Comfort

Yesterday I  shared  a  story  which I  entitled  "Don 't Be  Discouraged". Little  did  I  know  that  I  needed  to  be  shielded  from  discouragement  anxiety  and    people  with  evil  intent.
I  had  a  harrowing  day  today,  but  I  did   find   time  to  visit  a shut -  in aunt  on  her  birthday and  spent  the  afternoon  with  her.
Please  pray  for  my protection  and   safety. I  need   God 's  comfort  ,  strength and  peace.

Courageous Christianity

In his book, Courageous Christianity, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones wrote about living for Christ in a hostile society. "Why do I preach the Gospel when people do not want to hear and I face many hardships and discomforts in doing so?" he asked. "I will tell you why. Take this world of ours. We have already had two world wars, and look at the present international situation. What is the matter with this world? What is the matter with men and women? Is there nothing that can put things right? I say that only one thing can even touch the problems of the human race--it is this Gospel."

(quoted  by  Dr  David  Jeremiah  in  his   devotional  magazine  Turning  Point)

Yesterday ,  two  sisters ,  (young  girls)   came  to  see  us  requesting  prayer  for   their  father   who  is  a  heart  patient.

Please  pray  with   us   for   the healing of  Shuba  and Vibha 's  Dad.  Also   pray  that this  family  may fully  surrender  themselves  to  Jesus.

Bind Up the Broken Hearted

Rakhi, Kunal(8)  Karan(4)

Rakhi  fell  madly  in  love  with  rich  and  successful Dr Praveen who  promised  her  the  world. Her  Christian family  advised  her  against  being  unequally  yoked  with  a  man who  was  not  a  Christian , but  she  paid  no  heed  to that. All  she  wanted  was the  love of  a handsome,  rich  and  successful  man and  she  got  it. Her  husband  loved  her  deeply  and  they  lived  an  affluent  life . For  Rakhi  and  her  two small  boys  aged   , the world was  their  oyster.

Their  rainbow hued  sky  suddenly  turned  black when  Dr Praveen  fell  ill and  it  was discovered  that  he  was   battling   the  last  stages  of  cancer.
Treatment  and  chemo  therapy  could  not  help  him. . But  the  doctors  told him  it  was  too  late  and he  had  only  a  short time  left.
Dr  Praveen  followed  another religion and  to  please  him Rakhi  had  given   up her  Christian  faith,  in  fact  she  became  an  atheist. Her  in-laws  had  never  accepted  her because  she  did  not belong  to their  religion.With  the  last  traces  of   hope   gone,  Praveen  refused  all  medical  help  and  treatment  in  order  to  save some  precious  money  to  leave  for  his  beloved  wife and  sons,  he  knew  that  after  his demise they  would be  rejected  by  his family.

After  Praveen  breathed  his  last, his  family,  specially his  father and  mother  unleashed  their  pent  up  anger  and hatred  against  Rakhi  and  her  sons. Daily  they  were physically  and  verbally  abused. Extreme  pressure   was  applied  on  them to  leave  the  large  ancestral house  which  they  legally inherited  from  Praveen.

Going  from  riches to  rags  Rakhi  was  left  a  destitute ,  penniless widow with  a  little  support  from  her  husband 's   savings which  they  manged  to  salvage.The  cruelty  and brutality  of  her  father  and  mother in law  made  life  unbearable  for  them. Kunal, the elder  son  who  was then  5  years  old  called the  police  3  times  to  save his  mother  who  was  being  violently beaten. He  told  me    he  has  nightmares that his  grandparents  are  killing  his  mother.

In the  midst  of  this  domestic  holocaust, Rakhi 's  family  came  to  her  rescue. Her  mother  and  2  sisters  gave  her  moral  and  financial  support (and still  do). Friends  advised her  not  to  leave  her  husband 's  house but to  fight  against  injustice.

Fearing  for  their  lives,  Rakni  has  appealed to  the  law seeking protection  from  the  courts. Since then the physical  abuse has stopped  although  the  parent 's in-laws are  malignantly cruel  to   the  three  of them. The  two  boys now  8 and  4  have  suffered  unimaginable trauma which  has  made  deep  furrows  in  her  impressionable childhood.

With  help from  her  family and  against  all odds  Rakhi  managed  to  do  her  teacher 's  training (B Ed  and  M Ed) Now  she  is  seeking  a job to  support  herself and  her  boys.

Two  Sundays  ago  Rakhi  and her  boys  came  to  our  evening  Gospel  meeting   with  her  younger sister Renu who  introduced her to us.   Renu   is  a  friend  of  my  sister Sonia,  who  is  visiting   me  this  month. She  is  very  eager that  Rakhi  should   have  fellowship  with  God 's  people.
After  the  meeting  Rakhi  stepped  forward  requesting  prayer for  healing  and  restoration. We  asked   them to  stay  for  dinner.

Last  week  Sonia  and  I  visited  Rahki  who  lives  in  the  old  part  of  the city. We  immediately  sensed  the  oppression  and  gloom in  that  place. The boys  were  overjoyed  to  have  visitors  and  played  with  Abner  (Sonia' s  son).

They  shared  their  story  of  suffering  and   terror  with  us. We  prayed a  prayer  of blessing and  release  for  them.

They live  in the  crowded  old  city, commuting  there  is    very  difficult  through  narrow  sometimes  unpaved  streets.  But the  Good  Shepherd  is  with us.

Rakhi  wants  to  sell  some  old  gym equipment which  belonged  to  her husband we  are  trying  to  find  a  buyer.

Please  remember  Rakhi and  her  two  sons  Kunal  (8)  and  Karan (4)  in  your  prayers. Pray  for  release from the  evil  designs  of  Satan, that  their   faith  may  grow  and they  may  seek  God   and  his  righteousness, for  their  protection  (  their  sympathetic   neighbours  are  alert and  have  said  if  they  don 't  see  them  around  for  a  certain period  of  time   they  will  inform  the  police).Pray  that Rakhi  may  find  a  job.

Isaiah 61 (BIBLE)
 1 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,[a]
2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the Lord
for the display of his splendor.

It's The Lord's Battle

An enemy unto thine enemies. - Exodus 23:22

It is a most helpful thought that the angel of the covenant in whom is God's name, always precedes us. In our march through the wilderness we perceive His form, which is viewless to others, and realize that His strong hand prepares our path. Let us be very careful not to grieve or disobey Him, lest we lose His mighty championship. Strict obedience to His slightest whisper secures the certainty of His vindication of us from the wrongs we suffer at the hands of our foes. A little further on the same voice promises to send a hornet before the chosen host (Exodus 23:28). He who is an angel to the saint is a hornet to his foes. A swarm of hornets is the most relentless and irresistible foe that man can face.

Have you enemies?Be sure that they hate you only for the truth's sake, and because darkness must always be in antagonism to light. "Who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled." But see to it that you cherish no spirit of hatred or retaliation toward them. Think of the misery of their heart, which is full of jealousy, envy, and bitterness. Pity and pray for them.

When we are right with God we shall have many new enemies. All who hate Him will hate us. But this is rather to our credit than otherwise. Those who have defamed the master of the household will be hostile to his servants. But when our cause is one with God's, and His foes ours, our foes are His, and He deals with them; He stands between us and their hate. He will not leave us in their hands; He will give us vindication and deliverance

Taken  from  Daily  Homily by  F B  Meyer

Promise
For  He  rescues  you  from every trap and  protects  you  from  the  fatal  plague. He  will  shield  you  with  His   wings. They  will  shelter  you. His  faithful  promises  are your  armour.  Psalm 91;3,4 (The  Living  Bible)

Prayer
Though I  am  surrounded  by troubles,you will  bring  me safely through  them. You  will  clench  your  fist   against  my  angry  enemies.Your  power  will  save  me.
Psalm 138:7 (The  Living  Bible)

Pray  for   us.

Doctor 's Report

Dear  friends,  thank  you for  your   good  wishes  and  prayers. God  has   been  our refuge  and   strength through  this  sudden  crisis.

Mama  had  a  fall  in  the  wee   hours  of  Dec 28th and was  hospitalized   the  next  day. It was all  so  bewildering  that  I  just  broke  down  this  time. The  flood  just  overwhelmed  me But  the    Lord  reached   out  and  pulled  me  out. So  many  prayers  were   answered  one  by  one that  my   faith  and  trust  was  strengthed.

My  sister  Sonia  and  family  had  arrived  a day   earlier -  their  presence  was  a  great  help. (  They  left 2  days  back when   my   younger  sister   reached  Alld.). My  younger  sister  Namrita arrived  on  Jam  4th  with  her  younger (11 yr old )  son. She  is  relieving  me  of  hospital  duties (12  am to 7  pm)My  elder  sister and   BIL  (Prem  &  Anju)  will   be  here   sometime  after  Jam 16th. This  is  a   great  comfort, I  could  not   have taken  care  of  mother  all  by  myself , physically  challenged  as  I  am.

A  metal  rod  was  inserted  into  her  femur   bone  which  was  fractured  from   the  neck. It  has   been  screwed  in  place. Her  body  has  adjusted  to  the  prosthesis   also  called  the   intramedullary rod. Pain  is  much  less. She  is  allowed  to  sit up and  exercise  her  leg. But  she  cannot  put any  weight   or   pressure  on   her  leg for  6  weeks from  the  date  of   the  surgery.
She  will  be  confined to  bed for  another  5 weeks. Then  an   x-ray  will  be  taken  and the  doctor  will advise us   further about  her  movement.

He  is  positive  that  she   will  be  able  to  walk.  Tomorrow  she  is  coming  home. We will  be taking  care  of   all her  needs  on  the  bed.Mama likes  to  do  things  her  way so  lying  flat  on  her  back  makes her  impatient  and  irritated at  times. The  age  factor  is  playing. It  is  a  difficult  task  for  us  all.

Several  needs  -physical, emotional, spiritual and financial have   mushroomed   around  us. I  have  to  realign  my  life  to  all  this. 2011  was  a  year  of  trials   which  grew  more  fiery  since   October and  now  a new chapter has   been  added. Plus  there  are   administrative  difficulties  I  am  facing  some  challenges  in  my  church  ministry  which  have  to  be  dealt  with.

I  request   prayer  for  all  this. I  feel  exhaused and  drained  out at  times.

On  New  Year 's   Day  brother David  Phillips came  to  pray  with Mama  and  me in   the  hospital. He very  prophetically   read  Psalm  27  for  us. verse  12 stuck  in  my  heart
"Deliver me  not over  unto the  will  of  mine  enemies;

and  also  verses  13 and  14

"I had  fainted  unless I  had  believed to see the  goodness  of   the  Lord in the  land  of   the   living.
Wait on  the Lord  be  of  good  courage, and  He  shall  strengthen thine heart;wait I say,on the  Lord."

I  have   chosen   Ps  27:12  as  the  verse  and  prayer for  2012.

Some Troubles

Today  a  violent  mentally   ill  young  man  was  seen  wandering  in  our vicinity.  He  caused  disturbance  on  our campus. I  was  able  to  turn  him  away  in  the  morning by  speaking  to  him   gently  and  calmly,  but on   the  agternoon  he  really  scared   our helper  Jagarnath.
By  his apearance  he  seems  to belong  to  a good  family. I  have  seen  him  in  the   marketplace  too  screaming  at people and  just  talking  loudly  to  himself. Yesterday  he  beat   up  a man on  the street. If  he  shows  up  again  and  we  are  threatened  by  him,  I   shall  call   the  police. Please  pray  for our  protection   and  for this  man too.  He needs  medication   and  care.

Mental  illness  is  a  social  stigma  in  India. Mental patients are ignored, ostracized or abused. For their   treatment people turn  to  quacks  and  faith  healers in temples and shrines  rather  than qualified  doctors.

Read this  short  report  by Akashdeep  Singh  of  Christian Medical College and  Hospital , Ludhiana, Punjab,


Neglect of the Mentally ill in India


Akashdeep Singh

Christian Medical College and Hospital

The prevalence of major mental and behavioural disorders at any given point of time in India is estimated to be 65/1000 population translating to 70 million.1,2

The mentally ill are almost never taken seriously and are treated with little or no dignity. And worst of all, they are locked up, locked away.
The country's ability to treat, care for and rehabilitate the mentally ill leaves much to be desired - the ratio of trained psychiatrists to mentally ill patients is dramatically low at 1: 100,000. In the 37 government-run mental health institutions across the country the cot to patient ratio stands at an average of 1:14. 75% of mentally ill patients live in the villages, where even access to basic health-care is difficult. 53% of the state-run psychiatric hospitals have no programmes whatasoever for the rehabilitation of their inmates

The spending in terms of the country’s mental health budget does not exceed 1% of the total health expenditure. Though the National Mental Health Programme was implemented to provide services to rural as well as urban population but even today 80% of the rural population do not get these services Other barriers to the effective treatment of mental illness include lack of recognition of the seriousness of mental illness and lack of understanding about the benefits of services. Policy makers, insurance companies, health and labour policies, and the public at large – all discriminate between physical and mental problems.
  
Mental patients are being systematically and continuously ignored and denied the social rights they deserve

Read  a  related  story - India 's  Mentally  Ill Turn  to Faith  Not Medicine

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Sheeba (doggie) has  a  ear infection.  I  have  been  cleaning  it  and  treating  it   with  ear   drops  and  cream. Early this morning  I found  it  was  bloody  .  She  was  suffering. I  have  called  the pet   shop  boy   to  come  and  see  her  and bring   the  necessary  medicines.

Pray for me

Please  pray  for     me. I  am  facing  a  discouraging   and  threatening   situation.

17 Though the fig tree should not blossom
And there be no fruit on the vines,
Though the yield of the olive should fail
And the fields produce no food,
Though the flock should be cut off from the fold
And there be no cattle in the stalls,
18 Yet I will exult in the LORD,
I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.
19 The Lord GOD is my strength,
And He has made my feet like hinds’ feet,
And makes me walk on my high place.
 
Habbakuk  3; 17-19 (Old  Testament)

Sunday Morning

I  told  you  that  that  the  Lord  is  blessing   and expanding my  church  ministry.The  prince  of  darkness  does  not  like  it. People  who  claim to  be  part  of  God 's  family took  fiery  shots   at  me ,   publicly  humiliating  me in  front  of  a  large  crowd  of  first  time  visitors  to   our  church.
I  was  absolutely devastated,  but  God  gave  me  the  strength and  courage  to  resist  the  onslaught. I  am  dealing  with   with  very  clever  and  crafty  people -  wolves  in  sheep  clothing.
Jesus  was  mocked   and  humiliated  by  those  who  wanted  Him  dead -  He  understands.  He  is  my  High  Priest.
As   a  beautiful  gift  God  brought   my  sister Sonia,  hubby  Avi and  son Abner from  Lucknow for  a  surprise  holiday  with  us on  Sunday  afternoon. They  are  here to  comfort  ,  cheer  and  minister  to  us   for  4  days.
When  my   Mama  told my  BIL that  they  are  angels  sent  to  us,  he  said Oh  no  don 't  call us    angels.

We  have God 's  people to  support and  advice  us. Please  pray  for  us,  sometimes  the  waters  we  are passing   through  gets  very  muddy. I   get depleted and   rattled. Need  spiritual  and  physical  strength.

Pray  for protection,  wisdom  and  guidance.

Sunday Blessings -He Is At My Right Hand

My   boast is  in  the Lord.  He  helped  me overcome  the  unpleasant  conflict  I  wrote  about  in  my  last  post.
I  could   not  sleep  that  night  and  spent  time   reading  Scripture  verses  and  praying, in which  I  found  solace.  Past  midnight  I  emailed  a  friend  and  received  a  comforting  reply from her. In  times   like  these  one  is  in  need  of  just  one  person  who  says  they  understand what  you  are  going  through.
Jesus  is  our  Wonderful Counsellor. He  is  our  Prince  of  Peace.  This  I  experienced in  those  troublesome hours.

The  next  morning my devotional  from Experiencing God  Day by Day   by Henry  and Richard  Blackaby was  written  just   for  me. I want  to  share  it  with  you

He Is at Your Right Hand

Daily Devotional for Friday, July 15th, 2011

I have set the LORD always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. Psalm 16:8

What does it mean to set the Lord always before you? It means that you choose to relate everything you encounter to your trust in God. What you choose to focus on becomes the dominant influence in your life. You may be a Christian, but if your focus is always on your problems, your problems will determine the direction of your life. If your focus is on people, then people will determine what you think and do. In biblical times, the right hand was the most distinguished position, reserved for one’s chief adviser and supporter. When you choose to focus on Christ, you invite Him to take the most important position in your life as Counselor and Defender. Every time you face a new experience, you should turn to Christ for His interpretation and strength. When people insult you and mistreat you, you should seek direction from your Counselor regarding the right response. When you face a crisis, you should receive strength from the One at your right hand. When you experience need, you should consult your Counselor before you react. When you face a fearful situation, you should take courage from the Advocate at your right hand. Everything you do is in the context of your relationship to Christ. What an incredible act of God’s grace that Christ should stand beside you to guide you and counsel you and defend you! How could you ever become dismayed over your situation with Christ at your right hand? What confidence this should give you!

On  July 15th  Aunt  Maya went  to  her  son 's  place

for  dinner  to  celebrate  her  daughter in law 's  birthday. She  spent  the  night   there and  returned  the next day.Her  son  and DIL   came  to  drop her  off and the  first words  my  cousin said to  me  were,  'Congratulations my  mother  is  a  different  person

since she  has  started  living   with you."

The  said  they all noticed   how  happy  and relaxed  Auntie  seems, her   grand daughters said  ; Dadi has

become  disciplined and  more  conscious of  her  health   needs.

This  family  was  estranged  from  us   for  several years for no fault  of ours.We  tried  to  communicate with  them, but  never  got a  proper  response.But  Auntie always stood  by us.Her  presence  here is  refreshing  our relationship too. And  Auntie  is  specially  pleased about  it.

Again  I  am  so  humbled by  this. My boast is  in  the  Lord. To God be  the  glory.

Please pray for little Chandi

This  6  year old  child  is  the  daughter of a  couple

who  attends  our  church.  They  were  baptize d in  March. Chandi won the  first prize in  her  Vacation Bible  classes  in May.

These  days  a  spirit  of  fear  has  taken  hold  of this  lively little  girl  who  is  so   full  of  life   and  energy and  I"ve  never  seen  she  back  out  from  anything.

These days  she  is scared  of  stepping  out  of  her  house  and at  night  she  says  she  sees  someone standing at  the  door  of their  house.

This is  the work of  the enemy of  our  souls.

A spiritual battle.

Please  pray  for Chandi and her parents  Rajendra

and  Anu-raada.

God  bless you.

Silver Pomfret with Pea Pilaf

For  Sunday  lunch I  made

fried  silver Pomfret  with

fresh  green  peas  pilaf.

I  cooked   the pomfret for   the  very   first  time.

It  is  a  sea  fish and  we  can only

get it  in  frozen  form.

My sister Anjali 's  mother-in-law

Aunty  Saro  used  to  make 

super delicious  pomfret in Mumbai  and  Chennai.

Pomfret   and  all  frozen  food

is  frightfully  expensive.

This  was  a gift from Ash and Megan.

I  visit  the  frozen  foods  store  very  rarely

and  buy  the  tiniest  packets.

Ash and  Megan  bought  me 

so  much. I  was  joking  later  on

The  guy  in the  store doesn 't  consider  me his 

most favourite  customer but   when  I 

went  with Ashish  and  Megan

he  must  have  thought;\Today she  has  come with 

the right  type  of customers LOL.

Thanks  guys.

PRAYER  REQUEST  FOR  ANJALI

Please  pray  for  my  sister  Anjali,

Asish' s  mom.

Tomorrow  , Thursday March 17th,

she  is  having  a  colonoscopy

and  upper  respiratory  scan.

The  doctors   found  her  highly anaemic.

Pray  the  results  may  come  out  clear..

Following  up  on  the Japan news

is  so  alarming and  worrying.

It seems  both  the  fury  of  nature  and

vulnerability of technology

(radiation leaks)

have unleashed  themselves

against  that  nation

and the  world  too.

The  whole  world  is  nervous.

We  can  only  say

On Christ  the  Solid  Rock

I  stand

All other  ground 

is  sinking  sand

Are  your  feet  firmly  planted

on  the Solid Rock?

Sunday Blessings - Father and Son

This rickshaw man took his little son along for a ride while transporting me to the market.

I asked the little guy to smile but he wouldn 't - camera conscious he was.

I do hope he goes to school and his future will be brighter than his poor illiterate father

Seeing he was wearing a watch made me glad.A man like him can buy a cheap watch for about 4 or 5 day 's income.

I read the following story in a little booklet I bought recently. It teaches a beautiful lesson

In ancient Salem lived two bothers, one with many children and the other single and alone.

During harvest time they gathered wheat and put it into two piles.

One night the single brother thought,"My brother has a large family and needs more wheat than I do., I will put some of my sheaves on his pile.

One hour later the married brother woke up and thought,"My single brother lives alone and doesn 't have anyone to help him till the land.Something must be done..." and taking some of the sheaves from his store he carried them to his brother 's pile and left them there.

Next morning they were both surprised to see that both the piles were still the same.

It has warmed up since the past 2 days and now the weather is very pleasant temp is in the 70s during the day.

PRAYER REQUEST

My church is launching on a new enterprise to help us generate funds for the upkeep and maintenance of our 200 year old property. We are a small independent flock. The ground work has been done. There are some enemies of the church who can try to foil our attempt and create mischief and trouble for us.

The devil wants us to be frightened and not take any step towards development. But we are moving forward...walking by faith and not by sight. I am reading the story of Jacob and it is encouraging to see how God was with him all the time. How Jacob prospered and was blessed.

I ask for that same favor upon our Church and campus. Pray along with us for guidance, wisdom and protection.

Be Warned

These knitting pieces are from BRUTAL KNITTING which features funny crazy sci-fi inspired headgear. Click on the link for more.
If there are any aliens reading my blog - they 'd be surely interested . Space tourists will find it easier to identify with little green men and such like when they have close encounters of the third kind. (Smile)

I wish people came like this - showing their real horror faces. But the bejewelled Venetian masks they wear hides their twisted visage and intentions. They are wolves in sheep 's clothing, the Bible calls them that.

I have has two such people in my life and although I got glimpses of their wolf nature several times I ignored it having a patient, long suffering and magnanimous nature.

I was also trying to avoid conflict, and I find it difficult to assert myself due to my physical limitations. I recently read a book called Conflict by Joyce Hugget.

She says in chapter one, 'Conflict can be horrid hurtful harmful, disruptive of relationships and personal well being.....The Chambers Dictionary similarly claims that conflict means 'a trial of strength between opposed parties or principles, a violent collision, a struggle or contest, a battle to fight, contend, to be in opposition, to clash, to be at odds with...

Such disharmony, such clashes, such violent collisions, such fights for supremacy's often over power us with the suddenness and force of an tornado.They catch us off guard and leave such havoc in their wake the many Christians assume that conflict is innately sinful and something to confess.

But is this assumption correct?

In Team Ministry Justin Dennison challenges it by suggesting that conflict is neutral (neither good or bad),natural (not to be avoided or denied), normal (neither your particular problem nor necessarily your fault); and indeed healthy (part of being a human being) As such conflict should be viewed as being common to all human relationships as people interact closely with each other.

He goes on the insist that our goal "should not be to ensure the absence of conflict,but to be equipped with the ability to handle and resolve conflict in an honest and healthy way. It is unresolved conflict , not conflict as such that can damage relationships.

Surely Justin Dennison 's observation must be correct. After all Jesus was so frequently locked in conflict and indeed often initiated clashes that for him, living with disharmony and disagreements could be said not only to be the morm but even necessary.

Conflict then cannot be innately sinful. Rather it is the way we handle collisions and contests that determine whether or not sin creeps into the equation. Jesus skillful handling of power struggles demonstrated the news that surprise some

-that all conflict, whatever is the source is potentially creative.

It is creative because it faces us with a choice to respond in a way that strengthens and builds up relationships ,promotes the kingdom of God and causes individuals concerned to grow in Christ likeness and maturity or to act and react in a way that disrupted friendships and fellowships inner peace and integrity."

I found this passage from Huggets book very helpful as we are in tte throes of conflict. For a long time I tried to ignore it but now I cannot. The opposite party is scheming against the church- making moves to acquire church property illegally. When I prevented them from doing so they called me insulting , denigrating names - referring to my disabilities in from of the servants. Literally making fun of my disabilities.

In front of me they are all sugar and honey but they are stabbing me behind my back. I cannot take this anymore so firm action has to be taken against them. I have already spoken to their superiors and are in full sympathy with me and Will support me. I have to make a written complaint against them. Then they will be shown the door.I gave them unlimited chances to improve but they did not avail them . I have to save my church and mission.

Some difficult and tough days are in store for me. But I will step forth in the strength of the Lord. The valley of Elah looms large before me- and the hulk Goliath. I have 5 smooth stones and a slingshot as my weapons.

I covet your prayers for Mama and me as we face difficult, threatening , hostile and lonely situations- physically challenging too. I need supernatural power from above.

I ma confident in the lord. He will bring us through. Please pray for Mama all this is intimidating and bewidering for her.

God Will Make A Way

My dear friends thank you so much for praying for me. Troubled as I was, I could hardly sleep last night , but I prayed and read from the Holy Book. I read the story of Peter walking on the water. In order to do that he had to get out of the boat and fix his eyes on Jesus.
I have to walk by faith and not by sight in my circumstances. God gave me peace and wisdom and literally what to say to a person.

We are dealing with wolves in sheep 's clothing. God revealed the wolf 's garb to me. The clouds are parting but we have an steep uphill journey.

I have peace. God will provide help in His way and His time.

The following devotional from Joni Eareckson Tada blessed me.

Sometimes due to my physical limitations I feel like a caged bird. But God has taught me how to sing in that cage.

The life of Madame Guyon has inspired me tremendously. She was ill treated by her family, husband and the church yet she held on. Please get her biography and read it.

We had a huge rain storm this evening and were without electricity for 2 1/2 hours. Praise God we got it back. I was going to make pizzas (from scratch) had to scrap that plan, so I used the dough to make poories, like tacos.

God's Hedge

He has walled me in so I cannot escape; he has weighed me down with chains.-- Lamentations 3:7

The four walls of a sick room can be so confining, even if you're there only stuckthere for a short time. Whether in the hospital or at home, we long to escape those suffocating walls. At such times, you may be tempted to cry out as Jeremiah didin our verse for today, or as Job who groaned, "Why is life given to a man ¼ whomGod has hedged in?" (Job 3:23).But it's God's hedge and his walls. Only when we view our restricting circumstancesas being placed there by God can we find courage to face the wall or hedge. That'swhat Madame Guyon, a French noblewoman who was confined to a dungeon for ten years,managed to do. She penned these thoughts:

A little bird I am shut from the fields of air;

and in my cage I sit and sing

to him who placed me there

Well pleased a prisoner to be,

because my God it pleases thee.

Naught have I else to do,

I sing the whole day long,

and he whom I most love to please

doth listen to my song.

He caught and bound my wandering wing,

but still he bends to hear me sing.

My cage confines me round;

abroad I cannot fly;

but though my wing is closely bound,

my heart's at liberty;

my prison walls cannot control the flight,

the freedom of the soul.

The hedge cut off Madam Guyon from the world and confined her on every side. But even a high hedge cannot shut out our view of the sky or prevent the soul fromlooking up into God's face. Because there is so little else to see, when you are hedged in, you view God more clearly than those who move about unconfined. With a hedge around you, the only way "out" is up!* * * * *

My loving Father, help me to remember that hedges and walls protect as well as confineand that your good pleasure is to use whatever means necessary to turn my gaze to you.

Need Prayer

Dear friends please pray for my mother and me. We are facing a trial of faith.

I feel like Elijah by the brook Cherith

Job on the pile of potsherds

and Jonah under the broom tree.

The burden seems heavy on my heart and shoulders.

But God will make a way when we seem to be groping in the dark.

Plesae pray for us.

Walking Alone

Please pray for me . I am facing a very spiritually oppressive and difficult situation. The Lord has comforted me. I need Him more and more.

The following devotional from Joni Earckson Tada blessed my heart.

EAGLE MEN

But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.--Isaiah 40:31
Eagles are solitary birds. They never fly in flocks. At times God asks us to forego human companionship to experience divine fellowship so that later, we have the strength to give to others. "God seeks eagle-men," writes Mrs. Charles Cowman in Streams in the Desert. "No man ever comes into a realization of the best things of God,who does not, upon the God ward side of his life, learn to walk alone with God."
Scripture is replete with such men: Abraham living in a tent; Moses herding sheep;Paul alone with God in Arabia. God then often takes those whom He has sheltered in solitude and thrusts them out to minister to others.
Author Caryll Houselander writes of these eagle-souls:
There are those who must live, as it were, in other men's hands; whose success,even if it be of a spiritual order, must be paid for in a suffering of poverty far more terrible than material poverty, a poverty of not having themselves, not having anything of their own - not time, or solitude, or their thoughts, or even their senses: their hearing filled always with other men's troubles, their eyes with the face of other people's sorrows...

Many times you may feel there is no rest: hurting people call you on the phone or appear at your door; your children clamor for attention and love; your spouse wants to spend time with you when you have no time; your boss adds to the piles already on your desk. Only someone who has spent solitude with God can respond as an eagle,mounting up with a reserve of energy provided by the Almighty. Quiet time with Him isn't an option; it's a necessity.
* * * * *
Father God, teach me to come to you for strength when I feel as though I have none.In this way, I'll have strength to dispense love and care on others.
Blessings,
Joni and Friendshttp://www.joniandfriends.org/

Better Red Than Dead

A few days ago my poor Sheeba wa s caught in the heat of the battle.

A stray dog was found wandering behind the house and Sheeba did a 'charge of the Light Brigade" unisol (Universal Soldier) type of thing. The feral dog was no Miss Tootsie, he charged back . Sheeba was taken aback as she is a very gentle peaceful animal. The wild dog got a mouthful of her fur before she rushed indoors encouraged by my frantic screaming.

Later on I gave her a sanctifying shampoo bath.

Sorry for the blurry cell phone photos.

This is Mr Naughty Wilde. The wandering packs of stray dogs have chewed him up quite a bit.

PRAYER REQUEST

I need your prayers. I have a nasty pustular boil on my back. It is very sore and painful and burns.

Trips to the hospital usually get me infected.

It was just a tiny thing and I thought it would heal, but last night it developed into a big hard lump. It hurts so much I feel feverish. I am taking antibiotics for it. Started today.

Lord have mercy.

Rock-a-bye Baby

Hello friends, here are some cute baby pictures sent in an email.

This entry was meant for Wed. 30th, but just as I was composing it the

lights went out and I was unable to continue. I was too tired by the time normalcy was restored. A man who had been to the power supply center (sub station) said in the heat the instruments and system gets very hot and they have to switch it off to cool it. Gotta believe them.

A Quote-

"I am done with great things and big plans, great institutions

and big success. I am for those tiny invisible loving human forces

that work from individual to individual,

creeping through the crannies of the world like so many rootlets

or like the capillary oozing of water, which, if given time,

will rend the hardest monuments of pride."

-William James

Yes friends, humour lightens the load at times and you can see diamonds in the raindrops.

All day yesterday, after our expected 3 hour power cut we had frequent interruptions. In the afternoon when I tried to rest there was a untimely phone call and visitor which gave me a throbbing headache. I took a painkiller which I normally try to avoid. I felt better after that and a strong cup of coffee.

Aunt V was supposed to be discharged from hospital yesterday but the docs extended her confinement by 2 more days.She has a potassium deficit - she 's 84 years old. No one to care of her, but us and church folk.

Please pray for my Pastor Shailendra , he has swelling in his kidneys and even after a whole battery of tests and scans the doctors don 't know what is causing it.All his tests came out clear. The doctors may hospitalize him for closer monitoring.

God teaches us such lessons. I am amazed. A few days ago a couple came to us all ornery and agitated like an angry thunder cloud ready to burst and flash.

But we handled the situation with restraint and self control and the man said ;We came here to say something else , but find things are different. Later on he asked me to pray for them. Two days later he said he felt tremendous peace since the prayer. Glory be to God.

This morning the sky is dark with heavy clouds and we 've had a light shower. Maybe there will be more rain later on.

But I hope it doesn 't rain too hard in the morning because I have to go to the district courthouse to represent my church.

Choices

Sometimes God prepares us for what is coming later on in the day by a godly word. I received the following devotional in my email which calmed my spirit and made me put on the whole armour of God (Eph 6) when my mother and I came under heavy spiritual attack tonight.The Lord helped us to hold up the shield of faith to deflect the flaming arrows of the enemy.When the enemy comes like a Tsunami wave my anchor holds fast.
Thank you to THE SOLID ROCK.



I choose love . . .No occasion justifies hatred; no injustice warrants bitterness. I choose love. Today I will love God and what God loves.



I choose joy . . .I will invite my God to be the God of circumstance. I will refuse the temptation to be cynical . . . the tool of the lazy thinker. I will refuse to see people as anything less than human beings, created by God. I will refuse to see any problem as anything less than an opportunity to see God.



I choose peace . . .I will live forgiven. I will forgive so that I may live.

I choose patience . . .I will overlook the inconveniences of the world. Instead of cursing the one who takes my place, I’ll invite him to do so. Rather than complain that the wait is too long, I will thank God for a moment to pray. Instead of clinching my fist at new assignments, I will face them with joy and courage.



I choose kindness . . .I will be kind to the poor, for they are alone. Kind to the rich, for they are afraid. And kind to the unkind, for such is how God has treated me.



I choose goodness . . .I will go without a dollar before I take a dishonest one. I will be overlooked before I will boast. I will confess before I will accuse. I choose goodness.



I choose faithfulness . . .Today I will keep my promises. My debtors will not regret their trust. My associates will not question my word. My wife will not question my love. And my children will never fear that their father will not come home.



I choose gentleness . . .Nothing is won by force. I choose to be gentle. If I raise my voice may it be only in praise. If I clench my fist, may it be only in prayer. If I make a demand, may it be only of myself.

I choose self-control . . .I am a spiritual being. After this body is dead, my spirit will soar. I refuse to let what will rot, rule the eternal.
I choose self-control.
I will be drunk only by joy. I will be impassioned only by my faith. I will be influenced only by God. I will be taught only by Christ. I choose self control.



Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. To these I commit my day. If I succeed, I will give thanks. If I fail, I will seek his grace. And then, when this day is done, I will place my head on my pillow and rest.



From When God Whispers Your Name Copyright (Thomas Nelson, 1999) Max Lucado

Aunt Virginia was moved out of Intensive care today and hopefully she will be discharged from hospital day after tomorrow.

But please keep on praying, she is being very difficult and creating problems for everyone involved in looking after her including us.

Please pray for my mother and me as we face spiritual attacks.

Update

Early this (Sunday am) morning I admitted Aunt Virginia in the hospital. Two church brothers helped. She seems to be stable .
I feel much better now that she is in hospital. I will stay with her the whole day. Please continue to pray for strength and healong.

Prayers needed

Aunt Virginia is not doing very well. She is the widow of my Dad 's elder brother - about 84 years old. Last month she was hospitalized with UTI. She recovered and came back. Don 't know how much time she has left.

She is very difficult to deal with. Refuses all help. Her mind is also fading . I am doing all I can for her-everything she will accept. My mom and I are the only relatives who care. Her nieces and nephews don 't bother and don 't want to be involved. They were only interested in her stuff and money and when they got that , their attitude changed. Aunt V has 24 hr assistants , they complain of her being very difficult.

I wish my family was close by- but everyone is so far away. My mother is very nervous , stressed and anxious ( she will be 79 yrs. on June 23rd) I am worried and under tremendous pressure, but have to be strong because of my mother.

My Pastor on whom I depend is on on vacation for 10 days. There are other church people and relatives to help in the worst case scenario.
Just pray for God 's mercy.
I feel physically weak.

Need prayers desperately.My Mom is having dizzy spells because of the tension.
_____________________
Thank you for praying for the strife situation we were facing a while ago. Our friend 's attitude was changed when they returned from their trip. We communicated better. They harvested about 20 kgs of mangoes from their tree and gave us 4 magoes.