In my previous post i had mentioned about my situation of needing to travel to India but been put in situation where the date for Visa stamping is way beyond what i had thought initially. As always, God's way of working or thought is different than what we as people think. God has opened me a door through which i was able to travel to India and got my visa stamped without any issues. Praise the Lord. On the day when i wrote my previous blog, i had sent email to internal Immigration team to check if their is a way i can come out of this long delayed in getting visa date. On the next day, I received answer that i am eligible for Visa interview and can go through drop box. Praise God, i did not expect my prayer would be answered so quick, but God does when needed.

I was relaxed now and had booked my tickets to India without any further delay. I still haven't initiated next step for processing for dropbox. This was first time, i was made eligible for dropbox, even though i had travelled to India i was not. Its by God's grace only this was made possible. After a week I started working on filling in the forms internal to company for initiating the visa process. I came to last page of the form and their was button that would check for eligibility for dropbox. I was so confident it would say I am eligible as i got confirmation from immigration team. But you know it happened totally opposite and it popped up saying I am not eligible. I thought something i did not fill in correct so i checked again and clicked the button again, no use, i got the same response. I sat totally tensed without knowing what to do now. I had already booked my tickets to India and informed everyone both my family and work place that I am traveling to India. for few minutes i sat without doing anything and prayed. Would this be a testing of my faith in the Lord? If so, then i will not doubt or loose my faith i will still stood on the same point that God will make a way.

I sent an email to Immigration that night, prayed and slept. Next day early morning, i got up little late and it become already late for my morning meeting. So i had to rush to office immediate after getting ready. I started my laptop and went for the meeting. In my heart, the question was keeping on running about visa and i was telling to my self, God will take care. Immediate after my meeting, i came and logged into my office laptop and opened up email. I was searching for their response and found it at last..

Their response was, their is some system issue which is the reason why I am getting this message not eligible and asked me to proceed further and the case manager will take care of. Wow....Praise the Lord!!! After then my mind was relaxed and went for coffee... :)

How great is our God...

Today, my wife(Evangeline) is pregnant for second time. We are expecting the baby delivery around August 1st week in 2016. My visa extension just got approved with in 2 weeks of applying while many of colleagues are still waiting for visa extension to be approved for months. How great is our God, Lord Jesus Christ!

Now, having the delivery date around in one month, news are around that visa stamping earliest we can get is after 12-14 weeks. It seems to be difficult or impossible for me to travel in August at this moment. My hope is only you Lord! Siutation seems to be impossible all around, but I have faith in my Lord Jesus who make a way where their is no way...Hallelujah!!!

With this hope, I am waiting for you Lord who is Alive and always care for those who trust Him and follow Him! Let your will be done here on this earth Lord!

I will soon write my next blog with praise point.

Power of Prayer

Its been years I have posted anything on my blog, I apologize for it. God has done so many wonderful things above and beyond my imagination and its time to share it with you all.

It all started with my sister marriage. I was staying in US at Bentonville at this time. My parents came to know about my sister's faith in Christ. It was really a rough ride for my sister, really rough. I was so much worried that I was not with her during this time of trial to support her in person. When my parents told they are looking for an alliance in Hindu family, I really did not know what to do other than crying in my heart. My sister was so faithful during this time and she stood for her faith. We several time rejected some of the alliance telling some reasons. But how long we can keep on reject?
At one time, my parents chosen an alliance and proceeded with it. I asked my spiritual people help in this, not knowing what to do. My sister life was in danger. All I got back is "We will pray". In my heart I was just asking, "Just Pray?". Is that really enough? My sister is in danger and was questioning myself how come just praying would solve this problem? We have to do something, but not sure what and how. It showed how much really I know the power of prayer at that time. When I tried to talk them about this all it ended up with many problems and only my sister was getting affected by this.

The alliance came and visited home. They saw my sister and both side(parents) were happy and agreed to proceed. I really lost my hope at this time. My sister she was so strong in her faith and told my Mom that God will stop this. I felt ashamed why I did not have that faith. I told some miracle has to happen in order to stop this and was trying to convince her that might be this person will accept Christ in future and so don't worry. She stood strong in her faith that God will stop this. I really did not know what to say.

My father was proceeding in marriage preparation and wanted to book a place for marriage. My spiritual people were praying hard for her. I want to mention few of them, Molly and Merry aunty from Florida. At this time Merry aunty was in India and she contacted my sister frequently and encouraged her. I thank God for blessing my family with such loving people. Also, my Indian fellowship and Catalyst Church here at Bentonville was praying for her. Merry aunty shared this prayer point and had asked many people to pray for my sister. Many prayers were going on for my sister.

One day during this marriage preparation my dad was talking to the alliance dad and he felt not good in his heart. He came home and said we are not proceeding with this alliance. My sister felt so happy she message me in my midnight that the marriage has stopped. I was so much surprised and couldn't not believe it. God has stopped this alliance through my dad itself. "Oh My God!" I did not have any words to describe that moment of time. I really did not think it is possible to stop through my dad without we telling him to do so. I know if I tell this will end up in more problems. All who prayed for this situation was so happy that God has answered our prayer. Praise the Lord!!

Will continue in my next blog what happened after that and how God has lead us.. All Glory to our Lord Jesus alone!

You shall not steal

One of the commandment in the Bible says "You shall not steal".
When we look from higher level this commandment looks very simple and easy to follow. But in reality, every one of us break this commandment even without knowing that we are breaking this commandment.

This is an internet world, most us use the internet extensively for entertainment like watching movies, listening to videos or music.  People who use internet should be knowing about You tube. This has made a revolution in watching the videos over internet. Their are so many websites which allows us to watch movies freely.

It was a pleasant evening, myself and a brother who follow Christ where traveling in car to his house. On the way he stopped in Blockbuster store and got "The Earth Stood Still" movie DVD for rent. Once we got into the car, I said "I have watched this movie over internet freely ya".
I was telling him thinking that something I did great.

I continued to watch movies online. I took water baptism after few months (their is a reason why I mention this here, will let you soon). One day, one thought struck me, why that brother did not watch movies on internet freely even though he knows its out their?

What would be the reason?

God's work in my life

Before me sharing how I came to Christ, I have to tell my complete life for you to understand it much clear.

I was from a middle class Hindu family stayed in Chennai, India. We are four in our family, my father was working in a private company, my mom was house wife, my brother and myself. I was around 3-4 years old child at that time. My brother should be 9-10 years old. I hardly remember my late brother's face and those days. We all where living in a newly built house by my father built.

My brother passed away(due to cancer) at his childhood age without even had time to enjoy like us in this world. Every parents who love their child will know how much pain it would be to see their own child dying in-front of their eyes helplessly. Same way my mom was and she was mentally disturbed by this. Before this sorrow pass away, their was another storm stricken my family. We where asked to leave the house as government planned to expand the road.
My mom health got more worse because of this. She was put in a stage that she is almost lost her control and got more affected in her mind. My dad took her to several doctor and nothing worked, finally we went a doctor who gave treatment to my mom for several years. This treatment reduce her mental pressure but not completely. My mom has to take the tablets and go for regular treatment to keep her in control. That is really a terrible one. Most of the time my mom wont take tablets, and she will start to shout or sometime fight with my dad. My dad is really great, he never divorce or left my mom for this. He took much care for her and spent really huge amount for her treatment with the belief that she will one day become normal and we will live a peaceful life.

Because of this, most of the time at home their will be some fight even went to extreme cases which i have seen in my eyes. Those things really affected my life and I had a fearful life all these days. I lost the love and peace in my childhood itself. I cant blame my parents because its nature which made them like that. I should say, my family itself lost the peace and love.

We had relatives for name sake. They all are for money and come only if they need something(money) from us. Even my mom's parents did not come to see or take care of her you know? Have you heard of this any where? Both relatives from my father and mom other side are money oriented. Even if we try to have relationship with them, they always ignore us, sometime put us down.

I literally will say that i don't have relatives at all. I am so much frustrated, even relative are like this. My Mom and Dad are so good, they live together for us only. They sacrificed everything for me. But they tried to have peace in our house but couldn't.

I am always a silent guy in the class( even now..) and don't interact with anyone. I just go to the school and come home with no joy in my heart. I had so much pressure from my parents to study, so i did not have the school days fun also. I hardly had one or tow friends in school days. I am child who believe everything what i hear at that time. I don't like people who tell lies. I had a friend, Ashok Samson. He is my only friend in school days, do you believe?. I got chance of going to his house for school related stuff and found how peaceful their home was. My heart for longing such a kind of peace in my home also. During that time, i noted Jesus photo in his house. That was the first impression I got on the christian life.

Remember I was studying in Christian school where we used to have daily prayers. But nothing went in my heart or mind. I did it just for name sake. I did not get any impression on christian because of going to Christian school. People here used to think wrongly that if any person got converted to Christian and if that person had studied in Christian school, they first say

"He/She has studied in Christian School that's why he/she got converted."

That is because of their ignorance to know the truth and assume everything on their own. Their no truth in this, not everyone follow Christ because he/she studied in Christian school.

Also one more thing I wish to share here is, at school we where given a free new testament Bible. Believe me I just saw what the book is and never studied that Bible those days.Why I am saying all this is, I did not come to Christ because i studied in Christian School.

Ok coming back, My first impression at my friend house made me to think how their life alone is so peace and when our life will be like that. I had went to Hindu temples with my parents and prayed lot lot. Nothing changed in my life, other than me wasting time going their.

During this period of unhappy life, God gifted me a wonderful loving sister. Yes she born in 1987, I would say it was my first happiest moment in my life. Yes, I showed my full love and affection and care to her so that she doesn't miss the one which I missed in my life. I loved her so much than me. When i return to home from school, I was so happy now because I am going to see my sister. This gave me a refreshment in my life and I slowly started to study.

Still my life did not get the peace which i needed. One day, a thought came in my mind, who is true God. We have Hindu gods, Muslim god, Christian God and so many in this world. Who is true God? Whom we have to worship? This is not an easy question for which we can find answer in a day or months or years. I started to do prayer without knowing who the true God is. I used have all gods in my prayer, seeking to know who the true God is. I continued my prayer daily and it went few months like this. I noticed their is some change happening in my family. Ok I see some response for my prayers. But through which God this change is happening? I questioned lot myself, with no one guidance. I worshiped Hindu god for long years I didn't see this change that time. So I removed Hindu god from my prayers. I didn't know about other gods, but I have seen Jesus photo in my friend house. Is this then a true God who is changing my life here?
I decided to worship Jesus alone and see If i am still seeing any change in my life. I continued my prayers daily worshiping Jesus alone. My God, I was still seeing the peace slowly coming into my family.

If I am not worshiping true God, this change would haven't happen or continued. I clearly see the peace in my life, I clearly see the difference. My parents doesn't know about my prayers. Actually I don't know how to pray but I prayed truly in my heart to HIM. Remember I still did not read Bible, All I did i started to believe HIM and continued to pray.

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled". Matthew 5:6

My career of school and college went normally. I did continued to pray daily and meanwhile I stopped worshiping other gods. Days went like this and by God's grace I got a job in small but very nice company. I initially thought why God has placed me here but the reason I come to know only later after years.

As like everyone I saw everything in a small picture but HE has a big plan for me which only after several years I come to know and admire how HE works beautifully in my life. We generally don't look much deep or care about good things that happens in our life and think that they are normal thing happening.

My life at my first company was going good. Though many people started to move to new company, I did not. But their was a situation came that I was asked to move to Bangalore Office. I did not like to move for the same salary package as the cost of living at Bangalore is high compared to Chennai. But still I had a confusion what should I have to do in this situation. I prayed to Lord to give me a new job in Chennai if it is HIS wish. I started to search for Job and went to few interviews. Their was a walk-in was conducted by Cognizant at that time. I just attended it and got selected. I thought it is a normal thing and nothing to surprise in it.

Their was a shock waiting when I joined the company. Yes, after joining the company I understood that I was given a lower role in that company. This made me upset, but I believed their should be some reason why Lord has placed me here. I believed and continued to work very hard. It was sometime around Christmas time, a surprise mail came to me stating H1B visa was initiated for me. Usually the H1B visa will not be processed so easily in this company. Around 10 people in my account the H1B visa was initiated. That year the quota for the H1B visa was got fulled on the first day itself. I then heard that they are going to do slot to select the visa for selection. When i heard it, I was sad and had a kind of fear in my mind, the reason is till that time I never had anything happened in luck in my life, I am an unlucky guy.

Days went by and I did not look into the visa status. After several days, I got an email stating that my visa application was selected in the slot. Wow...is this a luck? or is it God's work?
I really did not know at that time, but I thanked God for HIS blessing. Some days later one of project mate came and wished me for my visa get selected in the slot and said that only my visa was got selected out of the 10 which has been applied in that account. I definitely don't think this was by luck I got this through. My confident on HIM increased more each time when I feel HIS work. But till now only the application has been selected for the process, so I still had fear that it might get rejected in the interview.

One day I was working late night in office working for one of the internal project competition, during that time I was just having conversation with my project mate. I shared my wish that I am working very hard to get the promotion in the coming cycle. You know what he said,

"You are working good only but don't expect promotion and all, you can expect good salary hike but not promotion".

When I hear this from him, I knew it is satan work trying to put me down my faith in HIM. So I said to myself in heart,

"Lord I don't believe others, I believe in You. You will definitely provide me what I need. I will not loose my confident in You for this and all. I leave this to You, You take care of this.".

Their are several people in that account waiting for promotion, but I had faith on my work and in HIM. Nothing is impossible for HIM.

The interview date for visa came and I went to the US immigration office. I was so much tense on that day, and my interview got delayed because the previous batch was not completed. It was around evening 4-5PM I had my interview and Praise God, they approved my visa petition. I should say that was one of the happiest moment in my life after my sister birth. I went to home and shared this news with my sister, she also felt so happy. I opened the email to inform my manager about my visa and one more surprise was waiting for me. Guess, what it will be? Yes, I got an email from my Senior Manager wishing on my promotion. Oh My God! this is not an usual thing, this is not also a luck, this did not happen by chance. Every one would have got promoted or got visa approved, but not all on the same day right? Yes I am sure that HE is working in my life. HE has heard my prayers and blessed me for having confident in HIM.

My confident in HIM increased more and more all seeing all HIS work in my life. After few days, I was deputed to Pune for 2 weeks. After I returned from Pune, I met my senior Manager, and she informed me that they are going to recommend me for onsite in the new project. I was so happy hearing that. I went for training to banglore for the new project. And I was working still in Chennai and heard nothing about onsite travel. One day, my manager called me and informed me to share my resume for some other project. He said this new project is getting delayed so they are trying to put me in some other onsite project. I said ok and continued to prepare for the interviews. They proposed my resume for one of the onsite role and had an interview with the client. I did not perform well as that was the first time I am speaking with US people. I could not understand their question properly but managed to answer.

Client was not happy with my interview and I was not selected. I was feeling so bad after that, I was technically good but I could not clear the interview. They tried in several other onsite project but my resume was not suitable for the requirements. So i was still searching for the onsite project for months. I felt so desperate that i thought of dropping onsite searching and will work in offshore project itself. I got released from the account and I myself was searching for the onsite work. I really felt very sad when i see my project mate got the onsite job and went and I am still could not make it.

Several opportunity came and passed by for several reasons but not because I did not perform the interview well. One day my old manager came to me and said I am having an interview in the old project for the onsite lead role. By God's grace I got selected in that project and I came to tampa, US in March 2008. I felt very happy that I came to US for two reason, one is Christian country and another is to earn money. I searched for a Church which is walkable distance as i don't know to drive a car. I found "Life Point Church" near by and started to go to the service every Sunday. This was the first time I am going to church on regular service day. In India, I went few times on Christmas time. I loved the service and enjoyed everything.

It was recession time, serval companies filled bankruptcy. I earlier mentioned that my manager promised me to send to onsite to one project right and i was not stopped to get into that project. Do you know which client it was? It is Lehman Brothers. Yes one of the company which filled bankruptcy. If at all I was not stopped at that time, I would have return back to India soon. That was the time the onsite jobs where cutted and many people returned back to India. Praise God! HE protected me from this and had a big plan for me here in Tampa.

"A thousand may fall at your side,
And ten thousand at your right hand;
But it shall not come near you."
- Psalm 91:7

One Sunday Service day, the pastor was telling something that GOd will connect people to right one something like that. After the service i was having the cookies which was served in the Church. One respectable old lady named Merry came to me and started to have conversation. She invited me to their church and I accepted and gave my details. After me reaching home the pastor preach stricked my mind. I couldn't believe it, HE has sent this blessed Aunty to take to me their church. I felt very happy and started to attend their church service.

I will say, I have never seen such good loving people in my life. Every one in the church treated me with love. I mentioned earlier I had no relatives, now God has provided me so loving people in my life. Oh my God! How great your work is.

I started to read bible now and hear christian songs. I loved much to hear the songs in English, not sure why. My spiritual life was growing more and during my service I got answers for my questions immediately. Yes, during the service I used to pray and ask the answer for it, i couldn't believe myself, I got the answer for it immediately through the message pastor gave that day service. It was exactly the answer for me, none i told what i prayed but I got the answer correctly. I initially thought that was a coincidence, but it happen in same way several time.
Definitely then it was not a coincidence, I feel that HE is listening to my prayer and answering me.

Then pastor talked to me one day that Holy Spirit asked him to talk to me about taking Baptism, I said I wished to take now but i wanted to take along with my sister. He asked me to pray and talk to sister and If i wish will arrange for baptism. I spoke with my sister she felt very happy and asked me to take baptism. I informed My Pastor Abraham about it and he arranged me for it. Praise the LORD! On February 2009, I got baptized.

HE is true God, just believe in HIM and follow HIS words.

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you."
- Matthew 7:7

My First Note

When ever we experience or do something for the first time, we feel something different and exited. Something we do immediately when our mind says, some take really a long time to get mind and heart to do it.

Yes, this is my first blog or note which initially I did not find interested to do so. But most of the time I thought of writing note to share my thoughts and keep a note of happenings in my life. I am really exited and wish to keep it going. I am not an expert in writings so please bare with my writings. Whatever I write in my blogs will only be the truth to my knowledge.

Will soon publish my next blog in coming days.