{Good Morning}

Good Morning Sweet Friends!
I am so glad to have a few minutes to write out whats been on my mind.

Since school ended (June 14th) life hasn't stopped, with things only our Saviour can control. So, needless to say my summer didn't start out as I had planned and the projects and things I was looking forward to doing have been put on hold.

But, it's okay.

I know He knows better than I, and therefore I follow Him.

With all that being said, it still has been lovely even though so much is going on, to be out of school for the summer. I needed this rest. Desperately. I was tired, overwhelmed, edgy, upset, and never satisfied by the end of the quarter. I was not a happy camper. But, with ALOT of prayer and support I made it through the quarter I never thought I would. I had completed my first year of college. Praise God.

Have you ever felt that something was impossible, believed in God and his abilities, but still found yourself relying on your own strenghts?

I have. I think I am #1 at this.

This explains my whole 1st year of college, I was always praying for strength and guidence from our Lord, but never really listening and "fixing" it myself. I know, it is terrible.

But, our Lord is so good to me,

Even though I would rely on my own strength and let the Devil get me down. He would always show me at the end of every quarter when final grades were posted, that he was Soverin God and I had no buisness trying to do his job.

Whoa. Ouch.

Sorry Lord.

So when it came to this final quarter and I felt that I wasn't going to pass at least 2 of my course because of things out my control, I had met my breaking point. So I did all that I could do and left the rest up to God. With those things in my classes that were out of my control, He was teaching me to "Be Still and Know that I am God." I had no choice left, but to listen. It wasn't easy to just let go and let God, but I did it.

I also think, alot of my feelings and lack of relying on God, had come from my loss of time with Jesus. That was one of the first things that was put on the back burner. Isn't that terrible?? When the going gets rough, we just drop our manual and rely on our own road maps. Terrible. So this summer while reading a blog I follow, I heared about #SheReadsTruth. An online community of women, like myself who want to get out of their rutts of not reading the bible, who hold eachother accountable through this website, twitter, and instagram. I was so thankful to have found them. It gave that urge to get into His Truth, knowing I wasn't the only one struggling to focus time with our Lord. I am now half way through with my first study with the community and I could not be more happy with it. The study is wonderful. You can check it out here!   

 Oh and for the final grades for this semester?

I recieved a B+ in my english course.

I recieved a B+ in my psychology cours I never thought I would get through.

and

I recieved an A in my Math course, that was difficult for even the smartest people.

All blessings. All credit goes to God.

Be a Blessing,

Clarissa

Romans 12:12- Be Joyful in Hope, Patient in Affliction, Faithful in Prayer.



{I Was Told To}

With this quarter drawing ever so slowly to an end (1 1/2 weeks)

and crazy professors making life hard

Authentic Redhead over at Randomly Random told me to go blog something to get my mind off things.

Plus, it would make her feel better too.

....

Okay, here I am. Blogging.

....

First I have to say, the Devil has been doing a number on my thoughts. I was going to share with you some song lyrics that the Lord has been placing in my head lately, but Satan wants to keep me from sharing them with you because my mind just went blank. 

And that tells me, I need to share them even more now.

Well guess what Satan?

You aren't going to win.

To google, to search for lyrics!

.... 

Back from Google!

The song is Overcame (Jeremy Camp has sung it)

"All authority, every victory is yours....Savior worthy of honor and glory, worthy of all of our praise, You overcame. Jesus, awesome in power forever, awesome and great is your name.You overcame"

These lyrics have been in my head since this past Sunday.

Our worship team played it, then my sister was playing it on the computer when we got home, I woke up with it in my head on Monday, and today I heard it driving to school on the radio, and it again ran through my head through out the day.

The Lord is definitely wanting me to listen and hear these words.

1) Everything is His. Anything we think we have done or have been apart of is His doing, not our own. So simple, yet we are humans who enjoy "control" so we ignore this. A LOT....at least I do.

2) He overcame. He has conquered the grave and given us life, and I am worried about getting through this quarter with passing grades and in my own timing? How silly is that. This is one of those things, I just sit in awe of my own human stupidity. It's one of those "Duh Clarissa, you knew that. Why do you so easily forget and ignore that fact?"....sometimes its annoying to be human with all our control issues, but yet so peaceful knowing (once you realize for 1 millionth time) that He can do absolutely anything, He brought you into the situation and He has a plan for you in this. So, our job is to accept it, get over it, and rely on Him to take care of it.

3) Awesome in power forever. He is powerful, and His control is forever. Which means, we never have to worry. We know our Master has the blue print and we are written into it with His own plans for us. Period. Why do even bother trying to convince ourselves otherwise that our own flawed plan is better?...we humans baffle me.

....

I am so thankful that the Lord opened my ears and let me hear these words from Him. How simply we get sucked up into the fast moving daily pace of our lives and only stop to realize He is in control when our own plan hasn't gone as we wanted. Even though we are messes and constantly and continuously forget His control, He still has his plans and we have to choose to give up our control issues constantly and continuously. I am starting to think, giving up control is going to be a continuous mantra in my head....anybody with me?

.....

Okay, I feel better.

and

I hope I am not the only one.

Today is a blessing, even if our plan wasn't chosen.

Jesus knows what we need, even if our measly little human brains don't quite get it.

Oh well, whats new! 

I said it on Facebook earlier and I will say it again: "The Lord is teaching me that in all things I am needing to give it up to him. Jesus, help me. I am trying to be in control and understand. I know there is a lesson here, show me. Amen." Like I said earlier, mantra!

Be a blessing, friends!

Love on those around you, because we all are in need of some love too.

Remember to Sparkle!



{Friendship}

Everyone had that one friend.

The one you were best friends with

You did everything together.

And then

Because you both were immature and focused on only the moment

You let something little and unimportant slip into your friendship and drive a wedge in between the two of you.

and

Because A LOT of these cases happen while in high school, you let your immature firends fan the fires.

....

Am I alone in this?

at least I hope I'm not the only one who has had these issues.

That would mean I was.....alone....

Okay so.

I was thankful enough to have my friendship not stay this way.

And in turn, I have been blessed with a sweet friend.

Friendship to me is like sisterhood.

It's for life

And I am grateful to be considered part of it.

My point being in this little post, do not let little things drive in between you.

Friendship is the Lord's blessing.

Mainly-- to women I believe.

Where else would we get out our 5,000 words in the day??

Count your friends as blessings. Always.

....

Thank you Lord, for my friends. I know you alone have blessed me with the chance to be in their lives. I live to honor you with all that I do.

Amen.

....

Remember to Sparkle, Friends!