According to the Grace of God



There are so many things that can go wrong in this mortal, fallen world.  I won't even begin to create the exhaustive list of things...  However, despite all of the opposition and affliction that we face on a daily basis, countless things go right.  Imagine for a moment the miracle of the human body-- the numerous systems and parts of the body that could tragically and sometimes fatally malfunction in an instant, yet 99.999% of the time they don't!  (Don't quote me on that percentage-- I made it up.)  

So what keeps everything from falling apart completely?  What permits things go right?  What power allows things to heal and progress after being broken?

I believe it is the grace of God.

Although RSOI (Rising Star Outreach of India) is a nondenominational organization, it is founded and sustained by people who have strong beliefs in God.  Dr. Susan is one of those individuals who is a humble yet powerful leader, rooted deeply in her faith in God.  I see her as being a true disciple of Christ.  You cannot have a conversation with her without praise being given to God in one form or another.  Whenever I ask her how she is doing, her response is always something along the lines of, "By Gods grace I am always fine."  It is easy to see her devotion and dedication to God through the way she lives her life. 

I am grateful for Dr. Susan and the way she helps me see the world and my life with a heart more full of gratitude.  I find myself giving thanks more often, as well as seeking to recognize the hand of God more frequently in the details of every day.  


According to the grace of God, Rising Star Outreach is still functioning despite the opposition it receives from the government (and even the nearby villagers on occasion.) 

According to the grace of God, my visa extension was approved despite my late application and the troubling fees.

According to the grace of God, I have not fallen sick during my time here, even though I am faced with insects, contaminated water, and other various elements that could be harmful to my health every day.

According to the grace of God, these incredible children are able to receive an education through RSOI despite the circumstances they come from in the leprosy colonies and the negative stigma it carries in the larger part of Indian society.

According to the grace of God, I have been blessed to learn from Dr. Susan in word and by observation despite her ever busy schedule and my humble background.  It has been an honor to work with her.


Let us all take more time amidst our daily activities to recognize the hand of God and the grace He so lovingly and graciously offers us.


Dr. Susan and me
This photo was taken because I got a kick out of how well we matched this day ;)


Side Note:  In a recent discussion with Dr. Susan and a few other friends of the staff at RSOI (Vadivel and Charles), a couple beautiful quotes were shared that I liked about being a disciple of Christ.  I'll share them here for you to consider as well :)
  1. Be the Sermon.
  2. Preach the gospel at all times.  Use words if necessary.

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