As an aging Christ-follower, I daily reflect on my journey, with of course the corrective measures necessary given my nature (that's another way of saying "it ain't always purdy").
My journey since childhood and yes, early Sunday school was always surrounded by an awareness of God, but hampered somewhat by an awareness of opportunities for sin. As defined by my culture at that time, it seemed most anything outside of breathing!
Of course, my experimentation brought only brokeness and thankfully at that my worst point, God used a devoted and praying Dad to bring me to an understanding of redemption.
Then I began to rub shoulders with a few church folk, and eventually was wowed by an older gentleman who not only had a fascinating story, but took me under his wing. I became churched!
From there I became both a student of the scriptures and the institution. Perhaps, church was my first introduction to leadership, at least that which I desired to model. I would later study at a graduate level, attempting to make sense of what I saw both in the sanctuary and the marketplace.
Still later, I would be attracted equally by those marketplace leaders who bore the image of Christ, as much as the pastors and bishop types I was then serving with. In fact, I saw areas where they could learn from each other in their approach to resolving problems and managing change. That cross-over exchange became my life mission.
Now, I find myself equally interested in even a bigger picture as our globe seems less impacted by this once Christian-like nation. Frankly wondering how God would respond.
If religion, as I first became familiar with in the Old Testament was so in contrast with the God in Christ of the New, what else have I missed, given a nation in such turmoil and a sanctuary on near every corner.
If it's 10 more years or twenty, God I want to know you. Frankly I fear, that thus far, I have only learned about you!