Dear Doc Krizza-Almond · Faith & encouragement

The student’s message

My reply

Hello! I think your message resonates with so many MTLE takers right now.

And honestly, I also used to encourage students to "believe in yourself." And understandably, we say that because we want to encourage them not to be overcome by fear, and to remember that they have studied, learned, and grown through the process.

But as I grew in my walk with the LORD, I also learned that there is a more secure place for our confidence than ourselves.

Hindi naman ibig sabihin na kailangan nating isipin na wala tayong alam or wala tayong ability. We can acknowledge what we have learned and the work we have done.

But our scores, feelings, memory, and even our sense of readiness can change. Kaya kung doon natin ia-anchor ang peace and confidence natin, pwede talaga itong maging shaky and unstable.

So, the more secure place to put our confidence is not in ourselves, but in the Lord who does not change.

I call it GODfidence.

With the MTLE super duper near, I hope these can help:

1. Pray first.

Right here, right now. Pwede yun. And be completely honest with the Lord.

Hindi natin kailangang magpanggap sa Kanya because He already knows.

Eh bakit pa tayo magpe-pray kung alam na Niya?

Because prayer is not about informing God of something He doesn’t know. It is coming to Him with what He already knows, acknowledging our dependence on Him, and entrusting to Him what we cannot carry or control on our own.

You can tell Him exactly what you told me:

“Lord, natatakot ako. Mababa ang scores ko. Nagdo-doubt ako. Hindi ako makatulog. Hindi ko alam kung enough ba ang preparation ko.”

You don’t need the perfect words. Just come honestly. He already knows what is in your heart.

2. At this point, hindi na natin goal ang habulin lahat or piliting maramdaman na “ready na ready” na tayo.

If you still want to use the remaining time to review, I suggest practice questions on topics you’ve already studied. Use them to practice recall and catch a few important mistakes na kaya pang i-correct, not to keep testing yourself kung “high enough” na ba ang score mo.

And please protect your sleep. Since ilang days ka nang nahihirapang matulog, make your evening gentler. Avoid caffeine late in the day, stop heavy reviewing before bedtime, and give your mind some quiet time to settle.

You can also try listening to a Christian meditation or Bible sleep app like Abide (search for it sa play/Appstore). I personally use it. Nakatulong talaga ito sa akin during a difficult season in my life when I was also struggling to sleep. Listening to Scripture and prayer helped my mind settle and helped me sleep better. Meron din naman akong Scripture On Repeat na songs, you can listen to them as well. (Listen to Scripture On Repeat on Spotify)

Of course, what helped me may not work exactly the same way for everyone, but you can try it if it helps redirect your thoughts back to the Lord instead of staying stuck in anxious thoughts.

And if halos hindi ka na talaga natutulog at all, or the lack of sleep is already making you feel very unwell or unable to function normally, please tell someone at home and ask for medical advice if needed. We also want to steward your body wisely before the exam.

3. We prepare faithfully while trusting the Lord, but there also comes a point when we have to stop trying to control the outcome.

Hindi natin kailangang makarating sa point na maramdaman nating “100% ready” bago tayo magkaroon ng peace. You may still feel nervous. You may still remember things you were not able to finish.

You can pray:

"Lord, I will faithfully use what You have allowed me to learn. For everything I know, everything I forgot, every question I will encounter, and the result itself, help me entrust them to You."

Our peace does not have to wait until we feel ready. It can rest in the God who already knows what Saturday & Sunday hold.

4. And if I may give you one very specific thing to do tonight, get your Bible and turn to Psalm 139.

Let Psalm 139 speak to you. Let it become a conversation between you and the Lord.

When the exam is this near, our instinct may be, "Sayang ang oras. Kailangan bawat minuto nag-aaral ako."

But time spent with the Lord is never a wasted time.

You can go back to your notes afterward. You can still review. But first, spend time with the One who already knows you completely and already knows what tomorrow holds. (There is a song that really comforts me, may I share? You Already Know by JJ Heller)

Then balikan mo ako kapag natapos mo ang Psalm 139. Pag-usapan natin kung anong part ang pinaka-nagsalita sa iyo.

Doc Krizza-Almond

Originally shared in the comments on Facebook