Josh Turner- I Am Second

Josh Turner. The name brings a smile to my face and a joy to my heart! He is with out a doubt my favorite singer EVER! I love love love his deep voice and what he stands for. This interview can be found on the I Am Second website! You can also watch his video interview on the website.

Josh Turner

I had a vision of this long, black shiny train…..

Singing country music, that’s what I’ve always dreamt of doing as a young boy. Growing up in South Carolina, it was out the ordinary to dream such a dream.

I haven’t always been the guy that walks into a room and automatically the attention is on me. I’m normally the guy that stands off in the corner. Singing allowed me to express myself in ways that I wouldn’t be able to do otherwise. I don’t feel like God called me to be a gospel singer. He didn’t call me to be a Christian singer, he called me to be a country singer, and I just happen to be a Christian.

The one thing that I had to overcome was negativity. The idea that dreams can’t really come true, I never wanted to believe in that.

I grew up in a little place called Hannah, South Carolina, a little farming community a long way from any kind of big city. The first real album I owned was Randy Travis’ Storms of Life, and that was the album that really made me start dreaming of the possibility of doing this for a living. I moved to Nashville in 1998 to get a record deal and try to get my foot in the door, and I didn’t really know what I was doing.

God inspired me to write “Long Black Train.” I wrote this song, by myself, in my apartment, and it came to me in a vision. It’s a vision of this long, black, beautiful, shiny train, and people are standing out to the sides of the track, watching this train go by, just craving to get on it. At the same time, they know that this train leads to destruction, it leads to emptiness, it leads to nowhere, but yet they still want to get on it. This train was a physical metaphor for temptation.

I wrote three verses and a chorus that night in my apartment, woke up the next morning, I wrote the fourth verse. And at that moment in time when I laid the pen down, I said nobody’s ever gonna want to hear this. It’s too old-fashioned, it’s too old-timey, it’s a gospel song. So this is probably not going to end up on one of my records in the future.

And a friend of mine walked in and she said, can I hear it? And I was like well, sure. I played it for her, and she said you need to play this for such and such, and so it just snowballed from there. I ended up playing it for recitals, and all kinds of stuff, did demos of it. A girl in my class heard it on that demo, played it for MCA, they heard it. This was the song I played first time on the Grand Ole Opry, and got two standing ovations and an encore– I was completely unknown to the audience that night. It became the title track of my first record, it became my first hit, it helped me sell a million copies of the first record. So there were a lot of people hearing this song, a lot of people being touched by this song.

That was the moment that I realized it’s not about the money, or the fame, or the glory. It’s about changing people, it’s about touching people and influencing people in a positive way, and so from that point on, that’s what I’ve tried to do.

(There’s a long, black train coming down the line, feeding off the souls that are lost and crying. Rails of sin, only evil remains, watch out brother for that long, black train. )

There’s no song that I can write, there’s no record that I can make that’s going to save me. I do need a savior.

(Look to the heavens, you can look to the skies, you can find redemption staring back into your eyes. There is protection, and there’s peace the same, burning your ticket for that long, black train.)

I’m thankful to have Jesus as my savior. My relationship with God has always been one to where I’m talking to him all day, every day, about anything and everything. It’s just a continuous ongoing conversation that I have with the Lord, and I feel like that’s brought me closer to Him. It helps me think through things clearly, I feel like it’s given me wisdom about other people, about myself, about the life that I live. Ultimately, I get my joy from Him, and always put Him first.

My name is Josh Turner, and I am second.

19 Candles, Class, and Fish

Today is my 19th birthday. (*jumps up and down.) Honestly I can't believe I'm 19. Why? Because I always thought people who where this age were old. And look here I am... "old". I look back at my 18th year of life and I can see how God has changed me. A lot has happened this past year. My relationship with God has grown the most. Last spring I was going through a tough time and God held me all the way through. I overcame a addiction a lot of girls go through for various reasons. I was a cutter. My parents never knew (latter they I told them) but my best friend's mom knew. She recommended to me a lady I knew from scrapbooking, Toni. I started seeing her for counseling. Soon we got to the root of the problem and through God's help I overcame it. Toni runs a nursing home with her husband, Jack, who is a RN. They hired me to work for them and it is the most enjoyable job I've had. Now I know what your thinking, "Taking care of old people is fun? What planet did you fall off of?" But seriously it is so great to walk in and see the old people's face light up when they see you! My bosses have been so great letting me work when I'm home on break from school. It really is a great job! Even when Betty is stubborn about taking her pills and Fran is putting you through the "wringer".

College has not exactly been a walk in the park either. There have been moments I have been to the point where I have texted my dad begging him to come get me and take me home. I have lived in the same town, gone to the same church, and been around the same people all my life. So being in a new place, in a new church, and around people I don't know at all has scared me. I saw a quote one time that said "I'm one of those people who is really quite and then you get to know me and BAM I'm a different person." Yep that's me. I have started getting use to living here, my new church, and the people. Many people have said they can tell I've changed a lot since I first came here. I am still not crazy about being here but I am trying to make the most of it. God has a plan for all of this and no matter how hard it is I need to just let Him be in control.


I celebrated with my family before I came back to school. We went to Cheddar's. It was really good I had Tilapia (it is a type of fish) with mango salsa, rice, salad, and a virgin pina colada daiquiri. My family got me a climbing harness package that consist of the harness, chalk bag, chalk, carabiner, and belay device. They also got me a Mountain Hardware rain jacket. It was really fun to hang out with my family before school.

Now today my actual birthday. It has been a great so far! I woke up at 8:30 to a bunch of text messages from people who wished me "happy birthday " on Facebook. I only had one class today (*whoot whoot) Church Music Philosophy. Exciting, right? We shall see how that class goes. Tonight for supper my roommate invited my friends to a party for me tonight in the guys dorm lounge. No one is ever in there so it is perfect! One of my guy friends is from Alaska and he caught a bunch of salmon to bring back to school. So guess what we are having? Salmon, rice, salad, and bread. Sound familiar? What can I say I like fish!

Now for a great laugh because you know you need it. And laughter is good for the soul. I love this guy! He's super funny and I love how puts this! P.S. Number 1 is my favorite ;)

New Favorite Song

I love how country songs relate so much to life. This song has been on repeat all day, even though it is Christmas! ;)

Hospitality

Some people have the wonderful gift of hospitality. Then there are those of us who do not have that gift. However does that mean those that are not gifted in this department need to forget about it, leave it to waste, lock it up and sink it to the bottom of the ocean? No, the Bible commands us to be hospitable. In 1 Peter 4:8-10 “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” Now that we know God wants us to show hospitality. How do we go about doing that? Well here are some different ideas on how to become a great hostess. A few ideas for having guest would be to have some level of privacy, Bathrobe, slipper socks, Extra quilt, blanket, pillows, Nightlights, flashlights, Sample toiletries, paper cups, and Reading material. Some of these are not very necessary but it is always a good idea to have these on hand, just in case. Now having family as guest adds a new twist to it, you got to please your relatives. To add to the list previously mentioned would be to plan every meal-prepare ahead of time, don’t do it all, have a plan, and plan for down time. You want to spend time with your guest. So make sure you plan ahead and clean. Your guest don’t want to think you live in a pig pen or live in it themselves when they are visiting. Most importantly encourage them in the Lord and show them His love through your life. Happy Hostessing.

Reading Takes You On An Adventure

"If you find a girl who reads, keep her close. When you find her up at 2 AM clutching a book to her chest and weeping, make her a cup of tea and hold her. You may lose her for a couple of hours but she will always come back to you. She’ll talk as if the characters in the book are real, because for a while, they always are. Date a girl who reads because you deserve it. You deserve a girl who can give you the most colorful life imaginable. If you can only give her monotony, and stale hours and half-baked proposals, then you’re better off alone. If you want the world and the worlds beyond it, date a girl who reads."
-Robert Pattinson

I am not a big fan of Robert Pattinson by any means. But I found this quote on Pinterest and thought it was cute.

The Importance of Godly-Role Models in Camp Counselors

Many kids these days, predominantly in the Christian realm, spend their summers going to camp. I know I did, I was at one or two every summer. It was the highlight of the year for me! I remember when I was in junior camp at Rapidan Baptist Camp in Rochelle, Virginia and getting on the bus with all my friends bouncing around with energy about what the week is going to bring. All the way there Mr. Curtis, our ever faithful bus driver, hears laughter, a little snoring, and the main thing “Are we there yet?” I was also thinking along the lines of what your counselor looks like. Is she tall, skinny, with brown hair, and green eyes? Or does she have blue eyes with blonde hair? What her personality is like always went through my mind. Then we would finally pull into the drive with the big sign on it with the camp name splashed across and hear a big cheer that probably could be heard for miles. We were off the bus before Mr. Curtis even put it in park. Ecstatic doesn’t even begin to describe our excitement. Then we would finally meet the person in charge of us for the rest of the week. In this paper we will look at what it takes to be an impact on camper’s life as a counselor. This could make the experience for the camper great or make it terrible. The counselors have that big of an impact.

More goes in to counseling then you would think. At least for me it did. When I was that little girl bouncing off the bus walls, I didn’t think much went into being one. How wrong I was about that. Many different elements go into training summer staff. General Orientation would be the best place to start. Take them around the camp, teaching them about the basic operating procedures, and a general welcoming spirit always makes the counselors feel better. To increase the chance of success, talk with your staff members about the purpose of the camp, the general outcome you want to achieve, how to achieve these goals, and how the counselors can help. Also just go through regular stuff to make sure you are all on the same page, such as authority, responsibility, communication, job description, policies, and procedures. If there is an emergency would your counselors know what to do? Training your staff in CPR and First Aid is a wise idea for safety, legal, and accreditation standards. Training them to work together in team-building activities will help counselors be able to facilitate their cabin group on different undertakings. Before the campers arrive it is also a good idea to schedule a time for group worship, personal devotions, and prayer. Goals are always important to set for the summer and even share with each other. These days child abuse prevention, recognition, and reporting are a common thing. It is a good idea to train your staff on how to go about preventing it, recognizing it, or reporting it. Don’t forget to also train your counselors on how to relate to kids, working with the campers, and planning and leading activities.

The camper’s spiritual life is the most important thing. Yet how can we, as effective staff members, best influence them? Share God’s joy with them. Open yourself up to them. Show them you’re not some big old person that just wants to run their lives for the duration of camp. There is nothing more real than basically being real with someone. Many kids these days come from a background of hurt, the last thing they want to do is open up to a stranger. Yet, you have the hope they need in this hurting world. Lead them to the Creator of the Universe. They matter so much to God; show the campers His love for them through you. You have the chance to make a huge impact!

I’ve gone to many different camps, from Christian camps to sports camps to even Culinary Arts camp. Of all the counselors I have had the one that demonstrated the qualities from the above paragraph and so much more is Gabriele Cole (Pictured with me @ the top of the page). She was my Team Leader (our fancy word for counselor) at STEP (Skills Training for Emergency Preparation) Gabby, as we affectionately called her, led eight girls for four weeks through the thick, thin, and hot Texas heat. We went through those four weeks with only two girls not getting sick or hurt. She had so much patience with us, was extremely open, and real. God radiated through her! I had never seen joy like she had before. She showed us we mattered not only to her but to the King she served so joyfully! The devotions she gave were inspiring, like relying on God for your strength and not yourself. You hear that all the time in the typical “Christian circle” but she presented it in a whole new light. She was the image of a servant, from bringing food to her sick girls to piggy-back riding me down the long flight of stairs because I hurt my ankle. I will always remember her coming into our room right before lights out to pray with us and give us a good night hug. She was exhausted by the end of week three. Did she ever complain? No, she invested everything she had into us for those four weeks. This past summer we were both back at STEP working. Gabby was in a higher position and had more girls under her to minister too. She did a wonderful job. Those girls, like me, loved her. She became more than a Team Leader, Gabby became your friend. I know she is obviously not perfect. However, she went above and beyond what was asked of her. For me I believe she qualifies as a Godly-role model in a counselor.

Sadly, not all counselors demonstrate the godly qualities Gabby did. Some counselors have less than desirable things they do. For example getting mad if the kids got them wet when playing a water game. It is part of the fun, particularly on a hot muggy day! Kids are not going to come back if it is not fun. So if you’re a “party-pooper” the kids are going to have a bad experience and are not going to want to come back. How can camps go about making sure they hire enthusiastic godly counselors? First, make sure you, as a director, really examine the written application. Get in contact with the applicants references. If they are hesitant about the young person, that should be an automatic red flag. Second, check out their beliefs and where they stand on issues. If it doesn’t match up with your camps, then you might want to think twice about hiring them. Thirdly, it is pretty easy to make stuff sound good on paper. Observe them work for a few weeks. It will tell you a lot about their character, their relationship with God and their beliefs. However, prayer is more important than all of these. Lift in prayer each prospective staff member to God.

Investing in campers lives is extremely important but before we can do that we have to invest in our counselors lives. In Philippians 2:1-4 Paul says “If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels of mercies. Fulfill ye my joy that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.” ,Most camps are looking for humble, teachable, like minded college students (Train Them Up 34, East) In “A Firm Foundation” by Dave Wager, he says “Camps used to be places where we guided young adults and helped them develop into leaders. Today it seems we want these young people to come to us already developed. In, reality college-age staff members have limited knowledge and usually lack seminary degrees.” The ones in charge of the camp need to also disciple their counselors too. Just because they are going to be a counselor at a Christian camp doesn’t mean they know it all. That’s where the director needs to watch and mentor them.

It is also important that the leaders in the camp make sure they are serving for the right purposes. A leader that is focused on self is going to fail epically. Leaders are in a serving position to the kids that come through the camp. Jesus Christ was the greatest leader of all. In Philippians 2:7-8 “But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, he became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” Bob Tissot in “Adventures in Leadership” explains this verse and how Jesus’ leadership style was. “First, Jesus made Himself nothing. Second, He became a servant. Third, He then humbled Himself. Forth, became obedient. Fifth, He obeyed at the point of death, even the death on the cross.” Bob Tissot called it a pattern for leadership. A good counselor is humble, has a servant’s heart, and is obedient to those above him/her. It requires a lot of patience, discipline, faith, trust, perseverance, and wisdom.

This is just a short glimpse into a godly counselor. We covered a godly-role model in a counselor, an example of a godly counselor, how to train the counselors, investing in the counselor’s life, and looking at Jesus as the ultimate Counselor and Leader. There is a lot that goes into a counselor. Being a one all summer long is not easy, let alone one that exemplifies Christ. It stretches and grows you alot. It’s a hard yet very rewarding job, one that you will remember for the rest of your life. Galatians 6:9 says “And let us not be weary in well doing; for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”

Five Reasons Why You Should Consider Working at a Camp or Conference Center

Most people spend their summers on a beach somewhere, at a job earning the big bucks, or on their precious couch. The last thing some are thinking of doing would be working at a summer camp or conference center. What could be fun about making sure a bunch of kids take a shower and get where they need to be on time? The worker’s camp experience is more than that. It grows you in many different ways.

“Five Good Reasons to Work a Summer at a Christian Camp or Conference Center” by the Focus Series put out by Christian Camps and Conference Association gives us some reason why this task is hard, yet rewarding. First, working at a camp or conference gets you in touch with people. I liked how the article said “As a staffer, you become a partner with those you serve and a servant to those you lead.” That is very true, one of the biggest blessings in life is to serve others. You develop strong relationships with the staff you work with too. Reason number two, Peaceful setting, I don’t agree with this one as much. Because you are so caught up with all the activities you don’t notice the peaceful setting. Thirdly, it will provide you with an adventure. It would be an adventure of a lifetime. Fourth reason prompts spiritual growth. However, this should be one of your primary reasons because it stretches you like none other. One way it stretches you spiritually because you have to maintain your own relationship with God in order to help others. Lastly, reason number five, it will prepare you for the rest of your life. This is true because you learn how to work with people and children from all different backgrounds. Also because it stretched you spiritually your relationship with God is stronger. When you look back you will always remember the summer you worked at a camp or conference center.

Where Have I Been The Past Months...

Greetings from the gorgeous mountains of West Virginia! The brightly colored leaves were so beautiful during the fall! I can not wait until it snows! I now go to school at Appalachian Bible College! God has been stretching me a lot this semester through the preaching, classes, and devotions. My professors are wonderful and it is obvious they have a love for what they do and a desire for us to grow in our relationship to Christ. This semester I am taking Bible Study Methods, English Comp 1, Foundation of Camping, Practical Christian Service, Freshman Seminar, Apologetics, Ecology, Low Ropes and Initiatives, Basic Skills, and Camping P.E.

They have skills classes for Camping majors that are one credit hour. However that’s where the fun is. This semester my skills classes are Ecology, Low Ropes and Initiatives, and Basic Skills. Some skills classes they offer are Whitewater Rafting, Caving, Wilderness First Aid, Horsemanship, Rock Climbing, Backpacking and many more. My Favorite class would be Camping P.E and Ecology class. My homework for Ecology consists of finding a spot in the woods and going there every week for an hour to observe nature. It is a great time to do my devotions too.

One lesson I have learned this semester was from Ecology class. Trees get scars from lots of different things. The huge gashes do loads of damage. Yet, most trees still live, the scars heal, and the tree to fulfill the job God has given it. Happily, God does the same thing with his children. We may do something that leaves a huge scar on our life, but God lovingly heals it and use it to his advantage. We can reach and touch lives we may not have been able to before.

At ABC we are required to take part in a Practical Christian Service while we are students here. Appalachian believes that one of the best ways to train for ministry is to apply it. Some help their church in Awanas, teaching Sunday school, youth groups, and in the children’s department. We also have different ministry teams you can get involved in, such as: the evangelism team, nursing home team, Children’s Evangelism Fellowship team, Drama team, and Puppet team. I would like to get involved in either the nursing home team or the children’s program at Maxwell Hill Baptist Church, where I attend.

Some things I would appreciate your prayers on are that I would grasp what is being taught, do well on my homework, and that God will show me what ministry I should get involved with.