December 31, 2021, at the stroke of midnight, something amazing happened. No, it was not a New Year’s celebration. There were no fireworks or parties. Only a few knew anything about it. At that precise moment…Ciloa completed its 25th year!

When this ministry was created, I never thought about it lasting this long. God had made it clear in 1987 that He wanted me to plan for a ministry dedicated to “encouraging one another”. But it would be 10 years before He gave the command to begin.

Those years were not wasted. I used the time to study what the Bible has to say about encouragement and discovered what the word means there is not what it means today. And most people I knew, if not all, had no idea that encouragement was critically important to following God.

Sometimes a name says it all…Ciloa.

My friend, Dana Abernathy, and I often talked about this new ministry, usually well into the early morning hours. We knew it would be different from others. For this would not only serve to encourage to others, it would also teach them how.

But we did not know when God wanted us to begin. It was frustrating because we thought we were ready. God knew better, and He used those 10 years to prepare us for what lay ahead. Both the good and the bad, the joy and the heartache.

One frustration was naming the ministry. So we began praying for God to choose the name, which would also be our sign to begin. Then in December, 1996, I saw the phrase Christ is Lord of all. Immediately the first letters formed Ciloa. This was God’s choice!

Encouraging People…Everywhere, Every Day.

Work began on January 1, 1997 and it has been an amazing adventure. We have gone from holding seminars to developing small group studies. We have published A Note of Encouragement every week since January 1, 2001…1,101 and counting.

Most know of Ciloa from the Notes which today have reached 186 countries, averaging 1.7 million people per week. We also share them directly with churches, ministries, organizations and groups to help them reach more people and grow.

People are desperate for encouragement. They know sorrow, pain, suffering, grief…and God has chosen this small ministry to encourage them so they may encourage others. Please let us know if we have made a difference in your life and how we might do an even better job. I pray that Ciloa will be around for years to come…encouraging you as long as it is called Today!

 

Ciloa Forever!

 

Chuck
Chuck Graham is Founder and Executive Director of Ciloa, an international ministry devoted to encouraging others and teaching them how to encourage one another. He is also an author and speaker. Chuck and his wife, Beverly, live in Lawrenceville, Georgia, USA. Learn more about Chuck and Ciloa at www.Ciloa.org.
Pictures: Banner: Encourage One Another poster, creator unknown. (1)1 Thessalonians 5:11, creator unknown, from TonyEvans.org. (2) Ciloa Service Mark, developed by Chuck Graham, 1997.