Devotionals

In 2015, I was given the opportunity to write devotionals for LandMAX Properties and Timber Company, where I worked part-time. The "Words of Encouragement" devotional series was originally inspired by LandMAX’s owner, Chad Smith, whose heart has always been to be a light to others through his daily work. Though my husband, Matt, and I took on a new ministry role out of town shortly after this began, I’ve continued writing for LandMAX ever since (and sometimes Matt jumps in to write as well)!

We’re incredibly grateful for the many years we’ve been part of this wonderful vision for the LandMAX community, and now we’re excited to extend these devotionals to you, too!

Matt Taylor 10/3/25 Matt Taylor 10/3/25

One Word

One word can change everything. I’m sure you can look back over your life and remember moments when a single word shifted everything. For me, I can think of several:

“Yes!” – Christy agreed to marry me. That “yes” led to marriage, kids, and the beautiful family we have today.
“No!” – I wasn’t accepted into the college I wanted. That one word changed my direction, influenced where I lived, and ultimately opened the door for Christy and me to get married.
“Dad?” – Times when my boys got my attention to share something heavy on their hearts.

Matt Taylor 9/18/25 Matt Taylor 9/18/25

When Jesus Reached Down

“Taking her by the hand he said to her, ‘Talitha cumi,’ which means, ‘Little girl, I say to you, arise.’ And immediately the girl got up and began walking (for she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome with amazement. And he strictly charged them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.” — Mark 5:41–43, ESV

Christy Taylor 9/12/25 Christy Taylor 9/12/25

Suffering

Knowing that some people are going to hate us just because of our faith can be frightening, especially when we see that someone recently lost their life for talking openly about their values. Although persecution happens all over the world, we don’t see this quite as often in America, and it really hits home when it happens in our own back yard. What do we do about this? How can we be bold in our faith and get rid of fear? How can we be happy to carry the name of Christ boldy even if it means suffering?

Christy Taylor 9/5/25 Christy Taylor 9/5/25

One Small Step

I was never an athletic teen. In my early 20s, I began to fluctuate a few pounds here and there, and I would wake up one day, decide to go to the gym, and crank out every single muscle group possible over the span of several hours. I’d be so miserable the next day that it would take almost a week to recover. So much for that new gym habit!

Christy Taylor 8/29/25 Christy Taylor 8/29/25

Blind Trust

Recently, we brought our kids with us on a work trip to Orlando, Florida! It was such a fun experience as we attended the National Youth Convention and Fine Arts Festival for the Assemblies of God, cheering on many of our friends from Mississippi as they presented the gifts God has given them on a national stage. Since we had a free day before the event began, we took the opportunity to visit Universal Studios, too! As we packed for the trip, our kids began asking questions.