Category: thankful

Posted in Family, Grace, gratitude, life, Scripture, sovereignty of God, thankful

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 I 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 avail.  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 here.  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 circumstance, 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 pressure us…to be too comfortable with what should be uncomfortable. 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…that no matter what…He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in communication, Family, gratitude, life, school days, Scripture, thankful

The Wonder of Music

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise! He is to be feared above all gods. The gods of other nations are mere idols, but the Lord made the heavens!” Psalm 96:5

You might say that I am a music nut.  I love music.  Ok, to be honest there is some music I like better than others, but by and large—most music is great.  I discovered something recently that I find to be quite a mystery.  I have satellite radio in my car and because of that I have access to a large selection of music.  I have several buttons preset so I can easily access my favorites.  Number one is modern or contemporary Christian.  Number two is smooth jazz—oh, I like that one. Then come the decades of my youth—sixties and seventies.  And then comes the mystery—the fifties.  Let me explain.

For some reason I find that I enjoy that station…a lot.  But more surprising, I know almost every song that is played.  I think that kinda odd.  My parents certainly didn’t listen to much of the radio, my older brothers and sisters were mostly grown by the time I came along last and the sisters next to me were sixties gals.  So where did it come from and how?  I don’t have a clue.  All I know for certain is that I like what I hear.

They say that variety is the spice of life, and I must agree and that might explain my love for most music.  When it comes to worship (the music we do that talks about God) I have two favorite instruments and guess what?   They don’t go together either.  First, I love drums.  I can’t play the drums. I have no rhythm—in fact I struggle to clap to the beat but all of that doesn’t change my love to both watch and hear them being played. Now in direct contrast to that is the violin.  There is something sweet, almost precious, about the sound of a violin. Its melodic sound can quickly sweep me away in worship.

So how is it that I can like such a variety of music and two instruments that are such opposites? I think the answer is simply at the center of it all is my love for music.  That seems to top everything else. So, you are just as likely to see me patting my foot to southern gospel as you are to a piece of the classics.  I think this love for the central thing might help us in our God stuff. You see, if we keep the focus on Him, all the stuff on the sidelines doesn’t matter nearly as much. It’s nice to know that no matter where I worship…I can worship because it isn’t the music that owns me…He does.

So, I hope music is a big part of your life.  And more importantly…I hope the God who created it is too.  As you journey in life, learn to appreciate the Creator and the rest will fall into place. The reason is simple.  As His book puts it, “Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise! He is to be feared above all gods.” There you go.  I guess we shouldn’t be surprised no matter what, He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne

Posted in communication, life, prayer, priorities, Scripture, thankful, travel

Global Pass

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

Welcome to your Global Pass. To people who know us best know that we are traveling more these days. A missionary friend of our shared, “There are days of go, go; days of slow go; and days of no go.” She advised us to go before health and circumstances made traveling (something we really enjoy) either very difficult or even impossible. So, we are “go-going” while we have time. It was something that was pretty limited because of my responsibilities as a pastor but now–well, Katie bar the door.

We recently went on a cruise in the Caribbean. It wasn’t long, only five days, but it was a great adventure. After a day at sea, we parked the boat in Cozumel (which is in Mexico). Cell phone service is not not possible on the boat (without selling your first born) but when we got to port my phone told me that Mexico was included in my calling plan. It didn’t work too well but it was certainly better than nothing. So, I checked a few emails and called it a day.

That evening we left Cozumel and sailed through the night and all the next day and then through the night again. We woke up to find ourselves in the Bahamas and trust me it was beautiful. I looked at my phone and found a message welcoming me to my “Global Pass.” That meant that even thought this wasn’t included in my plan I had a special provision that allowed my to use my phone in that country. Again, I checked email and maybe even made a call or two. It was all made possible by my Global Pass. But the deal was–No pass–No Talking or Texting.

While I really didn’t need to call or text it was a great convenience. It was good to know that if I really had needed my phone and the service it provided–it was there. Did you know that God has a Global Pass too? Well, He surely does. It is always on line, always there and never fails. His Global Pass goes by another name–prayer! And unlike most times today, you never get an answering service or machine–you will find He is always there to personally take your call. And the best part is that it is available to every one of His kids. No one gets a higher priority than the other. Amazing!

So, while not give God’s Global Pass a try. He is just waiting to chat with you whether it is a ginormous emergency or just a time to talk. That’s just the kind of God He is. He is just waiting to answer and listen and let you know, without fail, He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Grace, gratitude, July 4, Memorial Day, Military memories, Scripture, thankful, USA, Veteran's Day

Freedom!

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance.” Psalm 33:12

It was 2020–amid the COVID craziness when my wife Judy and I made a discovery. It was a Thursday night and we had gone to one of our favorite eating places in Marion…a town not far from where we live. We did our Sam’s Club thing and then decided to call it a night. So, we headed for 217 back in Harrisburg.  As we were driving down the highway, on a whim, we made a right turn at a familiar intersection.  We had driven by it so many times but this time we turned.

The sign said it went to Creal Springs but I found out it went somewhere else—to something else.  We were cruising along just enjoying the ride when I thought I saw one of those “brown signs.”  These signs usually indicate a place of special interest.  As I went by, I thought I saw the words cemetery and Revolutionary War. I went down the road just aways and then told Judy I saw a sign for a cemetery…perhaps an old one.  I turned around.

Back down the road, there was indeed a sign. We pulled off the road and it said, “Ellis Family Cemetery and Revolutionary War gravesite.  I really couldn’t believe that it was true.  I mean, out East you would find those kind of gravesites everywhere, but here in Southern Illinois?  We decided we had to investigate.  It turned out there was no road just a driveway.  Well, after trying to decide if we were going to get shot for trespassing, we decided to give it a try.  As it turned out, the driveway went between two houses which led to a pasture.  Way at the back of the pasture we could see a small cemetery.  There wasn’t a road, but I could see where a car had gone before, so off we went.

When we got there, we found the gravesite of John Ellis.  He was born in 1754 and died in 1850.  He lived for 96 years, which is incredible, but even more amazing…he fought in the American Revolutionary War.  He had two monuments.  One was much newer, one much older.  The older one simply said, “For Military Merit” and someone had painted his name on it.  I was overwhelmed.  Here in Southern Illinois was the grave of a man, a hero, who fought for the birth of our country.

This man was there, on the battlefield, when a group of men and women declared our freedom from England.  This.man.was.there.  He put it all on the line for a cause greater than himself.  And for the last 249 years that is what freedom loving American heroes have done.  Through conflicts great and small they have served, they have bled, and many have died.  I value the saying, “All gave some, some gave all.” I value the sacrifice of all of these freedom fighters through the centuries and decades.  I also love what they fought for.

I know these are difficult times for our nation, but we have seen difficult times before. At his first inauguration on March 4, 1933, Franklin Roosevelt said this. “This is preeminently the time to speak the truth, the whole truth, frankly and boldly. Nor need we shrink from honestly facing conditions in our country today. This great Nation will endure as it has endured, will revive, and will prosper. So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.” Don’t rush past those words.  They are powerful and they are worth believing.

I believe in this country.  I believe that even with all its warts and imperfections it is still the best country in the world.  Having visited well over twenty other countries, I’ve seen the competition and America wins hands down.  I spent an Independence Day in basic training for the Air Force in 1972. Lights-out was about 8:00 pm and I was lying in my bunk when the fireworks starting going off.  I crept out of bed and went to the window and watched as the fireworks exploded in the Texas sky.  Two emotions came over me.  One, I missed family.  Somewhere in Florida they were celebrating freedom. The other though was more personal.  I was becoming an American airman serving my country.  I was one of her defenders and I was proud…proud to serve and proud to be an American.

So, please, don’t blow past Independence Day today and certainly don’t give up on America.  We have weathered many storms and we can weather these stormy days…if we do what we have done in the past and that is trust God.  It is no accident that we have fought and won, it is no accident that we have survived and even thrived for the past 249 years.  It was more than sacrifice, more than guts, more than determination…it was and is the grace of God.

The Book says, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance.”  That is so true.  As a nation when we choose God, when we choose to make Him ours, we do better.  When we don’t, we don’t.  It is just that simple.  The second part of that verse is equally important. God is still inviting, calling people to be His.  Skin color doesn’t matter, economic status doesn’t matter, creed doesn’t matter.  He simply invites every man, woman, and child to be His.  The invitation is open, and the decision is personal…individual.

So, God bless America.  If you are a God follower, a God believer, why not start this Independence Day with a whispered prayer of thanks for this great country.  And then, pause, be still and listen for surely the Whisperer will whisper.  He may speak through His Word, He may speak through another person, or a beautiful sunrise or sunset.  Regardless, He will whisper, “You can rest in Me.  I’ve got this.” Bro. Dewayne

Posted in communication, Family, friends, gratitude, life, Scripture, thankful

My Friend Francis

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.” Proverbs 17:17

Johnny Cash sang it. “My name is Sue…now you’re going to die.” Well, his name wasn’t Sue but it was Francis.  Like Sue…it was a somewhat unusual name for a man and Francis was an unusual guy. I met Francis when I went to pastor at the LaMonte Baptist Church.  The church had three deacons and they were named Leo, Francis, and Floyd.  All three of them were special guys and I grew to love each one of them for who they were.  I was a very young, inexperienced pastor and new at the pastoring thing.  So new, in fact, that when I mowed my grass at the parsonage, across the street from the church, I would wear dress pants.  I wasn’t sure if pastors were allowed to wear jeans so close to the church.  They can.

So, even back in 1984, Judy loved flowers and the parsonage was woefully short in that department.  In fact, I’m not sure there were any flowers in the entire yard.  Well, one day Judy declared that she wanted a flower bed.  She began to actually plan the where’s and how’s of the flower bed.  If it would have been me, I would have grabbed some flowers, dug a hole, stuffed them in, and applied dirt.  Good luck.  Not Judy.  She decided that the flower bed should go along the front of the house and that it needed to be raised.  That means we needed to find some timbers to build up the height of the bed.  Again, after a little thought, she decided that railroad ties would do the job.

Somehow, I casually mentioned to Francis that Judy wanted a flower bed. Now Francis was the go-to guy when it came to things like the parsonage.  He had already led the charge in installing a brick flue so we could have a wood burner, so he was the natural choice for the flower bed.  I said, “Francis, Judy would like to have some railroad ties for her new flower bed.  Francis didn’t miss a beat.  He said, “I’ll pick you up tomorrow at five.”

Well, sure as shooting, the next day at five, Francis pulled up in his big ole dually, white Dodge pickup truck.  You know there are pickup trucks too pretty to get dirty and then there are real pickup trucks.  Francis had a real pickup truck.   I climbed inside and we headed toward Sedalia, the largest town nearby.  I figured we were heading to the hardware store there to purchase some ties.  I was wrong.  You see, there was a railroad that ran parallel to the main highway.  We went down the road a bit and then…Francis turned.

Yup, he turned on a small road and then immediately took a right.  We had arrived at the railroad tie store, only it wasn’t a store…it was the factory.  I found myself in railroad tie heaven.  You see, the railroad company had recently replaced their ties and the old ones were strewn all down the rails.  As far as you could see there were railroad ties. I was just amazed.  I should have been afraid.

Francis said, “Preacher, how many ties do you think you will need?”  Well, I told him I thought ten or twelve would be enough.”  So, we started going along the tracks and selecting the best ones for the flower bed.  Just like a carpenter would choose the best 2×4’s at the lumber yard, we picked the best ties.  This was just awesome.  And then it happened.  I heard the sound of a distant train whistle.

Now I didn’t think a thing about it. I always was a bit gullible and way too trusting so I had just assumed that Francis had called the local railroad office, told them the church needed a few of their old ties and got permission to get some.  I was wrong.  I heard the train whistle the second time and it was decidedly closer. I noticed that Francis had picked up the pace…he was definitely moving a little faster.  I still didn’t think a thing about it.  I just assumed he didn’t want to be that close to the tracks when the train went by.  Well, that was kind of true.

The whistle blew again and this time it must have been about a mile down the tracks and Francis said it, “Preacher, we got to go.”  I did sense a bit of urgency in his voice but I kind of thought it was a safety thing.  It turned out it was a bit more than that.  As we got back in his truck I said, “Francis, what’s the hurry?” I was thinking we could just move the truck further away from the tracks and we could even wave at the crew as they went by.  “Preacher, you don’t think they are giving us these ties, do you?”  Wait.  What?

Yup…I just discovered that we were stealing ties from the railroad.  It wasn’t a matter of safety it was a matter of not going to jail. So, Francis cranked the engine and mashed the gas and off we went just before the train came by. In the back of the truck were a bunch of railroad ties and in the front were two guys.  One was a preacher, one was a deacon, and both of them were guilty as sin. One knew all about it and the other was just learning but both were tie stealing criminals. Francis was smiling and I was wondering if I was going to jail.  But somehow it all seemed like a great adventure.

Well, we got back to the parsonage, and we built the flower bed. Francis helped with that too.  Years later when I would return to the church to preach, or perform a funeral, or maybe just drive through town, I would look and see the ties.  I didn’t remember the sin (After all, I’m sure I confessed it. God had forgotten it and I figure I should too.) No, I remembered a crusty old deacon, but more than that, a friend who wanted to help.  His way wasn’t ethical but all these years later, his willingness, his own brand of love is still lodged in my heart.  The Book says, “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.”

You know there are fancy friends, and rich friends and maybe even friends in positions of power.  And then there are the Francis kind of friends and that ain’t bad. Of course, if you’re gonna steal railroad ties, you definitely need the Jesus kind of friend.  His specialty is forgiving when you mess up and He’s the best friend of all. He’s the kind of friend that wouldn’t have frowned or pretend He didn’t know you when He saw you in Walmart.  No, He’s the “stay by your side” friend.  Through thick or thin, jail or not, He would say, “Don’t worry…just rest in Me.  I’ve got this.” Now that’s my kind of friend. Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, gratitude, life, love, marriage, Scripture, thankful

Real Love, Real Blessed

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “This is real love—not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.” 1 John 4:10 

It was hotter than a firecracker. Today, forty-nine years ago, I became the luckiest guy in the world.  Oh, I know, Joe DiMaggio thought he was but that is because he didn’t marry Judy.  You see, on June 26, 1976, this Florida cracker married one fine Georgia peach—Judy Dawn Allen thus ensuring my standing as the luckiest guy in the world. Looking back over the past all most fifty years, I am amazed just how good God has been.

I met Judy at church one Wednesday night.  I was stationed at the nearby Air Force base.  She was only sixteen and I was twenty.  It had to be a miracle that her parents even let me near her but then…I did meet her at church. Smile. I walked into church that Wednesday night, saw her standing in a group of about five or six young ladies, and well, that was that.  I got her phone number from a friend who attended that same church, gave her a call, asked her out on a date and she said yes.  That yes led to another yes on April 1, 1975, when she agreed to marry me and that yes led to an “I Do” on June 26, 1976. How about that?

So what is the secret to being married for 49 years?  All you have to do is marry someone like my wife Judy.  She loves God and Jesus, loves her family, loves people but most of all—she loves me. I never could figure that part out.  I am certain I am not worthy of her love but still she scoops it out in large quantities. She loves me when I get it right and when I don’t.  She loves me when it is hard and loves me when it is easier.  Amazing.

As amazing as all that is—the way God loves me is even bigger and better. He too lavishes His love out on me, and He too loves me regardless of my performance. On my best day, He loves me and on my worst day, He loves me still and a zillion years from today He will still be loving me.  His word says, “This is real love—not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.” Now that is what I call love.  That is what I call amazing.

Looking back, hot or not, I’m grateful for that summer day in South Georgia when an amazing God allowed me to marry an amazing young lady.  Over forty-nine years, walking together, and all but five of them as a pastor’s wife, well, I’ll forever be indebted to the One who gave her to me and to her for saying yes.  He took care of me then and He will take care of me for all the tomorrows yet to come. As always, “He’s got this.”  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in fear, life, Scripture, sovereignty of God, thankful, Trials

Windshields and Words

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” Ephesians 4:29

Go figure.  It was about seven years ago when it happened.  I was driving back from Evansville, Indiana and there was a school bus coming toward me. Of course, I didn’t think a thing about it…school buses come and go all the time.  Well, this one had a surprise waiting for me. Just about the time we met, in opposite lanes, of course, something came flying out of the bus.  To this day I don’t know what it was but whatever it was…it was big and heavy. It hit my windshield near the bottom and shattered it there.  In fact, it was so heavy, that it almost broke all the way through…glass scattered on my dash.

Well, needless to say, I was shocked.  I really wasn’t sure what had happened but it scared the pants off of me.  But then, I smiled.  You see when I bought the car it was, of course, used and the windshield had a couple of obvious defects.  First, it looked like it had been sandblasted and was covered with a zillion small pits.  Second, the top of the windshield had a medium to dark blue tint all the way across.  The dealer had placed one of those stickers on the outside that told what year it was and it stayed on long enough to leave a permanent oval-shaped shadow.  Being a perfectionist, both of these drove me nuts.

I wanted to replace the windshield but just couldn’t bring myself to do it and then when “it” happened, it was replaced courtesy of the insurance company…and that was why I smiled.  Oh, I guess I wish it hadn’t happened but since it did, I was grateful for the new windshield.  

The company did a great job installing the new glass and asked me to leave a review for their small town company…so I did.  Well, the following week I received an email from my friends at Google congratulating me on the fact that over five hundred people had read my review and found it helpful.  Now who would have thought in a small town that many people would have read and reacted to my review.  It made me realize just how powerful and far reaching our words can be.

The Jesus part of the Bible, the New Testament, talks a lot about our words…mostly encouraging us to be careful what we say.  Long before Google, Jesus and the rest of the guys who wrote the New Testament realized the importance and power of words.  The bottom line was and is…be careful what you say…it carries more impact that you realize.  Someone said, “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.” It is a nice saying but it is simply not true.  Words can hurt a lot…trust me I know.

Paul said when he was writing to the church in Ephesus, “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” What great advice.  That review, depending on what I said, had the power to help or hurt and so do our words.  Let’s choose our words carefully.  If you find yourself at a loss of words—it might be a blessing instead of a curse. And when you find yourself with too many words and something comes tumbling out that should stay in…just ask for a little help from the greatest word crafter ever…God…as always, “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, Grace, life, love, Scripture, spring, thankful, wisdom

When It Comes to Flowers

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

When it comes to flowers, Judy is no Jesus.  The one thing I really like about Jesus is that He was so inclusive.  If you were down and out—with Him, you were in.  If you were a leper—you were in.  How about the worst sinner around—the dreaded Roman tax collector?  Yup—in.  Caught red-handed committing adultery?  You were still invited to the party.  It just didn’t matter to Jesus because He came to seek and to save the broken, the bruised and the lost.  Now it drove the religious people nuts but that didn’t matter. He loved people and He especially loved sinners. How much? Enough to be almost beaten to death…enough to suffer the death of a Roman cross and enough to rise from the dead.  Now all that spells love.  Race, religion, or social class just didn’t matter.

Now when it comes to flowers, well, Judy really is no Jesus. You see my wife Judy is a real flower person.  You can count it a privilege to be planted in her garden…in her yard.  Only the best of the best makes the cut. Our neighbor was telling us that when people want to know where he lives and he tells them, and they say, “Oh next to the house with the beautiful yard.”  Yup, that’s Judy’s place.  But if you were a flower, there might be some bad news.  You either perform or you get pulled.  If you are just common, pack your bags and get ready to go.  The amount of grace varies from zero to some but is never unlimited.  Just like the daylilies in our front yard. By every right they really are pretty, but they are just too common to make the cut.  If you need some just let Judy know because they are going to go.

I am so glad that Jesus is no Judy.  If those daylilies had a soul, He would never reject them.  In fact, even the dreaded dandelion (the flower equivalent of a tax collector) would have a home with Him.  I’m glad I can let you know that no matter what you have done, how bad you think you might have messed up, whether you are the most common or most beautiful…Jesus loves you and if you are willing to trust Him and believe what He said and what He did—you are welcome to the party.

One of the most common and yet most beautiful verses in the Bible says it best, “For God so loved the world (that’s everybody) that He gave His one and only Son and anyone (that’s everybody too) who believes in Him will not perish (or get pulled up) but have eternal life.”  How about that? You, friend, are invited to the party.  So why not trust Him…today? Come and be a part of the most inclusive and beautiful garden of all—the garden of His family.  It is decision you will never regret—and you will always know, no matter what, that your Heavenly Father can handle anything…because He can. He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in communication, life, priorities, Scripture, thankful

Walking Wisely

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends You and lead me along the path of everlasting life.”

It’s funny…start something and it just might stick around forever. For forty-two years I made my living helping others do life.  I was a teacher/pastor.  Each week I prepared a message to share on Sundays.  Some weeks I helped someone walk through the “dark valley” as they said goodbye to a loved one.  And sometimes, I did special things like speaking on the radio, teaching on Wednesday or at special events.  Well, a long time ago, I began using different colors of marking on my notes to help me study.

For no reason in particular it goes something like this.  Whenever I use a particular scripture, I highlight that in pink.  When I have something that is important, I highlight that in green. An illustration gets highlighted in blue and any notes I hand write merit orange.  And then the text in general gets highlighted in yellow.  Oh, and then a while back, just to change things up, I added purple to the mix.  If nothing else, I can say safely say my notes look something like a rainbow. Amazing, but somehow, it works.

The funny thing is all those years ago when I chose those colors for those parts of my notes, I had no idea that for the rest of teaching life that would be the way it would be. There was no rhyme, no reason to what color I assigned to each part—I just did it.  And that made me think.  I wonder how many other things are there in my life, that I somehow made a decision to start, to do and now all these years later they are still a part of me? Ring a bell?

For most decisions, it doesn’t amount to a hill of beans.  Hotdog? Ketchup or mustard only?  Relish or no relish?  By the way, I made the “mustard only” decision about ten years ago and now I can’t imagine eating a hotdog any other way. But then, some decisions we make can lead to hurt and even destruction.  Some can damage our character and integrity—robbing us of joy and peace.

Someone said, “Sow a thought, reap an action; sow an action, reap a habit; sow a habit, reap a character; sow a character, reap a destiny.” And it can all start with the simplest thing—like a thought.  Need a little help figuring it all out?  Well, the Book gives a great prayer for us to pray. It says, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends You and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” Now that’s a good prayer and good advice. You can trust Him…He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

Posted in communication, friends, life, Scripture, thankful

I Saw the Light

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before His eyes, and He is the one to whom we are accountable.” Hebrews 4:13

I saw the light…I really did.  You know there are some songs that stay forever young in church.  I know in our church, you crank up, “I’ll Fly Away” and just about everyone gets fired up and joins in.  Well, the other day we sang another one of those “forever young” songs. I was teaching about Jesus being the light of the world and our worship guy led us in a rousing rendition of “I Saw the Light.” This gospel and country classic was written by Hank Williams Sr. way back in 1948 and has been recorded by many artists.  It is just a good one.

Well, the other day, you might say that I saw the light.  I was speaking at Priority, a statewide event for ladies from the Illinois Baptist State Association and it happened there. As I walked up on stage, the house lights were already dimmed down and there were four very, very bright stage lights letting their light shine.  At the time I was teaching somewhere every week and never have I seen brighter lights.  What was so amazing is that I couldn’t see one face in the crowd.  I knew they were out there—they were an enthusiastic bunch—but all I could see was the lights.  It really was kinda funny.  I felt like I was speaking to a totally dark room—but that wasn’t the case.

During the next general session, it was my turn to be a participant in the audience.  So, I joined my wife and a several ladies from our church and we worshipped and sang.  Finally, it was time for the featured speaker to speak.  She came out on the stage and there she was for everyone to see.  Then, I looked around at the audience and realized that the room wasn’t totally dark, it was just the lights shining on the stage were so bright.  The bottom line is they could see me, and they could see each other—but the speaker—nada, none, zero. I was amazed and I knew somewhere in all of that there had to be lesson, there had to be a truth. And then it came to me.

I realized that sometimes we can be blinded by life and yet all around us everyone else sees clearly.  Sometimes we are blinded by our own sin, or circumstances, or desires. When that happens, we will find it is very difficult to make a good decision because of our blindness.  And sometimes we assume that because we can’t see—others can’t see us.  Surprise, surprise, surprise.  Guess what? They can.  And wait—there’s more.  Even if we can hide from others we cannot hide from God.  Listen to this truth found in Hebrews 4:13. It says, “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before His eyes, and He is the one to whom we are accountable.”

Wait. What? Does that mean He saw, He heard, He witnessed that thing you thought no one saw, no one heard, no one witnessed.  Does that mean that what we thought was secret…wasn’t…isn’t?  That is exactly what it means.  Honestly, that is just a hair frightening. What this means is that we really need to be careful with all our actions, words and even thoughts.  Trust me on this one…blinded it or not…we are fully exposed.

I really was surprised to experience this brilliant blindness…caused not by darkness but by light.  I was also surprised to find out that though I was blind…no one else was.  Talk about a wakeup call!  I have learned over the past three years as we have shared together through Grits that there is one thing that no longer surprises me.  Can you guess what it is?  Yup, you are right, “He’s got this.”  Bro. Dewayne