The Ivytree Studio Story – Part 4: The Season of Waiting

Waiting seasons can feel incredibly confusing.

Especially when you believe God has called you to something more, yet life seems to slow down instead of move forward.

But often, the seasons that feel quiet on the outside are the very seasons where God is doing deep work underneath the surface.

This part of my journey became one of those seasons.

After walking through a very difficult professional season, I returned to mainstream teaching and waited there for another three years. At the time, it honestly felt like I had failed. I wondered if I had misunderstood my direction. I questioned many things and had to learn how to settle my heart again after a painful experience.

But God was not finished with me.

Those three years became some of the most important years of my teaching career and personal growth.

One of the greatest highlights during that time was becoming the Production Manager of our school arts festival. It was a role that came naturally to me and allowed me to use creativity, planning, leadership, and organisation in ways I had never fully explored before. I absolutely loved it.

I learned what can happen when someone gives you a real opportunity and believes in your ability to lead well.

I also learned something equally important:

Big projects and meaningful events are only truly successful when you have a willing and supportive team around you.

And in that season, I did.

At the same time, God was teaching me difficult but necessary lessons about people and relationships.

I learned that students can show incredible love, loyalty, and encouragement in unexpected ways.

I learned that some people who call themselves friends may not actually have your best interests at heart.

I learned how damaging manipulation and sweet talk can be, and how important discernment truly is.

But I also experienced the blessing of having authority figures over me who genuinely supported and protected me. That kind of leadership creates peace and stability, and I learned how valuable that is.

During these years, another longing in my heart intensified deeply — the desire to one day marry and build a life with someone.

My prayer life became more intentional and heartfelt during this season.

I stood at several crossroads where I had to make big transitional decisions, trusting God completely for the outcome.

And slowly, quietly, God continued preparing the path ahead.

Waiting seasons often feel unproductive while we are inside them.

But looking back, I can now see how much God was restoring, strengthening, and rebuilding in me during those years.

What felt like “waiting” was actually preparation.

God was developing leadership, resilience, discernment, creativity, and emotional maturity in ways that would later become foundational for Ivytree Studio and the work I do today.

Sometimes God slows us down so He can establish us more deeply before the next season begins.

The next part of the story is where creativity began moving from the background into the centre of my life.

👉 I’ll share how God planted the first real seeds of what would eventually become Ivytree Studio — long before the business itself even existed.

Thank you for taking this journey with me.

If you are currently in a season of waiting, uncertainty, or rebuilding, I hope this encourages you to trust that God is still working — even when life feels slower than expected.

And if you enjoy faith-based creativity, journaling, and gentle encouragement for the heart… I hope you consider joining the Ivytree Studio world.