A few years ago, the NBC TV show The Office was all the rage. Despite it seeming like everyone I knew was watching it, I couldn’t. It wasn’t that I wasn’t invited to the watch parties or that I didn’t have access to it. Everyone else was watching it, so I decided I would not. I try to forge my own path. I assume this desire to go against the grain is rooted in my unique artistic spirit or maybe because I knew I couldn’t keep up with the trends. So, why not set my own?

I have witnessed people treat their spiritual journey this way, following the popular crowd, especially when young. I could have easily fallen into such a situation, allowing the faith of my mother and father to become what I identified with. After all, I was raised to pursue a relationship with Jesus. I am an obedient oldest child with people-pleasing tendencies, and these traits kept me in faithful attendance alongside my family each Sunday. However, those characteristics are not what bred my deep hunger to know all I could about Jesus, His love, the gospel of Christ, and how to serve Him more fully.

My first exposure to a desire to act, instead of simply following the religion I was born into, was during a vacation Bible school event at my church. After my VBS teacher shared her personal spiritual journey, I, too, wanted what she had. So, I quietly prayed alongside her, though I don’t think I fully understood. I also know that my hunger to learn more about my Lord and Savior did not start at this point, as I dutifully followed what was expected of me....