Does your profession require you to make major decisions? Do you think your religion will impact your career or business decisions? Could it even be possible that the one could impact the other? One of the things that caught my attention in Stanley’s sharing is how he lived out his Christian convictions in his life and career. His beliefs impact the way he lives and works.

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Stanley: “How to keep trusting that God’s will for us is perfect and will always turn out to be better than our own plans? God still speaks to us today,   our new life in Christ gives us a moral compass in daily living and in the marketplace. Integrity in business is my personal motto and by practicing biblical principles, there is safety and reward!”

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In 2005, the COGEN project which Stanley oversaw ended. Stanley and another management member from the COGEN team were invited to join another European Commission – ASEAN Programme based at the office of ASEAN Centre of Energy (ACE) in Jakarta, Indonesia. However, at that time, Linda was still based in Thailand. Stanley and Linda would be away from each other for an entire year. Stanley declined the offer while his colleague accepted the offer. The EC-ASEAN leadership was disappointed and asked him to reconsider.

During one of his daily devotions, Stanley read Daniel Chapter 1 and how Daniel fasted for ten days to seek the Lord. Stanley took upon himself to do the same – to fast for ten days to seek the Lord’s will. His challenges to God before he would take up the offer were four-fold:

First, he did not want to be the initiator.

Second, an alternate candidate should not yet be found.

Third, all four decision makers should agree to have him back on the team.

Fourth, his reason for rejecting the offer initially would be acceptable.

A week later, during his fast, Stanley received an email from the other team member. She told him that despite having nearly 2000 applicants, ACE had not found a suitable candidate. Hence, she asked Stanley to reconsider. Stanley’s first and second points were met. Stanley responded by asking if all four decision makers would agree to take him on if he were to accept the offer then. The team member checked with the 4 decision makers and reported that their decision to hire him was unanimous based on Stanley’s proven track record on the COGEN project in Thailand. The leadership wrote an email to Stanley asking why he accepted the offer now when he had originally rejected it. Stanley explained that his initial reason for rejecting was that, biblically, it was not good for husband and wife to be separated for so long a period. However, to be sure that this was indeed God’s will, he had read Daniel Chapter 1 and followed Daniel’s example of praying and fasting for 10 days and how God had fulfilled all four challenges he posed to Him regarding the offer. On a business level, this seemed too bizarre a spiritual response to submit to EC-ASEAN which is not a “spiritual organization”, but Stanley emailed his response by faith. All four decision makers accepted his reason of accepting the late offer. Linda supported Stanley in all of this and came to visit him in Indonesia while he was stationed out there.

Upon arrival in Jakarta, Stanley needed to obtain a work permit. He was informed that the unofficial process was to make a facilitating payment via an agent. This would be the best way to avoid a delay in his application. Knowing that this would violate his biblical integrity principle, Stanley prayed for courage and then asked the agent to kindly inform his counterpart that he had been invited to work in Jakarta to help the country in their energy sector and that it would be their loss not to grant his work permit or to delay issuance of it. He would not condone any malpractices. Stanley laid his situation before God and he knew that since God had led him there after 10 days of fasting and praying, He would pave the way for him if he stood firm in his convictions. And God did indeed open the way! Stanley got his work permit in good time without having to compromise on his integrity.

Jakarta is well-known for their terrible traffic jams and Stanley was stuck often in the traffic for hours. How nice, he thought, it would be for people to have a little pocket-size booklet of wisdom or quotes to read and help re-focus their thoughts and direction while sitting in the cab or waiting at the bus stop. This idea burdened Stanley for weeks and eventually culminated in his compilation and publishing a small booklet titled “Success & Victory”. It consists of 100 key inspirational quotes and insights. With the help of the Navigators in Indonesia, the bilingual English - Bahasa Indonesia edition was successfully published and 5000 copies sold. This not only blessed many people who are stuck in traffic jams for hours, it also allowed Stanley to raise funds for Christian missions abroad.

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Stanley: My life is a story written by God. Under His order, my family and friends appear in this story. I am akin to a pen in God’s hand, penning the special and eternal mission that He has ordained me with.”

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Fasting and praying to seek God’s will is an important and essential aspect in Stanley’s spiritual life. And when Stanley obeyed, God not only opened and led the way, He also blessed the people around Stanley greatly.

On one occasion when Stanley came back from Jakarta to rest in Singapore due to an operation of his right knee, a Branch Manager from his local bank who was taking over his account visited him. The Branch Manager came to Stanley’s house with her assistant to do a product presentation. They got along well and during the business discussion, they also talked about various life and family issues. She was trying to find her direction in life and had just signed up for a Buddhism class the week before. Stanley then shared his Christian journey with her and led her to the Lord by the end of the meeting. The next day, the Branch Manager called him up to thank him. She did not tell Stanley during their first meeting that she had been planning to jump from her 15^th floor apartment. Stanley did not know the reason for her wanting to commit suicide. But he thanked the Lord for the divine and timely intervention and that she received salvation in Jesus. Stanley later introduced her to Linda and they became close friends till this day. It’s so wonderful that she is even serving fervently when Stanley visited her church.