Even when she was still in college, April Fallaria already had the desire to do further studies. Her original plan was to study Master in International Studies in the university where she graduated from. However, in 2011 when her Pastor brought her to APNTS for a seminar and she saw he campus and learned about APNTS, she started praying to pursue Master of Arts in Christian Communication.

After months of praying, the Lord granted her desire and was able to start her studies in the seminary in 2012. For almost four years, she took two subjects each semester to finish all the required subjects. At that time, she was only a part-time student because she had a full-time job teaching in an elementary school. Balancing her life and managing her time was challenging for her but by God’s grace she was able to pull through.

But when it was her time to write her thesis, she had a difficult time. She failed to write a thesis proposal twice which led her to the decision to just stop studying. “I told God that I am done with APNTS. I did not ask him if He wanted me to leave. I just left thinking that I have learned what I had to learn and I thought to myself that that was enough,” she said.

For almost two years of not attending the seminary, she spent most of her time in her work and in the ministry and she also tried to explore other areas of her interest. But it came to a point when she started asking God for new directions. She felt like that even though she was experiencing various things in her life, there was no sense of direction.

She started to ask God for a clear direction and for the next step that she should take. During her prayers, the Lord reminded her of APNTS and told her to finish her studies. At first, she was hesitant to go back fearing that she would fail her thesis again but God’s words for her were clear and consistent. “I could not say no anymore because He told me that He will finish what He has begun in my life. I had fears but when I decided to go back and took that step I have experienced God’s grace in every way.”

Eventually, April was able to write and defend her thesis. The very thing that made her fear to come back has become a source of joy and was used by God to give her the direction she has to take in her life. Although it took seven years before April was able to graduate, she is still very thankful because all throughout those years she was able to experience God’s grace in many different ways.