The summer I was twelve, I went to the Methodist Youth Camp in Leesburg, Florida. One of the counselors in my cabin, Ruth, was kind to me. One day Ruth led us in prayer to ask Jesus to come into our hearts. She encouraged each of us to go find a spot alone and pour out our heart to Jesus. I found a quiet place to sit and asked Jesus to help me, to love me and be with me. I felt Him near me and the loneliness I had always felt seemed to melt away.

Back home, I had a hard time holding onto a feeling of closeness with Jesus. Things were tough at school and at home and my friends were of no spiritual support. During high school, college, and my young adult years I searched for God and for meaning in my life. I still thought about Jesus, but some of the ideas I had picked up over the years made His way seem simplistic and outdated. Through it all I only found that I could not fix myself and often felt an overwhelming sense of emptiness and depression. I wanted so badly to know how I could unlock the secret of being a normal, acceptable person, a person who did not constantly doubt herself.

A friend recommended a counselor who was an evangelist (though I didn’t know that at the time). On our first visit she asked me to tell her about my spiritual life. I went on a long rambling discourse about all my searching. She listened patiently and said, “So, you are confused.” This was the opening of an ongoing dialogue with her about Jesus, and she discipled me to find my way back to Him. I am so happy to be part of His family, and my wish is to continue to grow and serve Him for the rest of my life.

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- Julie