Random picture of a bunny rabbit that Jian took when we were in Inver-vegas.

I was listening to a podcast from Hillsong London where Christine Caine preached on the power of preparation. In summary, the message was not to hate the waiting place or waste the time of preparation for an event that's going to take place, and also not to bypass the waiting place/process. There are many times when I didn't like the waiting place because it's such a long one. I remember things like planning for my medical elective last year, where I actually applied to Cambodia initially in hopes to work with a medical mission team over there, only to get so agitated because they didn't reply my email quickly. And the applications were due soon. And I had my 5th year exams to worry about as well! But God being who He is, allowed me that time to put my trust in Him, to have faith that He will work all things out for me - and He did! He pulled through. Gave me the opportunity to spend my medical electives in three different countries, with lots of travelling in between and meeting lots of friends (which I love!).

I know sometimes it's so much easier said than done, especially when deadlines have to be met, and you're still waiting for God to give an answer. And sometimes it's also because God wants us to be risk-takers. Just go for it, with the peace of God in your heart. That's how I got to NZ in the first place to study! I remember all those hard times - when I wasn't able to get the scholarship from Brunei to come here to study medicine, but I had applied to Otago separately and received an unconditional offer, and I was like, should I go, shouldn't I? Having had the desire to study in NZ, I chose to go. And what made it harder was at the end of my first year, I didn't do well enough to get into med school! That was a heartbreaking time and my family can vouch for me when I say that. Then it was the same question, should I go back to NZ, shouldn't I? During that summer break, I did re-apply for the scholarship again, but it took a while for them to get back to me. So I ended up studying physio in my 2nd year in Otago (which was a lot of drama to organise due to miscommunication), which I did enjoy, don't get me wrong, but it wouldn't be the same as doing medicine.

BUT the catch during that year was that the government did award me the scholarship to do medicine, only that it was a couple of months too late and the Dean of med school did not allow me to enter med that year because I have missed out on too many classes. So I 'gave up' on that dream and decided to continue on with physio. God blessed me with a wonderful year, meeting great friends, and towards the end of the year, He posed me with yet another decision to make! Mom told me that the gov't has allowed me to defer the scholarship that I was awarded with for a year, so I could start medicine the following year! (At this point, I was like, are you serious God? I've already settled myself in physio, comfortable with the people I'm with. I did not know anyone who would start med school that following year, etc etc)

After lots of praying and seeking, I felt at the time that God wanted me to get out of my comfort zone. To be a risk-taker. So I decided to pull out from physio that year, and enter med school. It was nerve-wrecking! Me, being such an introvert, facing 200+ other people in the class whom I've never met before. I did prepare myself mentally before orientation started, that I would be brave and introduce myself to whoever I was sitting next to in lectures, labs, etc. even if I made a fool out of myself. And you guessed it, God did provide me with friends that I loved hanging out with, who motivated me to study and it all worked out well in the end!

And now after 6.5 years at uni, I am about to graduate. When I look back at all the growing and pruning process that I've been through, the painful experiences which caused me to grow further out of my comfort zone and trust more in God, I am grateful. I would not trade all those experiences for anything else. God is working in my life and I know there is so much more pruning to be done. So some people wonder why it is that I took 7 years to complete med school and not 6, and no, it wasn't because I did a year of research. :P God made me take a little detour in life, and looking back, it was to be His hands and feet for the people that He surrounded me with at that point in time. He doesn't make any mistakes. He's got a plan for my life that is purposeful.

Wow! It wasn't my intention to write about my testimony today. haha. I just felt to write it as I went along. But I hope you are blessed, whoever is reading this blog. If you are in this waiting place that you are finding horrible and want to get out of, know that God is already there. One of my longest waiting place right now is relationship. I had plans to get married by the age of 25 (and for those who know me, that's not a long way to go now! haha). But hey, a (wo)man has many plans in his/her heart, but God determines his/her steps yea? I am enjoying this waiting place of being single at the moment, as God works on my life and moulds me to the person He wants me to be. So all you single people out there, don't worry. Keep praying and seeking Him :)

So now to get to what I was going to write in this post (before I got sidetracked :P). If I were to ignore everything else in my life ie med school, I would choose to just play my guitar, write songs, spend all my time with God and His word, catch up with lots of friends. However reality hits me. I just remembered that I have my CPR exam in two weeks and I haven't been studying my book for a while. And I've got a report to type out for my public health project. AND I've still got my ED shifts to go through. I shouldn't waste this time of preparation, as He prepares me to become an awesome doctor! So off I go now to do work.

This post was written at 10:27 AM

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