My dear friends, today is July 15th, my dear husband Sam's birthday. Whenever I think about my husband, there are many qualities that I admire. But above all, I admire his deep reverence for God. Every time he is scheduled to minister, I wake up in the early hours of the morning and find that he is already in another room, praying. From 3:00 or 4:00 a.m., he spends time seeking the Lord, waiting to receive the right word from God before he stands before His people. He often tells me, "Shilpa, every time before I go on stage, I feel afraid because I am carrying the Word of God." That holy reverence has always remained in his heart. It is not a fear of people, but a deep respect for the responsibility of sharing God's Word. I truly believe that because of this reverence, God has favored and blessed him in countless ways.

I remember asking him one day, "What do you want to achieve in life?" His answer deeply touched my heart. He said, "Shilpa, I don't want to become a great businessman, a famous person, or someone well known. I simply want God's presence to remain with me always. I never want to lose His presence." What a beautiful desire! When our greatest ambition is to remain in God's presence, His favor naturally rests upon our lives. That is why I believe the Lord has shown such kindness and favor toward him.

Today's promise from Ezekiel 36:9 speaks to each one of us: "For behold, I am for you, and I will turn to you, and you shall be tilled and sown." The Lord is saying, "I am looking upon you with favor." He loves every one of His children and delights to bless those who belong to Him. Does God's favor mean we will never face difficulties? Certainly not. The promise says that we will be tilled and sown. Before there is a harvest, the ground must first be prepared. Likewise, there will be seasons of trials, hardships, and testing. Yet these experiences are never meaningless. God uses them to prepare us for greater blessings. 

We have seen this in Sam's own life. From the age of five or six, he often stayed away from his parents because Uncle and Aunty had to travel extensively for ministry. Those early years involved many sacrifices for the sake of God's work. Yet the Lord honored every sacrifice, and today we see His abundant blessings upon Sam's life.

The same is true for you. If you are God's chosen child, He may allow you to pass through seasons of preparation. There may be trials, disappointments, and moments when you do not understand His ways. But do not lose heart. The God who tills and sows is also the God who brings the harvest. In His perfect time, He will bless you beyond your expectations because His favor rests upon you.

As we celebrate Sam's birthday today, I kindly ask you to say a word of prayer for him and for our family. We are grateful for your love, encouragement, and prayers. May each of us continue to seek God's presence above every earthly achievement, and may His favor rest upon our lives always.

PRAYER:
Dear Lord, Thank You for choosing me and looking upon me with Your favor. Help me to desire Your presence above every earthly achievement and to walk in reverence before You each day. Strengthen me through every season of testing, knowing that You are preparing me for the blessings You have promised. Let every trial produce greater faith, deeper trust, and lasting fruit in my life. Bless my family, guide us in Your perfect will, and let Your favor rest upon every generation. Fill us with Your presence and use our lives for Your glory. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.