I did not understand that I could have a personal relationship with the Lord, until I was 46 years old. I would not have experienced it then, if I had not finally begun to have a regular quiet time that included prayer and devotional Bible reading. Without consistent time spent with the Lord, it is impossible to have a relationship of any depth with Him. And without an in-depth relationship, we cannot have the powerful, effective prayer life that most of us would like to experience.

It does not matter how late in life we decide we want to know the Lord in a personal way—if we are willing and disciplined enough to spend time with Him, He will draw us continuously closer to Himself. It involves a growing understanding of Who He is, and how much He loves us. It leads to the kind of prayer that becomes two-way communication.

In such a relationship the Lord becomes real. No one else can tell us what that is like; we have to experience Him for ourselves. The amazing thing is that we can, that He allows it, that He encourages it, that He desires it.