One day a young man sat by a stream and gazed into the water as he enjoyed the warm sunshine on his skin. In his mind he dreamed of a much bigger world that he knew was beyond his woods which he had learned to love as a boy. He asked himself, “But what shall I do today?” As he sat there, he began to notice that all around him were acorns partially buried in leaves that were cracking with a small, light green root protruding downward toward the soil. As he picked one up he had a vision of building his own forest. So one by one he planted his acorns and chose exactly where he wanted them to grow. He smiled to himself and was very thankful for this peaceful place. He was satisfied and walked home.
The next day he went to another place and drank in the beauty of the world around him. New ideas came to him and he did exactly what came into his mind. The young man continued to explore, dream and create and gained much satisfaction from it. He realized that his visions were from the Creator and in obedience to Him, he had to push on into new places and go where he was told to go and accomplish what he saw clearly deep within himself. Storms taught him what resistance does to dreams. Cold winds in the winter and extreme heat in the summer hardened the man and slowly he became a warrior. He fought battles with forces unseen and gained many victories in the midst of deep wounds within his spirit. But the Creator urged him on with continued healing. Years passed by and new ideas continued to come to him. Slowly he began to get very tired. Discouragement brought him to realize that he needed to rest. So he closed his eyes and decided that he needed to spend some time alone. He yearned for the simple days of his youth when life was less complex and ideas seemed to flow in greater abundance.
One day he took a walk to a familiar place but realized when he got there that it had changed from the way he remembered it. He heard the wind in the tops of the trees and looked up to see a single leaf falling – lightly hitting branches as it fell to the earth. Yes, he needed this time of rest. He had fought many battles and had seen and heard things that discouraged him. He questioned himself and wondered if he was like that leaf that now lay motionless on the ground at his feet. He bent down and picked it up, sat on the ground and leaned against the tree beside him. He laid the leaf on his leg and with both hands he dug his fingertips into the soil on either side of him. As he laid back against the tree, he felt the soothing warmth of the sun and closed his eyes to remember days gone long before him. Had his journeys and battles been in vain? What had he accomplished? Was life simply like a fallen leaf? Were the people whom he had come to love also like these fallen leaves that were now decaying into the soil beneath his hands? Then suddenly he opened his eyes and began to look all around him. He turned and placed his hand on the bark of the tree he had been leaning against. The trees! He saw the trees. All around him were the mature trees that he had planted. This was his forest. He closed his eyes and realized that the people in his life were not the fallen leaves but rather the strong trees that grew all around him. They were producing life! He closed his eyes and thanked the Creator for rest and the vision of the trees. Then … a new idea came to him …
2015 will be a year of continued planting and harvesting. Do not allow yourselves to be shaken by the wind. LEARN and EMBRACE the process that wind accomplishes in strengthening the roots in your life. Keep dreaming. Keep creating. Keep moving forward. YOU are a warrior and will stand before your King someday. What will be His first words to you?