We just got my parents boarded on to the flight back to India, as their two month long vacation zipped past by, at the blink of an eye! By God’s pure grace and mercies they were in good health
and we had a blessed time together!

I wanted to pen a few words down about my Mom, Dad and my salvation story! Hope this would encourage and build us all up.

From a very young age, I remember my Mom took care of pretty much everything home related – our school work, education, discipline, moral character – Pretty much everything at home was handled by Mom mainly because Dad was just too busy to handle any of this. Mom was a home maker. And she made her home well.

And if I said her prayers were the prime reason for my salvation, I would not be exaggerating one bit. She spent hours together on her knees praying for my salvation.

During the night hours, I would feel something wet on my feet, and I would wake up to find that those were her tear drops on my feet. She would weep and pray for me to be saved. She prayed non-stop ( bombarded heavens doors ) until she had her breakthrough. She said that at the end of two years, God finally told her. “She is saved.”

Shortly after that, I surrendered my life to Christ. I was no longer a name sake Christian. I meant it with every cell in my being when I said, “Lord, going forward, not my will, but yours be done.”

God was working in my heart all along those years when my mother kept praying. The beauty of it was when I was saved, I was in Bangalore and mummy was in Chennai praying. I can never forget the sermon which finally moved the needle in my heart, preached by my Pastor Rev Johnson Varghese at Bethel church in Bangalore that Sunday. This was in 2006.

It seems like yesterday! Fresh in my memory. My pastor said, “When God as the potter turns the wheel to create a beautiful piece of pottery, sometimes the pot may cry in pain… it hurts and hurts… at every turn it may hurt… but never forget that when you submit into the hands of the Potter, the Pot is still gathering a beautiful shape. Trust him even if it hurts.”

Yesterday, my Mom prayed before we left the house… she prayed with much tears… “swami, ullathin aazhathilurundhu karthar seidha nanmailgalukka nandri ayya… Nandri.” I couldn’t agree more!

While Mom was a bold and determined personality, Dad on the other hand was always gentle, always smiling and always saw everything with a positive attitude. Deep down he trusted in his God who always works out everything together for our good.

I can never forget about 8-10 years ago I called my Dad with a very bad report. I was on the phone just crying… just crying! Daddy said, “Var, don’t ever forget that our God is a God who raised people from the dead. Be bold. Be strong. God will do wonders.” The words he spoke changed my perspective. Even today, his voice is always encouraging… I have NEVER heard him complain no matter how bad the circumstance.

Daddy was a baritone soloist in his younger days and I have always wanted to do a song together with him. This time when he came home, we made it happen! “Because he lives” is a song that we all love to sing and I’m sure it is true for all of you, just as much as it is true to our family!

“Because he lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because he lives, all fear is gone…
Because I know, he holds the future,
Life is worth the living, just because he lives!”

• Written by Bill and Gloria Gaither.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

If you may not know Jesus as your personal Savior and friend, just keep this in the corner of your mind! Jesus loves you so very much that he took all your sins upon himself and died a cruel death on the Cross on your behalf and mine. If you could just believe…. JUST BELIEVE in your heart that he died for your sins, you and I can have life eternal with him.

Do sing along and Worship your maker to whom belongs all glory, honor and praise! Let the song of the redeemed rise up high!

Blessed week ahead!