Yes and No. Simple as ABC.

I always believe that God answer prayers in 2 ways - Yes and No. Simple right? Simple yet nerve wrecking actually. When it's a Yes, it's either immediate or WAIT. Now, who loves to wait?

Anyway, whenever I am required to wait, seeing the seed born into a fruit is a wonderful feeling.

I returned to Singapore about 6 years ago armed with a Bachelor in Engineering. However, even during my 2nd semester of Engrg studies, I was very sure that I had made a wrong choice. It may seemed very selfish to some but a year after my return, by faith, I decided to follow what I seemed to have heard from God and I made an application to do a Graduate Diploma in Social Work. Amazing things happened!

1. I have had absolutely NO idea how I could get myself enrolled into the course (with no experience whatsoever), but I got enrolled.
   
2. I had cold feet during my first day of lesson and I had thoughts of pulling out (Social Work means I have to talk to strangers and I do not know how I could do that!)! However, I decided to look at my class list and I saw a very familiar name and realized it was a fellow church member! What great comfort.
   
3. Then, I had no idea how I could pass my exams (with tons of strange reading and working full time) but I had to be blessed with a classmate who was looking for a study partner and he came over to my place almost everyday to study.
   
4. In order to do my internship for 4 months, I had to quit my job. One day, out of the blue, my study partner asked me if I would like to have an education bursary?
5. After 4 months of internship, I was offered a job.
6. After graduation, I got a 50% reimbursement under the Strategic Manpower Conversion Programme for those who wants a career change.
   

Now, do I see God's hands moving in that decision?

Well, what I did not mention was that I did receive slight disagreement with my mummy. Although I could lay out the "career path" of a social worker, it is still a fact that I have wasted my degree. Although the criteria for the Graduate Diploma is a basic degree, it is still like a wasted degree. I remember telling mummy "Mummy, I would really rather be in a job that I love cause when I love it, I can perform and scaling the job "ladder" would be easier.". She had her doubts, of course. I prayed.

Great great blessings fell in expected and unexpected ways. In the past almost 3 years, I had about 4 increments in various forms & sizes. Thanks to the awareness of social work, there was also the announcement from the govt last year for pay increment.

Of recent weeks, mummy is genuinely showing a HUGE interest in my work. It started out with me coming home one day feeling so dejected and I started sharing one case with her. Soon, everyday, mummy will ask me "So how is so-and-so today?". She will always be SO amused by my frustration and the look of I-have-no-more-ideas-on-what-to-do-to-this-child. Yesterday, I had one of the BEST chat with mummy. She empathized with me, empathized with the child and shared with me tips on what I can do. She also shared tips on how I can be a better supervisor and it was almost over 2 solid hours!

Honestly??? I was in awe of God. I prayed for mummy's approval, I prayed that she will come to understand one day what I am doing, I prayed for God's hands to be over my job. Increasingly, I am seeing things come to past.

My point is very simple. God answers prayers. God changes hearts. God loves me! I am precious! I am His beloved! Let go & simply let God work. It's through valley lows that we can experience mountain highs.