Do you have any hopes or dreams? Is there something you yearn for? Perhaps you did but have given up on them? Or maybe there isn’t anything you really want and you are quite happy where you are?

I don’t consider myself ambitious and don’t feel that there is a lot that I particularly aspire to. But at the same time, I feel that there is more to my current situation and that there is something more that I desire (although I don’t exactly know what it is!).

As a child, I always wanted to see more of Asia. I wanted to know more about the culture and language over there, the food they eat, the games they play etc. But as I grew older, each door to Asia seemed to have closed on me and I came to the conclusion that it was never going to happen. As a result, I decided to stay put and focus on what I was doing, thinking that this first step was going to be my last step. I threw out any thoughts of living abroad and did not dare to think about it again.

Yet over time, this desire resurfaced again and again (which I did not initiate). It challenged me. Is this a desire from God? Because if it is, then surely God will fulfil it, right? But how? All doors are closed.

In writing this testimony, it still hasn’t happened yet, but one thing I can be sure is that if God says it’s going to happen, it’s going to happen. Perhaps not the way and time that I expected it to be, but it will surely happen. And it will happen in a way that is much better than I could’ve planned it myself.

Even though it has taken much longer than I expected, I thank God that no time was ever wasted. I have accumulated so much during this waiting season (I believe much more than I would’ve if I have had it my way).

In this season of waiting, I grew closer to God and his church, I experienced joy that was not dependent on my situation, I learnt to trust in Him even though in human terms it was impossible, I overcame my fears, I was given valuable experience that was needed to move forward and was taken to waters I would not imagine. One by one, God removed the barriers and helped me to overcome. What once seemed impossible was starting to see a glimmer of hope.

There were (and still are) times where I felt like retreating and my faith was challenged even when I have witnessed God remove so many barriers. But I hold onto His faithfulness and renew my trust in Him. Trusting that He will provide before I see it happen.

For nothing is impossible with God. (Luke 1:37).

Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD! (Psalm 27:14).