Beryl’s Testimony: Being where God wants you to be and Trusting Him

A lot of times when we pray, we’re presenting our requests of all the things we’re believing God to do for us. Sometimes, we even go as far as praying amiss (out of God’s Will) and expecting God to do as we want. God does not impose Himself or His plan on us. If we allow, He will perfect His Will in our lives; if not, He’ll let us have just what we want. God’s perfect Will for our lives include: being where He wants us to be at a particular point in time and with just the right group of people. In this journey called life, we must learn to hold on to God’s Word because every word He has spoken over us will not fall to the ground – Luke 1:37 says that, “No word from God will ever fail.” We serve a faithful God! Also, for us to be in God’s Will for our lives requires us to trust God totally and completely. Trust God like you’ve never done before, trust Him and Him ONLY. 1 Peter 2:6 says that he who puts his trust in God will never be put to shame. So, when you choose to stay in God’s Will and choose to trust God entirely, never forget that you will never be put to shame because He’s got your back always.

Before I got admission into Langston University for the Fall of 2014, I’d trusted God for admission to grad school. I finally received my admission letter / form i-20, and as I was getting ready for my appointment with the embassy, I began to trust God for every single thing that had to do with me leaving Cameroon. But I was denied a visa at the embassy in November of 2014. Interestingly, I was not mad at or disappointed with God, but I was convicted within me that God’s got my back and I gave thanks just as in 1 Thessalonians 5:18. Successfully, my admission was deferred to the Summer of 2015 and as God would have it, I got a visa in May of 2015, and left the country almost immediately. So, when I came to the United States in the Summer of 2015, I’d come to do an undergrad in International Finance, but scriptures make us understand that the steps of the righteous are ordered by the Lord. Summer school was cancelled that year and I’d to transfer to a Community College just so I could be enrolled in school for the summer. I did a few courses that summer and also began working on my application into grad school. So, while my grad school application was still in process, my cousin suggested that I get enrolled into a Bible College and maybe after a semester or two, I could then transfer to grad school to kick off with my Master’s program. Isaiah 55:8 says that the ways of God are not the ways of man. There’s times when God is directing us to places which don’t look one bit of where we think we should be, but trust God! Little did I know that it had been God directing my path all along. So, the Fall semester came and I got enrolled in the department of Creative/Ministry Media at Victory Bible College and barely few weeks after school began, I felt in my spirit that this is where I needed to be at this particular point in time. This didn’t sound funny at all because I kept thinking of all my plans of going to grad school and it suddenly felt like time was against me and like I was running way behind schedule. But Proverbs 16:1 (GNT) says, “we may make our plans, but God has the last word.” Remember that God’s plan for your life may not always be as fun as you expect, but still trust Him! At this point in time, most of my friends were either graduating or almost graduating from grad school, and I found it really difficult to tell my friends and family that I’ll be in a Bible College for the next two years. I finally got courageous and decided to tell them. A few of them were happy and encouraged me to keep doing that which God had called me to but some others actually made me rethink my decision and cry over it. I was expecting to get the best encouragement from my best friend, but when I told her, she was so disappointed that I began to cry while talking to her. I vividly remembered her re-iterating to me my plans of grad school and after grad school, and she went on to ask me if I’d suddenly forgotten about all those plans… but always remember that we may make our plans, but God has the final word.

 So, God has been faithful and has faithfully kept me throughout my two years in Bible College despite all the challenges and negative words/comments and some insults too. But I choose to overcome all these challenges by focusing entirely on the God who ordered my steps into a Bible College. I’ve learned a whole lot these last two years in Bible College: I learned that God’s timing is totally different from our timing, but God’s timing is always the best; I’ve learned to be tolerant with people and to be patient too (…the race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong…); above all, the greatest lesson I’ve learned these last two years is that of walking in the Will and Purpose of God for my life. It’s not an easy task, but I’m trusting God through it all because I’ve come to realize that there’s nothing like walking in God’s plan for your life. Presently, I’m in a season of preparation (which is still not fun), trusting God entirely for every ounce of provision and for every step of the way, and also believing God to return to grad school by Fall of 2018.

To you who may be reading this, you may not be where you want to be or where you thought you would be, but always remember, “the Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.” (Psalms 37:23). So allow God to have his way in your Life.

Fonkem Beryl.