Category: travel

Posted in Family, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, sovereignty of God, thankful, travel, Trials

Nothing But the Truth…the Whole Truth

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

By His divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life.” 2 Peter 1:3

It was a cute little sign…if only it had told the whole story.  It all happened when I was in North Carolina and my wife Judy was back in Illinois.  If she had been with me this probably wouldn’t have happened.  I was at a conference and the schedule gives time off Tuesday afternoon just to relax or whatever. I decided to drive up to Mount Mitchell which is the highest point east of the Mississippi River.  It was only about thirty miles and best of all most of it was on the Blue Ridge Parkway.  Because of the elevation, there was some beautiful color on some of the trees.

Judy and I had made this drive the previous year but on that particular day everything was “socked” in.  There were heavy clouds, a misty fog, a strong wind and it was quite chilly.  This year, the skies were blue, and the sun was shining bright.  While there was a wind, and it was still chilly…it made for a perfect day to see what God had been up to.  There’s an area called Craggy Rock and there is an observation place and a welcome center.  Well, before I got to that, I saw a sign that said Craggy Rock Picnic Area.  It looked interesting so I turned left.

When I got to the top and to the parking area I happened to see a sign.  I walked over and it said, “trail to welcome center.” It also gave the distance which was a mere eight tenths of a mile.  The round trip was just 1.6 miles and I do two miles a day regularly, so this wasn’t even a challenge.  I slipped on my boots, grabbed my walking stick and headed to the trail.  To get started there were about ten steps.  Well, this is where all the trouble started.  While the sign said where you were going and it even told you how far, it failed to mention the fact that it was all, and I do mean ALL, uphill.

Now there is uphill and there is UPHILL, and this one was exactly that.  In short order I was huffing and puffing like an old steam engine.  Now keep in mind I walk fast regularly.  None of that made a lick of difference.  This trail was a monster…a preacher killer if there ever was one.  Well, I finally made it to a shelter where I could sit down and try to catch my breath.  A couple of people showed up and I asked if they knew CPR and they quickly moved on…I was on my own.

Before I could stand, two more people came, and they were from Singapore. They spoke limited English, but they did assure me that the welcome center was somewhere ahead…about 500 meters he said.  So, I followed them and suddenly realized we were now going downhill about as steep as I had been going uphill.  I asked one more time how much farther it was to the welcome center, and he pointed down, way down in the valley.  It then occurred to me we had not parked in the same place.  My car was at the picnic area and his was at the welcome center.  He was almost back, and I was still heading away from my car.  I made a decision…a wise decision…a lifesaving decision.

I told them I was turning around, and they smiled and eventually, I made it back to the car.  I wanted to tell the little sign what I thought but figured it wouldn’t matter.  After all he had told the truth…just not the whole truth or the whole story.  Exhausted, it felt great to pull off my boots and get into the car. Soaked with sweat…I knew I was done. Maybe.

I went ahead and drove up to the top of Mount Mitchell, elevation 6,638 feet. When I got there, there was another little sign.  It said it was only 300 yards to the observation deck. I said, “Anyone can do 300 yards.” Well, off I went.  You know what, I am a slow learner.  Yup, it was only 300 yards…straight up.  At the top, huffing and puffing, I looked around and then headed down.  I had had my fill of “mountain goating” and it was time for this preacher to go take a nap. And I did.

The point of this story is simple.  Before you take a hike make sure the signs are telling you the truth.  And before you take a hike down the path of life, make sure the signs along the way are giving you all the information you need. If not, you might end up huffing and puffing and looking for someone who knows CPR.  May I make a suggestion?  Before up go, read the life hiking book, the Bible.  It is all true, and it gives you everything you need to succeed in your journey.  I didn’t see a ranger that day, but I can promise you there will be One as you hike the trails of life.  Some call Him God, some call Him Father, but I still like knowing He is my Dearest Daddy. And no matter what, He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, food, forgiveness, friends, life, love, loving others, Scripture, thankful, travel, Trials

Traveling Heavy

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

Let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us.”  Hebrews 12:1b

I thought it felt heavy. You might remember I told you a story about a group of friends from our church in Cobden, Illinois who took a trip up to hike Mount Leconte in North Carolina.  In that story I slipped on a slippery rock and earned the name, “Chief Wounded Cheek.”  Well, that wasn’t the only story from that trip.  There was at least one more.  You see, even though we were only staying one night, most of us still had a backpack full of stuff to tote up the mountain.

What do you carry up a mountain?  Well, I guess it all depends on the person.  I know one lady in our group had her husband carry just about everything but the kitchen sink.  I remember we laughed when we found out she was taking her curling iron.  It wasn’t that it was inappropriate, it’s just that the top of the mountain didn’t have any electricity! In my case, I decided to leave the curling iron at home (smile) but did have a good selection of food.  I mean can you ever have too much food? I didn’t think so.

So finally, with our packs on our backs, we headed up the mountain.  The climb took us most of the day.  It was about five and a half miles and a lot of it was…up.  We went up and up and up and finally we made it.  The lodge was rustic, but the feeling of accomplishment made it all more than worthwhile.  Bob, our leader, said when we got there, they would give us some of the best hot chocolate in the world.  Well, they did but honestly, I think it was some of the best only because we were tired, chilled, and pretty desperate. 

For supper he told us we would be having canned horse meat.  Remember there was no electricity and that meant no refrigeration.  As it turned out, it really wasn’t horse meat, but I do believe it was canned and for the record…it was pretty stinking good.  Pretty soon it was time for lights out…well, there really weren’t any lights because…well, you know why.  We slept well, got up and had breakfast and soon started our journey back down the mountain.

I threw my backpack on my back and started the journey down.  I remember being surprised how heavy my backpack felt.  Again, a lot of what I carried up was food and it was no longer there…well, at least not in my backpack.  Anyway, we continued walking and after about an hour or so, it was time for a break.  I found a place to sit down, being careful of my “wounded cheek,” and opened by backpack for a quick snack.  And I found a surprise.

Yup, my backpack was heavy all right.  It turned out that some of the guys in the group had put several grapefruit size rocks inside.  They were just waiting for me to make the discovery and when I did, they laughed—we laughed until we couldn’t laugh anymore.  I love practical jokes regardless of what end of the stick I am on—giving or receiving. Well, needless to say, the rocks came out and the pack was considerably lighter, and we had a new story to tell along with my new “wounded cheek” name.

I learned a great lesson that day.  First and foremost—check your backpack—especially when you are traveling with a group of guys who love practical jokes.  I also learned that you should never carry extra weight up or down the mountain. Period. And in hindsight, that is true with hiking and that is true in life.  All of us have the tendency to carry extra weight around…and I’m not talking about around our waist.  I am talking about things that tend to weigh us down.  It might be a bad habit, or it could be the consequence of not starting a habit we should have, like exercise.  It might be misplaced priorities that steal time away from family.  Whatever it is, the truth is we need to chuck the unneeded and unnecessary.

Paul, one of the big writers of the Christian New Testament, said that we should lay aside every weight and the sin that slows us down.  Now that is good advice.  As we travel through this life, let’s get ready to go but let’s also be sure and check our backpacks.  We never know what might be in there and weighing us down.  If you need help figuring it all out, just ask the One who made it all.  You know, “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, fear, friends, gratitude, life, Scripture, thankful, travel, Trials

Dealing with Confusion

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

For whatever was written in the past was written for our instruction, so that we may have hope through endurance and through the encouragement from the Scriptures.” Romans 15:4

It’s just a little confusing.  It was 2021 and after attending the Memorial Day service and doing a little yard work, my wife Judy and I decided to go to Paducah, Kentucky to look around for a couple of chairs or perhaps a small sofa to complete a project we have been working on at home.  We loaded up and headed south across the river to the land of grits. And the point of this story all began with traveling.  You see that year we did a lot of it in the spring. We had flown to Denver and then driven a thousand miles or so in Colorado, Wyoming, and South Dakota.  We saw a lot of things and a lot of them were simply beautiful.  The mountains and canyons were spectacular.  We also saw some things that were hard. We saw some extreme poverty as some folks tried to eke out a living in the barren desert hills and valleys of Wyoming.  We saw the results of a wildfire that ravaged a large portion of the Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado.  Those were hard.  But some things there and closer to home were just confusing.

The confusing part centered around what to do with that 4×6 piece of cloth or paper which was called, “the mask.” If you remember, we used to only see them on the evening news and donned by folks in other countries such as China.  And then, suddenly, ready, or not, they became a part of our lives.  The big question was…mask or no mask? That year when it came to flying there was no doubt about the mask.  When you stepped in the airport it was required…and then you didn’t take it off till you, like Elvis, left the building. They were very adamant about it—threatening arrest, jail time and the loss of your first born if you didn’t comply.  I guess all that was fine, but it seemed to me they didn’t have to be so mad about it.

Once we left the airport, it was a whole different world.  Regardless of where we went or to what state we traveled to the mask requirement just wasn’t a deal.  Honestly to me that is good news.  By the time we took our trip, all the authorities were saying that the COVID thing, while not gone, was in full blown retreat.  I just wish someone would have told the airport folks too.  As we traveled, whether it was to a gas station down the street or to a National Park…no mask.  One restaurant proudly posted that, “following the CDC and Colorado Guidelines you are welcome NOT to wear a mask.”  That was followed by something like, “unless you want to.” That made me smile. Want to? Really?

Well, anyway, that was the way it was throughout the states we visited out west.  Now back to Paducah.  We stopped at a local business there. Walking to the door we realized that we had forgotten we were back in the Midwest, and I didn’t have a mask.  I told Judy we would just have to see.  When we got to the door, sure enough, it was plastered with signs about wearing a mask.  We went on in and asked the nice lady at the door if masks were required.  She told me that they were asking people to wear one and I told her I had forgotten mine…did she have one? She said they did, and I slipped it on. I asked her when their governor was going to “open the state” and she said, “Oh, that doesn’t matter, our company is the one making the rules.” What? See what I mean by confusion?  And, to make matters worse, virtually every person in the store was mask-less.  I wore mine for a while and then reverse peer pressure took over and I took it off.

By now you have got to be wondering what this story is about!  Me, too.  No not really. All of this was just a gentle reminder for me to be grateful for the Bible…the Word of God.  Though written over 1,500 years by a bunch of different writers, it has stood the test of time. It is as solid today as it was a couple of thousand years ago.  It is refreshing to know that God won’t change His mind and issue a revision tomorrow, next month or next year.  It is refreshing to know that He got His Word right the first time.  In a world where no one seems to know what is right or wrong…the Bible hasn’t changed and personally, I like that surety.

Paul, one of the guys who wrote most of the New Testament, was writing a letter to some Jesus followers in Rome.  It was during the time when being a follower of Jesus could cost you your life.  Speaking about the scriptures, he said, “For whatever was written in the past was written for our instruction, so that we may have hope through endurance and through the encouragement from the Scriptures.”  In other words, God gave us His Word to help us along this journey called life and to encourage us too.  That is good news.  If you haven’t read it in a while, you might want to check it out for yourself.  You might be pleasantly surprised.  It has sure been a help to me…especially during these morally and culturally confusing days.  It was there that I learned the great truth I close with each time we meet.  Here it is…are you ready?  “He’s got this” and indeed He does! Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, forgiveness, friends, gratitude, life, love, loving others, Scripture, sovereignty of God, thankful, travel, Trials, wisdom

Mountains or Monuments

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

Where there is no vision, the people perish.” Proverbs 29:18

It was on my bucket list. I confess…I am a pretty big fan of America. I mean, even with all of its warts, and there are plenty, with all its flaws, surely a bucket full, it is the best place to call home. Over the years I have visited over twenty-five countries—some in Europe, some in Asia and some in Africa. Some were affluent, some were poor, and some were somewhere in between. All had something to offer but none
could match this land I call home. While some of my visits were brief, my wife Judy and I lived three years in Germany and the final word was…wait for it…home is better… there is and was no place like home.
I think the secret to learning to appreciate where you live is to learn to look for the good and not bad, the whole and not the broken. The way we look at things can vastly change how we experience things. A few days ago, I mentioned a quote from a movie that I had watched which, by the way, was based on a true story. The guy said, “There are two ways to live—either nothing is a miracle, or everything is a miracle.” He opted for the latter and I think I will too.


Last year, we were out west on a trip with part of our tribe. The main, but not only, destination was to see Mount Rushmore. I’ve seen a chunk of America, but I hadn’t seen that…and yes, it was on my bucket list. So, the day came. As we drove toward the monument, suddenly, around a curve we were face to face, if you will, with Washington, Roosevelt, Jefferson and Lincoln and it was amazing. We parked the car and frankly, the closer we got, the more amazing it became.
This great tribute to America (no, it wasn’t just a tribute to four men) took over fourteen years to build. As you keep in mind it was about ninety years ago, you begin to appreciate the vision, work, and skill that it took to turn a mountain into a monument. I was amazed to learn that many of the workers, who often had 12 hours days, were paid about $14 dollars…a week. Those were hard times, and they were grateful to have a job. But for many…the job became a passion…a mission…a cause to believe in.


Somewhere along the journey, they stopped seeing a mountain and began to see presidents. Somewhere along the journey they began to see what Gutzon Borglum saw. While the project wasn’t his idea (that belongs to a guy named Doane Robinson) he was the one that chose that mountain. The quality of the stone led him there and, honestly, where others saw just a mountain, he saw presidents. He.Saw.Presidents.

So, perhaps, just perhaps, it does matter what we see around us. Perhaps if we choose to see miracles…or like Borglum to see monuments where others see just a block of stone, perhaps we can help make this world a better place. Perhaps our lives, regardless of our messy circumstances, will take on a deeper meaning and a deeper purpose. Perhaps if we learn that it is not about us but about others…things will change…for the better.


One of the writers in the Old Testament part of the Bible said that when people don’t have a vision, when they choose to see desolation rather than miracles, well, they perish. It is true individually and it is true corporately. If we are going to see a better world, two things need to happen. First, we need to learn not to just see a mountain but what that mountain can become. Secondly, and this one is for God followers, we need to believe again that with God nothing is impossible. As we stand on the edge of the new normalcy, with that stinking COVID in the rearview mirror, let’s choose to believe again. And why stop there? Why don’t we determine to see presidents where others see mountains and believe that “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, friends, Grace, gratitude, heaven, life, love, loving others, prayer, priorities, Scripture, Southern born, sovereignty of God, thankful, travel, Trials

The Boarding Line

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for You are close beside me.” Psalms 23:4a NLT


We all have spent time in line. I am not a fan of lines. Whether it is at a restaurant, an airport, or a port I don’t like lines. I have learned though that part of leaving is boarding and part of boarding is standing in line and part of standing is line is patience and I find that I sometimes battle with patience. I wonder if I will learn one day to appreciate lines? I don’t know about that.


My sister was standing in a boarding line as I wrote this. She was about to take the trip of a life time. About five months ago she learned, we learned, that she had a form of cancer that not only has no cure but is also aggressive and mean and takes no prisoners. In the last couple of days, it reared its ugly head in a way that told her, and us, that her time here was very limited. She found herself in line for the journey of all journeys—her journey to meet Jesus.


This is hard and yet because of her faith in Him it is a journey not to death but through death…to eternal life. She is sure of this…we are sure of this and somehow, that helps all of this make sense. That doesn’t make it easy but it does make it easier. As she slowly made her way to the boarding gate, while her time here grew short, she was leaving to a place where time is no longer even relevant. She was stepping not only into eternity but eternity in heaven. And for that she, and all of us who love her, can find gratitude for a God who promises to take care of her.
Sometimes it is difficult be grateful but if we wait and take a careful look, we will discover dozens, perhaps hundreds of dozens of ways to be grateful. Someone wrote, “The grateful heart is like a magnet sweeping over the day, collecting reasons for gratitude. A zillion diamonds sparkle against the velvet of your sky every night. Thank you, God. A miracle of muscles enables your eyes to read these words and your brain to process them. Thank you, God. Your lungs inhale and exhale eleven thousand liters of air every day. Your heart will beat about three billion times in your lifetime. Your brain is a veritable electric generator of power. Thank you, God.”

You see, we are surrounded by opportunities to be grateful…including those difficult and challenging times that involve separation and farewells. Before this could be published, on June 2, a bright Sunday morning, she took hold of the hand of Jesus and stepped through the gate. As Paul, the guy in the Bible wrote, she was absent from the body and instantly present with the Lord. You see, when someone we love, steps through the boarding gate of eternity, if they, and if you, know the Keeper of the gate, then it can be a time of gratitude…not for the leaving but for the promise that it is not a goodbye but a good-night.

So be encouraged that even in the most difficult of times, our faith in God can and will carry us through. He is faithful…He cannot and will not fail. No matter what you are facing, whether someone you love is in the boarding line or perhaps you are…rest in this…He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, fear, food, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, loving others, prayer, Scripture, sovereignty of God, thankful, travel, Trials

An Angel from Bowling Green

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord…and He delights in His way.” Psalm 37:23 

Did you know that some angels come from Bowling Green, Kentucky? Well, my wife Judy and I recently returned from vacation. Now, I really like vacations. We are blessed that God has provided the means for us to go and our church (I’m a pastor) provided the time. And believe me…it was time. We saved, planned, and decided a return trip to Punta Cana sounded like just the thing we needed. We bought tickets, made the reservations, and like the old Willie Nelson song says, we were back on the road again. And…we were excited! We decided to stay at a place where we had stayed several times before. We figured with Covid and all of that it might be better to go to a place we were familiar with. We had a great flight down and soon we were in paradise….well, sorta. Truthfully, it was somewhat apparent that Covid had taken the wind out of the sails of our familiar place. It just wasn’t the same. But like we always say…at least we were away.

The Dominican is a great place, but you still must be careful…stay at the resort, eat at the resort and above all…don’t drink the water. Most of the time Judy and I are good rule keepers…and we were this time, too. Then came Wednesday. That day I could tell my appetite was a bit off, but it was no deal. At supper that night I ate very little and as we walked back to the room, I told Judy I just felt a bit sad. Well, in a few minutes, I found out I wasn’t sad…I was sick. In spite of all my precautions, I apparently had the dreaded “traveler’s disease.” If you don’t know what it is…I’ll let you look it up, but it is enough to say it ain’t fun. Period. Well for the next two days I pretty much stayed in the room and by Saturday, going home day, I wasn’t much better.

We boarded the bus for the airport and things went from bad to worse. As we sat there, my stomach got more and more queasy, and I was pretty certain I was going to quickly be the most unpopular guy on the bus. Meanwhile as I am doing my best to “keep my cookies,” Judy was having a great conversation with the mother of a family sitting by us. She was talking to them, and I was talking to myself, “Don’t lose it, don’t lose it.”

Soon we arrived at the airport, thankfully with stomach intact, and got into a very long line to check our luggage for the flight. I tried, but I just couldn’t stand there so I told Judy I was going to the restroom and try and sit-down. She kindly handled the luggage and both backpacks and I went and collapsed. I watched from a distance. I was praying, “God, I sure need Your help, but I know I need to trust you…so Your will be done.”

While I was praying there, Judy was praying in line. Soon, but not soon enough, Judy was almost at the counter and waved for me to come on over. I did and when I got there, the friendly family “just happened to be” in front of her. I was standing there, more miserable than ever, and the mother’s mother, mouthed the words, “Are you ok?” I simply said I was not, telling her my stomach was very upset. And then…it happened. The mother said, “I have some Pepto Bismol in my luggage, would you like some”? I responded with a very grateful “yes”. So right there, though she was next in line, she laid her luggage (which was the size of Texas) on the floor, opened it up, dug around (she packed like Judy…smile) and quickly produced a small bottle of Pepto. I quickly opened it up and took a swig. Borne on the wings of prayer, within a few minutes, and I do mean a few minutes, I was much better. No, I wasn’t normal, but I knew I wouldn’t be losing my cookies. A dose or two later and I was much, much better. I was going to survive.

And all of that…because a caring Dearest Daddy heard the prayers of His kids. Some would be tempted to say it was happenstance, some would say it was just a nice person being nice, but for those of us who know God, we know differently. It makes me go back to that great verse in the Old Testament part of the Bible, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in His way.” You see this whole thing was all about God and not about me. He took care of me…and it delighted Him to do so. I love that. So, while the vacation didn’t make the top ten…God did. In fact, He is number one and the only One. It just proves what we have learned together…He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, fear, friends, Grace, gratitude, heaven, life, love, loving others, Military memories, Scripture, sovereignty of God, thankful, travel, Trials

Daddy’s Heart Attack

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

“We know that all things work together for the good of
those who love God, who are called according to His
purpose.” Romans 8:28

Thanks, Dad…for the heart attack. It was back in 1976, June 26th to be specific, that I married Judy Allen.  She was a Georgia peach that was quite the catch.  I met her when I walked into a strange, new church on a Wednesday night. I entered the side door and boom—there she was.  Standing in a circle of ordinary young ladies, this young lady was anything but.  Then, there was a phone call, a date and well, here we are forty-six years…she is still quite the catch, we are still in love, and we are still grateful for a God who has a plan.

I was talking with Judy the other day and said, “What if we had never met?” I honestly cannot fathom my life without her…but what if?  It was really a strange set of circumstances that got us together.  I was in the Air Force and my Daddy had a pretty major heart attack while I was home on leave.  It sure changed our Christmas plans, but it also changed my life.  My Momma, and don’t ask me how since this was way before the internet and smartphones, found out through the Red Cross that the Air Force would sometimes grant a “humanitarian reassignment” to airmen to the base nearest their home.  The conditions were strict, and the odds were long, but we (Momma and I) decided we should give it a shot.

It required all kinds of statements from the doctors and a bunch of other stuff that I don’t even remember.  At the time I was stationed at Minot AFB in North Dakota and trust me that is a long way from home.  Anyway, we applied and then one day I received a call from Base Personnel letting me know that my request had been approved and I was being reassigned to Moody AFB in Valdosta, Georgia. Soon, it was so long Minot and hello Moody.  I arrived at my new base in April of 1973.  I would drive home every weekend (about two hours) to see family and friends and come back Sunday evening.

Gratefully, God allowed my Daddy to live till midsummer of the next year when He decided heaven was better than here.  Of course, his leaving changed everything. I think my Momma went to stay with one of my brothers or sisters for a while and suddenly there wasn’t as much reason to go home.  I was a regular church goer, but it really wasn’t my desire to go to church that Wednesday night as much as it was…boredom.  Valdosta wasn’t a big town and Moody wasn’t a big airbase, so I just needed something to do.  And, as they say, the rest is history.

Which leads to my opening line…Daddy’s heart attack.  If it hadn’t been for that and my Momma’s persistence, well, I would have stayed in Minot and probably froze to death. Smile. I would have never met Judy, there would not have been our three precious daughters and hence no eight grandchildren.  And, honestly, I probably wouldn’t be pastoring and wouldn’t be writing this today.  But God is a God of infinite details and design.  He tells us in the Bible that every day of our lives is planned before a single one of them is lived.  I like that…a lot.

He also teaches us that for those who love Him and are called by Him, He can take anything and everything and bring good out of it.  No, not everything is good…not even close and that isn’t what He said.  He said He can bring good and in the case of my Daddy’s heart attack, my life path is part of that good.  Have you ever thought of life that way?  Can you think of a situation where God did that for you?  I bet you can. You see, God is good, God is faithful, and God can be trusted.

One day I will see my Daddy again…in heaven.  I’ll probably chat with him and ask if he ever thought about the good that God brought about because of his heart attack.  And then, well, I’ll tell him all about Judy (if she isn’t there yet) and his great grandkids.  It’s gonna be a great reunion.  Till then, I hope I remember to trust my heavenly Dearest Daddy each day, and know that no matter what, no matter how big…He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, fear, friends, Grace, life, loving others, prayer, school days, Scripture, thankful, travel, Trials

Lost in Niger

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 He counts the stars and calls them all by name.” Psalm 147:4

 Don’t follow me. I’m lost.  That may sound like something a pastor should never write but at least one time in my life, that was the message.  It seems like I was probably ten years old, and Momma and Daddy bought me a new bike for my birthday, and I was so proud of that bike. I remember it having the little “streamy” things that kids used to put on their handlebars so they could wave in the breeze.

There was one other thing that set it apart.  Attached to the back of the seat was a little “tag” (you know, like a license plate but a lot smaller) and it said, “Don’t follow me. I’m lost.”  I don’t know if Momma and Daddy bought it and put it on the bike or if it came on it. However, since I was like most ten-year-old boys—it was probably appropriate.  Of course, at that time I had no idea that one day I would be a pastor and do my best to help people find the right path in their lives. We all know how imperfect preachers are but hopefully there is one thing that we can do and do right—show people how to follow Jesus.  After all, we all get lost, and we all need someone to point us in the right direction.

More than a few years ago, we were in Niger, West Africa and we were in the Sahara Desert.  We were traveling from one small village in the middle of nowhere on our way to another slightly larger village in the middle of nowhere.  Keep in mind this is West Africa and more often than not, you are going to end up on a road made of sand with only an occasional road sign.  Our friend was driving a 4X4 and we thought we were heading in the direction of Abalak—a medium sized town in the middle of the desert.  We drove and drove, and she was pretty sure we were going in the right direction but who knew?  After all, it was West Africa, it was the desert, and signs were few and far between.

We drove for several hours till we came to a place where in the distance we could see a couple of tents and a few camels standing around.  I remember there was a young lady sitting on a donkey who looked like she could pass for Mary on her way to Bethlehem but there also was a man. We opened our window and our friend greeted him and he asked where we were going.  She told him we were going to Abalak.  I remember his reply. In his local language he said, “Not this way, you’re not.” He also said that he had a cousin in Abalak.  Of course, in West Africa, in the middle of nowhere, it seemed everyone either knew or was related to everyone.  But he offered to guide us to Abalak if he could ride along.

Well, we readily agreed and off we went with a new friend pointing the way. Remember the song we sing at Thanksgiving about over the river and through the woods?  Well, it was just like that except it wasn’t Thanksgiving, there was no river and there were no woods but after several hours we did find ourselves in Abalak.  It turns out our new friend was just the person we needed.  We were lost and he pointed us in the right direction.

You know, sometimes in life we get lost too, don’t we?  Don’t be shocked and don’t make me turn in my “man card,” but I’ve actually stopped and asked for directions. Sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn’t, but it was always reassuring when the landmark the person mentioned or the right color of house on the corner appeared.  It was always about then I knew we were on the right path, and everything was going to be ok.

As we emerge from the pandemic and all of its craziness and if you are feeling a little lost, remember it is ok to ask directions.  It might be a trusted friend or someone you know from church, but it is ok to get a little help. I’ve found a Friend that always points me right where I need to go.  He never gets lost because He made everything and He is never wrong because, well, He’s just never wrong.

There is a place in the Bible where it says that He knows the total number of stars in the heavens, and He calls them all by name.  And I figure if He knows the stars…He probably knows the way I ought to go.  How about that?  So today, if you’re feeling a little lost, just ask Him.  He loves pointing people in the right direction and, as always, you can rest assured that “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, Scripture, thankful, travel, Trials

God and Waze

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and don’t lean on your own understanding.  Acknowledge Him and He will guide your steps.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Some things just don’t get old…at least not yet.  One of the modern marvels that still amazes me is the GPS units that are found in most cars today.  The fact that a satellite circling the earth at 17,500 miles per hour and at an altitude above the earth of 12,600 miles can talk to this little device on or in my dash is, well, amazing.  The fact that it can tell precisely where I am and exactly how fast I am traveling is even more amazing. All that is made possible by the actual GPS unit and the maps that are stored inside it.  But that isn’t all.

Along with the satellite and the receiver are the applications, or apps, that translate the data.  One of the most popular, and most amazing, is one called, “Waze.” What’s amazing about Waze is that it is free, and it works in conjunction with most smartphones.  What’s more amazing about Waze is that it allows users to input information about traffic and even where police might be hiding. Smile. 

Now sometimes the GPS devices just don’t get it right.  I remember one time my wife Judy and I were traveling to a funeral in another town.  When we finally arrived where the GPS told us to go…we were sitting in the middle of nowhere looking at a corn field.  I must admit I was a little put out…as in put out in the middle of nowhere. So, there have been opportunities to throw in the towel on these little wiz-bangs…but that would be a big mistake.  You see most of the time it is perfectly right. Let me explain.

A couple of years ago, Judy and I were traveling west on I-40 returning from a conference in North Carolina.  Waze gave us an estimated time of arrival and we were cruising.  Then, out of the blue, Waze tells me it had found a faster route and automatically rerouted us, but the funny part was the faster route was five minutes longer than the original route. “What?” I said out loud but to no one. So anyway, it said we were to exit off the interstate in four miles and I told Judy that we might as well give it a try.  I’m glad we did.

When we arrived at the designated exit, there were several cars and several semi-trucks taking the exit.  Apparently, we weren’t the only ones using Waze.  As we exited, we noticed an official truck backing up the interstate with one of those big electronic signs.  It was flashing this message, “Caution. Stopped Cars Ahead.” Hmmm I began to be very glad we exited. Soon we were on our new route that partially paralleled the interstate where we could see cars and trucks at a complete standstill.  After a few miles, Waze had us turn right and we crossed over the interstate and there we saw the problem.  A semi-truck and several cars had collided totally shutting down the west bound lanes.  We turned left and back on to a now totally empty interstate.  My Dearest Father had used Waze to send us a love note and had rescued us in a big, big way. He didn’t save us minutes but probably several hours.

So, what if I had said, “You know Judy, Waze has led us wrong before, how do I know it isn’t wrong this time?” In other words, what if I had ignored Waze and followed my own best plan?  Well, the answer is obvious, isn’t it?  I would have found myself stuck in a miles long traffic jam. But because, in a moment of faith and clarity, (for once) I listened to Waze and trusted it—I was rescued. How about that? And if you know anything about me from Grits, you know I don’t do traffic jams well…at all.

I know sometimes it is a hard call to know when to trust and when not to…especially when there is a chance that what we are trusting in just might fail or be wrong.  But I have good news! While a GPS might miss it sometimes, causing us to have doubts, there is a system that always gets it right.  It is, “God’s Providential System.” This one you won’t find in Best Buy, but you will find in the Bible.  The word providence means to foresee or foreknow.  And since it is God, we can have the confident assurance that He always gets it right.  We just need to trust Him because He sees what we do not.

One of my favorite verses in the Old Testament part of the Bible is found in Proverbs 3:5-6.  It says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and don’t lean on your own understanding.  Acknowledge Him and He will guide your steps.”  How awesome is that. Add to that the fact that He always has our best in His heart and that is a winning combination.  Oh sure, we can bump along the road of life without Him but if you’ve tried that you probably know it isn’t a really good idea. At least from where I sit, it makes a lot more sense to trust Him each day and in every way.  I’ve learned that Waze is a great tool but far more importantly, I’ve found that my Dearest Daddy is a great God who loves me—and you.  Oh, and, always, and I do mean always, “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, pride, Scripture, spring, thankful, travel, Trials

Itty Bitty Construction Zones

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins [including impatience] and to cleanse us from all wickedness.”  1 John 1:9

Traffic jams…good grief. Ok, before we go any further in this story, let me just confess that I know my impatience in traffic is probably a sin. I don’t think you will find it listed specifically in the Bible but that is only because no one had any cars.  But wait…maybe there were donkey jams…who knows.  Anyway, my wife Judy and I were on our way recently to the Billy Graham Training Center just outside of Asheville, North Carolina. We were cruising along, filled with anticipation, excited about the speaker, Jim Cymbala, and a great worship guy, Michael O’Brian. Yup it was gonna be good…if we could only get there.

Our faithful travel buddy, Waze, had warned me that there was a slight traffic jam coming up—you know, five minutes in traffic.  Waze is a great friend but this time, well, he or she failed…miserably. It went like this. To help us not sit in traffic, Waze had us detour.  It has done this before with stellar results, so I had no qualms about trusting it this time.  We soon found ourselves on a two-lane road cruising along and right before we were to rejoin the interstate there was a little, tiny construction zone—not on the interstate but on the Waze detour. No deal, right?  Wrong. This little, tiny construction zone required one lane to be closed which normally would not be a deal except for the twenty thousand people who also had Waze and had taken the detour.  The traffic people had a traffic light to manage the mess but as it turns out the light for our way heading east literally stayed green for about forty seconds.  I’m not kidding.  So, we sat there for almost thirty minutes waiting for our turn.  Ok, I was not a happy camper.  Try as I might there wasn’t an ounce of gratitude in my dusty dry soul.

Finally, it was my turn, and I sighed a great sigh of relief and then I saw it.  The thing that caused the whole mess, the mess on the interstate and all the cars on the detour waiting on the stinking light, was a forty-yard pothole repair.  That’s it. Nothing major, nothing earth shattering just a little itty-bitty road repair.  Ok, I was “fit to be tied”, and for the next fifteen miles I uttered under my breath about TDOT and whoever else had anything to do with that light and that repair.

Well, somewhere down the road the Holy Spirit was finally able to chip His way though my slightly hardened heart and I went from uttering complains to uttering a prayer that went something like, “God, it’s me. I’m sorry.” Suddenly, I realized just how foolish all this ranting and raving stuff was and boy did I feel foolish.  It was one of those times when I was very grateful for a Dearest Daddy that is more than willing to forget my disasters and my stupid’s. I’m so glad that He is more than willing to put out the fires of my soul with a big bucket full of His grace.  He is always willing to forgive.  In times like this I do wish I could better remember those three powerful yet simple words…He’s got this. Big or little…He does.  Bro. Dewayne