Category: priorities

Posted in Family, Grace, gratitude, heaven, life, prayer, priorities, Scripture, thankful

The Best Deal Ever

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

He is so rich in kindness and grace that He purchased our freedom with the blood of His Son and forgave our sins.” Ephesians 1:7

Who needs three weed-eaters? So, for a while I have been wanting a good battery powered weed-eater.  Now, first, I need to tell you that thing that cuts your weeds is not a weed-eater…it is a string trimmer. Weed-eater is a name brand…not the name of a tool.  So, with that settled, I really was intrigued with the idea of a string trimmer that didn’t need to be cranked.  Imagine just mashing a button…and away you go. Wack, wack, wack.

Being rather frugal, I just wasn’t really to lay down the big bucks, so my wish remained just that…a wish.  And then it happened.  I got an email that said Home Depot had a collection of tools battery tools and several of them were on super-duper sale—75% off. Well, I headed over to their site and got a chainsaw and a blower.  Awesome.  When I finally got to the weed wackers…they were sold out. Bummer.

Well, for the next several days, I would check to see if they had any more in stock.  On Saturday morning, I got up and, on a whim, checked and they had fifteen in stock.  Now these babies had a straight shaft, all kinds of cool features and were powered by a 62-volt, four amp hour battery.  We are talking about major power.  And this is the best part…there were two models—one with an aluminum shaft and one with a carbon fiber shaft and they were selling for $39.00 for the aluminum one and $47.00 for the carbon fiber shaft.  This was amazing.

I thought about it for just about one second and bought…three…two carbon fiber and one aluminum. Yup…that’s right.  I figured I might as well be weed wacker fixed for the rest of my life.  When they were delivered…they were amazing.  In fact, I still can’t believe what a deal it was. I mean, the chainsaw was great, the blower was great, but the string trimmers were amazing.  As advertised, squeeze the trigger and wack, wack, wack.

Now I don’t think I was being greedy, and I don’t think I was being selfish…at least not much. I’ve learned that when an opportunity arises…especially one that costs under fifty bucks and is 75% off…you need to jump and jump fast. But wait…all of that pales when you think about the best deal ever—the one that gives you eternal life.  God offers all of us “whosoever wills” His forgiveness and love and all we have to do is a “life 360” and believe in His Son.  Now that is not only a deal…it is the best deal ever.  Need more info? Just read His Book, the Bible, and then take some time to talk with Him—that’s called prayer. What you will discover is just like everything else…He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, forgiveness, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, love, loving others, prayer, priorities, Scripture, sovereignty of God, thankful, Trials

Rooms

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask Him!” Matthew 6:8

I read it…and I just didn’t like it.  We live in a house with what seems like a lot of rooms.  I heard Pastor Andy Stanley say that we know we are blessed because we even have rooms for our cars.  They are called garages.  I suppose my favorite room is the kitchen because that is where my wife Judy cooks our delicious meals.  She is a very good cook, and I am a very good eater!  My second favorite room is my home office or, you could say my, “Man Cave.”

While it is true that it is where I do a lot of my studying and writing, its walls are full of memories.  The walls are filled with different things and all of them spark different emotions and memories.  Over here is a map with red pins that shows all the places where Judy and I have travelled. Over there is a shotgun that belonged to my Daddy. On another wall is a picture of me and group of friends praying for a man in Africa.  And finally, on two other walls are two large pictures—one is a print of a family in their southern yard just living—playing and working. The other is a beautiful mountain scene that we purchased during our time in Germany so many years ago.

Rooms can be very special for various reasons.  I was reading this week and by way of illustration a writer told a story of a young boy who had a dream that he was in heaven.  Someone showed him a room filled with cars, boats and other toys but piled on the other side of the room were arms and legs and other body parts.  I know…it sounds gruesome. When the boy asked his guide what it meant he was told that they were answers to prayers that people never prayed.  I guess it makes for a good story but honestly—I didn’t like it.

“Why” you ask?  Well, the idea that the God that loves me and cares for me would let me walk around blind or crippled only because I didn’t ask just doesn’t work for me.  I mean He loved me enough to send His Son to die for me…for the whole world…and then would allow His kids to remain broken and lame only because they didn’t ask just doesn’t work.  Oh, and then, Jesus said that He knows what we need even before we ask.  No, I think God is an opened handed, loving Father who cares for us.

Of course, I also believe that prayer is far more than a wish list.  I believe the scriptures teach about prayer being more about fellowship and an intimate relationship between God and His children.  Prayer isn’t about changing God’s mind or persuading Him to do this or that.  No, prayer is about changing us…to believe…to trust…to love the One who made us.  I know there are a lot of scriptures in the Bible about prayer, but we only get a clear picture when we put them together. Like a giant jigsaw puzzle comes to life when all the pieces are in place…so it is with prayer.

Well, I don’t think there will be those kind of rooms in heaven but if there were…I know one I do think would be there.  And that room would be a gallery of pictures of all the things our Dearest Daddy did for us that we never even knew about.  It would be a room filled with unnoticed miracles, love notes, and blessings and it would have to be a big room because He is a busy God…loving, blessing, and caring…for each of us.

I’m grateful for the open-handed love of our great God.  If we take the time to pause and look, we will see more and more of what He does for us every day.  Judy and I are learning that so often joy is in the journey, and do you know what?  I am learning that the power of prayer is in the intimacy, the relationship that can only come from time spend together with the One who made me…made us.  Oh, and when we are talking, and I’m sharing my concerns, I just know He is there listening and sometimes whispering…telling me not to worry because, “He’s got this.”  Bro. Dewayne

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

Indispensable Volunteers

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.” In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary.”1 Corinthians 12:21-22

Who really is most important? In March of 1981, President Ronald Reagan was shot as he was walking toward the presidential limousine. The President spent several weeks in the hospital recovering from the injuries he sustained in the shooting. And although he was the nation’s chief executive, his hospitalization had very little impact on the daily lives of Americans.

Now consider this. Not too long ago, garbage collectors in a major city went on a three-week strike.  Within a matter of days, the city was a mess, causing a major health hazard for the citizens, and bringing the city to a near halt. Think about it.

Weeks without a president…and weeks without garbage collectors. Which of these had more impact upon the functioning of our nation? Though it is hard to grasp clearly, the absence of the garbage collectors had a larger impact—at least in that city.

This valuable lesson is something that we need to remember in church.  All too often we think that just because a person has a title such as pastor, deacon or perhaps trustee, that they are the most important.  In reality, it is the everyday member who volunteers and serves week in and week out that makes the biggest difference.

This past Sunday, after speaking, I headed to the doors to shake hands and greet the folks.  I opened the doors to the foyer and was greeted with a room full of children…thirty-four to be exact, waiting for their parents.  With them was a couple of our faithful volunteers who had spent the last 45 minutes loving on them and teaching them about Jesus.  I was both impressed and blessed—grateful for their service.

Our church, and yours, needs people who will volunteer for seemingly insignificant jobs that are almost always behind the scenes. The truth is that these jobs are not insignificant at all…they are vitally important. So be sure and thank them because we can’t do the work without them. Oh, and be sure and thank the Lord too and while you are talking with Him, ask Him is there any area you need to be helping with.  Sound frightening?  Don’t worry…as always…He’s got that. Bro. Dewayne

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

Locks

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” Proverbs 4:23

Well, that didn’t do a lot of good.  A while back my wife Judy and I attended a pastor’s conference at the Billy Graham Training Center in North Carolina.  It was so refreshing to get away and as always, we were treated like royalty.  The teaching, the facilities, and the food were all top notch.  It was like an oasis where we could pause and refill—to drink deeply from His well of living water.

So, too soon, it was time to head back home and because the conference was over in the middle of the day, it just made sense to stop about halfway and spend the night. Cookeville, Tennessee is just about the midway point, so we booked an Airbnb. It was a nice place and we unloaded and then went to get a bite to eat. In the meantime, it decided to rain.  Now let me explain this was one of those rains that could drown a fish.  It rained, rained hard and it rained a long time. I was about to check the price on gopher wood.  Anyway, when we got back to our home for the evening, I jumped out of the car and unlocked the door and Judy followed.

Well, it continued to rain and several times I went outside to see what was happening.  You could hear the rain from inside the apartment and you could just tell it was coming down in buckets.  Of course, there was the occasional lightning followed by a good, ole thunderclap.  Each time I went out I was careful to lock the door back.  You know, the neighborhood looked safe, but you can never tell.  Finally, it was time to head to bed and I checked the door, and it was locked.  We were safe and sound.

Well, sometime in the night, I woke up to rollover and I thought I heard something.  Now don’t panic…it was nothing, but I thought it might be something.  And then, something occurred to me, a question really.  I asked myself, “Did you leave the key in the lock on the door?”  Well, that made me wonder…and for good reason.  So, in the middle of the night I got up and turned on the lights.  I looked on the counter and guess what?  The key was nowhere to be seen.  I had a sneaking suspicion I knew just where to find it.

I walked over to the door, unlocked the deadbolt, and opened the door and there for everyone and anyone to see and find…was the key.  Well, I obviously took it out of the lock and gratefully locked the door back, put the key on the counter and went back to bed.  After a short prayer thanking God for keeping us safe, I drifted back off to sleep…no harm and no foul.  But it did make me think.

You see the door had two locks…one on the doorknob and one a deadbolt.  Those together would certainly keep out any bad guys.  But with the key right there…well, those locks weren’t going to keep anyone out.  With the key in the lock, it was like hanging out a “Y’all come on in!” sign. As I mentioned, no one tried to come in, but I had rendered the locks useless by leaving the key there.

It made me wonder how often do we leave the keys in the locks that guard our heart, our mind, our character, our marriage, our anything?  You see, God watched out for Judy and me that night and gratefully, He also watches out for us in life.  But as sure as an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, it is better to remove the key and lock the lock.  Wouldn’t it have been crazy, though, for me to leave the key in the lock because, after all, no one tried to come in…yet?  And just because nothing has gone amiss in our lives yet doesn’t mean that it can’t, and it won’t.

The Bible tells us in the Book of Smart Living, aka Proverbs, to guard our hearts because out of it comes the wellspring of our lives. In other words, we need to lock the door of our hearts and put the key safely away. If you are wondering the best way to guard your heart, to lock the door to your heart, I believe the Bible is the answer.  It is just jam-packed with help from the One who made us.  And remember, the Bible isn’t just a book of rules…it is a book for living well. Like guardrails on a curvy road, it keeps us from big regrets and consequences.  Written on the pages and in between the lines is His calm assurance that we don’t have to worry because He is with us and yes, He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, forgiveness, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, love, loving others, missions, prayer, priorities, Scripture, sovereignty of God, thankful, Trials, wisdom

What’s Your Worth?

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only Begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

Well, it happens every fall and that year was no exception…we got to pay the first installment on our property taxes. There is a first installment because there is a second installment and there is a second installment because taxes are well, really steep. All this reminds me of something that came in the mail a year or so ago and it was from the tax guy—the assessor to be specific.

They told me they had driven by my house, and they really liked it—a lot.  And, since they liked it so much, they thought it was worth a lot more than they had previously thought.  A whole lot more.  They blessed me with a reassessment and the grand prize was I got to pay more property taxes. Yay.  Well, not really but it did give me a great opportunity to learn about how much God loves me.  Here’s what happened.

If you have been here before you probably know my day job is being a pastor. It is something that I really enjoy.  My favorite thing is sharing THE story but also sharing stories.  I love to take big truths and present them in a way that anyone can grasp them.  I think that is what Jesus did and I figure if He did it I should too.

A while back I was sharing the story from the Bible how four guys take this paralyzed guy to see Jesus.  When they got there, the house was stuffed with people.  There was no way they were going to get in.  So, they decided to take this guy up on the roof, dig a hole in the roof and then lower him right in front of Jesus.  It was crazy, it was radical, and it was different, but they believed two things.  They believe that Jesus could heal their friend and that the friend was worth the effort.  We all could use friends like that.

They began to haul this guy up the ladder to the roof.  Can you even imagine how difficult and challenging that was?  I mean how do you keep a paralyzed guy from falling off his mat while climbing a ladder?  Well, somehow, they pulled it off.  When they got to the top, they began to remove the thatch first and then break apart the mud and tiles.  After they had made a hole big enough to get this guy through—they lowered him down and He landed right in front of Jesus. I bet there was more than one person who wondered what in the world was going on. I bet too some people were grumbling about tearing up a perfectly good roof to get some poor, paralyzed guy in front of Jesus. I mean if he had been some rich guy maybe, but a nobody? And that’s what rang my bell.

You see to those four guys and to Jesus—this guy wasn’t a nobody—he was a somebody.  He was worth way more than a hole in the roof.  In fact, through the eyes of Jesus every soul if incredibly valuable, including yours.  And that’s when the reassessment thing came into focus. Remember, when the tax folks drove by my house they liked what they saw and they increased my assessment.  Their assessment really only means I get to pay more taxes.  It really doesn’t tell me what my house is really worth.

You see, I learned a while back that anything you or I own—our house, our car, is worth only what someone is willing to pay for it. That’s the bottom line.  So, here’s the deal.  God drove by your soul, my soul and assigned a value to it—what it was worth to Him and what He was willing to pay to redeem it.  Do you know what that was?  Well, we find it in the Bible.  It says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  Get that—everlasting (as in eternal) life.  God’s assessment of our value to Him was the life of His very own Son.  He allowed His Son to die on a Roman cross because He counted us as somehow worth it.  He just loved us that much.

Well, the end of the story for the paralyzed guy was pretty amazing too.  Jesus first calls him Son—not worthless, not broken, but Son. Then He forgives the guy’s sin—not what he wanted but what he needed—and finally, He tells him to stand up, take his mat, and go home.  Three seemingly impossible things but with Jesus, as you can probably guess, nothing is impossible when He shows up. The guy jumps up, takes his mat and leaves as the crowd is standing in disbelief.  They said they have never seen anything like that—and they hadn’t. The key thing is that the guy had to not only believe but also act on what he believed and each one of us must do the same.  We must believe that Jesus is Who He says He is and can do what He says He can do.  When we believe that—we are forgiven, and God becomes our Father.

Truth be known, I wasn’t too happy about my reassessment, but I was glad it taught me a new way to look at how much God loves me…and you.  When we are down on ourselves, when all I can see are failures and warts, when I want to give up and quit, I remind myself that my Heavenly Father thinks I am worth a lot. You see, I’m also learning that His opinion is the only one that matters. So why not take a rest in Him today.  Because you know—He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

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

Christmas in July

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ” Acts 20:35

Christmas in July? The other day, I heard Christmas music seeping from the direction of my wife Judy’s home office. I wandered a little closer and discovered that what I thought I heard was indeed what I did hear—Christmas music.  As it turns out, she was just in the mood.  You see, Christmas music is so enjoyable, and she asked why save it for just a few weeks, once a year?  Why indeed? So, she continued to play the music of “that most wonderful time of the year” and she enjoyed it and so did I.

After all, who said we could only celebrate Christmas in December.  Why not July?  It turns out that Christmas in July is not a new “thing.” For years a few things would pop up with the idea and theme of “Christmas in July.”  In fact, tonight at the church where I pastor, we did something very Christmas like.  We packed Operation Christmas Child boxes in preparation for them being shipped around the world to children in need in some of the neediest places there are.

The boxes have a few toiletry items like soap, a toothbrush, a comb, and a washcloth.  Then there are always some school supplies and finally a few small toys.  In fact, the boxes for the 10-14 boys tonight got some simple tools.  Now here in America, the box would only garner a quick glance and a yawn but where these boxes are headed—well, it will be like our Christmas morning…no matter the date they arrive. And trust me…Operation Christmas Child is one of the most splendid things we can do for the others in this world who have so little.

So, let me encourage you to pack a shoebox…oh, definitely this November and December…but why not right now…in July?  In fact, why not pack one every month?  When you think of the excitement those kids will experience and then add to the fact that a local pastor will share the Good News of Christmas too, well it is quite the deal. So let me wish you a very Merry Christmas in July and let me remind you what the Christmas Child taught us…it is more blessed to give than to receive…whether it is July or December.

Christmas is God’s great idea…that His Son would come to earth, can you imagine that? God becoming a little baby, all for the purpose of showing His love for us.  He cared enough that He provided a way for all of us who choose to repent and believe in Him, so that we can be a part of His family…having the right to call Him, “Dearest Daddy.”  Having the right to know that no matter what, He will take care of us.  Knowing that no matter what…He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, love, loving others, prayer, priorities, Scripture, Southern born, thankful, travel

From Sea to Shining Sea

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

Give thanks for everything.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18

With the slam of the door and a twist of the key we were off.  Every summer families all across the country take to the roads and skies on vacation.  We live in a country where the destination can be anywhere and everywhere.  As the song, “America the Beautiful” says, “Oh beautiful, for spacious skies, for amber waves of grain, for purple mountain majesties, above the fruited plain.” And that is just the start. The great song, “God Bless America,” says, “From the mountains to the prairies to the oceans white with foam.” Truly from sea to shining sea America is worth seeing.

Well, even though the Taylor tribe didn’t make it from one sea to the other, we did get to see a chunk of it.  And, times being what they were, our travels weren’t planned with destinations in mind but rather family in mind.  We would travel to where they lived and stay with them…seeing what there was to see. And trust me…there was always something to see.

My brother Lee and his family lived in New Jersey.  Now to be honest there wasn’t too much to see in New Jersey but next door to his state was New York City and there was plenty to see there.  I was pretty young when we made that journey but I remember being amazed at all the big buildings and the zillions of people.  It seems we saw the grand lady, the Statue of Liberty and marveled to see how she welcomed millions to this new land of opportunity.

My brother Jimmy and his family lived in Texas and I know two things.  Texas was a long way from Florida and it was a whole lot different.  I don’t think I saw a single palm tree but believe it or not, we saw one of the biggest lakes ever…right there in Texas.  We had a cook out, rode in a fast boat, and learned first-hand that everything is big in Texas.

My brother Joe and his tribe lived in the Smoky Mountains and hands down that was one of my favorite places.  I was amazed at the mountains and all the lush greenness that covered them. It is still one of my favorite places to go.  Not long ago I found myself at a lookout overlooking a wide and deep gorge.  I stood and marveled remembering that the last time I had stood there was when I was about ten.  It hadn’t changed a bit.

Of course when my sister Agnes and her husband settled in Daytona Beach for him to go to school I thought we had won the lottery.  It was close enough that we could visit more than once and it was always the grandest of adventures.  She was a good cook and I remember she would buy steaks from Publix with a fat patty of butter right in the middle.  Oh, and when she cooked spaghetti she always put pepperoni in it.  She was and is a great cook.

Yup, there’s a lot to be said for summer, vacations, and family. I was so grateful because honestly without them, our vacations would have been a whole lot shorter but because of their generosity—we had a great time.  It reminds me that the best things are things we don’t buy at the store.  The best things are family and the memories we have of good times, past and present. I am thankful for this great land and for my great family.  Paul, the guy in the Bible, said we should always give thanks and I’m learning why that is so. And when you’re feeling a little underwhelmed with life, just ask the Father to fill in the gaps.  After all, He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

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

Up and Down

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

Do not be conformed to this age but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Romans 12:2a (CSB)

First you don’t…and then you do.  It is funny how different things can cause us to see, well, different things. So, after church one Wednesday night, when I got home my wife Judy and sat down to finish watching some random feel-good movie I had started.  As I sat there, I realized that the room seemed warm.  So, after a few minutes, I got up and checked and sure enough.  It wasn’t my imagination…the room really was warm. Well, in this case it wasn’t a matter of adjusting the thermostat…it meant that our downstairs air conditioning unit was NOT working.

I checked a couple of things but all to no available.  So, I decided I would call the air conditioning fix-it guys in the morning and off we went to bed.  Now for the good news. We have a separate unit for the upstairs and gratefully it was working fine.  Thank you, Lord.  So, we slept well, and I got up the next morning, had a couple of cups of coffee and some Jesus time and then a little later called the fix-it guys.  Turns out they could come first thing in that morning (God wink) and at 8:30 am they were there.  The compressor was bad so that meant a major repair—but maybe more on that later. But it also meant no quick fix.  Parts had to be ordered and work done—but more on that too.

But even though it was a hot day, the house stayed reasonably cool…oh, 83 degrees…warm but tolerable. So, later that night I went upstairs to get ready for bed…again grateful for the upstairs unit working so very well.  After a while, I realized I had to go back downstairs (forgot to take the night meds) and when I got downstairs it seemed almost unbearably warm.  Had it gotten warmer? What was the deal? Well, the answer is simply profound.

You see, when I lived in the warmer climate downstairs, I grew used to the warmer temperature.  But only a few minutes of the cooler upstairs bliss caused me to realize just how warm the warm was and just how cool the cool was. I guess I’m trying to say we seem to get used to what we live in.  Wait…that’s important.  Whatever we allow or tolerate, can quickly become at least somewhat tolerable or acceptable in our lives.

Of course, that can be good…there’s a lot to be said for learning to be content but if that something is something that is not good…that is dangerous.  You know, some habit, some circumstances, some environment is allowed to be a part of our lives and soon, too soon, we become comfortable with what used to make us uncomfortable.  I wonder how much in this changing culture have we become comfortable with—ok with? That is a good question.

The solution to this is the same solution as air conditioning.  Spend some time in the cool and you will always be able to feel and know how warm the room is.  It will rarely become “comfortable.”  We need to spend time with God every day, time in prayer and time in His Book, and that will help us keep our spiritual sensitivity. One of my favorite go-to verses is Romans 12:2 where it warns us not to allow the world to conform us…to allow us to be too comfortable. It goes on to say we should allow the Word from the God Book to transform us…to help us keep our spiritual equilibrium…or spiritual sensitivity.

Well, hopefully the air conditioning will be fixed in a couple of days but until then, well, we will keep being grateful for what is upstairs and for the lesson it is teaching us. I’m grateful God allows these things to teach us His big truths…like the one we know so well…no matter what…He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, love, loving others, prayer, priorities, Scripture, sovereignty of God, thankful

Same Kind of Different as Me

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.” Colossians 3:14

Opposites attract.  I’ve heard that all my life and I think it is true…well, at least sorta.  I mean, take my wife Judy and me.  In a lot of ways, we are similar.  We both like to eat…though I prefer dessert and she prefers food.  We both love traveling and adventures. We both love Jesus.  We both love to serve people.  Oh, and we both love each other.  So, there you go…but wait, in some ways we are different.  We recently went on vacation.  She packed her bag, and I packed mine.  Let me rephrase that.  She put…some would say dumped, clothes in her suitcase, sat on it and closed it.  As for me, well, I neatly organized each item and even sorted them by the function and when they would be used. We are sometimes different.

You can see that difference with our phones too.  If you look at Judy’s phone you will see that the inbox of her email account has 28,246 emails…and I’m not kidding.  On the other hand, my inbox has about 10 emails in it.  In her case, it is a system for keeping and in my case, it is a system for filing.  Hers is “Welcome home and stay as long as you like” and mine is, “In you come and out you go.”  She invited the relatives to move in and I invite them to stay…for just a while.  And then there are the little red dots.

On the iPhone, when there is something that requires action, a little red dot appears on the screen.  The dot stays there until you do something about it.  Well, Miss Judy’s screen on her iPhone looks like it has a case of measles.  There is a red dot here, and here, and here, and here, and oh, here too.  Now on my iPhone, dots are not welcome.  When one appears I almost immediately stop what I am doing to find out what it wants me to do.  You know how when you are growing up and some people get acne, and some don’t?  Well, my phone is the one that doesn’t.

Now, all this is well and good and there really isn’t a right or a wrong…unless of course you can’t see the screen for all the dots.  No, the Bible makes it clear that each one of us is fearfully and wonderfully made.  Each one of us is a jewel…a masterpiece. Some like a full inbox and some like it empty.  Some are organized and some, well, are not quite as much. Smile.  But here is what we need to remember…especially in relationships…especially in marriage.  Someone once said that if both people in a marriage are exactly alike…well, one of them isn’t necessary.  In any relationship…and especially in marriage…diversity is a good thing…a needed thing.

But wait…it’s not just in marriage…it is true with the team at work.  It is true with the people you worship with.  It is even true with the team you play with.  Diversity adds depth.  Diversity adds richness.  When we start feeling comfortable to associate with those who are different from us; when we start embracing others, even though we don’t always agree, a strength develops, and we all become better for it.

Judy and I have been married now for 47 years and people frequently tell us how much they appreciate the example we set in our marriage.  Well, first, let’s be honest.  That is largely because I married up when I married Judy.  But beyond that, well, we have learned and are learning to appreciate our differences.  There was a bestselling book and later a movie about two men from backgrounds that could not have been more different.  And yet, over time, and with no small thanks to Jesus, they became friends.  The impossible became possible.  The book and later the movie were entitled, “The Same Kind of Different as Me.” Read the book, it will inspire you.

I think that means that in spite of the fact that they were incredibly different, there was something that overpowered their differences and that was love.  They both discovered Jesus and that led them to share Christian love for each other. Paul, the guy who wrote a chunk of the New Testament said it like this, “Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.” The common denominator of love strengthened their lives and their friendship.  It worked there and I can tell you it will work in whatever world you live in. We will become stronger and better when we learn to accept ourselves and others for who God made us. Need a little help?  No problem…He’s got that.  Bro. Dewayne 

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

Help, I’ve Fallen

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholds him with His hand.” Psalm 37:23

It is a call I get all too often. I have the privilege of serving as a pastor.  That privilege includes being there when people are walking through a crisis. One thing about the pastorate is when I wake up each morning, whether I go to the office or not, I never know what the day will hold.  It is not at all uncommon for someone to call me.  Sometimes it is good news…the baby came…I got the job…we bought a house.  Sometimes, and frankly too often, it is difficult news.  It could be a child going down a difficult path, a job lost, a marriage violated or difficult news of an accident or health crisis.

Some of the most common health crises is when a senior adult takes a fall.  Life is ordinary and then suddenly, a loss of balance or a toe caught on a rug, results in a hard fall and we all know older bones can be very unforgiving.  I can’t tell you how many calls I have received about broken bones and broken bodies.  One of the most difficult situations is when the person fell and can’t get to a phone to call for help.  We have had several situations when someone would fall and have to lay in the floor for hours….long hours.

In one instance, a friend fell in her driveway, and no one found her till the next morning.  She was an amazingly resilient lady and after surgery recovered well, but that is not always the case.  One of the newer devices I really appreciate is a “call button” that a person wears and if they have an emergency, they can press a button and help is soon on the way.  I see the commercials on tv, and they show a woman in the kitchen in pain.  She presses the button and says, “Help! I’ve fallen and I can’t get up.”  Another scene shows a man down in the park and he presses the button and says, “Help! I’ve fallen in the park, and I can’t get up.”  The last one is someone down in the shower and they too can’t get up and are calling for help.

It is times like these that those simple rescue devices are so valuable.  There is no telling how many lives have been saved.  Of course, for them to work you must have one and you must wear one. And if you do…help is on the way.  It can’t reverse the circumstances, but it can change the outcome.  “Help! I’ve fallen and I can’t get up.”  It is true when we fall physically but the truth is we can fall in other ways…emotionally and spiritually just to name a couple…and we find we can’t get up.  And I want you to know that there is something better than a button to press…there is a God to call on.

I’ve long said that God often gets a bad rap.  Too often preachers and teachers present Him as a lightening tossing, fire breathing God who can’t wait to send down a little fire and brimstone on creation.  Well, God is holy, and God is just, but first and foremost He is a God of rescue and redemption.  He is a God of love.  The New Testament writer even tells us that He wants no one to perish but everyone to be rescued.  Now, that’s love.  Maybe you think you are beyond rescue…you’ve fallen too far.  No so.  His grace is deep, and it is wide.

One of my favorite Bible verses is Psalm 37:24. It says that even if I fall, I will not be utterly cast down. In other words…no matter how hard or how far I fall, I don’t have to stay down.  The reason?  It simply says that God will pick me up with His strong hand.  Either He will pick me up or grab me on the way down but either way it is not a knockout punch…His grace is sufficient.  If you are feeling down for the count, maybe it’s time to cry out, “Help! I’ve fallen and I can’t get up.”  You will find His strong hand right there to help you up.  He is just waiting for you to ask.  I like that.  Can He pull it off?  Without a doubt…He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne