1969

I was 9 in 1969—turned 10 in November of that year. It was the year that man first walked on the moon. On the same day in July that Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon, I made history for myself.

I made a wonderful decision. Nine year-olds aren’t known for that. Nine year olds are known for liking candy and playing house. They are known for waiting for their mamas and daddys to fix them meals and make sure their clothes are clean.

Nine year olds are not known for great decision-making. In fact, they are so not known for it that they are usually supervised by an adult when simply living life. Wherever they go, someone is supposed to be in charge of watching them.

However, besides all that, I made a wise decision at age 9. I decided several things. One, is that I felt very alone in the world. You wouldn’t think that a girl living with a brother, sister, and two parents in a 1200 sq. foot home would feel alone but I did. We had one bathroom but I still felt lonely. Lonely can happen in a crowd.

I searched for a solution to my loneliness. I realized that God made me and made the world. Second, God knew who I was. He knew I was in this world and He loved me. I learned all of this at the Baptist church where my family attended no less than three times a week.

I owned a Bible. I still have it. It was purchased at the five and dime in Manhattan, Kansas when our family went while on vacation in the 60’s. It is the first Bible I remember owning for myself. I’m pretty sure it was a good deal or I wouldn’t have gotten it. It is white with a super tiny font (a word I didn’t know at the time). I’m guessing it is a 6-point font. I can hardly read it now but it is a pretty well-worn Bible. It is not written in. Back then, I didn’t write in my Bible. I write in my Bibles now but I didn’t then. I didn’t know that was something you did so I didn’t.

Back on the subject of wise decisions, I decided to stop doing life my way and to follow Jesus. I thought about it for about six months before and knew I needed to trust God with my life. So, I did. I told the pastor during a church service at Camp Poplar Springs in northwest Georgia on the evening of July 20, 1969. It was an historic day--f

or both me and for Neil Armstrong--best decision I ever made.

You can make history today by following Jesus. We are all sinners so we cannot conquer death ourselves, we needed someone to pay the price for our sin so we can be forgiven. Jesus did that by dying on the cross for all of us. When we recognize our personal need for Jesus, we call on him and ask Him to be in charge and to help us live.

You can read all about it in the Bible. If you don’t have much time, just read John 3. And then, make history.