What a wonderful change in my life has been wrought
Since Jesus came into my heart!
I have light in my soul for which long I had sought,
Since Jesus came into my heart!

This is the first verse of a hymn I have sung numerous times, not often reflecting on the significance of the words. Likewise, I have both heard and preached sermons based on Salvation and change while never fully appreciating how marvellous change can be. Don't get me wrong, I can certainly pinpoint the moment of change in my life, but my change was, shall we say, less dramatic than many. I will not say it was less important because that simply is not the case, but it was less dramatic.

A great case in point is Maria and Luis Salazar, a young couple who are fully immersed in the ministry of the Fredericksburg, Corps yet a couple who have both experienced and accepted change in their lives. I will not try to retell their story here as I could not begin to do it justice except to say that a life of violence, drugs, alcohol and sex was amazingly and dramatically changed into one of grace and hope. Their life, a one way street to self destruction, was suddenly and dramatically redirected to one of possibilities, hope and salvation...and they have made it their life's mission to help redirect the lives of people today, and they did it yesterday.

At the Fredericksburg Salvation Army Corps they told their dramatic story, in the hope that some of those listening might be able to relate. Perhaps the teenagers will see some of the warning signs, perhaps the parents will sit up and listen, perhaps they can help change a life. Unknown to them, a certain woman came to that meeting. A woman whose family attends The Salvation Army and a woman who, in my 5 1/2 years as Corps Officer, has never attended a worship service. Why yesterday? Well, her history involves abuse, drugs, alcohol... and I believe she saw no hope for herself - until yesterday. She heard a story from a bright good looking couple, a story of sin and despair not too dissimilar to her own in so many ways, and in them she saw hope for herself. In them she saw possibilities of what she might be and, I believe, she surrendered herself to God and opened her life to change. Praise be to God.

I have ceased from my wandering and going astray,
Since Jesus came into my heart!
And my sins, which were many, are all washed away,
Since Jesus came into my heart!