In the darkest moments,
a quiet voice inside me said,
"You're going to be all right."

"How can you put up with me when no one else wants anything to do with me?" I asked Dave one evening. "You're there, all the time. You listen to me. How do you do it?"

Dave began talking about Jesus, God's son who became human. Deserted by his closest friends ("like me," I thought), Jesus endured unbearable suffering (something else I could relate to).

The more Dave explained, the more it made sense: Jesus could identify with all I was going through. More importantly, I faced the truth: Jesus could save and heal me.

Dave discipled me, helping me understand that true friendship stems from the unfailing love Christ has for us. It revolutionized how I related to everyone.

from Escape from Torment by Lou Carlozo