Lessons On The Run

Fifty-one years ago, Stephen Lewis Turner was born to Pat and Henry Turner in Tuscaloosa Alabama.  Today I celebrate that day but more importantly, I celebrate the people who have made this day so special. Time will not permit me to name every name or tell every story, but I am unbelievably grateful for the journey God has provided for me, and even more grateful for all of you who have been a part of my travels. I am nothing more than a fellow traveler and you are my story!

Is all starts with my unbelievable parents. They have always been a great mix of discipline and grace, hope and expectation, humor and seriousness. I am blessed with parents who paved the way and taught me to walk the path I now walk.

To the teacher who told my parents I was a distraction in class and needed extra workbooks and reading so I would not get in trouble, THANKS! I am still a reading monster and I guess you helped get it started. To other teachers who saw my energy and ADD before ADD was a diagnosis, and harnessed it, I am crazy grateful.  And to those who wanted to always keep me coloring in the box, I know you meant well but sometimes the lines just get in the way! I don’t remember all of your names, but to all the educators in my life, THANKS!

Central Baptist Church changed my life and I am a minister today in a large way because of God’s call and your preparation. Norman Chase taught me how to read music, sing harmonies, and even direct a choir. The youth group kept me on the right path. With few exceptions (church training), Central was a place of growth, fun, and community. Thanks to all of you, wherever you are, and I hope you are still investing in others like you invested in me.

I am grateful for all the churches along the journey who took a chance on me as their minister. First Baptist, Woodbury, TN, I am not sure what you were thinking asking me as a seventeen year old to be your minister of music, but I am sure glad you did it. I signed on to that job for college cash, but God used it as a major stepping stone to finding my passion and my call. Salem Baptist Church in Liberty, TN was my first run at youth ministry. WOW, was I a work in progress. Powell’s Chapel Baptist continued to allow me to grow and really helped me see that loving people and being goal oriented did not have to be mutually exclusive ideas. My family at Belle Aire saw me through good times and bad,  walked alongside me every step of the way,  introduced me to full-time ministry, and still hold a precious place in my heart. I throw a special thanks to the Belle Aire softball team who was my close family for nearly twenty years as we used a silly game to learn about our relationship with Christ and one another. Buck and Martha Arms have quite a legacy in the men they raised on the diamond! Lastly, for Shandon Baptist, who has given me the chance to soar. You have embraced the quirks, allowed the off the wall ideas, overlooked my flaws, and cheered me on in every transition as I have matured (gotten old) in my ministry pursuits!”

I love college students! To every one of you who have taught me, tried my patience, challenged my assumptions, proved me wrong and proved me right, laughed at me, cried with me, ran far beyond where I will ever go, and followed God with an “I die daily” attitude, you are far more than I will ever be and that is good! I marvel at you, on the mission field, planting churches, raising families, doing crazy things for God in the workplace. I can only hope that you were blessed half as much as I was when our lives intersected. You were both my disciples and my disciplers and I pray that you continue changing the world.

To my precious family, I am more grateful than you will ever know. I love my bride Dawn more today that when we were married 30 years ago. Honey, you are one patient woman! The things you have put up with over the years. I could insert so many stories here . I am sure that marrying at age 20 was not a prudent, well thought out decision, but it has been a wonderfully crazy journey together. Thank you my love! I would not want to even think about doing life without you.

Tommy and Donny, I am sure coming to live with us when you were thirteen and we were twenty-two seemed as nuts to you and it did to us, but thanks for allowing us to be your parents for those years. We had no clue as to what we were doing but we all just trusted God together to make it work.

Kristin, you are your dad in so many ways, and that both humbles me and scares me . You have come a long way from that day at Vanderbilt Hospital, when we all wondered if our little 2 pound baby girl would make it. You made it all right!  You are a beautiful, intelligent, driven young woman, seeking to make a difference in the lives of those you teach. I am so proud of you! Thanks for giving your dad the grace he did not always give you. Thanks for being my baby girl!

Ryne, so often when I looked at you growing up, I saw myself in the mirror. Some days that made me proud and some days it made me realize how far I was from being a good example to you. You are a great young man and I am equally proud of you. You are smart, hard working, and a leader for our Lord. Thanks for challenging me to be better while loving me where I was.

Jenny, thanks for being my son’s wife! Like me, he did better than he deserved. It is so wonderful having you as a part of the family and you are an inspiration at hard work and  a loving heart. I love watching you and Ryne grow together and in the Lord.

Finally and most importantly I am grateful to my Lord who took a rag-tag, piece of work like me, and used him for His glory and His Kingdom. I stand today as a testimony to God’s goodness and grace and to the fact that God can do far more than any of us can imagine. Who I am today, is due to the character of my Savior, and has nothing to do with my ability or capability. I am trash turned into treasure, filth made clean, disobedient reprobate turned into a child of the King, a kid without purpose made into a man with a mission. To God be the glory, great things He has done!

As for the years I have left, be they one, ten, or fifty, may I decrease and He increase. May I disappear and He be lifted up, and may one day I stand before Him face to face to see His glory unveiled and His work complete.

THANKS for being my journey!

steve