Choose Change

Today, I'm guest posting over at Encouragement Cafe. To visit there, click here. But first...

When we moved to North Carolina, I spiraled into the deepest depression I'd ever known. Though I had given up on myself, my husband never gave up on me. He pursued God on both our behalfs. One Sunday, I begged him not to go to church, just to stay home. With me. He stayed. The next week, I went.

The pastor, known since that day as "my" pastor, explained that the church is hope for the hopeless. He challenged them to love with the hands and feet of Jesus. The sweet people of that church, known since that day as "my" church, loved me exactly like that. They reached out.

I reached back.

They dropped a lifeline into my pit.

I grabbed hold and pulled up.

Love's redemption. The broken person comes into the church, gets loved on... and then...

Some grow. Like me. We grab hold of the rope. We choose change. Lives transformed by the love of God.

Some don't grow. The rope hangs down. But the hopeless sit at the bottom of the pit, refusing to grab it. Refusing to choose change. Eventually, they're left in a pit filled with ropes dropped as people tire of holding them out.

That hopeless person asks: "Why am I still here?" "Why am I all alone?" "Why isn't the church helping me?" She never realizes that someone was there -- offering help. Offering hope. She never realizes that she didn't choose change... or that the helpers gave up. Exhausted.

Psalm 18:29 says, "With your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall." With help. With God. That's how it works. Not them helping me, but all of us working together. Then, I -- hopeless no more -- can scale a wall.

If you feel like you're all alone, won't you grab hold? Take that rope. Choose change.

• Serve others by joining a ministry team.
• Connect with others through small groups.
• Volunteer at the homeless shelter and give your time to those less fortunate than you.
• Read the Bible (James is a great place to start).
• Pray -- Praise -- Pray.
• Count your blessings, one by one. 

Grab a rope. Get out! It's up to you. Will you choose change?