How to Take a Test - Without Freaking Out!

As a college professor and a lifelong student currently studying with my fourth post-secondary institution, I've written and taken a good share of tests. Let me explain some of the things I've learned and some of the things I encourage my students to do when taking a test.

Before the adventure of the testing experience approaches be sure to study (more on that in a future post). You cannot be effectively tested on material you have not learned so be faithful and diligent to hit the books before the test hits you.

When the chance to celebrate what you have learned through the accountability of a test or exam appears consider these steps to do your best.

STEP ONE Before you Begin - Write name, student number, etc. in appropriate places - this seems like a 'no-brainer' but...

STEP TWO Relax! Then read over the ENTIRE test before you do ANYTHING else. Why? to get the 'big picture' of the test, also to be familiar with all the contents and to know where to find information on the test. Trust me, it's not a waste of time - when struggling over a question you may remember that something about a particular issue was mentioned somewhere else (and may just jog your memory to help you answer the question...but only if you know the content of the whole test!).

STEP THREE  Answer the questions from easiest to hardest. There is no sense struggling with the hard stuff, wasting time, 'freaking yourself out' more and forgetting what you do know under the pressure. Always write down what you know first. Getting the familiar stuff out first may just make enough room in your brain for the answers you think you have forgotten to be freed from their prison of anxiety.

STEP FOUR When in doubt (relax again)... If you get stuck on a question, read the entire test again. The answer, a hint, or something that will jog your memory may be written somewhere else on the test. When in doubt, always go with your gut. Your first instinct is often correct.

STEP FIVE Never Leave a Blank (or fill a blank in with something foolish). As a general rule, writing something is always better than nothing. The teacher can always graciously give you marks for a 'close' answer, if they so choose, but you can never get even a partial grade for leaving something unanswered. Again, re-read the test and take an educated guess.

STEP SIX Check, check, and re-check. Before you hand it in, take a second to clear your head and then re-read the test and check your answers with fresh eyes. Be very wary this time of careless mistakes when you were rushing to get questions answered.



WOLBI Students: Answer bonus on back of the last page.

All Rights Reserved. Jonathan Ward Copyright 2012

Heavenly-Minded & Earthly Good!

Francis Chan in his refreshing book Crazy Love quotes a famous Christian philosopher and writer saying, 

Cover of C.S. Lewis

"If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were precisely those who thought most of the next. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this." ~C.S. Lewis

So much for being so heavenly-minded that we are no earthly good.

Have you thought about eternity recently?



The reality of eternity should change our lives as the Apostle John exhorts in 1 John 3:2-3:

Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. 

What difference has the expectation of Christ's return and the doorstep of eternity made in your life?

Remembering Israel Day 2a - Caesarea Maritima

Day 2 was a whirlwind of activity so for my own sanity and your attention I'll give separate mentions to our key stops along the way. 

Excitement was in the air as we traveled North from the Bnei Dan Hostel, Tel Aviv toward the incredible Caesarea Maritima.

The ancient Caesarea Maritima (or Caesarea Palestinae^[1]) city and harbor was built by Herod the Great about 25–13 BCE.It is truly an amazing site. The view of the Mediterranean from the still functional theater (pictured below) is breath-taking.

Amphitheater at Caesarea Maritima built by Herod the Great...with some modern trimmings and some WOLBI students waxing eloquent from the stage

Exiting the Theater North you view the ruins of Herod's administration building. This structure held the greatest biblical significance as the spot Paul appealed to Caesar before Festus.

Remains of Herod's Administration building.

Paul appeals to Caesar

""Then said Paul, I stand at Caesar's judgment seat, where I ought to be judged; to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou very well knowest. For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal to Caesar." Then Festus when he had conferred with the council, answered "Hast thou appealed unto Caesar? unto Caesar shalt thou go."" Acts 25:10-12

The archaeology of the site has also produced the Pontius Pilate Inscription bearing witness to the historicity of the man condemning Jesus Christ to be crucified.

Replica of the Pilate Inscription

Translation of the Pilate Inscription

Pilate's famous question at Jesus' trial was "What is Truth?" and people are still asking that question today. Many are longing to find what is real, consistent, dependable. I am thankful for the trip to Israel that brought an even great 'real-ness' to the eternal, trustworthy pages of Scripture.

How has God proven Himself and His Word 'real' and 'true' to you recently?

To catch all the Israel 2011 posts be sure to Subscribe or Follow this blog. See boxes to the right.

Or check the other posts out here:

Remembering Israel Intro

Remembering Israel Enroute - British Museum

Remembering Israel Day 1 - Gezer

Remembering Israel Day 2b - Mt. Carmel (coming soon)

WARNING:

Exposure to such material as pictures and testimony of the Promised Land, its geography, character, history, and beauty often creates an insatiable longing to travel and experience these things for one's self.

You have been warned!

If you would be interested in participating in a similar study trip, please contact me.

Jonathan Ward Copyright 2010. All Rights Reserved

Related articles

• Caesarea (sharinhislove.wordpress.com)
• Postcard from Israel: Caesarea (cifwatch.com)

Ten Steps for Boosting Your Creativity

Here's a great take on getting those creative juices flowing.

Ten Steps for Boosting Your Creativity

Recharge Weekend 3 in Review

Your Strengths provide Efficiency and Effectiveness

"The best way to get ahead in your career and be satisfied in your job is to focus on developing your strengths. "


See the full article:
Are You Operating in Your Strengths Zone? | Michael Hyatt

Ward Ministry Update Christmas 2011

Here's the web-version of our latest prayer letter. If you are interested in the full story including the "Kids' Korner" update, please send me an email.

Christmas 2011 Ward Webletter

Remembering Israel - Day 1 Gezer

Before students and staff of arrived from Jeju, Korea, the Canadians took some time to prepare for their arrival and sneak away to a couple sites.

Undoubtedly the highlight of the day was Tel Gezer across a small valley from the modern kibbutz of Gezer. Gezer was one of Solomon's fortified cities, boasts 26 layers of civilization and one of the oldest Canaanite fortifications.

According to 1 Kings 9:15 Solomon fortified 3 key cities - Gezer in the South, Megiddo protecting important travel and trade routes through the Jezreel Valley, and Hazor in the North. The gates have been unearthed at each of these locations from the same time period and built to strikingly similar specifications.

Gezer

Standing inside Solomon's 6-chamber gate at Gezer

Though we did not visit Megiddo and Hazor Day 1 it is worth showing their relation to Gezer here. Seeing the Bible come to life throughout the whole land of Israel was so exciting. These three ancient cities fortified by Solomon give great support to his historicity and the Bible's accuracy!

The Welcome Center at Megiddo displayed an incredible scale model of the entire archaelogical site. The most fascinating feature of this model were the lifts which would raise certain sections of the model to reveal other levels of civilization.

Scale Model of Solomon's 6-chamber gate at Megiddo.

At Hazor the following sign described practically the exact same gate found at Solomon's other fortified cities.

Sign documenting the discovery of Solomon's 6-chamber gate

Despite denials of the Bible's accuracy, the historicity of biblical characters, and the Jewish claim to the Holy Land, the archeological evidence is mounting and leaving little room for debate. The Bible is true, accurate, and lays claim on our lives to worship the great God who has revealed Himself through the pages of His word and the annals of human history.

To catch all the Israel 2011 posts be sure to Subscribe or Follow this blog. See boxes to the right.

Or check the other posts out here:

Remembering Israel Intro

Remembering Israel Enroute - British Museum

Remembering Israel Day 2 - Jezreel Valley(coming soon)

WARNING:

Exposure to such material as pictures and testimony of the Promised Land, its geography, character, history, and beauty often creates an insatiable longing to travel and experience these things for one's self.

You have been warned!

If you would be interested in participating in a similar study trip, please contact me.

Jonathan Ward Copyright 2010. All Rights Reserved

Related articles

• Discovering the largest city of ancient Canaan(via the Jerusalem Post) (thechristiangazette.wordpress.com)

Real Worship

In an earlier post worship was defined as:

The ascribing of worth to something or someone 

and is expressed through thoughts, emotion, and willful acts and language 

affecting every resource at one's disposal.

Let's take a moment to consider just a couple verses of God's Word.


We are commanded to glorify God in all that we do.

"Whether therefore you eat, or drink, or whatsoever you do, do all to the glory of God."

1 Cor. 10:31

We are always serving (worshiping) God or something/someone else.

"Know you not, that to whom you yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants you are to whom you obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?"

Rom. 6:16

Upon reflection of this definition and these verses here are my suggestions for the implications of Real Worship:



Worship is always active.
We constantly choose who or what we worship. We need to think about the object of our worship more often to keep our focus on the One who deserves it. Maybe you've heard it said:

"Just two choices on the shelf, pleasing God or pleasing self."

Worship is always giving or taking.
We show the 'worth' of our object of worship by what we offer or expect. When we are worshiping self, our expectation of others grows to uncontrollable and impossible limits. When we worship God, we offer sacrificially to Him which leads us to our next point.

Worship is always costly - to every asset of life.
We prioritize our time, money and all of our resources to the thing(s) we are worshiping. A good diagnostic tool in determining what we are worshiping is honestly asking ourselves where we spend our time and money.

Worship is always holistic - to every area of life.
All our thoughts, all our words, and all our actions worship. There is nothing that is "un-sacred" when it comes to worship. Ever think we have private things that don't concern God or others? Think again! Every area of life is affected by and actively worships our god/God.

Worship is always happening.
Considering the points above, how could there ever be a time we are not worshiping? With that in mind, we would do well to have the thought ever on our minds, "Who/what am I worshiping?"




Do you have anything to add to this? From your study of Scripture, what does Real Worship look like in our lives?

See What is Worship? for further discussion.

Jonathan Ward Copyright 2010. All Rights Reserved

Hasty or Hungry?!

Ever have one of those days?

A day like when you are eating the last few pieces of lemon bread from the container and realize the container is full of earwigs - after you eat a piece! ( That's another story for another post...)

Getting back to the office the other day I was enjoying the remainder of my lunch - a delicious apple.

I looked down at the luscious fruit before me in all its partially eaten glory and witnessed the sight you see below. I laughed out loud and grabbed my tablet for a picture.

Sometimes you just have to laugh at life!

Hasty or Hungry?

I asked a number of WOLBI students for their opinion. Was it hasty or hungry?

How often do we rush into things without "looking before we leap." It is so important to consider the consequences of our actions and not merely be ruled by our appetites.

Apparently everything came out okay, the incident happened last week and there has still been no sign of the missing sticker.