“Paul, a bond-servant (lit. “slave” – Greek word is doulos) of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God.” (Romans 1:1 NASB) 

Several times a week I visit the Gospel Coalition website because of the excellent resources I find there. Recently Ray Ortlund posted this article on his blog (highlights and emphasis are mine)…

Bill and Vonette Bright, who went on to found Campus Crusade for Christ, came to a defining moment with God in 1951.

They were frustrated with each other, each with expectations contrary to the other. After much discussion, they decided to give it all to the Lord. They in fact gave everything in their lives to the control of Christ. They put themselves and their home and car and business, all that they owned or ever would own, entirely under his lordship.

They actually wrote it down on a piece of paper and signed it – not to bind their Lord to themselves but to bind themselves to him as his slaves. That’s when they saw that their future was brighter than ever.

Later Bill wrote, “Apart from my salvation, this was to be the most important decision of my life. That day I became a slave of our Lord Jesus Christ, and for the first time in my life I was actually free.”

“We chose that day to put aside our own little dreams, our own aspirations, and our own little puny plans, and embrace his magnificent plans. That day was the beginning of a whole new era, a whole new lifestyle.” 

Bill became convinced that Campus Crusade for Christ would never have happened “had I not first surrendered my life totally, completely and irrevocably to the lordship of Christ. I was no longer my own; I had been bought with a price – the blood of my beloved Savior.”

(Michael Richardson, Amazing Faith (Colorado Springs, 2000), pages 59-60.)