When I visited a church nearby for the first time, I felt like I had come home. The music lifted my spirits, the people were warm and friendly, and the pastor preached the truth of the Word. After the service a sweet, young couple invited me to eat lunch in their home. Over a simple spaghetti lunch, I shared my story with Kelly and Brent and their two young children. Kelly then shared that they had moved to the area just two years prior, and they missed their own families. Before I left, Jamie, the six-year-old, gave me a picture to hang on my refrigerator. It said, “To my new friend!” and had a picture of a rainbow underneath.

Since that first lunch I have shared many meals with my new friends. Brent and Kelly have become like my own children, and they say I’m an “adopted” grandma to their dear children. God provided loved ones nearby when I needed them most, and God is also using me to make a difference in their lives.

God has a special place in His heart for the lonely. Jesus knows the heartache of loneliness and despair—He felt it Himself during His life on earth (John 16:32–33). He understands the depths of our sorrow and doesn’t leave us in the midst of it. He is always with us, and He is always for us.

Ask God for eyes to see those who are lonely. Reach out to them with companionship and the love of Christ.