Category: prayer

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, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, prayer, Scripture, thankful, Trials

Right Tool Right Job

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13

They’re in the garage…waiting.  Ok, let’s be totally honest.  I am, uh, not very handy when it comes to power tools.  It’s not that I don’t use them, and it’s not that I can’t use them, I just don’t use them as effectively as others.  I know when I work with the guys at church on some project, generally speaking, they won’t let me use the power tools.  It’s an act of protection—for me and for them.  Now, with all that said, I do have a pretty good collection of power tools.  And, when I do need them, they are there and if I am careful and patient, I can usually get the job done.

I have a set of tools all made by Ryobi.  The idea is that you have all these different tools, but they are all powered by the same battery or power source.  Several companies do this, but I chose Ryobi mainly because they were cheaper than most of the other “he-man” professional brands.  I have, and this is the short list, a couple of drills, an impact driver, a saws-all, a circular saw, a light, a grinder, two string trimmers, two blowers (one small and one big) and a partridge and a pear tree.  Just checking to see if you were still there. Now all these tools use the same battery—the same power source which means I can switch the battery between them all.  It is cool and it is convenient.

Several of these tools, like the drills, blowers, and string trimmers, I use pretty frequently. Some, though, I rarely use—but here is the deal.  I may not use them often, but when I need one, they are so valuable.  Let me explain. I had a piece of metal sticking up in my back yard from an old house that once stood there.  This metal was a pain in the neck.  I would forget and hit it with my lawnmower and bump it with the string trimmer.  No matter what I did, I couldn’t get rid of it.  Then one day I bought a grinder to add to my tool collection.  I took that dude in the backyard and eight years of frustration disappeared in a matter of seconds.  The difference? Right tool for the job.

While all these tools do different things, like I said, they all have the same battery.  I have learned one thing.  The tools without the battery are totally useless.  They might look impressive as you look into my big green Ryobi tool bag but take away the power and they are just space stealers on a shelf.  However, put in the battery and bam—they become powerful and useful.

I suppose you are already connecting the dots here.  You probably have already figured out that all of us are different, and all of us have different skill sets, but all of us also need a power source to be what we were created to be.  Some might consider that to be a positive attitude or a strong work ethic, and while those are good things…they are not the thing.  From where I sit, the One who made me, who designed me is the source of strength in my life.  He makes all the skill sets come alive.  Paul, one of the writers of the New Testament said it right when he wrote, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”  At least for me, when I plug Jesus into life, into a situation, all of a sudden, there is power to do—to overcome.

Now, don’t make the mistake of confusing church and religion for Jesus.  In and of themselves I guess they are fine, but they are anemic substitutes for the real deal. Jesus is the power source that can change lives and He is just waiting to change yours.  Why not jump on the web and do a little research.  Oh, sure you will find some who will think this God stuff is just a crutch to give hopeless people something to hope in.  But you are also going to find a big bunch of incredible people who believe just the opposite.  Hey, give it a shot.  I know after these crazy times, as well as a zillion other tough situations, He is the real deal, and I’ve never found anything that He can’t handle.  Take it to the bank…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, gratitude, heaven, Holidays, Integrity, life, loving others, Memorial Day, Military memories, prayer, priorities, Scripture, thankful, Trials, USA

Heroes

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”        John 15:13

There are some Grits’ stories that I just can’t let go of.  Today is Memorial Day…the day we honor all those who gave their lives for our freedom.  This special day is so close to my heart and so is this story.  I hope you will enjoy now and probably each Memorial Day in the years to come.  God bless you and God bless America.

Years later, it still tugs at my heart. I’m not sure how I found my way there, but I was grateful.  During my assignment with the Air Force in Sembach, Germany we had the opportunity to see so much.  From Hitler’s hideaway called “The Eagle’s Nest” in Berchtesgaden to the windmills of Holland to the Alps of Switzerland we were constantly amazed at what was all around us.  But nothing prepared me for Luxembourg.

We had some friends that we had known in our days at Moody Air Force Base in South Georgia.  They received orders to Germany several months before we did.  They were only a couple of hours from us, so we saw each other often.  It must have been during one of our forays that we came to it—Luxembourg American Cemetery.  It was one of the most hallowed sights I have ever seen.

There, in the cemetery, are 5,075 white Lasa marble crosses and stars of David.  Row after row of headstones that mark the final resting place of American heroes.  Each one made the ultimate sacrifice for us, for you and me, so that we can live in freedom.  General George Patton is buried there. Two Medal of Honor recipients are also buried there: David G. Turner and William D. McGee. Twenty-two sets of brothers lay buried side by side throughout the cemetery. Some, 371 in fact, were never found.  They are simply listed as missing in action.  102 are just unknown.

This place of honor was established on December 29, 1944.  Many of the soldiers died during the Battle of the Bulge…Hitler’s last push to turn the tide of the war in Germany’s favor.  It failed but it came at great cost to the Allied forces. It was a harsh winter and because of the urgency of the times many were sent to fight with little or no winter gear. The desperate Germans showed little mercy to those taken prisoner.  And all this occurred just nine months, nine months, before the war ended.  So many had survived D-Day and countless days of combat only to make the ultimate sacrifice months before the grand reunion with family.

Heroes.  It is a word we throw around lightly these days.  In a world where everyone gets a trophy, we are in danger of losing the value of this incredible word.  Hero. Dictionary.com defines it as “a person noted for courageous acts.” Oxford says it is a person who is admired or idealized for courage. Webster defines it as an illustrious warrior or one who shows great courage.  Another place said it is a person who at great danger to themselves puts others first.

I went to Toys-R-Us one time and there they had several aisles of superhero stuff.  As I turned the corner a sign caught my eye.  It simply said, “Real Heroes.”  Along that aisle were the soldiers and sailor figures as well as police, firemen, and other emergency responders.  If I went to that aisle today it would have to include doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals.  Real heroes…real people putting others first at peril to themselves.

But there would be one missing.  Jesus Christ, the Hero of Heaven, who willingly, who bravely, gave Himself to a Roman cross that men, women, and children could be free. The cross was so horrible it was called the death of deaths.  It was so horrible it was illegal to crucify a Roman citizen.  And yet…He went.  Why?  He loved me. He loved you.

Amazingly it was not for some of us, but all of us. Skin color, economic station, language, nationality, capacity to be bad or good doesn’t matter.  The Bible simply says, “He came to seek and save that which was lost.”  It simply says, “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”  It simply says He is not willing for any to perish but all to come home. Anyone—I like anyone. Anyone who acknowledges their need for a rescue will find one in Jesus. And this Hero not only does meet and greet, but He also invites you to join His family and He walks with you throughout life.  How about that!

So, when you hear the national anthem, place your hand over your heart as a salute to those who paid the price for our freedom.  When you see a veteran, thank them for his or her service and sacrifice.  When you walk through a cemetery with your kids, point out the graves of the men and women who served and tell them why they are so special.  And when you talk to the Hero of Heaven next time, thank Him for forgiving your sin.  Thank Him for always being there.  Thank Him for giving you a place to rest.  And, thank Him for having this….because He does.  Bro. Dewayne

Learn more about Luxembourg here: Luxembourg American Cemetery | American Battle Monuments Commission (abmc.gov)

Posted in Family, forgiveness, friends, gratitude, Integrity, life, loving others, prayer, Scripture, sovereignty of God, Trials

Hard Prayers…Harder Prayers

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

My heart is filled with bitter sorrow and unending grief for my people, my Jewish brothers and sisters. I would be willing to be forever cursed—cut off from Christ!—if that would save them.” Romans 9:2-3

There are prayers and then there are hard prayers. I sometimes think that prayer is one of the most misunderstood things in the Bible.  A casual glance at prayer can give a person the wrong impression of prayer…and I get it. Several times in the gospels and in Paul’s writings we get the idea that all we need to do is ask and God will grant our every wish. While I am certain I don’t fully understand all the ins and outs of prayer, I’m pretty sure that isn’t the way it works.

The other morning, I was having some Jesus time, and I was giving prayer my best shot. A friend of mine who is struggling with life crossed my mind. He is a great guy but if life was a baseball game, the score would be dramatically in the other team’s favor. So, I decided to pray and pray a little more boldly than normal. Because I care for him and his family, I prayed a big but hard prayer.  It went something like this, “Lord, I thank you for Steve, but he is so struggling with life.” That was the easy part—then it got harder.  I said, “Lord, I am asking you to do whatever is necessary to bring him home to you and not only him but his wife and children.” Wow…that was a pretty strong prayer.

I knew I was releasing God (not that He needs releasing) and in fact was asking God to work in a way that could be good…but might well be difficult.  That is the kind of prayer that just might not be appreciated…especially by the person you are praying for.  But here’s what I knew—the most important thing in life, and in his life, and in their life, is God’s redemptive work.  Even with all those good intentions…it was a hard prayer. But then…it got harder.

Part two of this prayer time was even harder and it was unplanned and for the most part unexpected. I began to pray this, “Lord, I want you to do whatever is necessary in my life” and it was just about then I paused.  Dare I continue, dare I pray this prayer.  Well, I did continue, “Lord, I want you to do whatever is necessary in my life to bring my friend Steve home to you, and his wife, and his kids.” Whoa.  Did I really pray for that? Well, I did and I’m not too sure it didn’t frighten me. But I just knew that love demands those kinds of prayers.

Well, that is where I left it with God. When I get brave enough, I will probably pray the same again..and again. I’m reminded of something that Paul, the guy in the Bible, said about the Jewish people. He said, “My heart is filled with bitter sorrow and unending grief for my people, my Jewish brothers and sisters. I would be willing to be forever cursed—cut off from Christ!—if that would save them.” Wow…I can’t imagine saying that, much less praying that.  That is a bold, love filled prayer.

So, if you have a prayer life and list, why not check, and see how your list looks.  Is it a wish list or bold list—prayers for you or prayers for others? We probably won’t totally figure this prayer thing out this side of heaven but until then, we can trust the One to whom we pray.  After all, He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, forgiveness, friends, Grace, life, loving others, prayer, Scripture, Trials

Not a Good Night

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” Proverbs 12:18

There is pain and then there is pain. We know that some people can be a pain in the neck…or worse. We also know about different levels of pain. There is the pain a woman must bear to bring a new life into the world.  There is the pain that a person endures when they have a kidney stone.  There is the pain of being hit by a semi-truck going sixty-five miles an hour.  And then there is the pain I experienced one night.

My wife Judy and I go to bed at different times, but we are usually within a few minutes of each other.  So, it is not uncommon for one or the other to walk into a dark room.  It’s not a big deal, really, because we have a light in the hallway that casts a little light into the dark room.  And perhaps that is the reason we do it.  “It” is we put a small pillow or some other something in the doorway to keep the door from closing all the way.  It is more a habit than anything though in the summer it ensures good air circulation. And that night, it was a setup for a painful good night.

Judy was in bed and the room was dark.  Uncharacteristically, the door was closed all the way so when I entered the room I couldn’t see very well. I knew she was still awake, so I asked her, “Where’s the pillow?” It was understood I wasn’t talking about the one for our heads but the one for the door.  I believe she responded, “I don’t know.”  Well, I looked in the dimly lit one side of the room and could see it wasn’t there.  So, I began to walk over to the dark side of the room and that, dear friends, is when it happened.

As I walked over, in the dark, to look for the pillow that should have been in the doorway, I hit…no, I sledgehammered, my shin and foot into the end of the bed frame. Let me explain.  Our bed frame is designed so you can attach a footboard if you want to.  Well, a long time ago we wanted to and then one day we removed it because we didn’t want to.  That left the bracket just sitting there waiting to cause pain. Part of the bracket got my foot and part of it got my shin. And when flesh collided with iron…it hurt, and it hurt bad.

I’ve never had a baby, but I have had several kidney stones.  I’ve never been slammed by a semi-truck going sixty-five, but I am almost certain that none of that hurt as badly as my shin and foot did.  I hollered…maybe even screamed! I hollered, well, I’ve already said that, and then I blamed…not me, not the iron frame but poor Judy.  My pain filled logic was it had to be her fault because she didn’t put the pillow in the door. Well, I did find the stinking pillow and I did put it in the stinking door. And I did one more thing.

As my shin and foot throbbed, as Judy apologized for what clearly wasn’t her fault and as she prayed for God to take the pain away…I realized I needed to apologize…and I did.  It was all fine in a few minutes as we drifted off to sleep…gratefully not mad.  Well, the next morning I looked at the wounds again and there were two gashes and one bruise. Ouch.  Did I mention a semi-truck doing sixty-five miles an hour or having a baby?  Judy stuck her head in my home office a little later and I showed her the bruise and apologized one more time for good measure…and I meant it.

This unfortunate encounter caused me to realize that we must be careful about pain. You see, whether it is emotional or physical, when we are filled with pain we can say or do things we later regret.  Someone said that hurt people hurt people. I know that is mostly speaking of emotional pain and scars, but it is also true when our foot and shin are sledgehammered into the bed frame. In addition to fixing or removing the problem, we need to plan, to practice how we are going to respond when pain walks into the room—or when we walk into pain. We need to plan, or practice hitting the pause button or yanking on the emergency brake of our words. If we do maybe we will stop before we let our hurt—hurt others.

Solomon, one of the wisest men to ever live, wrote in Proverbs, “Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” Those are certainly wise words from a very wise man, but it is encouraging to know that even he didn’t always get it right. And guess what? Despite our best efforts, we won’t either.  But the good news is that when we don’t there is a graceful God who’s just waiting to forgive us and help us.  So, the next time you run into pain, hang on–He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, fear, friends, gratitude, life, prayer, Scripture, sovereignty of God, thankful, Trials

Majestic in the Storms

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

He got up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Silence! Be still!” The wind ceased, and there was a great calm.” Mark 4:39

It came in hard and fast.  Last week the weather people said we were going to have some severe weather…and they were right.  The storms were due to roll in sometime Wednesday afternoon. The threats were heavy rain, high winds, large hail, and the possibility of a tornado or two. It turned out that we had all four.  The sky slowly grew darker and as it did, most of the staff and a couple of families looking for a safe place to ride out the storm gathered in the basement hallway of our church.  Me? Well, I was working on a sermon and since I was near the end…I kept on working.

Well, I finally finished the sermon and the storm decided to quit messing around and get serious.  Did I go to the hallway? Of course not! Instead, I went upstairs so I could see what was going on.  I did it under the guise of being a good leader and watching out for the people. Truthfully, I was just curious…perhaps too curious for my own good.  Regardless, I got to see the show. As the forces of nature displayed their fury, I watched and marveled at the power and majesty of God. When I thought that my Dearest Daddy was both creator and controller of such power…I marveled at this majesty. It was just about then that something happened that caused me to wonder about something else.

So, the wind is blowing at least fifty or sixty miles an hour, the rain is almost horizontal, and hail is hitting the ground and then I see something.  There was a guy (and yes, it was a guy) riding his bicycle in the middle of the worst of the storm—straight into the wind, the rain, and the hail. The question obviously was, “What in the world was he thinking?” The probable answer is he probably wasn’t. While my decision to watch the storm may have been a bit crazy, riding a bike in the storm and into the storm was more than a little crazy.

The truth is we will never know what he was thinking that caused him to do what he did but what we can do is learn. If we learn we can make a good decision, a better decision the next time a storm comes blowing in our way. Remember the best decision is always putting your faith and trust in the Maker and Master of the storms.  A song puts it this way, “My boat of life sails on a troubled sea, ever there’s a wind in my sail. But I have a friend who watches over me when the breeze turns into a gale.  I know the Master of the wind; I know the Maker of the rain. He can calm the storm and make the sun shine again. I know the Master of the wind.”

We can’t always avoid the storms, but we can choose to trust the Master of the wind. He is a strong shelter like no other. One time Jesus and His disciples were in a boat when a great storm came upon them. The disciples were terribly afraid, so they wisely went to Jesus and He spoke to the storm and said, “Silence! Be still!” And just like that—it did. He is the Master of the wind. So, if you know Him you never have to fear the storms of life. After all, “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, fear, forgiveness, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, loving others, prayer, priorities, Scripture, thankful, Trials

Unkept-the Look

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life.” Proverbs 4:23

It was unkept…but it was cool. Ok, let’s just lay it out there.  I am just a tad on the old school side.  I was a teenager in the late sixties and early seventies with a daddy who wasn’t fond of anything countercultural—and that included longer hair.  That was phase one.  Phase two was twelve years in the United States Air Force.  They and my Daddy would have gotten along well since they weren’t fond of anything countercultural either.  Phase three was being a Baptist pastor.  Back in the days, Baptists were pretty much not fond of anything countercultural either.  Suits and ties were the norm and facial hair was basically a no-no.  So, you can probably understand that I wrestle with some of the new fashion norms. It’s not that I don’t like them—it’s just that I don’t understand some of them.

As an example, part of my morning routine is having a time with God.  Part of that is watching a short video of someone speaking.  This morning it was a pretty successful young pastor from somewhere.  As the video began, I noticed a couple of things.  First, his hair had the now fashionable “unkept” look.  It was like he got out of bed, ran his fingers through his hair and went to work.  Again, that’s cool.  Hang with me.  Second, he sported the wildly popular beard stubble look.  I mean if you don’t have a stubble… you’re not ready to rumble.  He had a good stubble.  Hey, that’s cool.  I wish the Air Force had discovered that when I was in. Again, the cool “unkept” look.

Another fashion statement with the “unkept” look are jeans with holes in them.  They are crazy poplar.  When I was growing up jeans with holes were tossed out and people who wore them were poor.  Now, people pay big bucks to have jeans with holes.  Hey, just buy a regular pair and give them four years—bam—another cool “unkept” look.  And you save a few bucks.  Another “unkept” look that is popular with the “we don’t own an iron” crowd is the wrinkled look.  You just grab your shirt or whatever and throw it on and you are in. Again, totally cool—totally in.

I’ve even seen this in yards.  There are folks who have unkept yards because they just don’t like to mow grass or trim their yards but there is another group that simply loves that look.  To them unkept is “unkept—the cool kind.”  To some folks an “unkept” yard is all about nature.  I really liked that when I was young—my Daddy did not.  It just wasn’t his thing.

So, what’s up?  Well, through the years different things have come and gone.  It’s just the way culture works.  Things are fashionable for a while, and they move on.  I know there was a time I couldn’t imagine preaching without a tie.  I even said one time that I didn’t think I could preach without a tie.  Nowadays, I usually preach with an open collar.  Things change.  Right now, “unkept” is cool and one day it probably won’t be and I’m good with it either way.  But wait.

While “unkept” is cool, fashion wise…it is not cool or healthy to like an “unkept” life.  You ask, “What is that?”  It is a life that is lived solely in the moment.  In the sixties it was the “if it feels good, do it” thing and each decade has had its version of that thought pattern.  But the bottom line is that when we live “unkept” lives there are usually consequences and regrets.  I said this morning to my wife Judy that “success is not accidental, it is intentional.”  That almost sounds deep.  I also think that God’s peace, and joy, and happiness, and a host of other things that make life worth living aren’t accidental either…they are intentional.

For me, as a Jesus follower, that intentionality involves checking in with God on a regular basis to see what He thinks about my day…my life.  For me it is a daily dose of His Book, the Bible. Trust me on this one…there is a reason why it remains one of the best-selling books of all time.  The truths and teachings of Jesus are found in the second part, the New Testament, and they were groundbreaking two thousand years ago and they still are today.

Ok, so I don’t know if I will ever do the “unkept” thing or not.  It took me a long time to figure out I could teach without a tie.  But I do know this. When it comes to life, a “kept” life is just better—fewer consequences—fewer regrets.  That is probably why the Book says, “Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life.” God really wants what is best for us…He loves us that much.  If you find yourself in an “unkept” mess, just remember that He is there waiting and no matter what it is, “He’s got this.”

Posted in Family, food, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, love, loving others, prayer, priorities, Scripture, thankful

Miss Pauline’s Sour Cream Raisin Pie

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in Him!” (Psalm 34:7)

Try it. You’ll like it.  Some things in life are worth seconds. Two of those are this story and the pie that this story is all about. So, let’s begin. Over the years I have met so many incredible people.  I have learned that people are not perfect, but people add spice and challenge to life.  People make life…life.  I am a pastor by call and by trade and I love it.  There are many reasons that’s true, but one is the people I get to serve with.  One of those was Bob.  Bob is a friend from my past but at the same time Bob is a friend that I could see tomorrow, and we would pick up right where we left off.

Bob is one of those people with a quirky sense of humor.  I love that because I do too.  I remember one time he showed up at the church office and beeped the horn.  I went and opened the door and went out.  He told me to go around to the other side of the truck and hop in. Well, I went and opened the door and what greeted me was a five- or six-foot rattlesnake coiled up on the from seat.  We almost had a natural disaster there on the spot.  Turned out the snake was headless.  Bob liked snakes so I don’t think he did the honors but why miss the opportunity to scare your pastor to death?

Now Bob and I are Baptists.  One thing you need to know about Baptists is that we believe food is the cure for all things.  If we are sad—we eat.  If we are happy—we eat.  If someone dies—we eat.  If someone gets married—we eat.  And sometimes, well, we just eat for fun.  Well, Bob and I were at one of our meetin’ eatin’ times and I was eating some raisin pie.  Now this wasn’t your normal raisin pie.  This was Miss Pauline’s sour cream raisin pie, and it was incredible.  I was working on my second piece when I invited Bob to have a taste.

“Nope,” he said, “I don’t like raisin pie.”  Well, I began to persuade him with all of my preacher passion.  “This,” I explained, “is like no other raisin pie you have ever eaten.”  I went on to explain how this pie would make your tongue slap your face.  After about five minutes of “you really need to try this,” he did.  The results were as expected and immediate.  Two or three pieces later Bob was an official member of Miss Pauline’s sour cream raisin pie fan club.

Here is what he and I came to discover.  There is raisin pie and there is Miss Pauline’s sour cream raisin pie and the two are not the same.  And once I tasted Miss Pauline’s pie, I wanted him to experience it too.  I just knew that if he did, he would be a fan for life.  And do you know what?  I think that is true about Jesus too.  I find a lot of people are not too keen on God or Jesus.  The reason is simple.  They have tasted religion and decided pretty quick that wasn’t too tasty.  I agree with that one.  Some have tasted church and depending on their experience it was either a disaster or a delight.  At any rate, church isn’t the fix all that people think that it is.  Religion or church are just plain ole raisin pie.  You need more…you need Jesus.

Yup, Jesus is like Miss Pauline’s raisin pie. He is so much more than religion and so much more than church…He is the One who knew the price for sin was death and then willingly paid the price for that sin.  He died on a Roman cross to pay the price for our sin and then came back to life three days later to prove He was the Son of God. It is a pretty amazing story.  If you have never read about it let me suggest you get a copy of the Bible read about Him.  You will find Him in the first four books of the New Testament.  You will find He is like sour cream raisin pie…delicious and irresistible.  But you can’t know that if you don’t take a taste.

David (he is one of the Kings of Israel from Bible times) was on the run from one of his enemies when he wrote, “Oh taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!” David was saying if you will take just one taste of the real deal you will like what you taste.  It’s not religion, it’s not church—it is the Man who died on the cross because He loved me and you.

So, if you ever get the chance to taste sour cream raisin pie, especially if somehow you can find a piece of Miss Pauline’s, well don’t wait, and don’t delay.  Even if, especially if, you have tried plain ole raisin pie you are gonna be surprised!  And if you haven’t read the story of Jesus, well don’t wait, and don’t delay.  Even if, especially if, you have been turned off by church and religion, you are gonna be surprised.

You are gonna find out that He is the real deal.  You are gonna find out when and if you decide to follow Him, He will be your new BFF (best friend forever) and He will never leave you sitting beside the road.  He is the kind of friend that you can call at 2:00 am and never get a busy signal.  He is the kind of friend who invites you to sit and chat on the front porch and rest a while.  He is the kind of friend that is like a strong, big brother who loves you.  Strong enough to say, “I’ve got this” and pull it off.  Try Him…You’ll love Him. Bro. Dewayne