On Friday, I participated in one of my favorite traditions at Pepperdine Caruso Law: a virtual prayer session with our graduates taking the bar exam this week:

Faculty and staff encourage our graduates to finish strong and remind them that their three years of study have prepared them well for this challenge. I have the honor of praying over them and reminding them that we prayed over each one of their applications three years ago, so this is the perfect way to close this chapter of their time with us and we look forward to welcoming them back to campus for their bar swearing in ceremony in December. We closed with this wonderful song from Numbers 6:24-26:

The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.

Update:  Lee Fisher  (Dean, Cleveland State) emailed this prayer he wrote to his graduates last Thursday (reprinted with Lee's permission): 

Serenity Prayer for CSU|LAW Bar Takers

God grant me the serenity to accept that I have prepared the best I can. 

The courage to change from studying details to preparing my mind and body to breathe, stay calm, and focus.

And the wisdom to know that exams don’t test my knowledge as much as they test my state of mind.

Taking each question one at a time.

Focusing on the moment, parking my worries and fears at the door, and visualizing success.

Accepting that the harder I want something, the greater I’ll feel when I achieve it.

Taking the bar exam as it is, not how I or others would have written it.

Trusting in my skills and surrendering to an unshakeable belief in myself.

Supremely happy that I am about to transition from learning law to living justice.

Amen.