Some seasons in life change everything. The summer of 1990 was one of those for me. In April, I packed my bags and set off to travel the world alone, to find the meaning to life. But after a series of wild, unexpected events, I met the Savior of the world. From that moment on, I was never alone again. On May 26th—Memorial Day Weekend—I heard the gospel for the first time, and that very same day, I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior. Just like that, my life changed forever.
The rest of that summer, I spent time with the Christians I had met—first in Northern California and then down in Southern California. Leila, the woman who first told me about Jesus, had friends in LA who invited me to stay with them while I waited for my next flight out.
Southern California Bound
You guessed it, I caught the next Greyhound bus from San Fransisco to Los Angeles. Today this may all sound super sketchy and you’re wondering why in the world I would trust these people I just met. But I knew in my heart they were safe and meant me nothing but good.
For the first couple of days, I stayed at a hostel in Santa Monica. Then Leila’s friends took me on a grand tour of West LA and Hollywood. Being 19 and from old-world England, I couldn’t believe my eyes—everything looked like a movie set!
We even stopped by the famous carousel at the Santa Monica Pier, the one from The Sting.
A Change of Plans
I was all set to leave. My ticket was booked—I was flying out to Fiji and then on to Australia. But the night before my flight, I heard about a local summer class studying the book of John. By the end of the night, I had canceled my ticket. Instead of jetting off to another country, I was staying in LA for the summer, and someone had even offered me a place to stay!
This time was priceless. I dove deep into the Bible and was surrounded by people who had walked with God for years. My worldview shifted. I saw myself—and life—differently. But most of all, I learned who God truly was.
The most important truth? God’s love. He knew me. He loved me. And He sent His Son to die for me. I wasn’t a random accident, a cosmic mistake, or descended from an ape. I was His child. As a child of God, and He promises to never leave us or forsake us.
Before Jesus, my life felt dark. Maybe you’ve been there too—so lost that you wonder if life has anything for you. Like me, maybe you’ve believed the lie that you don’t matter. That nothing really counts.
But here’s the truth: The love of God and the sacrifice Jesus made so we can have a relationship with Him, can pull you out of any pit of despair.
King David wrote in Psalm 40:1-2
“I waited patiently for the Lord – And He inclined to me, and heard my cry, He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay and set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm“
And as Bono once sang, “I will sing a new song.”
Yes! Where once there was only a desperate cry for help, my heart could now sing for joy.
I pray that you see and will trust in the Lord.
God is for you.
God loves you.
The Bible is real.
Jesus is real.
Heaven is real.
One of the biggest blessings of that summer was Kathy—the sweet friend you see pictured above in the back.
She didn’t know me. She had no idea who this crazy English girl was, traveling alone. But she opened her home to me for the summer. Raised in a Christian family, she had walked with Jesus since she was a girl, and her faith was rock solid.
Kathy patiently answered all my endless questions about God and showed me what daily trust in Him looked like.
We shopped at Trader Joe’s, spent hours at the beach, devoured gallons of Thrifty ice cream, and ate far too many In-N-Out burgers.Seven years later Kathy was the maid of honor at my wedding. God blessed me with this dear friend and I am eternally grateful to her.
We all have a handful of people who shape us—maybe a family member, a coach, or a mentor. For me, Kathy was one of those people. Even though she was battling a tough autoimmune disease, she poured into me all the wisdom she had gained from 30 years of walking with God.
When someone sees you, values you, and listens to you, it changes everything. Kathy did that for me. She still inspires me to this day.
The first July 4th, in the USA was a fun one even though I was teased all day long for being English!
July 16th, I made a decision to be baptized. I wanted to follow Jesus for the rest of my life and being able to share with others the story of how I met Jesus for the first time, was amazing!
God is Faithful
When God gets a hold of your life, you never know where He will take you. But you can be assured of His everlasting love and His promise to never leave you or forsake you. 30 years later I can say His faithfulness is sure and His love is strong.
When I finally boarded that flight to Fiji at the end of the summer, I was a completely different person. My heart, my mind, my entire outlook on life had changed.
And one thing was certain—I was no longer traveling alone.
If you don’t know the Savior yet, don’t waste another day. He’s waiting. He’s ready. And He has a life of eternal hope and purpose waiting for you.