In Jeremiah 1:5 God tells Jeremiah "Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations".

So God had planned my life even before I was birthed on this earth or into the family chosen.  Well for me I was born into an Brahmin family.  An intelligent lot, who carried out their rituals with great fervour.  But then God chose to take my mom away from this mortal world.  The little I know of her, is what I heard from family.  She was an M.Sc Psychology topper, a computer topper etc.  In all a very fine person and would agree to that looking at her sisters and brother.  Very loving people.  My dad was at that time in the Indian Airforce, where transfers were inevitable.  So after running all over to try to put us in a residential school, we were two sisters and were aged around 3 and 4.  So no one was willing to take care of such young kids.  Finally Sr. Concelia, an Italian nun at the St. Ann's Convent Secunderabad agreed to take us in.  This began our exposure to a new world, to a new belief.  We were awed by the Catholic discipline and prayers.  Hostel was fun and so was school life.  Soon I finished my 10th and had to leave the place I considered home.  So left for Chennai and since there was about a six month gap in the school admission, was admitted to Cultural Academy in Santhome - again nun but of a different order, where we learnt cooking, sewing etc.  I was the youngest there, but thoroughly enjoyed my brief time there.

It was time for admissions and of course my dad tried in both Sarva Vidyalaya in Chennai and Bain School in Chennai I got admission in both - but in Sarva Vidyalaya I got the Commerce stream, whereas in Bain School, Kilpauk I got the MBiPC stream (of course I preferred the MBiPC)  I just loved Chemistry.

So began another two years of hostel life.  Did well both in Sports and Studies.  But this was the turning point.  I was seeking God and through an incident, was asked to fast by a Brother who prayed for us.  For the first time in my life, I fasted for 3 days and felt great.  But then when I told the Principal  Miss Moses (who has now left this mortal world), I wanted to become a Christian, she said without my Dad's permission she could not do anything.

So wrote to my dad and told him this is what I feel and needed his permission.  He was fine and said that I would not be able to go to my relatives place and I responded that it was fine with me.

I was then baptized and became a Christian when I was in the 2nd year of my 10+2.  I was all excited and bold in the Lord but did not have any strong foundation.  Then passed out with good results and joined Pudupet School of Commerce again in the Hostel.  It was fun as usual here but studies were tough and once got the hang of it, did well and had competition with other classmates.  Then got a job and had to shift to a working women's hostel.

It was while working here got a proposal from Hyderabad.  My dad and my God mother were fine and so I was also fine and got married to Louis Rodrigues and came to Hyderabad.  Not knowing what my future holds and what was in store was quite nervous and full of fear.

Well things went on with ups and downs  and my husband would tell me I pray our first child is a daughter - at least she will know how to take care of the house and then gave birth to my first child a daughter (of course today she takes very good care of her house - Louis prayer answered) and between work and taking care of family, things were getting tough.  So quit work to take care of my daughter and then after a few years gave birth to a son.  Life was busy - daughter's studies and son's care.  Daughter first studied in MCEME School and later my son also joined the same school.  After UKG my daughter moved to St. Ann's Bolarum and then both moved to Bhega's High School.

It was at this time, my husband started facing health issues due to his smoking and drinking.  He was admitted for a lung issue and then later in 2000 for cirrhosis of liver.  Then the doctor said he will not live for more than 6 months.  It was tough for me to tell my kids then 13 and 9 about this.  But I would sit with my daughter and explain the situation to her.  She understood and guess she is a gift from God to me.

Finally my husband left this mortal world, and my world shrank, with two kids, did not know much what to do, the job I had also was gone.

But here God worked and brought me into an Organization that even today I call family - HSS.  The love, care and support shown to my kids and me changed me completely.  I grew strong in the Lord and gave me the foundation in my Christian life I was seeking.  There was no turning back.  God was my all - my strength, my help, my provider etc.

The Lee's are amazing people.  My MIL - Lalitha Lee was a strong tower of support to me.  I could go to her with any problem and come back strengthened and refreshed.

My son chose to follow his own way in search of his identity, little realizing the sorrow and pain he was giving to his family.  He got involved in the wrong stuff and never came home for days.  During this time.  The Lee's and Emmanuel's were a real pillar of support to me.  And of course God to him I cried out each day and depended on.

It was a terrible struggle, with their college fee, their badminton expenses, hardly food in the house to feed them.  But through it all God was faithful.  Have seen it all - time of no food on the table and times of plenty of food.  Time of lack in all aspects and times of plenty in all aspects.

Finally Cynthia finished her degree did well and joined an MNC.  Then she went on to complete here MBA and was truly happy that she valued and completed her education.

It was now time for her to fly away into the home of her beloved.  She got married and left to lead a life with her husband.  A vacuum at home but God was with me even through this.  My MIL and Airy would call and enquire if I was fine and all okay.

I was then to leave the house I loved and treasure to move to another place in the city itself.  I had mixed emotions but had to take the stand and moved to live in Trimulgherry.  Got strong prayer support from my neighbours Duke and Evan and grew to lead a life of prayer.

We had to move out from this place too and my son and myself search out various houses and settled on one in Bachupally.  We were to go on the following Saturday and finalize it.  While I was praying that day, something was telling me about looking at other locations, so I asked my son what if we tried Manikonda and he was mighty happy and said fine.  It was to Manikonda that we moved.

I believe that God speaks to us through dreams too.  He has been speaking to me through various dreams over the years, and many of them have come to pass.  Today without a doubt I can say that my kids are who they are because of God's hand upon them.  I have seen God performing amazing miracles in my life and am grateful to him always.  Am grateful to God for HSS and for friends their who stood by me during those super tough days and helped me turn to God and keep my eyes fixed on him rather than the problem.  Who taught to spend time reading the Word and being strengthened by it.

Eventually my Son too got married.... am grateful to God for my SIL and DIL.... how God worked and brought the right person to be my son's life partner.

In all these years one thing was constant - the love and faithfulness of God.  When I look back at my life I can now surely see the hand of God... (though not then - especially the tough times)

My daily prayer is that God would guide my step each day and lead me into doing what He has planned for me during my short stay in this mortal world, we call earth

Definitely not easy when God calls you

Let's look at Jeremiah

God called Jeremiah to be a prophet.  In fact the first few verses of Jeremiah, clearly show that he was set apart even before he was formed in the womb.

But the call God had for him was different.  God said he would put words in Jeremiah's mouth.(encouraging and awesome - he didn't have to worry what he would speak)  He was appointed to stand up against nations and kingdoms (tough task isn't it?) he was called to build & plant and destroy and overthrow - hmmmm.... contrasts.

Through visions God showed him what he was about to do to the nation of Judah.

Let's take a step back and see what the situation was like - Jeremiah served as a prophet to Judah from 627 BC until the Exile in 586 BC

The Society was deteriorating economically, politically and spiritually.  Wars and captivity dominated the world scene.  No one wanted to listen to God's Word - it was being rejected.

What was Jeremiah's message - Repentance from sin would postpone Judah's coming judgment at the hands of Babylon.

Jeremiah ministered under 5 kings.  It was his call to take the message to the kings and warn them of the impending doom.   Imagine if you had to tell the Prime Minister of your country to surrender to the neighboring country as that is what is good for him.  One, you would need courage to go and say that to the PM of the country.  2  There would be a terrible backlash and you would be thought of as some one who is off his/her mind or hand in glove with the other nation.

That's how difficult Jeremiah's task was.  He underwent humiliation, insult etc in carrying out the instructions God had for the nation of Judah.  People were after his life.  He had no other go but would cry out to the Lord.  He continued to do what the God had called him to do - faithfully.

If God were to call you and me to do the task that was given to Jeremiah in today's world, would we be willing to do so.  Would we be will to risk our all to save our people, our nation.  Would we boldly proclaim what God has put in our mouth to share with not just the people, but the people in authority, the people heading our country, our state.

Our life here is just a journey... we are called for a greater purpose establishing the Kingdom of God on Earth.

Many have been martyred in this process of standing and proclaiming the call of God on their lives.  But can we still hold on to our faith and remain strong in the midst of chaos.

A God who cares for You and Me

Just finished the books of Genesis and Exodus.  Both these books speak to us and show us God’s power  and Character, who He is. 

Sometimes I wonder, Jacob was already settled in the promised land, why then did he leave it and go to Egypt?  Did He not Trust that the God who brought Him to Canaan would be his Jehovah Jireh even in the midst of famine that had struck the nation?  Is it for the fulfillment of the prophecy given to Abraham that, they had to move to Egypt?  What would have happened if Jacob continued to stay in Canaan?  Joseph could have still sent the provisions for his family.  In the event of that happening, maybe Moses would not have been the deliverer, we would not have the amazing, awesome miracle of the parting of the Red Sea.

The people that God was dealing with were people like you and me – Abraham who inspite of God’s promised became impatient and begat Ishmael, told lies to save his skin instead of trusting God.  Jacob a deceiver, a man who did not realize that Leah was God’s choice of life partner for him and not Rachel.  Moses who murdered an Egyptian in a fit of rage, on seeing injustice being done to the Hebrew people.  The Israelites, who were rescued from Slavery by God, still grumbled in the wilderness, this inspite of them being witness of the mighty deliverance from slavery.

Don’t we relate to this?  I too like the Israelites do grumble.  I learnt through all this that I need to look at what God has done in my life and be grateful, trust Him to take me forward, trust Him to give me the strength to handle whatever situation / circumstance I am in.  If He put me in it, He will help me to overcome it and give me the strength to handle it.

Moses was a leader whom the Israelites obeyed and respected cause they saw the glory of God around him.  On the other hand Aaron could not live upto those standards he gave in to the Israelites and was part of them in making the golden calf.  What type of leaders are we - do we have the conviction and passion like Moses or are we like Aaron frightened what people would think.  Are we God pleasers or people pleasers.

Do we wait on the Lord - for guidance, to hear from Him, to read His Word and draw into an intimate relationship with Him.  I am still working in those areas.  But I would definitely want to be a Moses and not an Aaron, but if God has called me to be an Aaron, I would definitely not want to be a people pleaser

Being comfortable in your Skin

This morning I was reading a story about the frog. The cold blooded amphibian was put into a cauldron of water which was being slowly heated. The frog adjusted to the temperature of the water and slowly died as the water reached boiling point.

This got me thinking.. we are God's vessels put on this earth to fulfill a purpose and we can fulfill this purpose by the way we live - talk and leave imprints on the lives of people who see us. Do we get so used to the temperature / standards of this world, that we forget the standards set by the Word of God on how we should conduct our lives. We then end up dying in sin. Our souls slowly wither away and drift from the ways of the Lord, just like the frog adjusting to the temperature of the water.

What we need to do is to stand up and stand out to make a difference. We need to move out, jump out and stand for the principles / standards set by God for our lives on this earth.

Am I a thermostat or a thermometer?? I pray that God would always keep me so alert that I would be willing to turn back, to jump out, to stand out and make an impact, leave an imprint on at least one life on this earth.

Getting out of our Comfort Zone

We think that life becomes good or gr8 once we accept Christ. But guess that's when we are tried and tested. God removes us from our Comfort zone. He puts us in places where we are uncomfortable, we need to do things which we feel we are incompetent or not comfortable in doing. Are we willing to move out of our Comfort zone so that God can really and truly work in us and through us.

We all want God to do gr8 things in our lives. But how can we expect or see God do gr8 things in our life if we are not allowing God to push us out of our comfort zone. Even Christ was not comfortable when He had to God to the cross.. but He did it because it was the will of His Father... He did it so that you and I would have been saved once and for all... He did it so that we could have eternal life... we could have a living, loving, real relationship with God. We can go to God as we are... when we give our lives to Christ... we must be ready to move out of our comfort zone. Even in the Bible we find that those who were with Jesus were shaken out of the comfort zone. The blind man was healed and he was able to see... but at the same time he was shaken out of his comfort zone.

That is why Christ tell us not to be lukewarm... we become lukewarm, when we are comfortable where we are. There is no age, no time, no gender for God to use a person. But when God wants to use us are we ready? or do we give excuses of family, commitments, etc in which we are more comfortable.

Let us today think about what we are doing for Christ? How has my life changed since Christ came into my life? Have I been a blessing to many? What am I doing by being a Christian? How is my life different from my non christian brothers? Think about this and make that jump into where God is leading you and me, so that we can make a difference in this world... may be not something gr8 but surely something significant even if it is a single life.

Azim Premji at IIT Delhi's convocation ceremony

Excerpts from the address by Azim Premji at IIT Delhi's convocation ceremony. Source Rediff

The funny thing about life is that you realise the value of something only when it begins to leave you. As my hair turned from black, to salt and pepper and finally salt without the pepper, I have begun to realise the enthusiasm and excitement of youth. At the same time, I have begun to truly appreciate some of the lessons I have learnt along the way. As you embark on your careers, I would like to share them with you. I am hoping that you will find them as useful as I have.

The world you are entering is in many ways very different now from what it was when I began my career. It was the late sixties and India still depended on other countries for something as basic as food. We aroused sympathy, not admiration whenever we went overseas. Recently, someone told me, that when visitors came to India then, they came to see what they could do for India. Now, they come to see what India can do for them. As a hopeful Indian, I look at our country as one which is rich in ethnic and cultural diversity and one that has an effective, secular democracy which will help us build an enduring society.

Lesson 1: Take charge
This was the first thought that came to me, when over four decades ago, I stepped into Wipro factory at Amalner. I was 21 and had spent the last few years in Stanford University Engineering School at California. Many people advised me to take up a nice, cushy job rather than face the challenges of running a hydrogenated oil business. Looking back, I am glad I decided to take charge instead. Essentially, leadership begins from within. It is a small voice that tells you where to go when you feel lost. If you believe in that voice, you believe in yourself. When it comes to choosing your careers, you have to take charge of your own destiny.

Lesson 2: Earn your happiness
The second lesson I have learnt is that a rupee earned is of far more value than five found. In fact, what is gifted or inherited follows the old rule of come easy, go easy. I guess we only know the value of what we have if we have struggled to earn it.

Lesson 3: Nothing succeeds like failure
The third lesson I have learnt is no one bats a hundred every time. Life has many challenges. You win some and lose some. You must enjoy winning. But do not let it go to the head. The moment it does, you are already on your way to failure. And if you do encounter failure along the way, treat it as an equally natural phenomenon. The important thing is, when you lose, do not lose the lesson.

Lesson 4: Nothing fails like success
The fourth lesson I have learnt is the importance of humility. There is a thin line of difference between confidence and arrogance. Confident people are always open to learn. A recent survey of executives in Europe showed that the single most important quality needed for leadership success was the willingness to learn from any situation. Arrogance on the other hand stops learning. It comes with a feeling that one knows all that needs to be known and has done all that needs to be done.

Lesson 5: There has to be a better way
Partly as a corollary to what I have just said, we must remember that no matter how well we do something there has to be a better way! Excellence is not a destination but a journey. Creativity and innovation sometimes need inspiration from other disciplines. It is probably not a chance that Einstein's interest in music was as much as his interest in Physics. Bertrand Russell was as much a mathematician as a philosopher. Excellence and creativity go hand in hand.

Lesson 6: Respond, not react
There is a world of difference between the two and in terms of success and failure. The difference is that the mind comes in between responding and reacting. When we respond, we evaluate with a calm mind and do whatever is most appropriate. We are in control of our actions. When we react, we are still doing what the other person wants us to do.

Lesson 7: Remain physically active
It is easy to take health for granted when you are young. I have found that exercise not only improves the quality of time but also reduces the time you need for sleep. The truth is that stress will only increase in a global world. You must have your own mechanism to deal with it.

Lesson 8: Never compromise on your core values
Mahatma Gandhiji often said that you must open the windows of your mind, but you must not be swept off your feet by the breeze. One must define what you stand for. This is not difficult. But values lie, not in the words used to describe them, as much as in the simple acts. And that is the hard part. Like someone said, "I could not hear what you said because what you did was coming out far too loud".

Lesson 9: Play to win
Playing to win brings out the best in us and in our teams. It brings out the desire to stretch, to achieve that which seems beyond our grasp. However, it is not about winning at any cost. It is not about winning every time. It is not about winning at the expense of others. It is about innovating all the time. It is a continuous endeavour to do better than last time.

Lesson 10: Give back to society
All of us have a collective social responsibility towards doing our bit to address them. Of all the challenges, the key to me is education. We have a paradoxical situation, where on the one hand we have jobs chasing scarce talent and on the other, rampant unemployment and poverty. The only way to bridge these two ends of the pole is by providing quality education that is accessible by all.

Homosexuality

Its surprising that the Delhi high court has made homosexuality legal. All religions speak against it. The Bible clearly condemns homosexuality both in the Old and New Testament. Paul is very strong in views on this when he write to the Church in Corinth.

Are we as a nation going to be doomed.... quite a few countries are adopting this stand. The times of Sodom and Gomorrah saw the destruction come heavily on them for these sins. Guess we are bringing the wrath of God upon us. As Christians what is the stand we take on this...... it is a pity though that the Church in US has legalized gay marriages.