Why Am I (I Am) Here.

~ William Turner ~ Leave a comment

There comes a point in every life when the noise quiets just enough for the question to rise:

“Why am I here?”

It might come in the still hours before dawn, or while looking out a window you’ve stared through a thousand times before. It’s a question that seems so small, yet it shakes the foundation of who we are.

For years, I thought purpose was something I had to chase — a thing waiting out there, just beyond the next accomplishment or project. But the older I get, the more I realize that purpose isn’t always a destination; sometimes it’s the reason behind the breath I just took.

When Moses stood before the burning bush, he asked a similar question — though he didn’t use those exact words. He wanted to know Who was sending him, why he was chosen. The voice answered not with a title, but with a truth:

“I Am.”

Two words that hold everything.

No explanation. No beginning, no end. Just existence — eternal, complete, and unchanging. It’s the voice that spoke galaxies into place, yet it’s also the same quiet presence that steadies us in moments of doubt.

And maybe that’s the hidden answer within our question. When we ask, “Why am I here?” the One who is I Am gently replies, “You are here because I Am.”

That realization changes everything. It means my life — with all its stumbles, restarts, and detours — was never a random accident. I’m not just occupying space; I’m part of something sacred, part of a design that breathes purpose into even the smallest details.

It also means that when I lose direction, I can still rest in presence. I don’t have to have all the answers. The “why” doesn’t always come with clarity, but the “I Am” always comes with companionship.

Looking back, I can see moments where I felt lost, but somehow found my footing again. I’ve walked through seasons of silence, and still, there was a whisper under it all — steady, patient, waiting for me to listen. That whisper never scolded or shouted. It simply reminded me that being here, being present, was enough for God to begin His work in me again.

So maybe the real question isn’t “Why am I here?” after all.

Maybe it’s “Am I listening?”

Because if the breath of “I Am” lives in me, then I don’t need to search the horizon for meaning. It’s already here, beating quietly in my chest, calling me to live this moment — with faith, with gratitude, with purpose — exactly where I stand.

“You are here because I Am.”

And that, I think, is reason enough.

Faith and Lessons: The Measure of a Heart

~ William Turner ~ Leave a comment

In all my years of watching people rise and fall — in families, friendships, and even my own life — I’ve come to understand that the real difference between ruin and redemption isn’t how big the mistake was, but how a person faces it afterward.

The old stories in Scripture tell that same truth better than any sermon. King Saul had every advantage a man could ask for: height, strength, blessing, and opportunity. Yet pride crept in quietly, like a vine curling around the soul, until it strangled the very spirit that once set him apart. Saul feared losing face more than losing faith. When the prophet Samuel confronted him, Saul defended himself — not to make things right, but to stay right in the eyes of others.

David wasn’t any less flawed. His sins were heavier, darker even. But when truth broke through, he didn’t resist it — he fell to his knees and confessed. He didn’t ask to keep his throne; he begged for a clean heart. And that’s where mercy met him.

I think about that sometimes — how often we stand at the same crossroads as those two kings. Pride on one side, humility on the other. The longer you live, the clearer it becomes that life isn’t about never falling; it’s about what you do once you’ve hit the ground.

God never asked us for perfection. He asked us for honesty, for the courage to admit we’ve gone astray, and the faith to let Him rebuild what we broke. That’s where the measure of a heart is truly taken — not in power or position, but in surrender.

What I Can See – What I Can’t See

~ William Turner ~ Leave a comment

SUMMARY: The last few days I have been working on my telescope. My mind began to wander as I thought about views it offers versus views beyond its ability.

 

[ VISION ] -RARE GIFTS, CHANGE, & MORE: More times than I care to confess, I have longed to return to the only place I have ever called “home”. You will find me here in Rotonda West, FL of my own free will and choices. My love for Heather will always remain stronger than the Siren’s Song calling out to me. My home, my heart, my love are right here in front of me. Though their song attempts to deceive me and pull me into a world no longer my own, I am already home. My life will not be drawn into deadly waters by a deceptive song. 

Yet, there is a very distinct difference between missing those I love and the disturbing thoughts made to pull my mind apart. 

Today, my first message was sent to my son. He remains in my prayers, my thoughts, my heart, and my longing to see him and his wife, again. Distance and difference has created a rift in our communication and our convening within space and time. 

The remaining part of this article is dedicated to my daughter and the relationship between her and a telescope. 

Essentially, by the laws of physics and the speed of light, I can see into the past, much like a time machine, with my telescope. It permits firsthand views of our solar system and into our galaxy. I’ve seen spectacular views of our moon; a heavenly body 238,900 miles away from the backyard. I gazed deep into craters that are mere circles to the unaided eye. I’ve gazed upon a red giant star with a pair of bright white companions beyond the vision of any human. 

Almost two years ago, Heather blessed me with the telescope that I speak of and I offer her my gratitude each time I point it towards the stars. Heather’s gift offers me views of God’s creation millions of miles from where I stand. Words cannot express how fortunate I am for this gift. The phone calls to Heather, made from our backyard to the bedroom just beyond the wall in front of me, would provide that opportunity to hear those feelings. Of the billions of people in this world, I am amongst the few who possess the firsthand knowledge of what lies beyond the first star to the left.

Here, I become a person unworthy of the blessings I receive. Where I am engulfed by greed and envy for what I don’t possess. I can peer deep into our night sky to see God’s majestic creation on display for “me”. By the combination of lens and position the gift sitting in front of me can reach out light years into the Milky Way galaxy.

However, this magnificent instrument forever lacks the capacity to show me a world less than 700 miles away from where I stand. A world where my loved ones continue their lives celebrating  birthdays, graduations, the birth of grandchildren…all the while…beyond my vision. 

The image I chose for this article is offered to my daughter as a gift for her birthday. Through God’s Time Machine, I retrieved an image of a beautiful girl who need only look up to find me. 

Testimony -Absent But Not Lost

~ William Turner ~ Leave a comment

SUMMARY: My friend lost his mother to cancer last week. Once again, my initial inability to offer him and his family support turned into another “book”.

 

[ LOVED ONES ] -FAITH, MEMORIES, & PROMISES: When we last spoke, he was in a somewhat manic state as he addressed his mother’s last wishes.

The one item that he made perfectly clear was the fact that all were at peace.

My friend and his siblings were by her side when she left this world and her pain behind. She now rests with Jesus. Her faith and life of service in His name are testimony to this fact. No matter the beliefs my friend and his siblings may hold, I believe they know this Truth just as well.

In the days to come, I pray they maintain their faith in the knowledge she is finally free from the pain and suffering of this world. I pray the faith their mother kept, that provided her strength, courage and the promise of eternal peace, remains alive and strong in each of their memories.

In the days to come, may they also find peace in the beliefs their father maintains. As this world takes its toll upon his mind and body, in time, he too shall come to know the eternal peace in the promise of his faith.

This world in which we live is not our home.

The beauty of God’s creation can be seen in this world if you choose to look for it. Yet, the majesty of His creation pales in comparison to the home that awaits those who would believe.