23 Years

When I was a kid, every year we'd celebrate what our parents called our "special birthday".

Today is mine.

23 years ago today, I knelt with my mom, on brown shag carpet, next to a scratchy couch with late 1970s woven fabric, and invited Jesus to take over.

It's been a long journey since then.  A lot of stops and starts.  A lot of questions and wrestles.  Times where I've begged God to leave, and times where I've wondered if He would ever be close again.

And yet, after all that, all the stops and starts and recommitments, despite the fact that at four years old that day, I couldn't have understood the implications of following Christ, every year on April 20th, I stop and remember.  Because this whole crazy journey started then.  23 years ago today.  And beginnings are worth remembering.