The Vision is for an Appointed Time
DEAR PRECIOUS LADIES
Habakkuk 2:3 states that “...For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come...”
Once again we thank God for all He did for us in the month of October. We have been given a brand new month and we are almost ending the year. To God be all the glory for what He has done in us and through us.
I was looking at some photos of one of the ladies very dear to me. I had the privilege to mentor her and walk with her and she allowed me to encourage you with her testimony. Lois left the shores of Zambia in 2010 to pursue a Masters degree in International Management. She completed it successfully in 2012. She found a job and worked for a while but her contract ended. At that point she was very discouraged and could not get jobs. She was not yet ready to go back to Zambia as all her family are in the UK. She was very frustrated and wondered why her prayers were not being answered. We prayed together and trusted in the Lord, but still Lois struggled with the fact that she had no income. She finally got a job and we rejoiced. We did not know that this job we celebrated was going to move her to Weymouth, a couple of hours from Bristol where we live. We were all disappointed and Lois cried when she realised this fact. She did not know anyone in that city and this led her into a wilderness experience where she felt all alone.
After a while, the contract in Weymouth ended and Lois's visa was about to run out. Life seemed to be throwing sour grapes at her from every direction. However, she determined not to get discouraged and enrolled for a Masters in Business Administration, which she successfully completed with a distinction in her dissertation. Along with immigration, another pressure weighing heavy on Lois's shoulders was her desire to get married. Men who seemed to be interested in her would just disappear without giving clear reasons. Nothing was falling into place in that area of her life. We kept on praying and encouraged her to trust in the Lord and to be patient. Academic success did not fully quench this lingering desire to get married. When you are above 30 as a woman, it is generally assumed that the clock is ticking against you biologically, so you can imagine how Lois felt.
To the glory of God, a man she had met in Weymouth, the city she did not want to go, started to pursue her. At first she did not respond to him well, but with time they developed a friendship. On the 25th of September, Lois's 34th birthday, they got married. Although her dreams seemed to be distant, although her journey had setbacks and disappointments, at the end of it all, the vision of God for her life has come to pass. She is now settled and very happy.
My sisters, things might not have worked out the way you thought. Perhaps you have given up on your dreams. You might be feeling that your prayers are not being answered fast enough. Please be encouraged and know that there is an appointed time for you. God has everything under control. He will surely cause all things to work for your good. Keep on moving forward. Continue to trust in Him. Like Lois, your story will end well because Jehovah has great plans for you and those plans will come to pass.
Here are some photos of Lois's wedding to encourage you. Have a blessed month.
Love and blessings
Pastor Fatima Sibanda
