Tag: conversation

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

Don’t Be a Worrywart

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.” Philippians 4:6

She comes by it naturally. My wife Judy and I have three daughters. One of my great pleasures in life was to watch them grow into beautiful young women—both inside and out. I told them the other day that they should be very grateful to us—and especially their mother Judy—because they are each so attractive. In each one of them, you can see things that they have picked up from either me or Judy.  I have one daughter who is a natural born worrywart. She manages to worry about just about everything.  I wonder who she got that from? Well, let me just say it was not her mother. While I am not a worry wart, I could probably qualify as a worry something.

In a culture that is obsessed with appearance, guess what? I’m certain that a lot of those lines that people get Botox treatments for come from worrying. Wait…that isn’t all. Surely a lot of those gray hairs the ladies (and some men) try to hide also come from worrying. Now that I think about it, that might be why so many pastors have gray or white hair. It isn’t about worrying as much as it is trying to care for all the members that do.

It has been reported that 90% of the things that we worry about never even happen. Think about that. I was reading a devotion the other day and it included this very insightful quote by some unknown author.  It said, “Worry is a conversation you have with yourself about things you cannot change. Prayer is a conversation you have with God about things He can change.” Isn’t that awesome. We worry about things that are usually totally out of our control.  Jesus said in His Sermon on the Mount, “Can any of you add one moment to his life span by worrying?” Now how is that for irony.  Obviously, Jesus knew that the opposite was true.  Worrying never adds—it always subtracts.

 For years I have had plenty of long conversations with myself and they were often about things that I couldn’t change. Let’s read the first part of that quote again—“worry is a conversation you have with yourself about things you cannot change.”  Check—been there—done that. Now let’s focus on part two. It says, “Prayer is a conservation you have with God about things He can change.” Wow—how powerful. It looks like it boils down to four simple words—worry less, pray more.

Paul gave us something better than anxiety pills and Botox.  Here is what he said in Philippians 4:6, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank Him for all He has done.” So, we need to discipline ourselves to worrying less and also pray more. Simple and powerful. There is one more element.  Did you see it? Paul also said for us to adapt an attitude of gratitude—let Him know what is messing with us and then be sure and thank Him for all that He has done. Now there is one more thing we should do.  We need to be sure and believe that our God is a “I’ve got this” kind of God. Do you know why?  Because He is.  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, food, forgiveness, friends, gratitude, life, prayer, priorities, Scripture, thankful, wisdom

Chatting With the Father

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper.” 1 Kings 19:12

“What was that, again?”  Last week we had a winter storm.  Though it wasn’t as nasty as they said it was going to be it was still more than enough to warrant staying off the roads and in the house. Turns out, it was a two day in the house deal.  Well, we had an invitation to go eat dinner with a couple on Friday night, but it looked like the weather was going to nix that.  Another good friend was invited to go and frankly, I was disappointed when it looked like it wasn’t going to happen. She wasn’t sure the roads would be safe. I mean, this was one of those good invites…great friends and great food.  So, my wife Judy and I were thrilled when she called and said it looked like the roads were going to be clear enough…so Friday night we were off and running.

Judy sat up front and I was in the backseat.  Our friend owns one of those Toyota off road things…you know, the kind that would be at home in a safari in Africa so trust me the roads were not going to stop us.  I told her we should go four-wheeling before the night was over. Smile. So, anyway, soon we were on our way.  Now, her vehicle may be made to conquer Africa, but it is not made for conversation…especially for those in the backseat.  I was content to just ride but several times a question or something came from the front seat, directed my way.  The result was a “Huh,” or a “What?”

You see, first, I do have some hearing loss.  There are some frequencies that I hear perfect and some that I just don’t.  Usually, questions from my wife fall in the latter category.  Second, her Africa eating vehicle had those tires that like to sing…loudly. Third, there was a pretty good portion of wind noise and finally, I was in the back seat, and they were in the front seat facing away from me.  The bottom line, there wasn’t going to be a lot of conversation…at least not any that involved me.  It was true going…and it was true coming home. All that was fine by me except when it was a question requiring an answer and then well, we were back to the “Huh,” and “What’s.”  I must confess it was just a hair frustrating.

I wasn’t surprised…with that much interference a person with good hearing would probably have struggled.  You put enough interference out there and nobody can hear anything.  That is true with people and wait for it, it is equally true with God.  I believe in prayer…not the wish list kind but the kind where I get to know God better. I believe in prayer…the kind where I can chat with my Dearest Daddy.  No, it is not formal, but it is respectful.  The one thing I forget too often is that it is a conversation, going both ways.  I do the part of me speaking very well…I just don’t do the part of me listening as well.  Sometimes I forget that He probably has more to say to me than I do to Him.  How interesting.

Another thing is that interference thing.  Just like my experience in my friend’s “over the river and through the woods” vehicle, so too often there is plenty of interference between me and my Father.  Yesterday’s sin and failures, today’s plans and worries about tomorrow all tend to speak loudly in my mind and heart and if I am not careful…drown out His voice.  You see God often is more of a whisperer than a shouter and trust me His whispers are worth hearing. One time, He was talking with one of His prophets.  There were all kind of big things going on, a fierce wind, fire, and earthquake and yet God didn’t speak through those…instead, He whispered.

So let me encourage you to take the time to get away, get quiet and get still.  When you get there have a chat…not filled with big and flowery words but words from a sincere heart spoken directly to a Dearest Father who loves you more than you can imagine.  Then be sure and give Him a moment or two speak into the conversation.  Listen carefully for He might speak softly.  He will whisper His love and probably just assure you that, “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne