By Chris Young, Europe Region President
There has been a great deal of activity and change happening in our region over the last few weeks. It’s made me realize how comfortable we get doing the same things year after year and it has also accentuated the fact that change can be complicated, especially when it affects so many people.
After many years of having our conferences at the same hotel we made a change in venue and, on the surface, that doesn’t seem like that big of a deal. But it was. We have long standing relationships with our last hotel and we have a detailed schedule that has only had to be tweaked slightly from year to year. We had a well oiled machine of sorts. We had set patterns of behavior and expectations. We knew how to program our GPS and where we were going to. Then it all changed!
The reality is that our new location, Edelweiss, is a secure location and we have chosen to err on the side of caution, at least for the foreseeable future.
Likewise, for many years, we had trained both the executive and appointed positions. This year, due to space restrictions, we are only training the executive positions. We’ve had to downsize and simplify in many ways. Last year we trained 200 women whereas this year we have registered just over a hundred. It’s different.
As our board has worked to adjust to this new reality, it’s been so inspiring to be a part of a team that is ready and willing to respond to these changes. God is in charge and He is after something new this year. Yes, things are going to look much different in 2011 but they are going to be good. We can trust the Father and rest in His plan knowing Father knows best.
Ultimately I think trust is the main issue in all of these changes. Do we trust God enough? Do we believe that He does indeed see us and know what is best for us? Can we yield to His plan with all of the unknowns? Can we trust Him? Proverbs 3:4-6 says, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.”
For those of you impacted in our region, we ask for your understanding, prayers and grace as we move forward. We are trusting God and want to walk in His present path and plan for our region, not remain in yesterday’s comfort zone out of convenience. We are thankful for His today provision (Edelweiss), protection and guidance and are so grateful for the opportunity to serve you in this season of change.
