Matt
Student
I was probably about eight when my mum and dad broke
up. I lived with my mum and step-dad for about seven
years, but I hated him, writes Matt Turner, 22.
I resented the fact that he wasn’t my dad and
he told me to do jobs. We both did some pretty awful
things to each other.
I kept saying, ‘I’m going to move out,
I’m not happy here. I hate you.’ Finally
he said, ‘I hate you as well so why don’t
you just go?’ After that, I went to live with
my dad, who lived eight miles away.
When I left school, I worked as assistant manager of
a hotel.
One night, I was in a nightclub with some friends.
We were dancing and returned to our seats to find some
girls sitting on our coats. We started chatting them
up and I got on particularly well with this girl called
Rachel. We met up again a week later and started going
out together.
She was at university at the time and I discovered
that she and her family were all Christians, although
she never really talked about it.
One day I was racing to catch a train to see Rachel.
She had asked me to pick up some books for her, so I
ran into her house and said to her mum, I’ve got
to get some books for Rachel, but I’ve got to
get a train in five minutes.’
She said, ‘Right OK, here they are.’ Then
she added, ‘By the way, can you do Alpha on Wednesday
night?’
I said, ‘No problem, I’ll be back by then.’
So I ran off to the car and thought, ‘What is
Alpha?’
I met Rachel and said, ‘Oh, your mum said something
strange. She wants me to go to Alpha on Wednesday night
and I said I would. What is it?’
She said, ‘It’s just dinner at a church.’
And that’s all I knew about it.
But when I went along, I enjoyed it at once. There
was probably about five non-believers including me.
I was an atheist. I genuinely didn’t believe there
was a God at all. My family are all very matter of fact
and I just thought we all evolved.
We had a good meal, then watched a video. Each time
I wanted to go back. I asked lots of questions.
I was definitely only doing the course for Rachel.
I wouldn’t have thought of doing it if someone
else had asked me.
On about week two or three, I prayed to God when I
was in bed at night. I said sorry for all the things
that I had done wrong – for all the times I’d
lied, all the ill feeling I’d had against people
like my step-dad. I invited God in and although nothing
major happened, I knew. I knew that it was real and
that I was being changed.
I could feel my attitude towards people changing. I
was becoming less selfish and a lot more tolerant. I
was also less interested in money and possessions. My
life changed dramatically during Alpha.
That was September 2000. After Alpha was over, I started
going to church and I have helped lead other Alpha courses.
I prayed about my attitude towards my step-dad and
after that I started looking at him in a totally different
light. I started to value him. I told him I was sorry
for my part in what had happened – and I was genuinely
sorry. Now we are getting on much better.
Before Alpha, I didn’t know anything about Jesus
at all. Now I depend on him. I pray every day, all the
time. I’m always praying wherever I go. I also
read the Bible a lot.
I’m hoping to go to Birmingham Bible College
this year or next year. I’m just praying that
I can get in there and that God will equip me.
One thing more. Rachel and I are engaged to be married.
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