June 15, 2017
I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands. Yes, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands. YOU, not just your name YOU! You look at my hands and you see the scar from the nail that held me to the cross. I look at my hands and I see a heart that was revived, I see the life that was saved, I see the daughter that was redeemed. I didn’t just inscribe your name on the palms of my hands, I inscribed YOU. All of you! Your whole being your hopes, your dreams, your children, your grandchildren, your purpose, your identity, your thoughts and your promises. It was there when the nail sliced my hand spilling my blood. Causing it to pour over all that you are and ever would be. To restore you to me. Before my hands ever held the nails they held your face, they held your heart. Do you see it there in the picture? It’s inscribed their forever, YOU are inscribed their forever.
The picture that you see is our story. My hand is the first thing you recognize, but don’t miss the others. There is a tree. A big, beautiful tree. A tree of strength that is lush and green. One that continues to grow strong. This tree is YOU. Growing tall and strong in my Word. Roots reaching down deep connected to me. Branches reaching up high to share my light with the world. The tree is lush and green because it is fertile. There is much fruit in you waiting to ripen. It has been planted in the soil of my sacrifice. It has been nourished with the living water from my well. It has been pruned with the loving hands of my Father. You are a tree planted that is tall and strong and it gives shade to those in need. Hope to those searching for a place to rest from the heat of life. You give because I give. You are connected to me. Continue to draw on your roots to strengthen you as you continue to grow taller, as your branches continue to grow wider and as your roots continue to deepen in new territories.
The growth of your tree began when I was laid on mine. They thought my tree had been stripped of all the branches and the beauty because it looked plain. They didn’t see that as I carried my seemingly plain tree, I carried the colors of life. I carried the artwork of love. I carried the beacon of hope. They thought it looked heavy and it looked like it would break me. But each step I took made me stronger. Each step you take with me will make you stronger. There are times in your life when your tree goes through seasons where it feels heavy, and it feels like it will break in the winds of life. During those times, deepen your roots. Understand that YOU were planted on good ground. Life will bend you but not break you. Life will knock off some of your leaves and branches but I will cause new, more beautiful ones to grow in their place. Life will at times feel heavy, but you shall remain steady and firm in me. I will carry your load. I have placed other trees around you to give you support when needed and to provide a garden of rest for the weary who will come your way.
See the clouds in the picture. They are beautiful. They are pure and they are light. They are YOU. The you that I am calling too. The you I placed inside you when I formed you. My spirit that lives in you is pure and Holy. Trust in Him. Trust in Me. I am creating a beautiful work. Just as you look at the clouds as they pass by and see different things, there are different things I see in you. As you move from season to season your shape might be different. What you carry and how you carry it might be different, but my spirit in you remains the same. Pure and Holy. Trust Him. Listen to His leading. Let Him work in you to lift you up. To set you high among the son. Let His gentle winds carry you across the heavenly sky. Don’t be afraid of changing, don’t worry what it looks like or what you look like. Trust Me. I will carry you from one place to another. I have brought you to this place to be a light. To cause people to look up. For when they look up they can see me. Let the lightness and the joy in your spirit set the atmosphere wherever it goes. Let it cause others to remark of how beautiful the clouds are because they feel the joy in the air.
Finally, look at the picture and see YOU! You are my chosen one. Mighty and strong in Me. I am calling you to step out of the shadow of who you think you can be and step into the light of what I am calling you too. You are special and unique and there are things that only you can do. Trees that only you can be. A cloud that travels places I have designed only for you to go. Don’t be a reflection of what you think you or others think you should be. Be the person I have shown you. Yes, I have shown you. You have a picture in your mind of what I have for you, but is it my picture or have you modified it for your comfort. Trust Me. I inscribed you since before the beginning of time. I planted you by my stream. I have watered you, I have shone my light on you. I have set you among the clouds moving you from place to place designing your shape to perfectly fit my purpose. Trust that I know You. Step out of the shadows. Step out of the shadows and trust in your roots. Trust Me.
Leadership Uncontained, LLC 