What do you do when you’re 53 years old and not sure how to spend the rest of your life? That was my status at the beginning of 2016.
Last week, I heard Dr. Vernon Rosenau speak. As he encouraged college students to fully yield their future to God’s leading and plan, he illustrated his point using a blank piece of paper with his signature at the bottom. We naturally make our own plans, then ask God to sign His approval of what we’ve already determined to do. Yielding our lives to Him means we sign the bottom of the blank page, hand it to Him, and then He fills in His plan.
As I heard the illustration I realized that is what I did last March. Although I enjoyed a secure and rewarding local church pastorate, I knew God was leading me out of that role. But I had no idea what would be next. The night before I made my decision public I told my wife, “I feel like I’m about to jump off of a cliff.”
By God’s grace and in response to His work in my life, I reached a place of being fully yielded to Him. It was as if I were signing a blank piece of paper and handing it to God to fill in.
Now it’s one thing to do that when you’re a college student about to embark on your life’s journey. It’s a little different when you’re already pretty far down that road. I had fears, and yet I trusted my Heavenly Father.
I had no idea of the opportunity about to open up to me. Soon after my decision, I was offered the teaching position I am in now. I am using everything I have learned in 26 years of pastoring to equip men and women to serve in ministry around the world.
I handed God the blank page. He filled it in with His perfect plan. I’m now on the next stage of the journey, the grand adventure of living a life yielded to Him. The blank page is a great way to plan the rest of your life.
Dean H. Taylor 
Love this so much. I want to have a daily blank page as well… where I let God fill in His plans for each day.
Dr. Taylor, Wanda and I, Patrick Melton, have always appreciated you ministry and thanks for being our pastor for so long and you friendship in Christ. The blank page is entreating. I remember so very well right after I was saved in the USAF a missionary asked me what I was going to do with the rest of my life, I could only answer I didn’t know then he said why not give your life to Christ and be a missionary to Japanese in Japan. WOW! could I a farm boy be a missionary living in a foreign country! I told the Lord on the blank page before me that if He would open the doors I’d step through them. My last assignment was to a AF base in Texas. I met a young man on summer extension from BJU. He encouraged me to seek Bible training, sent my name to BJU administration, got a letter from the president inviting me to study there. The blank page had it’s first entry. Before I enrolled at BJU I met and married a Christian school teacher. The application I sent to BJU was accepted and more was added to the blank page. After graduation we applied to a mission board, was accepted. deputation for two years and more added to the blank page. More is still being added to the blank page and it is a joy to watch our Lord fill in the page.
Great thought Elena! Thanks for stopping by 😊.
Wonderful testimony, Brother Melton, of a lifetime of following his plan! Thank you, appreciate you all.
Hi Dean,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and experiences. As you know Julie and I have experienced this same blank page in our life this year as well.
I felt the Lord directing and followed.
The Lord has been filling the page quickly and is on page two…LOL
We joined Calvary a month ago. We had visted a couple of other churches in area but the friendliness, caring and ministry of Calvary won us over. God has us involved with Community Group, helping lead the Basketball ministry and even teaching Sunday School.
Funny story, Pastor Robert came to me Sunday morning a month ago and asked if I was joining church that day. I said yes and he said great I need you to teach Sunday school next week. I learned quickly at Calvary you just jump right in! 🙂
Also, please keep us in prayer, Julie and I are discipling a young man and his wife that I met through the basketball ministry. Please pray wisdom as we start next week.
Keep us posted on updates from your family and ministry.
Brian and Julie Bolderson