It is well ....

Horatio Sapafford was a 43yr old lawyer who lived in Chicago with his wife Anna and his 5 children.
In 1871, his only son died.
Few months later, the Great Chicago fire of 1871, consumed his real estate investments and he lost his entire life savings.
2 years later, Sapafford and his entire family decided to go on a holiday to Europe. However last minute business delayed Sapafford. He sent his wife and 4 daughters on the SS Ville Du Havre, promising to follow in a few days time.
The ship was struck by an iron sailing vessel and it sank in q2 minutes. 226 people were killed.
When the survivors landed in Europe, Anna Sapafford cabled her husband “Saved alone, what shall I do? “
He immediately left Chicago to go bring his wife home.
In the midst of his sorrow, when sailing near the place his daughters drowned, he wrote ….

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,

It is well, it is well, with my soul.
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blessed assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

Why am I writing this?

Every day I stumble.
Every day I falter.
Some days I question. Even when I know I should not.
I don’t ever doubt him being there. Even then, I tend to double check…
After I heard this song in church on Friday, it stuck with me. I googled it, and that’s when I read the story behind this song. It got me thinking, if he could have such undying faith at one of the worst moments in his life …why can’t I?
That is the faith I seek.
The never ending, never shaking belief that no matter what he will be there and no matter what he will guide me through.

Thank you !

It’s been a few months since I moved to Chennai. And while I do love it here, it’s not been easy. Being in a city where you don’t know many people and to have a new job tends to get overwhelming.
Life+job +new place+ I, more or less seem to have settled into a pace but there are always times that make me feel absolutely lost. I feel so selfish when I say this (coz I know I am so very blessed), but that’s being honest.
And today was one such day…. I think I had reached my saturation level and was close to tears…
I then took up the Daily Bread for my morning prayer…. And this is what I read

Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side;
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change He faithfully will remain.

He answered every single cry and prayer of mine ….
I am all set

Bring on the world

NO……. NOT ME!

Disclaimer: This is NOT a spin off on “Not me Mondays”. The story below DID NOT happen to me. It’s purely fictional and any resemblance to actual situation is purely INTENTIONAL.

I DID NOT leave my school in Friday the 24th of October at 3pm for a 6pm flight to Muscat in pouring rain.
I DID NOT find myself stuck in traffic just 1 km from where I work at 4 pm.
I DID NOT have murderous thoughts towards those blocking traffic.
I DID NOT pray.
I DID NOT get stuck on a bridge at 5 pm with 8 kms left to go to the Airport.
I DID NOT panic and call my sister.
I DID NOT worry about missing my flight.
I DID NOT pray.
I DID NOT get out of the cab at 5 pm and run towards the station with my duffle bag on my shoulder.
I DID NOT find the path leading up to the station flooded.
I DID NOT wade through it to go, jump a queue and get a ticket.
I DID NOT pray.
I DID NOT get out at the station that is across from the airport and find the walkway flooded.
I DID NOT wade through “questionable” water.
I DID NOT walk/ run in the rain to the check in terminal.
I DID NOT think that I would have missed my 6 pm flight.
I DID NOT fly Indian Airlines
I DID NOT check in to find out that the flight was delayed for 1 hr.
I DID NOT pray and thank him for getting me there safe.
I DID NOT finally board a flight that, instead of going to Muscat via Calicut, flew to Trivandrum, then to Calicut and finally Muscat.
I DID NOT feel sick throughout.
I DID NOT get upgraded to first class for the final leg of my journey.
I DID NOT pass out only to wake up just before we landed in Muscat.
I DID NOT fall sick till the following Saturday and DID NOT need any medication.
I DID NOT have my folks take care of me and supply me with endless meals of curd rice and red fish curry.
I DID NOT fly Indian Airlines for my return journey.
I DID NOT find my return flight cancelled.
I DID NOT silently / loudly curse.
I DID NOT have to fly via Bombay / Mumbai.
I DID NOT wander 2 hours trying to find an Indian Airlines official to help me get my boarding pass.
I DID NOT finally board the flight at 7 to only sit on the tarmac till 8am.
I DID NOT fall asleep and miss take off.
I DID NOT miss another day of school.
I DID NOT vow to never to fly Indian Airlines again.

I DID NOT thank GOD for getting me home safe.