Lessons Learned in My Life & Why do I Preach?

Today God has moved me to share with you many lessons I have learned in my life. I know from my LORD that this is one reason I preach….to help people by applying what I have learned. I want all to have a good life with JESUS in their heart, mind and soul.

I check myself everyday to see if I am doing the Lord’s Will with my life. I also always carry with me so many things that I have learned over the years from people. I just plain love people, I treasure them. In all my years I have been so super blessed by so very many people. I have learned to really use what I call my “GOD FILTER” with people as I have been taken advantage by so many in my life. I know many of you can relate to that. Of late, I have had to walk away in love from some friends because they have allowed such unbiblical ways to consume them. It is so sad. I still pray for them and love them, but they are blinded by Satan. QAnon, WOKE, and many other evils are consuming people. Some use God as a promotion for themselves. My parents and grandparents stressed honesty and hard work to me. I have worked since I was 8 years old, started off with newspaper routes, mowing lawns and shoveling snow and helping my Dad wash school buses. Never been afraid of hard work. The other thing I learned was being consistent in all I do. I see so many people being so inconsistent in their work, even in ministry. It is not a good testimony. I really am thankful for people that are so very consistent in their work and behavior. That is a problem for many in their relationship with JESUS! Starting in my sophomore year in High School I worked from Noon to 10pm as a custodian for the Windom Schools and then 4 years after I graduated. At that young age they gave me the keys to the kingdom! They trusted me so very much, it taught me so very much! TRUST! That is why I have a hard time with dishonesty which I have found in the Body of Christ, not a good testimony. I cannot accept the standards that have been set in our society. LIES ARE LIES, BAD WORDS ARE BAD WORDS! YOU CANNOT USE FOUL LANGUAGE! LAZY IS LAZY! When the LORD moved me and Sharon into FGGAM 8 1/2 years ago I had two Pastors tell me that I will need to charge churches to preach…$250.00!!!!..Jesus would not do that! Why should I? If people give a donation, it is a wonderful blessing that they and the LORD provide. I was just asked this week by a man from a funeral home, one of his first words to me was, “How much of a donation do you require to do a funeral?” I said, I do not require anything, JESUS would not charge. JESUS PROVIDES! Money has ruined the testimony of too many Pastors and parishioners.

I also experienced a miracle from God as a child! I had a hip disease, I had to wear a full metal leg brace for 1 1/2 years, that leg was shorter than the other. (See picture at very top) This was at age 4 1/2. GOD HEALED ME!!! GOD HEALED ME!!!! The Doctor told me and my Mom and Dad that I may never walk and run like the other kids. Even thou I was just 4 1/2 years of age, I KNEW WHAT THAT MEANT! Mom and Dad wept…they prayed, the church and community prayed… I WAS HEALED at 5 1/2 years of age!!! ANOTHER REASON I PREACH!!! GOD HAS HAD ME PLAYING SDOFTBALL NOW FOR ABOUT 20 years! I KNOW GOD IS A GOD OF MIRACLES!!!! I KNOW WHAT GOD CAN DO!!! I will be 65 on July 4th of this year!

All these lessons learned from my family, Pastors, Custodians, School teachers, Sunday School teachers, Community leaders, Police Officers, Firefighters, (I was a volunteer in Osceola, Indiana) Farmers, Doctors, Nurses, all sorts of people….I love to learn from others. God given discernment is such a precious gift to know the truth and purity of others. Watch what people say and actually do. I was taught years ago, “Dewey, is their life bearing fruit for the Kingdom?”

Saint Patrick’s Day has a very special meaning for me….as it was the birth date of my Grandpa Floyd Caraway. My grandpa is still an awesome role model for me! I remember so many things he taught me. I carry him and the lessons I learned from him in my heart, mind and soul. My middle name is Floyd. Grandpa was honest as the day is long and was such a wonderful man of God! He had one of the best farms in Minnesota! Grandpa taught me to be a man of God and work hard and be honest in all things. This is one of the main reason I preach, to share JESUS with all and I pray that I can help families, especially children to grow up knowing God like I did. I want all children to have a grandpa and grandma like I did…or have, as they live in heaven now. Families are the fabric of our Country. Grandpa was born in Iowa in 1895 and passed into the arms of Jesus in 1989 at the age of 94. He is in my heart as is Grandma Lena Caraway, who passed away in 1978. I drove them many places after Grandpa could not drive long distance so many awesome talks and lessons learned. Grandpa and Grandma are pictured above.

I also want to share what 94-year-old Clara Nelson (I am pictured with Clara above) has taught me. Last week they thought Clara had suffered a stroke. Yesterday she was talking and with help, getting up on her feet! MIRACLE FROM GOD!!! Clara is known as the “Prayer Warrior for Windom, Minnesota” my hometown. Clara has been a resident at Pine View in Windom now for years and she prayers constantly for my hometown and many other people. I last talked to Clara two weeks ago and she told me this at the end of the conversation, “See you here or there in or in the air!” Clara is prepared for heaven….how about you? At 94 she still serves our LORD! She has been such an inspiration to me and Sharon as we go forth in our lives!