Locked In Alone
It was March 2020. The world was locked down. I was locked in—alone in my apartment with suicidal thoughts I couldn't escape.
I hadn't been to church in years. But in desperation, I googled "online church service." A livestream popped up—some church I'd never heard of.
Someone Is Watching
The pastor was preaching about hope. Then he said something that stopped me cold:
"I feel like someone watching right now is planning to end their life tonight. God sees you. He loves you. Please reach out."
It was like he was looking directly through the screen at me.
In the chat, I typed: "That's me."
They Stayed on the Line
Within minutes, someone from the church had direct messaged me. Then called me. Then prayed with me over Zoom. They stayed on the line for three hours.
"We're not going to let you be alone tonight," the woman said. "You're part of our church family now."
I had never met these people. They lived 2,000 miles away. But they saved my life through a screen.
Three years later, I'm still part of that online community. I've since visited in person and been baptized there. But it started with a Zoom call, a chat message, and someone willing to show up—virtually—when I needed them most.