Have you ever heard of Isobel Kuhn? She served as a missionary in China for 26 years in the early 20th century. But she didn’t start out on fire for God. Her parents followed Christ but she rejected their faith in college until God revealed himself to her and she surrendered to him.

She wrote a book called By Searching that tells the story of her college years. A book addict, I read this autobiography as an 11-year-old. Isobel’s journey of coming to know God spoke to me in a deeply personal way. I saw how God answered her prayers and proved himself to her. I saw how she started to choose him above other things and the blessings she gained because of it.

God spoke clearly to me through his words to Isobel, when he said he would be near her if she chose him above all else.

And as an 11-year-old girl, I knelt by my bed and said, “Lord, I give myself to you. I really believe you’re the best thing for me. A relationship with you is what I want more than anything. Please take me and use me how you want to. I surrender to you.”

When I was 5 I said “Yes” to God for the first time. At 11 I responded with an even deeper “Yes,” understanding more what it meant to be Christ’s follower. Those promises to God would soon be challenged by real life.

When I look back to my childhood I have little but good memories. I’m aware of just how unusual that is and can only thank God for that mercy. When I look back at my teen years I have a lot of regrets about the attitudes I built up and the baggage I created for myself emotionally and spiritually.

I’m going to go there with you guys here on this blog. God is gracious and I’m so thankful where I am today because of the work he did in my heart even as a child.