Category: missions

Posted in communication, food, life, loving others, missions, Scripture, travel

I Can’t Hear You

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “But Peter said, “I don’t have silver or gold, but what I do have, I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!” Acts 3:6 (CSB)

I can’t hear you.  A friend and I were standing on the shores of an island in Lake Victoria, Uganda, East Africa.  He was telling a Jesus story to a man and trying to determine if he knew Jesus.  While he was sharing another man walked up and began to listen.  At the end of the story, we asked a couple of questions.  The first man indicated that he knew this Jesus.  The other did not.  And he couldn’t hear.

Let me explain.  It wasn’t that he had a hearing problem.  His ears were working quite well.  It wasn’t that he couldn’t understand.  Our friend understood English and when we hit a bump our translator would jump in and help.  But he couldn’t hear.  Then he explained the problem.  He said something like, “I can’t hear about this Jesus because my stomach is so hungry.”

Now hunger is not usually a big issue in Uganda.  While the food may not be the best nutritionally it is usually sufficient in quantity.  Our friend was one of the exceptions.  For whatever reason he hadn’t eaten that day or maybe the day before.  The growling of his stomach was blocking his heart from hearing the message.  We tried to explain that while we may hunger here, God had a place in heaven where no one would be hungry. I decided to tell him another story from the Bible.

I told him the story of Peter and John entering the temple.  You can read it in Acts 3:1-10. It goes something like this. There was a crippled man there who made a living begging.  When he saw Peter and John, he thought they could help.  He looked up expectedly and perhaps even lifted his hand to receive a coin or two.  While his hand remained empty, he got something more than a coin.  Peter said, “We don’t have silver or gold but what we do have we will give you.  In the name of Jesus of Nazareth rise up and walk.”

As Peter reached his hand down and the man reached up, his ankles received healing strength and he stood and walked into the temple.  I smugly smiled my preacher smile.  The perfect story.  The perfect truth. Eternal is better than temporary. Surely my friends would see it, and everyone would go their way happy.  Only it didn’t happen.

I asked him “So what is better a few coins now or something that can change your life forever?”  I, of course, expected him to agree that the gift of eternal life is certainly more and better than a few coins or a quick meal.  His answer caught me totally off guard. He replied, “A few coins or some food.”  What?  I couldn’t believe what he was saying.  Surely, he understood.  Surely, I had made the story clear.

Then he said it.  “Heaven is good, but I am hungry now. I need food now.”  Well, sadly, he wandered off.  Still hungry.  Still lost. My friend continued to share with the first man but my heart was heavy and my mind on the other man.  Suddenly, I saw him again standing a few yards away. It was then I heard the Whisperer whisper.  It was short and simple.  “Give him food” the Whisperer said.  I had totally forgotten that in my backpack I had some tuna, chips, crackers for my own lunch.  I dug several items from my bag, as did my friend. 

I walked over to the man and said, “This isn’t much but I hope it will quieten your stomach so you can hear Jesus.” He quickly took the food and left. There’s no bow on the package, no happily ever after ending, no prayer to receive Jesus.  But I know two things. I know he knew we cared, and I know he heard the truth and this time that had to be enough.  Maybe the seed would sprout later…only eternity will tell.

I learned a couple of things that day.  I learned that sometimes before we can share the Good News of the Gospel with a person, we need to touch them in a real tangible way.  A casual God bless you and a pat on the back doesn’t do much for an anxious soul or a hungry stomach.  We must talk Jesus, we must share Jesus, but we must be Jesus.  Someone said, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”

In these crazy, troubling times people need more than a sermon—they need to know we care.  How do we do that?  That’s the second thing I learned.  We must listen for the Whisperer.  We need to be sensitive to His gentle nudges. We must still our own souls and hearts if we are to hear His gentle voice. These days call for new ways…different ways.

So, as you walk about life, keep your eyes open, your heart still and watch in wonder at what God can do through you.  You don’t have to be in Africa to be on mission.  That can happen, must happen right here, right now.  And in these days of fear and frustration people are more ready to hear about God than ever before.  What a privilege to be entrusted with God’s work.  Up for the challenge?  God believes so.  Remember, He’s really big on you.  So, rest in Him.  He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in life, missions, Scripture, sovereignty of God, spiritual battles, travel, wisdom

Big Rivers, Hungry Crocs and Fat Hippos

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “But if you don’t do this, you will certainly sin against the Lord; be sure your sin will catch up with you.”  Numbers 32:23

How do things like this happen?  If you are older than three, you have probably already bumped into something that got bigger than you intended.  Whether you are a toddler reaching for the cookie jar or a teenager thinking no one will ever know or in a marriage pushing the limits…well, you’ve probably had that emptiness in your stomach when the cookie jar crashes, or dad says, “Son, we need to talk” or you come home to an empty house because word got around.  How does it happen?

Really the answer to that question is older than time and bigger than a short story with a big truth or, for that matter, a thick book full of truths but maybe we can at least cast a little light in the arena.  Judy and I have been to East Africa and the country of Uganda more than a few times.  We launch our trips to the islands of Lake Victoria from the small town of Jinga.  We enter town, with the lake on our right, and cross a small channel that leads to a decent size dam.  On the other side of the dam, and no more than fifty yards wide, is the origin of the mighty Nile River.

Now trust me, if you saw the Mighty Nile at this point you wouldn’t be too impressed.  It wanders through the Ugandan countryside on its way north before eventually emptying into the Mediterranean Sea.  The journey is somewhere over 4,100 miles and slowly the river grows and grows until it is almost two miles wide at some points.  Judy and I had the opportunity to take a ride on the Nile and besides being impressed by its size, I was more than impressed with the very large and very hungry, crocodiles that call the Nile home.  Oh, and did I mention the animal that causes more deaths in Africa than any other animal? It is the hippopotamus and there are lots of them in the Nile. Lots.

So, we begin with something that is relatively small that becomes large and we have something relatively benign that is dangerously filled with things that want to eat you or stomp you to death.  Either way—something little becomes big and dangerous.  And that, dear friend, is how things get out of control in our lives too.  It starts as something we think we can handle, something that almost, almost, seems safe and before long—we have a monster on our hands.  Let’s revisit the Nile.

If you were to start floating down the Nile in your little boat the first chunk of your journey would be easy.  But somewhere upstream (since the Nile flows north) there is something that will kill you—Murchison Falls.  The entire Nile River is funneled down into a rock channel that is only 23 feet wide before the water violently plummets 141 feet.  Go there and you are dead—no exceptions.  It’s the same results when we don’t pay attention to the tension that sometimes occurs in our lives.  When that tension is there…it is there for a reason.  Andy Stanley gives two good pieces of advice.  First, pay attention to the tension; and two, if something bothers you, let it bother you.  That’s good stuff.

So, the big truth today is we sometimes need to hit the pause button.  We also need to understand that we are not the exception to the rule…we can get hurt, we can create a disaster, and yes, someone will find out. Oh, by the way, do you really think it is a secret from God? The Old Testament gives us a sound warning—be sure your sins will find you out and often, when it does, well, its gonna leave a mark—a bruise—or worse.

As you journey today or tomorrow, you might want to listen for the Whisperer whispering His gentle words of warning.  Don’t ignore them…He knows truth and He knows consequences.  Our sin cost His Son His life.  However, if we ask, He will be there to help and to guide. No matter how big the crocs, or how fat the hippos, or how violent the falls—you can trust the fact that, “He’s got this.”    Bro. Dewayne

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

Scoops Not Spoons

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

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

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

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

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

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

Posted in Christmas, gratitude, loving others, missions, Scripture, sovereignty of God, thankful

When Little Is Much

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “Then a poor widow came and dropped in two small coins. Jesus called His disciples to Him and said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions. For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.” Mark 12:42-44

It was such a little fella. For the last ten years, my wife Judy and I have had the privilege of leading a team of folks to Atlanta, Georgia to work at the Operation Christmas Child (OCC) processing center. This ministry, one of the best I know of, encourages people to take a shoebox and fill it with items such as toys, hygiene items and the like. The boxes are then shipped to children all around the world…mostly to third-world countries. The big picture is with each box goes the Gospel of Jesus Christ and where there are churches OCC always works through the local church and pastor. No church…no problem. Many times a local group of Jesus followers come together to share the boxes and establish a church. Amazing!

In the early days of OCC, the shoeboxes were exactly that and of course came in every size and shape imaginable. Through the years, OCC began providing traditional shoebox size boxes. Along with a couple of other things, this really helped with shipping. So today, about ninety percent of the boxes are those provided by OCC and about ten percent are traditional boxes. Regardless…it all comes together, children are blessed and many meet and trust Jesus as their personal Savior.

When we worked our shift this year, one box caught my eye. It was a traditional shoebox but it was unique in a special way. It was the smallest box I have ever seen. The box, cute and attractive, was just about five by seven inches and maybe five inches deep.  Though compact in size, the person had filled it well but all of that couldn’t change the fact that it was small…very small. We all begin to try and find a way to fix this but because of the rules in place…the integrity of the box had to remain. We are allowed to add to boxes that might be a bit scarce but we can’t remove or remake the boxes.

Well, I was a little sad because I could just imagine all those kids and all those boxes and someone getting this tiny box. Somehow it just didn’t seem fair but then it happened. I reminded myself that time and again we had seen God’s hand on these boxes and somehow and someway He always made it work. I decided that what was true then would be true now. He would make it work. How? I’m not sure but I do know this. When something is placed in the hands of God—miracles happen. You see, little is much when God is in it. Remember the boy with a few fish and loaves? Remember the widow woman who gave all she had—a little over a penny? Remember what God did in both cases? Yup…amazing.

So I hope this will be an encouragement to you today. Don’t be disappointed when you have so little and someone else has so much more. Rather, just trust God to even every thing out. If He can multiply fish and loaves or take a widow’s penny and tell the world what a big gift it was—He can take care of you too. Remember…little is much when God is in it.  Oh, and remember, this too, “He’s got this.”  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in forgiveness, friends, Grace, Integrity, life, love, missions, prayer, priorities, Scripture, thankful

Welcome to Wal-Mart

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

Indeed, if you fulfill the royal law prescribed in the Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself”, you are doing well. If, however, you show favoritism, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.” James 2:8-9

A lesson from Walmart? I must admit I don’t visit Walmart very often.  In fact, besides Sam’s Club, I don’t visit many stores at all. I’m still mad at Sears for closing. Forever that was my only reason to go to a mall but now they are gone.  But back to Walmart. I remember it was after church one Wednesday night and we needed something—you know, like ice cream or iced oatmeal cookies.  Anyway, we went through the self-checkout, more out of habit than necessity, and headed for the exit.

Like many places, at Walmart the exit and entrance are side-by-side. As we were leaving there was a person standing there and since I was in one of my chatty moods, I asked her if she was the Walmart greeter, and she told me she was. I shared that at one time that was one of my post-retirement career goals. I love to chat, and I love to greet people. I was motivated many years ago by a guy who used to work at the Anna Walmart and then later transferred to the new Supercenter in Carbondale. He had a deep voice and had his greeting down pat. He would say, “Hello and welcome to Walmart.” I really appreciate what he did and how he did it so well. I thought that when I grew up and retired, I could be a Walmart greeter.

While my wife Judy and I were standing there chatting, sure enough, someone came in the store and the greeter lady paused talking to us to talk to them. While her voice wasn’t as deep and she wasn’t as passionate, she still made sure the folks coming in the door were welcomed and greeted.  It so happened that some of the folks who came in the store in that brief time were obviously struggling financially in life.  It sure appeared that their life was hard. But here is what I noticed and here is what I knew I had to remember.  The greeter lady treated every person who came in the door the exact same way.  It did not matter how they were dressed or how they smelled for that matter—each one was treated the same.  They were well received and welcomed.

As we walked out the door, I paused to wonder how good of a job do we do at church—our church, your church—any church? Wait—don’t stay there. How about in our daily walk about life? Whether at church or on the sidewalk, do we authentically greet everyone the same? Can we look past the clothes they wear or the number of their tattoos and piercings?  Are we able to see them like God sees them—people—prized creations—somebody deemed to be worthy of dying for? Wow—that really made me pause and think.

I think we need to be encouraged to see people as He does and greet them with all the gusto of my favorite Walmart greeter from days gone by. It may have been a job for him, but you would have never guessed it. He loved what he did and maybe to some degree he might have loved the people he greeted.  So, starting today, let’s all become not Walmart greeters but Kingdom greeters. Let’s make sure people know that we know the One who loves them most. If you feel like you need to go to greeter school, just ask the Master Greeter.  He’ll be glad to help because He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, forgiveness, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, loving others, missions, prayer, Scripture, sovereignty of God, spiritual battles, thankful, travel, Trials

Choose to be Content

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

“I’m just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I’ve found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am.” Philippians 4:12-13

I was content…almost.  Contentment is one of the most allusive things.  One minute you are fat and happy and the next minute you are just fat.  Some small, insignificant thing happens that seems to change everything.  It probably has a lot to do with most of us living in the best country in the world—the United States.  We have more than we need and that is a problem, and that is the problem.  Andy Stanley, a pastor in Atlanta, talks about the fact that most of us have houses with multiple bedrooms and bathrooms and get ready, there is even a house for our car attached to the deal. Amazing.

We once went on a mission trip to the Philippines. We were there to repair some damage caused by an earthquake. Two things amazed me—how beautiful it was and how kind and polite the people were.  On a couple of levels, it did indeed seem like paradise.  You see the island we were on was a vacation destination for many.  It was simply beautiful.  The only problem was we didn’t get to see it.  There simply wasn’t time for a lot of sightseeing because there was a mission to accomplish–a job to finish.

Now I know that probably sounds noble–maybe even spiritual, but the truth is even on the mission field it is hard not to think about–ME.  The “resort” we stayed at really was quite nice–particularly when compared to let’s say sleeping in the sand in Mali, West Africa or on the ground in Uganda, East Africa.  I guess I should have been content–and I was–almost.

When we arrived at the resort, we were given our room assignment.  Judy and I were assigned a single unit.  I must admit I did have the best roommate.  We went to our room, and it was nice–small–but nice. There wasn’t a lot of room to walk and have the luggage on the floor, but it was nice. We pushed the twin beds together and it was just like home–just smaller–a lot smaller.  Then we went to check out the other room assignments.

Well, their rooms were also quite nice.  Each person had two twins pushed together to make a double bed and the room was bigger–a lot bigger.  There was even room for their suitcases to be on the floor and still walk around the bed.  Suddenly, my room (well, our room) felt even smaller.  Suddenly, it didn’t seem quite right.

Now I was content until I saw how the rest fared.  I was content until I saw what big was like and then I wasn’t. Just like that I went from contentment to discontentment. I went from feeling blessed to feeling cheated—all in about two seconds flat. Isn’t it amazing how one minute you can be satisfied and the next you’re not?  There’s a word for that and I think it is close to sin. And the crazy part is it doesn’t just happen on a mission trip to the Philippines–it happens to a lot of folks on any given day.  We are content until we see how the other half lives. I think it is something like the grass is always greener somewhere else.

Paul said something quite amazing in Philippians 4:12 “I know both how to have a little, and I know how to have a lot.  In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content—whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need. I am able to do all things through Him who strengthens me.” Oh, and by the way, when Paul wrote those words, he was sitting in a dark, dank, stinking Roman prison.  Ouch.

I think all of us need to learn Paul’s secret to joy–just be content!  The truth is most of us have it a lot better than 90% of the world! The truth is if we look around, we will find that our Heavenly Father has filled our world with “love notes” that simply yet profoundly say, “Just to say, I love you.”

Whether our world has a healthy dose of bumps or if the sun shines consistently, if it is corona crazy or as smooth as a lake at sunset, we have so many reasons to be thankful…to be content.  Why not take the time today to look around and be thankful for what you have rather than rattled about what you don’t?  After all, hasn’t the Giver proven Himself over and again?  Hasn’t He “shown off” time and again in His lavish grace and love.  Sure, He has.  So, settle back and take a rest.  After all, He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, forgiveness, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, missions, prayer, priorities, Scripture, thankful

Just Fifteen Minutes

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

Now to Him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us—to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” Ephesians 3:20

Just fifteen minutes. I like stories…the ones I write and the ones I read. This one, or at least a part of it, fits the latter. The story tells the story of the beginning of a wildcat preacher named Billy Sunday. Now I just have to let you know I read this story several times and it wasn’t until later on that I realized it wasn’t about Billy Graham but Billy Sunday. Oh well…sometimes I amaze myself. Well, when Billy Sunday became a Christian as a young man, a fellow believer gave him some advice that he never forgot. He said, “Let God talk to you fifteen minutes a day through His Word. Talk to God fifteen minutes a day in prayer. Talk for God fifteen minutes a day.”

The other believer went on to say that if Billy would practice these things in his life as a Christian, no one would ever write the word backslider after his name. Well, it turns out that Billy Sunday followed this advice and became one of the most powerful evangelists in the history of the American church. God used his wildcat personality in his preaching but more importantly God used his heart. Those three 15-minute segments consistently used in his life changed his life for the rest of life.

So, what do you think?  How could, how would our lives change if we were to allow God the floor and microphone in our lives to talk to us? While God sometimes uses other people to speak into our lives, and sometimes He uses life circumstances, most often God whispers to us, speaks to us, through His Word. Fifteen concentrated, uninterrupted minutes in His Word is a game changer. If you are like me, you will find giving Him the floor without interruption is a challenge. After all, too often, instead of listening we are just waiting for the other person to stop talking! So, let’s give God His fifteen minutes.

The second part of the formula is important too. Imagine you had just fifteen minutes to tell God what you wanted Him to know. How would you use the time? I imagine we would not only choose our words carefully but also the topics. We would use that time wisely. I think sometimes we are afraid of prayer—afraid we will mess it up. Remember this.  Prayer is simply talking to God. You don’t need fancy words, a complicated formula or a gimmick. You just need to come to Him with an honest and sincere heart. Go ahead—He’s waiting.

The last fifteen minutes is equally important—telling others what God has done for us. I am certain we make talking about Jesus a lot harder than it should be. Often sharing is just a matter of telling our Jesus story to someone else. We share what He has done and how we are different because of Him. Just fifteen minutes times three and not only would it change us—we might just help change the world.

I think the most exciting part of all of this is the fact that we get to discover the amazing path that our amazing God has planned for us. I think Ephesians 3:20 says it best. It says, “Now to him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us—to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” Sounds to me like, “He’s got this!”  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, food, friends, gratitude, life, loving others, missions, Scripture, thankful, travel

Same Words, Different Melody

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

When He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them.”  Matthew 9:36a

It was familiar but not.  One of the highlights of our trip to England a couple of years ago was the opportunity to experience so many things that were similar to life in America but at the same time different.  After all, we all spoke English, but our English and the English the Brits spoke was just a little different.  More on that in another story.  We both drive cars but on different sides of the road.  They drive on the left (who knows why) and we drive on the right because…we are right.  We like (love) ice in our drinks, and when we ask for ice, they look at you like, “What?” Crisps are potato chips and flats are apartments.  Like I said, we both speak English but not quite the same.

Another thing I enjoyed while I was there was attending worship.  I am a Christian who happens to be a Baptist.  The church I attended there was Baptist too and while it was the same, it was different.  They didn’t have offering plates…they used these little bag things with a pole attached.  It was like a fish net but was made of cloth instead of netting.  One of the things we really loved…and wished we could import…was the fellowship time at the end of the service.  After the last prayer, instead of rushing out the door to the nearest restaurant or appointment, everyone gathered at the back of the worship hall and just visited.  There were some light refreshments but mostly people just talked.  How novel.

One thing that was a little different was the songs that they sang.  While some were familiar there were several that were totally new to us.  So, I was glad when the song person said we were going to sing, “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross.”  That is a wondrous (pun intended) song and one of the older hymns that I enjoy singing.  As the instruments, a piano, flute, and guitar began to play the introduction…something wasn’t quite right…not familiar.  And soon, very soon, I realized that while I knew the words, I certainly wasn’t familiar with the melody. How about that?  Same song, same words, different melody.

So, I jumped right in and worked my way through the unfamiliar melody motivated by the beautiful familiar words.  And even with the different melody, the words carried me into worship.  And just about then it hit me.  In life, church or no church, we can come together and do life.  We may walk or dance to a different tune but still can be carried by the same message.  Wouldn’t it be a better world if we realized that we are all created by the same God and the things that make us different are not a weakness but a strength?  Wouldn’t it be a better world if we were not driven apart by skin color, or our heart language or the social economic station we are in life?  Let me tell you. It.Would.Be.Better.

Of the thousand things that I love about Jesus, one of the best is that He loves people.  Period.  When He lived here, He just saw people as people.  Some might have been more broken than others, but He loved them all the same.  One time a bunch of people met Him on the shore as He got out of a boat.  I’m sure there were all kinds of people there that day but all He saw was people and the Bible just says He had compassion on them.  He loved them.

If you are a Jesus follower, or even if you are not, why not follow the example of this lowly man from an obscure part of the world?  Why not set out today to see people as people…and love them regardless?  Even if they look different, speak different, believe differently or, gulp, vote differently than you…why not just love them?  If you happen to be a Jesus person, well, I’m sure that is something that would make Him smile…and if not well…He probably would smile anyway.  Accepting people as people isn’t easy but with a little help from the One who made us…anything is possible.  In other words, He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, fear, Grace, gratitude, life, missions, prayer, Scripture, sovereignty of God, thankful, travel, Trials

Don’t Move

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

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

Sing it, Willie, sing it.  It was around noon on a Tuesday in July when I could once again hear Willie’s words rolling around in my ears.  Yup, we were “on the road again” and this time we were going on a long and really big adventure.  My wife Judy and I, along with a couple of our friends, were going to England on a mission trip to love some folks from Africa who now live in England.  Africa has long held a special place in our hearts, so we were really excited about serving those special folks.

You probably have already figured out that we couldn’t drive to England, and you probably also know that these days anything to do with airports and planes can be just a little chaotic.  Well, this time was no different.  We got checked in, they were kind enough to relieve us of our luggage and then it was time to go through security.  I’ve done this enough to know the ropes. I wear pants that don’t require a belt and shoes that don’t have laces.  I put everything possible in my backpack, so my pockets are all empty…just the way the security people like it.  Check, check, and check. Not only was I on the road again but I was ready to roll through security.

Soon it was my turn to go through the security thingy.  There are two kinds of machines that they use.  First is the metal detector thingy and then there is the body scan thingy.  I drew the body scan thingy.  So, you step into this booth thing, put your feet on the two yellow shoe spots on the floor, raise your hands above your head and wait.  The person causally says, “Don’t move” and this thing takes a picture of your whole body and makes sure you don’t have anything that you shouldn’t.  Well, my rolling through security was about to hit a snag.  And it all started with me trying to do the right thing.

As I stepped into the booth and raised my hands, I quickly glanced down and noticed one of my feet was not on the yellow spot. So, I slid my foot over.  Unfortunately, that was just about the time that she mashed the magic button and, well, I failed the test.  She asked me to step out and told me, “You moved.”  So I said, “Well, let’s just do it again.”  “Oh no,” she said, “anyone who moves gets a special prize.  You get to have a full body search.  Please step over here.” Bewildered and wondering, I stepped over.

Soon, there was an officer, explaining and apologizing for what was about to happen.  There was no magic metal detecting wand, no, he had to check me out…carefully.  So, well, it wasn’t fun, it was embarrassing, and I learned an important lesson about those two words, “Don’t move.”  You see, in the end it didn’t matter that my intentions were good.  In the end it didn’t matter that I was trying to do the right thing.  The only thing that mattered is that I moved…I broke the rules and because of that there was a price to pay. Bummer.

Well, here is the deal.  That is true in airport security…trust me, I know.  But it is also true in life.  We often seem to think that the rules of life were meant for someone else.  Or often we just assume that we can get a “do over.”  Well, here is a news flash.  The rules of life apply to everyone…the rich and famous and the everyday Joe.  And very often, there is not a do over. There’s an old saying that says, “do the crime and you’ll do the time.” Well, I sure learned that applies to airport security. Smile.

One of the things I love to share is that when God gave us the Bible it wasn’t to hurt us…it was to help us.  It wasn’t a book to put us in shackles but rather a Book to set us free.  I know that when I pay attention to His Word, I have fewer regrets and smaller circumstances.  Trust me…it is true.  So, even if you aren’t a God person, you might want to check out the Bible.  It sure seems that life just goes better when we follow His rules and take His advice.

In the Bible it says that God’s Word is like a lamp to guide our feet and a light for our path. If you’ve ever walked in a dark room or down a dark path, you know the value of a flashlight.  Starting today, why not let the Word of God be your flashlight?  Better yet why not invite God to be your guide? After all, He knows the way, has never made a mistake, and is just waiting to help you. He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

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

Miracles

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

For nothing will be impossible with God.” Luke 1:37

Well, there are miracles and then there are miracles.  One of the great adventures that Judy and I have been privileged to be a part of are the church mission trips.  Specifically, mission trips to Africa.  For the past 15 or 16 years, our church has been an active participant in mission adventures.  One of our favorite places to serve was and is Africa.  We started in Niger and then had to move a little south to the country of Mali.  We were privileged to serve there for several years.

I can’t explain how incredible it is to go on a mission adventure.  I also can’t really explain the draw that so many feel led to this place called Africa. Where this story begins was a difficult place.  We would stay in the bush, often sleeping on the ground in tents.  The temperature would hover over 100 degrees.  I have one picture that showed a thermometer with a reading 125 degrees.  The food, well, let’s just say it wasn’t McDonald’s.  So, what is it that causes people to step way out of their comfort zones just to serve others.  This story is part of that answer.

We were on a medical trip in Mali and the days were long and fruit was plentiful.  We had a full team including two medical doctors and several nurses.  They would treat the physically broken and we would try and share the truth of God’s love to the spiritually broken.  We would tell stories of Jesus and how He would go and help people.  We then would simply explain that we wanted to be like Him and help others.  We explained that people who knew Jesus in America had bought and paid for the medicine that they were receiving.  It was free to them because someone else paid the price.  It was always a great lead into the gospel stories because Jesus did the same for us.

Well, it was the end of a long day.  Most of us had wandered back to camp and were sitting around and chatting about the day’s activities.  Suddenly someone ran into the camp and shouted that there was an emergency back at the clinic.  We all rushed back over and what we found was grim…very grim.  A little girl, about nine if I remember correctly, had been climbing a tree.  She was about twenty-five feet up in the air when she slipped and fell—landing directly on her face.  Her father had carried her on a Moto (a small motorcycle) about three or four miles.  She was semi-conscious and unresponsive.

Two things happened simultaneously.  First, the doctors when to work and the saints went to praying.  Her pupils were unresponsive and though she was breathing, her respirations were rapid and shallow.  About an hour later the doctors said it was probably only a matter of time, her brain injuries seemed very serious.  I slipped into my pastor mode and wondered what an African funeral was like.  The doctors took turns sitting with her through the night, and then took her to the nearest first aid station. This part is fuzzy, but it seems like at some point the father went ahead and took her back to her village.

The next day we went back to work with a somewhat heavy heart.  And then something happened…we heard that the little girl had woken up.  We then heard that she was speaking and walking around.  We then heard that she was responding and acting almost completely normal.  “What is this,” I wondered.  Again, if I remember correctly either that day or the next the father brought his little girl back to the doctors and there she stood.  A living, breathing, miracle.  It can be described as nothing else.  God had heard the prayers of His children and chosen to reach down from heaven and touch this little girl and give her back her life.  It.Was.A.Miracle.

Many of us have been to Africa many times and we have seen more than one miracle.  Sometimes it looked like this, sometimes it was God acting to avoid a tragedy and sometimes it like a frog strangling rainstorm when it hadn’t rained for months and months.  But each time it was obvious that God was still God and He can do what He wants, when He wants.  After all, He is God.  For the skeptics out there, who think that God doesn’t do the miracle thing—that it died out in the old days—well, that little girl would beg to differ with you.

Tucked away in the book of Luke, incidentally, written by a physician in Jesus’ day, are some words that say it all.  It says, “For nothing shall be impossible with God.” Nothing. Period. Seven words that can shake your world and this world. So, what is rocking your world today?  Family or health? Wondering about tomorrow or the next meal?  Worried about our country?  Well, I don’t know what God has planned—after all I’m in sales and not management—smile. But I do know that nothing is too big for Him to handle.  Just like that little girl in Africa who discovered she could lay down and rest in Him—so can you.  After all…He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne