Have you ever felt completely alone? Maybe no one wants to hear what you have to say. Perhaps nobody seems to understand or care what you’re going through.

That feels awful. Especially during the holidays. I’ve been there. During one of the worst times of my life, more than two decades ago, I needed a friend who could help me get through the night. My husband was divorcing me. My sons had moved away. Due to an unresolvable disagreement, my best friend/business partner and I were separating our careers (doing so ultimately saved our friendship and led me into writing, but that’s another story). The women in my Bible study were kind and expressed their support, but they were busy with their own lives. And the reality is that mired in excruciating circumstances, I probably wasn’t much fun to be around.

However, despite my feelings, I wasn’t as alone as I felt. A precious older woman had told me to call, whenever I needed her. Lois. A prayer warrior, she had committed to pray for me. That unforgettable lonely night, desperate for a friend, I called her in tears.

Sweet Lois listened, as I said, “I have no friends.”

“Let me pray for you,” she responded. Then she asked God to bring me friends.

Now, more than two decades later, she still prays for me. And, despite our age difference, Lois has shown me the meaning of true friendship. She’s shown me, Jesus. Patiently listening, asking questions, there for me in good times and bad.

Even when Lois is on a road trip, her faithfulness has shown me that Jesus cares. There have been some nights when I have literally felt his arms holding me while I fell asleep. A relationship with Jesus means I am never alone.

Christmas offers wondrous reminders of His presence. The lights. Jesus is the light of the world. The evergreen tree, He is eternal.

The candy cane tells his story. Then there’s all the lavish gifts of inestimable worth. The best of all is salvation. I often think of this as saving me from my “self.” It’s freedom from all those self-destructive behaviors I indulge when I don’t participate in my relationship with Him.

Jesus. Emmanuel. God with us. That’s enough reason to celebrate Christmas even when we are isolated and feeling alone. All we have to do is look around to see His presence.

Has the Light of the World come into your life? If not, why not? Who might be willing to pray for you? Will you ask them, today? Taking that step was one of the best decisions I ever made.