Women Who Inspire: Tiffany Turner
By Cyndi Kay Green
This week I had the opportunity to talk with a very dear friend who has become such an inspiration to me as well as many others who have watched her grow in her ministry. She is such a sweet natured lady who has a heart for God that is contagious. As long as I have known her, she has been ministering to kids and it has truly been a blessing to see her and her husband, Bryan, grow and become a big part of what God is doing in our youth. She has made a career in nursing and he is a lineman for a local company in Skiatook, Oklahoma. This is a quick interview with Tiffany and how she sees the situation with Covid-19 affecting communities now and after isolation.
Cyndi Green: Please introduce yourself to us.
Tiffany Turner: My name is Tiffany Turner and I have been a nurse for about 20 years. I live and work in northcentral Oklahoma. I have been to my amazing husband, Bryan, for 21 years in June. We have four kids together; Tommy, Sydney, Shyloh and Jonathon.
CG: Since I have known you for a while, can you explain to our readers who Tommy is and how he came to be with your family?
TT: Sure. About three years ago we had finished up with a youth event and no one ever showed-up to pick up Tommy. So, he came home with us to stay until his dad could come get him. Everyone thought we were crazy since we had two teenage daughters, but God had shown us peace about it and it has all worked out so wonderfully. It was only supposed to be temporary, but his dad never came to get him. He was a senior in high school and was on the football team. He and our kids took to each other like family, Tommy and our oldest daughter bonded really well since they were both in high school. He exhibited that brotherly bond by telling the football team if they flirted with his sister, he would hit them on the field. He adapted to our family really well and ended up obtaining two scholarships and attends Southern Nazarene University in Bethany, Oklahoma. He still talks to his dad but not very often.
CG: Please give us your brief testimony.
TT: My real relationship with God began Dec 28,, 2001. I had just gone through a miscarriage, and felt hopeless. I contemplated suicide. It was like a cold bucket of water poured out over me and I called out to God and that is when my real relationship with Him began. We are currently youth pastors and have been involved in some form of ministry for about the past 16 years.
CG: During this tumultuous time, where do you find your peace of mind?
TT: I think I find my peace in knowing that it is all temporary. This virus is temporary and life is temporary. It’s all temporary. I also believe in prayer and anointing. I anoint my house and kids weekly anyway just because the world throws so much at us. But I have also had Bryan anoint and pray for her as well, going into this.
CG: What would you tell someone who was fearful of the future?
TT: I would say uncertainty is not the same thing as fear. Fear comes from the lack of perspective when faced with uncertainty. God has called us to walk by faith and not by sight. Because walking by fear is like walking into a dark room with our eyes closed, faith leads us through the dark room even when we can’t see. Faith allows us to rely on the one true God. The one who calms all our fears and causes our fears to submit. So, trust that no matter what happens in life, God cares enough to see you through it the situation. God’s word creates peace in the middle of the storm, love in the middle of hate and joy no matter what situation arises.
CK: What positive changes have you seen at work, church or home (all if applicable) because of this virus?
TT: I would say, simply and outpouring of kindness and love. I know I’ve had a few gifts given to me, not major gifts, but just somebody saying “hey I appreciate you for being a nurse and for working on the frontlines and doing what you are doing. Those are really nice gifts in the middle of this (Covid-19). The community has been amazing. Just to see the outpouring. Our churches, I know ours for sure, is telling us to tithe to local food pantries, local emergency funds and not to the church. They (the church) are saying the church is good, we don’t need it, but we do need you to help the community. So, I think that is a great thing. I love seeing families on Facebook sharing pictures of Bible study, family movie night, game/board game nights, and puzzles. I feel like in this season that we are in right now, God is pulling our families back together. I know that it is probably financially hard, but it is allowing moms to stay home and teach their kids when they can’t go to school and just be there for them. I think He is pulling and drawing these families back and closer together. The churches are getting out and becoming God’s hands and feet. We’re not just saying it from the pulpit or in church; we aren’t just doing it in our church for our members. We are actually getting out in the communities and we are His hands and His feet in this season.
CG: How do you see ministry and churches changing after the pandemic is over and the gathering restrictions have been removed?
TT: I think there is an amazing opportunity to continue to utilize social media. A lot of churches had probably not used social media, I know our church was one that really didn’t use social media a lot. But now that we’re having to, Bryan and I are broadcasting our youth ministry every Wednesday night to our kids; and then our pastor utilizes it for Sunday morning. So, I think just to spread the good news I think we will use social media a lot more for that now because we’ve become a little more comfortable with it now. I think that those already in the churches are going to be looking for ways to serve and get plugged into ministry in a different way; like outreach.
CG: How do you see the world in general looking after the pandemic is over? What do you think our “new normal” will look like as a society?
TT: I hope that people will continue to still help each other; neighbors helping neighbors. That the churches will still do the outreach and still be on Facebook. I know that everyone will be happy to be out of isolation. I look forward to spending more time with my family. I am here with my husband and kids, but being able to spend time with my mom and my dad, my brother and sister-in-law and my baby nephew would be amazing. I hope that we realize that definitely tomorrow is not promised and we should not take time for granted. We should spend as much time as we can in our relationship with God and others as we possibly can.
CG: What specific ways have you seen women being used of God during this pandemic?
TT: Oh goodness, this one is one that kind of hit my heart because women are being used in so many ways. Women are staying home and teaching their kids. They have been making masks. Online ministries, just reaching out to other women and praying for other women. I’ve had several women ask me if I need prayer and of course, my answer is yes. I think the biggest one is as a nurse. I got into this profession to see healing. Because I believe in God’s complete healing, but I know that death comes. I think the hardest part of this illness is that these people are secluded. They are taken away from their family and friends because then it could be deadly to family and friends. So, they are dying, short of a nurse sitting and holding their hand and just being with them. Loving on them. If God can use me in that way, then I am all in. I can’t imagine my family member having to sit alone and pass from this earth without someone sitting beside them. This gives them (nurses) an awesome chance to do ministry with that person knowing that they are going to pass from this earth. So just knowing where their soul lies. I think that is the biggest part for me of how God is using women right now as far as ministry. Just being able to minster to those who are sick and dying and don’t have anybody.
CG: How do unwind after a busy day?
TT: Woo, [chuckle] I’m just so thankful to be home after a busy day. I love hanging out with my husband and kids. I have to cleanup when I get home because of the germs I could bring home to my own family, so a long relaxing bath is amazing. Definitely, definitely prayer and the word. Bryan and I do a devotional every morning before I leave for work and then we pray together. We have been doing the devotional for a little over a year now, but I feel like it prepared us for this season. Now we continue to do it through this season and I love doing the devotional and prayer with him. I love to journal. It is one of my most favorite things. I love to just sit down and write out my prayer requests to the Lord, or saying thank you to Him to see what He does with them later. Bryan and I, when we moved back to Skiatook from Stilwell, we are in town and renting. We were really praying for something and we couldn’t find land. God has just blessed us, because we will be signing on a piece of property (40 acres) in a couple of weeks. It’s just amazing he has just blessed us because then I can just breathe. Just looking at all that God has created and all that He turns to His good, it just helps me wind down so much. Knowing that he is in complete control no matter what I have to fear nothing.
CG: Is there anything else you would like to say?
TT: I think that I would say love one another and be thankful for everything that you have. For your health, for your family. Be hopeful for the future. This is just a season and it will pass. It is temporary. Breathe. Trust in the one who left the 99 to come to get you. Because he is a good, good father and he will turn each and everything to his good.
