Dolly Mink: Years of experience in Christian leadership and service have given Dolly Mink a unique perspective, and she is eager to share her observations, insights, and words of encouragement to the women of Virginia. Dolly seeks to accomplish this through teaching, training, and writing. In addition to her role with the SBCV, she leads women’s Bible study at River Oak Church in Chesapeake, where she and her husband are members, and she writes short stories and blogs at 
It was one of those moments that, for those of us who love putting words together, was a once in a lifetime event.
A meeting had been scheduled for Sunday, immediately after the last church service of the morning. Rather than attend my usual 8 o’clock, I opted for 11:15, so I wouldn’t have to go home and then drive back out again. All of this is important, because it led to my being in the right place, at the right time.
The clouds were heavy with the threat of storms as I headed north, away from home. Not having noticed the clouds before, I regretted having recently cleaned my car out; I had finally removed the rain jacket that I had been forgetting to take into the house for days. I felt dread as I knew I was heading directly into the storm, with no protection. Guess I’ll have to make a dash for the door, and sit in the meeting cold and wet, I thought.
As I slowed for the stop light, I realized that I was directly behind a car with a very unique license plate. Either it was the driver’s name, or he or she was making a bold proclamation: JESUS.
Either way, this Sunday, headed into a storm, with no protection of my own, I was following JESUS.
Instinctively, I reached for my phone and took a picture. This is too good. What are the odds? I live in a small community; do I know this person? All of these thoughts ran through my head, and more.
The rest of the drive to church, and in the days that followed, led me to the following thoughts:
Am I following Jesus? Am I following Him as my Savior, my Lord, my Redeemer, and my God, or am I following Him as a name on a license plate?
In Matthew 16:24, Jesus tells the disciples, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.” Am I denying myself? Certainly not by Jesus’s standards I am not. In Matthew 19:21, Jesus admonished the rich man to “go and sell all his possessions and give the money to the poor.” When Jesus called Matthew to follow Him, Matthew simply got up and followed, taking nothing with him. No, the list of the things I have given up in order to follow Jesus is short, my sisters.
“If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.” The cross was so despised, so humiliating and shameful, that it was rarely mentioned in public. For Jesus to use this as an example, illustrates the magnitude of shame and suffering we should be willing to endure in order to call ourselves Christ-followers.
We should be eager to follow the One who voluntarily sacrificed His position, His power, and His life for us, following Him even into the storm, knowing that He is all the protection we will ever need.
As I mature as a Christ-follower, may it be said of me that I don’t follow Him merely to say I do. May my journey be one that is an example of self-denial, willingness to endure shame, and courage to follow wherever He leads.
