[Once a week, I am going to be sharing with you a brave story sent in from a reader. You can comment, respond, encourage. Want to submit your own story or a story of a brave friend of yours? Head to thatisbrave.com!]

This week’s #thatisbrave story comes from Pritika. I like this gal and her courageous story. Her words and name are used with her permission.

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I traveled all the way from India to England with a heart full of dreams and almost-empty pockets. I was happy and eager to learn, to grow, to earn my masters in Economics. The first few months were great with all the friend-making, restaurant-hopping, picture-clicking, story-telling. It was a dream and I loved every minute. Until things got diffifult, course work got overwhelming and I failed.

I was a good student , at the top of my class in my undergraduate degree and for the first time, I had done badly. I did not take it well, I was afraid that I couldn’t cope, I suddenly felt very alone and ill-equipped to complete what I had begun and the guilt of it all weighed me down heavily. I spent days crying, wishing I could return home to a safe and comfortable space.

But God met me here. And I will never forget it. When I was all alone, he held my hand, strengthened me and uplifted my spirit. Armed with prayers from home and God’s daily assurance that he would see me through, I kept at it. I had occassional panic attacks and moments of weakness, but in the midst of it all, he sent me amazing friends and family to lean on-who would guide me and encourage me. The grace of God carried me through. No matter what happens, I can be brave because He is strong when I am weak.

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If you have any encouragement for Pritika and her brave story, leave it below in the comments.

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