"The only way to learn strong faith is to endure great trials," said George Muller.

Soon after Stanley and Linda were married, they flew off to London to further their studies. A series of trials were awaiting to test their faith.

Those who know Stanley would comment, “Wow! This brother has such strong faith! Then invariably, someone would be curious and asked, “Stanley, how did you come to have such strong faith?” George Muller said, the only way to cultivate strong faith is to go through a big trial. This is true and Stanley is no exception.

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Stanley: My life is a story written by God, under the divine arrangement of God, my family, colleagues and friends, appear in this story. I am only a pencil in God’s hand, writing the special and eternal mission that God has given me.

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Stanley's faith in God continued to grow. His relationship with secondary school classmate Linda also grew. In March 1979, the couple were married. He soon settled into married life but felt that his duties at work were not challenging enough. He had always wished to go abroad to study and Linda strongly encouraged him to pursue his dream. The two decided to go to London. In September 1979, they set off without knowing where they would stay in London. On the plane from Singapore to London, they met a young Englishman whom they knew only as Brian. Brian was very friendly, and on learning that the couple did not have a place to stay upon arrival, generously invited them to stay in his rented small apartment for a night.

The next morning was Sunday. Stanley asked Brian whether there was any church in the vicinity. Although Brian himself was not a Christian, he was very kind to accompany the couple to a nearby church. Stanley and Linda stayed behind to fellowship at the church. They were introduced to a lovely couple – Dr Christopher Bartley and his wife Madeleine. When they heard that the young couple did not have a place to stay, they immediately opened up their own home for Stanley and Linda until they found a place of their own in London.

Later, when Stanley recalled the experience, he said that this was the first miracle that God had given him and Linda in London. Madeleine had a very loving heart to serve others. And every morning, she prepared breakfast for Stanley and Linda throughout the three weeks that they stayed at their home. Dr Bartley also gave them very good advice, one of which was to apply for international student accommodation at Gilmore House. Stanley and Linda took up his advice and immediately went to Gilmore House to look for the warden in charge. They were disappointed when they heard that more than 100 people were already on the waiting list, and they had to wait for at least six months to a year before they could get a room.

After praying, Stanley and Linda decided to put their names on the waiting list and leave the situation to God. Amazingly, after a week, they received a telephone call to inform them that they had a room! They bid Dr Bartley and Madeleine good bye and moved to the international student dormitory. This was the second miracle that they experienced in London.

And so, they settled down in their own place. But they still had a lot of things to adjust to - married life, a new country, a different culture, different seasons, settling back into student life after 7 years of working. They also needed to find and make new friends. And all within a limited budget as well; it was not an easy start.

Around this time, they received news that Linda's grandfather had passed away. This sad piece of news coupled with all the stresses of adjustments, caused Linda to fall into depression. She would often cry herself to sleep. Staying all day long in a small enclosed attic room added to the stress. Stanley tried everything to help her, but to no avail; he could only pray earnestly with her and for her.

One day, Linda asked him to ask the warden for a move to a bigger room. Stanley’s first reaction was, “The waiting list is still so long! We only got this room, Number 16, by the grace of God, and we have only moved in for 3 months!” But Stanley did not have the heart to see his wife so depressed, so with a heavy heart he went to see the warden.

As he expected; it was impossible to change to a bigger room. Stanley could only continue to pray and meditate on God’s Word. He was reading about Joshua and the walled city of Jericho in the Old Testament. In Joshua chapter 6, Joshua obeyed God and prayed and walked around Jericho every day for 6 days. On the 7th day, Joshua and the people gave a “war cry”, and the wall in Jericho collapsed.

Stanley decided to do the same thing.  He began a 7-day prayer walk around Gilmore House without telling Linda and prayed to ask God to open a door for a bigger room. On the 7th day, miraculously, he received a telephone call from the warden telling him they could move to a bigger room, Number 6, on the ground floor. Stanley was overjoyed. Linda got better after moving into the new room. And that's the third miracle from God after they came to London.

After her physical and emotional recovery, Linda decided that she, too, would try to continue her studies in London, This was a good idea, but Stanley's savings were running low. What could they do? At that time, Linda was an assistant researcher for a Professor Walsh at the Imperial College. Professor Walsh suggested that Linda apply for the British Petroleum Scholarship. But there was a problem - this scholarship was typically reserved for British citizens. The possibility of Linda getting the scholarship was very minimal.

On the encouragement of the professor, Linda decided to submit an application to British Petroleum, and committed this request to God in prayer. To their amazement, Linda was invited to and passed the multiple rounds of interviews surpassing all other applicants to obtain the scholarship! With God’s wisdom, past successful work experience and industrial background coupled with her empirical mind, she completed her doctoral degree within 2 years – a record time! She also won the London Imperial College best doctoral thesis award in 1982. During the same period, Stanley also successfully completed the degree in Master of Business Administration (MBA). This was the fourth miracle from God in London.

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Stanley: Those years in London were the most memorable years in my life. It was also the peak of my spiritual growth in the midst of challenges and adversities. Because of God's leading and divine provision, Linda and I have the courage and strength to move onto unknown paths where God wants us to go by faith.

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In encountering life, our hearts are often anxious. Even Stanley and Linda who have successful academic careers, are no exceptions. But each time when they get worried, they always remind themselves to bring all their concerns before God and leave everything in God’s hands. To not only to let go and let God but also to trust God and move on. They do not allow fear to affect their future. Stanley’s constant reaffirming echo was and still is: “When I do not see God’s hands, I trust His heart as He never shortchanges His children who obey Him.”