SLEEPING WITH THE ENEMY

Dont use that thumb to twiddle, but use it to save a family. I know that today many women may have woken up to hide the wounds and feelings from domestic violence and abuse without even reporting it. As many as 70 per cent of married women in India between the age of 15 and 49 are victims of beating, rape or coerced sex, the United Nation Population Fund report said. Violence, it said, kills and disables as many women between the ages of 15 and 44 as cancer and its toll on women's health surpasses that of traffic accidents and malaria combined. The consequences of gender-based violence are devastating, including life-long emotional distress, mental health issues and poor reproductive health. Besides, the effect might extend to future generation as children who see violence, or were victims themselves, often suffer a lasting psychological damage, it added.
Every woman married or in a relationship must know her spiritual and legal rights. Unfortunately, the act even though is self explanatory is never taught, thought or tried. Not all the cases reported in domestic violence end in divorce or separation but it surely stops unethical behavior and practices. Shielding an abusive family member is like not letting your family doctor know you are Aids positive.

Violence is a type of disease of behavior dysfunction and can be treated spiritually, medically, and even legally. It is also an infectious disease and can spread to those around and in the neighborhood if proper precaution is not taken. The desired result of breaking free from the disease is when the entire household comes under supervision of one God. Very soon a time will come when Doctors instead of recommending regular therapeutic course will recommend God.

Why God?
A survey conducted by American Academy of Family Physicians in 1996 had shown that 99% doctors were convinced that strong religious beliefs could help in healing patients. Also, the 37th World Health Assembly had adopted a resolution that the spiritual dimension should be added to scope of health. During the 58th World Health Assembly at the United Nations in Geneva in May 2005, the growing realization had necessitated a panel discussion and several reviews on ‘Spirituality, Religion, and Health.’
When I got into a relationship I chose not to be a victim like my sister, I overcame many circumstances and hurdles because of my strong faith in God and was able to restore a peaceful and harmonious relationship with my husband for almost twenty years. He is like any other man would like to show off his physical strength, ego has never been able to raise even a finger at me even though he also has a severe behavioral problem. A leading psychologist who has written many articles in the news papers would have ruined my marriage and suggested separation, but I had a leading God, a God that led me with knowledge and wisdom to govern my family, neighbors and friends.
Title : THE PROTECTION OF WOMEN FROM DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ACT, 2005
CHAPTER II
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
3. Definition of domestic violence.
3. Definition of domestic violence.-For the purposes of this Act, any act, omission or commission or conduct of the respondent shall constitute domestic violence in case it -(a) harms or injures or endangers the health, safety, life, limb or well-being, whether mental or physical, of the aggrieved person or tends to do so and includes causing physical abuse, sexual abuse, verbal and emotional abuse and economic abuse; or(b) harasses, harms, injures or endangers the aggrieved person with a view to coerce her or any other person related to her to meet any unlawful demand for any dowry or other property or valuable security; or(c) has the effect of threatening the aggrieved person or any person related to her by any conduct mentioned in clause (a) or clause (b); or(d) otherwise injures or causes harm, whether physical or mental, to the aggrieved person.
Explanation I.-For the purposes of this section,-(i) "physical abuse" means any act or conduct which is of such a nature as to cause bodily pain, harm, or danger to life, limb, or health or impair the health or development of the aggrieved person and includes assault, criminal intimidation and criminal force;(ii) "sexual abuse" includes any conduct of a sexual nature that abuses, humiliates, degrades or otherwise violates the dignity of woman;(iii) "verbal and emotional abuse" includes-(a) insults, ridicule, humiliation, name calling and insults or ridicule specially with regard to not having a child or a male child; and(b) repeated threats to cause physical pain to any person in whom the aggrieved person is interested.(iv) "economic abuse" includes-(a) deprivation of all or any economic or financial resources to which the aggrieved person is entitled under any law or custom whether payable under an order of a court or otherwise or which the aggrieved person requires out of necessity including, but not limited to, household necessities for the aggrieved person and her children, if any, stridhan, property, jointly or separately owned by the aggrieved person, payment of rental related to the shared household and maintenance;(b) disposal of household effects, any alienation of assets whether movable or immovable, valuables, shares, securities, bonds and the like or other property in which the aggrieved person has an interest or is entitled to use by virtue of the domestic relationship or which may be reasonably required by the aggrieved person or her children or her stridhan or any other property jointly or separately held by the aggrieved person; and(c) prohibition or restriction to continued access to resources or facilities which the aggrieved person is entitled to use or enjoy by virtue of the domestic relationship including access to the shared household.Explanation II.-For the purpose of determining whether any act, omission, commission or conduct of the respondent constitutes "domestic violence" under this section, the overall facts and circumstances of the case shall be taken into consideration.
Last updated date on 01.02.2008Reasons for Domestic Violence The reasons include neglecting children, going out without telling partner, arguing with partner, refusing to have sex, not preparing food properly or on time and talking with other men, it said.
My sister aged 60 now, came to terms of just speaking about being a domestic violence victim almost after fifteen years of her married life. The first five years she lied to everybody about her wounds. The next ten years her three children became witnesses to her being regularly abused.
Why don’t most women report domestic violence? Fear that the problem may get worse. Fear about the children. Fear of the social respect. Fear of financial security. Fear of job security. Fear of spiritual warfare.
My sister’s filed for separation from her husband, since divorce was not granted in the Catholic Church after fifteen years of living nightmares. She had all the fears of the unknown and even when it came to the God she trusted, every night was a miracle to see her alive. Neighbors would act ignorant, Church believed God would help, Elders advised her to become stronger, nobody could understand her pain of being bitten and battered by a cricket bat.
Why should women report domestic violence?

A regular offender or even a hardened criminal will always bow down to men in uniform. If you have been lawfully married it is only the law that can save and protect you from domestic violence, counseling may help, and spirituality will make you stronger to be in the right position. The difference between me and my sister is she had the strength to hold on to the law and I had the strength to act on the law. May be that is one of the prime reasons for me not becoming a victim of domestic violence. The day my sister could act according to the law, she had to fight for her rights. She got the custody of two children, though she brought them up on a tight budget, rented apartment and other people’s clothes, while she worked as a teacher. Her daughter joined an airline company and brought my sister a three bed room apartment before her retirement age. Her son joined the merchant navy and now he is a pilot. Both the son and the daughter are enjoying the fruits of their labour. The son whom she could not get custody of because of her economic condition died at the age of twenty four on his mother’s lap with a serious heart attack and a victim of psychological damage.
Do children get affected?

Yes, all children get affected in Domestic Violence cases. All my sister’s children grew up hating their father. The one she could not get custody of was eventually the next victim of domestic violence. He grew up in an environment that made him emotionally disabled. Though he was such a lovable person, his character made people hate him. He had few friends and would get emotionally attached to anything. He would get violent if he would not have his way. Being very intelligent he could not complete his education. He developed an inferiority complex and tried to mask it with his physical dominance.
Some go through the trauma every night, neighbors may shut their windows and doors, switch on to a daily soap saga and pretend as if nothing is happening. The women of tomorrow smile as if nothing hurts. The elders talk about bearing it all up for the sake of the children. The entire system is in a comatose condition mentally alive and physically dead.
Thinking God will help does work, and God helps in giving us an opportunity, the strength and the wisdom not just to meditate on the laws day and night but to fight the enemy. The truth is really scary in the night for more than 70% of women from the age of 14-40 plus if they have ignored the law. When I was overstaying at the YWCA, I met a lady who was working incognito so that her husband would not harass her, even just being at the helm of a reputed association that has worked many years for various causes on women issues, she was still scared of her husband. Her only problem was that she did not want to take Police protection fearing that he might lose his job. For fifteen years of my service in the industry I haven’t still come across a case where a man lost his job because of domestic violence.

How to cope with domestic violence biblically?
God will bless us and God will bless those who along the way have put an end to domestic violence. Instead of witnessing domestic violence become a testimony by putting an end to violent ways. This is the day to rejoice in the Lord! It always blesses us to hear from those who have been touched and encouraged by this ministry.

It is our prayer that God's perfect will be done with you and in your loved ones' lives according to His Word and we are praying for your protection. The Bible declares in Proverbs 3:5-6, "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths."

God delights in giving His children the desires of their hearts when we seek Him in Spirit and in Truth. God gave us all power and all authority over the devil. Luke 10:19 says, "Behold, I give you authority to trample on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means harm you."

Zechariah 2:8b states "... for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of His eye."

We must use the Word of God to overcome the enemy. It is a not a spiritual battle against God but against the enemy. The word of God is not to be kept it on the alter but it is a living word of God that has the power to move mountains in His name.
Ephesians 6
The Armor of God
10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

In addition, it is also wise to seek the assistance of your local law enforcement if in fact a crime is being committed against you or your loved ones. It is against Gods’ law to suffer at the hands of men with evil approach but we have His everlasting blessings and covenant to rise and shine without letting the enemy triumph.

We are believing for God's peace and blessings to carry you and your loved ones safely through the storms of life. (Luke 8:22-24)
Psalm 67 says
1 May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us, Selah
2 that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations.
3 May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you.
4 May the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you rule the peoples justly and guide the nations of the earth. Selah
5 May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you.
6 Then the land will yield its harvest, and God, our God, will bless us.
7 God will bless us, and all the ends of the earth will fear him.

May the Glory of Heaven, resonating from the Gospel of Jesus, remain upon you always!

Stop twiddling with the word of God but go ahead and use that thumb to save a family!!!!

THE MAGIC PORTION

It's noon time and the sun is at it's best. Its great to be off line for some time as it really renews the possibilities of coming back to a better start. Life, work or pleasure each of these need a break to get more creative at whatever you plan to do or even complete an incomplete task with better enthusiasm. Many times we work so hard and still never achieve anything and then suddenly most of the times something out of the blue works wonders.

Just today as I switch off my thinking capacity I switch on GOD.TV. I've watched Joyce Meyers talking about Getting Confidence, confidently. Benny Hinn's Crusade for salvation this guy has the ability to spread the Good News in all Continents and then there is a Conference and then Wendy Alec so you know that squeaky voice from any end of your room. After all the spiritual boost and cleansing it time to clean the house.

Kabir my five going on six son lets me have my time on the TV, but this time when he was watching I could hear Wendy on one of her Prophetic fits, she was talking about my son. Every thing that was disturbing me for the last week has just passed me by was my health, my sons health and the situation we are in. Firstly we pamper our children with all the stuff that tastes good, smells good, looks good and feels good without realising that we are messing up their naturally gifted healthy bodies with man made lust. We now have prepared a body that is ready for all kinds of diseases and infections. Though we think that pharmaceutical industry is ready with that magic portion that prevents the virus from spreading and pain relief BEWARE:it may adversely affect your lungs, kidneys, heart, liver, skin irritation, bowel movement, cause convulsions, asthma, and the list goes on. You buy all the medicines for the most reputed medical practitioner and follow all the doses, the toxic traces of these medicines within our bodies are far much more dangerous than nicotine and alcohol. I am always pulled up for being a chain smoker, and have seen most women who suffer breast and lung cancer are not smokers at all.

The sum of the entire situation is that if ignorance is bliss then intelligence is dangerous. Back to the point Wendy Alec was speaking about my son who is growing up steadily on my concerns about his future, the relationship he shares with me, his father, his sister, that's all he has in the world and each of us are so messed up with our righteous selves, we have damaged the point so badly beyond repair. And Wendy squeaking tongues saying to the five year old that God has told her to tell him that may be his father, his mother and his sister may not be able to give him the love that he deserves God is fulfilling that love, fulfilling all the broken promises, fulfilling all his desires, fulfilling all his needs, fulfilling all his wants, God will lift him up in his arms so gracefully that he will never feel any pain of doubting the existence of the abundance of God's love for his children and he must continue to follow the laws and the commandments of God.

Way to go Wendy Alec and Rory Alec and God.Tv for channelizing, renewing, reviewing, regaining, restoring and refreshing the Hallelulia in our lives.

FAQ's GUILTY FOR PRAYING

Therefore, who am I? I am just a tear drop in the vast ocean, the saltiness in my tears will never make that salt more salty than what it can taste. Today, I had to rush down with my husband reading out the news to me for the American Law sentencing a father for with second-degree reckless homicide for praying instead of seeking medical help for his gravely ill 11-year-old daughter. This part of the news was read aloud because my daughter told him that she won’t take any cough medicine because God will heal her. P.S I accept that she was having a cold and he brought her coldrinks and icecreams to cure her cold, because the little birdy thought those Ice Creams are good for colds. But the finger has to point in some direction and it will always stop on me because I taught her to pray. My daughter is also under threat to live in a Church to believe in His existence. So I showed her a picture of me as a child in the Church and believe you me that was the best place in life to be.
Yesterday when I showed an article about a survey conducted by American Academy of Family Physicians in 1996 had shown that 99% doctors were convinced that strong religious beliefs could help in healing patients. Then I showed him another article on “Body’s own protein can be cancer cure”
We read The Times Of India every day, like many readers the news is just an alibi for expressing their vote to attract attention. The news papers do it so that their TRP’s increase and the reader does it so that his knowledge increases. Each article highlighted inself, and if the American Law is right they will convict people for praying as well. I just want to ask all the people sitting on the bench passing judgment, “Why do we always have to give an undertaking that the Doctors will not be held responsible for the treatment the patient is undergoing?” And if they convict me for doing this, “GOD BLESS AMERICA” and “THANK GOD” for my husband without him I would have never known, “GOD EXISTS”
I can really feel this court room scene and the lawyer asking me the following questions: 10 FAQ’s
1. You promise to speak the truth?
2. Do you pray?
3. Who do you pray to?
4. Who do you pray for?
5. For how many years have you been praying?
6. Did you know that your prayers could have killed or killed somebody?
7. Who is God?
8. Do you know God?
9. When was the last time you saw God?
10. What is His contact information?
While I prepare my answers before I die in the courtroom, these are the seven things that Christ said before dying, KISS (keep it sweet and simple) and imagine if you had any last words to say what would that be?
Then Jesus said, "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do". Luke 23:34
And he said to him, "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise". Luke 23:43
Jesus saw his own mother, and the disciple standing near whom he loved, he said to his mother, "Woman, behold your son". Then he said to the disciple, "Behold your mother". And from that hour, he took his mother into his family. John 19:26-27
Around the ninth hour, Jesus shouted in a loud voice, saying "Eli Eli lama sabachthani?" which is, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Matthew 27:46
He said, "I thirst". John 19:28
Jesus said, "It is finished". John 19:30
And speaking in a loud voice, Jesus said, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit". Luke 23:46
If you don’t have any great last words, just KISS (keep it sweet and simple)

HUMAN ARCHITECTURE

Caption: FOLLOW YOUR HEART

Hymn: Into your hands we commend our spirit
Reference: Luke 17:26
Importance: Healing by faith
Story: Human Architecture
Testimony: Roman Protestant

GOOD NEWS
Luke 17:26"Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man.

Sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction. I got this strange message on an even more strange spiritual trip. I have read and heard many stories and illustrations on Noah and his ark, but always missed the point.
Generally most elders talk about the boat Noah was asked to build, take the animals in, shut the door and then it rained for 40 days. They would talk about every living thing on the face of the earth was wiped out; men and animals and the creatures that move along the ground and the birds of the air were wiped from the earth. Only Noah was saved, and those with him in the ark. The story would end like every other fairy tale, “they all lived happily ever after” and then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth.
I am closing in to forty years of my life as a meaningless Christian when suddenly I remembered the verse
"Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man”. I began to decode the message and would like to share the same light with everybody. Just like God commanded Noah, he remained faithful to God, he enjoyed heavenly security. What do I get from all this? Imagine that if God commanded 40 years ago, He needed another ark 5 feet 6 inches tall, 36-26-36 in size, 60.2 kgs in weight. Remember the accuracy of His commandment could be seen by human standards forty years later. Go into the ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you righteous in this generation. Here the ark is ‘I’, ‘you’ is me and the ‘whole family’ is myself.
Just as God promised there will never be a flood like that ever again, He kept his promise to Noah. But the commandment He gave forty years ago is of a human ark by size and weight I definitely fit into his brilliant work of human architecture. We all get a call for obedience, but are we listening? That is the question I want to pursue and so I find the answers in the New Testament Hebrews 11:7, “By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.”
I may have not seen any flood in all the years of my life but I have seen terrorism, recession, plagues, environmental disasters, dysfunctional families, spiritual warfare flooding from the window of my ark. The Lord speaks to me to set the dove free, my dove is my faith and He has commanded a time to free that faith. The first time I set my faith free it may return back to my ark, knowing that it is not the right time to offshore. The second time I set my faith free, it may come back to me with some feedback. The third time I set my faith free and if it comes back to me with a token of love, this shore is meant for me.
We all are arks of different colors, creed, size and weight, we all have different views of floods from our window, but God has established a covenant for all of us, and most of all He will fulfill His promise. For Noah it rained forty days, for me it rained forty years because unlike Noah who was perfect, faithful, and obedient instead of being all this I kept asking God, “why me?” I would have easily been consumed by the world outside had God not chosen me. If we keep thinking who, what, when and why, we may just see the wrong side of the window, but if we are perfect, faithful and obedient, it is mentioned in the following verses:
1 Peter 3:20 who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water,
2 Peter 2:5 if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.
John 17
Jesus Prays for Himself
1After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: "Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 2For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. 4I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. 5And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.
Jesus Prays for His Disciples
6"I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. 7Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. 8For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. 9I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. 10All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. 11I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name—the name you gave me—so that they may be one as we are one. 12While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled. 13"I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. 14I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.
Jesus Prays for All Believers
20"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: 23I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. 24"Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. 25"Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them."

THE ROAD TO ALWAR

Caption: HUGS ARE MEANT FOR TWO
Hymn: Lord I’m coming home

Reference: Mark 5:34

Importance: Healing Relationships

Story: Finding the way

Testimony: Roman Protestant

GOOD NEWS
Jesus turned and saw her. "Take heart, daughter," he said, "your faith has healed you." And the woman was healed from that moment.

The day I discovered my husband's racing habit, I gave up visiting the Church. My husband would spend our time, money and energy on a Cole book. My husband knew everything about horses, the Cole book was like his Bible, he never left it, every time he lost everything he would stand more convincing for his next victory.
Gurgaon may be as much as a blessing to some, known for its shortage of electricity, water, humanity and ofcourse no racecourse. It was an ideal dumping ground where I could dump my husband or dump his racing habit. It was a place I was mentally preparing my own sacrificial alter to slay him down.

I remember all the Saturdays, when families planned time with bonding, preparing for Sundays or planning for the future. He would plan for the Derby like a surprise honeymoon he has never taken me to. There were times I would give him all the money I had thinking he would lose everything and that would be the end of all our troubles. It never ended my troubles but only increased them. Our way of life were race driven, if he won we could pay the pending bills. He never knew the importance of vaccinating children at relevant times, he only knew about the weight and height of horses and jockeys and making his favorite list. The lies all elders tell us that once you have children of your own fathers mend their ways. Two beautifully gifted children and that horrible bit of advice never mended his gambling nature. I lived in this hell miserably for almost two decades.
One night after a few weeks in Gurgaon, I was on spiritual suspension trip. I rejected God, I was so fully justified with his non existence that I started saying Jesus I hate you, I must have said it about a million times every moment that was passing me by. Due to constant praying and meditation, it was very difficult for me to say it because sometime I would begin to say the “Our Father” subconsciously. So I would have to start saying Jesus I hate you all over again. The next morning my husband receives a call for an interview. He still thinks that I am Mother Theresa, he does not know I had rejected God. Unable to confront me with spiritual requests, he asks my daughter to pray for him. I heard that man talking for the first time about prayer. I objected to any kind of prayer, telling him that even if God knocks on that door he would never recognize him. Just then the door bell rang, a smiling Pastor greets with saying, “Praise the Lord.”

Praise the Lord, I am rejecting you for reasons unknown, but every time you call me I will be there. Soon there was going to be a conference in Alwar and Liny, Pastor Thilak's wife convinced me that it would be a great break from the regular routine. She had hardly any idea that my regular routine was so filled with miseries that I wanted to break free from everything. This seemed to be my best escape route to freedom. I, me and my children were to leave never to return back to Gurgaon, never let any body know where we were heading. All the known places for my husband to find our whereabouts were written off I was planning for some place unknown to anybody. I had packed all wash and wear dresses, I boarded the train to Alwar to check my children’s comfort zone in passenger trains, to my surprise they loved it. Now I can get lost any where without the kids throwing a tantrum and no body would find us.

Once at Alwar, we met Pastor Thilak and his family who drove down. They got us a special room, our day would begin with breakfast, a brief prayer, fast forwarded testimonies, and doctrines about standing firm supported by the scriptures by well educated speakers. Liny was asked to take care of the Children’s camp and for some reason rejected it publicly. She was with me all the time, marking verses in my Bible, she talking to me the meanings of certain things I did not understand. She was so immersed talking God to me she had no idea about my plans. She introduced me to everybody she knew, many saw us together thought that I was her daughter. One of the people she introduced me to was Dr Silas C Nair. After hearing him talk so much about the scriptures, I wanted him to know the realities that I was going through. Secretly take his blessings and runaway forever.

Dr Silas C Nair did not open any Bible as I cried my pains orally to him, he never convinced me about anything Biblically speaking. All he did was share his testimony about his early life which was very similar to my husband’s current way of living. He prayed over me, as if he was talking to God on his cell phone. Once the prayer call was over he turned to me like he was about to hand over a prescription of my daily dose. I still remember the twinkle in his eyes, telling me to forgive my husband like child, and when I return to give my husband a big, big, hug. I secretly in my mind said to myself that I would give my husband that hug if I met him in heaven.

The Believer’s party was over, we all had our bags packed, I was ready for my journey to freedom. Liny comes looking for me and tells me that we are leaving with them in their car. My entire planning was squashed that very moment. I did not want to return. The kids were already making noise in the car, happy to go home. Since I was so sure about my plans to get back into the train I had no back up plans as Pastor Thilak and Liny were now going to leave me and my kids right in front of the door of my house, a place where I never wanted to return.

On arrival back to square one, Pastor Thilak honked my husband out of the door to announce our safe and sound journey. Once inside at home the kids instead of searching for the remote control to put on their favorite channel were talking to their dad about the sweet meats they brought for them, they seem to be in full control of their situation. I was full of remorse and had nothing to give him that day. I remembered Dr Silas C Nair words to give him a hug, thinking that a small little hug won’t change my mind, I gave it. Believe it or not a small little hug changed my life. My husband is the head of the family, my son is the man of the house, my daughter is the head of our home ministry and me all I do is BLOG (BLESSED is the LORD, OUR GOD) all the time.
It's prayer time folks, Heavenly father, we worship you, we give you thanks for your glory, all honor is yours Almighty Father, I have seen your wonderous ways of taking care of me through Pastor Thilak, his wife Liny and Dr Silas C Nair there are many to be saved and the workers are few, we need the manna for saving our souls. Lord let your blessings reign on them and abundantly flow into the garden of etenity to all who seek thy kingdom first, forever and ever Amen.

THE DOUBLE PORTION

Caption: THE DOUBLE PORTION
Hymn: What a friend I have in Jesus
Reference: Isaiah 1: 18
Importance: God’s Gift
Story: Painless Deliverance
Testimony: Roman Protestant

GOOD NEWS
“Come now, let us reason together,” says the Lord
“Though your sins are like scarlet”
They shall be white as snow;
Though they are red as crimson,
They shall be like wool. Isaiah 1:18.

When I knew I had conceived I was given an open invitation by TATA AIG, to head its Marketing Division at a ransom I could ever ask for. This was the moment of truth for me, a reward of God’ blessing for all the trials and temptations a woman has to undergo in the Corporate arena. Being a socially challenged atmosphere, I would give my best shot opposing Americanism, globalization, and substituting them for Indianism and localization. Then head back home with a couple of cigarette packets and a bottle of rum to let go the frustration of the day. This drunkenness would help me get a sound sleep, instead of dreaming about my tasks all through the night. By now I was addicted to this routine as well as pregnant. The two choices glaring in front of me to accept or to reject, to accept the offer of appointment meant to reject God’s gift. To accept God’s gift and to reject smoking and drinking. That day I brought a bigger bottle than usual, doubled the cigarette packets, sat alone in my room conversing with the Holy Spirit. In all that drunken jargon, I opened up my books of testimonies from my heart and justified all my situations, I promised to offer God my first born.

The next morning I made up my mind that I was not going to let my career graph affect my biological clock. I was going ahead with the pregnancy secretly, because if any of my friends, family or even my husband visited my doctor, the consequences would have been ultimately to go in for abortion without doubt or else frighten me with the consequences of addiction which I had planned to give up. I tried giving up my addiction every day. I’d look at the Bible that was gifted by my Uncle, talk to it but never open it. I was very shy of reading the Bible because it showed me a lot of adultery happening in the Holy book but knew it contained the word of God. I would pour out the spirit into the glass, drink it like as if it was the last one, it was obviously more potent than all the others. The increase on my waistline was getting more and more conspicuous, my husband’s first thought was to abort, and then the next thought was to see what happens. His thoughts never impacted me because I always thought that he was careless and I was carefree.

As the days went fleeting by so did the numbers of last pegs. I was now closing in to my final round from the monthly check-ups to the weekly checks-up. The heat was on, I took the Bible by the cover and burnt it as I could not kick out any of my habit. While doing so I also blew the final whistle on God telling him that I am burning the book and that if He chooses me He shall gift it to me again. Not just a habitual drinker I was, I used to habitually keep saying the, “Our Father.” Over the hundred times I prayed in my mind and even if I didn’t, subconsciously it would keep running into my head. I was finally checked into the maternity ward. I brought myself a room so that I could drink and smoke when the Doctor was not on her rounds. Instead of asking my husband to get something for the new born, I asked my husband to get some incense sticks to cover up the smoking in the room.

My gynaec was a very able, experienced and a Christian Adventist doctor. The next room was occupied by ladies I got to know from the past few months of regular visits. There was a lot of confusion going on in the Maternity wards some women were crying and wailing, most of the ladies going in for C-section and I was sipping into my Old Monk. It was close to 11:00 pm the Doctor I was hoping was doing her final round so I could drink and sleep. I sipped my last drink and as I sat on the bed, I thought I sat on some water I must have mindless dropped while going to the loo. I stood up to check it out and I was dripping and soaking wet. That was it, all that I had imagined the screaming, wailing the pain and the blood was about to happen to me. People all over would meet me and tell me what their grandmothers must have told them that once you see the baby you will forget all the pain. I remember telling the Doctor that I have seen too much pain in my life and I can bear any more happening to me. By now she knew the tantrum I would throw at just seeing the injection, I would scream like as if I delivered an elephant. I would joke with her saying that I shall pay only for a painless delivery. As I was being wheeled into the labor room, I felt as if I was in my coffin and people around me were taking me to the grave. In these few moments I could remember all the things I was sorry and thankful for and if I had some more time I would do it personally before the gates closed on me.

Once the doors were shut, the operation theater looked like heaven, fumigated, spic and span. The attendants who received me in looked like masked angels; my Doctor looked like the Archangel and my husband looked like the angel who was going to fight my cause somewhere up there. I shut my eyes and hoping I was dreaming and out came the baby boy it was exactly 12:00 midnight. I still remember the light surrounding the two of them as she handed me the baby boy, it was so magnificent that none of the special effects could ever be created by man. The delivery process was absolutely natural, absolutely painless, and absolutely glorified. The baby boy free by all defects and healthy by all medical standards.

On my way back to my room they crossed my stretcher through children’s ward, for some reason that moment did not pass, it stood still. I saw a room full of babies in incubators, many of them on drips of saline and blood. Their hands and feet strapped with needles as big as their veins, tubes from the nose going into nowhere. Some of nurses were drawing blood and others were injecting the helpless bodies. Tiny heads being bandaged by nurses who ears are plugged as the babies crying painfully. Anxious parents lined outside the ward many of theirs heads drooping in tiredness, some talking in hushed voices about a baby who did not make it. A nurse handing out a lifeless bundle of momentary joy into the arms of mourning parents for the final rites.

As I slipped into a deep slumber with my gift, I remembered all the thirty five Christmas nights where many slept with Santa Claus putting something into the stocking or under the bed, but I had none. Tonight I have received the most beautiful gift of my life, all wrapped up, all real, Santa Claus was out of my mind and I was filled with the heavenly presence of God our father. Soon early morning all those who knew came, saw and left. My sister and my niece too came down to see the baby, and she came prepared with a name. I was to call my son Kabir and it sounded pretty cool than the one I had thought of. My mother-in-law suggested the name Shayan, if she had just added that motherly bit into my life; probably I would choose to name him so. Soon I paid in plastic the entire hospital bills in full and also paid in cash for the duster, cleaner, sweeper, and many people I did not see at all. I was glad to go back home.

Back home my hot seat wired to the desktop, internet, clients, and my laptop was my son. In my free time I would do research on various subjects but curiously wanted to know the meanings Kabir and Shayan. I googled my way typing the word Kabir and it meant magnificent or great, and when I keyed in the name Shayan meaning deserving or worthy. So we decided go public with this name Kabir. In all this I can just imagine a neatly packed parcel labeled from the sender who is Almighty to me a mindless drunken monk who had more alcohol in my body than blood, well delivered! Three cheers, to getting high on my gift, my alcohol bottles were replaced by milk bottles from the moment I received my gift. I was alcohol free, no urges, no cravings, no shivering, and no withdrawal symptoms, I just did not feel like drinking any more.

Kabir is now five going on six, his wisdom is much too much for the size of brains. He surely does not like sitting in for all the prayer meetings, but he is the first to love and serve everybody. He has mastered the art of living, loving and teaching his father. He calls himself the man of the house and makes sure he takes care of all the mess he has created. The only word he can read from the Bible is God, and in seeking the word God he has flipped all the pages of the Bible from Genesis to Revelations innumerable times. He right now sitting on my lap as I am rhythmically keying in all the words, he is reading out each and every alphabet. He is also knows the meaning of blogging. Since he does many things by himself and does not need to cling to me always. I spend time with the Bible which I was gifted and autographed by Liny Pappu on the 5th September 2008, exactly five years after I had burnt the first book. Kabir was born on the 24th September 2003. By the way on that day I recieved not just one Bible but two Bibles, the other one was autographed by Pastor Pappu for my husband, a DOUBLE PORTION from the Lord.

IOU (A PROMISSORY PRAYER)
Lord, I promise you right now that I bring into my life the word of God back; from now on the word of God will be my priority. In my thoughts words and deeds, I shall bring forth the word of God and spread the good news to all whom I come across. Lord I come into an agreement that from now on the good news will be a practicing priority, the word of God will be the heart of our lives in thinking, living and giving. We pray that your power will rest on us mightily by the rewards of salvation and work on our strength on earth as it is in heaven. Lord we remember your first blessing to mankind, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” Lord bless us too mightily, bless our homes and fill it with salvation. Bless our children with salvation and protection. With your blood shed for our salvation and with your grace we shall prosper in what you have given us. We believe in your promise to seek kingdom of God first and all is planned will be added to us, Lord do not forsake us, but forgive us so that we may receive the abundance of your promise and live to fulfill the promise we make to you today. I ask this in the name of the Lord. Amen

GOD CHOOSES, MAN OPPOSES

Caption: FINDING MOSES
Hymn: What a mighty God we serve
Reference: Exodus 21
Importance: Across to deliverance
Story: Modern Moses
Testimony: Roman Protestant
Yes, I want to see, feel and hear Christ in everything I see, feel and hear. I am now not looking for goals, responses, landmarks or to impress anybody, but I am sincerely seeking the Lord in everything I do. If you look at the beginning of every alphabet that goes in giving me a format of my writings and put them together and you will find CHRIST written in all capitals. God is good and His ways are not mysterious to me any more as a seeker but a revelation of His mighty plans unfolding. By now I am so convinced that when Moses and his people were graced by a cloud, the same God is still making modern day Moses and is still gracing us today.
From Darkness To Light:Ex 10:23
No one could see anyone else or leave his place for three days. Yet all the Israelites had light in the places where they lived.
The Financial crack is just deepening, the economic meltdown is even reflecting in the begging bowl. The stock markets are down. Hallelulia, to those who are truly blessed and saved from the financial plagues and are looking for better business opportunities. The promises of the Lord has not changed for any one of us even today. Amidst all the Global crisis the Light is still recieved in homes unaffected by what's going on in the outside world. When many less fortunate may ask us just as they asked Moses, "What is his name?" God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." This was about two thousand years ago when the Lord called, "Moses, Moses", today the Lord is calling each one of us by our names, and is telling us, "I AM WHO I AM." And as I have promised to bring you out of misery to a land flowing with milk and honey.
When we left Gurgaon, we paid our last visit to Pastor Pappu Thilak and family. He prayed over us and I still crisply remember his last words to us that if he could only spend some more time with us, he would release us like a pair of doves, he prayed for us and then we left. We left with all our belongings in a truck and since we were not sure of safety of the belongings in the truck, we sat in the truck along with the driver.
While we slept through the entire over night journey, Pastor Thilak and his wife Liny were restless all through the night, they could not imagine us traveling the entire journey in a goods truck along with the kids. I and the kids were fast asleep; I thought my husband must have been awake to keep a watch on the driver, and since he was to begin his first day of work that day, I asked if he got a chance to take a nap. To my amazement he told me that he too was fast asleep and he had no clue if the driver was sleeping or not. The moment it was close to dawn we touched our destination, and we halted the truck, at that very moment we received a call from Liny asking us if we were safe. Believe you me that was one of the most pleasant journeys we ever had. If I really get a chance to meet that truck driver again to find out if he too was taking a nap along with us.
We kept in touch with Pastor and his family over the phone and via emails and every Friday we would plan to visit them in Gurgaon, but kept postponing as the journey back will be too tiring. After a few months of working we managed to buy a luxury car, and we wanted to drive back to Gurgaon to meet Pastor and his family, but another overnight journey, just even thinking of it we postpone it again.
In February, we got a call from PastorThilak that he was coming over along with his family and brother sometime in March. He requested if we could have the Prayer Meeting at out house and then they would attend Church and leave immediately. We were very excited and starting counting the days of his arrival, since event planning has still not left my system. I wanted to plan the best ever event I have ever done in my life. So I started designing cards, I researched the Bible for some impressive quotes, fine tuned my designing skills, whilst getting more creative with my abilities in wanting to make it look different and exciting since the Church we are attending needed an awakening.
We got to know that the Pastor of the Church Mr B T John had expired recently; his wife had gone abroad to be with her children and so the elders of the Church were now the care takers. Every meeting we had with the Church, we felt more burdened, some messages given by the elders were terribly misleading, some went way above the head. I remember telling one of elders is that we need to feel lighter after coming to church but he gracefully ignored my request. I could not discuss this heavy feeling with my husband who had just accepted Jesus Christ as his savior, but I tried my best to keep encouraging his efforts in at least visiting the Church and to ignore what he can’t accept and to work on his new found strength.
We informed all the elders about Pastor Thilak's arrival, and they were also overjoyed with his coming and they started asking me more about Pastor and his brother. Finally I called Liny and asked her which of the brothers is Pastor coming with and while she was telling me the story, I was shaking from within.
Pushpan Thilak is one of the eldest brothers of the Thilak family and he was also the first in the family, neighborhood, in the village and in the city to accept Jesus Christ. He is now living abroad with his wife who is Finnish, and his children are all grown up and he is also a gifted speaker invited by many Churches. Pushpan was baptized in the Church we are visiting by Mr B T John the founder member of the Church, and will be in India and one of his visits is to pay his respects.
Something within me was telling that this is God’s plan for me. When I studied the book of Exodus, it makes me think of Pastor Thilak as today's Moses, Pushpan as Aaron and of course we are His people. For me Gurgaon was my final choice, but we moved out from there. It was in Gurgaon that materialistically was the biggest hole in my pocket, but meeting Pastor Pappu spiritually fulfilling. The meeting with Pastor Pappu and family was not just accidental, miraculous. Our moving out was a part of Gods plan and not ours. Our plans to give Pastor Pappu and family a surprise visit, not so surprising never worked out. Finally this brother Pushpan whom out of the blue had been baptized from the same Church that we are visiting is just a yardstick away from my new house, will be soon visiting us. And last but not the least Pastor Pappu is the youngest of the Thilak family and was encouraged by Pushpan his elder brother into the faith have now finalized their plans to come over is not just coincidental.
This time I will be a witnessing the biggest event of my life as my husband has been contemplating his baptism versus Pushpan a man who was baptized almost half a century ago come face to face and Pastor Pappu who continues to endure in the Holy Spirit all under one roof. None of us have made these plans as it is not possible for each of us to come together at any given point of time.
My creativity is now captured in the form of invitational cards and inside it I added a few more pages of Pastor Pappu’s testimony. I have just realized that I am no great event planner, probably the worst planner but when the Almighty calls all things fall into place, for God is the greatest event planner. I dont have to worry any more if I am sequencely right or biblically correct, but I surely do know that I will be significantly right because I believe that the Lord helps me to speak and will teach me what to say. God is still sending modern day Moses and Aarons empowering them with His words to reach out to people like who are threatened by circumstancial plagues to a land flowing with milk and honey.
Praise be to our Lord for His love endures forever!!