Trapped, But Not Hopeless

30/9/2026 : Behind the trapped door

In a dark store room...

The last time I checked my phone, it was about 5.30pm. In a vacant house, I went to the storeroom to check on the door. There was no light in the storeroom, so I brought in a portable lamp.

The next thing I knew, I had accidentally locked myself in after testing the doorknob and shutting the door that couldn't be opened from the inside...

I didn't have my phone with me to call for help. I tried searching if there was any gap under the staircase I could escape through, but the opening was too small for me to squeeze through.

I was calm at first, but after trying to open the door multiple times to no avail, I started to panic and kept trying to force it open until I exhausted myself.

*   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *

At one point, I just sat on the floor, sweating and trying to think.

I thought to myself, I should:

- just sit here and wait until night, hoping my husband will come looking for me after realizing i'm not home yet

- turn off the lamp before the battery runs out so that I can still use it when the room gets pitch black later at night.

- conserve my energy so I don't end up too dehydrated, hungry or suffocated by the stuffy room.

It was depressing sitting on the floor in that dark room, not knowing what to do while carrying a little one inside me. So I prayed...

*   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *

Once I calmed down, I took the metal key, improvised it, and managed to unscrew and loosen the doorknob! Next, I'm OUT!

The moment I stepped out from that dark depressing store room, I walk out as an Overcomer, who had just conquered a challenging trapped situation.

I reached for my phone to update my husband on what had happened, and that's when I realized I had been trapped inside for over an hour!

I'm so glad hubby came all the way to be with me. I was also relieved to find my belongings still in the living hall, as anyone could have walked in and taken them, as I had left the inner door wide open! And on the bright side, I'm now an expert at removing & installing doorknob locks! :)

Trapped behind the door, these were the only things I had with me:

A portable lamp, car keys in my pocket, a metal key on the floor, and Prayer - as my weapon.

That night, I realized:

I can still find strength in the lowest valley, 
as long as I hold onto Hope.