Exam stress!

May was always a hard month. Sunshine, hayfever and revision ! As a youth worker for nearly 10 years, I saw young people get more stressed each year. The pressure on our young people is immense. Pressure to succeed, pressure to get the grades, pressure to get starred grades, pressure to get into the right university.

Today the Church of England has helpfully published 2 prayers for stressed out young people. Yet another example of our communications team responding to situations with resources for people. The recent prayers for people worried about job loss and the recession have been very well received. So let me print the 2 prayers for stressed young people, and I hope they help.

Jesus,
Keep reminding me of the bigger picture over the next few weeks,
Keep me in your hands when all other hands disappear,
For I am convinced that neither entry requirements nor exam results, neither anticipation nor doubts, neither success nor failure, nor any expectations, neither last minute fears nor anxieties, nor anything else in life, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Please, don’t let me forget it!

Another of the prayers to be reproduced in postcard format is written by the Rt Revd John Saxbee, Bishop of Lincoln and Chair of the Board of Education:

Dear Lord,
I want to do my best to fulfil the potential you have given me.
Help me:
- to stay calm
- to keep things in perspective and be content with the best I can do on the day
- to look out for my friends who need a bit of encouragement, and
- to always remember that the real test is how closely I can follow in your way.
Amen.

Yes it is important to do your best, and give exams your best shot. but they are not the be all and end all. People are important and significant, and God loves us no matter what grades we get!