THE STORY OF MY LIFE IS THE STORY OF MY GOD. -Darla Amshumathy Mary
I was born in a typical and sleepy village called Allur in Nellore district in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh in India. I was the eldest daughter of John Isaac, my father, who was a great man of faith. We were four daughters and two sons. We were brought up in the fear of the Lord amidst strict discipline and love and care . I was the darling daughter of my Dad and Mom .My dad used to treat me as some one very special. Being a big family of eight members,
I always thought I should study well and give a helping hand to my dad both financially and in ministry my father had counted dear even while serving as an officer in the district government . My dad himself was prayerful . He prayed thrice a day and studied the bible with utmost devotion. Dad never exposed us to the pleasures and vanities of the world.
After I completed my high school education I joined college to study higher secondary course and was for the first time exposed to secular and worldly friends whose way of life did not match with Christian values. I had watched movies along with my student friends and that was my first exposure to anything worldly at the age of 16 years . During those days I had an encounter with Jesus Christ who changed my life. He forgave my sins and became my saviour. However, at the college annual day function I was asked to present a special number in Telugu language, as I had a melodious voice. I sang a song from one of the Telugu movies. I was appreciated by the Ministers in the government who participated in the celebrations as guests of honour. However a college friend found fault with me for singing a movie song and advised me to dedicate my voice only for the glory of the lord . Next day I sang a song on the crucifixtion of Jesus Christ. My lecturers and other students including the principal of the college was displeased with my choice of singing a Christian number. Due to my melodious voice, I had become very popular and was liked by one and all . While I was graduating in Music in the college, I was once again asked to perform in music in the final year of my music degree.
The green hills and valleys are in perfect rhythm with the melodious music of the birds.
The eastern winds add music to the beauty of the mother nature perfecting the harmonious sounds of the music, on the lap of the nature.
The rhythm of life and nature is in conjunction with the spirit of praise of the creator, by one and all.
Let us make a chorus of praise to the one who made us along with the hills and valleys, running brooks and springs of water and add melody to life.
The song composed by me vibrated and re-vibrated in the soul of one and all among the hearers and every one was overwhelmed with my singing abilities and I was honoured by the district collector and other dignitaries who graced the occasion. After taking a soft drink along with the guests of honour, something was happening within me. Suddenly I felt sick and became unconscious. I was carried home and I was laid on the bed. For three months I was confined to my bed. I was physically shrinking and was reduced to a skeleton.
I was examined by medical doctors who had a hard time diagnosing my sickness. In 1976 on April 8th was my birthday but it was fast turning out to be a death day as my doctors gave up hope on my survival. I was praying my last prayer and asked him to speak to me before death embraced me. I told God that I will not believe him at all if he failed to speak to me. Pat came the answer from God. He asked me to read the book of Isaiah 17,22 . I began to sing the scripture verses unawares, which suggested that he would make me like a massive tree which spreads it’s branches like tentacles of an octopus. After God spoke to me I passed from death unto life but I was reduced to a weakling. In the same weak condition I appeared for my final year graduation public examination and by the grace of God secured very high percentage of marks. During those days the Holy Spirit began to speak to me to dedicate my life for ministry but I hated to do full time ministry and even giving up my earthly career. I stopped praying and reading the word of God to escape hearing the voice of God but the Holy Spirit began to speak to me in no uncertain terms that “Without me, you can do nothing”. Unable to resist the leading of God anymore I surrendered myself to do God’s will.
During those days, my dad a great man of faith took a revolutionary and challenging decision to go on a one year long leave from government service to engage in God’s work. He asked all my sisters and brothers to also give up their schooling for one year and do God’s work. While we were stunned at the decision of dad, as we had no idea
of how our family could be supported without a bread winning job . My father’s only reply was “Jehovah Jireh” meaning the Lord would provide.
One day we boarded a bus to reach a village for preaching the gospel. I asked dad if he had money to buy tickets, he said, no. When the bus conductor passed us by we were afraid to face him as we did not have money to buy tickets. Just before the bus was about to start from the bus station, a man cycled his way to the bus station in search of John Isaac and in time he reached to give some money to him as he had a strange urge to give the money to John immediately and that answered their need to buy bus journey tickets.
Dad made us walk seven to ten miles to reach a village. We walked the roads, lanes and by-lanes and hills and valleys trekking through hard terrains. We were hungry and could no more walk. We had some peanuts which failed to suppress hunger pangs. At another bus station, my dad asked me to sing a song on a hand myke but my pride was hurt as I felt ashamed to do it being educated and I was angry at my dad for making such a suggestion. However he looked at me with his piercing eyes and said “Be ashamed to commit sin but not to sing for Jesus” and I swallowed my self respect and ego and began to sing attracting the general public to the gospel. My dad stated that experiences of the kind would make my life fruitful, prosperous and blessed in the years to come. The sacrificing of job, education for one year by our family and the valuable experiences we garnered added value to our story of faith. It was a strong foundation for our very life which dad demonstrated with right earnest and taught us lessons of faith and hope.
HOLY SPIRIT BAPTISM.
One day I was waiting on the lord in his presence for being endued with power from on high and Pastor Philip was instrumental in leading me to an experience that altered the course of my life and gave me the experience of receiving the Holy Spirit power of God. For three days the fire of God engulfed me and I was virtually being burnt by the fire power of God. For three days I was speaking in an unknown heavenly language and every one who encountered me were consumed by the fire power of God . Many who encountered me repented of their sins and were saved. It was an unusual experience that laid the foundation for my ministry and spiritual life. This experience set my life apart for God and also on fire for God. My dad who heard about my experience in the spirit was upset initially as he was inclined to a doctrine and church which did not believe in such an experience. However God spoke to my dad even before he could question my experience that it was he who filled me with the Holy Spirit and that settled the matter.My dad was my wonderful teacher, mentor and practical demonstrator of the bible and the word of God. He laid such a practical foundation to my faith that sustained me until today. There were two experiences I could not forget, which shaped my faith life.
Once I remember expressing my desire to see a snake Python. My dad immediately said “let us pray and Jesus will do the rest”. Immediately after conclusion of prayer the venomous python came from nowhere making hissing sounds on the backyard of our house. It looked so dreadful and I was scared but my dad cheered me up and said that it was an answer to a prayer of faith. The python disappeared and we never saw it again.
On an another occasion, me and my dad were at the sea shore sitting on the beach sands enjoying the sea and it’s greatness. Turning to my father, I said, dady I love to see a big fish, will Jesus oblize, I asked in innocence. My dad’s immediate response was let us kneel down and pray and there on the sea shore we prayed that God will show the argest fish and soon after prayer we were looking at the sea when suddenly a huge fish as big as a ship shot up from the depths of the ocean and jumped up and down in a dancing mode. I was shocked at the very size of the fish. I remembered a fish swallowing Jonah the prophet in the Bible but this appeared to be a fish which can swallow a ship. I had many experiences of the sort with my father which built my faith. My father who was my mentor was no more when God called him to his glory in 1986 .I remember another incident when dad was suddenly removed from us and we had no sources of support for our family. All our family members met the district collector and urged him to make compassionate appointment of one of our family members in government service. He issued orders to his subordinate officers to immediately make arrangements in this regard. For one month God provided so miraculously to our family that money orders from different people we had no knowledge of sent money to us which was equal to the salary drawn by our dad. After one of my sisters took up the job, the flow of money orders stopped. This is a divine provision. This too had boosted my faith.
In 1972 I had dedicated my life to be in the service of God and I never looked back. Since then many things had happened and my earthly source of strength was my mum who also left us to go to her heavenly abode in 2006. God had been using me as his good news evangelist for the past three decades traversing the length and breadth of the country of India and even to countries abroad, building people’s lives spiritually and leading people to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
Iam also the editor of a monthly Christian magazine named “Gamyam” meaning “Destiny”. Iam also a composer of music and lyrics and also author of as many as six books on different aspects of womanhood . I had established the Grace Evangelical Ministries through which our ministry is being carried out. We also have established
three mission centers in rural areas where we have churches being pastured by my brother Joshua. My another brother is pasturing a church in Sincinotis in USA and one of my sisters Hepsiba and her husband Daniel were worship leaders in a church in America. My sisters Stella and Aquila and my brother-in-laws Israel and Sekhar were of great source of support to me in the ministry .
My television show named “Gamyam” in “Shubhavaartha television” (Goodnews television) is making waves for the glory of God and was being instrumental in reaching millions of people with the gospel and building precious lives spiritually. God had been very faithful and kind to me all these years of my faith journey.