Category: Grace

Posted in Grace, gratitude, life, patience, Scripture

Near or Far–He’s the Light

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Psalm 119:105

I love a good deal. If you know me…you know I love to find a good deal. Back in the old days finding those deals involved going to a brick and mortar store and walking the aisles. These days…well things have changed. Every morning, after getting my cup of coffee and spending some time with Jesus, I check my email. I have several emails that come every morning and they tell me about deals offered by various sellers. Two of my favorites are Amazon and Walmart.

Well, the other day, Amazon was offering a way cool flashlight. It was rechargeable and insanely bright and best of all they had it on sale for $9.99–one third the regular price. What a deal. Well, I ordered one and in a few days it was delivered to my door step and guess what? It was everything they said it would be. One of the features that I really liked was you could choose between spotlight mode or wide-angle mode. The spotlight mode could light up a tree over a hundred yards away. On the other hand, the wide-angle mode was perfect for walking. The beam was at least six feet wide and made walking at night a breeze.

Yup…the choice was mine…long distance or closeup. It would seem that every flashlight would offer such a feature…but they don’t. But wait…shouldn’t, or why wouldn’t…God do the same through His Word? Well, in His wisdom God decided to let His Word light up our path only a few hours or maybe a days ahead. In Psalm 119:105 we read, “Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Have you ever wondered why He choose that way of doing business?

Well, I can share at least two reasons. First, it helps us to learn to depend on Him. If I am walking at night, I have to constantly redirect the beam as I walk my path. That is what God does with His Word. We have to depend on Him to light the path to keep us safe. The second reason is He knows if we know too much we will become overwhelmed. You see sometimes too much is just too much so He shows us only as much as we can handle.

So there you go! To walk physically at night…get yourself a great flashlight. But to walk the path of life, be sure and allow the Word of God and the God of the Word to light your path. Oh, and don’t get ahead of the light. Walk patiently and wait for Him to reveal the way to go. You can trust Him to reveal what needs to be revealed when it needs to be revealed. After all, He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Grace, gratitude, life, Scripture, travel

Down But Not Out

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

You’ve got to be kidding me. So we were down at Panama City Beach during our last foray to the South. We were able to get a room facing the gulf which made for some great cups of coffee on the balcony in the morning and unbelievable sunsets in the evening. God definitely showed off. I have been trying to keep up my exercise routine which includes riding my bike and walking. One morning I decided to walk. I tried the beach but the sand was just too soft so I cut through to the road to try and find a better walking surface. I should have stayed on the beach.

The main road had a portion set apart for bikes so I decided to walk there. I guess because of the heat and humidity there were ridged cracks in the road about every five or six feet. I knew right away that I needed to be careful because they were obvious tripping hazards. So off I went and everything went well…until it didn’t. About halfway through my walk, I managed to miss one of the toe stubbers and caught my shoe on an big one and…down I went…face first. Are you kidding me? Is that even possible? Well, it was and it is. Once again, the Lord watched out for me and all I had was a scratched chin and a skinned knee.

Now if you are a regular Grits reader you might have noticed there have been several stories recently about my ability to fall. None of them were age related they were accidents or just plain old oops. But regardless, it has just about become a little embarrassing. And gratefully, none of them resulted in a serious injury…that is except my pride…which really took a beating. Ordinarily I would have let this one pass without a story (which would have made my wife Judy happy) but because of one of my favorite Bible verses–I just had to write one.

In Psalm 37:23-24 we read, “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.” Now isn’t that a great word from the Word? And as I thought about that verse and my recent adventures in falling, I realized it was a great truth for all of us. First, God orders our steps. He knew every fall (and everything else) before it happened. Somehow it all fit in His plan and His plan was and is delightful. You see, every fall taught me a little about me, God and life. They were worth it.

The verse goes on to tell us that when we fall into stuff like sin and failure, we will not stay down. Each time I fell physically, I was able to get up. And guess what? Every time we sin we don’t stay down either…not because we can get up but because He picks us up. Every single time. How awesome is that? Well, there you go…that is a great truth for today and every day. We don’t have to fear our failures because He will be there for us. No matter what, we can face the day knowing that–He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Grace, gratitude, life, prayer, Scripture, thankful

Scars…And Hope

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.”  Psalm 30:5b

It was one of those moments. My wife Judy and I were sitting on her brother’s patio in South Georgia waiting for the sun to make its appearance. Slowly but predictably the night slipped away and a new day began the birth process. As I looked out across the yard in the dusky gray of early morning, a pile of burnt trees, caught my eye. The trees were piled up the result of a hurricane that had swept through the area taking too many trees with it. About a year later, a power line fell and sparked a fire in the field igniting dried grass and the piles of dead trees. After a six hour battle, the forest service got the fire under control. Although time has passed, the scars from the fire remain.

A few minutes later, I glanced across the road and saw more scars. These weren’t caused by a fire but rather from the wind of the hurricane I mentioned earlier. These scars were different because the trees were different. These trees were younger pine trees and because they were thinner they weren’t blown over but instead left twisted and bent. Regardless…what remained was a field of scars–reminding all who looked of the night winds over one hundred miles an hour ravaged the area.

Scars are not confined just to nature, are they? They can be found everywhere including our lives and the lives of those around us. Sometimes the scars are physical but sometimes they are emotional. Regardless, as we bump into people we should remember that most of them bear the scars from past pain. The one glimmer of good about scars is that they remind us that the wound will eventually heal. A field ravaged by fire will give birth to new growth and new trees. A forest damaged by the wind will also eventually regrow. And gratefully, even the wounds of life will eventually heal leaving the past in the past.

That same morning that I saw the charred trees and the ones twisted by the storm, I saw something else. As the dawn grew and the night slithered away, the sun peeked over the horizon and beams of light filled the whole area. They bathed the green grass, the piles of charred trees and even the twisted forest. And, in that moment, I realized those beams were beams of hope. The dawn of that new day offered new hope. 

Here is the big truth for this story. Just as the beams of the sun brought hope, so the beams of the Son of God offers hope to those still struggling with the wounds of life. No matter the cause, no matter how intense the pain, Jesus can bring light and hope into the darkness. And, He doesn’t do it some of the time, rather He does it every time. So today as you look around or perhaps in your heart and you see the wounds and scars of life,  remember that Jesus is there, is here to help you heal. And remember this…each scar is a reminder that wounds do heal and that no matter what, “He’s got this.”  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Grace, gratitude, Scripture, travel

Baby Glaciers

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” Jesus replied, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don’t know who I am? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father!” John 14:8-9

They were little glaciers. On our recent journey to Alaska one of the highlights was an opportunity to see a real live glacier. To do that you have to travel up a rather narrow body of water. When you arrived at the end…there was the glacier. So, very early one morning, my wife Judy and I along with a couple of hundred crazy passengers gathered at the rail of our ship and watched as the beautiful scenery passed by. It was another of those moments that just confirmed my faith in our creator God. It was so obvious that what I was seeing was not an accident…rather it was the intentional act of a very intentional God.

Before long we began to see chunks of ice floating in the water. Their size was as varied as the colors in a rainbow. Some were small while others were large. And we were told that often what we could see on top of the water was just a sample of what was beneath. So we snapped picture after picture of these giant ice cubes. Before long we were told that because of the size of the ship (which was ginormous) we couldn’t get any closer to the glacier. So the captain of the ship began to spin the ship around in a circle so everyone would be able to see what little there was to see.

After a while, we slowly began to make our way up the channel of water making our way back to the bay. As we did a thought occurred to me. I realized that every one of those pieces of ice had broken off of the glacier. So while we couldn’t see the glacier itself we were seeing its “offspring.” So rather than grieving over what we couldn’t see, I decided we should be enjoying what we could see…and that changed everything. Really the only difference between the mother and her babies was their size. How about that? And then I realized something else–that is how it should be with us and Jesus. When people see us Jesus followers they should be able to see and realize that we are like Jesus.  We may be smaller in scope and size but we should be shining examples of who He is. Jesus once said to His disciples, “If you have seen Me, you have seen the Father.” Likewise, it should be said of us, “If you have seen us then you have seen the likeness of Jesus.

Let me encourage all you Jesus followers out there to live in such a way that people can recognize we have been with Jesus. The way we live, the way we act and the way we treat people should all show others Jesus. Like the smaller chunks of ice reflected the very nature and character of the glacier–let us reflect the very nature and character of our Savior. When we do then others will know that no matter what they face, this Jesus, the Son of God, can handle it. After all, “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne

Posted in fear, Grace, gratitude, life, Scripture, travel

Life Savior

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 
“I, yes I, am the LORD, and there is no other Savior.” Isaiah 43:11

She didn’t want me to write this story. So we were in Georgia grand-dog sitting while our daughter and family were on a grand adventure of their own. They left Atlanta, headed to New York and then on to London. They needed someone to keep their dog Tubby, who happens to be the most important member of the family, and we volunteered. As it turned out this was only leg one of our own adventure. From their home in Cumming, a suburb of Atlanta, we are traveling to Valdosta to visit my wife Judy’s family before loading up and going to Santa Rosa beach and Topsail State Park. Finally, and everyone take a breath, we will stop by Anniston, Alabama to see my sister and then back to our home in the Burg.

We decided to take our electric bikes with us and as it turned out there were several trails for us to ride pretty close to our daughter’s home. On our first ride, which we could start and end from her house, we had an incident…or rather an accident. The way they designed the sidewalks was totally evil. As you crossed a road the sidewalk had an immediate hard turn and since they had high curbs (don’t ask me why) you either made the turn or you didn’t. Well, Judy didn’t and since I was right behind her when she stopped…I had to stop too. Well, I managed to stop but unfortunately I didn’t manage to get my feet down in time so I promptly fell over. It wasn’t pretty and it was almost a disaster. I fell flat on my back on the concrete sidewalk and the only thing that saved me from a serious head injury (besides the Lord) was my bike helmet. I whacked my head and for a brief moment in time everything went white but like a computer resetting, a moment later, everything came back into focus.

Of course Judy asked if I was ok and I, of course, said I had no idea…and I didn’t. Finally I was able to get to my feet and though dazed I was able to continue the ride. Well, Judy was really to sell the bikes but the bottom line was it was simply an accident. The second bottom line was I was very grateful that I was wise enough to wear my helmet. Again, there is no doubt it was a lifesaver. Thank you Lord. You see, too often people will say, “I won’t need a helmet” but you never know. I never planned to have a head whacking accident but guess what? I did.

So this story is not about the need to wear a helmet but I do hope I encouraged you too. The story is really about our need for a Savior. And, unlike my accident, we all need a Savior because we are all going to crash into eternity. And crash without Jesus is a crash that is unsurvivable. You may not need religion but you definitely Jesus. So before you take another ride–get a helmet. And before you live another day–ask Jesus to be your life Savior. That is a decision you will never regret. No matter the crash, you can rest assured that, “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne

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

Lost and Found

Posted on 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

Posted in Grace, life, money, Scripture, thankful

A Tale of Two Cards

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23

Two cards–as different as night and day. In my wallet I carry lots of stuff but there are two cards that tell very different tales. Let me explain. Stuffed in among the stuff are two cards that I can used to buy stuff. The first is a credit card. After proving to the company that I was worthy to have their card, they allow me to buy stuff with the clear understanding that when I do I have to pay them back. And, if I don’t pay them back in full every month, I have to pay some interest–lots of interest. For the record, we do in fact pay ours back every month. And interestedly enough, we use this card only to buy the gas for our cars and when I do they pay me 5% on every dollar I spend. But buyers beware–they are just waiting for me to mess up and not pay the balance and if I do–the penalty is way more than that 5%.

Now card two is totally different. Though it is very similar in size and color the very nature of this card is totally different. You see, it is a gift card. Here is how it works. Someone paid the price in full and gave it to me as a gift. When I go to the store I simply walk up to the cash register with my purchase and give the person my card. They process it and then–I simply walk away. There is never a bill at the end of the month, there is never a penalty and in most cases–it never expires. Wow…how about that?

Like I said, even though they look alike, they are totally different. A credit card is a debt and the gift card is a prepaid gift. And that dear friends is the difference between grace and works–religion and Jesus. Works and religion make you work to keep the rules with the hopeless hope of making you right with God. Problem is–it won’t work. Never has and never will. It leaves you with a debt that can only end in eternity separated from God. Bad deal. Grace and Jesus are a free gift from God.  Our only responsibility is to believe in Jesus and in the process receive the gift. Debt–paid in full. No bill ever, no penalty ever–you are free.

That big truth from the Bible can be summed up in Romans 6:23. There we read, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” Boom! Reject Jesus and you are responsible for the debt of your sin and you will spend eternity separated from God in a place you don’t even want to think about. But receive Jesus and He takes responsibility for your sin by dying in your place. He paid the price so you don’t have to.

So question? Are you counting on bad credit or God’s grace? Are you hoping that somehow you can pay the debt or will you let Jesus pay it for you? The choice is yours…debt and bondage or grace and freedom. Worried that your debt is just too big? Forget about! He is more than able to handle whatever your sin load is.  He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, forgiveness, Grace, life, love, Scripture

Let Love Win

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Suddenly it was the mid sixties. Home movies are incredible and with the advent of the smartphone, the need for home movie cameras are just about gone. All you need to do is to reach in your pocket and there at your fingertips is a high quality camera. While home movies are incredible they can sometimes take you back to a time and remind you of a you you wish you could forget.

The other day when I rediscovered those home movies from the sixties I was reintroduced to a nerdy kid that looked very familiar. It was me. While everyone in every film acted just a little more casual than today, the ten year old Dewayne was, well, just a bit irritating. Let me explain. From what I saw, little Dewayne, tended to be a camera hog. He seemed to race from place to place to stay somewhere near the lens. What’s more, he seemed to enjoy acting, uh, nerdy. The word “prancing” crossed my mind more than once as I watched the film. 

Now to be honest, I was probably acting like most boys my age acted. Times were different then and being ten then isn’t the same as it is now. But I found myself wanting to tell the kid of the screen to tone it down, to notch it down, a bit. And it was just about then some old memories of less than kind criticisms came to my mind. I began to understand why I was given the name “Precious” and I also realized it wasn’t necessarily a compliment but a criticism. I found myself kinda embarrassed and bruised from a 60 year old memory.

Once my wife Judy asked me why I responded a certain way in a certain circumstance and I think I discovered the reason. Names given a long time ago had somehow become tattooed on my heart and have remained there from the years. Now I’m not telling this story for sympathy rather I am telling it to share a lesson learned. Seeing little Dewayne helped me understand that I should be much more graceful to the people I bump into today. I should show the kindness and understanding I wish others had shown me then.

So, who is it in your life that you need to extend just a little more love, a little more grace and a little more understanding? Oh, and by the way, it certainly doesn’t have to be a child–it might be someone who struggles not to act out in childish ways. Remember none of us are perfect, in fact, we have all fallen way short of God’s standard. So when you bump into someone, even if that someone reminds you of you, be sure and extend a dump truck of grace and kindness. Too hard? Not with the help of your Dearest Daddy because, after all, He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in friends, Grace, life, Scripture, travel

I Love You, Man

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “But a Samaritan on his journey came up to him, and when he saw the man, he had compassion.” Luke 10:33

His name was Paul. So this is a great story but in the interest of transparency I probably don’t have all the details right but the heart of the story is pure gold. My daughter Sarah and her husband Blake were out and about in Harrisburg. I believe they weren’t driving but rather taking a walk. Wherever they were Blake saw a younger man sitting on a big brown travel bag near the road. Unlike most times, this guy wasn’t holding a sign–he was just sitting. It was apparent that his life was probably hard and his circumstances were harder still.

At first they walked on by but something began tugging at Blake’s heart so he said to Sarah, “Wait a minute.” With that, he turned back and approached the man. In a casual yet caring tone, he asked the guy,”Hey man, do you need some food or something?” The guy responded with a no and that he was good. So Blake asked him where he was going. The guy explained that he was walking the country. He apparently had started in the northeast and had wandered the highways and byways of the land. He had been down south and over toward Missouri and that is how he found his way to Illinois and Harrisburg.

Blake asked him why he was walking and he said he was dying and wanted to do something before he did. Blake again inquired about what was going on and the guy said he had a large blood clot up and near his lungs and it was eventually going to be fatal. Well, they chatted for a while more. He didn’t ask for anything but appreciated another guy who was willing to take the time to talk and care. After awhile they both stood up and without thinking, Blake gave the guy a man hug and told him that he loved him. Boom–it was so not planned. So spontaneous. So genuine.

Well, Blake, compelled to do something, went into the store and got the guy a bag of trail mix. He gave it to him and said, “Hey, if you’re going to be on the trail you ought to have some trail mix.” So with a shared smile they went their ways. And do you know what? I’m pretty sure neither of them were the same as they were. Blake for caring and daring to share three words that men usually don’t share–I love you. Paul because he experienced the love of not just a man but perhaps, just perhaps, the love of a man called Jesus.

You know, we never know when an opportunity just might show up. I know for Blake this wasn’t the only time. Last time it was a guy with no shoes named Danny and Blake spontaneously gave him his. This time he gave him a piece of his heart. Let me encourage you to do what Blake did. If you see something–do something. Dare to pause, to wait a minute and see if you can help make a difference. It might take you out of your comfort zone–a place that most of us don’t believe we can go. But remember this–our Dearest Daddy lives beyond the comfort zone and he will be there to help you. He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne  

Posted in Grace, Scripture, Uncategorized

Garbage Juice–Pig Farm on Wheels

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.” 1 Corinthians 15:33

It smelled like a bacon farm before it becomes bacon. Yup, that’s right. Judy came home the other day and was pretty certain that a pig farm had moved into the neighborhood. Now since we live in middle of town that was pretty unlikely. She sniffed and smelled and finally determined that the pig farm was somewhere in the garage or on our car. She came into the house and told me she thought we had a problem.

I slipped on my shoes and followed her out to the garage. We started with the rear wheel on the driver’s side and quickly found out that was the source of the odor–that did indeed smell like a pig farm. Well, a short time later my daughter Sarah and her husband Blake stopped by and I asked them to take a sniff and they did. We opened the garage door and they played odor detective. After a few moments, Sarah said, “Mom, I think you ran through some garbage juice. And you are asking, “What is garbage juice?” Well, let me tell you.

Garbage juice happens when a garbage truck stops and needs to compress the garbage he is carrying. As the garbage is compressed, all those nasty, stinking, gross juices are pressed out and find their way out of the truck and onto the ground. And, take my word for it, it smells like a pig farm. If you drive through it, that nasty, stinking, gross juice splashes on your tires and on your car and you, dear friend, carry that stench where you go. Apparently, that is what happened to Judy.

So, guess what? A garbage truck is not the only source of garbage juice. Sometimes life, sometimes enemies, sometimes friends, and sometimes we are the source of garbage juice. If we are not careful we can allow that vile mess to splash on us and we find ourselves in a stinking mess. Remember that old saying, “A pound of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” So we need to learn to avoid bad circumstances and stinky people and perhaps most of all our own wrong attitudes. 

Here’s the deal. If you see what even looks like some garbage juice on the road–carefully but aggressively swerve to avoid it. Do whatever you can to miss the mess. And, if you see a mess in the making in your life, do whatever you can to make sure you don’t run into it. It might means avoiding certain places and people and it will probably mean a change in our own stinking thinking. Regardless–do what is necessary.

Now if you do run into some garbage juice, do what we did…get the hose and wash it down. In other words, talk to your Dearest Daddy and confess if there is something to confess, repent if there is something to repent of and if it involves someone, well apologize if that is needed. Remember this. The hose of God’s grace will absolutely washing away the stench–no matter how bad it is. Mark it down–He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne