Many of you had comments about the story from Sunday. I’m going to publish it here, along with the pictures of Quentin.
Quentin Lockwood was in World War II as a navigator on a B-24 Bomber, stationed in Italy. He was shot down in the Adriatic Sea. He only had 3 missions left before he could go home. He had already survived two crash landings. He had crashed into the sea and he was floating with his crew members in a life raft. He had a broken ankle and was pretty banged up. A British ship was dispatched to come to save them. Quentin did not remember much about the rescue except that a British sailor got off the ship and picked him up in the life raft and carried him like a little baby onto the ship. He said he never forgot the face of the sailor.
Two weeks ago Quentin went to his mail box on a Saturday. In the group of envelopes was a letter from England. Quentin thought it was just a scam letter so he opened it last. To his great surprise it was a letter from a man in England whose brother was on board the ship that rescued them 63 years before. He sent Quentin pictures that were taken of him in the raft. He also sent details on how the rescue took place. The crew members were noted for honors because they were in harm's way while rescuing the men. The rescue took place 15 miles behind enemy lines and the enemy was very close. Quentin said he laughed and cried. He was so excited to find out more about this experience.
Quentin accepted Christ as his Savior before he left to fight the war. While away he was afraid of the tough fighting and crash landings and dangerous bombing runs. He asked God to save him from the war. He promised if God got him through he would serve him the rest of his life. He kept this promise.
He came home and went back to college and on to seminary. He was a missionary to Nebraska to the Indians and the poor in the 1960's. Then he came to Atlanta to work for the Southern Baptist Convention. Quentin started churches all over the United States. He hired missionaries for these new churches. One man he hired was Marion Hayes. Marion later came to Dunwoody Baptist Church as a church planter. Marion and Dunwoody Baptist helped start Johnson Ferry Baptist Church. As you know they later started Stonecreek Church.
Quentin’s son John, his wife Lisa, and their family attend Stonecreek Church, and were instrumental in the early days of getting started. Their two girls accepted Christ at Stonecreek Church.
This has to be one of the craziest stories I have ever heard. Click here for the picture.That is Quentin’s arm hanging out of the life boat.
You never know who you will impact. I believe when we get to heaven, we won’t get just a picture, but we’ll get to see all of the people that we impacted while we were following Christ on earth. I don’t want to leave any regrets, I want to raise my game now. As my basketball coach used to say, I’m going to “leave it all on the court.”
