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Stories of Changed Lives |
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 Art
Art grew up as an alter boy, attending 6:30 a.m. mass. But at age 16, the young man who grew up in a Navy family with 12 siblings, began to look for something more personal in his spiritual life. "I had a spiritual quest in my heart. I didn't know what I was looking for," Art, now 59, recalls. "But I knew I needed to look around for myself."
Art's search included years of testing out Protestant churches, then Judaism, some Eastern faiths, Baha'i, and Transcendental Meditation. "My sophomore year in college, I took some courses in TM and got my mantra," Art says. "But still the whole religious path doesn't seem to be it."
So the electrical engineering major opted for trying to live according to the Golden Rule. By the fall of his senior year, the rugby-playing collegian seemed on top of his game. "I was in great shape, I was dating the best-looking girl in school," Art explains. "I just had everything going for me except this peace. My heart was unsettled, and I couldn't figure out what it was."
One night Art attended a performance by a world-renowned illusionist who shared how the Bible relates to supernatural mysteries and future events. The next day Art talked with Dennis, a guy who worked with the campus Christian group who sponsored the illusion performance. By the end of their first face-to-face conversation, Art vowed, "If you'll get me a Bible, I'll read it and find all the errors and contradictions."
Art started reading the New Testament and begin to meet weekly with Dennis to discuss his questions. "I had all these things outwardly going for me, but I didn't have any peace in life," Art shares. "Dennis respectfully reeked of peace, and so I asked him, 'Where does your peace come from?' and he told it came from his personal relationship with Jesus. Then Dennis said, 'Art, you've played around with a lot of religions. I'm not talking about religion; I'm talking about relationship.'"
That frank conversation fueled Art's quest for the type of friendship Dennis had with God. After reading through the New Testament four times and peppering Dennis with further questions, the final puzzle piece fit. In January 1971 the college senior expressed to God, "Jesus, if you are who you really say you are in the New Testament, then I want you to come into my life and make me the person you want me to be."
In an instant Art knew his years of hopping from religion to religion, chanting mantras, and going through the motions at early morning churches services had ended.
"The answer was not found in religion or formality, but in a loving relationship with the God who created me," Art adds. "I finally had absolute assurance that I found what I had been looking for my whole life."
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 Rock
"We just hit a mine! The ship is in bad shape."
Nat will never forgot those words echoing across the Persian Gulf airwaves in 1987. Although the nearby U.S. Navy ship escorting Kuwaiti oil tankers sustained heavy damage, miraculously no crew lost their life that day. As a naval chaplain who had just served on the wounded ship, Nat sensed the risks of war hitting closer to home. He personally knew the attacked ship's crew. He understood their emotions and the questions of "Where is God in the midst of this?"
Looking back on his 24-year Navy career, Nat recalls both the wartime close calls and the fondness of serving his country and his God. With unflappable steadiness, Nat continues to live up to his middle name, "Rock," a nickname he acquired in high school.
"With everything swirling around me, I just stay steady. That's a pretty good picture of who I am," the retired Navy captain explains. "I don't get flustered, I remain stable and let people know, 'We're going to get through this somehow. I know God is here and it's going to work out.'"
Reassuring others of God's presence and help seems so natural to the 54 year-old born in Pocahontas, Mississippi. At the age of 12, Nat listened to a televised Billy Graham crusade and made a life-altering decision.
"The light bulb went on for me," Rock recalls. "Billy Graham talked about John 3:16 and how God came to save us from our sins and all we have to do is believe. I had been around the church, but I'd never really made a personal faith commitment to God until that night."
The resolution to follow Jesus Christ later led young Nat to mission projects, a seminary degree, and the pastorate. In 1983 he joined the Navy reserves as a chaplain and became active duty in January 1985. Serving on ships and at naval bases and hospitals, Nat earned the rank of captain and earned the respect of his fellow sailors.
"Even though it wasn't my job, some days I'd help the dishwashing crew or serve in the chow line," Nat shares. "Just being there with the crew speaks volumes."
Being there for the crew meant taking the 2 a.m. calls when someone's baby died or just standing by topside when a sailor would comment, "Chaplain, I've been thinking about God. Can you answer my questions?"
"As a chaplain, you do encounter people who basically say, "I can take care of myself,' but there's always room for the spiritual part of one's life," says Nat, who is currently completing a master's in pastoral counseling and working part-time as a pastoral counselor.
"I don't have a magic wand to wave that makes people's problems go away, but I do have something to hold onto and that's the hope and strength I gain from Christ. I don't have all the answers, but I can share the truth 'God is still here for you and he wants to give you hope, too.'"
And that's a hope that the former naval officer knows can keep anyone "steady as she goes."
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