Coming to faith at nineteen instead of nine isn’t coming late. The thief on the cross got there with hours left.

Arriving somewhere later than other people feels like a deficit, as though there is a schedule and you missed the early slot. There is no schedule. The ones who grew up inside it had familiarity and the disadvantage of never having chosen it. A decision made at nineteen, with your eyes open, is not a discount version.

If you are new to this, stop comparing your start date to anybody else’s. Ask the beginner questions out loud rather than pretending you already know. Most people who have been around for years cannot answer them either.