Joy, and Gentleness

JOY, MIRTH, HAPPINESS…

I was suddenly called by the in charge pastor to speak a few words from the Word of God and share my testimony. My name was announced, and I can’t but get up and proceed to the dais, not having a least thought in my mind to speak about. I stood at the mike and opened my English Bible. I am more comfortable with my Telugu Bible rather than English bible as I read and meditate the word of God only in my vernacular language, rather than English lanugauge; to my dismay I found my self in front of the mike and in front of the expectation eager, devoted and spiritual congregation. As 99% of them do not know my language, they expect me to speak in International language that is English. So I depended on God and His ministering angels to help me, and took up the challenge.

So here I found my self .opening the Epistle written by St. Paul to the congregation in Phillippians. This Epistle is known as the ‘Epistle of Joy”

How Stipule could write a letter like that while he was right in midst of problems, jailed, persecuted, and all through his life for the sake of his love for Christ? That was the secret of his life.

He spoke many things in this epistle, One particular verse always, grips my attention, “Let your gentleness be evident to all” What type of a Christian he/she should be to be a role model of gentleness? How our reactions be shown, through our facial expressions, gestures, way of talking, our gait and traits we exhibit, everything shows it, even while we drive, smile, and laugh…oh.. How important it is to be careful about our every move to show this gentleness.

St Paul was speaking about how important it is to be joyful always, Rejoice, I say again, rejoice. In the Lord always. And he admonishes us let your requests be known to God in prayer... and then the PEACE that exceeds every human understanding would guard and protect our hearts, minds…This must be the top secret of a gentle Christian. How I wish I could be so!!

Yet I know, that it is not an easy thing we need to practice it, learn of Him every minute, and conscious of Him every moment and be alert how we influence others with whom we come in contact. And love them as we do love our selves. Keeping ourselves in the shoes of others, feel like others, gives us this disposition, trying to win friends only being a friend to them. Gives us this peace. And joy in our lives. There is no other short cuts… try and learn this. Let the Lord help us to learn of Him more and more.

ANGELS

The Lord has given me a chance to speak about ANGELS in the church, some how I am bewitched by this subject, recently, and meditating on the word of God, on this particular subject. Right from the beginning of the Creation, There are angels in His ministry, to carry on the work given by the Father in Heaven. When Adam and Eve were driven away from the Garden of Eden, an Angel was given charge over to protect it from any more intrusion of the first man. The angel was equipped with a two fiery sword to protect the tree of Life.
Later in the life of Abraham the angels in three persons were entertained by Adam, not knowing that he was giving his hospitality to angels themselves. As a result Abraham was blessed with Isaac and later he had the chance to intervene on behalf of Sodom and Gomorrah...
Though Lot was living in Sodom and Gomorrah, because of the intercessions and supplications of Abraham, he had the opportunity to entertain the angels and thus being saved from the wrath of God and was able to save the live of his nod his daughters.
Though Hagar was a bondmaid, and though she looked down at Sarah, her Mistress, who has given her a position of princess and treated her equal to her. She was with the Angel of God in the desert, when she faced death along with her son. She called that angel as SEEING GOD .The benevolent God had His mercy on her and looked after her.
Later we see angels giving a message in the dream of Jacob by climbing up and down on the ladder from earth to heaven. Later he wrestled with an angel and prayed unless u blesses me I will not let u go, and thereby he got the name ISREAL, the one who fight with God.
What else can I say about Gideon, Daniel in the lions den so on and so forth?
Some of the names of the angels are given in Holy Scriptures, like Michael, Raphael, Gabriel so on.
The birth of Christ was proclaimed by angels, by Gabriel to Mary, and in dream to Joseph, and multitude of angels to the shepherds. There was an angel at the alter to speak to the priest Zechariah, to tell him about the birth of John the Baptist.
Many a times angels are like jus like human beings, they are there for us to guide us, to direct us, and to minister us, and help us in our most needed occasions. They help us in our distress and in our travels, in so many ways. God has his angels to guard us and to tell us His plan for us.
Recently I started to think about the ministry that I am inspired to take upon. The work I would like to do among HIV/AIDS patients/children; and work I am longing to do among the sex workers.
These are people who do not have hope for life, hope of self esteem, they are forsaken by the society, and they live in utter distress and misery not knowing when their lives would end. I wish I could do something for these distressed souls. Before my life would end and my strength fail me. May the good Lord help me to pursue this task and send His angles to guard and guide me till my last breath. Those who know the Lord please pray for me and for these dear people of my heart.
God be with you!!

who me...(continued...)

And I come to know that this bonding love is all that matter whether we are in Him or not.
That was the time I was challenged by the scriptures when Jesus asked Peter thrice."Peter/Leela do you love me?"..and I answered Him 'Yes Lord, you know that I love you and i felt that Air India International Airlines where i was working as Air hostess was the "ISAAC" on the mountain of Moriab and God has given me a 'LAMB' right back at home.I started to work in Degree college since them.
Life seemed to be wonderful for quiet a time. We got married, started a church , and engaged working in His Vineyard for 25 years. suddenly all that came to stand still. My husband was called by Him and he was obedient to His call unto death and left us in seconds, to dwell in Heavenly Abode. And I was left with two teenage children.
Yet I could say..Life is beautiful and everything work for them who love Him. My daughter,an engineer by qualification got married and have one year daughter and lives in North Carolina and my son is doing his MS in Melbourne, Australia.
Am I lonely felcon ? oh na.. i call myself a GREEN LEAF IN DROUGHT TIME by the grace of God, do u know the difference between a person who relies only on himself and a person who has learned to turn to god for help? Its not that one will do bad things while the toher will do good things. The self-relient person my bea fine, upstanding person. The difference is the self-relient one is like a bush growing inthe desrt. If he has only himself to rely on, when he exhausts his internal resources he runs the risk of running day and withering. But the one who turns toGod is like a tree planted by a stream. What they share witht eh world is replenished from a source beyond themselves, so they never run dry.
yes, I feel so when I among people who love God.David said , my heart fails, my flesh fails, my kith &kind and riches fail, but YOUR love never fail me. so in my life now--Life is not so easy at times, but when i think back His faithfulness, His wondrous love, His miracles in my life,i get new strength, and i allwasy find manythings topraise HIM. Today your church has been electrified with angelic songs. singing is worhipping God, its praising Him, and Thanking Him.
i believe my stay over here would give me a great opportunity to praise Him much and much more ..along with you beautiful people of God.
I once again thank you for the opportune time to share my feelings with you. Thanks once again.

who me?and why here in Oregon...

Greetings from Andhra Pradesh, India and a message from God !! I am extremely happy to be here among u wonderful people of God. Here i would like to bring Matt 13:48-50 "who is my mother,and who are my brothers?" Pointing to his disciples,he said,"here are my mother and brothers, for whoever does the swill of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother."--Once Jesus told them that those who do the will of God are His kith and kin; He also said once that we are His if we drink His blood , and eat His flesh as we take wine and bread in His remembrance His sacrificial love on the Cross. Relationships are strange. Blood line is all that important we say. DNA Test that determines our family line, sometimes we say. But according to scriptures, its the blood of Jesus that makes a family.

here i stand amongst you, in a foreign land; you do not know my language , i do not know you, but this beautiful fellowship in the Lord makes us one another to trust and love and forgive. You love me because God loves you and you love God. The spirit knows the spirit of others. Joys springs out of hearts when we meet some one who loves our Lord, language woud not be a barrier.

You may be wondering why I am here with Kamal. Kamal and my relationship is given by our Father in Heaven.Only heaven knows this. Yesterday when he came to recive me at the Air port and untill we reached home and even after , and also this morning , he was keeping on saying, " Its strange that we met in USA , aunty."

Life is mysterious, why we meet some and why we become so attached and why we become so attached to some strangers, and why sometimes though we do live under the same roof but still never know each other.

where God's love is there , there's joy, happiness , and there is no place for inclinations, inhibitions, prejuckes, baises. That was Jesus told us, if you love me keep my commandments--Love one another , by that others will know that you are my disciples.

and you asked me to introduce myself.., well, i came to know of the Poser of the name of Jesus Christ when i was student in the university. He loved me and I started to love Him. And I come

Hi This is me who loves to give speeches, and address large gatherings, class room as well as the big gathering in an auditorium, but often i shy off the mike, unless it is what i must i do, this speech is given in kamal's wedding function, starting like this" hey may be wondering who i am and how i am related to kamal, kamal is my son and he calls me aunty, our relationship is blood related, the blood of Jesus, ....." and i spoke about his passion for souls, FINDING MEN FOR CHRIST is his motto for life, so on and so forth . well as u all know teaching has been my profession, and preaching had been my passion, i used to being accustomed to the mike, for the past 34 years, so life goes on and on, never ending, well, still few more months of service , one year and ten motnhs more, if everything goes well by Gods grace , i will be talking to students, in masses... oh thats me... bye

His Presence

Ihave been here for a quiet a time, and every sunday is a new revelation, of new happiness. what i found ultimately is i could be peaceful and and happy only when i have like minded people to worship Him. Kamal said, i see when u r really occupied then u r happy. 'yea, i said , i need to be occupied with somethng and with some one i can share with, too."The second sunday i was asked to introduce myself , and asked to give a message /greetings/wishes .. something like that.
I felt it would be a novel idea if i mix everything intent.
so here it go....

"Greetings from Andhrapradesh, India, and a message for u from God!!
.........

His presence in oregon

when Kamal told me about the church he has been attending in Oregon, and about the wonderful people in it, i longed to see them and pray with them. After all, what is that give me joy in my life ?except that i could be in the presence of the Lord worshiping Him along with like minded brethren? so i have decided to see this church during my short stay in USA..
I came on 14th june,'08 and the very next day we went to Full Gospel Church..all of them are from Kerala closely related to one another by one way or the other, and so very loving people, that i ever met.
i met Georgine an American who is now working in Bombay along with her pastor husband. There was immediate connection between us, and i liked her on instant.
And the rest of them are too good to describe. Br. Matt and his wife, and other couples like Pu. Virgheus, and his wife , Lynda's mom, dad and sis and bro, so on the list goes.
Of all the people Binoy Kamal's team member in Mentor graphics.. has become very close buddy.. now a days. we have a very good time together at home and in church. i will continue how God has given me His graces during my short stay over here.

Binoy is the one who created my account in gmail, and he is the one who created this blog for me to write all my feelings,  When he saw me writing my dairy /journal  he said.'Aunty you can write in computer in a blog of your own, and this is my first posting in my blog, and I owe him all my life for such wonderful introduction of writing blog which changed my whole life.Prayer has its power, even a whisper of prayer, sometimes just a wishful thought , wherein we just depend on Him to do it, would be responded by Him in a miraculous way, in an unexpected way, in way which we never would think of ; i know i would not be given leave any more if i ask my boss, because i already availed one month leave in the very beginning of this academic year. she told me so that she would not give too. so whats next, i have to pray, pray for the leave to go to Kamals wedding, in the last month of August, he said it would be on 28th most probably, that is my birthday, oh , how i wish i could just go there, so i was anticipating to take a flight and go, not knowing whether i could get even one day leave, but i trusted inGod that He would allow me to go for wedding, so i told kamal to pray for that. so the other day, in most unexpected way my boss told me that i can go to a seminar on HIV+ and Family Education in Bangalore and that the management would pay the Registration fee, and the dates of the seminar would be from 27th to 31, 2008; wow, i could not believe my own ears. My travelling expenses would be borne by the IGNOU , great, how come God could make everything possible in sweet and stylish manner. when i come out the Boss's chamber, i was literally walking on the clouds. WE ASKED --HE ANSWERED once again proved, that God is faithful God in spite of ME. (continuation)

life in Oregon--blessing of to be all myself

                  I must say that I am thoroughly enjoying my stay over here in Oregon, Its the most beautiful city in America ,know for its flowery roads and green meadows around, tall green trees and ups and downs of long stretches of car drivings,  Its thrilling and cool both geographically and mentally. I enjoyed every moment here unlike any other days in life, wondering?

       What I am doing here/? I am just spending time without any responsibilities, just cooking when i am hungry and sleeping when I feel like to go to bed, and chit chatting with wonderful friends here... about God and praying and  doing and thinking whatever I would feel like to do. I have no commitments, no duties to do in given  period of time ( i was still working in a catholic college, I came here for summer holidays) no.. and no obligations to please any one.. and no restrictions of time and space. that's cool , is it not. hey I think, one must have a period of time just like this once in awhile ,just to be oneself all the way thru' .. that would enrich you mentally, a time to reflect and rethink and readjust and renew , and also physically, we would bound to relax, and stretch out all those taunted nerves of the busy hectic days of the past. hey, I am looking forward for the coming days.. to meet my old friends at home , I know my views about life enlarged, and I explored the in depth feelings of mine. Its a blessing to have Kamal and Binoy to chit chat here , to share the love of God , and pray together. This is really good and cherishing. Binoy helped me to create a blog, and to have gmail account, I m grateful to him forever. I need not tell about Kamal, he is a diamond in my life, who has given me joy in my desert life. As a son he helped me to be myself again after these 8 years of loneliness of teary life.