Our Stories...

Julia Turner

Place of Salvation: Balclutha, South Otago, New Zealand
Date of Salvation: 04/02/1983

My Story

I was born and bred in Bristol, England, and from an early age went to Sunday School and church regularly. During this time I do not recall ever being told the good news that God loved me and that Jesus Christ died for me personally to forgive my sins, to give me eternal life, and to make me whole.

I believed in God, but that was it. I went to a "Church" secondary school and learned about God in R.E. lessons, but God was Someone impersonal and unconnected to me. He was "out there" somewhere.

My teen years were not happy - my older brother was not well mentally, (following an accident), and during this time I lived in fear of his violence and unpredictability.

I tried to escape from this, and got engaged to a man who also turned out to have violent tendencies. The cycle of fear continued. Eventually, in desperation, I broke off this relationship, and "escaped" from Bristol to take up nursing in Exeter.

Here I met my first husband, and not long after our eldest son was born. I still lived with the deep fear of being pursued.

We moved to King's Lynn. It was far away from danger, but it also took us away from family and friends. Here our second son was born, but our marriage relationship was deteriorating. I was desperately insecure and clung to my husband as my only source of security. He, in turn, could never give me what I was desperate for. In fact, his lifestyle only made it much worse. I was quite hopeless because of the state of our marriage.

I was so unhappy and fearful, that I often thought about suicide. But I was very afraid of dying. I came very close to killing myself at one time, when a colleague of my husband killed herself. It shocked me and terrified me to think how easily I could use the same method. I was now afraid of what I might do.

I decided to try to get help by seeing a marriage guidance counsellor, but this didn't change anything - my husband didn't want to get counsel.

At this time a neighbour drew me into spiritualism. This got scary when I began to "see" things in the spirit realm. I now know that these things were manifestations of evil spirits, and totally ungodly.

Then, my husband and I decided to emigrate and start a "new life" down under. We sold up and moved to New Zealand. In the autumn of 1982 we arrived in the small town of Balclutha, South Otago. My husband worked at the hospital and we lived on the hospital grounds. Our children were both school age and we met up with another family with 4 children who also lived on the hospital premises. This family was different from any other I had known. They were Christians.

Alastair, and his wife Jenny and the family, had only just returned from a few years in England, so we related well. Many days Jenny and I had afternoon tea together after the children came home from school. Over the weeks I watched and asked questions. I couldn't understand what it was that they had. I thought that they were what a "real" family should be like. I was hungry for what they had, so I eventually asked about it. Jenny told me that it was Jesus in their lives that made the difference. Her pastor talked to me about inviting Jesus into my life,- I had no idea that that decision I was about to make would change me for ever!

On February 4 1983, that pastor led me in a prayer and I invited Jesus Christ into my life to be my Lord and Saviour. I asked God to forgive all my sins and make my life brand new.

From that day forward my life began to change.

God became real to me and He answered my prayers. I no longer lived in fear and despair, but learned to trust God in everything I faced. I now had Someone to go to who was able to put me back together again and give me peace.

Instead of hopelessness and insecurity, I had a real hope and a confidence that God loved me and that my future would be good.

Instead of endless pain and anxiety, He began to bring healing to every area of my life.

I no longer feared death, because I knew that when I died I would go to heaven, and I knew that I could live, because Jesus was with me.

My first marriage sadly ended about 10 years later. This was a very traumatic time for me, but God was with me all the time and gave me hope, and a way through.

I have been walking with the Lord for well over 20 years now and can honestly say that He has never left me on my own, nor has He let me down. He has brought me through so many trials and difficulties. He is such a good God.

Today I am married to a wonderful man of God, who loves me and cherishes me. God led us back to Bristol in 1999, and we became part of Carmel Christian Centre. We went to Bible School for 2 years, and graduated in 2002.

God has blessed us here in so many ways. He is so faithful and I thank Him so much for all He has done in my life.