When I was 5 years old, there was one evening when my mum sent me to be taken care of by my aunt.

I was with my aunt at the entrance of her flat as she was welcoming guests for a gathering. After a short while, she made me sit on the parapet. My aunt placed her hand on my lap, and my back was facing the rough, rocky carpark.

As she was talking to an uncle, she started to burst into laughter and unknowingly removed her hand from my lap. As a result, I fell backwards from that third storey.

I remember feeling like I was rotating in the air, but a strong wind came. I was pushed to a grass patch where I landed on my back.

My aunt came running down the stairs and asked if I was alright, and I said “yes”. 

Because my mum wasn’t told about what happened that night, the incident only came to light years later even though I started having severe migraines since then.

Whenever we were in the neighbourhood, I always shared with my mum that this was where I had a fall. But she would truncate my conversation, thinking that I was joking.

The day finally came when she decided to listen to what I had to say. After I explained the whole situation and we had a talk with my aunt, my mum cried.

She said that I was a gifted child from God since I was saved in a miraculous way. But the only question in my heart was: Who was this God?

The answer came when I was 19.

FINDING TRUE NORTH

The night before the release of the A-Level results, I received a call from a Christian friend. He shared that a pastor had come to his place and asked if I had any prayer requests.

I greeted the pastor on the phone and introduced myself. I only mentioned that I wanted good results for my A-Levels, but I didn’t share anything else.

While the pastor was praying, he said: “Sister, God loves you and you are a gifted child from God because He has saved your life by a strong wind.”

I cried after hearing those words. The pastor had no idea why I was in tears, but I thanked him and said my prayer had been answered.

My question had finally been answered: It was Jesus who saved me!

That day, I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Saviour.

Growing up, I had heard stories about what God had done in the life of another aunt who is a Christian, but that was the first personal encounter that I had with God. 

At 22, I experienced another miracle.

During my second year of studying for a degree in biomedical science, I was rushed to hospital for a severe pain on my left side. Doctors found that there was a major cyst in my ovary, and I needed immediate surgery.

I was hospitalised for a week and given medical leave for two months. Unfortunately, I had to sit for two important exams in two months’ time, but had to miss all my lectures!

My classmates told me to defer the exams as they felt I wouldn’t be able to pass, but I spoke to God and said: “Jesus, please take care of my studies. I will do all the best I can, but give me the best result I deserve.”

I ended up scoring distinction for both of those modules!

In my final year, I also couldn’t complete the last exam for a major module due to my severe migraine. I scored 48%, the lowest grade I had gotten throughout my university days. 

I knew it would have a significant impact on the classification of my honours, but I still prayed about my result.

Guess what? I scored first class honours! And I was even interviewed for an article in the papers.

I believe these were all possible by the grace of God.

GROWING THROUGH SETBACKS

However, the year after graduating, I suffered a big blow in my love life.

The relationship I had been in for 12 years ended because my boyfriend couldn’t accept my faith. We had even gotten a BTO flat and had planned to get married the next year!

I cried so much as I felt cheated, but I held onto God to move on. I believed that there could be new life in Christ.

I also made the decision to get baptised and wholeheartedly give my life to Jesus.

Over time, I learnt to forgive my boyfriend and experienced healing from the hurt with help from my Christian community. 

But two years ago, I was shocked when I found out that my boyfriend was charged for sexual offences!

I also cried because I couldn’t imagine what would have happened if I were to be married to him now. 

I thank God for saving my life once again. 

GOD SAVED MY LIFE

My faith journey hasn’t been easy. There have been many times when I’ve had to choose between God and other things.

But ever since my baptism, I have this joy, peace and love that I’ve never experienced all my life.

I had been a happy person before. But I realised that joy is something different. 

Previously, I also felt that I needed to change myself to obtain peace. But I learnt that, in Jesus, I can have peace even in the midst of storms or challenges in life. 

As for love, I realised that God’s love is so pure, unconditional and deep. I don’t need to struggle to get it. His love gives me purpose to live and keeps me going!

And in the meantime, whenever I feel lost, I go back to the memory of the fall I had when I was 5 years old.

I remember that God chose to save me even when I didn’t know who He was.

God saved my life even when I didn’t even know Him, and I will give my life to Him because He holds my future.

From education to medical emergencies, God has saved Elaiyarani in many other unexpected situations. Inspired by His faithfulness, she has compiled all of these stories into her book, “A Daughter Saved By The King”. You may pre-order it here.

This story was first published on Stories of Hope has been republished with permission.