life journey – Grits with Grace

Family, fear, Grace, gratitude, life, love, loving others, prayer, Scripture, sovereignty of God, Trials

Just Beneath the Surface

Posted on January 23, 2024January 20, 2024 by Dewayne Taylor

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1

I stood at the window and looked. It was a cold morning in January…and it was getting colder. Overnight an arctic front had blown through leaving a heavy dusting of snow and falling temperatures all accompanied by a blustery north wind that made the cold seem even more frigid. The morning light was just breaking so it was still dark and as I looked, I saw despair…saw nothing that seemed to offer hope.

Life is like that sometimes, isn’t it? Everywhere we look there are challenges. House fires, accidents, perplexing situations with our careers and injustice are all around us. We have several in our families who are struggling with cancer and end-of-life stages. Well-used bodies are beginning to fail. Even though the life journey for them has been long, it is still difficult to face the fact that some goodbyes are not far in the future.

And then there is tomorrow. Tomorrow I will be officiating at a funeral for a much too young 18-year-old high school junior. He was struck by an automobile and didn’t survive the encounter. It is going to be hard—there is just no way around it. See what I mean? Life can often seem like the view from my winter window. It would seem so hopeless…except for one thing. Spring.

You see, all things equal, I know something. I know that sleeping beneath the cold and perhaps frozen earth are grass and plants from last year and while they are sleeping now, they won’t sleep forever. In just a couple of months, a few weeks, they are going to burst back into the sun and life will begin again. It is going to happen because that is the way God made it. He created the seasons for us to…enjoy. It is hard to understand that on this cold January morning, but it is true. And this cold morning is going to help me appreciate the new life when it happens. I will have a deeper appreciation of life.

So, if your life seems like a frigid morning in January, know this. God wants, God desires to bring life in the Spring. Whether it is an encounter with eternity or a dark time with no sign of light, God wants to bring hope into your story. He gave His Son for that very purpose. Jesus died on a Roman cross so we could live. He defeated death by coming back to life that first Easter morning. Just like the first flower brave enough to bloom in early Spring, so He bloomed to offer hope…to each of us…to all of us. All we must do is believe, to have faith.

All the wishing in the world won’t change the view out my winter window…but time will. And in His time, He will bring Spring to yours too. Don’t give up. Just believe this. Right below the surface of your life, just like the cold, frozen ground outside my window, there is life, and that life is going to burst out of the ground one day. There is hope…even where you are now. Struggling to believe? Don’t worry…He can help you with that too. He who requires faith can give faith. He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

Family, friends, Grace, gratitude, heaven, life, love, loving others, prayer, priorities, Scripture, Southern born, sovereignty of God, thankful, Trials, wisdom

Not Bad, Just Hard

Posted on February 1, 2023January 26, 2023 by Dewayne Taylor

I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father, but by Me.” Jesus in John 14:6

It was Monday…and my brother died. It wasn’t a total surprise as we knew his health was deteriorating. He and his wife had been living in an assisted living facility for several years. As he grew older, as often happens, his body began to wear out and finally Monday morning it just quit working. He not only was my brother, but he was my oldest brother. He was seventeen years older than me and in so many ways he was more than just a brother…he was like a second father. To a large degree he helped mold me into who I am today…especially spiritually. My brother was a believer, a Jesus follower and if I may say so…a pretty good one at that. In fact, I can’t remember him ever not being a Jesus follower.

He was the one who always made sure I had a ride to church. He was one of those three-time-a-week goers, so I suppose that is why it has been a habit in my life too. Over the years, he shared a lot of good advice with me…advice that has guided me along my journey. When I became a pastor, he offered me some Godly wisdom and for my birthday gifted me with a couple of foundational books. At one of the churches I pastored, he felt led to lend a hand financially…something he did for more than a few years. He was like a father but he also was like the State Farm commercial that says, “just like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.” He was always there. Oh, we lived in different parts of the country…but that didn’t matter. That’s how some relationships are.

My brother wasn’t just my oldest brother…he was my last brother. When he left town on Monday for a bigger and better place, I looked around and realized I was the last brother standing. And that was another of those, “mortality moments.” He was just shy of 86 when he left here and went there—there being heaven. Eighty-six is a pretty good number, especially for men and especially for Taylor men. At first there were five of us Taylor men and three had already changed addresses—thankfully all in heaven. So, that left the bookends—my oldest brother at one end and me, the youngest at the other. He lived a long, good life…not the richest guy, not the most popular guy, and not the most powerful guy. In the end those don’t matter anyway. What matters is he was a Jesus guy. He made a difference. He made an impact. He left a legacy.

So, what happened that Monday morning when the last heartbeat came? Often our first thought is something bad happened. Well, I guess you could say God, through His Word, helped me have a different view. As I looked at all of this, death, life, and all that it entails, it seemed God said, “Dewayne, this isn’t bad…it’s just hard.” It immediately became lodged not in my throat but in my heart. Not.Bad.Just.Hard. Now don’t misread this, because there is plenty of bad in the world but with God painted into the picture, His grace and mercy can change bad to just hard.

You see, when my brother’s heart stopped the other day, he gave up a broken world for one that is perfect. He gave up a broken body for one that is perfect. He gave up sickness, tears, and sadness for a place where none of that exists. No assisted living, no hospitals, no funeral homes—just a home like none we can ever imagine—at home with his Dearest Daddy. See, it’s hard for us, sometimes really hard for us, however for him…no…he’s doing better than ever before. You might say that he is more alive than ever before.

My brother loved our family reunions and guess what? There is one coming that will outshine them all. Because of my pastoral responsibilities and distance, I didn’t make too many of the reunions but this one coming up…I’ll be there. Oh, it isn’t because I’m a preacher, or go to church, or belong to one denomination or another. No, just like my brother, I’ll be there because I am a Jesus guy and He is the way to the reunion of all reunions. Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life and no one comes to the Father but by Me.” Yes, it is a narrow road but the grand part is everyone is invited to participate. All you have to do is say, “Yes” to Jesus.

So, my brother died…well…actually His body died but not him. I’ll see him again and that’s not bad. The separation is hard but there is a party coming…one for the ages. You need to know that God wants you there also, and He made it possible for that to happen. Jesus, faith, grace, and mercy. Indeed, He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

Family, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, love, loving others, Scripture, Southern born, thankful, Trials

#friends

Posted on March 4, 2022March 3, 2022 by Dewayne Taylor

Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their efforts. For if either falls, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to lift him up.” Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

There were times when having a sister was not a bad thing. So, I am the baby of eight kids. Daddy and Momma, probably unintentionally, grouped the kids. There were three older boys, then a girl and a boy, and finally two more girls and me—the object of my parent’s delight—the perfect child. Ok, that is not even close to true but after all, it is my story. Growing up there was not a brother too close to my age, so I was kinda a solo act and too often the object of my sister’s merciless teasing and testing. More often than not…we were at odds. And, of course, they would run to Momma and tell her how bad I was. But she knew better…oh yes, she knew better.

Now with all that said, there were times when having a sister was not a bad thing. When they became teenagers a few years before me, sometimes I got to tag along on dates. Since their boyfriends had their driver’s license, it meant…freedom! Yup, even sisters have advantages. Another of those advantages involved manual labor. You see when I was a kid, one of my responsibilities was to mow the yard. While our yard was good sized, we also had a couple of acres that was just a big open field. Every once in a while, that field had to be mowed. Riding mower? You’ve got to be kidding.

At one time or another, I do remember we had two push mowers. They were nothing special—in fact they were anything but. They were usually lawnmower corpuses that my Daddy had resurrected using spare parts. I particularly remember one that didn’t have an off position on the throttle. The only way to turn it off was to pull off the plug wire. It was this mower that taught me the value of doing something carefully because if you didn’t remove the wire very carefully…well, let’s just say it was a shocking experience!

Well, I’m not whining (no, really) but that was a lot of weeds to mow. So, every once in a while, I would talk one of my sisters into helping and sometimes they would even volunteer. I mean you know how girls…even sisters…are about their figures and what I saw as work they saw as a weight loss plan. Anyway, I would lead with mower number 1 and my sister would follow with mower number 2. It sure helped–both physically and psychologically. Just knowing I wasn’t all alone was really encouraging. Well, I remember the time I was mowing my little heart out thinking my sister was right behind me with mower number 2. Around and around, I went…never looking back…believing that she was still there.

Well, the bottom line is I went and went till I happened to look back only to realize that she had quit, and I was all alone. Instantly the task seemed impossible and the field bigger than ever and I wanted to quit too. The difference: I was alone. At that moment I realized that even though I didn’t always like my sister…I needed her. We may have fussed and fought but when it came to mowing, she was my helper–my partner.

Well, the point is this: we really do need each other…especially in our life journeys, our spiritual journeys, our day-to-day bump into stuff journeys. Having someone we can talk with, someone we can share our burdens with, someone who will pray with us and for us, someone who is slow to judge and quick to love is just invaluable. Someone said, “No man is an island” and that is just the truth. I’m learning that you don’t have to always agree with someone to love that someone…or even like that someone.

Even as a person who values alone time—I know there is value in walking side by side. In the Old Testament part of the Bible, Ecclesiastes 4:9–10, one of the smartest guys ever to live said, “Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their efforts. For if either falls, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to lift him up.” Well, let me just tell you, I know that is true when you are nine or ten and mowing two acres and it is true today and every day. There is no better best friend than the One who wants to be your Dearest Daddy. He will never leave you alone…never quit. You can trust that “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne

Family, Grace, gratitude, life, Military memories, priorities, Scripture, Southern born, sovereignty of God, thankful

A Grits Love Story

Posted on February 15, 2021February 14, 2021 by Dewayne Taylor

Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.” Genesis 2:18

It happened just like that. I love grits…a lot. I know some of you have no idea what grits are and have never tried them. If you are from the North, I understand. If you are from the South, well, that’s just inexcusable. The problem with grits is that people want to mess with them by adding things like sugar and milk. Listen…you don’t mess with Texas and you don’t mess with grits. When you add those two things to grits it changes their DNA and whatever it becomes it is no longer grits. It may be the same consistency, but sugar and milk robs grits of their heart and soul.

There are things you can add to grits. The first three things on the list are salt, pepper and butter. Grits were meant to be seasoned so don’t think a sprinkle of this, or a dash of that will get the job done. You need to grab the that salt shaker and get serious and do the same thing with the pepper. Someone will say that salt is bad for your blood pressure. Well, some things are worth the sacrifice. The other things that bring grits to life are bacon, cheese and amazingly, shrimp. I’m telling you…grits are not the breakfast of champions…grits are the champion of breakfast. If you learn to eat them right…you will never go back and the only question you will ask is, “Why did it take me so long?

I should have asked that question sooner in another season of my life. It was late summer of 1974 and I was coming out of a relationship that had gone on way too long. It was just time for it to end and it did. I was in the Air Force and trust me an Air Force base nine miles from town in South Georgia can be a lonely place. Imagine a bowl of grits without the salt, pepper, and butter and that was me. And then on a Wednesday night I decided to go to a local church. Now I had done church all of my life, but walking into a strange church, by myself, on a Wednesday night, was not in my comfort zone. But this bowl of grits needed some seasoning. So, I went hoping I would meet someone who might add some seasoning to my life. And, just like that, it happened.

That night, I walked in the side door of the church and there was a small group of young ladies standing by the piano. One, and only one, caught my eye. Her name was Judy Allen and that night was the beginning of a love story that has now stretched into a 45 year adventure of life and love. I guess she was a little too young and maybe I was a little too old, but it was a different time and the bottom line…we fell in love. That Georgia peach stole my heart and has never given it back. I never thought of it this way, but I guess grits and peaches go together after all.

Through the decades and years, we have journeyed together…sometimes across town and sometimes across the world. We built a legacy together that includes our three daughters, their husbands, and our grandkids…all eight of them. We first served our country together as an Air Force family and then served our God as a team—side by side in four different churches over 39 years. At each stop, I was the grits, and she was the seasoning. She was and is a gifted servant in her own right, but she was also the salt, pepper, and butter that made me a better bowl of grits, a better man…a better pastor. I fully understand what God meant when He said in Genesis, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.” Well, thank you God for that one.

Grits (what I write not the ones you eat) is just one more example of her seasoning me—encouraging me. She had been nudging me for years to write and I simply wouldn’t listen. And then COVID came along and on a whim, I wrote a very short story and posted it and almost a year later my fingers are still mashing keys. What you may not know is that Judy once again was there to season my frail attempts. She developed the blog and the Facebook page, and she proofs my words then designs the graphics. She adds flavor to Grits—and our life and our ministry.

So, on purpose and without apology, let me tell her and you, just how much I love her and how grateful I am for the seasonings she has brought to my life. There are two things I know. First, I can’t imagine what life would have been if I hadn’t gone to church that night. See, you oughta go to church! But second, I can’t imagine what life would have been if this particular someone, by God’s amazing grace, hadn’t walked with me all these years. It seemed she always knew just how much salt, how much pepper and how much butter to add to this ole bowl of grits…and I love her for it.

So, there you go. It’s a grits love story. If you’ve tried grits (the ones you eat…not the ones you’re reading) and didn’t like them…you probably just didn’t have them seasoned right. You might want to give them another try. And if you have someone in your life that, honestly, just feels a little bland, like grits without the good stuff, don’t give up on them. Go ahead and be the seasoning in their life. You might be amazed, just like I was, how a little salt, a little pepper, and some butter can make a bowl of ground corn taste amazingly good. Oh, and then, don’t forget to also thank God because He’s the One who made it all possible anyway. I’ve learned, and I am still learning, “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne