prayer – Page 55 – Grits with Grace

Family, fear, forgiveness, Grace, gratitude, life, prayer, Scripture, Southern born, thankful, Trials, wisdom

My Cussing Summer

Posted on February 2, 2021February 1, 2021 by Dewayne Taylor

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1

It was the summer of my rebellion. I know, some people are born compliant and some are born a little on the rebellious side. I was born compliant. I have always been a rule keeper—well, at least most of the time. I suppose that is why I took to religion so well. You see religion is all about keeping the rules. The idea is if you keep enough of the rules then people will like you and most importantly, God will like you. And sure enough, it worked—well, at least part one worked. In my younger years, most of the adults thought I was a good boy. Church? Got it. Drinking? Not a drop. Drugs? Nope. I can hear them saying it now, “That Dewayne is such a nice boy.” And, I suppose outwardly I looked pretty good, but pretty good won’t get you to heaven.

You see the second part of the religion mantra is that you can make God happy by performing—by keeping the rules. That one is 100% false. There is no one, except Jesus, that was good enough to go to heaven. Yet it seems so many church people say they believe that rules won’t get you to heaven, but act as if they will. They carefully do this and that and boy, if you happened to be one of the ones who didn’t keep the rules, you were tried, convicted and sentenced. That’s why I had to keep my cussing summer quiet.

I think maybe all the rule keeping must have finally got to me. The bottom line is during the summer between my junior and senior years of high school—I started cussing. I had a job at an apartment complex down the road from our house and I worked with the son of the head maintenance man. He was not a Jesus person and he did like to cuss. So, one day, I just started cussing too. I had heard enough cuss words at school to know most of them, so I didn’t have to have any lessons…though I did have to work on my voice inflections.

It was a very tricky time in my life because I had to turn the cussing on at 8:00 am and I had to be sure and turn it off at 5:00pm. That’s what you have to do when you are living a double life. Under no circumstances did I want to spoil my good boy image at church or with my Mama and Daddy. I do remember one time I let a small one slip and Mama looked at me with eyes that said, “Where did that come from?” Of course, I didn’t, I couldn’t let her know that her baby son was a cusser.

And, as quickly as it came, it passed. At the end of the summer, I had to go back to school and therefore had to quit my job. All I know is that the cussing stopped and my rule keeping world got a little easier. I managed to please a lot of people, but I knew I was far from pleasing God. It would be several more years before I finally figured out that rule keeping didn’t work and religion didn’t either. When I was 21, I finally found grace and boy was that a game changer. Honestly, it is taking me a long time to shake the deep roots of rule keeping and religion. I’m still working on it.

You might ask, “How do you know if you are under the influence of religion and rule keeping?” Well, its two main indicators are self-condemnation and a tendency to judge others. Rule keepers are acutely aware when they or others around them break a rule. Rule keepers (and religious people) like to point out other people’s sins and faults because it makes them feel better about themselves. If they can make you feel bad, then it makes them feel better. It’s a pretty twisted world.

God’s way is so much better than religion and rules. Did you know His Book, the Bible, actually says that when someone believes in Jesus and becomes one of His followers that there is no condemnation—none—nada? I mean when the prosecuting attorney and the judge both acquit you—the trial is over. I’m slowly learning just how valuable that is. There is an audience of One that Jesus followers have to live for and that is God…their Heavenly Father…their Abba Father…their Dearest Daddy. I love what Toby Mac (a contemporary Christian singer) said, “I gave God a million reasons not to love me. Not one of them changed His mind.” I like that!

Well, I’m glad my cussing summer is ancient history. I still look back at those two or three months and wonder what in the world was I was thinking? The truth is…I probably wasn’t. But now, by grace, that, and all my other failures, warts and sins are forgiven…all because of Jesus. I’m so grateful for that. If you have never discovered grace and forgiveness, especially God’s kind, I hope you will check it out. Don’t get confused with religion and rule keeping like I did. God’s got something far, far, better than that. Think you’ve messed up too much to be forgiven? Nope…don’t give it a second thought. Trust me…He’s got this.

Family, fear, gratitude, life, loving others, missions, prayer, thankful, travel, Trials

Praying Mantis

Posted on February 1, 2021January 31, 2021 by Dewayne Taylor

When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you. When you’re in rough waters, you will not go down. When you’re between a rock and a hard place, it won’t be a dead end—because I am God, your personal God, the Holy of Israel, your Savior.” Isaiah 43:2-3a

He was coming after me. Over the years, my wife Judy and I have made many trips to Africa. We have spent time in Niger, Mali, and Uganda. All were unique in their own way and all were very special. Our time in Mali was especially so. We were working with one of our favorite missionaries. She is the real deal kind—the kind that if you were to stick her finger…she would bleed Jesus. Those trips were also highlighted because we worked with a group of One-Story girls. These college age young ladies gave up the comforts of home to spend a couple of years living in the African bush telling people about Jesus. They were incredible.

So, on one of these trips the team had one of those especially good days. We were able to minister and share with a lot of folks. We would start early and go the entire day. We would do mostly medical missions and story-telling and encouraging. When we got back to wherever we were staying we would have supper together. Then, when the African sun had finally called it a day, we would gather under a large open air bamboo….uh, thing. We would sing, share stories and have a brief devotion before joining the sun and calling it a day too.

These team times were very special moments. As the days passed, we as a team became closer and closer together. There were about twelve or fourteen of us…so not too large. Of course, that didn’t include other guests. Sometimes Africans from where we were staying would join us, and of course some or all of the interpreters. And then there were the other guests. Their names would make you think they were members of the team…but they weren’t. Praying may have been part of their name but, it wasn’t on their agenda. They were…praying mantis.

These large insects—about the size of a small eagle—would be drawn to the light as we sang and shared. Slowly they would start circling, choosing their targets. Now, I don’t know if they intended to bite someone—I don’t think so, or if they intended to carry someone off to their secret lair. Regardless, it was just a little spooky. Finally, and who knows why, I was picked by one of them. Repeatedly, this fellow would dive and try to land on me—particularly my face. Ok…it was weird. I was grateful when the prayer time was over. I confess I cheated and kept one eye open looking out for my new found friend.

Judy and I headed back to our hut and prepared for bed. We had a mosquito net over our bed to keep out those pesky insects and their friends. Soon it was lights out and off to sleep. Sometime later, we were awakened by the sound of something larger than a mosquito. Lion? No. Tiger? No? Elephant? No. It was the…praying mantis. Apparently, he followed me home and waited for the lights to go out before once again taunting me. It turns out there was a small hole in the top of our mosquito net and he found his way in and then…it happened.

As Judy and I lay in the African night, from out of the darkness (no electricity) the praying mantis landed square on my face. Now what happened next can’t be written because it goes beyond the 26 letters in the English alphabet. I jumped up and started clawing in the darkness trying to find my stalking insect. I finally grabbed him (gross), wrestled him to the bed (remember they are the size of eagles…smile), raised the net and chucked him outside somewhere, anywhere but where he was. And then I did some praying of my own. “Lord, please don’t let him find the hole again.” Thankfully, he didn’t, and thankfully that was the last I saw of him.

Well, the next night I had a testimony to share at story time. We all had a good laugh (and by the way…they really aren’t as big as …eagles but it sure seemed that way.) I remember telling my teammates how grateful I was for answered prayer…and honestly I was. Until you’ve had something like that land on your face, in the dark, in Africa—well you just can’t appreciate a God who answers unusual prayers. But you know, that’s the kind of God that He is. Nothing is too big…and nothing is too small for this Dearest Daddy who calls us His own.

One time God was talking to Israel through the prophet Isaiah and He said no matter what we face…when we are over our head in trouble, or maybe between a rock and a hard place or even the occasional fiery furnace—He will be with us. Why? Because He is our Savior, our Lord, our God. Wow…what a great scripture and I can add to that list “face eating praying mantis.” God is always there with us and for us and no matter what, He’s got this. Take that, Mr. Mantis.

Family, gratitude, life, loving others, prayer, priorities, Scripture, thankful, travel, wisdom

Watch Your Step

Posted on January 29, 2021January 28, 2021 by Dewayne Taylor

Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days.” Ephesians 5:16

There are certain times you just need to watch your step. For example, there are at least two things to watch out for when you are walking through a cow pasture. First, you need to make sure that it is fact a cow pasture and not a bull pasture. If it is a bull pasture you need to head to the nearest fence…immediately. Bulls are not cows, and most of the time the reason they call them bulls is because they are bullies. The second thing you need to watch out for when walking through a cow pasture are cow patties. You will just have to trust me on this one.

There are lots of other times and places you need to watch your step and one that I recently experienced was while hiking down by Bell Smith Springs. My wife Judy and I have grown quite fond of hiking. It is great exercise, and it is a great opportunity to get out and enjoy nature. So, last week we headed down to Bell Smith Springs to take on the Sentry Ridge Trail. It is a three-mile loop trail that follows a ridge (no surprise there) and looks down on a small canyon with a creek. The problem is a pleasure. It is just beautiful. There is so much to see, you want to look and look. But that is also the problem.

You see, the trail, in more than several places, is quite rocky. There are places when the trail is “paved” with large slabs of native stone. In other places, though, it is as if someone had come along and strewn stones everywhere. While they are mostly firmly embedded in the ground, they are still uneven. The bottom line is watch where you are stepping, or one of three things is bound to happen. One, you will twist your ankle. Two, you will fall and bust something you don’t want busted. Three, you will find yourself on the way down a long wooded cliff or bluff.

Now for the pleasurable problem. So, as we were hiking one of us believes in the destination. In other words, the goal is to make it, to do it, to get it done. The other one is in it for the journey. They actually believe the journey is primary to the destination. Can you guess who is who in this scenario? Yup. I, as the man, the conqueror, believes that the primary purpose of this trip is to finish and put another notch in my “hiking” belt. Judy, as the lady of the trail, wants to stop and take pictures of the trees—every tree; the rocks—every rock. Her conversation is dotted with “Look, Dewayne…” and other phrases that conquerors don’t use, or necessarily want to hear.

Now, because I love her so much, I will actually try and look but there is a problem. I have discovered that while you are looking around, you can’t be looking down and if you aren’t looking down you aren’t seeing rocks and if you aren’t seeing rocks you are in trouble. Whew. Now that was one long sentence. But do you get my point? I suppose you could actually stop, and look around, but that is just not what conquerors do. We conquerors conqueror and you can’t conqueror much standing still.

So, what is a conqueror to do? Well, the truth is, we should stop (all you conquerors forgive me) and smell the roses. Judy is in fact right. The joy is in the journey. The joy is pausing and seeing what there is to see…to enjoy what is there to enjoy. Now that doesn’t mean I need a picture of every rock and tree, but I do need to see what my Dearest Daddy has made. We need to learn to hit pause, every once in a while and then soon enough, hit play again.

What happens if you don’t? Well, actually, two things. You are going to miss the best part of the trip or maybe the day. As I am writing, there is a big, and I do mean big, full moon. They said it was a “Wolf Moon.” I’m not sure why it is called that besides the fact that the conqueror in me kinda wanted to stop and let out a howl. Earlier I was driving when Judy said those two words, “Dewayne, look…”. This time I got it right. I stole a quick glance to my right and there it was…and it was magnificent. I could have made some comment about I was driving but I discovered you can carefully sneak a look at the moon and drive too. That is true on trails, and in many other sights and sounds.

Paul, the guy who wrote most of the New Testament in the Christian Bible said that we should take the time and redeem the time. What he was saying is that we should make the most of the time we have. But we need to realize that while that includes working and doing life…it should also include time to enjoy the journey. I’m glad I’m married to someone who knows how to do that. Does it drive me nuts sometimes? Absolutely, but even that is part of the joy of the journey. So, be careful and watch where you step but be sure and take a few minutes to enjoy life around you. Think you can’t? Sure you can, with the Creator’s help! After all, He’s got this.

Family, fear, Grace, gratitude, life, loving others, prayer, priorities, Scripture, thankful, Trials

Barney

Posted on January 26, 2021January 25, 2021 by Dewayne Taylor

For instance, there was Joseph, the one the apostles nicknamed Barnabas (which means “Son of Encouragement”).” Acts 4:36

It happened driving down the road at 55 miles per hour. When I was growing up, there was one man outside my family that I respected so much…one that garnered my admiration. It was my pastor. His name was James Branch. I happened to be an insider at his house because his son was one of my best friends. It didn’t matter when or where—I always saw him as a man I could trust and more than once he was there for my family. When my Daddy died early one Sunday morning, he was at my house. I can still remember him on the back porch in his white shirt minus the black tie he wore, consoling my Mama. She was so upset and began to hyperventilate. Bro. Branch, with his hand on her shoulder, spoke words of comfort and peace. There can be no doubt he played a big role in how I would later serve as a pastor.

That might be why it stung so much. I received an email this week from a national organization. It revealed the results of Gallup’s national survey on American’s perception of the honesty and ethical standards of professions. Not surprising, 89% of Americans gave nurses high or very-high standards. Doctors stood at 77% followed by pharmacists at 71%. Well, I certainly can’t argue with that. These dedicated folks have surely shown their colors this past year during the COVID-19 pandemic. Hats off to our school-teachers too, who scored 75% and our men and women in blue who scored 52%—the only other profession about which a majority of Americans say have high or very high ethics and honesty.

The article went on to say that clergy or ministers came in at 39% when it came to honesty—right between judges and nursing home operators. While senior adults as a group ranked pastors higher (51%), the younger generation (ages 18-34) rated pastors only at 24 percent. To put it in perspective, in 1985, pastors received a 67% rating. When I think of my pastor in 1974 who stood on the back porch with my grieving family, I have to wonder, “what happened?” Why is it that so many think so lowly of clergy? Some of the reasoning, I believe, is a cultural shift—while too much, might, just might, be the truth. It seems we can only go a few weeks without some named pastor being in the news for some breach of trust. I just don’t know.

When I read this news, I grieved. After all, pastors, above all other Jesus followers, should be, must be, people of integrity. We should set the example. Granted, we are not perfect—in fact far from it. Like the old saying goes, “Christians, including pastors, aren’t perfect, we are just forgiven.” I like that. This is why what happened that day driving 55 miles per hour meant so much. My phone rang.

I looked at the caller ID and saw it was a young man who is a member at the church I pastor. Honestly, I wondered why he was calling. While we speak often at church, he is not on my speed dial and I’m sure I am not on his. I answered the phone and exchanged greetings and said, “Hey, what can I do for you?” What happened next was not what I could do for him, but what he did for me. I won’t get it all right, but the bottom line is he said, “I know you have a really hard job right now with all that is going on. I want you to know as one of the younger generation, I think you are doing a good job.” He shared how he and another of our young guys were talking the other night—sharing the same thing. It made my day and I told him so.

It turned out that he was driving in the same direction as I and had passed me and just felt prompted to make that call. I’m so glad he did. It is one of those times I just wonder if the Whisperer whispered in his ear and said, “Call Dewayne. He needs a good word about now.” And thankfully he did. So, let me encourage you to be an encourager. We all know people who just need a word to help keep them going. There was a guy in the Bible whose name was Barnabas, which literally means “encourager.” I’m assuming he was such a positive force in the lives of others, someone said, “We’ll just call you Barney…and it stuck”.

So, to my Barney that Friday morning, thanks. Thanks for listening to the Lord and thanks for encouraging a guy who happens to be a lot older than you and who happens to be a pastor. And keep it up. There are a lot of empty cups in our world that need filling. I love the fact that my Dearest Daddy believes in me. I’m still amazed how much Judy believes in me. But when someone outside that circle cares and believes…that is special. Let’s join Jesus and be the light in someone’s day. Encourage everyone you know and assure them that everything is going to be okay. Why? Because, “He’s got this.”

Grace, gratitude, life, loving others, missions, prayer, priorities, Scripture, sovereignty of God, thankful, travel, wisdom

Their Best

Posted on January 22, 2021January 21, 2021 by Dewayne Taylor

“Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.” Matthew 7:12

It was our second trip to West Africa. We were back on the dry sandy desert fringes of Niger doing a food distribution. It was such a barren land made worse by an ongoing drought. The people would do just about anything for food. While we had prepared to feed many of the people, truthfully, we couldn’t feed them all. So, families with the greatest need were chosen. We would go to their villages the day before the food distribution and meet with them and do some registration work before the distribution.

It is hard to describe the poverty there. Simply put, most of the people had nothing. They had little food and little water but something amazing happened everywhere we went. We would gather with the leaders and the people in their village. We would give them a word of greeting and then they would greet us. All of this, of course, was done with the help of interpreters. After a while, we would complete the necessary paperwork and finalize details for them to come to main village the next day. And then, it would be time to say goodbye for the day.

This was a repeat of the greeting we had done when we arrived. They would graciously thank us for coming and we would graciously thank them for allowing us to come. Then it happened…every time. These incredibly poor people would present us with gifts. Often it was some sort of leather craft decorated according to their customs and their people group. It was such a gracious act of kindness and we always left feeling incredibly blessed. They who had so little gave to us who had so much.

It was the last appointment of the day. We drove and drove—it was more than several kilometers. When we arrived at the site, we realized it wasn’t a village it was just a meeting place. The people we were to meet were truly nomads. Someone had set up a large tent made from skins and rugs to offer some shade from the searing Saharan Desert sun. When we arrived, there was one or two people there but soon many more arrived and the area under the tent was filled with five white guys and a bunch of men whose skin was tough like leather and tanned a deep brown. Then we really saw it.

In the middle of the tent and now surrounded by people sat a medium sized metal bowl. In the bowl was what can only be described as dirty, brown water. As I looked at the bowl you could see something swimming. It was the larva from some sort of insect native to Niger. I assumed that perhaps this was for us to wash our hands though I was quite certain my hands were cleaner than the water in the bowl. I would soon find out that the water wasn’t for washing.

Soon the greeting started. We thanked them for letting us come and they thanked us for coming. Then someone in their group made the presentation. It wasn’t a brightly colored trinket…it was the gift of water. And the brown water in the bowl wasn’t for washing hands soiled by the West African dust. No, it was a portion of their precious drinking water. That brown water with larva swimming it in was what they drank every day, and they were offering something very precious to them—something they could ill afford to give.

Ordinarily, we would try and eat or drink what they offered, but our missionary knew, and we knew, that one drink of this water would make us very seriously ill. So, through the interpreter our missionary explained that while we deeply appreciated their kindness and generosity, we could not partake in the water for that reason. They certainly understood so the water remained throughout our visit. At the end we reversed the greeting process and climbed aboard our four-wheel drive for the long drive back to where we were staying.

The ride was quieter than normal. Each one of us was clearly aware of what had just happened. We all were pierced to our hearts over this act of immense generosity and the immense blessings that God had graciously poured on our lives. Mission trips tend to do this to anyone who travels to a third world country. There is always some kind of guilt over having so much while those you serve have so little. But understanding God’s grace and humbly serving others at least helps. But it always changes you. It always marks your life.

In my mind’s eye I can clearly see the bowl of water all these years later. I can still see the people coming through the gate after walking kilometers to get their food. I can still see them trying to manage the heavy bags of rice and millet. But something was missing. Not one person complained about the lack of a vehicle to carry their load. Each was just grateful to be able to eat that night. And, yes, we were changed again. I would like to think that a little of their gratitude rubbed off on us and that it still remains. I know we will never forget those eleven or twelve days in Niger.

You don’t have to go to Africa, or Haiti, or Nicaragua, or London, or China, or Bulgaria, or the Philippines or wherever to serve. Each of us are missionaries on a mission field and each of us can serve others…just like Jesus did. One day He was sitting on a hillside teaching the people and He said, “Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.” It really is that simple. It won’t get you to heaven…God’s grace and faith in what Jesus did on the cross does that. But it is an opportunity to be like Him…to love like Him. It’s a tall order but don’t worry, you know that He’s got this too.

Family, food, Grace, gratitude, life, prayer, priorities, Scripture, sovereignty of God, thankful

Holy Moley

Posted on January 18, 2021January 17, 2021 by Dewayne Taylor

The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it.” Proverbs 27:12

This is the kind of story I don’t like writing. Since some of you know me and some of you don’t, I’ll start by saying that I have issues. Yup…and more than one. With that said, this story is about my health issues. All my life I have had this battle with my weight. Although people say I wear it well, I pack more baggage than I need to carry on this trip called life. Consequently, most of the time I am either on the way up…or on the way down. That’s just the way it is. And honestly, it is all about—sugar.

You see, I love snacks, and in particular, I love sweet snacks. Now I’m not talking about candy though I’m not saying I would turn down a Butterfinger. No, I like baked stuff and I am an equal opportunities eater. Pies, cakes, donuts, cookies, brownies, cinnamon rolls—if it is baked and sweet—count me in. To help counter the calories, I do try and exercise—at least some. In fact, at the beginning of last year, 2020, I managed to walk a couple of miles a day, five and six times a week for months. Yay for me…but then something happened. However and whatever the cause, sometime late fall I quit and when I quit—it happened. The flat-out truth is I started gaining girth like a snowball going downhill.

Well, I did what any self-respecting foodaholic does—I just quit getting on the scale and, oh yes, I quit checking my blood sugar too. Did I mention that I am a diabetic? Did you also know that donuts, cake, pie, cookies, and brownies don’t go with diabetes? But don’t worry, I’m not a really severe diabetic. That’s another way you quit doing the right thing. You simply justify your behavior. A guy said this week that justifying is “just a lying.’” Ouch.

I was a recipe, no pun intended, for disaster. I could tell I wasn’t doing well. I could feel my body saying, “Excuse me.” After binge eating on whatever was sweet one Sunday, I got on the scale on Monday. Holy moly. I also checked my blood sugar on Monday. Holy moly the second time. Good grief. I was so frustrated with myself. I didn’t even have to ask, how did it happen? I knew…all too well.

Here’s the deal. You know those red lights and crossing guards at railroad crossings? Do you know the consequences when you ignore them? Well, I ignored the lights and the crossing guard and the easiest way to do that was just quit—quit weighing and quit sticking your finger. Anybody can tell you the truth of this. To start down the wrong path just STOP doing the things that help you be accountable. Maybe, your AA meetings. Maybe your exercise. Maybe going to church. Maybe reading your Bible. Well, the list goes on and on.

I stumbled on a really, good verse in the book of Proverbs this week. It says a wise person will see danger and take cover. A foolish (or inexperienced) person will see the same danger and keep right on going. That’s a good verse. No, that’s a great verse. What about you, what is it in your life right now that you can see the red lights flashing and the crossing guard down? More importantly, what are going to do with it. Trust me…it is really important. You see that decision will determine your regrets and consequences. Remember that “holy moly” moment I wrote about—yup, that’s the deal.

The answer is simple. Stop saying tomorrow and start today. There’s a saying I just love—when you are tempted to stop, just remember why you started. I know I’m only two weeks in but here’s the results so far. By returning to my exercise and eating healthy and breaking up with my beloved carbs and sweets, I have dropped over 13 pounds and my sugar…normal. I am grateful that my body still responds to doing the right things. And for me it is relatively easy…at least with these two things. But trust me there are other things that are a daily battle.

The good news is I have someone who stays by my side…as the Bible says, a friend closer than a brother. Who would that be? My Dearest Daddy. He is for me and never against me. He has things planned for me that are too good to miss. I know this COVID has messed with our spiritual stuff pretty badly. But I hope you will make the decision, today, to “get back on the scale.” Your Heavenly Father will be there to help. He’s got this.

Family, forgiveness, Grace, life, loving others, missions, prayer, priorities, Scripture, thankful, travel, wisdom

Zone of Fire

Posted on January 15, 2021January 14, 2021 by Dewayne Taylor

And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity.” James 1:6a

It was over in a flash. Well, most everyone has heard of Johnny Cash and most everyone has heard his number one hit, “Ring of Fire.” Well, Johnny had his ring and I had my “zone of fire.” Twenty-five or so years ago my brother decided he would come up and visit with my wife and I. It was a big deal because he is from the deep south and well, for him to cross the Mason-Dixon Line was pretty much a miracle. When we were making plans, he mentioned that he wanted to go pheasant hunting. Well, I checked into it and found that there was a “bird farm” about an hour from where we lived.

A “bird farm” is a business that owes a ton of land and then raises birds to be released into the wild for the purpose of hunting. When the day came, we drove up to the bird farm. When we got there, it was me, him and a couple of other guys, we checked in and the guy said that we would have a dog hunt with us. That was strange since we didn’t pay for one but hey, ok. We headed out with the dog and the guide. The way this works is you form a line, straight across, and about fifteen to twenty feet apart. Then the dog works the area in front of you as you move forward. If the dog goes on point (which means he found a bird) then the guide scares up the bird and someone, or a lot of someones, shoot. So we hunted, and hunted and hunted. The bottom line? I was pretty sure there wasn’t a bird within a hundred miles of that place. The dog never went on point.

From there things went downhill. The owner came and said that he had accidentally given us the dog and we had to give him up…so we did. That meant we were totally on our own. We would walk through the weeds saying, “Here birdie, birdie.” Ok, not really but we did walk through the field just trying to scare up a bird. It was beginning to look like a continuation of the time with the dog when it happened. As we walked through the field, and with no warning, we scared up a bird. It was a beautiful male pheasant and he just exploded off the ground about thirty feet in front of me and slightly to my right.

I can’t tell you how fast this all happened. He leapt into the air, I raised my bird gun and fired. It really was over in a flash and it was a perfect shot. Just like that the bird was down and everyone was excited. I had shot pheasant once or twice before but honestly it was a great shot…all except one thing. Not once, not for a millisecond did I think about my “zone of fire.” Basically, the zone of fire is the predetermined area where it is safe for you to fire your weapon. It obviously includes where there aren’t any people. Now, it all worked out just fine. I was within my zone of fire, but it was not because I intentionally did it—it was just luck.

While I don’t personally believe in luck, I do believe in a God who takes care of us…even when we are just a little—careless. Truth be known, if that bird was a little closer to the line of guys I could have wounded one of my friends and that would have been unbelievably tragic. When you have a weapon, you need to be sharp, you need to be focused, and you need to be careful. You must be always be aware of your zone of fire.

That truth doesn’t just apply to weapons, you know. We need to apply it anytime we are with people. You see, we carry a lethal weapon with us all the time. That would be our mouth. And if we are not careful, a situation may come up, and before even thinking, boom…someone is wounded or hurt. And the crazy part? It can happen in a flash just like pheasant exploding off the ground in front of me. In a moment of time, we can fire from the mouth that will leave a lasting, and sometimes permanent scar, on the heart of someone around us. We just need to be careful.

James, the half-brother of Jesus said that the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. We all know the stories of the wildfires in the west—the grave property damage and the tragic loss of life. And James says in the same way the tongue can cause that kind of damage in the lives of people. What can we do to prevent that? The same thing when we are using our weapons around others. We need to be sharp, we need to be focused, and we need to be careful. Now, I have a friend who is a weapons expert and a great hunter. If he had been there that day, he would have given us a safety briefing which would have included our “zone of fire.”

We have an expert with our tongues too. He is our Dearest Daddy and because He made us, He knows the destructive power of the tongue and can help us control it. As we walk through each day, He will be by our side and He will guide us and help us. He will whisper the guidance we need to be safe and not hurt others. He is a guide that can be trusted and depended on. After all, He’s got this.

Family, forgiveness, Grace, gratitude, life, loving others, prayer, priorities, Scripture, thankful, wisdom

My Blurry World

Posted on January 13, 2021January 12, 2021 by Dewayne Taylor

Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.” Romans 13:14

One day it became obvious. We all know about DNA and how we pick things up from our ancestors. Whether it is hair (or lack of it) from an uncle or our leaning toward a certain body build, the ones who have gone before have left their fingerprints all over us. However, sometimes, it doesn’t work that way. My Daddy and Mama both wore glasses and yet somehow, I ended up with pretty good vision. I can remember in my younger years I could spot something in the distance that others would miss. It was better than 20/20.

Then one day I noticed something. While I don’t remember the exact day, I do remember the thing that called my attention to it. One day, I looked down at my watch and realized that it was a bit fuzzy. Hmmmm. So, I moved my arm around a bit and soon everything was back in focus. There….problem solved. This went on for a while and though it was a slight inconvenience it wasn’t a deal. Yet.

I was about 40 when this “slight inconvenience” began but I don’t think I fully understood that it was a beginning. As the years went by, I began playing the trombone. You know, to get my eyes to adjust I would have to move my watch, or the book or whatever, in and out to gain focus. That worked…until one day my arms just weren’t long enough. My eye doctor told me what I already knew—it was time for readers.

Readers are these glasses you wear when your arms are too short. You don’t wear them all the time, you simply put them on when you need to look at something close up. So, every morning, I wake up—or at least that’s the plan. And, because my regular vision is good, I still have the ability to see around the room and far off. But when I sit down and want to read my Bible or my iPad it instantly becomes apparent—I need my readers. I quickly remember that it is a blurry world without them—at least my close-up world is. So, I slip them on and boom—I can see—clearly.

The key is remembering where your glasses are. I have multiple pairs in my home office, I have two on my desk and one by my chair when I read. I know that they are essential—to see close-up. I know some people struggle with the far-off thing and I might too one day but for now…readers are my friends…readers are my essentials. Nobody wants to live in a blurry world, especially when the world is so blurry you can’t make heads or tails of anything.

I’m a Jesus follower and because of that I know there is a pretty promising future out there. I’m sure He has my future in His hands though I’m not sure what that always looks like. I am learning just to hang on and trust. I do know ultimately because of my faith in Him (and certainly not because I deserve it) I will spend my forever with Him in a place called Heaven. I don’t know where you land with that but, hey, it is most definitely worth checking out. Grab a copy of the Bible and read it for yourself. It’s been around a really long time with no revisions so it’s something that can be trusted.

But that is then. What about the here and what about the now? Well, just like I really need a little help reading up close, I need more than a little help to do life—up close and personal. And that is one of my favorite things about following Jesus. He doesn’t wait for a time way off in the future to be there for me. He is here now. Sometimes it is from the Bible, sometimes it is in my every day walkabout life, and sometimes it seems like a still small voice but He is there to help me in my otherwise blurry life. Over and again, I see His handiwork—I call them love notes—as He helps me journey. I’m learning the more I look—the more I see. The more I see—the more I want to look.

It took me awhile but now it is a natural reflex for me to put my glasses on. When I pick up a book, glasses on. When I’m reading the instruction manual, glasses on. When I’m setting the thermostat, glasses on. I’m also learning to put on Jesus the same way. Difficult decision…Jesus on. Wisdom to make it through the day…Jesus on. Need help forgiving or being kind…Jesus on. Paul, one of the writers in the New Testament, says that we should make it a point to put on Jesus, but he doesn’t stop there. He says that we should not even crack the door open for things that are contrary to the Word. He knows nothing blurs our world like going crossways with God. And here’s the amazing part…it really works. Just like my glasses give me clarity, so does Jesus. He makes life make sense. And I have the confident assurance that because He can see clearly…He always knows the answer. And because He does, He’s got this.

Family, forgiveness, Grace, gratitude, life, loving others, Military memories, prayer, priorities, Scripture

Blindside

Posted on January 11, 2021January 10, 2021 by Dewayne Taylor

So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 7:12

I was blindsided. It was time for a haircut. Now that is a relative statement—you know like relatively speaking. I had five brothers and only two of us are left. All the brothers had hair—lots of hair. No receding hairlines, no clogged drains in the shower, no nothing but lots of hair. And then there is me. While my daddy had a receding hairline he never lost his hair. Well, that was them and that was him but it sure isn’t me. It started with a receding hairline, then it became a thinning receding hairline and then it became a full blown retreat. I now have a really, long forehead. I don’t know if it is still in full retreat or if we are holding our own. The jury is still out. So, I’m trying to say that a haircut for me is a relative statement. I am grateful that getting a haircut still doesn’t mean getting a solitary hair cut, but I do remember the days when there were more than a few.

Now, I keep my hair short for two reasons. First, I have grayish white hair and I found it doesn’t look quite as white if I keep it shorter. Second, and I can only guess, it is a carryover from my days with my Daddy and in the military. For the first 18 years of my life my Daddy made sure I kept my hair short (even though it was the late sixties and early seventies). After him, it was twelve years in the Air Force, and they made sure it was short. Well, after 30 years of short hair I figured, why change now? So, the bottom line is about once a month I go see my hair cutter person. Even after a month, my hair is sparse and less than an inch long.

So, I was in the chair and she was clipping and buzzing along. She has cut my hair for the last 15 or so years so she knows the landscape pretty well. Well, she said, “Dewayne did you hit your head or something?” I assured her I hadn’t, but she was sure something had happened. Well, my wife Judy had gotten me a pair of virtual reality goggles for Christmas. I had used them the night before and the straps fitted pretty tightly around my head, so I assured her that was what she was seeing. Then she said, “Well, let me show you.”

Before I knew it, there was a mirror in my hand, and she turned me around so I was looking in the mirror. I could see something I had never seen—the back of my head. Oh.My.Goodness. You see, I naturally assumed that my…oh, how I hate to use the word…baldness stopped on top of my head. I also assumed that I had the mane of Samson in the back. I was wrong. There in the mirror I got to see what everyone else saw all the time. While it wasn’t totally hairless let’s just saw it was pretty thin. You might say it was wavy—you know, the hairs there had plenty of space to wave at one another.

Well, I gasped and bless her heart, she did her best to assure me it wasn’t that bad—the average person looking wouldn’t even notice. She said you would have to look real close to see it. She was so nice, but I had the strangest feeling she was not telling the whole truth. And in that moment I realized that my days of teasing people with a halo at the back of their head were probably over. I had reached a new level of membership in the hair club—or perhaps more appropriately, the “no hair club.” What struck me as funny was I had no idea. I really was blindsided. I couldn’t see what any other person walking behind me could see. To make matters worse, let’s just say that I’m not the tallest guy in the neighborhood. That means everyone taller than me, which is probably 90% of the adult population, had a great view of my impending hair doom.

Well, that started the wheels turning in my mind. I wondered just how many other things are there about me that I am totally blind to? How many times did my impatience at the grocery store show? How many times did my glaring eyes betray my true feeling when some nice “little, old lady” pulled out in traffic in front of me? How many times was my sarcasm not as veiled as I thought? Oh my!

So, I think I might have learned something valuable at the hair cutting place that day. It wasn’t that I should get a hand mirror so I can see the back of my head. No, it was the fact that I should, we should, be aware that people are always deserving of our courtesy, our kindness, our compassion. If we are Jesus people, especially if we are Jesus people, we should make a conscious decision to be authentically nice. The golden rule, which is found in the Bible, says “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” Truth is it is not always easy to be kind, but it is always right. And when it seems especially hard, don’t panic. God is good at being kind so you can rest assured that He will help you. After all, “He’s got this.”

fear, forgiveness, Grace, gratitude, life, loving others, missions, prayer, priorities, Scripture, travel, wisdom

Jesus Road

Posted on January 8, 2021January 7, 2021 by Dewayne Taylor

There is no distinction between Jew and Greek, because the same Lord of all richly blesses all who call on Him. For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:12-13

It seemed like a waste of time. I was part of a mission’s medical team and we were ministering in Uganda. We were working with a ministry that helped orphans and due to war, aids and poverty—there were many to help. After ministering at the orphanage, we went out to local villages and bush to reach more of the people. Medical care, though extremely inexpensive, was out of the reach of most of the people. That alone clearly speaks of their poverty. It was such an opportunity to help others.

Before we started the clinic, I would have the opportunity to speak to the people. I would explain that there was a Man named Jesus who was like no other man. He would go from village to village helping people—often healing them of their diseases. I would explain that He did it because He loved them. Then, I would tell the people that we were followers of that Man and just as He wanted to help people—we wanted to help them. I explained that the medicine and the doctors were there at no charge to them because someone else had paid the price. And naturally, that led to me sharing how God was offering them a way for their spiritual brokenness to be forgiven.

Some of the people in the village had heard of this Man—many had not. Some were Muslims and some followed whatever local religion they were familiar with. Before they saw the doctors, we had the privilege of sharing with them more about this man Jesus. We would ask them if they wanted to leave whatever “god” road they were on and walk the Jesus Road. While it seems simplistic here, there it made perfect sense. There was no pressure just an opportunity to believe. Whether they said yes or no, the medicine, the help, was theirs for free. That’s what Jesus would do.

It had been a long day and we had seen well over a hundred patients—maybe two hundred. Many had said yes to the question about the Jesus Road, but some simply said no. As the day wore on, our spirits were still willing, but our bodies were growing tired. Finally, there was just one man left and it was my turn to share with him. He was tall and dressed in the traditional Muslin clothing. I could tell that he was elderly, but I was surprised to learn that he was 81 years old. Now, honestly, the chances of a Muslin man that old choosing to change roads was slim to none. It seemed like an exercise in futility.

I shared a Bible story with him and was surprised that he paid close attention. At the end of the story, which spoke of a person choosing to walk the Jesus Road, through the interpreter, I asked him, “Would you like to follow this Jesus Road?” Much to my utter surprise, he responded, “Yes, I would.” I was certain he just didn’t understand my question, so I rephrased it and his response was the same. Amazing. Finally, I said, “Do you understand that walking the Jesus Road requires you to leave the road you are on?” I said, “You cannot walk two roads…only one.” His response was, “I choose the Jesus Road.”

We bowed our heads and he prayed telling Creator God that he was a sinner, but he believed that Jesus had died to pay for his sins. He said that he was willing to leave all other roads and follow only Jesus. And just like that, this dear old man, became a Jesus follower. Did he fully understand all the theology that was involved? Probably not, but he did know that God loved him, that he was a sinner and Jesus would forgive him and that was enough. What seemed like a waste of time, an exercise of futility, turned into the most amazing moment of the trip. That day that man became a child of God.

This story never grows old—and neither does the old, old story about Jesus being born, living, dying, being buried, and coming back to life in three days—never to die again. It is a factual, amazing story. I am always amazed that we know more about this carpenter from a small village in the middle of nowhere than we do of all the Roman emperors. Do you know the reason? Jesus is the real deal. How about that?

You might be surprised to learn that Jesus wasn’t a big fan of religion. In fact, neither is God. I always think of religion as man’s attempt to reach God while Jesus was God’s way to reach us. A relationship with God is not about church, being good, or keeping rules. It is about God’s love and our faith in what Jesus did. It is simple, it is powerful, and it is true.

If you want a witness, you can go to Uganda and find my 81-year-old friend, but truthfully, he probably isn’t there. By now, he has most likely followed the Jesus Road straight into heaven. That’s where it ultimately ends. And as much as I love the fact that the road leads there, I am also so glad that there is room for two to walk side by side—Jesus and me, Jesus and you, Jesus and us. And as we walk, I know that I can face whatever the road holds because, “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne