Shilpa's blog - Everything we go through is a part of GOD's master plan
My blog is about the difficult situations we all go through. We do not realize, it is a part of GOD's BIG plan.We see the temporary, but not the permanent.GOD's HAND throughout my life inspires me to write this blog.HIS mercies have been new every morning.Living every a second is a miracle,and living it happily is GOD's blessing.GOD has something greater in store for all of us.
In HIS time,HE makes all things beautiful.Ecclesiastes 3:11
It's 5th March 2022, the 10th day of the Russian invasion. You are devastated, yet not fallen. You are injured, yet you are resilient. Your cities are burning, yet you are walking through the fire. You are braving the cold, but it has never sunk in deeper than the skin unlike the enemy. You are almost losing your home, yet you do not give up. The world is predicting this war, the enemy's victory. They say it is a fight between David and Goliath. But remember, David won the war and Goliath fell. He had his courage, whatever small weapons he had in His hand, and His trust in the Lord. My dear Ukraine, politics may not be on your side. But the people of this world are with you. The world is praying for you. The world is rooting for you. Above all, The Lord your God is on your side. Your battle is won! Take courage my fellow world-mate. Rise up from the ashes and fight along with your children. Protect your beautiful home so we can all visit you someday soon.
It was the morning after Christmas and the year was 2004. The eastern half of the world had just had a massive earthquake that measured a 9.4 on the Richter scale. And all I felt was being thrown up in the air from my bed constantly for ten minutes straight at 6:30 AM this Sunday early morning. We all ran down from the fourth floor within minutes to find the whole neighborhood down there waiting for us. We were looking and waiting for the building to come crashing down on us for we had nowhere else to run. Ten minutes had passed. Twenty minutes went by and nothing happened. Thinking we were out of danger we went back to our routine unaware of what was to come.
Two hours later at 8:30 AM a bunch of friends and I were so excited about what had happened earlier. This was not our first time to experience an earthquake in Chennai. Every time it had happened, we would always hope that our schools would declare a holiday. It had never been fatal in our region. It had never gone beyond just that earthquake and a few tremors. But this time, nature had a different plan.
The epicenter of the earthquake was off the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia right under the sea. The ripple effect of this had caused a tsunami within minutes on the coasts of Indonesia and had set off towards Eastern India, Sri Lanka and Andamans. A Tsunami? What is that? None of us knew what a tsunami was until that fateful day. We were not aware of such a thing as an under the sea earthquake, tectonic plates or nothing of that sort. All we heard while were catching up with each other that morning was wailing and crying, clanging of vessels and the sound of the waves as always since we lived only ten minutes from the beach. Soon we saw a group of people running helter skelter, while another group walked further into the beach wondering what had just happened. The first wave had done its damage and pulled thousands of people into the sea. This second group of people, out of curiosity walked towards the water wondering what had happened to those who were washed away only to be engulfed by the second wave that came just 15 minutes later at a height of 30 feet. Millions had died that Sunday, homes were broken, families were washed away as a whole, livelihoods were lost and what not. What we were seeing was indescribable. Something that will forever be etched in our minds.
A week had passed and we the survivors of this beautiful city wanted to do something to help. We reached out to 5 fishing villages across our coast and began our work with them. Over the next month we worked with them to rehabilitate them. Building new thatched roof homes, continuing classes for their children, teaching them music and dance, cooking food for them and with them and much more. Our four weeks with them was coming to an end. One afternoon we asked the children to draw anything that comes to their minds. We were not shocked to see that every single child drew a picture of the tsunami and what they had lost because of that. But in the midst of this was a handsome, blue eyed, ten year old boy called Mahesh.
Mahesh had lost both his parents to the tsunami. He was hearing and speech impaired, and with all this loss that he had experienced he said he wants to take us somewhere special. He took us to what used to be his father’s Catamaran, fishing boat and took us for a ride deep into the Bay of Bengal. He signed to us that’s where his parents are and that he will continue his father’s legacy of being a fisherman. He said that the sea did not scare him. Because life did not scare him anymore.
You asked me to write my favorite memory and I know that what I have written might not sound like a “happy” memory. But this memory stands out for me always because in the middle of that sea that took his parents, that little boy Mahesh taught me that the value of life is not determined by what we do with our lives but by how we live it. Those few moments I felt empowered by him is and always will be my most favorite memory of all. For that memory has started a ripple effect in me that continues till date. It helps me live life with no fear and helps me to take things head on.
Have you ever wondered why bad things happen to us? Why we always end up getting hurt, despite trying be good human beings? What did I do wrong? Man.. that’s a million dollar question.. I have….a gazillionnnn times….. Asking myself these questions over and over again till my head starts to pain , brain goes sore along with my crocodile tears that can fill the ocean by now. I am sure most of you have gone through similar struggles, still going through perhaps. I do not know what you are going through right now, or how you feel about it, but meee…… I am happy.... sooooo happy that I have never felt so peaceful all my life, by GOD’s grace alone. You know why? Today I thank GOD for every single problem I have had, because without them…. I would not be where I am right now.
I know many of my friends and relatives who are hurt right now. May be you were cheated, or betrayed in love or friendship or even marriage. May be you expected something but didn’t get it , which was a huge blow. May be you are nowhere close to where you dreamt you would be. May be you are feeling lonely. May be you hate your job. There are so many other may be’s that I cannot actually make a list here because it would be too long. But GUYS!!!, remember no matter what your going through this minute, no matter the situation and surrounding, GOD loves you, JESUS loves you. You wanna know how I say this? Because I, was exactly where you are. I was so hurt that I decided I did not want a life, a present, a future. I just wanted to sit still, stare into blank space and cry myself to death and it would have almost come true too.
Today GOD showed me something beautiful, that I want to share with you. I was just sitting outside in my garden staring at my beautiful plants, thinking of my past. I felt tears roll down my cheeks without my knowledge as I relived those moments that shattered my life over and over again. The people whom I had trusted, the things I had expected, the heartaches and heart breaks. But as I did that I remembered, that AFTER EVERY PROBLEM I HAD FACED IN LIFE, GOD JUST DIDN’T STOP WITH HELPING ME RECOVER, HE MADE ME GO A STEP HIGHER. And trust me; this has happened every single time I faced a problem.
“Weeping my stay for the night, but joy comes in the morning – Psalm 30:5”
I had hit rock bottom every single time, but GOD made me rise higher and higher, above everything else.
So friends, don’t give up!
“GOD has plans to prosper you and not to harm you, HE has an AWESOME hope and a future for you – Jeremiah 29:11”
I don’t know how I could have missed this happening over and over again in my life. Me goofing up things and messing my life, GOD comes and picks me from the miry clay, puts me on the rock to stay – on higher ground.
May be I will face bigger troubles in the future. But two things are assured.
1. No matter where I am, what’s going on in my life, GOD is going to come and save me. Because HE NEVER gives up on me, NEVER HAS and NEVER WILL.
2. GOD will raise me further, to the next higher ground because with HIM I will always soar on wings like eagles.
The same goes to you also. Have faith in our LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST, the one who gave up HIS life for you on the cross is not going to let you fall, HE is not going to let you go.
Do not get disheartened by what is happening around you, for GOD has great plans in store for you.
Cling on to HIM, TRUST in HIM and Depend ONLY on HIM.
Thank GOD for problems, because here comes your victories, in CHRIST JESUS.
“People kill to live in such an area” I had heard. 1.3 kms away from the sea, “Hmmmm I was lucky” I said. Or that was what I thought until that happened. North eastern Japan , the land of the rising sun had sunk into the sea. A booming economy, ultramodern technology, earthquake resistant structures, destroyed by mother nature.
A beautiful afternoon, a normal day, people at work and children at play, but nature had its own different play. Earthquakes are common, tremors every day , volcanoes all around but still they stand brave, ready to face things that come their way. And so it came the first quake , a highest 9 on the Richter scale. Glasses broken, skyscrapers moving, offices shaken and the earth’s tectonic plate had shifted base. In a few minutes the exterior was completely shattered , but what was beneath had a different story to tell.
And so the wave started moving from its epicenter, like a lion waiting to devour its prey. Giving the brave people of Japan just 6 minutes to prepare themselves. What would we have done if we had a 6 minutes to plan our lives? To change our lives? To save our lives? Police cars were all over the coast warning the people to move to higher ground. Some moved , some didn’t, some stood and watched. The first wave hit the coast at a height of 24ft (4 times the height of a normal 6 footer). The water gushing in moved everything, right from the widest flyovers scraping through the fields to the tallest buildings down to debris. A death toll rising every day, a 60 yr old man’s survival by holding on to the roof of his house,a bunch of 6 yr olds without their loved ones. A booming economy, ultra modern technology , earthquake resistant structures, none of which could help them.
Nothing else that we have been watching on TV other than the news , but what do we see? What do I see? I see myself , a coward. Unlike the Japanese who fight the fear of earthquakes and death every day, I would have died of fear in the first place. I see the people of Japan fighting nature back with their strong nature and “CAN DO ANYTHING” attitude, whereas I have a “CANT DO” attitude. I see the country of Japan facing something as bad as the world war II but still stand so tall than anybody else in the whole wide world. I see Japan having 275 aftershocks, volcano eruption, nuclear explosion , cornered from all end calling out to me for help. And me, I sit here in front of the computer, fighting my emotions just to know how to save them.
I know at this point, there are millions out there who feel exactly the same way as I do. And I know we would all have one question in mind. “Why should such things happen?”. The truth is I do not know the answer to it. But I do know this. That GOD has left you and me in this world alive for a reason, for a purpose. The purpose can be very small, like to say a small little prayer for Japan, or even a big one that can not only change the lives around us but the whole world. So you are not lucky to be alive but only “Blessed” by HIS grace and mercy, for HIS purpose.
In 2004, Chennai saw the repercussions of a huge earthquake whose epicenter was at Sumatra. And for the kind of strong tremors we felt, If GOD willed , we all could have been long gone just like our people at Japan. The same sea, the same tsunami, the same cause. Why? What if the epicenter was so close to Chennai like it was to Sendai? Where would Chennai be? But we live, still live a full life, a blessed life. Having the luxuries of a computer, the internet reading a blog or facebook chat. Under a roof, warm temperature, clothes to wear, food to eat. But is that what a blessed life is? Just having everything you want in life? The LORD created the whole universe, the whole world, all the countries , all the people. Then why is HE so mindful of you that you are alive , reading this page this moment? Just so you can enjoy all HIS blessings? Yes. And the answer is NO as well… GOD does not want us to just receive blessings but to be a blessing to someone today. To close our eyes and pray for one person in Japan today. To do something for a person suffering next door. To feel compassion for the children of Somalia. To fight for women suffering for their rights. To fulfill one purpose for which you were created, every single day you live. To pray a prayer for one second, for one person, one day
To my fellow humans created by my Heavenly Father going through struggles all over the world,
I do not know you. I do not know what you are going through. I see you. I see your in pain. This second I pray that GOD be with you and grant you the peace that passeth all understanding. Turn to HIM, and HE will make you strong to face life’s earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, and every single problem. May I be a blessing to you today, so you can be a blessing to someone else tomorrow. BLESS AND BE BLESSED. In CHRIST’s name.
A year Older and yet so young Born on the 11th of January 1963,yet another beautiful creation.A precious third daughter to her parents.Full of life,very bright, absolutely colorful and as energetic as she can be.She grew up to be this tall,slim, very beautiful woman with poise and elegance.She was the apple of her father's eye,but now it was time to let her go.She married a handsome young man.Her dreams had finally come true.A life she had always looked forward to.The perfect husband,perfect house,beautiful little girl just like her and one more on the way. But things had to change.Completely shook her up. Overnight,She went on to become the woman of the house.But she accepted the role with grace and embraced it.she taught her children that,Not her confidence,nor her strength,or education,but her faith in her HEAVENLY FATHER made her well.She gave up all the luxuries in the world so her daughters can have them all.She gave up all her desires to give her daughters can fulfil theirs.She gave up her food when they were hungry.She took a government bus so she can give her princesses the luxuries of an auto. She never bought a single saree for herself for years so her daughters can dress the way the want.She went through all the pains in life, right from their birth,at the end to gain nothing for herself out of it.She taught them GOD.She taught them HIS love.She disciplined them.She taught them problems and made sure they fought them in real life.She moulded them to be the one,GOD wanted them to be. She made them a winner just like her.This beautiful angel is my mother, my GUARDIAN angel. Today she turns a year older. Happy birthday ma. I love u:-)
People call me dark. I say I am fearfully and wonderfully made. They say i am fat. I say my GOD supplies all my needs according to HIS riches and glory. They say i can never take life seriously. I say I have cast all my burdens upon HIM for HE careth for me. They say i have an attitude. I say A thousand may fall at my side, ten thousand on my right hand, but it shall not approach me. They say i am very clear in what i want. I say My LORD leadeth me by HIS right hand. They say I am very lucky. I say my Father is the creator of the Whole universe. Whatever people say about me, good or bad, its the LORD'S doing. When people say good about me i see how MY HEAVENLY FATHER has changed me. When they speak bad of me, i see what MY HEAVENLY FATHER wants me to be. I am thankful to GOD for what i am today and everything I will be. All glory, laud and honor to HIM.
What is man that YOU are mindful of him,
the son of man that YOU care for him?
Psalm 8: 4
What am I that GOD is mindful of me? Why me? I am a sinner of the worst category.
16th January 2008, 10:30 AM:
Day 2 : My parents and sister were driving back from Bangalore to Chennai while they met with a major accident. A head on collision with a Tamil Nadu state transport bus. All three were injured. The doors were stuck and were unable to move out. My dad had fainted immediately and my mom feared something had happened to him. My dad is highly diabetic and also has BP that made him to faint. My sister who was sleeping at the back, suffered severe injuries on her head and also fractured her spinal cord (D4 bone of the spinal cord). The public never came for help but were busy discussing thinking all in the car were dead. By GOD’s grace, the accident took place right outside the Motorola factory at Sri Perambadur who were the only ones to help them. They rushed my family to the nearest JayaHospital in their ambulance and gave them first aid.
I was 45 Km away from them, when my mother calls me at 10: 45 AM in the morning. I hear her scream on the phone “Chinnu, there has been a major accident, appa is down and minnu cannot walk”. My mind went blank. All I kept saying was “What? What? What? ”. My Stephen Peripa (uncle) was with me at the time and I told him. I just couldn’t talk further. He spoke to my mom and asked a few more details and hung up. An hour passed by and we still had not reached the place. I kept calling my mom through out but she wouldn’t answer. I kept crying thinking on the pain they should be going through, not knowing what was happening to them, the worst of all, fearing I would become an orphan. I finally reached JayaHospital around 12 noon.
I ran into the small hospital and found my mom and dad in the emergency ward. My strong dad who would never hurt a soul, the softest person I had ever known was lying down with bandages all over his head. His favorite new kurta and pyjamas from Fab India, fully torn and blood all over. My mom was seated on the other bed again in torn clothes, hand scraped and I saw the nurses take glass pieces out of her. I gave them both a big hug missing them for a life time in those 2 hours. I found my sister in the X ray room with blood flowing out of her head and for the first time in all these years I had seen my sister cry like a baby. I am the older one at home, 7 years older than my younger sister. She is more mature, more pain tolerant, most pampered the youngest and brightest in the family and has never cried for anything in her life. Minchu, as we all call her had a spinal cord fracture. They shaved a small part of her head and stapled the skin on her skull to stop the bleeding. We then took her to Bharath Scans with better facilities for a scan after which all three of them were shifted to a bigger hospital for further treatment. I had my dad admitted in one room, my mom and sister in the other. My dad by then was ok, they had his BP and sugar under control. His forehead was scraped with glass and had a minor rib fracture. My mom had fractured her thumb and the flesh in the thumb had also been scraped out and she had glass pieces that had pierced throughout her body. These glass pieces were so tiny that they were unable to find where and how many pieces were there. The doctor said that these glass pieces will push itself out on its own. Weeks, months and years have passed by since the accident, and my mom pulls out glass pieces even now. The last one she pulled out was 15th September 2010. She also suffered a minor rib fracture like my dad. My sister had fractured the D4 bone of her spinal cord. The doctor assigned for my sister never turned up on Day 1, but after raising a complaint we were told that he had seen the reports and prescribed medicines without personal examination. But GOD again sent the right doctor at the right time.
Day 2: Through our family doctor – Dr. Gopinath (Gop mama) we contacted Dr. George Thomas an ortho specialist for my sister. I remember crying the whole night beside my sister , fearing she would be paralyzed. My mom and I laid hands on her and prayed, we cried our hearts out to GOD that night. The next day Dr George walked in and was very friendly. We felt so comfortable with him. He also said that it was a compression fracture of the D4 bone, meaning the bone was compressed but did not break. He also gave us the assurance that nothing like we feared is going to happen and asked her to walk slowly from that day itself. He also looked after my mom and dads rib fractures with utmost care.
Day 3: My family got discharged and my family WALKED OUT of the hospital. My mom and dad with their fractures even my sister with her spine fractured walked out of the hospital slowly till the car.
A lot of things could have happened in those 3 days. At the most, I could have become an orphan. But GOD did not let that happen. I used to question GOD asking HIM “Why me?” that I should go through all these hardships, these emotions in life. It did take a few months for me to ask the same question again. But now I ask “Why me?” “Why Lord?, Why have YOU chosen me and given me such a blessing?, Such a miracle in my life?”.
1. We took my peripa’s Getz for the trip. If we had taken our Omni I definitely would not have seen my parents alive as the bonnet of the Getz took all the effect
2. The accident happened right outside a place where they would get immediate help. If it had happened just ten minutes earlier, they would have been stuck in a deserted national highway. The Motorola employees who had taken them for first aid had packed all our things and left it neatly at the hospital. They had not missed the CD collection too.
3. My dad was not wearing his seatbelt, he did hit the steering wheel but nothing happened to his heart. If his rib fracture had been more serious, it could have pierced his heart with a 0% chance for survival. This same applies in my mom’s condition too.
4. My mom survived because she wore her seatbelt. Her side of the car went fully under the bus and if she had not had her seatbelt on, she would have been thrown out of the car under the bus.
5. My sister could have had a deeper fracture in her spine, a deeper cut through her skull. But she didn’t.
6. GOD made sure I had the right people with me at that time. My Stephen Peripa and my Benny Peripa especially. They were truly my BIG DADDIES…
7. GOD also sent the right doctors – especially Dr George who gave the right treatment at the right time.
8. GOD enabled all three of them to walk out of the hospital in their own two legs, with no wheel chair or any other help.
15th January 2008 was my parents wedding anniversary. In our family prayer that day , my dad who never talks much said he received a promise from GOD.
“Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand” Psalm 73:23.
Our GOD is a promise keeping GOD. GOD did as HE had promised. I now write victoriously “I am a sinner but GOD has made me a Winner”
I Don't Know Why Jesus Loved Me
I Don't Know Why He Cared
I Don't Know Why He Sacrificed His Life
Oh, But I'm Glad, So Glad He Did
I am not a good writer or an orator. But I write this Blog because my GOD has been so good to me beyond my imaginations, beyond my dreams. This is my testament.
