Paul (aka Saul) was converted to the Lord while on his way to arrest christians who fled from Jerusalem (Acts 9). That was around 35AD, two years after Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection and ascension. After a short stay in Damascus, he went to the Arabian desert for a much needed time of reflection (Gal.1:17).

After about three years of restudying the old testament (possibly in the desert for much of the three years), he went back to Damascus and then went down to Jerusalem to visit the apostles, only to be received by Peter and James the brother of Christ (Gal.1:18-19).

Then he apparently went back to his hometown Tarsus for a few years of obscurity until a certain good brother named Barnabas invited him to the fledgling mission-minded church of Antioch (Acts 11:25-26). That was probably around 45AD, 10 years after his conversion. Paul became one of the teachers there. During one of the fasting and prayer sessions, Barnabas and Paul were sent out for the first missionary journey (Acts 13:1-4). That was around 46AD. For the next 20 years, Paul would have been a foot soldier for Christ in much of the Greco-Roman world.

You see, Paul, the greatest missionary of all times, was an obscure man during the first ten years after his conversion. Why? The Lord was preparing him for the service in the next 20 years until he was put to death in Rome.

We can learn from Paul's experience and be content with and diligent about the preparation phase which can take many years. In Paul's case, it took a lengthy 10 years.

It just so happened that I went for my first missionary journey about 10 years after my conversion. Ten years is not a magic number. But adequate preparation is always needed. That is why I am now seeking seminary training in the next five years for full time ministry in my last 25 years if I will live to 70.

Galatians 1:11 弟兄們、我告訴你們、我素來所傳的福音、不是出於人的意思。

1:12 因為我不是從人領受的、也不是人教導我的、乃是從耶穌基督啟示來的。

1:13 你們聽見我從前在猶太教中所行的事、怎樣極力逼迫殘害　神的教會。

1:14 我又在猶太教中、比我本國許多同歲的人更有長進、為我祖宗的遺傳更加熱心。

1:15 然而那把我從母腹里分別出來、又施恩召我的　神、

1:16 既然樂意將他兒子啟示在我心裡、叫我把他傳在外邦人中、我就沒有與屬血氣的人商量、

1:17 也沒有上耶路撒冷去、見那些比我先作使徒的．惟獨往亞拉伯去．後又回到大馬色。

1:18 過了三年、才上耶路撒冷去見磯法、和他同住了十五天。

1:19 至於別的使徒、除了主的兄弟雅各、我都沒有看見。

Acts:

11:24 這巴拿巴原是個好人、被聖靈充滿、大有信心．於是有許多人歸服了主。

11:25 他又往大數去找掃羅、

11:26 找着了、就帶他到安提阿去。他們足有一年的工夫、和教會一同聚集、教訓了許多人．門徒稱為基督徒、是從安提阿起首。

13:1 在安提阿的教會中，有幾位先知和教師，就是巴拿巴，和稱呼尼結的西面，古利奈人路求，與分封之王希律同養的馬念，並掃羅。

13:2 他們事奉主，禁食的時候，聖靈說，要為我分派巴拿巴和掃羅，去作我召他們所作的工。

13:3 於是禁食禱告，按手在他們頭上，就打發他們去了。

13:4 他們既被聖靈差遣，就下到西流基，從那裡坐船往居比路去。