God never works on our schedule, but somehow, He’s always right on time. — Nuniek Tirta Sari
This morning started like any other Wednesday, except my apartment looked like it had just been featured in a cleaning product commercial. The “Cleansheet Ranger” (our beloved housekeeper) had just finished making everything sparkle. While my husband jumped into his online meeting, my eldest and I enjoyed our brunch.
By 11:30, the three of us were heading to Madaya Coffee in Depok. Quite a trip just for caffeine, I know. But there was a reason. My husband had to meet one of his employees to do some hands-on coding work, and apparently, Madaya was kinda near his home. I recommended the place since it's been in my google maps saved place. My daughter and I were just the plus-ones of this work adventure, or as I like to call us, the “supporting cast.” Not that we minded; a change of scenery sounded nice.
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| Madaya Coffee, Depok |
My plan was simple: finish Barack Obama's Audacity of Hope book while my daughter drew quietly beside me. Except… I didn’t read that much. Between our random chats and the occasional phone check (for something really important, I swear), my book barely made it past the first chapter. But before I tell you what that important thing was, let me detour a bit; because the universe had already started its little magic tricks that day.
As we chatted, I spotted someone familiar: Razi Thalib, an old friend from the startup world. We knew him back when he hadn’t yet launched Setipe.com or RevoU. Back in those StartupLokal Meetup days around 2010, when everything felt like an experiment and ideas were currency. We ended up talking for a while; about mindset, education, how the tech scene has changed. It was nice seeing him again.
Then came the moment. That “important thing” I’d been checking my phone for? A story of long-time dream that finally would come true.
For years, our family had been wishing to go on a Disney Cruise. We’d never been on a real cruise, ever. So when Disney announced a new route from Singapore, we were ecstatic. We set an alarm for the minute they opened reservation on December 10th, 2024. Also, we had our personal assistant on “ticket-war duty”, to secure the booking.
And yes, we did it! A 5 January 2026 sailing date, locked in and celebrated. Yep, more than one year ahead. No complains though. Gotta wait for the best thing to arrive, right?
But a few weeks ago, I started having second thoughts. “Do you think January’s still the right time?” I asked my husband on September 10th. The payment deadline was approaching in October, and honestly, the timing felt off. If we went on the cruise, we’d have to cancel our road trip to Kediri and Pacitan; something our daughters have been wanting to do. The thought of losing our deposit (around 5 million rupiah) if we cancelled made us hesitate too.
So that night, we prayed, asking God for clarity. Then we went to bed, deciding to “let tomorrow speak.”
And speak it did.
At exactly 10:14 a.m. on September 11, an email popped up. The subject line alone made my heart race: Important Disney Adventure Schedule Update – Reservation Number: ******** - Nuniek Tirta Sari
Here’s what the email said (and why I nearly dropped my phone):
We know many Guests — including you — have been eagerly anticipating the debut of the Disney Adventure. As we bring this vision to life, we’ve encountered unexpected delays in the shipbuilding process… To ensure every detail meets the high standards you expect from Disney, we’ve made the difficult decision to postpone the Disney Adventure’s maiden voyage to March 10, 2026.
Since you were originally booked on one of the affected sailings, we will automatically refund any amounts paid to Disney Cruise Line to the original form of payment. Additionally, we would like to extend a 50% discount of your voyage fare for use on a future cruise.
I blinked twice. Full refund? Fifty percent off the next booking??
And the email continued:
You may book your future cruise as soon as you receive the cancellation confirmation of your original sailing… The 50% future cruise discount will be visible on your account by October 8, 2025. The future cruise must be booked by March 31, 2026, and must depart on or before March 31, 2027.
My hands were shaking. Just last night, we’d been worried about losing the deposit. And here was Disney, not only refunding everything, but also gifting us a 50% discount for the next cruise!
If that’s not divine timing, I don’t know what is.
So today, October 8, I used that magical discount. We rebooked the cruise for a date that fits perfectly: after the kids finish their semester, before they go off again, and with no more school permission slips to deal with. The best part? We saved tens of millions of rupiah!
Psychologists actually have a term for this: “serendipity response.” It’s the idea that when we stay open and present (instead of obsessing or forcing outcomes), our brains are more attuned to notice meaningful coincidences and opportunities. In simple terms: when you stop trying to control everything, you start seeing the magic in motion.
A 2018 Harvard study even found that people who practice detachment in decision-making (through prayer, journaling, or mindfulness) report greater clarity and less regret. In other words, when you surrender, your brain stops panicking and starts perceiving solutions.
It reminds me of something Michelle Obama wrote in The Light We Carry:
When we are able to let go of the need for perfection, we find the courage to move forward, even in uncertainty.
I think that’s the secret: miracles often happen when you’re not trying to force the perfect outcome. You just need to be brave enough to rest and trust that the right answer will find its way to you.
So, if you’re wrestling with a decision, or waiting for something to fall into place... maybe this is your sign to stop pushing so hard.
Clean your space. Go for coffee. Talk to your kid. Let yourself live while life aligns itself.
Because sometimes, what looks like a delay is actually a divine re-schedule.
And sometimes, your inbox is just God’s way of saying, “I got this.”
Sometimes the universe answers faster than we expect. And sometimes, it doesn’t just answer; it rearranges things so beautifully that you can’t help but laugh in disbelief.
Nuniek Tirta Sari