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Earning a bachelor鈥檚 degree was never easy for April Leslie Deal.

After high school, April completed a dual associate degree in arts and science. She planned to continue her education, but life seemed to keep getting in the way.

First, April was offered a good job at a company that claimed they would help her finish her degree. She took the job, but they weren鈥檛 as supportive as they initially promised. She began looking at other options to continue her education, but she got married shortly afterward and her focus shifted.

The more April鈥檚 life changed, the more out of reach her education felt. Between working, raising children, moving several times, and struggling with a husband who wasn鈥檛 very supportive of April going back to school, years went by with no progress toward her degree. Then, her life changed again 鈥� but not in a way she wanted or expected.

Dealing with divorce

April鈥檚 marriage abruptly ended with divorce. 鈥淢y divorce was one of the hardest things I have ever gone through,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 had a five-year-old and a newborn. I questioned everything in my life, including God. I didn鈥檛 know what was going to happen.鈥�

Despite the questions weighing heavily on her heart, April took a leap of faith and enrolled in a local community college. As a single mother, she felt a new sense of urgency to finish her degree and provide for her two sons, Skyler and Xander.

April enjoyed her classes, but they quickly became a financial burden. 鈥淚 was so worried about money,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t was super expensive!鈥�

She had heard about BYU-Pathway Worldwide and its affordable tuition rates, but the PathwayConnect program wasn鈥檛 available in her area at the time (before virtual gatherings became available). When a new gathering location opened in Springfield, Florida, just an hour from April鈥檚 home, she knew it was the perfect opportunity. It would still be difficult to take online courses and attend the gathering each week on top of her other responsibilities, but she knew the sacrifice would be worth it.

Turning trial into triumph

鈥淚t just seemed like things started to fall into place for me,鈥� April said. 鈥淚 started to see little miracles and to feel God鈥檚 love for me.鈥�

She found a member of her gathering group to carpool with each week, and she enjoyed the lessons in her courses. More than anything, though, April found an unexpected support system in her PathwayConnect gathering group.

During an especially challenging time, April emailed her group members to explain the situation and that she wasn鈥檛 sure if she could continue. She said, 鈥淧retty much everyone replied back and said, 鈥榃e got you. We鈥檒l pray for you. We support you. You can do this. We鈥檙e with you.鈥� It was a huge support system.鈥�

Thanks to her hard work and the support she received along the way, April not only finished PathwayConnect but went on to earn a bachelor鈥檚 degree online in business management from BYU-Idaho, supported by BYU-Pathway. After many difficult years, she achieved her goal!

鈥淚t鈥檚 so hard to put into words how much of a blessing [BYU-Pathway] was,鈥� April said. 鈥淚t was just there when I needed it.鈥�

Receiving and giving help

April鈥檚 advice to other BYU-Pathway students is, 鈥淵ou do what you can do. Don鈥檛 compare yourself to what other people are doing. Just keep moving forward. Don鈥檛 give up.鈥�

April also encourages BYU-Pathway students to reach out to the people around them. For her, study groups with peers and the were valuable resources. 鈥淭here were people there that were extremely helpful and encouraging,鈥� she said. 鈥淎llow people to be encouraging to you 鈥� don鈥檛 turn away from it.鈥�

Although April isn鈥檛 sure what the future holds, her education has given her greater confidence and preparation to face whatever comes. 鈥淭he blessings have continued for me and my family,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 know that my Heavenly Father will continue to help and support me. I know that I can do it.鈥�