In an effort to introduce everyone to N.P., we have decided to come together to tell our story. I (Heather) will go first.
Heather's Side:
Many years ago, my Grandma Wood gave me a poem written by Ruth Bill Graham (wife of the Rev. Billy Graham). Upon receiving the poem, I placed it on my mirror in my bedroom. I have read that poem daily & prayed for such every single day since being given the poem. The poem is untitled but reads the following:
Dear God, I prayed, all unafraid
(as we're inclined to do),
I do not need a handsome man
but let him be like You;
I do not need one big and strong
nor yet so very tall,
nor need he be some genius,
or wealthy, Lord, at all;
but let his head be high, dear God,
and let his eye be clear,
his shoulders straight, whate'er his state,
whate'er his earthly sphere;
and let his face have character,
a ruggedness of soul,
and let his whole life show, dear God,
a singleness of goal;
then when he comes
(as he will come)
with quiet eyes aglow,
I'll understand that he's the man
I prayed for long ago.
As most of you know I have been in pursuit of a career as a missionary in Nepal. Some of you are aware that I was in the process of completing the doctrinal questionnaire with SIM out of North Carolina in hopes of joining their team. Though marriage has been one of the deepest desires of my heart for many, many years; that desire had been subdued by my desire to fully serve the Lord in Nepal. My only focus was to complete the necessary steps here so that I could soon be there. God definitely has placed an undeniable burden (& love for) on my heart for the people of Nepal. Without a doubt, I've known that He's called me to go there. However, my plans of going with an agency were simply that; my plans. Proverbs 16:9 tells us that "The mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps." While I had planned it all out in mind, the Lord spoke & said, "I'm running the show my dear daughter." On July 8th, something happened; nothing out of the ordinary though. I received a friend request via Facebook from a man in Nepal. I say that was not unusual because I receive friend requests daily from Nepalese individuals. Like most, he was quick to thank me for adding him. I did notice something different though. By looking at his profile, it appeared to me as though he could potentially be a Christian. Thinking that may be a possibility, I was even more glad I added him. Not to mention, he was incredibly good looking & I was gaining a friend that was attractive & easy on the eyes. Within a day, we began to talk. Again, something set him apart from all others. He failed to ask me if about my marital or relationship status. I had become so accustomed to Nepali Guys asking me if I was married, if I was engaged or if I had a boyfriend that it took me by surprise when he did not do so. In fact, it was several days before we had that conversation. I immediately learned that he was a believer. Knowing that was so, I had a real longing to talk to him. I've met a number of Christians from India but only a few from Nepal. I desired to hear his testimony & what words of advice he could give me as I planned to come to his country to minister. From day one, we were drawn to one another & there was an eagerness between us to talk to one another. Days after our first conversation, my mema in Alabama was in a serious accident & hospitalized. We rushed down to join her. Even while we were there, this gentleman & I were constantly chatting on fb & we missed one another when we could not talk. We learned very fast that we had much in common as far as our faith, our goals in ministry, our desires for a family, etc. Early on, I shared with my mom that there was something about this guy...I didn't know what it was & I couldn't explain it but even though he was on the other side of the world, I felt almost as if God might be saying, "Heather, you have prayed for many years for a husband & not just any husband...a Godly husband. Not just a Godly husband either; specifically, someone in ministry - a pastor or missionary.I have also called you to Nepal to serve. I am now going to bless you with everything you have prayed for if you will simply have faith, trust me & submit." I told my mom that as fearful as I was, I felt that turning a blind eye to that possibility may be to look God in the face & virtually say, "No thanks, God". Having still only spoken through chat format (which, I might add I was highly impressed with his ability to type to me for hours & hours on end. I don't know any guys who do that), I finally decided to give in & speak to him via the webcam through Skype (he had asked if doing so was a possibility & I kept coming up with excuses as to why we could not). I will NEVER forget that time. We talked for 3 hours & it was awkward, nerve-wracking, exciting & so beautiful. If I wasn't nervous enough, he did not help matters by having his friend beside him that was looking at me as well. Clearly, he was just as nervous as I was though. At one point, I asked him to sing something in Nepali. He began to sing & though I was clueless as to what he was singing, I just knew that whatever words were pouring off of his lips had to be of praise & adoration to Our Savior. He sang with such passion & fervor that it gave me goosebumps watching him. In talking to him & "seeing" him, I sensed a real genuine spirit with such a demeanor that just screams of his love for Jesus. The entire time I talked to him, I kept thinking "He is THE ONE". When our conversation ended, I just wept. I was so overwhelmed & blessed by our time together. I knew that I could not wait for the next time I'd be able to talk to him again. I was seeing in him, everything that I had been praying for over the course of many years. As we continued to talk, I realized that without having even met him, I loved him. I do love him. Unlike most relationships, we have not built anything on physical interaction with one another. I cannot exactly hug someone that is thousands of miles away. He can't hold my hand when he's in Nepal & the ocean separates us. Instead, we have spent 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7 hours a day talking, laughing, joking, singing & most importantly, praying together. Granted our time of communication has not been a long period (as far as days or months are concerned), we've covered a lot of ground. These times have not come without struggles either. Each of us have had things from our past that have needed to be dealt with. I came to know that he was the one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with before he did. That's OK. In a time when I was being encouraged to "walk away" from him or it may have been easy to have given up, there was this still, small voice within telling me to stay. I am so thankful that I did. While he is so very handsome & there is a mutual attraction between the two of us, that is not what draws me to him. As I look back to the prayer above, he is so much of what that poem describes. He has endured much & his faith has remained unwavering. I have nothing but admiration for this amazing man. There is no other that I would rather share my life with & partner in ministry with for the rest of my time on Earth than him. As Christ as the center of our relationship & the foundation in which we build our marriage upon, I know that if we allow Him to do so; the Lord will use us for a great & glorious purpose in Nepal & beyond. This all being said, you may wonder...who is this guy anyway? I'd love to tell you!!!
He is Narayan Prasad (N.P. - he prefers to be called N.P.) Sharma born on October 13, 1979 in Nepal. N.P. is the oldest of 7 siblings. I will not go into great detail about his testimony (I'll let him share that sometime) but at the age of 20, he accepted Christ as his Lord & personal Savior. He later went onto India to graduate with a Masters of Divinity & a Degree in Biblical Counseling. Today, he lives in Kathmandu, Nepal serving as a pastor as well as a Bible Professor at a Bible College. His heart's desire has been for a godly wife & to one day, begin his own church in which he will pastor & together, he & his wife would start a variety of ministries from. In addition to our spiritual commonality, God has shown me that He really does care about the little things in life too. Everyone knows I do not travel anywhere without my camera & I LOVE taking pictures & am not too bashful about taking pictures of myself either. I have met my perfect match with N.P. He too loves photographs & enjoys hamming it up before the lens. We both enjoy a variety of sports (1 of us likes to play them while the other prefers to stand by, watch & support the team). We love ice cream. We love to sing. We love acting goofy. We are both cold natured. These are just a few things & we are so excited to get to spend the rest of our lives learning more & more about one another as the days go by. Now, N.P. will share....
N.P.'s Side:
I am very glad to express the leading of God in my life here on the blog of my fiancee, Heather. We know for sure that the sovereign will of God comes to pass in the life of His children. Whether His children realize it or not, it is so true. It happend in my life. God's will is that no one should perish but have everlasting life.Though i was born into and brought up in a very Orthodox Hindu Bramain family, I had to surrender myself in to His hands. The great barriers to meet Christ was broken and I was made free to walk with Him.When I became God's child, I started to see His hands around me and also His leading so I responded to that. His leading in my life was training me in His words to train others to bring His kingdom here on this earth as it is in heaven. He was teaching me everyday to see His heart for sinners, His love for sinners and His concerns for sinners. I told Him, "Lord, I am gonna proclaim Your hearts desire to others and I am committed for that. I also know that to do so, myself alone is not sufficient. I need someone who will be giving her hands for that glorious work,and pay great value to the work of God as I do,who also is a noble girl as mentioned in Proverbs 3; a God fearing girl who loves the Lord unconditionally." I started to pray for a girl having such qualities.So long, God was silent in answering my prayer but I did not stop pleading to Him for that. In right time, He has brought Heather into my life. Heather is an answer of my many years of prayer. She is more than what I was praying for. I am sure that she is God loving, she gives great value to God and His work. I also believe that she will support me in doing the will of God and she also will strengthen me in the ministry. Over all, I can tell her that "Heather, you are a virtuous women designed by God for me." She also has great passion for Nepalis dying without Christ just as I do.
Heather was so convinced that we are for each other and started to tell me so but it took some time for me to know this was God's will for our lives. I continuously pray for His will, seek the guidance of my friends and also see the passions for Heather & me which are going hand in hand. So far, there is not any point on which we disagree. I believe firmly that God is gonna do great things using us as we, together, serve Him after our wedding. I am convinced that Heather is for me & I have no problem marrying her on the day that we will meet, because our marriage will be done on the basis of faith in God. When you put your faith in God for anything, He will bring it to pass. God will never let His children down. I am so happy about Heather. I love her so much and I believe she loves me too. Our love for one another is rooted on the cross and it will be ended when we both will be with the Lord in the air.
The Here, the Now & the Road Ahead:
Currently, Heather is in the U.S. continuing her work at the credit union & from time to time, still volunteering with & ministering to International Students at Lindenwood University. N.P. remains in Nepal preaching & teaching. Though we had planned a January 12, 2013 wedding to be held here in St. Louis, N.P. was denied the visa to come to America. That being said, plans have changed. Though disappointed at first, we both realize that this if for the best. Heather has booked a flight & will leave on January 10, 2012 to fly to Nepal for a brief visit while N.P. will still be free as he will be on Christmas Break from teaching. This will be her first time flying so very far by herself & though not overly eager for that, she is anxious to finally meet N.P. as well as see the land to which God has burdened her heart for. While there, Heather & N.P. will not only get to spend much time together, but N.P. will be introducing her to many of his friends & God-willing, some of his family members. They will spend a day visiting the families of some of the Nepalese Students Heather had befriended & cared for in St. Louis. They will do a bit of sight-seeing even though that is not the primary focus. Both Heather & N.P. wish to see one another in the ministry setting. Together, they will serve while Heather is visiting. Heather will also have the opportunity to speak to & share with some women & children within churches among Nepali Villages too. Heather will return to the U.S. on January 27th & begin working again on January 30th after resting a couple of days. N.P. will go back to teaching at the beginning of February. The school year ends & graduation will be held in June & N.P. will be free by the 3rd week of June. By that time, he will have reapplied for a visa & we should know if he will be coming or if he will not be granted one again. Should he get the visa, they will then marry here in St. Louis in the summer & when he leaves here, Heather will be leaving with him to make her permanent home with him in Nepal. If he is denied the visa, Heather will at some point (most likely during the summer), go ahead & move to Nepal & they will then marry there. They know not what God has in store for them but they know that He will guide them when they seek Him & He will grant them wisdom when they ask for it. They do so. They look forward to & are excited to see how God will use their marriage to be a reflection of His love for the Church to a lost & dying world.
Please, continue to pray for us. The days apart from one another are difficult as we long to be joined as one. However, we know that in this waiting period, God is using it for His glory. May we both be used right where we are at this present time. As one would assume, there will be much cost involved with preparing to not only marry but to move to another country as well as begin ministry. One of Heather's friends felt led by the Lord to start a site in which individuals that feel led can gift Heather & N.P. Please, feel free to check this site out:
http://www.youcaring.com/fundraiser_details?fundraiser_id=11654&url=showerheatherwithblessings
We thank you for your prayers & your love!
N.P.'s Side:
I am very glad to express the leading of God in my life here on the blog of my fiancee, Heather. We know for sure that the sovereign will of God comes to pass in the life of His children. Whether His children realize it or not, it is so true. It happend in my life. God's will is that no one should perish but have everlasting life.Though i was born into and brought up in a very Orthodox Hindu Bramain family, I had to surrender myself in to His hands. The great barriers to meet Christ was broken and I was made free to walk with Him.When I became God's child, I started to see His hands around me and also His leading so I responded to that. His leading in my life was training me in His words to train others to bring His kingdom here on this earth as it is in heaven. He was teaching me everyday to see His heart for sinners, His love for sinners and His concerns for sinners. I told Him, "Lord, I am gonna proclaim Your hearts desire to others and I am committed for that. I also know that to do so, myself alone is not sufficient. I need someone who will be giving her hands for that glorious work,and pay great value to the work of God as I do,who also is a noble girl as mentioned in Proverbs 3; a God fearing girl who loves the Lord unconditionally." I started to pray for a girl having such qualities.So long, God was silent in answering my prayer but I did not stop pleading to Him for that. In right time, He has brought Heather into my life. Heather is an answer of my many years of prayer. She is more than what I was praying for. I am sure that she is God loving, she gives great value to God and His work. I also believe that she will support me in doing the will of God and she also will strengthen me in the ministry. Over all, I can tell her that "Heather, you are a virtuous women designed by God for me." She also has great passion for Nepalis dying without Christ just as I do.
Heather was so convinced that we are for each other and started to tell me so but it took some time for me to know this was God's will for our lives. I continuously pray for His will, seek the guidance of my friends and also see the passions for Heather & me which are going hand in hand. So far, there is not any point on which we disagree. I believe firmly that God is gonna do great things using us as we, together, serve Him after our wedding. I am convinced that Heather is for me & I have no problem marrying her on the day that we will meet, because our marriage will be done on the basis of faith in God. When you put your faith in God for anything, He will bring it to pass. God will never let His children down. I am so happy about Heather. I love her so much and I believe she loves me too. Our love for one another is rooted on the cross and it will be ended when we both will be with the Lord in the air.
The Here, the Now & the Road Ahead:
Currently, Heather is in the U.S. continuing her work at the credit union & from time to time, still volunteering with & ministering to International Students at Lindenwood University. N.P. remains in Nepal preaching & teaching. Though we had planned a January 12, 2013 wedding to be held here in St. Louis, N.P. was denied the visa to come to America. That being said, plans have changed. Though disappointed at first, we both realize that this if for the best. Heather has booked a flight & will leave on January 10, 2012 to fly to Nepal for a brief visit while N.P. will still be free as he will be on Christmas Break from teaching. This will be her first time flying so very far by herself & though not overly eager for that, she is anxious to finally meet N.P. as well as see the land to which God has burdened her heart for. While there, Heather & N.P. will not only get to spend much time together, but N.P. will be introducing her to many of his friends & God-willing, some of his family members. They will spend a day visiting the families of some of the Nepalese Students Heather had befriended & cared for in St. Louis. They will do a bit of sight-seeing even though that is not the primary focus. Both Heather & N.P. wish to see one another in the ministry setting. Together, they will serve while Heather is visiting. Heather will also have the opportunity to speak to & share with some women & children within churches among Nepali Villages too. Heather will return to the U.S. on January 27th & begin working again on January 30th after resting a couple of days. N.P. will go back to teaching at the beginning of February. The school year ends & graduation will be held in June & N.P. will be free by the 3rd week of June. By that time, he will have reapplied for a visa & we should know if he will be coming or if he will not be granted one again. Should he get the visa, they will then marry here in St. Louis in the summer & when he leaves here, Heather will be leaving with him to make her permanent home with him in Nepal. If he is denied the visa, Heather will at some point (most likely during the summer), go ahead & move to Nepal & they will then marry there. They know not what God has in store for them but they know that He will guide them when they seek Him & He will grant them wisdom when they ask for it. They do so. They look forward to & are excited to see how God will use their marriage to be a reflection of His love for the Church to a lost & dying world.
Please, continue to pray for us. The days apart from one another are difficult as we long to be joined as one. However, we know that in this waiting period, God is using it for His glory. May we both be used right where we are at this present time. As one would assume, there will be much cost involved with preparing to not only marry but to move to another country as well as begin ministry. One of Heather's friends felt led by the Lord to start a site in which individuals that feel led can gift Heather & N.P. Please, feel free to check this site out:
http://www.youcaring.com/fundraiser_details?fundraiser_id=11654&url=showerheatherwithblessings
We thank you for your prayers & your love!
