To the girl who feels “late” to the game

Late means you’ve arrived after the expected, proper, or usual time. Have you ever felt
like you were late to Christ? Ever felt like you had gone too much time without talking to him or
going to church? Have you ever had the impression that if you didn’t grow up going to church
every Sunday or read your bible every day you couldn’t have a relationship with Jesus and you
felt “too late” to the game? I can answer YES with full confidence to these questions. I have felt
every single feeling of being “late” to my faith and I want you to know that you are not alone.
Jesus has been patiently waiting for you to know him, love him, and have a relationship with him
since the day you were born.

I was baptized and raised in the Catholic church till the age of 10. At the time, I didn’t
really understand who Jesus was and why I was standing in a church for two hours listening to
scripture I couldn’t comprehend. My parents divorced the year we left the school that was
affiliated with the church which ultimately led to what I felt as “church hurt”. If you’ve
experienced this, you know that feeling of never wanting to go back, and the anxiety of starting
over somewhere else just turns you away from the entire idea of faith. Years of this feeling kept
me away from strengthening that relationship with Christ and my lack of confidence in his plan.
I had friends invite me to their churches every year and sometimes I had the open mind to go but
I always felt like there was too much click between the other kids. I thought that if I wasn’t as
involved as them, I would never fit in and always feel hurt. I’m here to tell you that his love will
heal and fill your heart to the point where that hurt is never felt again. “The Lord is close to the
brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed” (Psalms 35:18). As someone whose
spirit was crushed and felt forgotten, Christ met me face to face at the age of 18 on a Sunday
morning when he knew I needed him most.

It’s the third week of school, I’ve moved states away from my family and attending
college at Grand Canyon University. My friend invited me to a newer church they heard about,
called Fixate. I was open to the idea but nervous about the whole idea of church. The first thing I
saw when I was walking up the steps was a sign that said: “We are so happy you’re here”. Not
only was a church happy to have a broken, scared, and hurt person like me, but Jesus was happy
I was there too. September 10 th , 2023, my faith was restored, and I finally felt the Holy Spirit in a
whole new way. Tears of joy and confusion ran down my face as the only worship song I’d ever
heard and knew started to play. I knew that wasn’t just a coincidence, it was Jesus welcoming me
home intentionally and comfortably. After the service, I went home and tried to grasp what just
happened. This is when the questions and doubts flooded my brain wondering if I was too late to
be building a whole new relationship with Jesus and if I was behind all the other girls who I saw
in church that day raising their hands and confidently worshipping the Lord. The truth is, you’re
never late because you’re on His time.

If you know anything about the story of Peter, you know that he denied Jesus not once,
but three times. Peter eventually discovered that it was not too late for him to return to Christ
after all he had been through. He confessed his sins and asked for forgiveness and received his
second chance. This story helped me understand that we can never let God down too many times.

“And remember, our Lord’s patience gives people time to be saved” (Peter 3:15). He will always
be patiently waiting for you to come back to him even if you think it’s “too late”. I feel like Peter
sometimes, wondering if my past reflects on who I am and if I can still be loved. You’ve been
loved by him before you even knew it, you just have to accept it!

If you are feeling “late” to the game, forget your doubts and what everyone around you is
saying. See for yourself who he is and what he has in store for you. It took me eight years to put
my full trust in God and to finally have a relationship with him, not be led by a religion. His
timing is always perfect because he is perfect. It wasn’t until I doubted and lost him, he pulled
me back and showed me what a fulfilling life it is to live in his light. Looking back, I wish
someone had told me I didn’t need to have grown up in the church, had the perfect rainbow
highlighted bible, or verses memorized to have a relationship with Christ. You need faith and
confidence in his plan for you. You are never too late to start believing and loving Jesus with
your whole heart.

❤️ Audrey Turner