by Tammy Phillips
July 16, 2024
“Therefore, be imitators of God as dear children.” (Ephesians 5:1 NKJV)
I could not travel to Macon, Georgia to attend my Uncle Billy’s funeral because my nephew married the same weekend. He passed one day short of his 95th birthday. What a birthday party he must have had with Jesus. I can only imagine! I was able to live stream and listen to many stories about the man in my life who I have always said was most like Jesus to me. I was reminded of how He loved to throw up his hands, give a shout, and eat. I know he is having a GREAT time in heaven.
I have never ever met anybody like Billy John Abney. He was kind. He was loving. He was tall, very tall. He walked like Jesus. I believe he hugged like Jesus would hug…big and all encompassing. He was a character for sure. He was never ashamed of the gospel nor his Lord. He LOVED the word! He loved the Lord.
Was he perfect? No.
Was he faithful? Yes. He was resolute in His faith to God. He went through many, many trials, and tribulations. He endured the passing of not one, but three of his children. One son was murdered. One son had ALS, Lou Gehrig’s disease, and one daughter had cancer. He persevered in his faith after the passing of three wives. Was he faithful to the Lord through it all? Yes.
Was he a prayer warrior? Absolutely. I found out that he had prayed twenty- five years for a Messianic Jewish church to come to Macon and it did.
Did he love life? Always. He embraced it with joy, joy, joy, always smiling big.
Did he love the Lord? Yes, with all his heart, and soul and mind.
Did he love others unconditionally? There was no doubt; he did.
“Whoever says he lives in Christ [that is, whoever says he has accepted Him as God and Savior] ought [as a moral obligation] to walk and conduct himself just as He walked and conducted Himself.” 1 John 2:6 (AMP)
Uncle Billy walked like Jesus. He talked like Jesus. He loved like Jesus. He imitated Jesus.
Can the same be said of me? All I can say is that I am working on it and…“But now, O LORD, You [are] our Father; We [are] the clay, and You, our potter; And all we [are] the work of Your hand.” Isaiah 64:8 (NKJV)
Can the same be said of you? Do you say what Father God says? Do you do what He says to do? Do you love like Him? (John 12:49-50;14:31).
I enCOURAGE you with the words of Paul. “Imitate me, just as I also [imitate] Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1 NKJV). What a wonderful world it would be if we all just did, said, and loved like God said to do! Uncle Billy did and he made the world a better place.
Viva Magenta!
Live. Breath. Be imitators of Jesus Christ.
Complete in Him 