What Can I say Unto the Lord, all I have to say is “Thank You Lord”

Every one has work anniversaries, so do I and today marks my 12th year of IT career. But I have a story !

My dad sold the house he built with lots of struggles and all savings, just to make me get into a renowned institute. I got placed in Cognizant in Dec 2009 while I was in the final year. I felt he would be by then glad of my achievement. But later my offer was rejected by Cognizant due to my last semester backlog. It was a shocker to my parents and to me. I used to have guilt while even having a meal at home, even though my parents were loving and encouraging. In few days, I crashed my Dad’s brand new car just in 3 hours of it’s delivery. Utter chaos ! Buying a car was a milestone for my dad. I realised I was a trouble to them.

With shame, I came to Chennai with Rs.3000 (€35) borrowed from my aunt, borrowed my senior’s shoes, attended interviews and I got a job in a BPO with Rs.11000/month(€125) salary. I worked as a call centre executive in night shifts, had to bear abusive words from customers. I used to cry every night while crossing the majestic lighted Cognizant buildings at night. IT career became a distant dream. I used to take the service stairs instead of lift, just to avoid being shamed as I was looked down by some of my college mates who worked in same building, said I lost my career since I was too much into spiritual matters.

With a strong leading, I quit the job in 2010. Kept praying and started to prepare well for my arrear papers. On Jan 12 2011 after 1 year and 2 months after my initial offer, I got my results right 30 minutes after I finished a word of prayer!. With no hope but since my dad insisted, I emailed the HR about my results & a miracle did happen. The HR replied that I can use my “year old offer” to join Cognizant.

Joined Cognizant, a fortune 500 company on this very same day (Jan 20 2011), moved to Deloitte one of the worlds Big 4, then with Verizon, a fortune 10 company, Paypal and finally into Adidas, moving from being an analyst to a Senior Manager. Salary digits changed & wherever I worked, God’s grace was there!

For a person who found engineering itself tough, God gave the strength to finish an MBA and Masters as well. Never in my dream I thought from a call center person I would become a Data scientist. In 2011, if some one said, I would travel to the US or Europe, I would have called it a joke !

Why do I write this: Life could be anything at the moment, but remember GOD’s plans are always good for you. I want to encourage you that God can make ways in mysterious ways, where there is no way according to you !

If any one reading this, is out of college or studying or working, right now discouraged about failures and thinking of your future: Cheer up, Look unto God, commit, get prepared, do what you can and HE will do what you cannot. There is surely HOPE and your faith will not be put to shame !

Grace !!! Grace Alone !!!!