love – Grits with Grace

Family, friends, gratitude, Integrity, life, priorities, Scripture, Southern born, thankful

Nickels, Dimes, and Quarters

Posted on March 21, 2023March 20, 2023 by Dewayne Taylor

If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord—and He will repay you!” Proverbs 19:17

It was part generosity and part tradition. When I was growing up, Sunday meant going to church. My Momma would always make sure I had taken a bath, combed my hair, brushed my teeth (I think), had clean clothes, and had an offering. There was something about going to church and taking an offering. It almost seemed like either God would be mad if I didn’t or the people at church would think we were poor or something…which we might have been.

Now the offering wasn’t a whole lot, but it was more than the widow lady in the Bible gave. Her offering was less than a penny, but it was really everything she had. Momma gave me a quarter most times but sometimes it was a dime and on rare occasions it was a dollar. Trust me, that was a rarity. Anyway, I finally figured out that it wasn’t the amount that mattered anyway. What mattered was that Momma thought it was important and it mattered that I didn’t pocket the quarter. Jesus said something about it was more blessed to give than to receive and I’m sure Momma knew that. So anyway, I gave the quarter.

I read a story the other day about a little girl who went to church just like me. Her Momma gave her a dime and a nickel. The little girl asked, “Which one am I supposed to give?” and her Momma told her she could decide. Well, when she came home from church, her Momma asked her which one she gave, and she said she had given the nickel. When asked why she gave the nickel instead of the dime she said, “Well, the preacher said that God loves people who give cheerfully, and I was a lot happier when I gave the nickel and kept the dime.” Smile.

I know that I am still a work in progress. God started the project way back in 1975 and He’s still working today. I’ve heard it said that His work isn’t done until He takes us home to live with Him. I believe that is true. One of the areas that He is working on with me is generosity. They say that if you want to carve a duck from a block of wood you just cut off everything that doesn’t look like a duck. Well, that is what God does with us except He’s not making ducks. He is making Jesus followers. And one thing I know for sure is that Jesus was always generous. He was so generous He gave His life away on a wooden cross to pay for everyone’s sin. Now that is generosity. Now that is love.

My point isn’t that you ought to give to the church. The point is we should all learn to be generous to others. A generous life is a happy life, and a generous heart is a happy heart. In the Old Testament part of the Bible in the Book of Proverbs it says, “If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord—and He will repay you!” You know, I believe that is true. I’m also sure that the repayment may not be dollars and cents but rather a deep sense of peace and joy in our lives—and that is better—that is priceless. Remember this—God is more than willing to help you be like Jesus, but it all starts when we believe what He did and what He said. He died and came back to life and promised to forgive anyone who asked. Need a little help with that? Well, don’t worry, He’s got that too.

Bro. Dewayne

Family, forgiveness, Grace, love, Scripture

A Daddy’s Love

Posted on October 14, 2022October 13, 2022 by Dewayne Taylor

“And because we are His children, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.” Galatians 4:6

I might have been just a little difficult when I was little. I can remember when I was quite young that I wasn’t very quiet. I also remember that I had a hard time standing still. I used to rock side to side sometimes and I can remember Momma asking, telling me, to hold still. I’m sure there is a name for it now but back then it was just kind of a weird normal. At any rate it might explain some of the things I did that got me into a hot mess.

I can remember the time that I stuck my daddy’s water hose in the ground and couldn’t get it out. We lived in North Florida and the soil was very sandy. I discovered if you turned the water on and pressed the end of the hose against the soil, it would kinda self-drill into the sand. On a good day I could get the hose three or four feet into the ground. That was the easy part. The problem was getting it back out of the ground. You see, the water and sand created a seal around the hose and no matter how hard I tried…it was stuck. I suppose you can imagine how upset, maybe angry, my daddy was when he came home and tried to water his roses and his hose was stuck in the ground. Hmmm…not good, not good at all.

Of course then there was the time I found some leftover firecrackers in the workroom we had attached to the back of the house. I decided that I could make a rocket of sorts with the firecrackers and a can. I went to the trash and found a tin can, poked a small hole in the bottom and then fed the fuse for one of the firecrackers through the hole. Then, I dug a hole just the size of the can, put the can in the hole and lit the fuse and…ran. The firecracker exploded as planned and that propelled the can up in the air probably twenty or thirty feet. There was only one problem. I had dug the hole for the can right next to the front of daddy’s car. Well, what goes up must come down and that can came right down…and landed right on the hood of daddy’s car. Since this was a long time ago, it was when cans were made a lot stronger than they are today and when that can hit the hood—it definitely left a mark…a dent in fact. Hmmm…not good, not good at all.

The worst of them all was the time I shot my daddy in the back with my BB gun. We were hunting squirrels and daddy had let me take my BB gun along. I was walking along and violated one of the big rules of gun safety—actually two of them. First, make sure your safety is one and two, keep your finger off the trigger. Well, I apparently flunked gun safety because my safety was not on and I had my finger on the trigger. I stumbled and shot daddy dead in the back. Now calm down. The good news is he had on a heavy hunting coat and the BB gun was pretty weak. The bottom line is he hardly felt it but he did feel it enough to turn around and give me “the look.” I’m sure I had to retake Gun Safety 101. Hmmm…nor good, not good at all.

So you would think after these three things and probably a couple of dozen more I can’t remember, my daddy promptly disowned me or at least sent me off to reform school or the French Foreign Legion. But the truth of the matter is…he didn’t. Oh, I’m sure there was some sort of punishment but one thing was for sure. He never stopped loving me…he never disowned me. No matter what…I was still his son and his love, a father’s love, never failed. I know for some of you that is hard to understand, because it just wasn’t that way with your daddy.

Let me share some good news with you. No matter what kind of daddy you had growing up there is another Daddy in heaven who loves you no matter what. In fact, the Bible says He is an Abba Father…or Dearest Daddy and He is just waiting for you to be a part of His family. And that happens when you ask and when you believe—ask Him to forgive your sins and believe that His Son Jesus in fact died for your sins making that forgiveness possible. Trust me…it is the greatest gift and the greatest decision you will ever make. Why not ask Him today? Why not let Him make you His. I promise you won’t regret it. If you are afraid you’ve messed up to bad…well, don’t you worry about that. No matter what you have done you can be assured that, “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne

Family, fear, Grace, gratitude, life, prayer, Scripture, thankful, Trials

Trust

Posted on August 3, 2022July 23, 2022 by Dewayne Taylor

Hi Grits Family! My wife Judy and I are going to be “out of pocket” aka “not available” to write for the next couple of weeks. During that time, we decided to send out some of our past stories. I hope you enjoy the ones we selected and look forward to some “fresh Grits” in a couple of weeks. God bless. Bro. Dewayne

Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the LORD holds them by the hand.” Psalm 37:24

It seems so easy…but it just not. In the Disney movie Aladdin, the central figure named Aladdin (bet you saw that one coming) and the beautiful young princess are in a difficult situation. Options are limited because the bad guys are just about to win the day–grab her and jail him. He reaches out his hand, looks her in the eyes and says, “Do you trust me?”

Well, you have probably seen the movie a dozen times, but the bottom line is she does, they escape, and eventually live happily ever after. But not before one more precarious situation, one more extended hand and one more time the all-important question asked, “Do you trust me?” She does. She extends her hand and well, you know.

Times like these times help us begin to understand just how difficult it might have been for these two fictitious characters. To not trust meant certain disaster. To trust meant risk. It’s a hard call–well especially in the movie because Aladdin wasn’t some dashing, super strong, super-hero but a, gulp, “street rat,” a nobody, from the wrong side of town.

But what about us–what about our plot–our uncertainty. Well, there is an extended hand and there is that all important question, “Do you trust me?” But that’s where things change. The hand extended to us doesn’t belong to a “street rat” but rather to the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. It belongs to the One who speaks, and a billion stars begin to twinkle. And the one on the receiving end? Oh, that would be us–the one He calls son, daughter, child of mine.

I love Psalm 37:24. Speaking of God and us, it says, “Though they [that would be us] stumble, they will never fall, for the LORD holds them by the hand.” Never fall, never perish, never. Let that soak in. The word picture is that of a person—perhaps a small child or maybe a frail senior adult—who has lost their footing and consequently is on their way down to certain pain and suffering. Then, at the last minute, the hand reaches down and takes hold, and they are saved.

That has to be what caused the prophet Habakkuk 3:17-18 to say, “Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fails and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, 18. yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.”

It’s not a hard call really. I mean He’s all powerful and loves us like no prince has ever loved his princess…cares for us more than any husband his bride. He has a perfect track record. Never fails…no, not once. Regardless of how scary the days were or may become, He is bigger, He is stronger, and He can be trusted. So, listen carefully today. Tune out or turn down the volume of a screeching world and you will probably hear a soft whisper saying, “Do you trust me?” And look with Spirit eyes and you might even see a hand extended. You don’t even need to try and take hold for He’s got you and yes, He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

Grace, life, love, loving others, missions, Scripture, Trials

Easy Preaching…Hard Living

Posted on July 9, 2021July 8, 2021 by Dewayne Taylor

“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.” James 1:2

It sounded so good when I said it. So I am a pastor/teacher which means I get to tell people about the Bible and how they should do this and do that. I really enjoy teaching and the truth is life is just better when we follow what the Bible says. It really is so much more than a rule book. It tells us all about God but it also gives us His guidelines for living. I have discovered that when I follow what it says, my life has fewer regrets and smaller consequences. Trust me, it works.

The bottom line is talking is easier than doing. It is one thing to stand up before a bunch of people and teach something and quite another to do it. We call it “easy preaching and hard living” and that is especially true when it comes to living, working and dealing with people. That is probably why the Bible talks a whole lot about loving people. Its pretty amazing but you can sum up a whole bunch of the Bible with four words…love God…love people. That may be only 17 letters but they are filled to the brim with impact.

I talked about loving your neighbor as yourself a couple of week ago. Oh, man, did it go well. I talked about loving people like Jesus loves us and how if we experienced love from Him we should be willing to share that same love. Yup…it preached really good. I know I left church ready to love the world. For example, imagine this.

Let’s pretend, you know, hypothetically speaking, there was a family that bought a house in a quiet, historic neighborhood. Imagine that one of the residents welcomed the new neighbors and told them how glad they were to have them in the neighborhood. Then a day or two later the old neighbors began hearing a very loud, very large dog barking and realized it was coming from the direction of the new neighbors. Apparently, they had a big dog who wasn’t happy and decided to let his displeasure be known…to the whole world.

Well, now imagine that one neighbor talked to another neighbor and it was decided that someone should talk to the new neighbor about the situation. So one of the neighbors went down and very kindly asked if they could maybe encourage their dog to not bark quite as loud or often. The new neighbors were very understanding and said they would keep the dog inside more. Wouldn’t that kind? All the neighbors decided that these neighbors were gonna be easy to love.

Then, imagine that a cat just shows up in the other neighbor’s yard and it belonged to the new kids on the block. And, horror of horrors, it is looking for breakfast and on the menu is bird…the neighbor’s birds. So, let’s pretend that old neighbor goes down and asks the new neighbors to please keep their precious kitty at home. Well, they were nice but said the cat couldn’t stay inside because it wouldn’t use the litter box. Hmmmm…wouldn’t that be…shall we say…more difficult.

Then, and remember this is all hypothetical, the new neighbors decided one dog was not enough so they added two full grown German shepherds and another large “I’m not sure what it is” dog for a total of four. Then imagine that these dogs are a tight knit group meaning when one barks they all bark…a lot. So as a result, if all this were real, the nice, quiet historic neighborhood wouldn’t be quite as quiet as it was. I bet the old neighbors would have to do a lot of learning about patiently, loving neighbors. They would probably realize that Jesus stuff can be quite challenging.

Well, of course, this is all just hypothetical but the truth is when Jesus walked the earth for those three years, it often wasn’t easy for Him either. But regardless of who and what…He loved people and He told His followers that they were to do the same. As Jesus followers we are not only to love when it is easy…we are to love period. We are to love our neighbor…even those hypothetical ones with large dogs who like to bark…a lot. We are to love our neighbor, even the hypothetical ones, who might have a cat that likes to eat birds…our birds. We are to love our neighbors…period. No if’s, no and’s and no but’s.

James, the half-brother of Jesus told us that we should count it joy when we have trials. A preacher I know (that would be me) is going to say in an upcoming sermon that the orchard where patience and love grow is often difficult but the fruit is oh so sweet. And that is the truth. So, not hypothetically, I’m going to do my best to love my neighbor. You see, we need to make sure that they know we love Jesus and because we love Jesus…we love them. Is it going to be challenging? Absolutely but if I understand the Book correctly, we don’t have to go it alone. He’s got this.

Family, forgiveness, Grace, gratitude, life, loving others, Scripture, Trials, wisdom

Together

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

I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35

I’m not much of a sports fan. Oh, I watch the Super Bowl and the World Series and occasionally I tune into the Master’s. I am amazed by March Madness and pull for the Blues if they are in the Stanley Cup playoffs. But when it comes to getting into the nitty-gritty of the sports world, well, not so much. Even so, I do know one or two things that can make a team strong. While each team will have a wide variety of talents and skill levels, while every team will have players from different races and social stations, while every team will have all kinds of personalities, there is one thing they must have in common. They must have a love, a passion, for the game.

I mean it just works. Take my family, your family, for example. In a world where fewer and fewer marriages stay intact, where relationships are fractured, where time is easy to schedule but difficult to find…someone, or several someone’s must have a passion for the family, not just for it to survive, but for it to thrive. Passion and love will somehow carve time out of a busy day for one another. Passion and love will find a way to put others at the front of the line. Passion and love will share the burden of life and make it easier to bear.

Take your place at work, for example. For many, work is just work. However, the bottom line is work gives you the opportunity to spend several, or more than several, hours with a group of people, day after day. While it is great to be passionate about the job you do, doesn’t it also make sense to be passionate about the people you do it with? I spoke at the funeral service of a person recently and one of the things that was said of her was that her co-workers were like a second family to her. What about you? How would that impact your desire to get up and go to work each day?

Take your church, for example. If there is a place where we should be up to our eyeballs in relationships, it is where we worship. One of the most powerful forces in culture is when a group of Jesus followers gather to worship and do life together. One thing is certain—Jesus was and is a game changer. In fact, the way we do time is centered on His birth. And, when, His followers get it right, they become an impactful force for good in our communities, towns, and even the world.

Whether in the church or not—we have to find common ground. We somehow have to determine that in our small part of the world, what draws us together will be stronger than what would pull us apart. That is what got this great experiment called America going in the first place. It wasn’t that everyone agreed, but that they found common ground and they let that common ground be the glue that pulled the country together.

Each one of us needs to find that one thing that will help us pull it all together—whether that be family, business, church, or community. I know for me that cohesion is all about being a Jesus follower. His ability to change lives and His teachings lived out in the lives of people are just game changers. One of the things I love about people is the great diversity. God made each one of us different and unique. We are all over the map—no pun intended. But that diversity may well be a strength and not a weakness. It only becomes a weakness if we allow it to pull us apart and not together.

We need each other and there is power and beauty in God’s creation. When we work together, we become a force to be reckoned with—and the enemy knows it. So, as we emerge from the crazy time of COVID and division, let’s remember what is good about our communities, our towns, our country—and even this sometimes, upside-down world. Let’s remember the power of love and kindness. If you are a Jesus follower, let’s remember He said they will know us by our love…not our judgement. And even if you aren’t a Jesus follower—well, that’s just good stuff. We are stronger and better together and with a little help from the One who created all this—we can do it. After all, He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

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

A Morning Nightmare

Posted on February 18, 2021February 17, 2021 by Dewayne Taylor

He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.” 2 Corinthians 1:4

It was the thing that nightmares are made of. I wasn’t there for this, but trust me I have lived it over and over again with my wife, Judy. Let me tell you the story. When she was four or five years old, her father and mother went to work and so she had a babysitter that lived close by. It was a regular routine. Simple. Simple and routine till one day it wasn’t.

On the first day of school, the babysitter and her friend were taking the kids to school. The kids were entering first grade, there was no kindergarten. After they had dropped the kids off, it was back to her house again. If you’ve ever been to Valdosta, Georgia you need to know multiple times at multiple locations train tracks would cross the roads and highways. Just a few miles from the grade school was a pulpwood plant and often trains would drop off logs to be made into paper. On that particular morning, after leaving the school, the car approached this train crossing. In the early 60’s, many of the crossings didn’t have lights or gates and this was one of those. As the car approached the crossing, that’s when it happened.

It was not unusual for trains to just stop short of the crossing and sit there. As the car approached the crossing there was a train and the young lady who was driving assumed it was just waiting as they often did. Unfortunately, she was wrong. As the car neared the crossing and proceeded onto the tracks, she realized that the train was in fact moving—slowly—but moving. In a panic she thought she was pressing the gas pedal, when in fact she pressed the brake—stopping the car dead on the track. As if in slow motion, the train hit the car and slowly, methodically pushed it down the tracks. Even at such a slow speed, it took a while for the train to stop. The damage was extensive.

The collision was not without consequences and injuries. The lady in the front passenger seat where the train hit received two broken arms. The girl behind the passenger seat had a broken leg. The driver literally had a nervous breakdown. Thankfully, four-year-old Judy was only knocked to the floorboard where she tried her best to hold on to the “hump.” While everyone was taken to the hospital, gratefully the injuries, though serious, were not life threatening. As often is the case in situations like this, not all the injuries were physical.

When I met Judy in 1974, she was sixteen and full of fun and life. Because she lived on the other side of most of the tracks, we would often have to cross them. While never in a dangerous way, if I heard a training coming, I would speed up to make it across the crossing. I still remember the fear that came across her face. Each time it happened, she was reliving what happened. The accident still deeply affected her emotionally. Even if there was a crossing guard with lights, she would tense up, even though I was slowing down to a stop. What happened that morning 12 years earlier left lifelong scars.

At first I didn’t really understand and thought perhaps, just perhaps, she was overreacting. But it didn’t take years, or months or even more than a couple of weeks, for me to realize that for her…this was a big deal. I also quickly realized that I owed it to her, this young woman I loved, to be very careful around train tracks. It didn’t scare me one bit, but it did scare the one I loved, the one I cared for.

So, can I ask you a question? Is there someone in your life, in your world that you care about that might need a bit of special consideration? Is there someone who has a life experience that has left them scarred or wounded? Divorce? Tragedy? Abuse? Death? Illness? Prejudice? You see, in our very imperfect world, you don’t have to travel far to find the wounded and the broken. And what isn’t a big deal to you, might be a tsunami of emotions and difficult memories for someone else. And honestly, we need to be sensitive. We need to care. Jesus did that so well. The Bible tells how God cares and comforts us in our trouble so we can care and comfort those we meet in our daily walkabout life.

So, if you bump into someone’s world and they seem to act differently in a certain situation, why not precede with caution? Why not be the one that brings comfort and understanding to their fractured moment? You could be the one that finally brings healing and peace in their world. Judy is much better now. But if there is an unguarded crossing and a train whistle in the distance, you can bet I still slow down and check the situation out. Judy, well, she knows this guy loves her enough to do exactly that. And, by the way, there is a Dearest Daddy who loves His kids even more than that. And no matter how your world is scarred or rocked…rest assured, 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

Family, forgiveness, Grace, life, loving others, Scripture

Sticks and Stones

Posted on October 29, 2020October 28, 2020 by Dewayne Taylor

“You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:43-45

You’re nothing but a little Hitler. The life of a pastor is always interesting. You really never know what is going to come your way. I’ve been doing this pastor thing for about 38 years now and I know two things. First, generally speaking the sun will come up tomorrow. There is no guarantee but it has a pretty good track record. Second, you are going to step in someone’s mess today. Pastor or not, you are going to bump into someone’s hot mess.

Her name was Sheila. Her mother attended our church and she and her two boys would occasionally visit. I decided one day to go by and just let her know that we enjoyed having her visit. I mean it sounded like a good thing, it sounded like the right thing. What could possibly go wrong, right? Well, I pull into her driveway and went up to the door. I did my gentle, non-threating knock and she came to the door. I gave the standard, “Hi Sheila, I just wanted to come back and let you know we are so glad you are visiting with us” spill. It was pleasant…it was sincere.

I don’t remember everything she said that day. It could be “pastoral amnesia.” That is a defense mechanism that pastors have to guard their hearts when someone decides it is their spiritual gift to break them. It might be PTSS (Pastor Tramatic Stress Syndrome) where the event was so traumatic that you block it out. Anyway…she cut loose and the two things I do remember included something about me running a cult and brain washing people. The last thing I remember was when she said, in all seriousness, “You are nothing but a little Hitler.”

Well, that hurt—a lot. It hurt so much that 30 years later I can still hear her voice, still feel her words, and still wish I had never knocked on that door. Not too long ago I was asked to do her mother’s funeral and it seemed the wall was still there. Amazingly…sad. There is an old saying that is a lie. It says, “Sticks and stone may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” Really? I wonder who came up with that one. They must have been deaf and blind. Words are an incredibly powerful tool or weapon—depending on the sender.

I still am amazed at the emotional energy that chance meeting had for me that day. But it wasn’t chance…it was somehow prescribed by my Dearest Daddy to help me grow to be more like Jesus. He knew (and He was right) that there would be many more awkward moments in the days ahead and I needed to learn how to handle them…like Jesus. This morning I listened to a devotional by one of my favorite writers, Bob Goff. He was talking about loving your enemies…or maybe folks who act like your enemies. He quoted Jesus and here’s what Jesus said, “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven.”

Wow…that is way powerful. Bob told a story about a witch doctor that he took to trial in Uganda. This witch doctor believed in child sacrifice and practiced it. No one before had had the courage to take on these bad guys. Well, he did and he won. Later, he decided to go visit this guy on death row. The former witch doctor, who by then had become a Christ follower, told Bob that he forgave him. This confused Bob because the other guy was the bad guy, not him. But what is important is the former witch doctor was extending grace because he wanted to be like Jesus…like his Father. How about that?

This COVID thing has been a breeding ground for more than germs…it was been a breeding ground for division, unkindness, judging, and hurting. I know it and you know it, too. And, unfortunately, God’s kids have not been exempt. The world is watching and seeing and wondering if this God thing is real or a hoax. One way we can show them that Jesus is the real deal is by loving one another. Just because the evening news is filled with hated and bitterness doesn’t mean it should infect our Jesus world. Remember He said that the world would know we are Christians by our love…not our dogmatism. I put something on the sign at church this week. It says, Jesus first. Before. Everything. Else. Period. I believe that. He is more important than COVID, masks, politics, and everything else. He is first and when He is first…we all do better. Our world does better. Our marriages do better. Our churches do better. So as we continue this journey called life, if you are a Jesus follower, make sure you are following Him closely. Mimic His every Word and every step. And if you are not yet a follower, I hope you soon will be. I know sometimes we Jesus followers don’t get it right—but trust me, He never gets it wrong. You can rest in Him. He’s got this.

fear, forgiveness, Grace, gratitude, life, loving others, prayer, priorities, Scripture, thankful, wisdom

History and Hope

Posted on September 11, 2020September 8, 2020 by Dewayne Taylor

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:35

It was a bright, wonderfully normal September morning and then everything changed. Nineteen years ago today our country found itself under attack by terrorists on a scale that was beyond almost everyone’s imagination. More amazingly it played out on national television for all of us to witness and mourn.

That morning I walked into the church office like dozens of times before…only this time was different. As I entered the door the secretary asked if I had heard that a plane had crashed into one of the world trade buildings. “Really?” I asked almost casually.” “Was it a big one or what?” She didn’t know and then I went into my office and slowly the news begin to spread. A large airliner had been hijacked and flown into one of the towers. Shortly, again on live television, we were shocked beyond belief as a second airliner flew into the other tower. And then—both towers collapsed. Even as I write this it doesn’t seem possible—but many of us saw it with our own eyes. Later another airliner crashed into the Pentagon. And there was more. Another hijacked aircraft heading to yet another target was taken back from the terrorists by a bunch of heroes. It crashed into a Pennsylvania field saving hundreds or maybe even thousands of lives.

The days that followed were like something we have never seen before. All flights in over the United States were grounded. New York, ground zero, was shutdown. People huddled over televisions soaking up any and all news and in the process becoming more and more afraid. To many it seemed like the end of the world as we knew it. And I suppose in some ways it was. We needed a miracle—we needed an encounter with the living God.

In a matter of a couple of days we witnessed something else. We saw something that was tremendously encouraging and a short time later something that was tremendously sad. First, we witnessed a coming together of the two major political parties in America. We watched as Democrats and Republicans stood on the Capital steps together and sang “God Bless America.” We were amazed. We were encouraged. It was one of our finest hours in the modern era and it was woefully short. Within a day, the finger pointing started as one party started blaming the other and sadly we found ourselves divided. In a time when we desperately needed to be together we were apart.

Fast forward 19 years and we find ourselves in yet another extremely difficult time. It is totally different and yet eerily similar. We are facing circumstances that have not been seen in modern times. The death toll is higher and the enemy faceless. And this time…we skipped the moment of unity and went straight to the finger pointing. We are a nation divided when we desperately need to be a nation united. Just like 19 years ago we are in desperate need of God and His healing power. The only hope lies in the living Hope—Jesus Christ.

God has put in place the army He intends to use. It is not Democrat, it is not Republican, it is you and I—it is His church-the body of Christ. If there was ever a time when followers of Jesus need to act like followers of Jesus—it is now. It is not a time for bigotry or nor is it a time for fussing over things that don’t matter. It is not a time for circling the wagons and defending the fort. It is a time to share the love, the kindness, the grace that every Jesus follower has experienced. It is time to give what we have been given.

I don’t know what this world is going to look like over the next few years. What I do know is that if this army of Jesus people will be Jesus to the world around us—it can, it will be a better place. Will it be perfect? Of course not—after all experiencing God’s grace doesn’t make us perfect—it makes us forgiven and forgiven people forgive others. Jesus said “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Wow—there is so much power—so much purpose—in that one statement.

It has been said that if a people does not learn from history they can only be destined to repeat it. In some ways I’m afraid that has become a reality. But it is not too late. So Jesus people, people who call Creator God, Dearest Father, let’s determine today to give up our fear, our anxiety, our pride and our prejudice and let’s rest in Him. He is big enough, He is strong enough, He is compassionate enough and believe me, He’s got this.

Family, forgiveness, Grace, gratitude, life, loving others, Military memories, prayer, priorities, Scripture, thankful, wisdom

I Was Moved, I Was Grateful

Posted on September 1, 2020 by Dewayne Taylor

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

I made a random turn…into the cemetery. The other evening Judy and I were out on a mission. One of our ladies had given us some homemade ice cream and we were returning the container. Oh, in case you are wondering, it was way beyond delicious. It was peach and it was peachy. I’ve already put in a request for strawberry next. So we returned the container and just kinda started driving randomly. As we went down the street the entrance to the cemetery came up on the right—and I turned right in.

Slowly we started driving down the lanes and just as slowly I started reading some of the headstones there. First, though, on the left was the newly rededicated “Little Arlington.” It was dusk and the lights were on and I was so impressed with the great work the crew had done. One of those was our own Jacob Palmer. Great job, Jacob. But I was also impressed with what it represented. Sacrifice. Ultimate sacrifice. The kind of sacrifice that means you don’t get to come home from the war. I love what is often said, “All gave some but some gave all.” For that, I was moved and I was grateful.

Just down the lane was a grave that caught my attention. It was a young soldier who went to Korea to fight for his country in what has been called “the forgotten war.” He was 27 years old when he died on some battlefield, some hill in a country for away. He was fighting and ultimately died for the cause of freedom. I was moved and I was grateful.

In several places, Judy and I would stop as we saw a headstone that was personal because we knew, we loved, the ones buried there. Sometimes both of the names were etched there in the stone and it symbolized two lives joined into one with one story. And for both the story was concluded. Sometimes though only one name had the start and finish dates. The other story was still being written and there was a heart longing for heaven and a long awaited reunion. One stone declared and celebrated 72 years of marriage. So many of those story writers had touched our lives. I was moved and I was grateful.

There were also stones of tragedy. There stood the stone marking the grave of two brothers tragically killed one night by a drunk driver. Several of stones showed lives cut short by a tragic accident. Over there was the headstone of one of the victims from the 2012 tornado. Everywhere were stories of people who touched the lives of others. One stone showed an American flag engraved in full color—the grave of a proud veteran. One grave was that of a pastor and a veteran of World War II. So many stories, so many lives, so many contributions. I was moved and I was grateful.

As we continued around the lanes inside the hallowed grounds we noticed there were places where whole families were buried together. Generations of fathers and mothers, sons and daughters lay in eternal rest together. The stones often bore nicknames and tag lines of the one who lay there. On one grave was a tattered flag that said, “#1 Dad.” Some graves though were barely marked. The only indication that someone lay there was a rock or a stone. In another part of the cemetery were the pauper graves. I have stood at some of those graves as we laid to rest someone that almost no one knew. Once it was the funeral director and me. No one else came. I was moved and I was grateful.

“Wait,” you say. “How can you be grateful?” Well the reason is simple. Whether it was a family plot of many generations or a solitary grave of a person when no one came—Jesus was still there. He is the unseen attendee of every funeral. For many He is there as Savior and Lord. For others He is there as the Sovereign Lord Who wishes all to believe but knows not all will. But He is there. He is always there. When we need Him, when we want Him and yes, even when we ignore Him. I am moved and I am grateful.

When you get some time, take a slow drive through the cemetery. It is anything but morbid…it is in fact one of the most meaningful things we can do. You will be touched, you will be moved, and yes, somewhere along the way you will be grateful. Let each headstone with a start and finish date be a reminder that for you there is still time. Still time to make a difference, still time to mend a relationship, still time to finish well. But most importantly…there is still time to believe and trust in Him. The Book says that if anyone will call on His name…they will be saved—forgiven—rescued. No story is so bad that He can’t change the end. Once again I am moved and I am grateful.

Many see the cemetery and think death. For those who truly understand grace and Jesus they know the cemetery isn’t about death it is about life. You learned it in Sunday School but now hear it again…like the first time. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever (that is you and me) calls on His name will not perish but have everlasting life. So trust in Him and rest in Him. For He has all of this.