Great Moment in Positive Thinking -God answers Prayers

After graduating with a first degree, my next step was to secure admission into a professional school in Cameroon. To do this, I had to write a competitive entrance exam. In September 1999, I registered for my first entrance exam in the International Relations Institute of Cameroon (IRIC). About 350 candidates were competing for 15 places and I really could not tell my chances of making it. I knew the competition was going to be tough but I also knew that the answer to my worries were in the hands of God who has a plan for every one.

Before leaving home the day of the exam, I went down on my knees behind the door of my room, closed my eyes and prayed to God:
“Oh God, my future lies in your hands; I know you have a plan for me and I am ready to accept whatever it is. If passing this exam is your plan for me, so be it. If not, please give me the strength to move on”.

I was asking God for a favour while admitting my readiness to accept the outcome of the situation. I wrote the exam, took the orals and waited patiently for the results. They were published two weeks later and my name was the 16th on the list, meaning I was on the waiting list! I hurriedly travelled to Yaoundé. Deep down in me, I felt that I might be admitted, perhaps one of the fifteen students won’t show up. In that case I would take their place. The days and weeks went by and they all showed up and started attending lectures. However I didn’t hang on to what seemed to be the immediate outcome – that I wasn’t admitted. I just trusted in the process unfolding in front of me.

It was clear that I would not be a student in that school that year. However, I silently hoped for a miracle. I registered for other competitive entrance exams. And even as I did so, somehow I would dream away, imagining myself in that prestigious school that trains my country’s diplomats.

God’s plan for me was fulfilled in March 2000 when I received a phone call asking me to replace one of the students who had been asked to withdraw due to some academic irregularities. This happened at a time when I had completely forgotten about the possibility of becoming a student that academic year in IRIC!

I graduated successfully in 2002, after two years of hard work. The student whom I replaced passed the competitive entrance exam into another professional school and successfully completed his course. I will never forget this once in a lifetime experience. This taught me that God answers prayers, even when we think He is not thinking of us anymore. It may take a long time but He does answer prayers. All we need to do is believe – and believe even in the impossible. Miracles do happen everyday, and our lives, lived, remain a miracle.

PS I took the picture above in the Iguazu waterfall area in Brazil.