Testimony/God Stories

For it is by God’s grace that you have been saved through faith. It is not the result of your own efforts, but God’s gift, so that no one can boast about it. (Ephesians 2:8-9 GNT)

I was blessed to be raised in a Christian family. At the age of seven I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. Throughout my youth, I remained active in a local church as I attended Sunday School, worship services, Bible studies, and other activities. However, my Christian faith never reached a depth where I felt that I had a personal relationship with Jesus Christ; it was more ritualistic and “works” oriented.

During my high school and college years, my spiritual life became a series of peaks and valleys. I underwent constant cycles of straying from the church, returning to the church, straying…, returning…, etc. Upon being assigned to Eglin Air Force Base, FL in 1980, I became active in the First United Methodist Church, Fort Walton Beach. It was there my spiritual life took a complete 180 degree turn as people ministered to me and invested their lives in me. I realized that Christianity is more than a religion – it is a personal, one-on-one relationship with Jesus and it is HIS grace, not our works, that saves us. The key turning point in my spiritual journey took place at a retreat held at the Blue Lake Methodist Camp near Andalusia, AL. Through an encounter with God’s Holy Spirit, I finally understood that I was totally incapable of saving myself and my efforts to live according to the Lord’s standards were futile. So I fully surrendered my life to the Lord and was forever changed by God’s love, mercy, and grace.

From that time to the present, I have never looked back in my Christian walk. God has continued to reveal Himself and His will to me, and it is my desire to share His goodness with others. That’s why I answered a call to ministry and have served as a United Methodist pastor for 25+ years. It is an incredible privilege to proclaim the vastness of God’s love and the riches of His grace. I know the gospel is true because I’ve been changed by the Good News of Jesus Christ. That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it…and I’m seeking to tell others. To God be the glory.

One of my many God stories was when I was forced to make the decision to no longer care for my mother in our home, My Mother had dementia and had become too unmanageable for me and my family. I found a very nice assisted care facility and for weeks had begun decorating the apartment for my mother to look just like her home. In the weeks preceding her move-in date I would take her with me as we decorated and hung pictures, each time we went she became agitated and verbally abusive about the move causing me to regret the idea and feel inadequate as a caretaker and a failure as a son. The move-in day was scheduled for a Thursday after noon and I was not looking forward to the verbal assault we were about to get that afternoon. During my Thursday morning men’s Bible study they all knew my level of anxiety and doubt that this was truly the right decision. So that morning as we got ready to adjourn the study the men stood up held hands in a circle and began to pray for God to appear and be with us that afternoon when we moved Mom into her new residence.

That afternoon I picked Mom up and headed to the dreaded appointment, I knew what to expect since I had experienced it for the previous three week. I rang the doorbell and we walked in towards her apartment when she exclaimed in a loud and pleasant voice “Look how pretty this place is, I think your Dad would have loved it here, it’s beautiful!” We walked to her apartment where she went in and with a joyful smile looked around and said “I’m going to love it here!” The staff and my family were shocked and could not believe how happy she had become in an instant. They all cried and smiled and gave thanks to the Lord because he had done a mighty work. My mother lived there for 3 years with her little dog and was happier than she had been in quite some time. She passed away from the disease in 2009 and to this day I cannot drive past there without remembering the circle of men that prayed for God to appear…and he did in a mighty way. God Bless you, George

What is your “favorite” hymn, or Bible verse? I attempt to identify my “favorite” verse or hymn, but always end up narrowing the “favorite” down to ten or more. The same is true of those miracles we’ve seen or been a part of during our Christian walk. We look back on those “God moments” when He intervened in a special way. That special way may have been completely different than expected, leaving no doubt that it was a God moment.

I recall the times I was privileged to stand beside the hospital bed of dying patients. Standing in a circle of love around the patients bed, we’d join hands and sing hymns such as “Amazing Grace.” Gentle touches and softly spoken words of comfort were provided. This pastor, the patient’s family and the nursing staff accepted those times as true God moments. We accepted the fact that death is very much a part of life and it is a graduation for the Christian into glory. One gentleman had struggled and was becoming increasingly frightened and angered. We watched as he gradually accepted that Jesus loved him and was with him. The anxiety and anger was replaced with a peaceful assurance and acceptance. As he grew weaker, his family was touched by the smile he presented. They requested a CD player and Christian music, so it was provided. However, our dear brother, only got into the first verse of the second hymn, “Softly and Tenderly,” sung by Alan Jackson. His sweet wife kissed him as it began and told him that she knew Jesus was calling him home. She assured him that she’d be okay and that she would join him in heaven. It was a “beautiful” God moment which has been repeated many times—God is with us, even at the end of our earthly life and in other difficult times. Cherish those “God Moments.”

On a Friday afternoon in March of 2006, my mom and I headed out to the beach. But first, we had to get a tire replaced. Money was tight and a used tire was all I could afford. We stopped at a little hole-in-the-wall used tire place and got the tire replaced. Then, we were on our way to the beach.

Anyone local knows that a Friday afternoon in March (think, Spring Break) on highway 98 is BUSY. As we were driving west on 98, a car pulled out right in front of me. I should have t-boned that car….but, God had the wheel…literally. I saw my hands moving all over the steering wheel, but I was not making my hands move. According to my mom, I kept repeating, “I’m not driving! I’m not driving!” as we spun 5 times across the turning lane, both westbound lanes and back across all 5 lanes and came to a stop in a motel parking lot. No car touched another car! I’m not completely sure how many times we spun, as I was mesmerized watching my hands moving all over the steering wheel. A man even came running out of the motel yelling “That was some awesome driving!” I was able to witness to him that God had control, not me.

I should have been shaking to pieces (as well as my mom), however, we were both as calm as could be and were able to continue on and enjoy our afternoon together.

Later that day, I found out two interesting things. 1.) The “new” used tire was not properly inflated…I think God knew what he was doing, that was a lot of spinning! 2.) That morning my brother-in-law 800 miles away had felt the need to intercede for a horrific car accident. I’m so glad he listened!

Recently we lost a child, Diego, but it’s actually a cause for celebration. We met Diego, a very young child from El Salvador, and he became the longest member of our World Vision Family. He has now matured from a small toddler to a young man.

World Vision (WV) works best when children and families graduate. WV is not a charity but a work effort program involved in following children and families worldwide to get safe living facilities, get in school, learn a trade and become self-sufficient.

For us, it began with an explanation planted in the early 1990s at a Twila Paris concert in Baton Rouge, LA. We’ve been involved with several dozen kids and families who NEEDED and deserved a little help not a hand-out.

During a concert break Anne Marie found profiles of our first two kids. “Ana” and “Marie” blessed us as we were updated with pictures and report cards that were written by the children, translated into English by the WV staff.

Our family, the Taylors, received many notes and thank yous. Contributing families are REALLY the ones blessed by these kids and families.

Sadly, some families got lost in floods where World Vision teams get cut off from villages and must scramble with emergency moves from landslides and water. Third world roads are not priority when food and potable water is needed for survival.

What has impressed us most over the years? When disasters happen, World Vision is already there BEFORE the news crews arrive. Chilean earthquakes, Indian Ocean tsunamis, South American mudslides, etc.

Address: World Vision, P.O. Box 9716 , Federal Way, WA 98063. Call them at P: 1-888-511-6548. Visit: www.worldvision.org.

Wise Spending: Sources indicate that 85% of all monies go directly to WV efforts. Only 10% goes towards fundraising and 5% for management and general expenses. Another great cause: Visit “Smile Train” as it works hard to prompt surgical answers for individuals with cleft palates and mouth abnormalities.

This is in response to your card asking me for a “miracle” story. Upon thinking about how to respond, I realized that my wife and I have been delivered from death or serious bodily injury so often that they have become expected and unextraordinary. This is not to say the Lord is not the source of these rescues but they have become part of the fabric of the sanctified life. I have come to see those who are amazed by miracles as perhaps lacking in faith, as if they do not expect the Lord to protect His sheep.

Sorry, but the incidents that take more than two sentences to relate are not the flashy kind. On two occasions the Lord delivered my family from financial difficulties in a way that bears the unmistakable shadow of His hand. The first was when I entered seminary, June of 1997 when the Lord gave my wife employment at the public library, a position virtually identical to the one she relinquished so I could drag the family half way across the Pacific Ocean and most of the way across the North American continent. The position should have been filled half a year before but the first candidate who was given the position inexplicably declined and forced Allen County to start the whole process again, and my wife squeaked in as a last minute applicant in the second round and was given the position. The one that probably interest you more occurred here in Bay County. We lived in a rented house in Parker because the house we owned while I was attending seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana, had not sold. We had it listed for sale during the whole year I served a vicarage in Michigan and received not a single offer. Neither did we get a single offer during the first year I served as a pastor in Panama City. The rental agent informed us we would have to vacate the rental in Parker because the owner intended to re-occupy the house upon her return from Texas. Here we were stuck with a home that would not sell and were being ejected from the rental residence while still learning how to shepherd a church. Five days later the realty agent in Fort Wayne called to say we received two bids for our house. Immediately upon ending that phone call I turned my face upward and said to the Lord, “You’re showing off.” This is not the typical Lutheran way of expressing thanks to Him; but that’s what I did. (This was immediately followed by a more conventional prayer of thanks; in fact, it began in Latin.)

Yes, God has shown up on many occasions in my life! I have a family member who is an addict and through the past several years, I have spent a lot of time crying, praying, crying and praying some more. When a loved one struggles with addiction, there is no bigger of a helpless feeling. On one particular occasion, I was at my wits end, helpless and hopeless. I reached out to God, I remember it very well. I stood in my room and as I looked at my reflection in the mirror, I threw my hands up and asked God to just do HIS will in this situation. I was exhausted and so very sad. Within 5 minutes, I received a phone call that my vehicle needed to be picked up and my family member had been arrested. This was a huge sign that God had this, and I needed to increase my Faith. I laid down, took a nap, woke up, stood up and CLEARLY heard God’s voice asking me; “Why don’t you trust me?” I froze in my tracks! I knew what I was hearing, and I resolved to give up the worry, stress and anxiety. I know God loves my son, more than I do ~ Life Changing for me!

I have discovered that when we step into something new we can experience a wide variety of challenges and also some amazing joys. When I first entered into the ministry I started as an Associate Pastor/Youth Director in Dothan, Alabama. I was not really prepared to experience all that God had to show and teach me in my first years of ministry.

I remember when I was making regular hospital visits to a young man that had brain cancer. My heart was very heavy for him because he was married and had two precious children. Day by day he continued to grow weaker and he slowly moved into a coma. I would always, in leaving the hospital room. have prayer for my friend and his family. On one particular day just before he passed away, the family was growing tired and weary and there just was not a lot left to talk about. I turned again to offer a prayer of comfort and surrendered my friend into the hands of Christ. As I said “Amen,” my friend that had been in a coma for about a week turned his head to me and with eyes open shared, “So be it preacher, so be it!” His wife and I were speechless! He then closed his eyes and within the next 24 hours passed away. To a young pastor and to his faithful wife, the presence of Christ became totally real to us in those moments. What a profound assurance came to both of us that this was in deed, a miracle! God had opened the eyes of my friend and confirmed his faith before us. I believe it was God using him to so simply say, “I got this and it is going to be ok!”

I began teaching Sunday School at our church when I first got out of college. Thirty years later I felt the call to reach out beyond our church. I began going on mission trips and knew that God was preparing me for something. The Holy Spirit was equipping me to minister in my own community!

A set of God-led circumstances led me to assist in the Most Excellent Way Ministry at my church, First Baptist of Panama City. Each week I am blessed to facilitate Bible studies at the Bay County Jail, the Northwest Florida Reception Center (prison) and the local detox facility in Springfield. The scripture helps these men seek forgiveness and healing. We try to help them apply God’s Word to their daily lives. The life changing power of the Gospel can impact these men inside and outside of the walls. The power of Scripture can change their lives and the lives of their families. I receive such a blessing from these opportunities…but it is all about serving Jesus.

I have been in awe of the Lord all my life and have many God stories. The one I’ll share here is when I felt the Lord leading me to start my own lawn and landscape business.

I had a good job with good pay and good benefits, so I was much in prayer about the change. But still feeling the Lord direct me to turn in a two weeks notice at the company. This was about fifteen years ago and I didn’t even own a cell phone. So first thing was to get a cell phone. I was still working my 2 weeks notice. One day as I got off work early I went to a local lawn equipment business to look at getting started. When my new cell phone rang. It was a nice man who asked for Eddie Pitts and needed me to come take care of his lawn. When I got to his house he showed me a flyer that he received at the hospital where he worked for a lady. The flyer wasn’t mine. It had a name on it the lady wrote Eddie Bitts and the phone number was one number different from mine. I was really needing conformation from the Lord that I was going in the right direction. I had not told anyone that I was going into lawn care so, needless to say, getting this call with one number off, from someone who was looking for lawn care from a guy who’s name was Eddie Bitts not Pitts , but one letter off, was some pretty good confirmation from the Lord that I was going in the right direction.