God Has Never Stopped Working — Ivy's Testimony

Today I’d like to share how God has been at work in our family over the past year, how He has changed us and shown us His faithfulness.

Last April, our family of four moved to Christchurch. As soon as we arrived, my husband threw himself into his studies. For the past year, that’s been his main focus. Most days he was either at the library or on his way there. You could honestly say the library became his second home.

As for me, I went from being a doctor to a full-time mum and housewife. My days were filled with the same household jobs over and over again, and that made me feel worthless for a while.

When I thought about the possibility that my medical career might be over, I felt disappointed, frustrated and, if I’m honest, quite bitter.

I didn’t want to stay in that place, but I couldn’t seem to get out of it. The harder I tried to change, the more stuck I felt.

One day, Pastor Jane shared her testimony with me and talked about finding our identity in Christ. Her story really touched me, and I decided to give my life to Jesus.

As I came before God, these words of Jesus spoke deeply to me:

“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24)

But denying myself—letting go of my own expectations and my own way of doing things—wasn’t easy.

Weiwei encouraged me by saying, “Your husband came to know the Lord two years before you, but right now God is teaching you first. He’s helping you learn obedience so you can become the helper and woman of noble character He wants you to be.”

From then on, my prayer became, “Lord, nail my pride to the cross. Renew me, cleanse me, lead me, and give me the faith and strength to become the helper my husband needs. May my family be blessed through me.”

As I began putting God’s Word into practice, something changed. My circumstances stayed exactly the same, but God began changing my heart.

Before, when my husband came home late after studying, I’d complain. But instead, I started praying for him. When he got home late, I’d make sure there was a hot meal waiting for him. Instead of feeling frustrated, I found myself feeling grateful for everything he was sacrificing for our family.

I realised that when I stopped insisting on my own way and surrendered things to God, He filled my heart with a peace I couldn’t explain. I used to find my identity in my career. Now I’m learning to find my identity in Christ and to pursue the kind of life that pleases Him.

In February this year, I started going to English classes during the day. Strangely, every morning at about 10 o’clock I’d get a headache. It happened day after day.

I mentioned it to Pastor Jane, and she said, “At this stage, the most important thing for you is to focus on your family first and support your husband so he can successfully finish his studies." At the time,

I didn’t really want to stop going to school to learn English, but I chose to be obedient. To my amazement, as soon as I made that decision, the headaches disappeared.

I can’t explain exactly how God worked, but it gave me even more confidence that He knows what’s best for us.

After I stopped going to English classes at daytime, Weiwei, a few other sisters and I started meeting every Friday to study the Bible together.

Gradually, spending time with God became the most important part of my day. While I cooked, I listened to Pastor Jane’s previous sermons. While I was doing the housework or driving the children around, I’d listen to worship music. Before going to bed each night, I’d read my Bible and pray.

The more time I spent with God, the more my heart was filled with peace and joy.

There was another area where God brought real freedom into my life.

For years, I was obsessed with keeping the kitchen tidy. If it wasn’t cleaned up straight after a meal, I’d become anxious. I’d even get upset with my family because I felt they weren’t tidy enough or didn’t care about keeping things clean.

One day, while talking with Weiwei, she gently pointed out that what I was really holding onto wasn’t cleanliness—it was my own standard. Underneath it was pride and self-righteousness.

Her words really challenged me.

That very evening, my husband cooked dinner. Afterwards the kitchen was a complete mess. He said, “I’ll clean it up after I get back from swimming.”

Normally, I would’ve started cleaning straight away while complaining, “Why can’t you do it now?”

But that night, God brought these words to my mind:

“Love is patient, love is kind... It does not boast, it is not proud, it does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking. (1 Corinthians 13:4–5)

In that moment, I realised something:

My family is more important than a tidy kitchen.

It was incredible. The anxiety I’d always felt just disappeared, and my heart was filled with peace instead.

I realised that what really needed cleaning wasn’t the kitchen, it was my heart.

Thank You, Lord, for showing me that true holiness isn’t about expecting everyone else to live up to my standards. It’s about letting go of myself and learning to love and accept my family.

My freedom didn’t come because the kitchen was finally clean. It came because Jesus had set my heart free.

One day, my husband said to me, “You’ve been spending a lot of time with God lately, but don’t forget about your English as well.”

I didn’t argue with him, but in my heart I was certain that God was leading me to put down deep roots in Him first. I trusted that, when the time was right, He would also lead me in learning English.

I said to my husband, “I can pray for you, but I can’t build your relationship with God for you. That’s something only you can do.”

Praise God! From that day on, my husband started reading the Bible and praying with me every day. Even on the nights when I went to bed early with our daughter, he would still spend time with God on his own.

For many days we read Psalm 23 together:

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.”

Every time I read those words, the Holy Spirit touched my heart, and I couldn’t stop the tears.

In the past, I found my identity in my career, my achievements, and being in control of my life. Now I’ve come to realise that if the Lord is my Shepherd, He is all I need.

Before we came to New Zealand, my husband went to a Bible study every Thursday night. To be honest, Thursdays were my “black Thursdays.”

I hated him going. I was pregnant with our daughter at the time, and not long after he left, I’d often ring him and say, “My stomach hurts, you need to come home now!”

But after we moved to Christchurch, God’s love began to draw me to Him. Even though I had resisted Him for so long, He never gave up on me.

After I became a Christian, my husband was busy with his studies, so I actually spent more time with the Lord than he did. My heart became on fire for God. Some of the sisters even said to me, “You used to oppose Christians, but now you’re more passionate than many of us, just like Paul.”

I’ve come to realise that what changes a person’s life isn’t willpower or determination. It’s the grace of God.

In April, my husband started applying for jobs. He sent out dozens of applications. Every time he clicked “submit”, we’d think, “Maybe this is the one.”

But again and again, another rejection email would arrive.

Each rejection was disappointing. After so many hopes followed by so many disappointments, I became anxious. I started complaining and even wondered, “God, have You stopped working? Are You still leading us?”

But God was so patient with me.

As I prayed, He kept reminding me, “Don’t focus on your circumstances. Don’t focus on the results. Keep your eyes on Me.”

Before we came to New Zealand, my husband had built a successful career in China. He had achieved a lot and earned the respect of many people. By most people’s standards, he was successful.

But when we arrived here, we had to start all over again.

The experience, qualifications and achievements he had built up over many years couldn’t automatically open doors in a new country. Everything was different—the language, the culture and the professional system—so he had to begin again from the beginning.

What really touched me was his humility. He didn’t hold on to his past achievements. Instead, he was willing to start wherever God opened the door. He told me that even if it meant starting in a very junior role, he was happy to do that if it was God’s path for him.

That challenged me to come before God again in repentance. I confessed my anxiety and my complaining, and once again I placed my husband’s job into God’s hands.

I prayed, “Lord, I don’t know when You’ll open the door, but I choose to trust that Your timing is always right.”

And God answered.

He didn’t just provide my husband with a job. He gave him a position with a wonderful company that was far better than we could have imagined, and it’s only a few minutes from our home.

Praise God for His faithfulness.

Through this experience, God showed me that He had never stopped working. He was working all along, just according to His timing.

If He had answered our prayers straight away, we might never have learned to wait. And if we hadn’t learned to wait, we wouldn’t have learned to truly trust Him.

God’s plans are always better than ours, and what He gives is always more than we could ask or imagine.

As Ephesians 3:20 says:

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.”

All glory and praise be to God!

As I look back over the past year, my heart is full of gratitude. But I’m not just thankful because God provided my husband with a job. What I’m most grateful for is that God never gave up on me—a person who was often weak, often full of doubts, and so often focused on what I could see instead of trusting Him.

Step by step, He has been leading me out of anxiety, complaining, and relying on myself. He has been teaching me to look to Him and to trust Him more each day.

The greatest blessing hasn’t been what God has given us, but that we’ve come to know Him more deeply and experience His faithfulness in our everyday lives.

Sometimes I think, “I only wish I’d come to know the Lord earlier.” But I’m so thankful that I know Him now.

Today, I want to place my whole family into God’s hands. My prayer is that our home won’t just be a happy home, but a home that brings glory to God; not just a home that seeks our own happiness, but one that God can use to bless others.

May God continue His work in us, making us more and more like Christ. May our family be a testimony to His grace and a vessel He can use for His purposes.

As Joshua said:

“As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15)

Jesus also said:

“With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26)

The reason I can stand here and share this testimony isn’t because we’re better than anyone else or because we’ve tried harder. It’s because the God we believe in is living and faithful, and He always keeps His promises.

If you’re going through a season of waiting, anxiety or disappointment, I want to encourage you. I’ve been there too. I’ve had doubts. I’ve been weak. But God never gave up on me.

And I believe He won’t give up on you either.

My prayer is that each one of us would come to know this living God more deeply and experience His love, His faithfulness, and His grace for ourselves.

May all the glory be to our Lord.

Amen.