A few months ago, I had the chance to see that experiences go smoothly when I recognize that God is deeply involved in my life. I was very nervous about taking my driver's test in order to get my license. Although I'd taken the required classes, passed the written exam, and fulfilled the requirement for the number of hours of supervised driving time, I still didn't feel confident. The morning of the day I was to take my test arrived, and I felt like a complete wreck.

My mom and I drove to the Department of Motor Vehicles in almost complete silence, and I felt more and more nervous with each passing minute. We arrived at the DMV, checked in, and went to have lunch with my dad, who worked nearby. During lunch, both my parents mentioned a few spiritual thoughts such as how the divine Mind that "makes the test helps you take the test." They also talked to me about God's love. But nothing was making a significant impact on me.

After lunch, my mom and I returned to the DMV and waited in the line of cars for my instructor to arrive. By this time, we were joking around some, and laughing together as we tried to lighten the mood. Soon, my instructor arrived, and we left on my test. Before long, I'd messed up. (Because I felt very nervous, I turned the wrong way in an intersection, and my test ended there.) I was devastated. My mom and I were able to make an appointment for me to take another test the next day.

It was Christmastime, and so we spent the rest of that day participating in holiday festivities with our family, but during each fun event all I could think about was how nervous I was about my upcoming second test.

The next morning, I decided to do things differently and turned to prayer immediately. Though I was still nervous, my mom and I listened to an audio recording of that week's Christian Science Bible Lesson during the entire ride to the DMV. When we got there, my mom and I discussed familiar spiritual concepts that I could think about as I took my test. Here are a few of them:

• The test should not only bless you, but also your tester.

• "God it is who bears us on, / His the arm we lean upon" (Christian Science Hymnal, No. 53).

• "He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler" (Ps. 91:4).

All of these ideas brought a sense of peace and safety to me. I focused on them as the time for my test grew closer and closer. Also, as we waited, my mom asked me to find a good spiritual quality in everyone and everything I looked at in the DMV. That was hard at first, but the exercise soon became easier. I saw soulful creativity expressed in hairstyles and clothing, and order and harmony in interactions between customers and workers. And I also observed joy when people received good news. It helped me feel that I was surrounded by God's goodness. Soon, I wasn't so nervous anymore, because I'd filled every corner of my thought with good. There wasn't room for anything else but God.

That day, my driving test was completely different. Instead of being scared of my instructor, I wasn't afraid to talk to him. And every time a thought of passing or not passing the test entered my thought, I immediately turned to one of the inspiring ideas I'd prayed about, and I felt calm.

I finished the test without any issues, and then sat waiting as the instructor looked at my score sheet. Finally, he simply announced "Ok, you pass." I was elated, and jumped out of the car to tell my mom the good news.

Though this may seem like a simple case of calming my nerves down, it was clear to me that it was so much more. I'd learned the difference between depending on human methods and distractions to stay calm, and relying on God. I know that only the peace I gained from prayer could have brought me through with such ease. Thanks to God, I was able to remember that He was my strong "arm to lean upon," every time I got nervous. I'm so glad I had this opportunity to remember that "with God all things are possible" (Matt. 19:26). css