Category: spiritual battles

Posted in Family, fear, friends, Grace, gratitude, heaven, life, love, loving others, Military memories, prayer, priorities, Scripture, spiritual battles, thankful, travel, Trials

My Friend Joe

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

Teach us to number our days carefully so that we may develop wisdom in our hearts.” Psalm 90:12

“Hi.  My name is Joe.”  A couple of years ago, my wife Judy and I took a trip down to the Florida Keys and Key Colony in particular.  The place we stayed in was called the Continental Inn.  It is a bit of old Florida with twenty or so studio condos combined with a small sand beach and a couple of tiki huts.  It is not very crowded, but this was Labor Weekend, and there were more folks there than usual.  Being a small place, it seemed more like family than just a group of people on vacation.  It was there under one of the tiki huts that I met Joe.

Joe, his wife, and her sister and husband were down for a long weekend from Juniper, Florida.  It was the other couple’s anniversary, and they were there to celebrate.  They were sitting near us on the beach, and it wasn’t long before we struck up a conservation.  Day one was more like a “Hey, good to meet you and glad you are here.”  The next day, we were back on the beach and so were they and it was then that I really got to talk with Joe.

He started by introducing himself again.  And then as his story unfolded, I was fascinated.  First, I learned that Joe was a Korean War era veteran.  While he didn’t serve actively in the war, he did volunteer for service during that difficult time.  He chose the Army and proudly served his country.  Being a Korean War veteran could only mean he was up in his years…and he was.  If I remember right, he was about to turn 84.  Thanks for your service, Joe.

Joe used a large walking stick to get around.  He told me on day two, rather matter-of-factly, that he was legally blind.  That explained the stick.  Rather than a white cane he had this large walking stick that came from the Smokey Mountains.  I asked him how much he could see, and he explained that at about five feet away I was just a blob. You can imagine my surprise when he told me how he still drove a three-wheel bike around his neighborhood.  When I asked him how, he simply said he could see some of the sidewalk and most everyone knew him and kinda stayed out of his way.  A little blindness wasn’t going to stop him.  Way to go, Joe.

About then, Joe shared with me that he had stage four prostate cancer that had gone into his bones.  Almost casually, he said, “And of course, I am on chemo.”  What was amazing was that he didn’t see his cancer as a roadblock or a big deal for that matter.  It was simply something that he dealt with—no whining, no complaining.  Nope, Joe wasn’t gonna let a little cancer stop him either.  You’re amazing, Joe.

All the time we chatted (almost like we were discussing the weather and not cancer and blindness) he was constantly smiling and explaining to me how much he loved life.  These speed bumps were just that—bumps on his highway of life.  He told me how much he loved people.  That is probably why he regularly volunteers at the Veteran’s Hospital, helping guys less fortunate than him.  Less.Fortunate.Than.Him.  I think it will be a long time before I forget Joe and his big smile, big heart, and great outlook.

There’s one more part of Joe’s story.  You see, Joe was a Jesus follower…in fact, all four in the group were.  What made Joe stand out was his gratitude for each day that God gave him.  I couldn’t help but notice that his knees and elbows were covered with bandages and wounds.  I can only guess those came from the times his blindness got in the way and his stick couldn’t save him. After our hour of conversation, I noticed that not one time did he complain about his circumstances. He shared stories of his past with gratefulness and shared his present days with the gusto of a healthy 45-year-old.  And he was confident of his future too…because he was confident in his relationship with the God who made him.

I know I talk about this verse a lot but that is because it means a lot to me.  The author, who happened to be Moses (you might remember him from the time the Red Sea parted), asked God to help us number our days so that we could have a heart of wisdom.  He was saying, “God help us to appreciate every day you give us.”  It was very obvious that Joe did exactly that.  No, I don’t think he was the richest guy on the beach that day…unless you number richness not in dollars but in joy, and happiness and love. Joe bore the scars from many a fall, but he shined with the victories of never staying down.  I didn’t get around to asking but I bet Joe knew the secret to living out his faith in God.  What is that you ask?  It’s knowing and believing three small words…He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, forgiveness, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, loving others, prayer, Scripture, spiritual battles, thankful

Rubbish

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

He does not punish us for all our sins; He does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve. For His unfailing love toward those who fear Him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.” Psalm 103:10-12

It always amazes me.  At 217, like most homes, we have a trash can in several rooms in our house.  Of course, the main attraction is in the kitchen.  There we have a stainless steel, thirteen-gallon can.  It holds, oh, I’m guessing, about thirteen gallons of trash—bet you saw that one coming, didn’t you?  At any rate, it always surprises me just how fast that can fill up.  It is only my wife Judy and me in the house and yet we manage to fill it up at least a couple of times a week.  The bottom line is we produce more trash than we think.

Now for part two.  In Judy’s home office, in my home office, in both bathrooms, and in at least one of the bedrooms we have additional trash cans.  Now these don’t fill up quite as fast but guess what?  They do fill up.  So occasionally one of us will make the rounds and gather all the trash from the other parts of the house.  Well, surprise again!  You would be amazed just how much trash we gather.  As we make the rounds, the bag we are carrying gets fuller and fuller and fuller.  And by the time we are done we have a very full and very heavy bag. How about that?

All the trash, whether it is from the kitchen, or the rest of the rooms ends up in the monster size can outside. Once a week, the trash guys drive by the house, grab the can, and dump it into their truck and off it goes wherever trash goes that they collect.  All I know is I am grateful that someone takes care of all my rubbish (that’s a British word I learned while in England) so I don’t have to deal with it anymore.  How about that?

You know it isn’t just physical rubbish that we must deal with in life. The truth is we do a pretty good job of producing life rubbish too.  There are words that should have never been spoken, thoughts that we should not have thought, actions that would have been better undone and that is just the short list. The Bible tells us that we all have done things that are wrong…that are offensive…both to others and to God. Too often brush it off…excuse it away but the bumps, bruises, and scars on the lives of others don’t go away that easily.  And honestly, God just can’t brush it off either.  But there is hope…big time.

You see God made a way for all the rubbish of our lives to be forgiven.  In fact, He says in His book that all our rubbish can be taken not just to the dump but as far as the east is from the west.  In another place He says they are dumped in the sea…never to be seen again.  You might wonder why God would do that for us.  The answer is one word…love.  God knows we are broken but He just loves to us too much to leave us that way.  That is why He sent His Son Jesus to die in our place on an old rugged cross.

Then here’s more good news.  No matter what kind of rubbish you have accumulated, no matter if you think it is impossible for anyone to take care of your rubbish…God can…and God will.  All you must do is ask.  Now don’t confuse this with religion or starting this or stopping that.  This is all about His love for you and His amazing grace.  So why not take your rubbish to the curb…right now…today? You can, because “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, fear, friends, gratitude, heaven, life, loving others, Military memories, priorities, Scripture, spiritual battles, Trials, USA, wisdom

The Power of Remembering

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

Then if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14

It was a beautiful Sunday morning in December 1941…of course, almost every day in Hawaii is a beautiful day.  The skies were blue, the breeze was gentle, and it was the one day when at least some of the sailors and soldiers could sleep in.  Then, at 7:55 am Hawaii time, a swarm of Japanese aircraft attacked without warning killing 2,403 military and civilians.  In a brief moment in time the United States was at war with Japan and was thrown into World War II. President Franklin Roosevelt famously called December 7th, “a day that will live in infamy.” The battle cry throughout the Pacific War was “Remember Pearl Harbor.”

Fast forward with me sixty years.  It was a beautiful Tuesday morning in September 2001.  The sky was a deep blue without a cloud in the sky and then it happened.  Without warning, at 8:06 am EDT, a hijacked airliner crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center. A short time later, at 9:03 am EDT, the South Tower was also struck.  Unbelievably, a third airliner crashed into the Pentagon at 9:37 am EDT, with a final airliner, most likely destined for Washington D.C., crashed into a Pennsylvania field at 10:03 am.  In all, these attacks killed 2,977 innocent people…more than the attack on Pearl Harbor.  The cry after September 11th or 9/11, was, “We will never forget.”

Though it is hard to believe, 23 years have come and gone since that horrific morning in September.  Most can remember exactly what they were doing that day as the events unfolded on national television.  In a brief moment in time, our world was changed forever.  As we observe what is now called Patriot Day, we must renew our vow to never forget those tragic minutes and the days, weeks, months and years that followed.

I well remember how for a brief moment in time our country stood united. While it didn’t last long, only a couple of days, it showed us, it taught us, the power and beauty of unity.  But then, as always, finger pointing and blame throwing ruled the day and unity slipped through our fingers like loosely held sand. And if we are not careful, time will further rob us of the reverence owed to so many and the honor for those who gave their lives trying to save others.  And that too would be a tragedy.

On this 23rd observance of 9/11, I hope you will join millions of others and make sure we never forget.  Take time to pause and reflect and remember.  I know these are difficult days and in so many ways we are frustrated and filled with doubt and fear.  But remember two things.  First and foremost, the God who created all of this is greater than any circumstance that we may face.  He knows our past and is willing to forgive.  And He knows the future and is willing to walk with us.  Don’t lose hope and don’t lose faith.  He is able and willing.

Let me also encourage you not to lose hope in America.  With all her warts and flaws she is still the best country in the world. Having visited a couple of dozen countries in Europe, Africa, and Asia, I can tell you there is no place like America.  Rare is the country where people are free to worship and live like we do. In the New Testament book called the Gospel of John, many people decided to no longer follow Jesus.  He looked at His followers and said, “Will you leave me too?”  One of them spoke up and said, “Where would we go?  You alone have the words of life.”   That is so true and before we throw America under the bus, be sure you know the answer to the question, “Where would you go.”  There is no place like home and no place like America.

So, let’s not forget.  Let’s show the world we are a people that remember so we can honor.  Let’s show the world that while we are not perfect, we do believe in our God and our country.  God made a promise to His people, and it is one that we can claim for ourselves.  He said, “If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray, and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sins and heal their land.”  It was true for them, and it is true for any people willing to put God first.  To sum it all up, it simply means…He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne

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

Beautifully Broken

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

For He raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of His grace and kindness toward us.” Ephesians 2:6-7

Beautifully broken. It sits on the top shelf in the kitchen of our Airbnb. When it was born, probably somewhere in China, it was an attractive clay pot with a small neck and two small handles, one of each side. It began its journey with the Taylors in our home and when we started up our Airbnb, somehow and for some reason, it went to live there. Well, one day we received a text message from one of our guests. She let us know that she had bumped the clay, and it had fallen and broken into several pieces.

She was very sorry and even offered to pay for the piece, but we told her not to worry about it. We appreciated her letting us know. After she left, we went over to the Airbnb and there on the counter was the shattered pot. While there was a very large hole in one side, a large chunk of it was still in one piece. My first thought was to repair it but that lasted about two seconds. My wife Judy and I decided it was best just to let it go.  But then…we looked again.

We discovered that when the pot was laid on its side, it no longer looked like a broken pot but rather an ancient piece of pottery. It was then we moved it to the top shelf, carefully laid it on its side and allowed it to now play a new role. It went from a rather cheap piece of imported pottery to what appeared to be a valuable antique. If my memory serves me right, more than one person has commented on our valuable piece of pottery.

It’s amazing that the pot became more beautiful in its brokenness…something that the Japanese discovered a LONG time ago (late 15th century). They call it kintsugi, where broken pottery is repaired with gold, making it more beautiful than before. The pieces are carefully put back together and then the cracks are filled with gold or gold paint. Instead of hiding the imperfections, they choose to call attention to it—and it is indeed beautiful.

Now watch this. In a similar way, God’s grace doesn’t just patch up our weaknesses, our brokenness, rather He transforms them into our most compelling testimony. We become; we are trophies of grace. Paul describes it this way in Ephesians 2:6-7, “For He raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. So, God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of His grace and kindness toward us.” How about that. For all eternity, God will point to us and declare us trophies of this grace.

So rather than hang your head in shame over your imperfections…embrace them. They’re not flaws to be hidden, but opportunities for God’s power to be displayed. In your weakness, His strength shines brightest. Like the kintsugi, we are testimonies, our stories are stories of His marvelous grace. So, lift your head, child of God, because “He’s got this.”  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, gratitude, life, school days, Scripture, Southern born, spiritual battles, thankful

Money Tip

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.” 1 Timothy 6:10

I never considered myself an entrepreneur but looking back…maybe I am.  Fortunately, I was raised by a Momma and Daddy who believed in a strong work ethic.  While they weren’t overbearing about it, I grew up knowing that I should get a job and go to work. It must have worked because over all my working years I have always managed to have a job and go to work.  I consider that quite a blessing. Looking back, I think my working career really started when I was about ten years old.

In the early sixties, we had an old lawn mower or two that had seen better days but my Daddy, ever the mechanic, managed to keep them running.  And then, he was willing to let me borrow the mower and go around the neighborhood offering to mow people’s yards. Today, that is big business but back then…not so much.  I would grab the lawn mower, the gas can and start going door to door.  My business plan was simple.

I would go to the door, knock, or ring the bell and wait for someone to answer.  When they did, I would simply say, “Hello.  Would you like your grass mowed for $2.00? Now, most of these yards were a pretty good size so even back then that seemed like a fair price to me…but guess what?  That $2.00 then is equal to $27.40 today.  What? Ok, I must admit I was surprised to learn that.  That might explain why more often than not, the answer to my question was a polite, “No.”  You see, it turns out that $2.00 was a sizable investment back in ’64.

But there were plenty of folks that said yes, and there were a few repeat customers.  The bottom line is it was enough to give me some spending money and, of course, keep the gas can filled.  At the end of the day there was always a trip to Jackson’s Minute Market that was down the street from my house.  There I would pull out one of the wadded-up dollar bills and trade part of it for a RC cola or Icee and a honey bun.  That would set me back a quarter.  The rest of my earnings stayed in my pocket or in a safe place back home just waiting for a trip to Pic-N-Save or some other store.

Speaking of Pic-N-Save, that is one thing I wrestled with—saving.  If memory serves me right, I did a whole lot more spending than saving.  It seems I remember my Daddy saying something about that money, “burning a hole in my pocket.”  Well, he was right.  While money didn’t come easy for me in ’64 it sure went easy.  Me and my dollars were all about me.  I never thought about giving or sharing…only spending.

Well, I am glad to let you know I have learned a little more about money since those days.  First, I learned (well, actually I’m still learning) that Jesus was right…it is more blessed to give than to receive.  Me and Jesus (and my wife Judy) came to terms a long time ago about giving back a part of what He gives to me. I’m even learning that everything belongs to Him anyway, so it only seems right to give some back.  And that isn’t all.

I’m also learning about saving.  I’ve always said that I was a spender and not a saver but now I can honestly say that I’m a pretty good saver. In fact, sometimes it is hard for me to let go of those hard-earned dollars.  That might explain why I don’t go to the grocery store too often.  Judy will send me looking for a can of beans.  When I get there, I find out that there are all kinds of beans, and some are cheaper than others.  So, it might take me a couple of days to decide which one to buy.  Hmmm…how about that?

Another thing that I have learned is that money isn’t good or bad…it is just money…a tool that we can use either wisely or foolishly. One of those verses in the Bible that is often misquoted says that money is the root of all evil.  Turns out that isn’t what the Bible says at all.  It says that the love of money is the root of all evil.  In other words, when we start worshiping money or when greed becomes a monster in our lives…we are in deep weeds, and the answer to all of that is—generosity.

So, it turns out what to do with money is one of those lifelong lessons.  I’m grateful the ten-year-old Dewayne was taught to work but I wish he had learned a lot earlier about giving, sharing, and saving. But the good news is that it is never too late to change.  One of the greatest joys in life is sharing with others.  I think it must be a Jesus thing because He always shared with those around Him.  If you need some help, why not ask the One who owns it all…and chooses to share with you.  Take it to the bank (pun intended) He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne 

Posted in Family, friends, gratitude, life, loving others, Scripture, spiritual battles, thankful, travel, Trials

Cuttin’ Wood…Or Not

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.” James 1:19

Someone was out working real early. Some good friends of ours had invited my wife Judy and I to stay in their Villa down in Nashville. Well, since I am now retired, what would have been a pipe dream became a reality. So, we packed the car and headed South—where grits are a regular staple and people talk right. We stayed a few days and enjoyed the opportunity to just relax.

Each morning, I would rise early, get a cup of coffee and go out on the back patio and say good morning to the new day and thank my Dearest Daddy for making it possible. As I was sitting there rocking and enjoying it all, I heard a sound that I knew. Even though it was very early and even though it was Sunday morning, I heard what sounded like a table saw cutting wood. I thought it all a little strange but not too strange because they are still building homes in the area.

Well, before long, Judy came out and joined me and I called her attention to the fact that someone was cutting wood on a table saw. She agreed that is what it sounded like and then just like that—they quit. Well, it must have been time for a break or whatever. The rest of the day, when I would go rock on the back porch, it seemed no one was working.  Until the next morning.

Yup, so the next morning I once again made my way the back patio, coffee in hand, and sat down and once again heard the saw going to town. I sure admired the work ethic of whoever was sawing all that wood. The day before I had talked to one of the guys who oversaw maintaining the lawns and I thanked him for doing a good job and he told me how he worked seven days a week.  He and the guy cutting wood certainly knew about hard work.  So, on to the back porch that early Monday morning. Judy came out, we rocked and chatted as the unknown worker continued to cut wood. And, it was just about then, that I figured it out.

You see, the house behind us had a sprinkler system that turned on each morning. Well, that sprinkler system had one sprinkler head that was put so that as it watered the yard the water would hit the metal fence and when that high pressure water hit the metal fence…it sounded like someone sawing wood on a table saw. How about that? Turns out there wasn’t a hard worker cutting wood way too early but rather just a water sprinkler doing its thing.

Now, I was convinced of what I heard but as sure as I was—I was wrong. My big takeaway that morning taught me that you can’t believe everything you hear…no matter how real or how probable it sounds. We have all heard things about situations and people, and it sounded so possible we just bought it as the truth. And all too often…we find out that we were wrong…and sometimes tragically wrong.

Let me suggest that we all memorize or at least imprint the truth found in James 1:19 into our hearts and lives.  It says, “Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.” In other words, learn to listen carefully and accurately, be slow to spread what we think we know and very slow to get mad when we are proven wrong.  It’s no accident that God gave us two ears and one tongue. Just remember, when you think you know something, check it out with your Dearest Daddy—after all, He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

Posted in life, loving others, prayer, pride, priorities, Scripture, spiritual battles, Trials

When the Word Abides

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

“Let the Word of Christ dwell richly among you.” Colossians 3:16a

It made all the difference in the world.  The other day I was reading a story, and it was one of those stories that seemed too weird to be true…but apparently it is.  The story starts in Kalinovka, Russia—more specifically at the small church in the village. To encourage the children to attend Sunday School, the priest began to hand out candy to the peasant children and not surprisingly—it worked.

One of the most faithful of the children was a pug-nosed, pugnacious boy who recited his Scriptures with proper piety, pocketed his reward, then fled into the fields to munch on it.

The priest took a liking to the boy and persuaded him to attend church school by offering other incentives. It was there that the priest managed to teach the boy the four Gospels. In fact, this little boy won a special prize for learning all four by heart and reciting them nonstop in church! It was an amazing feat back then and now.

Now, let’s fast forward the clock 60 years, and we find that the boy still loved to recite Scriptures but in a context that would horrify the old priest. You see, the prized pupil who memorized so much of the Bible was Nikita Khrushchev, the former Communist leader. The same little boy who nimbly mouthed God’s Word as a child later declared God to be nonexistent.

By now, you might be asking, “How could this be?” Well, it is not as rare as you might think.  You see, Khrushchev memorized the Scripture for the rewards rather than for the impact it could have in life. There is a truth that was true then and trust me, it is true today. You see, artificial motivation will produce artificial results. While Khrushchev heard and memorized the scripture, he never allowed it to penetrate his heart and consequently his heart was never changed.

The harsh truth then is a harsh truth now.  Ask yourself, “How many times have I gone to church and mindlessly sat through a sermon?  How many times have I read the Bible and not allowed its truth to change my life? We could go on and on, but the bottom line is this—it is not enough, in fact it is woefully short, when we merely hear or merely read the Bible. We have got to let the Word of God abide in us—to change us. It’s a good reminder that as you learn the Word of God, keep your motives pure and make it an exercise of both your heart and your mind!

Perhaps Paul, the guy in the Bible, said it best when he wrote, “Let the Word of Christ dwell richly among you.” The word “dwell” here means to allow it to be at home—to take up residence.  When we allow the Word to dwell—well, it can’t help but make a big impact. Many of us travel along on our Jesus journey and wonder why it just doesn’t seem to make a real difference. This just might be your answer. Remember John 1:14 tells us that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. Let Him and His Word in and you will quickly discover a great truth—He’s more real and powerful than you ever imagined and—He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne