Life Change Story - Isaac Lockman

To Those I Love,

Unapologetically, I want to do nothing other than build His kingdom. I am so humbled and thankful for the transformation that is happening week in and week out here at theTURN!

“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.” - 1 Corinthians 15:58
This is the attitude we must develop, a rock-solid, immovable attitude about the task or project God has given us. One thing is certain: Satan will attempt to sidetrack you. As His ministers, we must be constant, stable, and dependable. This is where true fruitfulness is derived in the ministry. The longer we are consistent, the more life change takes place! Make the rock-solid decision that you will be a permanent fixture within your divine call until your task is completed with excellence, regardless of what it costs you!

This week’s LIFE CHANGE STORY highlights a student who is at Georgia Tech right now whose life has been TOTALLY transformed in the last few months. Isaac has connected with our UNION Small Group ministry as well and has recently felt a tug on his heart for ministry. What an amazing story!

Pastor Craig,

For your obedience to God, chains fell off in my life tonight that I didn't even know were there. This is all I have now and this is all I care about. I have put my faith in so many other things before, but God is the only Rock in this relative world.

Pastor Jeremy was praying for me and praying for the gift of teaching in my life and I have been a tutor for over five years, taught a class at Tech for 3.5 years, and I have always felt a strong passion for teaching. I graduate in December and am thinking about Free Chapel Leadership College. Is it focused on teachers, too?

Just want to let you know that I have been blessed through your obedience to God and I am so thankful for you and theTURN.

I remember going back to my research lab after coming to theTURN and a lot of the work is to research stuff on the micro and nano scale and I was just thinking: what if we searched after God with the same precise desire and I felt very convicted in my own life. I was in a very complacent and dangerous place before I came to theTURN and now all the relationships have been tried and my (ex) girlfriend is still in my life, but she is at such a different place than I am now and difficulties arise from that.

Anyways, I just wanted to share this thought with you about how God looks at the little things. I am sure you have come across a wet-weather stream or walked up to a creek bank when the water is low and stepped in mud up to your ankles. I was thinking about how when God parted the Red Sea and the people walked across dry land, how God didn't just part the sea on the macro-scale, but literally parsed molecules of water from the dry dirt. It was not like it was hard for Him to do, but He just wanted to make it easier to get to the other side.

His attention to detail amazes me and yet we still think he is a "poor-planner."

Thanks again for letting God speak through you.

If 2 Corinthians 5:17 is true and when a person is in Christ they are a new creation, then I was not in Christ until I started coming to theTURN. When I look back at my life and say where the time was when I went from darkness to light, it would be now.

I grew up in church services, around Christians, and even attended a Christian school. However, at best I only had a small understanding of God and certainly not a heart after Him or a passion for His will. I had been out of church for a year when I came to theTURN in June and heard Pastor Craig preach on the Upward Call. I will never forget the first song was "You Won't Relent" and the words struck me and I understood that even if I had given up on God that He would not give up on me. I raised my hands and worshipped God like I never had before. I had never raised my hands to worship God before coming to theTURN and never been in the habit of praying out loud, but in obedience I have found abundance. My arms would tire at first and I would struggle to find enough words to say to God, but now I have been able to worship God with strength that can only come from above and my pitiful prayer life has greatly increased with praises of His glory as I read and have a deeper relationship with God.

The reason I have changed is because not only did I have an encounter with God, but have been discipled through theTURN. God wants our whole lives and it takes discipline, but discipline will turn into delight after a season and then you realize your whole life is changed just because you committed to reading God's Word and praying. It doesn't take all day, half an hour a day can change your life. After Pastor Craig preached about the Acts 2 Vision for the church, I broke down more so than I ever have before in my life and God changed me and I just had this desire and hunger to move past my complacent relationship with God. I joined an ION (small group) that night and have been blessed for it. Through attending theTURN I have realized that Jesus is not an addition to our lives, but the Master over everything. Since, my life has changed and now I am reading through the Bible in one year plan as well as doing School of Discipleship.

I have waited too long to write this and have too much to say, but if you are waiting on yourself to be good enough for God or for the right timing to become involved in His community, then you will never do it. God doesn't want you to figure it all out He just wants you to trust in Him and every minute you hesitate being a part of a community for Christ is a minute you miss out on God's purpose for your life and the peace that comes from obeying Him.

Thanks again for letting God speak through you,
Isaac Lockman

This is what we are here for! Fruitfulness through changed lives!

Much love,
pcraig