Category Archives: Body Of Christ

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Follow Me

Mark 1: 16-20
16 As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 17 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 18 At once they left their nets and followed him.
19 When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. 20 Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

These men were busy fishing. It was their job – what they did to feed their families, provide clothing and shelter, and pay their taxes.

The Chosen portrays it this way – Jesus calls to them, says “follow me”, and then Jesus turns around and walks away – with every confidence that Simon and Andrew will follow him. They look at each other – drop their nets and follow. James and John do the same.

At once, immediately, without delay – the Bible says.

Simple, yet profound.

In thinking about what it means to follow, I felt the Holy Spirit nudge me – Gayle – What have you added to what it means to follow Jesus? What have we – the Body of Christ – added anything?


  • Are we following Labels? – Labels like denominations, doctrines, political party,
  • Are we following Individuals? John Calvin, John Wesley, Charles Spurgeon, John Piper, Beth Moore?
  • Are we following Religious Acts? like baptism, speaking in tongues – or not, reading only the     King James Version?
  • Are we following Good Works? like feeding the poor, sharing with those in need, visiting those     in prison?

Labels have a place if they help us understand one another and where we are coming from, but if they are used to exclude others – who may not hold the same opinion or belief – from being followers of Jesus – this is adding something Jesus did not.
Religious acts are part of following Jesus but if we add man made stipulations to baptism, doctrine, or life practices we are missing what Jesus called us to.
Good works certainly happen when we follow Jesus. Jesus lived his life to serve – but we are followers of Jesus by faith, not by works.

To follow someone you have to keep your eyes on them.
Have you ever had someone say – “follow me, I know where to go” and you both get in your cars and you start following and they speed through a yellow light that changes to red when you get there?
Jesus isn’t like that.
When Jesus says “follow me”, he is teaching us how to live – how to follow him.


Here are some ways to follow Jesus – This is NOT an exhaustive list. That is the WHOLE BIBLE! Yet I find these practices helpful in being intentional as I desire to follow Jesus.


1) Believe – John 14:6 6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

2) Study His Words – Psalms 119:105 “Your word is a lamp for my feet,
a light on my path.”

3) Fix Your Eyes on Jesus – Hebrews 12:1-3 – “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”
Amplified Version translates verse 2 – [looking away from all that will distract us and] focusing our eyes on Jesus,

4) Do what Jesus did – Jesus loved, prayed, served, taught, fasted, gave up his life.

5) Allow the Holy Spirit to fill us – John 14:25 -27 “All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

6) Live In Unity as Christians John 17:20-21 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”

Sing with me – “I have decided to follow Jesus – no turning back, no turning back”

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Day by Day

Today Phil and I are celebrating our 48th wedding anniversary.

My overwhelming sense is thankfulness –

  • first to God for bringing us together (it is truly a God ordained match)
  • to our families for supporting us throughout our marriage
  • for our Christian friends who have set an example in their own marriages
  • and…held us accountable

It is a choice day by day to maintain a loving, supportive relationship in marriage. The vows we pledged on that cold wintery day, November 29th,1975 in Wheaton, Illinois were just empty words if we did not make the choice each day to live them out.

I was talking with a dear family friend on Thanksgiving who has been free from alcohol addiction for many years now. I asked him if it was still hard at times. He said “Gayle, I make the choice every day not to drink. Once I make that choice it is easy.”

I realized that is exactly what commitment in marriage should look like. Every day I make the choice to

  • love
  • honor
  • respect
  • forgive
  • be faithful to
  • and ENJOY my spouse.

In Ephesians 5: 31-32 Paul quotes from Genesis – the beginning of the Bible

31 As the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.” 32 This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one. 33 So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

It is still a mystery to me after 48 years how God unites us into one. Anyone who knows Phil and I know how opposite we are in so many ways. Yet we are united in our desire to love one another and serve our Savior – Jesus Christ. That has been the day by day commitment that has held us together these many years.

Phil has been a wonderful, supportive husband and an outstanding father to Benjamin, Hannah, Salem, and Abigail. Our children are – and have been – a great source of joy in our lives. Now we are grandparents. How we love those grandchildren! Our family is far from perfect, we have disagreements, we argue, we see things differently. Yet we share a love for each other in spite of our shortcomings. I am so thankful for that.

Thank you, Phil, for your deep love and support low these 48 years! I am so blessed to be married to you.

May God bless us with many more years together. I love you.

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Love is What Matters

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I had the privilege of attending the Women’s Conference at Ochre Hill Baptist Church recently. Hosted by Ochre Hill, individuals and churches throughout the county were invited.

Samantha Blanton and the ladies from Ochre Hill did a wonderful job making all who attended feel welcome and celebrated. There were several powerful testimonies as women shared their stories of God’s grace as they moved from Beauty to Ashes.

I was deeply touched by Mamaw Beck. She is a Godly woman, 88 years of age, who has raised a family in our community. One of her children is a former co-worker of mine, Lewis Beck, who is a tribute to Mamaw’s skill as a mother. She has served her church for many years by keeping the nursery. It is obvious to anyone who sees her with children that the children love her and seek her attention. Mrs. Beck still keeps the nursery at 88!

She is not someone who says – “I did that when my children were little, let someone else do it now.”

As part of the conference she shared the following –

“ I love these children. Someone asked me if I didn’t want to read them a lesson. I told them, no, I just love them. I want these children to love coming to church to worship God, so I just love on ‘um.”

Isn’t that what Jesus did with children?

Mark 10:13-15 NKJV     13 Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them. 14 But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. 15 Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.”

Jesus wanted the children to come to him. He STILL wants children to come to him. I am blessed to know people in our community who value children just like Jesus does, those people love children with Jesus’ love. Tammy Youmans, Courtney Umphlet, Alexis Dills, Luisa McMahan, and Kelly Brown are just a few of the many in our community who lead young ones to Jesus.

I am especially blessed how four churches in our town all come together and offer one Bible School. What a great example to our children and our community to see the Body of Christ working together in unity!

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Here are children ready to share what they learned during their week of Bible School. They played games, learned Bible verses and songs, and made things. They also were loved. Programs, activities, and curriculum all have their place.

Love is what matters.

That is just what Mamaw Dot and Jesus do.