Yield

When I open the Scriptures I ask the Lord, "Lord- as I open these precious words- speak into my heart the truth of them.  Teach me what You want me to know (intimately experience) from them."

One day, He said to me "I want you to know what 'submit' means."

Now, He knows- I struggle with that word.  "Submit" to me was to do what I was told to do not matter what.  Even if my heart wasn't in it.  It was a negative word.  "Submit" to Nick?  To me it was like a dog to a master, a broken will.  To be submissive.

But as I opened Scripture and God spoke to me the truth He said, "What does the word submit mean?"

So I looked it up:

"to yield to governance or authority "
"to yield oneself to the authority or will of another :surrender"

It means to YIELD!

Then He gave me a word picture of yield, "Starla, when you are entering the interstate- driving onto the the interstate what are you doing?"

"Well, Lord, I'm yielding."

"Yes? And?  Think- what are you doing?"

"I'm leaving one road and getting on another."

"Yes, you are joining your road into another road.  You are joining.  You are going from two roads into one."

"Yes, Lord, that is true!", I said- thinking, thinking.

"Submitting is yielding- yielding is joining together, into one.  When you submit you are yielding into one.  Now, do you KNOW?"

"Yes, Lord!  Yes!!!!"

When God speaks into you His truth- YOU KNOW (intimately experience)~!  God doesn't want to "break" our will.  He wants our will to yield into His.  To be His.  He wants a man and woman to yield (join together into one) into Him- together.  Amen!

NOTHING! There is NOTHING the NEARNESS of Christ cannot HEAL!

All around me I see a world starving for love- for attention/acceptance- for worth- for security.

The people look within- and they are empty so they cannot find love, attention/acceptance, worth or security on the inside.

The people look out- and there is so MUCH.  So much to do, to see, to taste, to smell, to feel, to touch but in the end all the STUFF- is also empty.

So how does one find love, attention, worth and security?  REAL love?  Real acceptance?  Real worth?  Real security?

There is nothing the nearness of Christ cannot heal.

Jesus.  THE Healer.  The ONE that came to set the captive free.

So many believers are enslaved to lies and deception.  Most don't even know they are- they just know they are hardly ever settled on the inside- hardly ever at peace.  They feel chaotic and don't know why.  They can't control their emotions or their thoughts or their actions.  Words come out that- in their deepest heart they do not mean.

I will go as far to say that most depression, anxiety, emotional problems all stem from lack of trust, belief, resting and abiding in Christ.  He is the Healer.  He came to heal the broken, to set the captive free.  But we don't really believe that He can or will. We don't trust what He has said in Scripture.  We want a pill.  We don't want God to do the work in us, cause He will bring up some things that need dealt with- confessed possibly, repentance definitely- AND it hurts.  The world tells us that everything is GOOD and OK- just do what you want but doing what we want is not always GOOD for us.  There will be consequences and fruit.  And sometimes it goes on for generations.

Last night, a precious woman came up to me- tears in her eyes- and she said to me, "I'm struggling".  And I looked in her eyes and I saw something, I saw that she REALLY REALLY wanted Jesus.  I told her, that is the BEST place to be!  Because that means Jesus is calling her, speaking into her- "I want a more intimate fellowship with you.  Let Me heal you."  Key word here?  LET.  He will not force healing, or intimacy.  She must have a willing heart.  Friend, it's worth it.  Even though He will reveal things about you that you never thought, that you hid, that is ugly, that is scary, that is selfish, prideful, stubborn- that is wounded- what He reveals, He heals.

There is NOTHING the nearness of Christ cannot heal.

Galatians 2:20
 I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

Guess

Guess who one of the Ellison's favorite shoe company is?

ONE YEAR! June 16, 2013

June 16, 2012!

One year ago today- my baby girl married the most awesome young man that I am super proud to call my son-in-love!

Karen, Dad and Me

1976 and 2012

36 years!

My dear Dad, Harold Cleary.

Many many years ago- I was probably 11 or 12 years old and was staying with my sister Tina in Cincinnati during summer school break.  Father's Day came and my heart was broken- I missed my Dad so so much.  When I talked to him that morning, I cried and cried.  I just didn't know if I could stay much longer without him.  I can't remember what I said to him.  All I remember is crying- knowing it was going to be quite awhile before I saw him again.

Then hours later, I was outside playing with a neighbor when a familiar car pulled in the driveway.  My dad.  He came and got me.

To this day I remember the relief I felt when I woke up the next morning- in my own bed- looking out over our farm in Kentucky.  Watching through the window, my dear Dad walking to the barn.  Home.  My dad brought me home.

How to get a good nights sleep!

Get up early.
Spend some time with Jesus.
Go running.
Work hard all day.

Eat well. Eat at a proper time.
Drink plenty of water.

When I have physically worked hard all day- I don't have a bit of problem sleeping. I can't hardly stay awake : )