Joyous Christmas 2011 and Might Swell 2012

Have A Joyous Christmas and a mighty swell 2012

Dear precious family and friends, 
It is December 2011. The word “Joy” keeps popping up all around. Jesus, the true joy-giver, keeps reminding “Let my joy remain you.” As the devil tries to snatch that joy away, Lord Jesus continues to be our strength. We share the story of His faithfulness thru our lives here with a prayer that you too will sense Lord Jesus’ presence in a deeper way!

From Bharat:  This year had started with prayerful thoughts of last year’s verse “Because thou hast made the LORD, [which is] my refuge, [even] the most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways; Psalms 91 9-11”; I had an assurance to be in the will of God, not in my own might. But the stronghold of the enemy was strong - to break that, God divinely brought up all covered up issues of past years. There was a huge impact of it on my life for the choices I had made and my own reasoning for disobedience. Of course the hurt and pain caused to God and to my family is irreversible and irrevocable. Not that I want to swift my short falls or failures to God, expecting miraculous air lift, its rather acknowledging the sin, the falls and asking Jesus to forgive and strengthen me, so that in doing so, His glory and mercy can be seen.  Despite of past mistakes and wrong choices of couple of years, the last few years taught me to be still and know that He is God. He asks me to do the best, walk in a narrow path prayerfully with peace, and leave the rest to Him. One of the lessons I have learned through incidences and events is: there is peace in following Jesus and seeking His forgiveness to erase my sins forever.  If I have to sum up 2011 for the Lord’s love and love of Kalp and both the girls, Narita and Stuti, for me I could echo it with the words of the song ‘ Lift Me Up’ by “The Afters” as follows:

Waiting for the sunrise, Waiting for the day, Waiting for a sign, That I’m where you want me to be,  You know my heart is heavy, And the hurt is deep, But when I feel like giving up, You’re reminding me, That we all fall down sometimes, But when I hit the ground,  You lift me up when I am weak, Your arms wrap around me, Your love catches me so I’m letting go, You lift me up when I can’t see, Your heart is all that I need, Your love carries me so I’m letting go  I know I’m not perfect, I know I make mistakes, I know that I have let you down, But you love me the same,  And when I’m surrounded, When I lose my way, When I’m crying out and falling down, You are here to lift me up. I can see the dawn is breaking, I am feeling overtaken with your love; I don’t know what I can offer, In this moment I surrender to your love! Quoting this I am able to say that now I am trying to move on with truth clarity and peace to celebrate ‘His birth’ and His death for me by choosing to obey Christ.~

From Narita: I don’t think I will ever forget 2011. It started as a turbulent storm (both literally and within our home). But, God has been so faithful. Personally, I had started the year with doubt hanging over me. This is my last high school year, so questions about college, jobs, etc. are beginning to want answers. I had begun to let my doubts take over my emotions which began to invade my relationship with the Lord. In the spring, I was able to read C. S. Lewis’ The Problem of Pain. There was something he said that went somewhere along the lines of “How can we, who aren’t even inherently good, tell Goodness itself that it isn’t good.” Oh, how could I have doubted the Savior’s goodness? I’m speechless at God’s faithfulness, goodness, and love. This was a year of miracles! The house we live in is a huge blessing. He has blessed us with a wonderful neighborhood and sweet neighbors. Food, clothing, and miscellaneous items are so faithfully provided that I am amazed at how our fridge is always full, how we’ve never had to go without some clothing or shoes, or even how small things were miraculously provided. Jesus’ words in Matthew 6: 25-30 “²⁵

 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothes? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷ Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life^[e]?  ²⁸ “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹ Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in his entire splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?” Circumstances may resemble storms, but I will release my fears and troubles to the Lord and rest knowing I’m in His hands. A verse that I was so touched by was Isaiah 43:2 “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” ~

From Stuti: Sometimes you don’t know what to say to conclude the year because you don’t know if it’s an end of things or if things can really be summed up; you don’t know if you can really sum up the year. 2011 went by very fast, although at some times it seems like it was very slow. It started out rather difficultly, both personally for me and for our family. God has taught me much. God has promised me that He will complete the good work He has begun in me, and in our family. God has helped me. Even through all the difficult times, whether with our family, my personal problems, and health problems, God still allows some very fond memories. Despite the pain, I recall many occurrences of the past year as nice. This year has many good memories: we were able to move into a house that God provided. Every time I think of the miracle of this house, I don’t know how to thank God enough for it. He is so merciful. It is such an immense blessing in each and every respect. When I look at our fridge, I recall the words from Psalms, “I have never seen the godly abandoned or their children begging for bread.” Or “Even the young lions go hungry, but the children of God lack no good thing.”  In all our struggles, I do not ever recall going hungry or not having nutritional food.

This year has been different. This school year is my last school year with Narita as my schoolmate; needless to say, it is bittersweet. This year has marked some extraordinary events: One of these being that we got to meet some friends that we had known solely through written/spoken communication. It was such a wonderful blessing that God made it able for us to fellowship with each other and “have our joy in full, when we talked face-to-face.”  In addition, during the year, I have made some new, very meaningful friendships. I have also been introduced to so many impacting books. I have learnt many things this year: the one lesson that comes to mind is being honest and sincere.
And, another lesson is definitely gratefulness. God does not have to give me a warm home, God does not have to give me understanding, God does not have to give me a mother who loves me and cares about me regardless, God does not have to give me a sister who loves me and makes me laugh regardless, God does not have to provide delicious food, quality clothing and shoes through my dad’s mystery shopping, God does not have to give me His love. But He does, because of the blood of Christ. Sometimes there’s quietness, quietness that hurts and I don’t know what to figure out about myself. Sometimes there’s a tumult of emotion that pains that makes me feel paralyzed and powerless. With all this uncertainty, I know that God is not uncertain. I do not say that because I have an extra amount of goodness or faith, but because “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Throughout this year, Philippians 4:13 is the one thing that always reappears to me in some way or another. I remember one day when I was feeling especially low, we were at Family Dollar, and I saw a cross plaque had that verse on it. Another time I recall is when we were walking in downtown, I glanced to the side of a Christian bookstore, and “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” was on a displayed water bottle. The most remarkable one in my memory is when we had a bag of chips; the words “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” were printed on the packaging under the product description. God has shown himself so remarkably through providing a house just when we needed it, God has been so faithful to provide food and even little insignificant “desires of our heart.” way in the coming year.~

From Kalpna: 2011 seemed a start of a new dawn of a new decade - going to bless us in many ways. After much hardship that we have faced, with faith we have grown closer to God the Father’s heart. It was a year that cannot even be explained in better words, than to say that on February 1^st, when the snow storm hit Chicago land, the storm was not just outside in the streets, but our home had relationship storm within that was worse than what was outside. God, through His divine Will, purpose and mercy, pushed the waves and worked in and through us. “In quietness and confidence shall be your strength” Isa 30:15 shouted aloud to me many times.

As we shoveled the snow outside, God exposed the dirt that needed to go from inside-debris of many years. What came out in the open is being dealt with tears, hurts, sorrows, joys and hugs and many PRAYERS! The reconciliation work is not easy especially when stuff was put under the carpet for so long; but God in his mercy has held us together as a family in the palm of His hand and is bringing healing in our lives. We are thankful for the few understanding people who keep us close to their hearts and in their prayers, who continue to encourage us, near and also far from where we are on the globe. Some faithfully call every week without fail, praying with us on the phone. We need your prayers! Thank you, dear close friends that care in Christ.

In home schooling, Narita is in the final year of her high school; my! Oh my, I didn’t even realize that time passed this fast. The years have rolled away so fast and we have enjoyed and share a close knit friendship with both girls that I cherish so very much. Stuti is happy to spend one more year with me alone. Please keep the girls in your prayers as they seek God’s wisdom in the areas of their strength where they will attend college and what they will serve God with. They are well versed in so many areas and I am just waiting to see what will become of these two fine ladies that God put into my lap to train, teach, and bring up. I am thankful to be their teacher Mommie and their mentor. I make mistakes but God uses my close dear ones to correct and teach me. He works on each of us, isn’t that awesome? 
We also have moved, as most of you know, to a south suburb in Chicago; it’s a blessing. We know we shall continue to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living and be a living testimony of His grace working thru us. Jesus heals the broken hearts and walks the hard path of the long journey so faithfully.
Finally, each picture here even though it seems like a material blessing, it is more than that. These are the signs of God’s unfailing faithfulness to us. Each is a gift, including the reindeers, the car, home, food, and the kitties…all glory to Jesus…

Jesus is the centre of this household and we lift him up high in our lives.
This year also marks 10 years since we released our CD “Reach out” in Kenya. I am thinking of the words of the song I wrote for our family, “Knitted in lasting bond, we are a family, washed in Jesus’ precious blood, bound with His cord of love, His presence to abide, His spirit our Guide, together we’ll conquer life’s every trying time” this has be so true in the last 10 years.
Eternally connected to Jesus - knitted in a lasting bond to each other to proclaim His faithfulness - Bharat, Kalpna, Narita and Stuti Sharma
We wish you a Christ-filled joyous Christmas and a peaceful, mighty swell twenty twelve - 2012.

True thanksgiving is 'Thanksliving' for God, every day! (written on an outside board of a reformed church in my 'hood').


Its a Thanksgiving time. So i want to wish you a very blessed Thanksgiving time to God, not only for the things He gives us and for sustaining, although we should give thanks to God for all the blessings that come from His good hands but let us thank God for who God is! HE is Good, Compassionate, Just and Holy One!

God, we thank You for YOU!

I also thank God for you, a reader of this blog!

(copyright © Kalpana Christian Sharma (Mrs.)B. A. I.T.C.

Parenting story of a good farmer....

This will warm your heart as it did ours when we heard this short story from a pastor at church here in our little local neighborhood.  He was speaking on "what will it profit if you gain the whole world but lose your soul?" In addition to that he shared this story.

The story is of a farmer who was raising 2 fine boys. The boys were working with Daddy during the harvest season. At harvest, folks usually hired the harvest croppers to do the work to ease up the load as it is huge. Harvest croppers go from fields to fields doing the work for different farmers.

Some harvesters were hired by this dear good farmer; as the day progressed, Dad heard the harvest workers use some foul language and share dirty jokes amongst themselves. He warned and told them to put a stop to that; once, and twice; he explained to harvesters that there were young boys of his, also working and assisting and he did not want the boys to be influenced by the lose talks and blue jokes. The harvesters did not pay attention. On the 3rd confrontation, in reply the 'offended' foul mouthed workers threatened the farmer with a cocky attitude that they will leave and if they left, he will lose his precious crop, as there will be no one to assist. Resolute Dad replied,"I would rather lose the crop than lose my boys!"

Bravo! brave and courageous! we need more parents like this today to stand up for kids; to teach right things and even though the world seems saturated with evil words, actions and thoughts, we can choose to shield and protect our kids at the cost of anything; even if it means we will lose precious material possessions! Nothing is more worth than fighting for our children's character building!

You will hear many well meaning well-wishers even try and correct you stating that you are 'over reacting' or even  'rebuke' you for standing up saying, "Its part of the 'world' our children need to be exposed to!"  This is a lie and we do not need to buy into it. Regardless of what was going on in Noah's world, as a step of obedience, he still chose to continue building the ark for 100 years in which he eventually ended up protecting his children and family; because he chose to obey God and his wife support him in that. Even in New Testament we see the 4 virgin daughters of Philip, prophesying...Acts 21:9 "And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy."

God has mandated us to train and teach our children, with a promise saying, "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." (Proverbs 22:6) We can choose to be different and teach the good godly Christlike values to our children. I do not believe we need to be at ease allowing our children to face compromising situations, in order to think they need to be rough to face the rough world. I believe they need to be tough to face the rough world! And we also just don't want to settle for our kids to be good only, we want them to be godly! Jesus calls us for that solid integrity deep within - the righteousness that exceeds more than the Pharisses' righteousness. Even when no one is watching or even when it is not mandated, our children will do the right thing as God would do if he were in that situation. That is our role and that is one of the things I believe we will be accountable to God for!  Happy parenting!

©copyrighted by Kalpana Christian Sharma (Mrs.)B.A. I.T.C
(the good farmer's story was told in a small umc church in Lansing, IL on Nov 13th 2011) and The Bible verses taken from online parallel bible - KJV Cambridge Ed.)

lost?

a friend recently wrote to me that 'I feel lost". While writing back, I sensed as i prayed and wrote back, "Being lost is a good place to be in, because Jesus can then find you; take time to find Jesus also in that state" The bible says in Isaiah, "Call on the Lord, while he may be found" (Isa55:6)/KJV
(copy right - Kalpana Christian-Sharma. Mrs. (KC)

confident, yet silent....

silence due to indecision is different than being decisive yet choosing to be silent, that is confidence! -k

copyrighted...kalpna chrsitian sharma

Reading and learning from the weak Fathers' roles in the old times

I have been reading the book of 1st Samuel in the Bible and its interesting to note that Eli the priest was a godly man but he failed in his role as a diciplining father. Twice God sends a message, 1st that 'he honored his sons more than God and did not rebuke them' and 2nd time He talks to young Samuel that 'Eli knew the problem and failed to restrain his sons.'

His sons were perverting justice and did not walk in the ways of the LORD. Even though just few verses before, we see that Eli is 'gently rebuking' the sons, it does not work by now as the Lord has decided to put an end to the roles Eli's family will be playing. His family is rejected and severe punishment from the Lord fell on Eli's household of male dying in the prime of life; and if they survived they would be not straight forward.

More interesting thing is that inspite of such environment, Samuel (the handed over child) turns out to be godly. He is not influenced by Eli's grown up sons. Samuel seemed to have followed in Eli's foot steps in terms of godliness but interestingly enough, Samuel also seemed to have followed Eli's route when it came to being in a fatherly role. Samuel's sons also did not walk in the ways of the LORD and they too perverted justice, to an extent that people came and asked for a king, as Samuel was now getting old and his sons were not forthright. (the infrastructure of the society was going to change drastically at that time for this ethnic group of people)

Samuel annoints Saul as the 1st king of Israel as per God's instruction. Saul is ordained as a king; a king who also does not heed to authorities. He was neither a good king nor a good father.

later, David too, annointed by Samuel, happens to be a godly man in many areas of his life, who started out well, but when it came to his fatherly role, he failed terribly. His daughter suffered incest at the hand of a lust driven step brother and David did nothing. His sons were not living right and David is not able to restrain them nor discipline them.

As thankful as we are for Proverbs, Song of songs, and Eccleciastes books, Solomon too failed to train and teach his son/s(!) the godly ways and the story goes on. Rest of the kings and prophets are a long story we still need to dig into.

This is one of the reasons, i continue to admire the parents of John the Baptist and also Mary and Joseph.
no1. This is God's story and God allows us to live for him. 2. When we sin, we are responsible for the sins we commit. 3. We will still be judged by God for our parental role and are accountable to God who puts children in our care. 4. It is important that we teach, train up, discipline the next generation and impart godly values. 5. introspect and see where do we fail as parents? what are we compromising, and what inauthenticity our children see in us that they do not want to follow the Lord?  6. humble ourselves before God and ask his help like samson's parents did, in how are we to raise these children? though samson didnt turn out to be moral in his living, God used his life to bring about the purposes that He had in mind. How blessed samson's life would have been had he chosen to live morally above his own weak human desires and learnt self control? but that is samson's choice. Parents job today is more challenging and we need to take it seriously. We must honor God more than other things and people and if and when required, rebuke, train and teach our kids godly ways despite of what the culture tries to imply, impose, mock and make us to do. Jesus said, "if you honor others, even your own family more than me, you are not worthy of me" even when this is used so many times out of context to suit the leaving of children and famliies to make mission field another career opportunity at times, i see this verse more so in line with what God told Eli, that we are not to honor our children or parents or spouses or other family members more than God, that means, when they are not walking in God's ways, or when they dont pursue righteousness, we are not to enable them in the name of 'loving' and accepting' while abusing 'grace'. Love means discipline, correct, instruct, admonish, nurture.
 
Let us encourage one another to live godly lives and be good role models. Given in our care the lives of these precious souls, teaching the word of truth, let us be good role models. 
 
Copyrights by Kalpana Christian Sharma (Mrs.)

samson and lessons from his life

I have been reading thru the book of Judges and am on 13 to 16 chapters on the birth of Samson. oh my! what can i say. to start with, his father and mom's attitude and humility warmed my heart. Their childlessness and then when she comes to know that she will have conceive a child, with humility to ask the angel of the Lord, how are we to raise this child? hum....what a question, if every parent who is expecting a child were to take this seriously what kind of parents shall we all be?

I have heard and seen many parents over the years want to make their children what they want or would dictate in no uncertain terms what they want their children to do but we see a different picture here, the parents are humble and wanting to know how the Lord wants them to raise this child?

samson was to begin delivering his people from the hands of the philistines. His mother was to be careful in her eating and drinking habits and samson's hair was not to be cut at all as he was going to be set apart for the LORD right from his birth. that is where his strength was going to be for God's glory and for God's purposes.

It is sad to see from samson's poor choices and lusting after women and also from who were not really a marriage material girls that one can feel disheartened as to where did the parents go wrong. Did they let him learn to brag along the way? perhaps? is it possible that in some areas he was not corrected being the only child, did they spoil him in some ways? he was rude at times and at times seemed over confident. i am tempted to think the parents were perhaps not wrong, and did their part but whichever way, it was samson's poor choices.

At times Samson also fails to wait on the Lord and goes on his own sinful ways. the result is evident. lets look at the 1st woman that he wanted to marry. he demands of his parents that 'go get that woman to be my wife' and even when his parents are rebuking him, he is adamant and not listening to their advice. The bible tells us that they didnot know that this was from the Lord who was waiting for: verse4 (His parents did not know that this was from the LORD, who was seeking an occasion to confront the Philistines; for at that time they were ruling over Israel.)

if we go thru the story we see that there is no holy covenanted marriage involved. while samson wants to get a wife, the Lord wants to confront philistines using this occasion. Parents also dont want this marriage to take place. So, who wins? of course the LORD and parents in some way.

because, the girl is siding with her own people due to fear; coxing him every day so to reveal the mystery of his riddle, keeps nagging him and manipulating. it was interesting to read that for 7 days of her own wedding feast, she was crying every day and made life miserable, that of hers and that of samson. what a wedding preparation! no blessing of the Lord is seen. also, samson does not seem to be trusting these women because at 1st he is refusing to tell her the answer to the riddle, and says to her, “I haven’t even explained it to my father or mother,” he replied, “so why should I explain it to you?”

neither samson nor the woman seem to be prepared for a holy marriage institution and is it any wonder no marriage takes place? it was not meant to be!

after he explains the riddles she goes and tells her people and samson now knows. he calls her, his heifer! and strikes 30 men down. He is angry and as a result, the father decides to give the daughter as a wife to his friend.

Samson returns with a hope to see 'his wife' and the father explains she is given away. now father is offering the younger more attractive girl. but again marriage is not in the view and samson retaliates with burning the farms and in return the philistines are burning the father and the daughter. Now Samson's anger is even fierce and he kills them as well as other 1000 of them. God's purposes stand firm thru and thru whether his marriage plans are working out or not.

The bible says honor your father and your mother that it may go well with you and that you will live long in the land. neither of this happens in samson's case, 1st because God is in control and second, samson chose not to honor the parents as we read.

20 years samson rules. then we read that he goes to a prostitute to spend a night with her. hum! samson is weak but God is using this opportunity and allows samson to destroy some more of the enemies.

now the real trouble comes in. there is delilah, with whom samson falls in love. the fall of samson's life has started. This woman is no different than the prostitute and no different than the 1st philistine woman that he wanted to marry. She too is siding with her people and betraying samson over and over again. the same game is played by delilah and over and over again, she is using the same words and samson is playing the game. manipulations are seen day in and day out and nagging is on and we see finally samson gives in. he is so fallen that he is not able to rise above to see the reality. as a result he reveals the secret and he is now betrayed thoroughly not only that he is actually now ruthlessly blind, without hair and thus without strength, but the worse thing is he is without the Lord. The Spirit of the Lord has now left him. That is worse state for anyone.

Once a strong man now he is in shackles grinding grains not to forget the mockery he had to face. yet we see, God being merciful and his hair begins to grow. i bet samson is now repentant. we read samson is now praying the Lord's will, to ask for strength to destroy the enemies with one blow, infact he is now willing to die and not live, he really has been thru a lot of thinking while in shackles and grinding without eyes. Does God answer? of course, this prayer is in line with his will, his initial will that was foretold to his parents before his birth.

The Bible says he killed more people when he died than when he was alive. again, it was not samson's strength but God's strength. In his weakness, God used him to do a greater work. if only samson had chosen to obey the Lord and his parents thru and thru, his life would have been a blessed one.

but there are lessons also for us to learn as well. 1. let us ask the Lord how are we to raise our kids and raise them well in every area of their lives. 2nd we must realize that our talents and gifts are not for our own selfish use. 3rd, when we mess with our lives, we will suffer as a result of our poor choices but God's purposes still stand and come thru. 4th, for the young people who develop liking for opposite gender, ask, is it God's will for marriage? is there a marriage blessed by God, or does God want me to learn what am i here for in this to accomplish His divine will, is this an opportunity for me to let God be glorified or am i going to insist my own way? am i a blessing? 5th, once beaten twice! be careful! ask the Lord to protect you from the manipulative people who will side with your enemies and betray you.(its the people we love that betray our faith) 6th, commit to living a holy and pure lives. 7th, when we mess up, we will suffer but when we turn around and cry out, God truly hears us and in our weakness he gives us victory, bigger than when we were too much full of ourselves. 8th, we must humble and submit to God. 9. every temptation is an opportunity to say no to it and overcome with God's help. 10. we must remember we are here to do God's work as per His divine will and anytime our soul can be required of us, how shall we answer him, the way we lived?

(the Bible verses are taken from the NIV Bible.)

Copyrighted © by kalpana christian sharma (mrs.)