CPA Madness

Monday night, at approximately 6:00 PM I officially began studying for the CPA exam. It started pretty innocently with some recommendations on how to study and that if we sacrificed relationships it would be worth it in the end for your career. riiiiiight. Even joking about that shows how little we value fellowship now-a-days.

After the "I'm going to intimidate and scare you into studying for four months straight" speech, we watched our first lecture for 3 hours and 45 minutes. It really wasn't too bad, although I never would have lasted had we not had a 10 minute break in the middle. It was also nice to sit next to people you know. That way when the lecturer makes a ridiculous joke about spending Friday night date with the format of an income statement, we just looked at each other with disgust.

So here is what I am planning on doing with this whole CPA exam business. I am going to work hard, but I am not going to be motivated by the tactics that apparently the world thinks are the best.

I will not be motivated by fear. One of the biggest tactics they throw at us is to be afraid of the test and therefore you'll prepare adequately. I think the better way to look at this is so simply take it as seriously as it is. Is this a serious deal, most definitely. Something that I should be afraid of? Definitely NOT.

I will not be motivated by the money I will make if I am a licensed CPA therefore justifying spending less time with people I care about. Seriously CPA people, stop joking about "if they really loved you they'd let you studying all the time and be successful". If I really loved my friends and fiance, it would never, EVER be an option to sacrifice them. Will my amount of time decrease? Sure, but it is not impossible to pursue people when your studying 30 hours a week.

Most of all, I just want to not let this exam dominate my life. Will it dominate my time? Without a doubt, yes. But does that mean that I have to sacrifice joy, fun, peace, relationships, discipleship and friendships? I can guarantee the answer will be no.

How can I have so much confidence in this? Because this test is not an omen. It's a blessing. It is something I am truly thankful for and I truly believe that GOD, the Almighty, Sovereign God, ordained for me to take this test. He has given me a wonderful opportunity and HE has provided me with it. Not my effort, not my genius...No, the Lord on High. Therefore, I will not be afraid of a blessing. I will embrace it. I will not idolize this blessing. I will put it in its rightful place in my priorities. I will not let this blessing become everything my life is about. Is this exam a bad thing? No, but I can see how it easily could become something satan uses to tempt me to sin by putting it above the Lord and above people.

All that to say that I resolve to be EVER THANKFUL for the CPA exam. Hold me to this, please hold me accountable.

I resolve to not stress about the CPA exam. I know that a certain amount of natural stress is good, but I am talking about the hopeless, constantly anxious stress. DEFINITELY hold me to this.

I resolve to continually recognize that Jesus walking beside me and helping me is the only way I will make it through this test. Good thing I know that I have an ever faithful Savior.

That is where my complete confidence in this exam process comes from.

I am not relying on myself. I am choosing Jesus Christ. He will be my rock.