I got TB and I thank God for it, cos it could be worse

I never thought there would be a day that I would actually thank God for contacting TB but that is just what happened. After a major surgery I kept getting infection and pus formation around my navel repeatedly. Pus formations as huge as a tennis ball. Despite aggressive antibiotics treatment they would just refuse to subside. And I was getting treated at AIIMS. Finally after days of pain they would slowly come to the surface and would have to be cut and the pus drained out. Even as I was still getting dressing done for the cut and before it closed completely another one would form. I got four such pus formations drained out, twice under general anesthasia since the infections were so deep. I underwent numerous tests, sonographies and blood tests. Also some tests were extremely painful but it took over a year before the pus was tested for TB and it was detected in March 2011. Then we started the treatment and now after suffering for months, one major and four minor operations I am on my way to recovery. So I thank God that I contacted a disease like TB which is curable. Its a disease where the medicines are affordable and the treatment long but simple. I thank God that now I can hope for a better future despite having months of suffering and joblessness. I thank God for always being with me, teaching me to walk in the knowledge that all things happen for good. Teaching me patience, perseverance and empathy. So am I out of it? Far from it, but I am definitely on my way to recovery and health. I am also back on my feet ready to earn a living. But thank God for sustaining me for so long in a city like New Delhi for over 18 months without a proper job or part time jobs. Because He is great, gracious and always at your side. I thank God for also teaching my two daughters that God was always supporting us. They got through difficult times nursing me and helping me. They also learnt to live without many things that others had but they learnt to do without. I learnt that God answers our prayer, just not always the way you want Him to, but then He is God and you cannot tell Him to do something the way you want Him to. You can pray for something but be ready to expect the unexpected.

Complicated Surgery: God's Awesome hand all the way

Complicated Surgery: Crash course in God’s Love

This one I must begin at the beginning but the fact that I am writing about my weakest moment which actually turned out to be my strongest one, shows that I am doing fine. It was a crash course in knowing God’s awesome love for me. Now I do not remember the pain, the three months of trouble, all that is a vague memory. What I remember is how God taught me so much about his character and how he fulfilled his promise made to all of us actually….. “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Recently I underwent a complicated surgery to remove a gastric band (it’s a band tied to the stomach surgically which reduces your stomach size and therefore reduced your consumption so one loses weight, or so the theory goes…because it did not work for me.) I had this surgery seven years ago in Ahmedabad. I was actually the first one to have a gastric band installed in my stomach at the first ever obesity surgeon’s conference in India held in Ahmedabad in 2003. I got operated by an Italian doctor. My dad did tell me that I was being made a guinea pig but it was a free surgery and the band alone cost Rs 1.25 lakhs at that time so I thought it was a great opportunity.
To get back to the story, my gastric band eroded, meaning it cut into my stomach lining and caused a lot of abscess. I had inflammation in my stomach since December but the doctor I was seeing then was not able to detect what was wrong. I had a small operation in Ahmedabad by the Indian surgeon who was part of the team to install the gastric band 7 years ago but he only removed part of the band which was imbedded superficially which is called the port of the adjustable gastric band. He removed it through local anesthesia and left the wound open since there was infection. He said it would heal eventually. So we keep bandaging it for two months yet it did not close completely and oozed pus. Abigail, my elder daughter, was the one who did the dressing daily. I was consulting a surgeon in delhi who was known to the Ahmedabad doctor. He said the wound would heal.
Meanwhile another swelling I could detect deep inside my stomach near the wound. I showed that to the doctor but he said it was just edema and would eventually subside. Instead slowly that swelling erupted on the surface, very near the first wound. It was a very large boil with many heads. It was very painful. I couldn’t sleep on my sides. I could only sleep straight which also gave me a back ache. Again I showed the doctor and we decided to drain the pus in Fortis Jessa Ram. We decided to claim my medi-claim so though it was going to be done under local anesthesia the Hospital made a Rs 55,000 bill. But since it was a Saturday evening we were not able to get approval for the small surgery and I returned back home.
I was so disappointed and in lot of pain. I wondered what was God’s plan in this. But it was a blessing that the approval did not come on that day or else I would have been operated to drain the pus and the larger problem would have remained undetected. Maybe it would take another eruption of abscess before we could have figured out that there was a much larger problem inside. So one of the lessons I learnt was that sometimes God does not answer our prayers because he knows the truth. We can only ask him from the little knowledge we have of the situation but he has the whole picture.
Okay, so that was March 6. The doctor was going off for a wedding to Ludhania. He would only return on Tuesday evening. I returned back and just took some antibiotics to keep the abscess in control. Again this was also a blessing or God’s way of directing me to the right direction. On March 8, Women’s Day we (meaning members of the India Women’s Press Corps) went to Rastrapathi Bhavan for tea since the President had invited us. I talked to the press secretary of the President and asked her to recommend me at AIIMS so that I could get treatment swiftly. I knew that to just get an Out Patient Department card made at AIIMS people line up from the previous night. The press secretary talked to the director of AIIMS who asked me to come the next day, so on Tuesday, March 9th I went to AIIMS bypassing the long lines. I really feel sorry for all those sick people who come for treatment at AIIMS and have to wait for days to just see a junior doctor. I also had to wait but mostly hours outside the doctor’s room, not days.
The doctor looked at my stomach and immediately said I should get an upper abdomen endoscopy since it looked like a case of band erosion. That was the first time I heard about band erosion. I learnt that the band can cut inside the stomach lining and get really entangled inside. I went for the endoscopy and sure enough the band was visible from inside my stomach. So the doctor asked me to get a private room at the hospital so that he could operate me. I went for the room to the medical superintendent. The date given to me was April 28, almost a month and a half away. Again I went to the director and got a recommendation letter and was given March 19th as the date when I could get admitted. I informed the doctor; he told me they would operate on me on Monday or Tuesday so I got admitted a day later on Saturday, March 20th.
Let me tell you something here. I have been a journalist for a long time so I am used to being in a position of power, but these days I do not have a job so no power. I started a new media and communications company in November, did one assignment only and since December I was sick and unable to concentrate on work to a large extend or pitch for new projects, therefore I was practically jobless and without money. That is a real tough situation to be in especially if you live in a rented house with two children to support singly in a city like Delhi. I was praying about deliverance. I kept asking God that now I am weak and Paul says in 2 Corinthians 12: 10b. “for when I am weak, then I am strong.” I asked God now I am weak so when will I be strong or when will I feel strong.
Actually I was struggling with finances big time and paying bills and taking care of my wounds, I was just not prepared for a major operation. I just had no money of it. I was probably down to my last Rs 1000 with the rent and the car loan not paid, fees of both the girls not paid and many other things like my insurance, and an insurance which I took in Abigail’s name not paid, I was wondering where I would come up with the money. I told God that he has to do something. I did not take up a full time job as a journalist because I could have more time to serve him so I started a company but then I was waylaid with this infection in my stomach.
The bottom just fell off my world when I knew I would have to go in for a major operation…. I just went lower than where I was already and I had thought it couldn’t get any worse than this. But God was working all the time.
My mom was not able to come since she has just had a pace maker installed in her heart and would not be of help in Delhi. My younger sister who is very resourceful was eight months pregnant so that ruled her out, my brother was just recovering from a major illness so my mom sent my elder sister who is not so resourceful but can manage the house and take care of my younger daughter Sera. Mom told me not to worry about money. We even contemplated selling some of my gold. My brother sent me Rs 20,000 so I had some money to atleast get admitted to AIIMS. I estimated that I would need around Rs 35,000 but eventually we needed Rs 50,000. But family, friends and many totally unexpected sources gave or lent me money.
But the amazing part is not just finances, on the day of the surgery; I was totally calm, though I knew that it can be dangerous, getting operated in general anesthesia since I have hypothyroid and also high blood pressure. But all my parameters were normal. I learnt another verse first hand on the day of my operation, March 22, Phil 4: 7 “And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” When I went for the operation, I had a Christian friend with me, as Abigail (my elder daughter) had gone with Sera (My younger daughter). Sera had to appear for an entrance exam at Carmel Convent. My friend prayed with me. When I went inside, I did know I would live after the operation but I also knew that anything can go wrong in a surgery. Amazingly, I had the peace of God and I knew that if anything happened to me, God would take care of my daughters. So I went for the operation with a great peace of mind, no tension.
Just then my doctor, Sandeep Aggarwal came. I told him not to mess up my stomach with scars but he told me the greater worry for getting the band out which is a very complicated operation. He told me that they were lucky that they had an Australian doctor which them who was experienced in band surgeries and their removal and that he would be also helping them in the operation. So God was planning for me way ahead. How could I know I needed a more experienced Australian doctor for my surgery? I knew that Dr Aggarwal had done only two previous surgeries where the band had eroded. Before the anesthetist could knock me off, I told her I needed to pray so I prayed loudly and committed the whole team, the instruments, their hands, their wisdom and my body to God. At least some ten doctors including residents were present there. After the operation I was just fine, lots of pain but fine. Doctors told me I would be okay though the operation was complicated. They told me the operation would take about 45 minutes to an hour but it took three and a half hours.
I discovered what God was teaching me all along that He alone was enough. It was like He was saying to me, “I alone am enough… You do not need anyone. I learnt the meaning of another verse from Isaiah 49: 15, “Can a woman forget her nursing child. And have no compassion on the son of her womb. Even these may forge, but I will not forget you.” I used to wonder how a mother can forget her children. Being a single mother and spending all my time, effort and money on my children I used to wonder about this verse. But I learnt it firsthand during my surgery. My mother was not able to come but God was there for me. I had so many women from the Apostle’s Methodist Church come and support me that I am totally overwhelmed. I mean women from the church who I do not know so well came and did intimate tasks for me. They took me to the bathroom, helped me gargle my mouth and spit in a kidney tray which they had to throw away. They had to measure the urine for record…. Things I would not expect even some of my family members to do but they did it. I was overwhelmed that Jemila ( a lady from the church) came despite not having a car and a driver, she had to travel by two buses back to her house. Shreedevi (another church member) came when I was still not able to go to the bathroom on my own and Kamla Prabhakar (another church member) took leave from her government job. My dad was a government officer; I know that one does not take leave just to look after some person in the hospital who you do not even know well. Pastor’s wife Mrs. I C Singh also came and so did many others. Also Rina (another church member) for making such a wonderful chicken soup as such short notice. I found that though the women of my house, my mother and sister was not able to come, I found for the first time what it means to be a part of the family of God in AMC. I really want to thank the women of Apostle’s Methodist Church, some of my other friends and the pastors for visiting me and giving me confidence and all the other my friends and family praying for me.
After the operation I was not allowed to drink water for four days since they wanted to check whether there was any leakage in my stomach wherever they had stitched all the ruptures caused by the band. So after four days when Jemila was with me, we went for Gastrography test which showed that I had not leakage and that now I could drink water. Actually God was working every step of the way. First we did not get the date for the Gatrography test and it would have been done on Friday but God intervened and despite everyone saying it was not possible, the test was done on Thursday and from that day onwards I could drink sips of water…
When I couldn’t drink water, I learnt the meaning of another verse from Mathew 4: 4, “Man shall not live on bread alone but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” When I could not drink water and therefore was not able to talk due to the dryness in my mouth I thought of this verse and understood. Doctors would say I was on IVs so I was well able to survive without water but the dryness in my mouth was another thing altogether.
Despite all that God was doing I still showed little faith. I was scared when doctors did not come to find a new vein so that they could give me injectable medicines on the fifth day and I behaved rudely when all I needed to do was just ask God. Even on the day I was being discharged I thought since it was Sunday we would not have enough money to pay the final bills but we had enough money.
On top of it, my younger daughter Sera who performed badly in her entrance exams which she gave on the day I got operated was given admission in Carmel Convent despite her poor scores and we again had enough money to pay her fees. We paid two rents, the car loan, the insurance, fees of both the girls and all other bills. My sister told me that God sometimes had amazing ways to help us. I went through the surgery where I learnt so much about God and how much he cares for me. I knew that he is always in control, but I experienced in first hand in his very interesting ways of solving my problems. So now I am rid of the band, most of my debts are paid, I do have some new ones though to family members and I know God will be there to guide me in the future also.
My mom also had any amazing vision while she was praying for me during my surgery. She said she saw Jesus along with the doctors peering into my stomach when they were performing the operation. She said she saw that vision for one whole hour with her eyes open. From that time onwards she knew I would be fine and nothing could harm me. And I am fine. No post operative complications.

Salvation is a free gift from God, Receive it in your life

Salvation is a free gift from God, Receive it in your life

Acknowledge you are a sinner, acknowledge you need Jesus as Savior and Lord, Sincerely Repent of ur sins, Ask Jesus to come into your life and your heart, to wash you clean in HIS Precious Pure Holy Blood.

For the wages of sin is death, Jesus died for you in your place and God had raised Jesus from the dead, and thereby Jesus was victorious OVER death, and Jesus is Living today. Waiting for you with open arms, waiting for you to accept HIM as Savior and Lord, thats true. 100% true.

The ONLY sin that will be imputed unto any man is that why he DINT accept Jesus as Savior. Because Jesus paid for all the sins ALREADY. Salvation is a free gift from God, Recieve Jesus into your heart today.

question:-

which god came to earth to DIE for your sins in YOUR PLACE ??? ONLY JESUS did.

Greater love is that which would be ready to die for you, in your place,

HE loves even when you never deserved any of it, you are worthy of going to hell,

but HE loves you so much, that HE died in your place. You are precious to HIM, HE loves you NOT because you are lovely or loving but because HE is LOVING , HE IS LOVE HIMSELF, Love is the power that moved HIM from Heaven to darkness (earth) and to die for you. to show you the way to heaven to HIS Heavenly abode.

Recieve Jesus as Savior, become the citizen of heaven, have eternal life.

Jesus said, I am the Way the Truth and the Life

No one comes to God the Father other than THROUGH me.

Jesus is waiting for you with open arms. Recieve HIM today, why delay. tomorrow maybe too late. why would you delay on a free gift? Call upon Jesus today and HE WILL ANSWER YOU. FOR SURE.

so what should i do to attain salvation ?

say this– >

Jesus, i Acknowledge i am a sinner, i need you Jesus be my Savior & Lord, i Repent of my sins, Jesus come into my life, stay in my heart, Wash me clean in YOUR Precious Pure Holy Blood, Thank you Jesus for loving me, for dying in my place for my sins, Thank you for being my Savior. Thank you Jesus.

Salvation is a FREE Gift , you CANNOT buy it from anywhere !

Recieve the free gift of salvation from Jesus. HE bought it with HIS blood.

its all finished, just recieve the Free Gift of Salvation from Jesus. Today.

God LOVES you a lottttttttttttttttt.

Jesus LOVES you a lottttttttttttttt.

Zion: Towards A Better Life

Vision

I want to build a Christian conference centre situated in foothills of Himalayas in India so that it can be like a weekend getaway place where families, youth, men and women from Delhi and nearby places can come for a long weekend to spend some time with God.
This beautiful place is called the Switzerland of India. Situated close to the hill station Dalhousie, Khajjiar has been officially recongised as being similar to Switzerland by the ambassador of Switzerland. This picturesque small tourist spot is just a night’s train journey from Delhi and can be an ideal place for Christian families, youth and single men and women to come and spend time reflecting on the word of God. They can spend time reading the Bible and mediating on his Word. It will be a place where busy people from Delhi and other places nearby can come to spend a holiday where they can slow down and spend time listening to great preachers explain the Word of God.
The centre which will be called ‘Zion : Towards a better life’ and it will conduct short courses on Bible study and on important Christian principles and teachings. Weekend courses will be from Friday to Sunday so that working people can avail of this opportunity to remain connected to Jesus’ teachings and be emriched by keeping in touch with the Bible. The cost for availing of these weekend courses will be low to enable all people to be blessed by this Christian centre.
The centre will also run vocational training courses from Monday to Thursday for the local community so that the place can be used in the week days and can enrich the local hill community. The vocational courses will teach the local people skills which will enable them to earn a better living by making jams and pickles from the fruits grown in the orchards which are plenty in the area. They can be taught sewing, bamboo crafts for making baskets and other artifacts. Courses can be run which can teach the local communities of the hills especially their womenfolk, who are normally margalised. These skills can help them improve their economic status and can also empower them.
The vision I have for this centre began after I recently visited the area in May 2009 and was told about this piece of land, about three acres which the owner wanted to sell. I don’t know why he told me since I was there on a vacation with my sisters and our children and not looking to buy any land. But then I thought about the fact that I want to serve the Lord and I thought that this is God’s way of telling me something
This centre is my first attempt to build a place where Christians can go to build their faith and to take time out of their busy lives to spend time with God and with the Bible knowing him more to build a relationship with him.
Before going for this vacation in Dalhousie and Khajjiar, I looked for a place near Delhi where I could go for a few days for a short course but I was unable to find one. Most centres offered either 10 days or 15 days courses which I felt were not suitable for working people. These courses are not even suitable for students also except during vacation times. So I felt there was an acute need for a place where people can go to take some time out, like a weekend time where they can connect with God and can also take a short vacation which would rejuvenate them both spiritually and physically.
I am looking for people who are being led by God to make a contribution to this centre. I know God is with me on this, so now I am putting this on the net for God to lead the right people who are moved by the spirit to fund this centre. I have attached pictures along with this request so that you can see the land and how picturesque it is. May God enable us to build this centre soon so that Christians hungry for the Word and those who are stressed out can be enriched and strengthen.

You can reach me at sonalkellogg@gmail.com. My name is, as you can guess, Sonal Kellogg. I am a journalist who have just given up being a full time journalist to do what Jesus is leading me to do. I live in Delhi and am 46 years old and a single mother of two daughters.

GOD the FATHER

It always amazes me that some people seem to understand God so well. It seemed to me they have understood his love, his kindness, his grace and mercy. Yet they also understood his anger and his justice.
So what was I missing, I wondered. This was a question I posed to myself. I too wanted to know God and to be able to understand him in as much as a mere mortal can understand God.
One day it struck me while reading the Word of God….. that God is our father…..Something that I had read so many times in the Bible, yet some how its full meaning just passed me by. Now you might wonder what is so great about that. This is known to every Christian. But on that day I understood that in a whole new way.
As a parent I know that how much ever I might want good things for my children, I cannot make it all happen without them also wanting to do it. I cannot go and study for my children and get great marks. I cannot keep out of trouble for them and though I can see the pitfalls and want my children to avoid it, I can’t do it for them. They have to do it for themselves. They have to take their decision and face the consequences for their actions, both good and bad.
That is when I understood why God will not stop me from doing something wrong because he had given us a free will and though he does not want us to get hurt by the mistakes we make, he is not going to stand in the way of our free will.
So he can feel sad when we go our own way just as when Jesus felt sorry for the rich young man who was not able to give up his wealth to follow Jesus, but Jesus did not stop the young man. He will though keep waiting for you to return when you are broken and weary like the father who waited for his prodigal son.
Now whenever I cannot fathom God and his ways, I think of what I would do or think as a parent or what my parents would do or think and in a small way I understand God and his relationship with us. I understand why my parents could not stop my little hurts when I fell down and I understand how God though he wants to prevent every hurt in our lives, he still will not come in the way of our free will.
But there are always signs__ signs which tell us which way to go. Often we either brush aside the signs or just don’t want to know the Will of God.
So now I feel I understand God just a little bit better, though we as human beings with our limited minds and limited perspectives do not have the capacity to understand God who is infinite. I have an interesting simile, man trying to understand God is just like an ant trying to understand man and his ways. Though we do have an advantage, we were created in the image of God, unlike the ant, which is so much different from a human being.
But whenever I am at a loss to understand God’s ways, I try to understand him as a father and though I can’t see the whole sense of it in the beginning, I remind myself that he wants the best for me. After all it is written, “All things happen for good to them who love the Lord.” So I believe even when things are difficult to fathom and when the going is tough that God is my father and he wants what is good for me, even though I cannot see it just yet.
I also remember Jesus’ promise, “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light”, so I know that even in difficult times it is still easier than under any other circumstances. Why then is it so difficult to trust in God and give our lives to God, ever thought about that? And why do so many people despite knowing the message of Christ still find it difficult to commit their lives to Jesus. I think it is because we do not want to give up on our free will. We are scared that if we commit our lives to Jesus, he will ask us for something which will be too difficult to follow and that we will not be able to make our own decisions.
I learnt the hard way that our decisions are so wrong because we take our decisions with the things which we know in the present but God directs us with our whole lives in perspective and he knows what will be good for us despite it not looking quite so interesting in the present.
But one needs to build a relationship with God where trust grows over a period of time. We need to trust God and what he is doing in our lives but that takes time and discipline. Both come with perseverance. But hey its not easy. Interesting, Jesus never said it would be easy, all he said is that my yoke is easy……easier than someone else’s yoke, like the yoke of Satan. He also said his burden is light, lighter than Satan, definitely.
So walk with God, knowing that he is working in our lives with the vision that only He can have. So put your lives in his hands and keep on praying for wisdom and courage.

Increased quota for Christians in St Stephen's College welcomed

The increased quota for Christians in St Stephen's college, which is a premier institute of the country is being welcomed by Christians but the decision is attracting a lot of criticsm from other quarters.
I think that Christian colleges were built by Christian missionaries to benefit the Christian community primarily and others also so shouldn't these institutions be doing what many of them say is their motto?
Also they are well within their rights to do so. Many other Christian colleges already have 50% reservation since two decades but now that St Stephen's college has decided to follow this, there is pressure from all sides.
About the standards going down, I don't agree. The standard of Christian Educational Institutions are high precisely because they are run by missionaries who are committed to a cause. That is to provide good education to the Christian community and to others as well. They have minimum corruption and proper administration and academics so the standards are high. All these will remain true even if the quota for Christian students is increased.
It is an answer to the prayer of many Christian who have not been able to get admission in other places. After all Christians only get reservation in a Christian Institute. Shouldn't they be able to get some benefit in a Christian institution atleast?

Pray for victims of earthquake in China

There is a huge need for people to pray for those who have been affected by the earthquake in China. Those who have been orphaned or lost a child or a relative. Please pray that they might have God's grace in their hour of need and that they might find solace in the God that they know or might not know also. Pray that those in need are provided for and that all help is able to reach the remotest corner of the affected area.
In their hour of need, we all need to pray for a people where so many do not know Christ and where so many might never hear about him ever.