Passed NCLEX-PN on 3rd Attempt

I would first like to say that I love AllNurses.com!!! I couldn't wait to come on here and share my nclex story! First of all I graduated from my LPN program August 2012. I started studying for nclex as soon as possible...because like everyone else I was anxious and excited to go ahead and start my new career as a nurse! Because of just normal circumstances of "life" I wasn't able to sit for my exam until November 17,2012. I went into the testing center as confident as I could be...I got the max. questions of 205!! whew! I walked out and my stomach was just in complete knots! I was literally sick to my stomach! I had to have a relative transport me to and from the exam because I had car troubles the week leading up to my exam! I was stressed! But nevertheless, I knew I wanted to go ahead and get my exam out of the way! I did the pearson vue trick the following day and got the credit card page! :-( But I didn't solely rely on the trick. I waited the full 48hrs and then I logged on to my board of nursing account to read the results which read...FAIL!! I felt miserable! I thought my life was over!!! I drowned myself in my sorrows for about 2wks. I prayed to God for strength and guidance to pick myself back up and start back studying again. I reached out to a classmate of mine that had already passed boards to see what studying technique did she use. She used Hurst Review and the Exam Cram Study questions. The first time I used Saunders (the green book w/ cd) so this time I was willingly to try something new. I signed up for Hurst...and I can actually say that I really enjoyed it! I felt like it gave an indepth review and it was broken down in very simple terms. I felt like in some areas I learned more from Hurst than I did in nursing school!! I wasn't able to purchase the Exam Cram until about a week before my 2nd attempt exam due to finances...but when I got it in...I was like a mad woman and doing questions like crazy! Exam Cram was a great questions book...really liked it! I took my 2nd exam on Jan. 25 2013...this time I believe my computer stopped at 117 or 119. When it stopped...I felt like I really passed this time! I walked out with my head held high...smiling so hard and even cried tears of joy on the way home! The next day I checked the pearson vue trick and once again the credit card page popped up! UGH!!!! But as the first time I decided to wait another day and just check my board of nursing account and sure enough....what do I see?!?!? FAIL!!!! I was ******!!! I felt like a true failure!! I called my family to give them the bad news and apologize for being a disappoint! They weren't upset at all...they told me to NOT GIVE UP and they are still very proud of me! I waited about 3 days and then I logged on to ALLNURSES to get some inspiration from other subcribers...personally reached out to a few for tips. Within a week my mind was made up that I'm not a failure and WHATEVER I have to do to make sure that I passed the 3rd time...I was going to do! I purchased the Kaplan book which taught me the decision tree tool....very helpful! And I also found out that it wasn't the material that I didn't know...it was just that I needed to become more comfortable with answering questions. So I tried my best to answer atleast 75-100 questions per day. I work as a Nurse Tech night shift...and even when I got home from work tired as could be...I would still try to do some questions before going to bed. I have a strong belief in Jesus Christ...and I kept praying and asking God to increase my faith, strength, and my heart to keep pushing through. I have known since I was a lil girl that I wanted to be a nurse and I was not going to give up...no matter how many times I have to take this test! Throughout my nursing program I was hospitalized twice, had to have surgery, and experienced a death of a grandparent....but yet I STILL graduated. I wouldn't have been able to do so if God wasn't on my side!!! So I knew without a shadow of doubt that God was going to bring me through this nclex with a VICTORY!!! I scheduled my 3rd exam date for May 7, 2013...I was sooooooo calm on this day. It was incredible how calm I was. I went in the testing center took my exam...got ALL 205 questions again! Each question I just took my time and asked myself..."if there was only one thing that u could do before going home...what would it be??" Some questions I didn't have a clue on...but by using the Kaplan decision tree tool I was able to work my way through em. I received alot of SATA, multiple choice, a few of those questions where you have to put the steps in order, 3 drug calculations, and about 4 exhibit questions. I walked out feeling pretty good and knowing that I did my best. This time I decided not to do the pearson vue trick...I wanted to wait the full 48hrs and just check the board of nursing website. So on Thursday May 9,2013...I logged on to the BON site and I saw my license!!! I screamed from the top of my lungs!!! Cried sooooo many tears of joy...and gave God ALL THE PRAISE AND HONOR!!! Words can;t even express How I felt that day and feel today. I am soooooo thankful! Hardwork does pay off!! I just want to tell anyone out there that is going through it...to NOT give up! Don't let go of your dreams of becoming a nurse. YOU WILL DO IT!!! Just stay focused and keep the faith!! I learned through this experience that it wasn't about my timing..that it was all about God's timing! I'm soooo happy and ready to start working as a NURSE!!! How awesome is it to become a nurse on Nurse Appreciation Week!?!?!? YAYYYYYYY!!!1!

p.s Sorry for the grammatical errors...I was just too excited and needed to put my testimony out there!!!