Jesus faced His time of testing in the wilderness when the devil confronted him on three different occasions with questions that could have changed the shape of history.

The devil chose a time when Jesus was tired, hungry, and weak and then went to work, trying to use God's Words against Jesus in order to trip Him up.  Jesus triumphed over the devil's questions by answering him each time with a different Scripture.

This week our school begins its first big week of testing.

Olivia wanted to look through an entire math textbook last night because she was sure there were formulas she didn't understand and concepts that would confuse her (probability, greatest common factor, least common multiple, area of triangles, circle, and squares, and the list goes on and on).

As I sat there with Olivia and tried to help her review, my heart hurt for her, because I could tell that with every word problem she became very stressed if she couldn't figure out how to place the facts from the question into a math problem.  I tried to explain to Olivia that this was just ONE test and that ten years from now her score on her 7th grade test wouldn't be something that she carried around with her as a symbol of achievement or defeat.  "Just do your best and don't stress," I told her.  But Olivia moved on to the next question still wearing a face of agony.

I went to bed with Olivia's stress level heavy on my heart and wondered how many other kids were feeling slightly overwhelmed about their weeks of testing all across the nation.  Testing has become such a HUGE deal in the past few years and in some way, I feel, over-inflated in its significance.

While lying there and praying, it occurred to me that there is really only one time of testing that is going to matter eternally and that particular test has only one question.

We don't have to study for this test.

We don't have to stress.

We don't even have to go to school to learn the answer.

One day, we will each stand before the King of Kings, and He will look into our eyes and ask us this one question,

"Do you know Me?"

That's the test we need to pass.

I am praying that today as you venture into the first week of May that you will choose to know Him in a deeper, more intimate way.

Read His Word, talk to Him, turn to Him, love Him.

In the end, I pray that we can all pass that test with flying colors and live together eternally!

That's the test I want to pass!

That's the "distinguished" score I long for! 

So, kids, as you dive into testing, please remember this from Mrs. Nischan, "Do your best on testing in the next few weeks, don't stress, but please, please, please, look at the test question above and make sure you can answer "yes!"

JOHN 10:14-15

"I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me- just as the Father knows me and I know the Father-and I lay down my life for the sheep."