Beni Seb or as I lovingly call her Benile has been a dear friend. I’ve known her as a lover. And a very genuine and passionate lover at that! She loves and loves and loves! She’s not the hard-to-please kind, we cry very easily and we realised how much we love worship too! Her heart is so so so big, and filled with all things nice and sweet. She also flipped out for about a day or so when I told someone in church that she plays the keys and could help the worship team and that someone called her. But I’m not sorry. She also almost took piano lessons from an “American” for which she had herself excited for days! So my dear friends, readers, loved ones, babies, honeys and sweethearts, here’s Beni Seb to you!
“…Your Grace is enough…your Grace is enough…your Grace is enough for me”
Never have I been filled and full with anything (besides smoked pork and kuchu saabji :D) than with God’s grace. He’s unconditional love and grace is just so amazing. I may not have great stories or life instances about encountering God’s mercy and grace upon my life, but the good news is each milestone of my life-my triumphs and hurdles, lows and ups have I been encountering His ever eternal Love, Mercy and Grace.
5 years ago I stepped into an unknown city, hustle and bustle in its glory (with background music ‘…just a small town girl living in a lonely world’) I tell you it was quite an overwhelming feeling. But that was the beginning of my new journey, my journey with God. As cliché as it may sound, like anybody else I was born and brought up from a Naga Christian family. Going to Sunday school and youth camps were the most exciting activity I could look forward to but I can assure you I never experienced the joy and peace at heart, the love of God to love others and to forgive others. Coming back to the lonely girl in the city, back then, I had what it takes to burst out like firecrackers, a girl with excitement, full of zeal and plans for new venture, I had plans to attend this college, make these many friends, experience this city life and all that. But all these time God had been having His plan of putting me into this particular college, make just these many friends and have THIS experience in the city, and by THIS experience I call CHURCH. In my initial years I had my phase of emotional turmoil, a breakdown because of so many reasons but these led me to Church- GRACE found me, Amen! To cut the story short, I became part of the worship team in NCF Bangalore the following year. It was not an easy task I tell you, it was difficult for me to be going through this transition in life. Not because I had to tune a particular instrument, learn the notes better, or go to church regularly but because now I had the responsibility to live a Christ-like life, to learn to be a Child of God and not to be Childish in God. Every story has its climax… and this was the climax in my story, this transition brought me closer to God, this transition let me know about the beautiful Grace and Mercy He pours upon me, His selfless Love and Forgiveness. Being in the worship team doesn’t mean everything is ‘Perfect’ by the way, the #StruggleIsReal. It is double the temptation, double the hurdle, double the pain but oh how joyful it is to know that we have triple… quadruple… Infinite the power of God, the power of Victory!! I have failed God each time, so many times, being selfish, arrogant, self-centered, failed miserably spiritually but God’s Grace finds me, I don’t know why and how but He does, His love and Grace is unconditional in its truest sense and you and I can actually experience it if you believe in Him. In this journey I have had my share of dilemma in sacrificing things and people I dearly adore, and I tell you it was the hardest thing to do but this in return I was blessed with better people around (Zedi and our friendship blossomed from the Grace hostel where we were put up together, the hostel’s name being coincidental to her Blog’s name hehe) better things in life and fuller and fruitful achievement socially, academically and spiritually. My journey of learning to pray started genuinely with my involvement in the church as well. It is the Church that has molded and shaped me and made me the person I am. Once you get to know the Lord your perceptions, interpretations and views of life changes- decision making to maintaining relationships, dealing with conflicts to giving praises, and I am glad I went through this change of experience all in and out through the Grace of God. Through this process of my journey I have learnt to live the scripture Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding… As human being in so many ways we bring ourselves to be mightier, greater and capable than any being when we are just lesser and NO one without God, my journey..is still teaching me to Trust in Him and Him alone.
God’s Grace has led me to church… Grace has made me meet people who love the Lord… Grace has given me hope and through Grace it has given me a future and a Promise.
Friends, I am glad I found the church at the time I needed the most, I have found a Friend, who is so dear and timeless, I pray that you will find Him too #JesusMyBestFriend
“…Your Grace is enough…your Grace is enough…your Grace is enough for me”
