Scripture – Page 125 – Grits with Grace

Family, Grace, gratitude, life, loving others, missions, priorities, Scripture, thankful, wisdom

Shoeless Service

Posted on January 14, 2021January 13, 2021 by Dewayne Taylor

But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for He is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.” Luke 6:35

It was a dark and stormy night. Well, it really wasn’t but I’ve always wanted to begin a story that way. But for one man it was, and this is his story. Years ago, my son-in-law, Blake, and daughter, Sarah, were talking a walk on Church Street—a road that runs about a block behind where we live. It is just one of the many side streets in town but that night it was something more. As they walked, they noticed a man coming toward them. He was obviously having a tough time—like I said, it was a dark and stormy night—at least for this lonely man.

His head was low as he shuffled his feet and pushed his bike. As he got closer, when some people would have crossed to the other side of the street, Blake and Sarah took the time to greet the man. His eyes told the story. He was an Army veteran who had fallen on hard times. He told how he had been refused treatment at the Veteran’s Center. He shared how memories of a band of brothers who would have stood with him were fading fast. His uniform that night was dirty and tattered, but his shoes told the story.

Blake, looked down, and while there were shoes on his soiled feet, not much of what used to be remained. The shoes he had on were way too small but that didn’t matter for much of the toes were blown open. He told a little more of his story and each word made it clear that it wasn’t just a stormy day for this veteran…it was days, weeks, months, and years. It would have been easy for the young couple to listen and mumble some semblance of a “I’m sorry” or maybe a “God bless you.” But they didn’t—more specifically Blake didn’t.

As Blake was looking down at his feet—he saw his own. His feet were shod in one of his favorite pair of tennis shoes—in nearly new condition. And then something amazing, something very Jesus like, happened. Without a word, he reached down and began to untie his shoes. Then he slipped his shoes off and handed them to the tired, banged up veteran. I’m not sure what he said—maybe nothing. But perhaps the gift said it all. Perhaps the gift said better than any words could, “I care. I feel your pain.”

So, after the exchange they went their separate ways. He continued down the block and they finished their walk. I believe that both the tattered veteran and the young couple left different that night. Perhaps the man’s day was not quite as stormy as it was before his encounter with love. Perhaps he didn’t feel quite as hopeless—quite as alone. I know Blake and Sarah were changed. When they got back to our house after their walk, they shared their story. It wasn’t, a “hey, look what I did” but rather a “look what God did” kind of moment. We cried. Jesus encounters will do that to you.

As we take our walks in this thing called life, there will always be multiple opportunities to do the right thing, the extraordinary thing, the uncommon thing. Sometimes they will be disguised but often, they are in plain sight. A struggling single mom, a senior adult trying to manage one too many bags, a challenged adult or child who needs a smile and the list goes on and on. Jesus, the God-man, did plenty of amazing, brazen things during His life here. The part we know the most about only lasted just over 1,000 days. And in those days, He impacted His known world and in the days since then the entire world.

There used to be a saying that was tossed around in our everyday Jesus walk lives. It simply said, “W.W.J.D.” or “What would Jesus do?” It has long since been cast aside now but the truth of those four letters or four words still ring with power. What.Would.Jesus.Do? One thing is for sure. It would include a multitude of acts of kindness to the most unlikely of candidates and it would be done in the name of love. Jesus said, “Love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for He is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.” What powerful words. What life changing words. The thought of doing this is counter-cultural and it might stretch you a bit but don’t worry— “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.

Christmas, Family, Grace, gratitude, Holidays, life, loving others, priorities, Scripture, thankful, travel, wisdom

The Rest of the Story

Posted on January 12, 2021January 11, 2021 by Dewayne Taylor

When it is in your power, don’t withhold good from the one to whom it belongs.” Proverbs 3:27

And now you know the rest of the story. You might remember that line from Paul Harvey who used to tell some incredible stories from real life. He would tell the part that was known and then tell the part of the story that was not. He would always end with, “And now you know the rest of the story.” Well, today I want to tell you the rest of the story.

In the days right before last Christmas, I wrote a Grits story about my storied Christmas childhood. It was almost magical. Each year it seemed that Mama and Daddy pulled it all together, and that always meant sacrifice, and gave us a Christmas beyond our dreams. I cannot recall one Christmas that wasn’t incredible. I’ve heard stories from the generation that endured the Great Depression and they would speak of no Christmas or maybe just an apple or orange. My Daddy and Mama were part of that generation and I wonder if that is why they were so generous to us?

Well, in that story I talked about my Daddy’s old 410 shotgun. Every Christmas morning, long before sunrise, he or one of my older brothers would go on the back porch or the breezeway and shoot the old 410. It was like firing the pistol at a horse race. We knew it was time to race into the room to see what Santa had brought. I mentioned in the story that I wasn’t sure who had the gun—this priceless family heirloom. I knew it was somewhere but where?

While I had four brothers, five including me, there are only two of us left. We are the bookends—he the oldest (soon to be 84) and me the youngest (a long way from 84). Christmas night I received a message from my brother. He wrote that he had read my story about Daddy’s old 410 and that I had mentioned that I didn’t know what had happened to it. He shared with me that he had the gun. Shortly after our Daddy died in 1974 it came into his possession and he had it ever since. What he wrote next made the Christmas of 2020 one for the books.

My brother said, “Dewayne, I want you to have Daddy’s old 410.”

My brother said, “Dewayne, I want you to have Daddy’s old 410.” I couldn’t believe it, so I read it again and I had indeed read the message correctly. Tears instantly began streaming down my cheek as I shared the text with my wife, Judy. He said he had already talked to his son who was helping with his affairs and let him know his desire to pass it to me. Well, Judy and I had already made plans to go to Cookeville, Tennessee right after Christmas so I told her that we needed to head to Jacksonville when we were done there so I could go and pick up the gun…and we did.

We drove hundreds of miles and a whole lot of hours to go get “the old 410.” I couldn’t see the brother who had blessed me due to COVID, as he and his wife life in an assisted living home. I did get to sit and visit with his son who is only six years younger than me. The gun (not a gun but THE gun) and that visit made every mile and every hour worthwhile. If I am still alive when my brother passes, I will probably have the opportunity to share at his service. I already am extremely thankful for him—his fingerprints are all over my life. But that day I will share this story and how his thoughtfulness made the Christmas of 2020 one I will never forget.

The old 410 sits right to my left as I write this. I showed it to my oldest grandson and his dad. We always spend Christmas Eve night with them. I smiled from ear to ear when my son-in-law leaned over and said, “Papa, you will have to bring the old 410 to our house next year so we can shoot it off Christmas morning.” That sounds like a grand idea and if the Lord is willing that is exactly what we will do.

The Bible says that we shouldn’t withhold good from a person when it is within our power to grant it. I am so grateful my brother didn’t wait. He could have. He could have passed it to someone else, but instead he chose his baby brother who just happened to write a story. Me, my Daddy, my uncle and each of my brothers have hunted with this gun—it is a beautiful piece of our family legacy. It is now one of my most cherished possessions.

So, let’s watch for opportunities to bless someone when it is within our power. I know Jesus was really good at that and if we are Jesus followers, well, we should follow His lead. I wonder if the Whisperer whispered in my brother’s ear and he just listened. I wouldn’t be surprised—he and Jesus are pretty tight. And when it is our turn to be kind, well, don’t worry. He will whisper to you too, and rest assured He will give you the wisdom and ability you need. 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

Family, Grace, gratitude, life, loving others, Scripture, thankful

Sunday Surprise

Posted on January 7, 2021January 6, 2021 by Dewayne Taylor

And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope.”
1 Thessalonians 4:13

I love surprises—well at least the good ones. From the time I was a kid, there were two things that rang my bell: gifts and a good surprise. When you marry those two together—well, it’s a good thing. One of my favorite memories center on a time when that happened. When I turned 40, my wife Judy arranged a surprise birthday party for me and we just had a great time. The gift thing was a little odd—you know, Geritol, Depends—the normal stuff when you’re being toasted at a party. My favorite perhaps was a horseshoe shaped toupee custom designed to fit my receding hairline.

Yup—there’s nothing like a good surprise—especially a Sunday surprise. I’m a pastor so around Christmas or perhaps Pastor Appreciation Month, it is not uncommon for the folks to give us cards and gifts. It’s great. You go to church and you get presents. I love it. Every once in a while, it’s a bit more random. That happened not once but twice very recently.

Several weeks ago, I was talking about grief and how the Bible says that people who follow Jesus grieve differently. According to Paul, the guy doing the writing, we don’t grieve like people with no hope. The reason for that is we believe the end doesn’t have to be end. That’s what Easter is all about. Well, to illustrate the point I said if I were to lose twenty dollars there would be two ways to grieve. One is the way I would grieve if it fell out of my pocket. It would be gone. No hope of recovery and no hope of getting it back. Adios, President Jackson. But if I were to put it in the bank, I might grieve that I can’t use it, but at least I would know where it was.

Well, it was a good illustration—now for the surprise. When Judy and I got home from church that day, we walked up to our backdoor. There, tucked neatly where the door met the frame, was a twenty-dollar bill. There was no note, no anything just President Jackson there smiling at me. To this day, I don’t know who left it but it sure made my day. But here’s why! Someone listened and just wanted to be a blessing. It worked. What a great Sunday surprise.

Guess what? It happened again a couple of weeks later. This time it wasn’t a portrait of President Jackson but something just as special. At Christmas time we have a nativity set. I shared recently in a Grits with Grace story how our nativity set includes a special guest: Scarlet from the movie “Gone with the Wind.” Years ago, someone gave her to us as an ornament for our tree. Well, my granddaughter added her to our nativity set about 17 years ago and it just seemed natural that she should stay. After all, a sinner like her, like me and like you is what Christmas is all about. You know, Baby Jesus came to save the world from all our brokenness.

On the Sunday before Christmas, I shared that story as part of the morning message. Now, fast forward a couple of weeks—the Sunday after New Year’s. Judy and I finished up with church and headed to the house. When we got to the back door, I looked down and there was a small box. It was wrapped in plain, brown paper and simply said, “The Taylor Family.” It was another Sunday surprise.

After lunch we opened the box and guess what was in there? It was another Christmas ornament from “Gone with the Wind” but this time it was, drumroll, please, Rhett Butler. Now in case you don’t know, Rhett was Scarlet’s beau in that movie. We laughed till we cried. We still don’t know who left it for us, but it made our day. Next Christmas—yup, Rhett will be by Scarlet in our nativity set. They both will remind us that Jesus came to fix broken people—just like them and just like us.

Both of those surprises were special because someone thought enough to reach into our lives with a special touch. It is appropriate that they happened on Sunday because it seems that is when God just loves to surprise His people. Often, we manage to make it to church after a difficult week wondering what could possibly happen that would make it worthwhile—make life more bearable. And then, it happens. A friend speaks a compliment to you. The worship team leads a song that reaches right down where you are and picks you up. The pastor chooses a scripture that seems it was written just for you that very day. And all of a sudden, you know why you made the effort to get up and go. God had a Sunday surprise just for you.

I believe God loves to do special things for us. He sends us love notes that just remind us that He is still there and that He still thinks mighty highly of us. Oh, don’t get puffy…it isn’t that we earned it or deserve it—it’s just the way He is. It is His nature and character and I just love it. So, whoever thought enough to tuck a twenty dollar bill in my door or somehow find a Rhett to be with our Scarlet—thank you for blessing us. You touched our hearts. And let’s be sure and thank God for all His special surprises He sends our way—not just on Sunday but every day. And don’t be surprised about this crazy world—just remember, “He’s got this.”

Family, forgiveness, Grace, gratitude, life, New Year, prayer, priorities, Scripture, thankful

Watch the Small Print

Posted on January 5, 2021January 4, 2021 by Dewayne Taylor

Throw all your anxiety onto Him, because He cares about you.” — 1 Peter 5:7

Just pay a separate fee. I’m a fan of the infomercials on television that you see all the time. No, I’m not interested in the products and I don’t like the way they interrupt my viewing times. I like them because they are funny. As you watch them, it is as if they had just discovered the fountain of youth. It is always something that they think I just can’t live without. And, it is like they are my new very best friend. They like me so much they are offering a deal that I just can refuse.

Sometimes it is a garden hose that expands like crazy when connected or shrinks up like a snake when it is isn’t. Or maybe it is some miracle herbal supplement that is guaranteed to make me lose weight, or gain weight, or grow hair, or remove hair from where you don’t want it. Regardless—they all carry a money back guarantee. If you don’t like it…just send it back—minus shipping and handling and your firstborn.

My favorites are the ones that offer you two for the supposed price of one. That’s right folks because we like you so much, we are going to send you two of these amazing products—just let us know—and, of course, pay a separate fee. Wait. What? If I am paying a separate fee isn’t that like walking into a donut shop and asking for two donuts and paying for both? Or maybe going into Best Buy and them saying we are not going to sell you one television today, but two. All you have to do is pay a separate fee. I think that is called two for the price of two.

Then of course there is the small print. On most screens there are like fifteen lines of extremely small print. We are going to send you a two-week supply of this amazing product that will cause you to grow six inches overnight—and it is free. What you can’t read is the small print that says if you don’t cancel in five minutes and speak fluent Swahili then the deal is off. I remember we were driving back from somewhere on a trip listening to a radio show that I trusted. They were offering a two-week supply of this amazing herbal deal that would help me lose weight. Well, I needed to lose weight and there was no risk, right? Well, a month later I was fighting a $69.99 charge on my credit card. Oh, the small print.

I saw a commercial today for those amazing HD Tactical Sunglasses on television. They made them sound like they would cause the blind to see. Well, I bought some at a local store and they didn’t exactly live up to all the hype. In fact, they were so dark I couldn’t see anything—in HD, SD or any other D. They are in the car waiting for a return trip to the store. The bottom line is if it sounds too good to be true…it probably is. And it seems the more the hype—the greater the chance that it is full of hot air and not so true promises…except one.

The exception to this rule is one you won’t find on television. That one exception is God. Here’s the deal. He never makes a promise He won’t keep and He’s not big on the small print. He lays it all out and there is no separate fee. In fact, His gift of love and forgiveness comes prepaid—no shipping and no handling. I need to be honest and tell you that sometimes folks speaking for God like to make promises on His dime and then God gets the bad rap. But there’s an answer for that too. Just get a copy of His Word and check it out for yourself. Like I said…He lays it out and it is a deal you just shouldn’t pass up.

As we begin this New Year, here’s some great advice. First, record your favorite shows on the DVR and watch them later when you can fast forward through the commercials. You can save yourself a chunk of time and if you are tempted by those outrageous claims in the commercials, you might save a few bucks too. Second, tune in to God. He’s good, He’s faithful and He can be trusted. Notice, by the way, that I didn’t say religion—I said God. He has a great “no extra fee” offer. He says, “Throw all your anxiety onto me, because I care about you.” And do you know what? He really does. There is nothing that He and you are going to face that He can’t handle. Rest assured, “He’s got this.”

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

The Rain Maker

Posted on January 4, 2021January 3, 2021 by Dewayne Taylor

Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4

It was drier than two-month-old bread. It’s been several years now, but the story is as fresh as today’s bread. We were on our second trip to Niger, West Africa. We would fly forever and finally arrive in the capital city of Niamey. There were two things that were always the same. It was always very late at night and we were always totally exhausted. After a day getting acclimated, we would load up and drive all day on one of the few paved roads in the entire country.

Niger is a sub-Saharan country in West Africa. It was on the edge of the Saharan Desert—hot, dry, and dusty. Our journey would take us to a small city in the middle of nowhere. We would stay with a family there who were kind and filled with hospitality. As is customary, we would settle in and then go see the “chief” of the village. We would meet, greet, and thank him for allowing us to come and stay in the village. On this particular trip we were distributing food to several dozen families in the area. Because of the extreme dryness, food was always in short supply and because of a few years of drought—it was life-threatening.

As we met with the chief, we told him we were servants of the Creator God and asked him if there was anything that we could pray for. Without hesitation, he said, “I want you to pray for rain. It hasn’t rained here in a very long time and we are desperate. We have prayed but no rain has come.” We prayed there and then and told him we would pray more—even asking people in America to pray. And we did, both.

What happened next is a thing of legends—except it is not a legend—it is truth. After immediately contacting some of our folks back in America, and praying ourselves…again…we went to sleep. Sometime in the middle of the night, the wind began to blow, and the temperature began to fall. Soon, there was the sound of a distant thunder. Then, as we stood in our doorway and watched, a heavy rain began to fall. David, one of our team members, was soon out dancing in the rain. All of us were dancing in our hearts.

We would later learn that our friends in America, watching the radar online, saw a storm develop from nothing and move across our area. As we danced in Africa—they were dancing in America. That very night, right at three inches of rain fell in that village on the edge of the desert. It was unbelievable. It rained for several hours and fell so hard that several walls, made of mud, straw, and manure, collapsed. A couple of storage buildings lost walls too. When light finally came, literally, small lakes of water were everywhere. We would be using the four-wheel drive feature on our trucks for several days.

I can’t remember if the chief came to us or summoned us to go to him, but that day we had another conversation. He thanked us for praying and said that our God did what their god did not do. He was grateful for us coming to the village and invited us to stay as long we wanted—and to return as often as we wanted. Such are the wonders and miracles of the One True God. This would not be the last or only miracle we would witness in West Africa. It is amazing what God can and will do if the primary focus is to glorify His name. I sometimes wonder if the people there still speak of the night of the rain. I know we do.

There is an intriguing scripture in the Psalms—a collection of Hebrew hymns in the Jewish and Christian Bibles. It is found in Psalm 37:4. It says that if we are willing to delight ourselves in God, He will give us the desires of our heart. At first that sounds like a “rub the bottle and a genie pops out” story. Trust me…it is not. You see the first part is key—when we delight ourselves in God—then our desires align with His desires and when that happens—miracles do too.

This year, let me encourage you in a couple of areas. First, if you haven’t thought much about Creator God—Jehovah God—in a while—why not revisit Him? I believe you will come to the same conclusion I did years ago. He is amazing. And then, as we journey through this New Year, let’s commit to making His desires, our desires. Let’s get on the same page with Him and watch, in wonder, what He can and will do. It may not be exactly what we want but it will be what is exactly right. He doesn’t make mistakes. Wrapped up in all of this is that powerful truth we end each story with. It is good news for this day and every day. We can have the confidence assurance that, “He’s got this” and He does.

Family, food, Grace, gratitude, Holidays, life, loving others, New Year, prayer, priorities, Scripture, thankful, travel, wisdom

Ralph’s

Posted on January 1, 2021December 31, 2020 by Dewayne Taylor

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

It was donut heaven. Judy and I took a trip to middle Tennessee to do some hiking and be amazed all over again at the wonder of God’s creation. We stayed in the small city of Cookeville which is about an hour east of Nashville. We had driven by there many times on our way to Pigeon Forge and points east but never stopped. And for some reason…this time it was our destination. It was wonderful.

Within a few minutes driving time were some of the most beautiful waterfalls I have ever seen. One, Fall Creek Falls, is the tallest falls east of the Rockies—256 feet of free falling water. Then there was Burgess Falls which had not one, but three separate falls…each one more spectacular than the one before. Finally we drove over to Rock Island State Park and were amazed by a river that fell and fell and fell—each time creating a beautiful waterfall. Then, coming out of caves in a huge, high bluff was a massive waterfall falling into the river. Unbelievable. I would think God would get a 10 for all the beauty that we have seen. And then…there was Ralph’s.

When we stay at an Airbnb, we always check out all the literature that the host leaves to make the visit more enjoyable. We also check out comments in the guest book for tidbits of information. That is where we heard about Ralph’s. Three different previous guests mentioned this mom and pop donut shop in downtown Cookeville. We had to visit. To not do so would have been a travesty of donut-ism. So we were on our way on Monday morning when Judy checked their website. Oh no…closed on Mondays. We had to wait another day.

Tuesday morning after planning our hikes for the day, we headed to Ralph’s Donut Shop to ensure we had plenty of calories on hand for our journey. When we arrived it was indeed an ordinary mom and pop donut shop. But trust me…it was anything but ordinary. The first thing I noticed was the sign stating that they had been open since 1962. Do the math and you will find out that they have been making donuts for 58 years—in the donut world that’s like forever. And then—we opened the door.

It was donut heaven. I know that to be true because so many things in the case were “holey.” Get it? Anyway, to my left was a horseshoe shaped counter with almost every stool filled with locals enjoying coffee and pastries. There was a long glass case and a whole wall filled with pastries and donuts. And there to greet us was the best donut salesman in the world. You could tell this guy loved his job and was “in the right seat on the bus.” Judy and I use that phrase to describe someone who is doing what they were meant to do. This guy was meant to work at Ralph’s. The first thing my eye spotted was the royalty of pastries—the fried apple fritter. It was massive, fried crispy, covered with glaze with the middle stuffed with apple filling. One please.

Then the sales guy told us the fritter was their best seller until the butter twist came along. It was a fried donut but the twist was they brushed it with butter before cooking. He said it was voted the number one donut in the entire state of Tennessee. I’m sure he was telling the truth. Two please. Judy wanted something chocolate. No problem—a butter twist with chocolate frosting should do the trick. One please. Then I asked about this chocolate creation on the top shelf. It was a devil’s food mix and saturated with chocolate. He said it was diabetes on a plate and should come with a shot of insulin. We passed on that one. His final gift was a spice bar that was broken in two, so it was free. He said it was as if Little Debbie married gingerbread and had a baby. I loved it.

Judy and I had read that they closed at 11:30 so we assumed 11:30 am but we asked anyway. Oh no…they have three shifts of bakers and are open from 5:00 am till 11:30 pm. Now who has ever heard of a donut shop staying open that long—and they are doing quite well, thank you. Oh, and did I mention that they are listed in the top 20 donut bakeries in the entire United States? Oh, yes…it was donut heaven and it was “holey” ground.

Well, there is one thing that was obvious at Ralph’s—they were all in. They knew their product, they believed in their product and they wanted to share their product. Even if you didn’t like donuts, you wanted to buy one by the time you left. You wanted what they had because it had to be worth having. I have a feeling that we as Jesus followers should take a lesson from Ralph’s. We know we have the best thing in all of creation to offer those in our world—the good news of Jesus Christ. Donuts may be “holey” but Jesus can make us holy—holy enough to call God, Father—holy enough to go to heaven. And Ralph’s may have been making donuts for 58 years but God has been loving us since before the foundation of the world. He wants to walk with us through this New Year and every year. He is a beyond amazing God.

Since He is so incredible—if we love Him, if we believe in Him—we should be all in too. We should live like we believe and share the Word about Him like we believe it. I left Ralph’s wanting to tell people about this amazing place. I think we need to get up every morning wanting to tell everyone the great Good News. On this first day of this great New Year let’s figuratively get behind the counter—not to sell donuts but to share the Good News. And what is that? It is that God, Creator God, so loved this world that gave His Son to a Roman cross that anyone who believes in Him and what He did—can have everlasting life. And that is the best news ever. Oh and then there is more. No matter what today or this year sends our way, we have the assurance that He’s got this.

Family, Grace, gratitude, Holidays, life, New Year, priorities, Scripture, Southern born, thankful, wisdom

James

Posted on December 31, 2020December 30, 2020 by Dewayne Taylor

The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD and He delights in his way. And even if he falls, he will not be utterly cast down because He upholds him with His strong hand.” Psalm 37:23-24

The other day we were down at my daughter’s house who lives near Murray, Kentucky. They have blessed us with two of our eight grandchildren and if you know anything about grandkids they are just a bunch of fun. Matt and Jen live in the country near Kentucky Lake and my wife Judy decided we needed to take a walk. Now if you know Judy you know she believes that people build houses for essentially one reason—to sleep in. If you aren’t sleeping, you need to be doing something—outside. Period.

So, naturally, we took a walk. I was with my grandson James and we were having an adventure. Soon we were walking hand in hand. Now, James, who is six, is a very thoughtful young man. So, eventually, he asks me, “Papa, what is your real name?” Now I knew what he was asking but why not have some fun when you can? So, I told him my name was Papa. “No” he said firmly, “your real name.” Well, I gave in and told him it was Dewayne.

He took a shot at pronouncing it and got real close. I thought that might be the end, but no, the best was yet to come. He then asked me, “Papa (he didn’t try Dewayne) how old are you? Well, that was a good question, so I gave him the answer. “James,” I said, “I am almost 67 years old.” Again, almost without hesitation he said, “Papa, you’re almost dead.” I died laughing—no pun intended. The Bible mentions something about out of the mouth of babes, truth comes, and I guess truth be known…there’s a lot more days behind me than before me.

Another of my favorite James stories occurred several years ago. Judy and I drove down to Vienna to Jon and Becca’s house and the Johnson clan drove up from Murray. Everyone was there with the exception of Sarah and Blake who at that time were stationed in Savanah, Georgia. The occasion for us getting together was my oldest granddaughter’s 15th birthday. So, anyway, it is always more fun when the grandkids are around. If you just wait you will learn something—or at least get a good subject for a sermon or a story. The latter was true in this case!

The family had migrated to the basement and only James and I were left upstairs. So, I said to James (who was two at the time), “Come on, James, let’s go to the basement.” We headed toward the stairs and I wisely offered my hand and he even more wisely took it. The wisdom of that decision became apparent quickly. Now James was and is, all boy. As we headed down the stairs, he didn’t go slowly or carefully—he literally headed down. I mean, full speed, Katie-bar-the-door down. As we started down, he performed a combination of running, jumping, and skipping maneuvers. Stairs were missed but hey, who cares, it was fun. Let me just say I was glad that I had a good grip on him because if I hadn’t, well, it wouldn’t have been pretty.

We made it somewhat safely to the bottom of the stairs and I had to share the story and we all had a good laugh. But later, as I pondered how that all played out, it made me appreciate God in a whole new way. I freshly realized how glad I am that God has a good grip on my hand. As I charge head first into life, especially in years like 2020, if He didn’t have ahold of me—well, it just wouldn’t be pretty. But just like I held onto James, so God has ahold of me. Only eternity will tell how many times He saved me from pain and suffering and the consequences of thousands of bad decisions.

Years ago, while reading the Bible, a passage jumped off the pages and into my life. It said, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD and He delights in his way. And even if he falls, he will not be utterly cast down because He upholds him with His strong hand.” That is such powerful truth. The fact that God directs my steps, that the path He chooses for me is cause for Him to delight and that when I fall, He’s got me…well, that is good, good news. And the best part is, it is true.

As we get ready to leap into 2021, it’s good to know that we can have someone like God holding our hand. If you are a Jesus follower you know all about that and, if you aren’t yet, He is just waiting for you to take the leap of faith. Why not give Him a try? God’s not big about denominations or even religion but He is real big about loving you and He wants to walk with you in this New Year. James didn’t know too much about stairs when he took the plunge, but his Papa did. James could rest assured that when it came to stairs…Papa had it all under control. And when it comes to life, we can rest assured that our Dearest Daddy knows all about life and has it all under control. You might say, “He’s got this.”