From the time I was three years old until I was twenty-four, I lived in the same city. Then I moved three thousand miles away to begin a new job.

The first year away presented some of the deepest loneliness I've ever known. I feel things very deeply and that loneliness was thick, almost tangible. I was very homesick. I had no family or friends around. I dreaded weekends because there was no one to do anything with.

As a result, I spent lots of time with God, reading the Bible and praying. I never felt I needed Him so much before. I just couldn't get enough time with Him.

You see, I consider myself one of the fortunate ones. I have no memory of a time in my life without God. I was born to Christian parents and practically grew up in church. Jesus Christ meant a lot to me even as a child and I remember talking openly about Him to my friends. When I was 8 or 9 years old, I realized it wasn't enough just to know lots about Jesus. I needed to accept Him into my life as my Savior and Lord. So I did.

In my homesickness and loneliness, I discovered His peace is real and transcends understanding. He is a friend unlike any other. He never tires of listening to me, He truly understands, He never distances Himself from me for any reason. He never moves away, He's never sick, asleep or otherwise unavailable. His line is never busy. I could never have dealt with the loneliness in my own strength. I needed God.

With Christ in my life, I can do things that normally would be beyond my own ability. It's similar to Ben Johnson in the 1988 Olympics. He wanted strength beyond his natural strength, so he took steroids.

Knowing Christ is like taking spiritual steroids, only it's legal!

I would encourage you to consider inviting Jesus Christ to be an active part of your life. Knowing Him fills an emptiness inside that nothing else can.

Are you feeling empty inside? Lonely? It doesn't have to be that way. You can have peace and fulfilment through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. All you have to do is ask Him. God knows your heart so it doesn't matter which words you use, but here's a suggested prayer:

Lord Jesus, I want to know you personally. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life to you and ask you to come in as my Saviour and Lord. Take control of my life. Thank you for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Make me the kind of woman you want me to be.

If this prayer expresses the desire of your heart, pray it right now and Christ will come into your life just as He promised. If you invited Jesus Christ into your life, thank God often that He is in your life, that He will never leave you and that you have eternal life. As you learn more about your relationship with God, and how much He loves you, you'll experience life to the fullest.