Tag: Worship

A Still Small Voice

On By Rachel ChadalavadaIn Future, Life, Uncertainty3 Comments

Have you ever felt as though the voices around you seem to contradict the very thing that you thought you knew for sure? Has it ever seemed like you tend to trust what other people say about your situation, more than what God does? I’ve felt that way these past couple of days.

As somebody who left a very comfortable job, a wonderful family, amazing friends, a nurturing church and doting niece and nephews, coming to the understanding that God’s plan for me was in America, and not in India, didn’t come easy. I cried out, “Help! I’m Desperate!” before I finally surrendered to Him.

After my Associate position with Samaritan’s Purse ended in January 2016, I was all set to book my tickets back to India. However, the Lord intervened and convinced me to trust Him and to trust the plans He had for me here in America. Finally casting all my cares on Him, I began serving Operation Christmas Child as a volunteer. The next four months opened my eyes to a deeper, much closer, stronger walk with Jesus. In early January this year God made it abundantly clear to me that I needed to stop looking over my shoulder at India and begin laying down roots here in America. When I wondered if that was God’s voice or my own, He spoke to me from John 10:3-4. I knew without a shadow of doubt that this was all God because I know my Shepherd! I recognize His voice.

Once I acknowledged the plan He made so evident to me, and trusted Him to fulfill it, I watched in amazement as He went ahead of me and created the path for me. For the first time in my life, I watched as the Lord fought every single battle for me, while I simply sat still. He moved mountains to ensure that Samaritan’s Purse submitted an H1B petition for me and that I would serve as a National Spokesperson for Operation Christmas Child!

Over these past few years of waiting and wondering where I’m headed, if there is one thing I have learned, it is that God always lead with His peace (Isaiah 55:12a). Even though I’ve been living in excruciating uncertainty, I’ve seen first hand what it means to be the daughter of the Prince of Peace! The perfect peace (Isaiah 25:3) that He’s poured on me is beyond comprehension!

On April 9, 2016 the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services completed the random computer generated lottery for H1B petitions. This means that I will hear about my visa situation any day now. While this is exciting, it’s also scary. This past Friday I began getting anxious – Not because I was worried, but because I hadn’t heard anything about my visa. Nothing! The more I researched on the H1B lottery, the more I read about people already having received notifications of whether or not they were picked for visa processing. Several schools of thought, including that of friends who’ve been through this process hinted at the chance of my petition not making the lottery. This would mean that I would go back to India. I spent all of Friday breaking my head over why I hadn’t heard anything yet. I spent all weekend listening to various different voices – friends, H1B discussion boards, H1B blogs, “Experts” on the process – telling me that because I hadn’t heard anything about the lottery result, it could mean that I didn’t get picked in the lottery. But in my heart, I know without a shadow of doubt that the Lord’s not calling me to India. So, how can this be?

And then, I heard a still small voice saying – “As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things” ~ Ecclesiastes 11:5

Now, I may be quoting that verse out of context but this I know with all my heart – I have a 0.31 chance of being picked in the lottery. If my future were left to “chance” I would be worried. Good thing that even though I do not know what the future holds, I know WHO holds my future and He knows EXACTLY what He is doing.

So, even though I haven’t heard about the status of my visa petition, I am choosing to believe that the God Who went ahead of me and created a path to bring me to America, keep me here for almost 3yrs, get me introduced to Samaritan’s Purse, cross my path with people who would fight for me tooth and nail till I had a full time position, get my H1B petition into the lottery, give me a fully furnished all utilities included house, GIFT me a CAR, is the same God Who will get me through the lottery.

The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. 

~ 1 Kings 19:11-13 

In closing I have to say – I lift my eyes up, my help comes from the Lord!

 

Overwhelmed Much?

On By Rachel ChadalavadaIn Chaos, Uncertainty, WorshipLeave a comment

Recently I committed to reading the Bible cover to cover. Wait, let me rephrase that. I recently committed to STUDYING the Bible from cover to cover. The difference between the two words makes a world of a difference! So far, I have been able to read from Genesis through Nehemiah. I am currently reading the book of Job.

Funny story – I was sitting by Bass lake earlier today, reading my Bible. An elderly lady walked past me and asked if I was reading my Bible. When I responded yes, she wanted to know what book I was reading and I told her. She smiled at me and asked me if the reason I was reading it was because I was having troubles. Lol!

It is unfortunate isn’t it that we associate the book of Job with the troubles he went through, his whining, annoying friends…? I know that the book has a happy ending, as I believe every story should. But what caught my attention isn’t the ending. It is the beginning. Let me explain.

If you know the story of Job at all, you will remember that God permits Satan to try Job because God was confident that he would not turn his back on Him. Job was living a happy and content life. But before he knew it, BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! Four catastrophes occurred, one after another.

  1. The Sabeans attacked and took all the oxen and the donkeys.

  2. Lightening struck all of his sheep.

  3. The Chaldeans made a raid and stole all the camels.

  4. ALL of Job’s children died – Not one, not two… ALL of them! 

Let’s take a moment and think about this. The Bible says that each of these incidents were reported to Job by a servant… the one servant that survived each of these catastrophes. That said, I encourage you to read the passage for yourself (Job 1: 13-22) and take into consideration the words the writer of this book uses to indicate how the servants brought these reports to Job. The Bible says, “While he was still speaking…” These words precede every incident. In other words, before Job even had the time to process one tragedy, another struck. Before he could come to terms with one loss, another hit. Talk about beating the wind out of someone!

His response to this overwhelming heart ache? He fell to the ground and WORSHIPPED! (Job 1:20)

I don’t know what it is that you are feeling overwhelmed about. May be you’ve received information that is life changing? Perhaps you are apprehensive about the future? Could it be that your present makes no sense? Or, you’ve lost a dear one? May be you just found out that you have a huge payment to make and you are completely broke? May I be so bold as to say – Regardless of your situation, would you like Job consider bowing down in worship?

Worshipping God in times of testing isn’t the most easiest of things to do. It probably will not solve your problems. However, bowing down in worship will give you the strength, the courage and the peace you need to catch a breath and humble yourself before the Lord, reminding yourself of who truly is in control. Worship is our way of stepping back and letting God bring order in to our chaos!

I doubt any of us is as overwhelmed as Job was. So, despite what he was going through, if he could fall down in worship, so can we!

In closing I have to say – I lift my eyes up, my help comes from the Lord!