Alan

On a sunny Wednesday morning at approximately 10:47 a.m., I was on my normal jog around the village of Hartburn when I saw in front of me an older man walking his German Shepherd. I had been listening to a John Piper podcast and decided that I should probably live out what John was preaching and what Scriptures tell us to do every time we read them… that is, to be proclaimers of the Gospel of God. So as I jogged closer to this man and his dog, I began fighting an internal battle. Over the course of about 7 seconds, a hundred thoughts ran through my head.

“I shouldn’t talk to him, he’s old and he’s walking in a funny way. He could be scary.”

“No Han, you need to talk to him. What are you living for anyway?”

“Hannah it’s ok. You don’t have time, you have too much school to get done and you’re stomach is growling. Just run home and eat an apple, read your theology book and don’t worry about it. If God wants him to be saved, He will have someone else talk to him.”

“Hannah Elizabeth Taylor. Stop your feet right now and tell this man about Jesus. You might be the ‘someone else’ that God is waiting to use.”

So I listened to the Holy Spirit in me and my feet stopped. The earphones came out of my earlobes and my mouth opened.

Hoping not to frighten the old fellow, I gently asked “Excuse me Sir, do you think I could ask you a few questions?” He said, “Oh, hello. Yes, of course you may.” So I started with, “What do you believe about God?” The man said, “Well that’s simple. I don’t believe in Him!” I asked him if he had any specific reasons and he said, “How can someone believe in a God that lets so many bad things happen on earth? How can you believe in a God who created so much evil and violence and horror?” He told me that he admires people who go to different countries and do nice things for people, like helping orphans and the poor and giving money to charities, etc. He said, “I think those people are better than God. At least they are helping people rather than causing them so much pain and sadness.” (I silently asked God to forgive him for the words he was speaking. He doesn’t even know what he’s saying.)

It was quite ironic that the problem of evil was his reason. All week last week in my theology class, we had been going over the problem of evil and why there is sin in the world and how can we believe in an all-loving, all-powerful, wholly benevolent, omnipotent God when there is so much evil happening all across our planet.

So I tried to explain how God has given humans free will, and we have chosen to abuse it. I told him how we all have a nature of sin because of Adam and Eve’s disobedience in the garden. I explained how we, as humans, have the freedom to choose right from wrong and too many people choose wrong. That’s why there is so much moral evil.

I then asked the man if he has a wife, he said yes. I asked him if he has kids, he said yes to that as well. Then I asked if his kids love him, and he said yes again. I asked if he forced his kids to love him, and he said “No, of course not.” I explained that in His sovereignty, God chose to create people with a free will rather than creating people who would be forced to love Him, forced to serve, worship and adore Him, forced to do good, forced to be nice, etc. That is what you would call a religious robot. Love wouldn’t be genuine if it were forced. Doing good things wouldn’t be genuine if we were forced to do them. So, in God’s perfect wisdom, with the knowledge that some would abuse the freedom He so lovingly gave, He saw fit to give us freedom to make our own decisions. And we messed it up.

I asked if his wife and kids believe in God, and he told me that his wife doesn’t and out of his four kids, only one of his sons believes in God. In his own words, “He is very much into all that religious rubbish that you’re talking about. He tells me that God does everything for His plan, and if that’s the case, God’s plan is stupid.” I gently said that just because we can’t understand His plan sometimes doesn’t make it stupid. His way is above us and He can do whatever He wants. (Psalm 115:3) He said that he chose to raise his kids without religion or politics; he didn’t want to influence them in any way. “It’s not right to be influenced”, he told me. (?)

Forgetting that I hadn’t even introduced myself, I told him my name and asked what his was. His name is Alan.

Hoping to keep the conversation going I asked, “Alan, did your parents believe in God?”

“My mum did. She would take me to sunday school all the time but then I got to the point where I just didn’t believe.”

I told him that I grew up in a christian home and went to sunday school every week, but there came a point where I had to make a decision about what I believed too. It wasn’t the faith of my parents that saved me and changed my heart. It’s the graciousness and power of God.

I told him how my grandfather became a believer two months before he died, at the age of 90. I said that I really believe my grandfather is in heaven and I’m going to see him again someday. Alan said he believes heaven is a myth. “It was just invented by some pope. The same one who came up with Purgatory.” I told him that Purgatory is just a load of rubbish. He laughed. (We finally agreed on something!!)

I asked Alan how he thought the world came to be. He believes that the universe just happened at a random chance. “It’s just a complete accident and we’ve learned to evolve and adapt to our surroundings.” He said, The world is very beautiful, but I don’t believe that God created it. I will never believe in God. I will never go to church. I just won’t.”

I looked at Alan’s weary old eyes and with all my might tried to tell Him that Jesus really is who He says He is. He’s in me! I know Him! This isn’t a joke!! It’s not some story! This is real. He’s alive. It’s happening in my heart and overflowing all over my life!! I told him that I want him to know what I know and believe me when I say that I know God. I’m not a fool. (ok, most of the time I am) but I’m convinced that Jesus lived a perfect life on this earth. He never did one thing wrong and then he was killed. He was crucified on a cross because of us; because He loves us with such a great love that He was willing to be spit upon and beaten and tortured so that WE could have a way to God. So that we wouldn’t have to experience eternal death. He took our place. We deserve death, but He died FOR us. and then He rose from the dead. He defeated death so that that Hannah could be saved. So that Alan could be saved. So that the person reading this could be saved. The veil is torn. He made a way for us. I told Alan that all that I’m saying is true. It’s real. I told him that I want him so badly to believe.

He just nodded the whole time. I explained how my family and I moved here to this country for this very reason- to tell people like him about the One who saved us. And then I said, “You probably think I’m a fool, but that’s really okay with me. I just want you to hear the truth.” Alan said, “I think you are a lovely person and I admire your dedication to your beliefs, I just don’t understand anything you are saying.” (1 Corinthians 2:14?)

I asked him if he had a bible and he said he did. I begged him to just open it up today and just read one chapter of it. Just crack it open up read it. He just looked at me.

He didn’t say much else except, “I’m sorry we couldn’t agree.” I said, “Please know that I’m going to be praying for you. I want you to know Jesus.” He said, “Thank you. Good-bye now!” And then we parted ways.

60+ years of rejecting God. 60+ years of hopelessness. 60+ years of wondering. 60+ years of influence. 60+ years of stubbornness. 60+ years of blindness. 60+ years of lies.

And this is only one man’s life. I can’t even fathom how many share his false beliefs throughout this country, not to mention the world.

Please pray for Alan. Pray that our conversation will be like an annoying song that he can’t get out of his head no matter how hard he tries. Pray that his eyes would be opened to the light of the Gospel so that he may experience the hope and the peace and the joy that we experience. Please pray for England/the lost in general.

2 Corinthians 4:4-5

“The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.”

Acts 26:18

“…to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.”

To the ends of the earth-- Hannah Elizabeth Taylor

Posted on February 5, 2012 by Mike Taylor and filed under Ministry Related.

Treasure

“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Luke 12:34 The past 31 days have been a whirlwind! This time of year always flies past me. I finished my first semester of University this day last month. Shelby and Grammer flew here to spend Christmas with us in our new English home and we had an amazing few weeks with each other as a full family under one roof again. I could write a book of how much I love Christmas and time with my entire family. I’m so thankful for reunions and the warmth and joy I feel when we are all together. Unfortunately, that makes the goodbyes all the harder, but I survived the “goodbye for now!” Christmas break is almost over for me, and my eyes are shifting back on to the task at hand.

I’ve spent the past few days studying and listening to podcasts, seeking Christ and Him alone. I’m so tired of facebook/ twitter/ instagram/ pinterest because I rob myself of time with Christ. I’ve been reading the book of Ecclesiastes and am so convicted of “vain pursuits and chasing after wind” and trying to find fulfillment, satisfaction, pleasure in everything apart from Christ. I don’t want to spend my numbered days chasing after nothingness. I don’t want to spend these moments of life seeking things that don’t make much of Jesus Christ.

It’s so easy to forget why we are here; so easy to get side tracked and distracted by thoughts, desires, lies, standards, safety, comfort, etc. But we have to get back to the foundation of it all. Jesus came for you. He came for me. He stepped out of heaven (for you and me,) put flesh on (for you and me,) lived among sinners and scoffers, (like you and me) hung on a cross and bled and died (for you and me), took our sin and shame (in place of you and me,) and defeated death and made it possible for us to be forgiven and made new, know him intimately, and live for eternity with God. He is our only hope!

We have breath so we can make much of our Savior. Everything, (money, talent, success, earthly possessions, family, friendships, marriages, occupations, pleasure, pain, strengths, weaknesses, life, death etc. etc. etc.) is given to us so that “by the way we use them, we can show that they are not our treasure, but Christ is our treasure.” Philippians 1:20-21 says, “It is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

Therefore, it is my aim and passion to glorify and honor Jesus in all that I am, to reveal (in my life, or through my death) the beautiful, invaluable, transforming treasure that He truly is. Philippians 3:7-8, “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.”

How are people going to come to know Him if we spend our days seeking comfort? How will unreached people groups come to know Him if we spend all of our time chasing safety? We have to get over ourselves and understand that when we treasure and cherish Christ above all else, our joy will not be found in comfort, safety, possessions, circumstances or people… but in our eternal and unshakeable Savior. In all that we do and in all that we are, may we “magnify the surpassing power of Christ” and gladly risk, abandon and sacrifice anything in order to enjoy more of Him. May it be our joy and passion to treasure him above all else! I pray that when we come to the end of our time on this earth and we step from this life into eternity, we will see our Savior face to face and have lived a life worthy of the statement, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”

To the ends of the earth,

Hannah Elizabeth Taylor

Posted on January 11, 2012 by Mike Taylor and filed under Ministry Related.

Happy New Year!

“This is what the LORD says— he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” Isaiah 43:16, 18-19 Happy New Year! I love new beginnings. Everyone needs a fresh start and that is what we are given every year on January 1st! A chance to start over and renew our commitments to God, family, friends and ourselves. I always challenge my family to take 45 minutes or an hour and set some personal, family and ministry goals for the coming year. Think about it....What do you want to accomplish in 2012? How many people can your life influence over the next 365 days? What would happen if you lived every day like it was your last one? Where will you be on this night next year if you dared to dream a God sized dream? What will you be doing? Take a minute and contemplate "what if?" What if God wanted me to _______? Fill in the blank in your mind right now! The amazing thing about our relationship with God is it's never to late to dream for His glory! As a matter of fact I think He loves it when we press pause and think about Him. To sit in awe of who He is...to wonder what He might want to accomplish in the days to come. So carve out some time today and start to dream. You have a Blank slate in front of you...set some God sized goals and get after it!

It has been an amazing year for the Taylor family and for the relaunch of uk-usaministries! One year ago this week we sat in a living room and dared to dream about serving the Lord in the United Kingdom. We were not sure how it would all come to pass...but we were certain that He was calling and we had to step in obedience. We are so excited about all that He has in store for 2012! We are so blessed and count it a privilege to be serving Him here. Please pray for His favor to rest upon this ministry. Pray that He will pour out His spirit and that many lives will be changed in the days to come! Most of all pray that we won't waste a moment or an opportunity. Dare to Dream!

In HIS JOY, Mike

Posted on December 31, 2011 by Mike Taylor and filed under Ministry Related.

Let it be to me according to your word.

Well, it has been quite a long 4 months but we are finally all here and under one roof again! Grammer and I joined the rest of the family in the UK about a week ago, but to me it’s already felt like we’ve been here for weeks. It seems the Lord has increased our time together even though the sun goes down at about four in the afternoon and we sleep most of the morning. It has been a sweet and precious time for me and I am so thankful. The semester was good. God has stretched us and grown us. I can feel it in myself and I can see it in the hearts of my siblings. They are established here and it is so right. Earlier this week, Hannah and I accompanied Thad on his annual trip to the mall and even during our three-hour excursion we ran into friends of theirs. They politely introduced me, then I got to step back and watch my brother and sister build onto the relationships they’ve formed and listen as they weaved the Gospel into mere sidewalk conversations. I saw teenage guys walking shoulder-to-shoulder with my brother and listened as they asked question after question about why he was here, even when they’d asked tons of times before and already knew the answers. I got the chance to see my sister bombarded by the girls in her bible study group and witnessed their pure adoration of her, and in return I saw how much joy she receives from watching them grow in the Lord. I witnessed a little bit of the real mission field Hayden is placed in every single day at school and how hard it is to pick up everything and willingly go as a thirteen year old. On Tuesday night, we went to a café church and I had the opportunity to sit with my family and listen to my dad preach for the first time since my junior year of high school and from the glow in his eyes and the excitement in his voice, I knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that my family is exactly where they are supposed to be.

Throughout this Christmas break, my heart has returned to Isaiah over and over again. I love the joy I feel when I read over a promise or a prophecy that has been fulfilled later in the New Testament. God is so good and so faithful, especially when it comes to the intricate details of our lives. His promises are sure, even now. He knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows the desires of our hearts. He knows the desire of the heart of this family. So when I read of Isaiah’s vision of the Lord in chapter 6, I can’t help but think that my Heavenly Father had the Taylor family in mind, even then. In Isaiah’s vision, he saw the Lord seated on his throne and the seraphim surrounding him shouting “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!” and Isaiah is overwhelmed as the foundations began to shake and he exclaimed, “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” In a moment of grace, Isaiah is told his guilt is taken away and his sin is atoned for. The passage continues on and speaks of Isaiah’s commission from the Lord and he says,

“And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ Then I said, ‘Here am I! Send me.’”

Yes, we are people of unclean lips, surrounded by a people of unclean lips, but God showed us an infinite amount of mercy and grace and has placed within us a desire to have His Good News shared among the nations. So as a family, we exclaimed, “here we are! Send us!” and God has done just that.

Do not be mistaken; this road has been difficult. It has been far more difficult than I imagined it would be, but the Lord has been even sweeter in his faithfulness and provision. This life isn’t meant to be easy or comfortable. The Gospel isn’t meant to be sugar coated or appealing. Yet, we suffer the confused looks of the world and we yell to the rooftops because the hope we find in the Cross and our wonderful Savior is worth it.

As for me, I’ll continue on the path He has called me to in the States. Just as I know my family belongs here, I know I’m meant to stay at the University of Arkansas for my last two years and share my life and my faith with the people he places me around daily. There are days I wish I was here because it is so good to be together and unified rather than apart, but I also know that the Lord has called me to stay and he will continue to fulfill his purpose in me whether I am with my family or I am not.

So this Christmas night, as I snuggle next to Han, I am joyful and I think of Mary and I wonder if she really knew who it was that she swaddled in cloth and placed in a manger. I pray that I will always give the response she gave Gabriel when she trusted God and said in Luke 1:38, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” I praise the Lord for his plan and his faithfulness. And tonight, I rest in the peace of my Savior and his willingness to come to earth as a vulnerable baby boy, where he grew, ate, slept, breathed, learned, loved, bled, wept, and then died so that I may live with him in paradise forever!

“Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is filled with His glory!”

Happy Christmas!

-Shelby

Posted on December 26, 2011 by Mike Taylor and filed under Ministry Related.

Merry Christmas from the United Kingdom!

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6 I love Christmas! It really is the most wonderful time of the year! I hope you are having a great day today with family and friends reflecting on the greatness of our Savior! It has been an amazing few weeks here in Teesside! In the run up to Christmas I had the privilege to lead assemblies at The King's Academy on three different occasions. Over the years we have had a great relationship with the faculty and staff of King's so we always jump at the chance to be in their school and interact with the their students. God is giving us great favor and it still amazes me that we can share Christ and speak scripture to over 1000 students at the school's invitation! It is an amazing window of opportunity for the gospel and the kingdom of God! God has also given us great favor in the town of Guisborough. Guisborough is a quaint town of around 20,000 people and it is tucked back in a beautiful valley. Costa Coffee has allowed us to launch a church service on the third Tuesday of every month and we kicked it off Dec 20 with over 60 folks coming to check it out! It was a great time of singing and sharing God's word and just enjoying each others company! There was a great buzz and it is a really cool environment to share the gospel! So please pray for us and for Guisborough every third Tuesday of the Month! Then last night we had "Carols on the Cobbles" on Yarm High Street! It was an amazing night as well over 300 folks gathered right in front of the Black Bull pub and had a Carol service! Jon Burns presented the gospel and shared his story of faith in Christ! It was another amazing night!!! God seems to be giving us great favor in the public and providing amazing venues out among people for us to share the good news!

2012 Scripture Journey-- 2012 is going to be an amazing year! I would love to invite you to go on a scriptural journey with us. UK-USA Ministries in partnership with "Audacious" will be reading the Bible through together in 2012. We really want people to engage with us in God's word and to really experience Him in a powerful way...to listen more closely to the Holy Spirit by hearing Him speak through the word day by day! Audacious is an amazing new company that is helping us connect to the word and each other in a deeper way! Check out the video by going to this link at http://vimeo.com/33144761 and contact them at rachel@audacious.me and sign up. They will send you a login and password. Then each day you will receive an email with the scripture we are reading together for that day and also a tool for us to share what the Lord is saying to us as we journey together. Check out the video link, email Rachel and jump in with us!

Finally, we want to say how thankful we are to be here and how blessed we feel to have you praying for us daily. We sense His presence and believe He is at work in so many different arenas. Please know that we are so grateful for your financial support and have really seen God's amazing provision through you. Please continue to give as the Lord leads you. If you would like to give a year end gift to UK-USA Ministries you can do that on the paypal button on the website or you can make a check out to UK-USA Ministries and send it to PO Box 11555 Spring, Texas 77391. We are believing God for great things to happen in the year to come. God has really lead us to pray for salvation to sweep across the Tees Valley! Join with us in praying for revival to come in 2012! God bless you as you pray!

In HIS JOY,

Mike

Posted on December 25, 2011 by Mike Taylor and filed under Ministry Related.