Thanks be to God for all these things that happened this year!
Job Zweifel:
I started the year with an empty bank account, planning to contact Swiss social support I decided to look for a job in their webpage. Exactly one day before my old company where I did my apprenticeship were looking for a supporting worker in the lab. I texted my friend from back then and I started working the week after.
OCCA application:
During this time, I applied to an online one-year program in Apologetics. Which I was accepted in, God opened this door preparing me for the future.
God’s protection:
I clearly felt Gods protection after receiving a mysterious parcel containing a Wicca board and a crystal from a self-proclaimed witch. Paranormal activity in the house allowed me to seek God further and connect with him realising the protection through his blood over me.
PhD submission:
I was able to submit my PhD and managed to start full time work in Zweifel which gave me more funds for my future relocation. Additionally, I started working on a unique project acquiring new skills in programming and deep learning.
Stag do:
I was very happy when I was picked up by my brother and friends to travel to France. There we rented a boat and stayed for a week in the canal celebrating our friendships and the end of my unmarried live.
Job SoP UCL:
While working in Switzerland a colleague from London contacted me offering me a job for a brief period in London. This was crucial since I had to move back to London but didn’t know how to survive. God provided once again through pure grace. This job gave me some money for the rest of the year until today.
Moving back UK:
I moved back to the UK without mayor complications and save. Managed to close everything off in Switzerland ready for a new chapter in my life.
Shev and Leah’s House:
Moving to the UK without Job and roof would have been impossible without the aid of some friends. They were loving and offered me to stay in their home for a week which gave me enough time to arrange accommodation and the last exam in my life.
PhD Viva:
I defended my PhD thesis on a Friday morning. The exam was finished in record time of 1 hour and 45 minutes which is extremely short compared to the average of 3-4 hours. Praise be to God.
Abbey road:
I found a last-minute accommodation in Abbey Road (Yes that abbey road). It was part of a church which was expanded into a Hostel. I lived there for a month meeting very interesting characters and working in the Lab.
Finsbury Park:
Running up to the wedding we were desperate to find an accommodation. I decided to cycle to different parts of London to walk into letting agencies presenting my case and asking for a solution. My old flatmate was living on top of an agent which said: “We usually don’t to this but last week someone called…”. This is how we found a one-bedroom flat in North London for only three months. This became our first temporary home full of boxes and suitcases.
Civil wedding:
I moved into the new flat. My wife moved her stuff into the house the morning of our civil wedding. It was a lovely day with our close family.
Church wedding:
Finally, the day of our wedding arrived we had spent countless hours preparing and organising. We also spend a lot of money but had an amazing day with friends from all over the world coming together in London to celebrate. It was also a very godly day where we pointed towards God and his beauty in this world. Praise be to God.
Honeymoon:
Directly from the wedding we went to our honeymoon. Where we had a lovely time relaxing from all the wedding prep stress and enjoyed the start into our marriage.
Wedding Gifts:
Coming back was a pleasure, setting up our new house and looking into all the lovely things people gifted us. It was a great reminder of all the amazing friendships we have cultivated over the years.
Grant application:
Back in the lab I was blessed with the liberty to apply for a grant. I contacted a prof in Oxford which was highly supportive and was happy to discuss ideas even during his holidays. I spend then some weeks highly stressed applying for the grant at the university of Oxford. Their feedback will be received mid-December, so please pray for that. I was not capable of finding another job for the meantime, so money is short.
Job Bodleian libraries:
The Grant application provided another incentive to move to Oxford together with the OCCA course. Before all of this I proposed the idea to Rebecca knowing that changes are hard, and this would mean to completely switch a new environment. We ended one day by saying let’s pray about it. The next day she found an open position perfectly suited for her and two weeks later an open position at the Bodleian libraries which is a dream institution for her working interests. She prayed to God asking him to choose for her which job she should take if he opens any of the doors. The Bodleian library replied quicker offering the job resulting in her agreeing to this new and exciting job. The first application also resulted in her acceptance, but God was gracious in deciding for Rebecca as she was praying for.
House:
Rebecca managed to negotiate a late start but still a month too early from our last rent day in London. We spend many hours looking for flats and even traveled to Oxford to talk to agencies similar to what I did back for the one-bedroom flat. We kept thinking about lowering our standards to get a place, but we kept praying in knowledge of God’s goodness. We prayed for very specific criteria praying for God to bless us. And he did! We found a great place with more then what we hoped for! God is good and loving, he gifts us because he loves us! Praise be to God.
Furniture:
We moved but only had an inflatable mattress and a lot of boxes.
God kept providing with great things, we thought it would be great to have a solid wood table plus benches for the dining room. Which we found for a ridiculous price.
We also found a brand-new Garden set for less than half the price.
One day we decided to buy a mattress and went to Dreams (a mattress shop in the UK) we tested many mattresses and the one we loved the most was the only one half priced.
We also decided to buy a TV, and we found a huge second-hand screen with added sound system for less then what we budgeted.
God has blessed us even in the small details.
OCCA:
The OCCA course started, and it has been a complete blessing, I have been spending more and more time with Jesus and knowing incredible people. The course has pushed me further into knowing that without Jesus we are nothing and we need him, there is no need to study any topics or research in philosophy if our relationship with Jesus is lacking deepness.
Church/Small group
And finally, we are committed now to a church, and it is absolutely a blessing. We are so happy to have found a place like this.
It really feels like God wants us to be here for this season. This year has been absolutely crazy, I think I have never spent more money in my entire life. I have moved the most with a total of 5 houses. Basically, living out of one suitcase for over a year and now living in an amazing house.
I am very excited about the years to come, and we will see what God’s plan is for us.
