In the beginning of every year, I (Cyndi) take the first month to seek the Lord for a word for the coming year—to prepare for what the year has in store. This January I heard the word “change”. I thought, “Okay, this is going to be an interesting, possibly challenging year ahead.”              In many ways God has challenged us personally. One of our board members recently told us to “Go for the Glory!” God is calling us to greater faith and hence effectiveness in all we are doing around the world. Am I coming up to this? As I’ve just returned from ministering in one of Shiloh Place Ministries’ Agape Reformation schools, I’m pondering all the changes that happened in me and all the students that attended and I’m thinking, “What makes us want to change and can we change ourselves?” Well, there are 3 things I believe that cause us to change: 1) We have to hurt enough that we have no choice but to change, 2) We have to learn enough that we have hope for change, and 3) We have to receive enough unconditional love that we are motivated toward change.  Pain is a great motivator for change, we’re just sick and tired of being sick and tired, and we just want the pain to go away. The Word gives us hope that we can change. There are ways of forgiveness, repentance, confession—these paths that teach us and reveal a means by which our hearts can change. Change from the inside out. What about unconditional love?  Why is this so important? Because love covers…love never fails. Love holds the net under us as we launch into new things; it holds our hand as we confront the difficult people in our lives; it causes us to be unashamed of our past and allows us to look forward to our future. Love matures.

Change is always scary but not allowing God to change us is even scarier! God’s love allows us to jump into all He has, so lets go for it and do great things for God!