Something Sweeter
"Oh, that my words were recorded, that they were written on a scroll, that they were inscribed with an iron tool on lead, or engraved in rock forever." Job 19:23.24When I came home after the college that last working day, I started to pour my soul at His feet. --What else could I do? except to prostrate in His presence " Lord now, you know the staff in the college would devour me if I go to college one minute late. Because I had given a word to them through the Principal; everyone will have an eye on me. Especially Miss R and Miss L and Miss S is very particular about this, and they challenged me many times, saying that they too had principles. Lord please help me , Please help me.." I was begging Him pouring my heart asking Him to help me. I do not know for what I am asking but I could not withhold the burden in my heart anymore, I need to tell Him what had happened and how I was committed to the next academic year blankly. But that summer, 1991 when I was accused by my colleagues , that I am not keeping the timings of the college, I promised my Principal that I will be punctual in keeping up my coming in and going out for the next academic year,1991-1992 in written form, I was terrified by that thought. Actually I am supposed to bound to the punctuality of the timings of college. It should never be a problem. I am an employee and I am supposed to keep the timings at any cost.
But because my children school timings and my timings to go to college were the same, and if the Rickshaw man would not turn up in time to pick them up, I had to go to their school to drop them and to bring them back. I had no other support to meet the matters. I was merely helpless. We sent our sisters-in-law for further studies, therefore I do not have any HELP in those years.
It was the month of May, I started to pray, I knew that the next year, if I am late even one minute to college, I will not be forgiven , they will devour me, especially Miss R and Miss L & Miss S who were very particular about this issue will take me to task. (My children school was in one direction, and my college was in another direction. I cannot drop children in school before the time, as they are very small children, and in those days, there were many rumours of kidnapping children. We used to employ a rikshaw man on monthly basis, he used to pick up 5 or 6 children on the way to school to drop them at school and to bring them back. Dhevudamma was my ricksaw man. But he cannot come to my home prior to the time, and we are not capable of engaging one rickshaw solely for our children. We were living at basic level because of our responsibilities of his family in the village. May be if somebody is in my shoes, they could solve the problem by their mind or might, very easily. But I am different, somehow, I wanted to tell my Lord about my problems, it is my wont. Because I knew I am not that knack to solve problems that easily.
I could not be at rest, what else I could do, except to tell my Lord, my Friend and my Counselor about my problem? So I started to pray about this issue. Every day I was praying the Lord, to give me strength to face the next year college timings. I was begging Him to help me to keep my timings punctual. I was utterly scared to the core.
Therefore I was asking Him to give me proper help to face this situation in my prayer.The Lord said, "Will not God bring justice to His chosen ones , who cry unto Him day and night? Will He keep putting them off? He will see that they get justice, and quickly,") Luke 18:2--7 This verse was repeatedly echoing in my heart again and again. therefore I gird up to pray at His feet day and night, whenever I had time kneeling down on the mat in that front room.
While I was praying, for many days like that in that month one afternoon, I heard a voice-- in that front room, of Chelamayya's rented house.
God reminded me the fourth question I wrote at the back page of my Bible. 4) Lord , or otherwise, if you want me to work, Please provide me a HELP to carry on the work with my little children.---------Selah-------
"You were asking for a HELPER, previously I sent Yesumani and some others to be your HELPERS ; later I gave you the Fridge in the form of a HELPER; now YOUR HUSBAND will be your HELPER ."
"My husband? How it could be Lord?"
" He will get transfer"
I felt like I was suddenly drenched in the soft drizzling of rain, in a bright morning as the morning rays hovering over me as my feet touches the green carpet of grass among many many white roses.
--"Let my teachings fall like rain and my word descend like dew . Like showers on the new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants." Deuteronomy 32:2
The voice was so clear and in that instant I knew I heard His voice God was telling me that He is going to send "His HELPER" that is, my husband, by ' a transfer to my place where I am working'. Is this impossible to believe? When His Spirit comes, He will let us know the things that would happen. John 16:13 says, "When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the Truth; for He will not speak in his own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak, and He will declare to you the things that are to come."
It was just one little step of faithfulness , by not giving the bribe, my Father in Heaven was so kind to give me the blessings in abundance in return.
Remember that our Lord is living God, He promises and fulfills in miraculous way.. if only we give Him time TO TALK TO HIM & ALLOW HIM TO WALK WITH US. All those tears, humiliation I faced in College vanished in a second. I do not have any grudge or hatred towards any one, I know I would have behaved just like them if I do not know the righteousness of Christ. I would be worse than them, I am no good. What is good in me is not mine, I am only helped by my Saviour Jesus Christ who has given His blood and bought me. Because they do not have this Great Saviour, they hate me , its natural.
Here I have a great miracle to be depicted but first I am going to describe the nature of ordeal he faced in his journey to and fro of Eluru and Vijayawada which is just 60 km away in distance. It actually takes One hour drive. But as he could not go in Express Trains, by Season Ticket he used to wait for Passenger train which runs three hours extra.. Many times the train used to stop at every station and wait for the green signal till other Express trains passed by.
He being a Railway employee the South Central Railway gives him 3 'Passes" and 3 PTO sets. All Railway employees use one of these Passes, to travel in Super Express trains, and reach the destiny within an hour. Actually one pass could be used only once to and fro of a place. the Pass once used to a destination can not be used twice. The Ticket collector should sign on it. Once signed, it is not valid for another trip.
This facility is available in whole India we can travel from place to place once we started our journey from one destination to the other having any number of stops in any desired place. for example suppose if we want to go to Delhi from vijayawada, we can have a halt in chennai, then Bangalore, then to Pune and Agra and then reach Delhi. So also from Delhi we can have halt at gwalior, Nagapore, any number of places in between and then reach Vijayawada.
Thus any one pass can be used with prior plan and get the sign of the TC at every halt. Whatever we can use one pass once at a time but never for second time on the same Pass. Example you can travel from one destination to the other twice on the same pass. But many employees use it by 'managing" the Ticket collector, by not getting his signature on their Pass for an year. Thereby they travel to vijayawada to Eluru every day on one pass for whole year.
But my husband never misused his set of Passes, in that way, which caused him to travel +6 hours extra every day. I used to toil every morning getting up at 4 am to give his breakfast and lunch to the place.
His boss is an "Orthodox" briber, known for his bribing talent and skills. He never look at any personal file if the money is not given. My husband was working in the DEN Railway office, it was the 12th year, of his shuttling. Sometimes the Passenger train he boarded in, used to be stopped at the outskirts of Vijayawada Railway station , ie. Singh Nagar, and wait hours together to get clearance from the Railway Station Master. Though he was going from home at 6 am, he was not able to go to office and sign in the register at 9:30 am, sometimes there used to be red mark at his signature place, and it means he was forced to apply leave. Because he could not come home and go for 'that half day work.
Three months passed away after I got that promise about his transfer to Eluru from my Lord. I was running to college hectic way, and even I was suffering with low fever because of too much stress in life and he as usual he was going early in the morning at 6 am and coming in the evening, only after 10pm. Sometimes he runs on the platform.Most of my life spent for waiting for him to come home safely. Passenger train travellings were great ordeal in our lives, in those days. I was continuously in the grip of fear for the safety of my husband and children.
One day , after I got an assurance from my Lord, that he would get transfer it so happened that the passenger train was stopped in some unknown place not even reaching, Singhnagar as usual 10 kilometers away. This time it stopped more than usual time. He waited for the train to start again to Vijayawada railway station where his office DEN office was nearby.
As the train was immobile, and the time for signing in the register was short, he got down and ran to the road and found a scooter wallah and asked him to give him lift up to Ramavarappadu where the man was destined to; then from there he got another scooter lift to Benz company circle, ( ring road circle) from there he got a Lorry to the railway station, there he got down t and started to run in the DEN office compound and climbed the steps to reach his office. At last he reached and signed.
Hagar God is seeing God. "the Lord has heard your cry of affliction" Genesis 16:12 Hagar gave this name to the LORD who had spoken to her: "El Roi, “You are a God of seeing,” for she said, “Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.”
That afternoon one lady who is known to him asked him that she saw him running in the compound fiercely and asked him what was the matter. Then my husband answered her, ' "What to tell you madam, my life is miserable...." and he started to tell her all that had happened that day just to reach the office in time.
After hearing him she sympathetically said, " So sorry to hear this , why don't you try for a transfer to Eluru?" . Understanding the plight of my husband , knowing very well his spotless conduct and integrity in the office, though she belong to other section in the same building, she advised him as follows, ' Sir, again you try , your Supervisor is my husband, I too will tell him about your problem."
This time its the turn of my husband to be surprised. Because he never thought or knew that she was the wife of his Supervisor, because this lady was a Christian, and the Supervisor was a Brahman, a Hindu man by caste.
He told me about this incident at home , we both praised God for that sympathetic lady and for her kindly advice and guidance, the next day he met the Supervisor and submitted the application for transfer.
I was joyful as I knew the Lord assured me about his transfer already. In heart of hearts I knew that God, my Father started to move the pawns to do what He promised me about the transfer of my husband. I knew that God in His great mercy arranged all these steps to happen in a beautiful way. I just praised God along with my husband for He is moving the matter in His own way..
But if you think that we got transfer, instantly, it means you are ignorant of His ways. There were many hurdles, obstacles to overcome, not one or two, but many, because the Lord did not take Israel in shortcut way to the land of Philistines , but He led them through Red Sea and through wilderness. Exodus 13: 17-18 I had this experience of facing obstacles and hurdles many times before, in many of my walks with Him, So I know whatever be the hurdles, His path in the Red sea could be possible. His path would be the best path and He is in charge of our journey. Even if it look like roundabout. Pharo and his army was defeated for the glory of God, so also those who considered me as enemy must see the glory of God. Faith is all that matter.
That Supervisor was kind enough to inform my husband that," There is man in AEN Railway office Eluru, by name B. who applied for the transfer to Vijayawada, it means you may get a mutual transfer; but the thing is, he applied in the year 1984, now it is 1991 almost 8 years back; so you need to meet him and get a fresh application from him, and we will try for your mutual transfer."
Isn't it strange event that the Supervisor could remember the application of B from Eluru after all these these 8 years to tell my husband that he could try for mutual transfer? That day my husband came in flying colors to home and informed me that the next day as it was weekend holiday for him in DEN office Vijayawada; but working day for AEN office, Eluru that he would go and meet this man B. I knew that the Lord was doing wonderful thing in our life, and that He is going to keep His promise that my husband could get a transfer to Eluru to be a support to me to go to college in time for the next academic year.
Isn't it strange event that the Supervisor could remember the application of B from Eluru after all these these 8 years to tell my husband that he could try for mutual transfer? That day my husband came in flying colors to home and informed me that the next day as it was weekend holiday for him in DEN office Vijayawada; but working day for AEN office, Eluru that he would go and meet this man B. I knew that the Lord was doing wonderful thing in our life, and that He is going to keep His promise that my husband could get a transfer to Eluru to be a support to me to go to college in time for the next academic year.
So thanking God we retired to the beds that night, and the next morning my husband Tadigiri Yesuratnam went to the AEN office with great expectations. That afternoon when I came from College he informed me, " Leela, praise the Lord, B accepted to go to Vijayawada as he wanted to do Polytechnic studies to get better marks by writing some exams , and improve his career performance and so he asked me to meet him next weekend and he would draft the letter of application for transfer and give it to me."'
We praised God once again with deep gratitude in our hearts. All through the week we were praising God for His great love for us. Again on that weekend, Saturday, my husband went to the AEN office with great expectations, but he was utterly disappointed by the answer he received this time.
(Obstacle No.1) He told me on that saturday afternoon, like this, " Leela, B. has changed his promise, he told me that his Parents- in- law and his own parents live in Thangellamudi, (a place in Eluru) and they do not want him to go to Vijayawada, on the other hand it seems his wife is BA., B.ed. graduate, and that she applied for teacher post in Eluru Municipality , and that she likely would get it soon , if only he would pay Rs.30000/- as bribe in the office. Therefore he is not willing to give application for transfer to Vijayawada, now"
I saw the disappointment in my dear husband eyes, but the voice of God told me that he would get transfer, is it not? So I told him, "Hubby, this is only an obstacle in a great spectacular miracle that's going to happen .. So let us pray much more and see how God would perform His plan for us" ( I knew God is going to get this transfer, by all means )
Isn't the word of God tells us like this.." For if one falls down, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one falls without another to help him up! If two lie down together they will keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone And though one my be overpowered, two can resist. Moreover, a cord of three strands is not quickly broken Ecclesiastes 4:10-12 As husband and wife when we pray with one heart and mind, according to His will we used to see great things to happen.So we both took our supplications to the Lord, who knew our problems, our sweat, our agony and my sacrificial life for peaceful married life. One month passed on, no news of any sort, but I knew that he will get the transfer. My God can do anything, yes, anything.
We both are praying earnestly, with Hope, because God already told me that he would get transfer, I have Faith in Him, 1 Cor 13:13 Hope, Love, and FAITH.. Here I needed HOPE , waiting in Him. " Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul"_(Emily Dickson). Yes it comes softly its a gift that simply comes . No matter how dark or cold the storm, HOPE gently finds us, warms us and sings to us a wordless song, and it never expect anything in return. It just waits..Hope is beautiful and could be understood only by those who have it in the Lord.
An analogy explains this vividly. " There was a dog which was very faithful and disciplined one. Every morning the Master calls it. The dog immediately comes and sits in front of the Master, its eyes fixed on the closed fist of the master. What's the matter? The master opens his closed fist and throws a bone into the air, the dog jumps at once and catches it with its mouth and eats. Though the Master tests its patience yet the dog would not be in hurry to get the bone from its master, but waits in HOPE that the Master would not disappoint him, and he would surely throws the bone into the sky for him. Till he throws, the dog waits in hope. Thou opens thine fist, and satisfies the desire of every living thing.Psalm 145:16
Our Faith waits in Him and we continued to pray unceasingly. A few days rolled by and our college reopened after the summer holiday, Schools reopened, children joined in new classes, as usual I am really working hard to reach college in time. Many times I saw Miss.R coming late to college, God is my witness.
One month passed away without any news about our transfer application. but we both did not stop to pray about this issue. One evening my husband came home a bit early from the office, with a suitcase in his hands, it means he got into an earlier train, by permission. Whenever he comes like that,with a suitcase, I knew that , he was supposed to catch a train that night to go to Hyderabad on office work ,on camp.
I was sitting on the mat along with my two little children teaching them the lessons of the school, we did not have any sofas or good chairs to sit, still. We were married in 1979 and that year was 1991.. we had 4 folding chairs for the visitors, and we used to keep those aside.
We praised God once again with deep gratitude in our hearts. All through the week we were praising God for His great love for us. Again on that weekend, Saturday, my husband went to the AEN office with great expectations, but he was utterly disappointed by the answer he received this time.
(Obstacle No.1) He told me on that saturday afternoon, like this, " Leela, B. has changed his promise, he told me that his Parents- in- law and his own parents live in Thangellamudi, (a place in Eluru) and they do not want him to go to Vijayawada, on the other hand it seems his wife is BA., B.ed. graduate, and that she applied for teacher post in Eluru Municipality , and that she likely would get it soon , if only he would pay Rs.30000/- as bribe in the office. Therefore he is not willing to give application for transfer to Vijayawada, now"
I saw the disappointment in my dear husband eyes, but the voice of God told me that he would get transfer, is it not? So I told him, "Hubby, this is only an obstacle in a great spectacular miracle that's going to happen .. So let us pray much more and see how God would perform His plan for us" ( I knew God is going to get this transfer, by all means )
Isn't the word of God tells us like this.." For if one falls down, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one falls without another to help him up! If two lie down together they will keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone And though one my be overpowered, two can resist. Moreover, a cord of three strands is not quickly broken Ecclesiastes 4:10-12 As husband and wife when we pray with one heart and mind, according to His will we used to see great things to happen.So we both took our supplications to the Lord, who knew our problems, our sweat, our agony and my sacrificial life for peaceful married life. One month passed on, no news of any sort, but I knew that he will get the transfer. My God can do anything, yes, anything.
We both are praying earnestly, with Hope, because God already told me that he would get transfer, I have Faith in Him, 1 Cor 13:13 Hope, Love, and FAITH.. Here I needed HOPE , waiting in Him. " Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul"_(Emily Dickson). Yes it comes softly its a gift that simply comes . No matter how dark or cold the storm, HOPE gently finds us, warms us and sings to us a wordless song, and it never expect anything in return. It just waits..Hope is beautiful and could be understood only by those who have it in the Lord.
An analogy explains this vividly. " There was a dog which was very faithful and disciplined one. Every morning the Master calls it. The dog immediately comes and sits in front of the Master, its eyes fixed on the closed fist of the master. What's the matter? The master opens his closed fist and throws a bone into the air, the dog jumps at once and catches it with its mouth and eats. Though the Master tests its patience yet the dog would not be in hurry to get the bone from its master, but waits in HOPE that the Master would not disappoint him, and he would surely throws the bone into the sky for him. Till he throws, the dog waits in hope. Thou opens thine fist, and satisfies the desire of every living thing.Psalm 145:16
Our Faith waits in Him and we continued to pray unceasingly. A few days rolled by and our college reopened after the summer holiday, Schools reopened, children joined in new classes, as usual I am really working hard to reach college in time. Many times I saw Miss.R coming late to college, God is my witness.
One month passed away without any news about our transfer application. but we both did not stop to pray about this issue. One evening my husband came home a bit early from the office, with a suitcase in his hands, it means he got into an earlier train, by permission. Whenever he comes like that,with a suitcase, I knew that , he was supposed to catch a train that night to go to Hyderabad on office work ,on camp.
I was sitting on the mat along with my two little children teaching them the lessons of the school, we did not have any sofas or good chairs to sit, still. We were married in 1979 and that year was 1991.. we had 4 folding chairs for the visitors, and we used to keep those aside.
" See, See, what is in it". His face was like 100 watts bulb, all in smiles, shining.
I could not believe my eyes, this was July 1991, I got the promise from God in the month of April 1991, about his transfer, now what I was seeing was a Government Order...1) A requested Transfer of a man by name xxxx from Guntur to Ongole, 2) A requested Transfer of B from Eluru to Vijayawada, 3) A requested Transfer of Mr. Yesuratnam from Vijayawada to Eluru. It was sealed by the Office of the DEN. and signed by the highest authority of DEN office who was known for his Bribery life.
(While I am typing this incident that, "beautiful scene of that room, my husband sitting and smiling at me, while untying his boot laces, and my sweet little children sitting on that mat looking at us expectantly trying to understand the joy of us", brings tears in my eyes now, for His great love upon our beautiful family. My love for my husband was boundless, we were so happy enjoying His protection. We both had a very beautiful godly life walking with Him for 22 years of marital life.)
I found myself in abundant joy and in merry 'ohs, ahas' I said, " Emandi , what happened, what is this miracle?"
He told me like this like a story in the Suspense novel, That morning the supervisor, came to his desk at 10 am hurriedly and asked him, like this,"Mr Yesuratnam, do you have the copy of the application for transfer you gave to me two month back? I need it urgently , very urgent.. can you give it now?"
" Yes, sir,"
My husband was known for his meticulous and tidy habits, he keeps the things in order, and in their place all ways.,( whereas I could not keep pace with him all ways and often get scoldings from him for my untidy way of keeping things here and there, I used to change the furniture or books or things to different positions, which often irks him , who wanted the paper or book in the same place all the time.
So as per his meticulous habit he opened his desk draw and picked the another copy of the application from the file and gave it to him immediately.
By 3pm the same gentleman Supervisor brought this GO of transfer order and gave it to my husband.
(Obstacle No.2) What happened in the Boss office was explained to my husband and gave permission to go home earlier.What the supervisor told my husband was a story like the Red Sea being parted for Israelites.
It seems,that morning at 10 am the Boss called the Supervisor and told him that he is going to leave for USA on long leave for one year, the very next day, as visa and flight ticket were already processed by then, and told him if he needed any papers to be signed , he would sign and go, and this trip is a top secret, and nobody should know about this. so this gentleman supervisor asked my husband for the application copy,and he gave it to the Boss to sign with other urgent papers. PRAISE THE LORD. Do you know why the boss was so hurry to leave the country..? The months April to June 1991 were the months we were praying for the transfer, and the Lord sent Vigilance on hotline on this Boss to check with his bribe habits and drag him into the trap. Knowing this the Boss planned to leave the country immediately , and without any news of his departure leaked out to any one, except the Supervisor whom God used to help us in this spectacular way. God loves everyone , Hindu , Muslim or Parsi, He use any one for His purpose to be fulfilled. Didn't He use the king Cyrus ? According to the Bible, Cyrus the Great, king of Babylonian . In the first year of his reign he was prompted by God to decree that the Temple in Jerusalem should be rebuilt and that such Jews as cared to might return to their land . Isaiah 45 chapter.
Do you think that we got the transfer so easily and that he joined in Eluru Office at once? And then this story came to an end pleasantly?.. No no no no.... the real twisty story started that night.
Before retiring to the bed after the family prayer, while retreating to sleep, on his bed before closing his eyes for the night's rest my husband said, ' Leela, today is Friday, tomorrow even if I go to AEN office, B cannot give his Relieving letter and join in Vijayawada because its weekend holiday in DEN office there. So I have to go to AEN office only on Monday to submit my joining report here., though my relieving orders apply from today.'
I replied , "ok you can do like that."
Then just before he closed his eyes to sleep on the bed and say goodnight, he said, " Leela, B is very famous person, he being ( Obstacle .No.3)a Muslim a member of the Mazdoor Union of Railways, its a very strong Union, if B tells them he got transfer and that he does not want it now, they could stop the transfer,(Obstacle No.4) on the other hand B got a very close relative an uncle in Rail Nilayam Hyderabad, recently, in a very high position in Railways, if B called him on phone and tell him to stop the transfer it would be done."
I was staring at the back of him , as he turned the other side to go to sleep, I did not speak anything, but as the day was a hectic day for me, very tired, I closed my eyes too, to sleep. But after a few hours of sleep, I was wide awake abruptly, it was 3am, no more sleep, my thoughts lingered upon the words he spoke at the end of the day. Great fear took hold of me, what if B goes to the Muslim Union, what if he called his influential uncle in Railways Hyderabad, What will happen..? the transfers will be stopped? I got down from the bed, the room was small one I did not have much place to kneel down in the little space available, near the bed, almost my knees under the cot, and poured out my fears to my Friend who lends His ears all the time in a crooked place even like this. After whispering my agony to my Lord in prayer, I opened Bible, it opened at 62 Psalm, I was reading the Psalm, as if God was asking me to read it, The Psalm was speaking to me verse by verse.
"1. Truly my soul rest in God: My salvation comes from Him. 2. Truly He is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will never be shaken. 3.How long will you assault me? Would all of you throw me down-- This leaning wall, this tottering fence? Surely they intend to topple me from my lofty place; they take delight in lies. With their mouths they bless, but in their hearts they curse. Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. 6. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. 7. My salvation and my honor depend on God , He is my mighty rock, my refuge. 8. Surely the low born are but a breath, the highborn are but a lie If weighed on a balance, they are nothing; together they are only a breath. 10. Do not trust in extortion or put vain hope in stolen goods; though your riches increase, do not set your heart on them. One thing God has spoken, two things I have heard; Power belongs to you , God, and with you, Lord, is unfailing love"; and, "You reward everyone according to what they have done." (New living Version)
King James Version---9 Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity 11 God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God
Now I understood what God was telling me in that early hours of the day, .. He was telling me 9.verse "Men of low degree are vanity" It means Mazdoor Trade Union on which B. may lean upon,/ the men of high degree are a lie (his uncle in high position in Hyderabad Rail Nilayam Office? Whatever they are altogether lighter than vanity. Oh selah !! They cannot do any thing negatively to us, they are just a lie, and vanity.---My heart stood still, I heard His loving voice comforting me, there. Verse 11 spoke to me again, God hath spoken once --- Yes He has given relieving letter to my husband, one of the transfer process is finished--- Twice have I heard this--oh yes, I heard it again, that power belongeth unto God, it means the second part of the transfer process I heard again telling me that the joining letter process will be over today, yes today, because I know That Power belongeth unto God.God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; What peace, what immense joyful peace, !! Did not He tell me, that they are nothing but "This leaning wall, this tottering fence? . Truly my soul rest in God: My salvation comes from Him. 2. Truly He is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will never be shaken,Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. 6. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. 7. My salvation and my honor depend on God , He is my mighty rock, my refuge.
On Monday, instead of going to Vijayawada early in the morning at 6am , he dropped me at my college at 9 :15 pm as he had to go to AEN office here in Eluru that day, and as he was going back , I told him, "Hubby, I have class in the first period, after it is over, by 11 am, I will come down from the first floor to the office. you call me on office phone and I will be there in office, let me know the good news.." We both are light hearted and happy. Knowing God is with us.
After the first period of class I was rushing to the office then I heard the phone ringing. The clerk who was sitting there her name Miss Leela. , seeing me entering the office room said,
"Miss this phone call is for your only"
I thanked her and told her "yea I am expecting this call", and grabbed the phone at once, and on the other end of the line my husband's sweet voice I heard, "Praise The Lord , Leela" ---(Obstacle No.5) -"Poor B is suffering from fever since three days, so he did not come to office till this morning, and when he is given this GO, he did not say anything but signed and took his relieving order from the Superintendent here, I gave my joining report and joined in the office.
" Oh praise God, I shouted,(For us to say "Praise God" should be something such as this , where we walk with God and see His strong hand in doing miracles for us, we automatically proclaimed rejoicing, Praise God" with all our heart, but I see people say 'Praise God' to one another instead of' 'Hello or good morning', which I do not understand till now. If we ask them for what they were saying 'Praise God', they do not have one single answer. I feel this is like using His name in vain. Second commandment of 10 Commandments
He said, "Leela I need to go to Vijayawada now, taking some files from here, now I am going from here, catching some train, so evening I will come back."
" What about Lunch?
" Never mind today I will eat in the cafeteria"
I told clerk Leela about this good news, (Clerk Leela is my silent witness of God's dealings in my life, even previously in another occasion she saw me shouting "Praise the Lord",('when a great obstacle was nullified by Him which tried to stop me to go to Retreat in 1977 )
I rushed hurriedly into the chamber of Sr. Principal, Sr. Winifred, and while entering Into her chamber I shouted happily, "You know sister, good news, my husband got transfer to Eluru." My face was beaming with a big grin on my face, my godly sister also beamed with joy and with a great grin on her face as well, said, " Oh Miss congratulations, so you will be in college by 9;30am? hahah ?" she was laughing with joyful heart. I said, ' Oh no no Sister I will be here by 9:15 am itself, because he has to be in the office by 9:30 am', both of us laughing like little children who found a nice toy fall from sky to play with suddenly.
I rushed to the staff room and not knowing how to tell all the 14 lecturers in the room I shouted, "Hey A good news for all of you" and again I said, ;oh no. no, its a good news for me, its, my husband got transfer to Eluru." All of them know how much I was suffering because of lack of his presence in Eluru, this group of lecturers belong to the department of ARTS share everything with each other so they were sympathetic and understanding my situation in college.Therefore they too felt immense joy along with me, and some them shouted, " Oh so you owe a party to us"
That evening there was a greater narration of the story of what happened in the AEN office that morning. My husband told me like this, " Leela do you know what had happened this morning in this office in Eluru?, I went there to give my joining report after B gave his relieving report, the superintend said that there is no Head Draftsman post which is mine to work in this office,(Obstacle No.6) while saying that he wrote with his green ink across the GO underneath of it , that there is no HD post for me and he could not take joining report from me.
At that moment the Head clerk came into the room saw the GO and said," sir , there is this post in our office, when you were on camp, there was a GO sent from Rail Nilayam Hyderabad, and he immediately pulled the GO from his files. and showed it to him. Because the Superintend came to office that morning only after his long camp and he did not know about that particular GO.
With this the superintend could not say anything, so he accepted the joining report letter from my husband.
After this work was finished and while B and Head clerk and my husband were talking about the Office work then the postman came with ( Obstacle No.7) a Postcard for B from the man from Guntur, who was transferred to Ongole. In that he wrote that he tried his level best to get this transfer in the previously, as he needed it then, but he could not get it. Now he does not want now, so he requested B. not to take relieving orders in Eluru office, and he suggested that they both could go to Hyderabad and stop these transfers by 'managing things" there. (bribe giving)
When my husband was telling me all this , I heard him intently and said to him, " Hubby, I often had an idea before my conversion that my dad would do anything ,as he was very powerful as a Police officer, , in this case as a biological father he might have helped us in one step or two steps, but not in so many steps, like this ..7 steps we overcame and win the victory....Our Father in heaven helped us to overcome 7 steps of hurdles and gave us victory. oh yes we walked 7 steps with the Lord.... and it's wonderful to walk with Him."
Walking 7 Steps with God is wonderful , its a relationship with Him, He lovingly walks with us, through all Obstacles, numbering 7 in this spectacular story of Transfer, FAITH versus BRIBE. Thus the prayer I prayed with 4 questions In Vijayawada were fulfilling one by one. Especially the 4th question for Helper fulfilled thrice, First as Yesumani and my sisters-in-law ; next as Refrigerator, and third time by my husband getting transfer.
Devil tried to trap me, tried to put me in shame, by humiliating me for what I stood for, by not giving bribe for the release of our arrears. Giving Bribe was the Lion in my life, Satan is roaring like a lion to devour us, but Christ killed it and He brought sweet Nectar out of it.
The humiliation I faced and endured made me to pray much and later enjoyed the fruit of the prayer. First it look like a Terrible trap of the Satan, but when prayed over it, the result was amazing. We came out of the Terrible and then Something Sweet emerged out of it for the glory of God.
for next chapter click the link below:
https://www.mygodmystory.com/three-questions-one-answer/
