From a random DM to a mentoring journey and unexpected blessings, this story shows the real meaning behind “Ask, and it will be given to you.”
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. — Matthew 7:7
I’ve always loved that verse. My husband and I not only love it, we live by it. We’ve seen it unfold in our lives over and over again, often in ways we couldn’t have planned even if we tried. It’s not about asking recklessly, like tossing a wish list at God and waiting for magic. It’s more about asking to understand, seeking direction, and knocking on doors of possibilities with trust that the right one will open.
When we ask sincerely (not just for what we want, but for what’s meant), something divine happens. Answers arrive, people appear, paths clear. Sometimes slowly, sometimes suddenly, but always at the right time.
One of my favorite real-life stories of this verse in action is how we met Riski Usada.
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| Lunch mentoring with Kostbox team |
It was January 2025. My husband and I were in Yogyakarta for our daughter’s university exhibition. Between schedules, a random Instagram DM landed in my husband’s inbox. It was from someone named Riski, introducing himself as the founder of Kostbox.id, a startup that helps students store their belongings during semester breaks.
We weren’t planning to meet anyone that trip, but something about his message felt genuine. Plus, we had a free afternoon before our flight back to Jakarta. So we said yes.
Friday afternoon, Riski showed up at our hotel. He drove us to his warehouse, proudly showing how Kostbox worked. Then, he took us to a local eatery that had been sitting for months on my Google Maps “saved places” list, the one I always said I’d visit someday. Then he drove us 46 km away to the airport.
Throughout the ride, Riski never stopped asking questions: about entrepreneurship, growth mindset, relationships, marriage, you name it. My husband answered each one patiently, while I occasionally added comments or laughter from the back seat. You could see the sparkle in Riski’s eyes, that mix of curiosity and hunger that only dreamers with real grit have.
We were both deeply impressed. His courage, resourcefulness, creativity, and humility reminded us of how every great founder starts: with questions, not answers.
Back home, we told our two daughters about this young man who didn’t just dream big but acted boldly. We said, “That’s the kind of person who creates his own luck.”
A few days later, Riski posted this reflection on his Instagram:
3 Valuable Lessons from Meeting Pak @nataliardianto and Bu @nuniektirta
I’m grateful to have met Mr. Natali and Mrs. Nuniek — two humble and positive people. We spent four hours talking about business, parenting, life philosophy, and insights about Kostbox. Here are three lessons I’ll never forget:
From this meeting, I realized success isn’t about luck, but mindset, action, and continuous learning.
Riski didn’t stop there. He kept in touch with us, consistently showing effort and gratitude. Not long after, he asked my husband if he would be willing to mentor him. That boldness again.
And yes, my husband said yes.
They’ve been having regular online mentoring sessions ever since. What started as a one-man startup now has two more team members from different cities. The Avengers of Kostbox.
Whenever I come across business competitions or startup opportunities, I often send them to Riski. One of them was an event organized by Grace Tahir, and he made it through the selection. I even personally recommended him to her. And later, Grace told me she was also impressed by Riski’s drive and character.
So impressed, in fact, that she encouraged him to apply for government scholarships in the US, and said she might personally help cover part of the cost if those didn’t work out.
This week, Riski and his team came to Jakarta to compete in another startup challenge, the Wismilak competition, and they passed to the next round! We invited them to lunch at our favorite Soto Betawi spot in Epiwalk, but guess what? They paid the bill instead. Not just that, they brought us a ton of gifts.
Imagine hauling boxes of souvenirs around the city while hopping from one warehouse visit to another, and still showing up with big smiles. That’s the kind of heart that wins in the long run.
We hosted them for a few nights at our MNV Co-Living space in Benhil. Seeing how far they’ve come, I couldn’t help but smile. All of this started from one small, brave act: sending a DM.
It reminded me again of that verse: ask, and it will be given to you.
Because when you ask, you’re not just requesting something from heaven; you’re also declaring that you’re ready to receive, ready to act, ready to grow.
Asking opens doors. Seeking reveals direction. Knocking shows courage.
And when you do all three, miracles often look like coincidences, until you realize they were answers all along.
So if there’s something your heart’s been whispering about lately, whether it's a dream, a person, or an opportunity, maybe it’s time to stop waiting and start asking.
Because faith isn’t passive. It’s active. And sometimes, God’s “yes” is waiting for your first knock.
Ask, seek, knock. Not because God forgets what you need, but because He wants you to remember Who provides.
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