had read my review and found it helpful.  Now who would have thought in a small town that many people would have read and reacted to my review.  It made me realize just how powerful and far reaching our words can be.

The Jesus part of the Bible, the New Testament, talks a lot about our words…mostly encouraging us to be careful what we say.  Long before Google, Jesus and the rest of the guys who wrote the New Testament realized the importance and power of words.  The bottom line was and is…be careful what you say…it carries more impact that you realize.  Someone said, “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.” It is a nice saying but it is simply not true.  Words can hurt a lot…trust me I know.

Paul said when he was writing to the church in Ephesus, “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” What great advice.  That review, depending on what I said, had the power to help or hurt and so do our words.  Let’s choose our words carefully.  If you find yourself at a loss of words—it might be a blessing instead of a curse. And when you find yourself with too many words and something comes tumbling out that should stay in…just ask for a little help from the greatest word crafter ever…God…as always, “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, fear, life, Scripture, Southern born, Trials

Bruiser

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “The one who walks with the wise will become wise, but a companion of fools will suffer harm.” Proverbs 13:20

I should have seen it coming.  Both are true, and the truth is, it didn’t matter. Several years ago, a chunk of the Taylor tribe was able to go to Florida for a week.  The middle daughter had been going to the Palm Coast of Florida for the last several years and she suggested we give it a try. I was a reluctant participant.

You see, I was raised on the Northeast coast of Florida.  My growing up years consisted of regular trips to the beach.  Many years later I discovered the Gulf coast with its sugary white sands and clear blue-green waters and I was sold.  Because of this, I wasn’t overly excited when the plans for the East coast were drafted.  However, having done life being the only male in the house (there was my wife, three daughters, a girl dog, a girl cat or two and six female tropical fish.  Even the mice in the barn were girls.) I realized that resistance was futile.  So off to the East coast we went.

I was pleasantly surprised.  We were about an hour or so South of Jacksonville (where I was raised) in a nice condominium complex. We shared the place with our middle daughter and family and it was just perfect.  It overlooked the golf course with a great view of the ocean.  The grounds were well maintained and it had two very nice pools—one family and one for the adults who liked things a little quieter.  The normal vacation crowd was much smaller because of the COVID thing. The only problem was “they” were there.

“They” were waves.  Pretty big waves.  You see on the Gulf side you usually have little friendly waves.  The waves gently bump into you and seem to say, “Hi, we are glad you are here.”  The waves in the Atlantic are from the Southside of Chicago.  They are gangster waves. When we went to the beach they were waiting.  This is the part I remember from my growing up and from one or two vacations from earlier years.  You can hear them before you see them.  They are inviting you into the water—so they can bully you.

Anyway, we get to the beach and you know they didn’t look too intimidating.  I mean they weren’t gentle “hey, glad you are here waves” but they weren’t “terminator” waves either.  We planted our stuff on the beach and off we went into the water.  First, I tested the waves with a knee deep stand.  Not bad.  Then I went a little deeper.  Still not too bad but I could begin to feel them.  They wanted me.  They had my number.

I was out in waist deep water and realized the power of perception.  Those waves that didn’t seem so big from shore were all of a sudden larger—much larger.  I turned to talk to Judy who was close by and looked back just in time to see a large wave coming.  Fortunately, I was able to keep my footing and survived the onslaught.  I smiled.  My sunglasses were still on my face and my hat was still on my head.  I was an overcomer.  Who’s the man now?! That’s when “Bruiser” came.

“Bruiser” was epic, “Bruiser” had one goal in mind—take me down.  I saw him coming but it was too late.  “Bruiser” was well over my head and broke right on top of me.  One minute I was standing and the next minute I was in a washing machine of ocean water…in the spin cycle.  When I came to surface, of which I was very grateful, “Bruiser” had moved on.  My swim shirt was over my head, my hat was gone and my pride and body were a little bruised.  He had won. I had taken on the big boy and come up short.  Probably worse of all my Seattle hat, the one I had worn for several years was lost to the jaws of “Bruiser.”   He never had a chance.  May he rest in peace.

Well, one time in the spin cycle was enough for me that day. And somewhat gratefully I was glad to learn that others in the family had suffered similar fates. Even the son-in-laws got bowled over a time or two. Hats and sunglasses were lost but what was found was the joy of being with family.  We had a good time.

I did learn, or perhaps more accurately, relearn a lesson about the waves of the Atlantic.  They can be pretty powerful.  Usually there is a flag system that warns of particularly rough waves.  Our beach didn’t have that, but I later heard on the news there had been some big waves.  Oh well, hindsight is 20/20.  Sometimes they manage to sneak in but even when you see them coming, they can take you down.

Life is the same way.  A day at life’s beach can quickly turn into a spin cycle of ocean water.  We can get bowled over by circumstances, uncertainties, tragedies and a occasional pandemic. Even when we see them coming, they can be overwhelming.  After my encounter with “Bruiser” that day, I decided it was time to visit the pool—eventually all of us did.  The Bible says, “The one who walks with the wise will become wise, but a companion of fools will suffer harm.”  Translated another way that means there is a time to swim in the ocean and there is a time to head to the pool. Wisdom is knowing when to do what. Wisdom is also knowing that no matter what life throws at you, we can rest in the One who makes the waves because He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in fear, food, life, money, priorities, Scripture, sovereignty of God

Faith and Shifting Sand

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “God is not a man, that He might lie, or a son of man, that He might change His mind.” Numbers  23:19a

Well, I just don’t understand it.  You know, there are some things in this world that just don’t make sense.  You probably have noticed that we seem to be in the middle of some kind of financial crisis.  Inflation is inflating…can someone say ouch? And then there is this whole gas thing.  As I write this gas is over three dollars a gallon and just for fun there is talk of raising the gas tax–already the second highest in the nation. Can someone say double ouch? It is hard to believe that just a few years ago when we were doing the pandemic thing gas was about $1.52 and we said we just couldn’t believe it.  Well, go figure.  And the amazing part is that we are all driving as much as we did when it was cheaper.  Those guys with the big pickup trucks with big engines are still putting the pedal all the way down. It’s like gas is free.  What?

And then of course there is the shortage thing.  They are saying it has to do with supply and demand.  Well, if that is true somebody needs to start demanding more supplies.  Things, like eggs, require a loan to get a dozen.  In a time of precedented happenings, life just seeming to be going on like before.  The restaurants are full, the some store shelves are empty, and no one seems to be in a panic.  In fact, in at least one instance they seem to be celebrating. Yup…it’s true.

I’ve just about given up watching the news, but when I do they will sometimes show this scene from Wall Street.  It occurs at the end of the day, and it shows about fifteen or so people on this platform and it is their job to ring the bell calling for an end of the trading day.  So, the other day, when the stock market had fallen nearly 1,000 points there were people there and as they rang the bell, they were cheering like madmen (or women).  They were yipping and yelling like they had just won the lottery.   Big smiles and grins filled their faces.  It’s like they didn’t even know what had just happened.

Well, it turns out no matter what happens on any given day, these folks, and it is always different folks, get up there and do this madman (or woman) celebration.  I’ve concluded it has nothing to do with the market…they are just glad to ring the bell.  Maybe it is because the day and damage is done or maybe it is because they made a ton of money.  All I know is it sure is confusing.  It sends this crazy mixed-up message and I’m left scratching my head. Good or bad? Happy or sad? Who’s knows?

So what do you do in a world that often doesn’t make a lot of sense? That’s a fair question. To be honest, there are times these days when I don’t know exactly what to do or say.  I want to complain but that isn’t going to help.  I want to whine but that doesn’t change anything.  I want to get mad sometimes but, well, what good does that do?  I think the right thing is stay the course and to believe and trust…in God.  I mean even if you aren’t a God person maybe today would be a good day to give it a try!  Everything around us is shifting and sinking—maybe we should try something different.

I’ve been on my personal Jesus journey for more than a few decades.  I’ve seen the mountain tops and I’ve trudged through my share of valleys and the one constant has been God.  I don’t always understand but I have found that even when I don’t…He is faithful. The Bible, the oldest and most reliable of sacred writings, tells us that God is not a man, that He might lie, 

or a son of man, that He might change His mind. I know that might seem a bit extreme if you are not a believer and I get that.  But don’t these extreme times call for something extreme…like faith?

I’m not sure what the price of gas will be in a week. I’m not even sure there will be eggs in the cooler but I am sure that no matter what my Dearest Daddy in heaven will be the same…good, faithful and trustworthy.  I’m sure that no matter what, He will be there, the Whisperer whispering, “Don’t worry son, I’ve got this.” Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, fear, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, marriage, Southern born, sovereignty of God

Freefall

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “I have been young and now I am old, yet I have not seen the righteous abandoned or his children begging for bread.” Psalm 37:25

It seemed like a really, bad idea.  Right after high school graduation I jumped into the Air Force, and it turned out to be a really good idea.  Back in those days, or so it seemed, college wasn’t pushed for everyone, and I was pretty uncertain about what I wanted to do.  So, through a strange set of circumstances, I found myself in the military.  I loved it.  Raised as a good southern boy, the discipline required for a life in the service came naturally.  I was taught to respect others and especially those appointed over me.  “Yes sir” and “Yes ma’am” were part of my vocabulary long before the Air Force taught me to say it.

By 1980, I had been stationed in Minot, North Dakota, Valdosta, Georgia (where I met and married the best wife a guy could ask for), spent three years in Germany and finally landed in Knob Noster, Missouri.  Like I said, I liked the Air Force, and it seemed the Air Force liked me.  I was picked for several key assignments and was on track promotion wise.  With a young family, the security the Air Force provided was an added benefit and while I wasn’t going to get rich in the Air Force, the pay provided a good life.  Yup…life was good.

Then God spoke.  No, it wasn’t an audible voice, but it was one clear enough that I knew He had a change of plans in mind.  I felt, I knew that He was calling me to become a pastor but that wasn’t all.  I also knew for me that meant leaving the Air Force.  I think that was probably for a couple of reasons.  First, I knew that as long as I was in the Air Force, I would be tempted to lean on that for security and not God.  Second, I also knew that the Air Force would be calling the shots about my future.  Well, that led up to me making one of the biggest changes in my life…after 12 years…leaving the lifestyle and security of the Air Force and jumping into the secure arms of faith and the life of a pastor.

When I went public with this it seemed that everyone had an opinion and a lot of those opinions followed one school thought—you are nuts.  Certainly, the military thought it was a bad idea. After all, they liked me, and I liked them.  I was on track for a good career and great retirement.  You see, with the military, you can retire with 20 years and draw a pension equal to half of your base pay.  You also get other benefits for the rest of your life.  All that led to the “you are nuts” thing and this is really not good idea. But then…there was God.

You see, I was, oh, somewhere beyond probably and just shy of absolutely certain that God was asking me, telling me to do this.  And somehow, some way, Judy and I with two toddlers under three were able to believe and jump.  And now, looking back on a forty-two year career, I am able to say that God took that “really not a good idea” and turned it into a really good idea.  He faithfully and completely cared for us over those four decades. I’m sure if I had stayed in the Air Force, I would have had a nice, secure life. I’m sure things would have turned out just fine.  But God’s idea went somewhere beyond nice and secure and somewhere beyond just fine.

If I’ve learned anything from all of this, it is that God’s ideas are always, and I do mean always, better than mine.  I have learned and I am learning that faith beats fine every time.  The adventure, the challenges, the “mysterious ways of God” that we have experienced together trumps a nice retirement and manmade security.  There’s a verse, and I’m really not sure all that it means, but it sure seems to ring true with me.  The author says that he had never seen the righteous forsaken or his family begging for bread.  Like I said, I’m not sure what that means entirely but looking back from where I sit, it says, “God is good, God is faithful, and God can be trusted.”

God is good, God is faithful, and God can be trusted. Period.  Your story is probably a lot different than mine but if you are a God follower let’s all agree on that part.  He really is good, He really is faithful, and yes, He can be trusted.  So, in these days of uncertainty and in these days when up is down and down is up—listen carefully for the still small voice of your Dearest Daddy.  Let Him whisper His better idea…and then trust. Don’t worry, you are not nuts—you’re a man, a woman and child of faith.  And that is always best because, “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne