Ali's epic pre-travel experiences

Hello All

Well, as you may know by now, our entire family is going to China to get James. We are so blessed that we get to do this!

One of the main concerns my parents had about us going to China was us missing upwards of 2 weeks of school. However, we talked to my teachers awhile back and they were all very supportive of me going.

Fast forward to yesterday, when I needed to get my advanced absence form signed by the dean. After sitting in her office for a very long while, she finally called me in. I explained the situation to her and asked her if she would authorize my absence. However, she said she would not, because our school absence policy is that if you miss more than 10 days per term you will fail that term (I will miss thirteen days of 2nd term while in China). She basically said that it was not going to happen.

She called my mom, and left a message, then told me that "she would talk to the principal" and I should "come back during lunch."

As I walked to my next period class, I wasn't sure what to do. I wanted to cry, or throw up, but I still had 3 hours until lunch. I prayed that God would give me strength, courage, and patience...

I was called out of my class about 15 minutes later by a security escort (Because, even though I am a fine, upstanding citizen and all, apparently my school considers all its students to be potential delinquents. Whatever.) As I walked to the dean's, I was just praying, "Please, God, make everything be okay, I need You here, God, help me out, I'm afraid, give me courage..."

When I walked into the dean's they told me that they had made an unheard of exception to the absence policy, and that they would let me go. I was so happy, so thankful to God-he answered my prayers for patience and that the deans would make an exception!

Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?" -Matthew 14:31

God answered me immediately. He rescued me from my doubt.

Praise Him!

--Ali