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My friend sent me this e-mail today, I have not seen this story for years thought I would share it here it is so awesome

Date: Thu, 29 Dec 2011 05:40:31 -0800

From:vern

Subject: Fw: Three Trees

To: paul george

Three Trees……………………….

Once there were three trees on a hill in the woods. They were discussing their hopes and dreams when the first tree said, ‘Someday I hope to be a treasure chest. I could be filled with gold, silver and precious gems. I could be decorated with intricate carving and everyone would see the beauty of my wood and grain.’

Then the second tree said, ‘Someday I shall be a mighty ship. I will take Kings and Queens across the waters and sail to the corners of the world. Everyone will feel safe in me because of the strength of my hull.’

Finally the third tree said, ‘I want to grow to be the tallest and straightest tree in the forest. People will see me on top of my hill and look up to my branches, and think of the heavens and of God; and how close to them I am reaching. I will be the greatest and tallest tree of any forest of all time and people will always remember me.’

After a few years of praying that their dreams would come true, a group of woodsmen came upon the trees.  When one came to the first tree he said, ‘This looks like a strong tree, I think I should be able to sell the wood to a carpenter, ‘and he began cutting it down.  The tree was happy, believing itself to now be on the way to becoming a beautiful chest for a treasure.

At the second tree, the woodsman said: ‘This looks like a strong tree. I should be able to sell it to the shipyard.’ The second tree was happy too, because it knew it was on it’s way and someday would surely become a mighty ship in the shipyard’s labors.

When the woodsmen came upon the third tree, the tree was frightened because it knew that if they were to cut it down it’s dreams could not come true. One of the woodsmen said, ‘I don’t need anything special from my tree, I’ll take this one,’ and he cut it down.

When the first tree arrived at the carpenters, it was made into a feed box for animals, then placed in a barn and filled with hay. The first tree thought then and there as it began a new and unexpected life that this was not at all what it had prayed for and was very sad.

The second tree was cut up into parts and awed, and hammered until it was made into a simple fishing boat.  it would be far too small and much too weak to sail out on any open ocean, or even a river, instead it was taken to a little lake.  It’s dreams of being built into a mighty ship and carrying kings had seemed to come to an end.

The third tree was cut into large rough pieces for beams, and then left alone in a dark part of the lumber yard, as it spent it’s time there it was so sad for now no one would ever see it grow tall and straight rising up high up into the sky, nor appreciate it for it’s fine qualities or the grain of it’s wood.

The years went by, and the trees forgot about their dreams.

Then one day, a man and woman came to the barn.  The woman gave birth to a baby boy and they placed Him in the hay in the feed box that was made from that first tree.  The man had wished that he could have made his own crib for this baby, for he was a fine carpenter, but his wife whispered to him “this manger is beautiful and will do just fine”.  The tree could sense the importance of this event and it began to understand as the shepherds arrived, and bowed down, and worshiped before this child they called the “Lamb of God”; that it had held the greatest treasure of all time, and it’s truest dream had indeed been fulfilled after all.

Years later, a group of very significant men on an important  journey, visited that lake.  They climbed into the fishing boat made from the second tree. One of them, the Man the other men seemed to be following, was tired and went to sleep. While they were out on the water, a great storm arose and the tree didn’t think it was strong enough to keep these men safe.  The other men woke up the sleeping man, and He stood and said ‘Peace’ and the storm stopped.  At once, the tree knew that it was carrying the Master of the wind, indeed the King of Kings, the tree was very happy, realizing that every dream it had ever had was fulfilled and even surpassed in this moment.

Finally, someone came and got the third tree out of the darkness at the lumber yard.  Hammered together by the Roman soldiers, It was placed on the back and shoulders of a torn and beaten man who was crowned with thorny branches crudely formed into a mocking crown and tortuously placed upon the mans head.  These cruel men and soldiers then forced this badly bleeding man to carry the tree through the streets as people mocked the man who was carrying it.  When they came to a stop, the tree found itself on the top of a hill.  The tree was shocked and felt so ugly as the most cruel of people nailed the bleeding man’s hands to it.  Then again, as they nailed the man’s feet to it.  It was perplexed and fearful as they raised Him into the air.   It watched this man die atop the hill.   It’s dream once so important, of being seen, faded away in a moment and became so unimportant as it realized the only true fine qualities were to be found in that Man, the only one who should be seen, was the man who was killed upon it that day.

They had taken that man down because of the crowds and the big celebration that week-end but the tree heard the report of that man who was killed on it, who was alive again only three days later.  It knew this was indeed the Son of God and it had been so close to Him.  In some sense of accomplishment the tree felt a joy in knowing after all, it had been strong enough to make it to the top of a high hill and when people saw it forevermore they would indeed think of heaven and of God.  That was so much better than being the tallest tree in the forest.  The tree’s dream was fulfilled.

The moral of this story is that when things don’t seem to be going your way, always know that God has a plan for you. If you place your trust in Him, God will give you great gifts.

Each of the trees got what they wanted, just not in the way they had imagined.

We don’t always know what God’s plans are for us. We just know that His Ways are not our ways, but His ways are always best.

Please keep this moving… Pass it on, so God may inspire more people on The Way.

May your day be blessed. And until we meet again, may God cradle you in the palm of His hand.

(Some edits done by Paul George)

“Malachi’s Call” Paul George (T.B.R. Fall 2012)

“… Right about 7-8-9:00 am Monday morning, many buisinesses will open their doors and everyone will be in place to do their jobs; as per their set store and business hours, but unfortunately, “God’s business”;  ”the work of the church and ministry” —  will be given a half-hearted, part-time effort, by many of those who are occupied full-time in jobs and career pursuits working hard to save their lives, (Jesus said:  Read Matt 10:39)   buying their toys, bigger houses, better cars, nicer furniture etc, OR they will be leveraging themselves and self-promoting in the churches.  They want prestige, respect, open doors for ministry, and are too busy trying to get what they can for themselves out of the fellowship, the fellowships they selfishly refuse to give full time effort to!  A servant’s faithful heart will produce fruit!  This is the work we need our brother’s and sisters to commit to; making the pastor/Senior Leader as you say’s; vision to be strengthened and come to pass.”

The preceding article is part of a message I have been meditating on lately, and this version comes from a chapter in the book I am currently writing.  I share it because as it happens, while checking my FaceBook today, I noticed a status update from an old friend of mine I knew while working in a church in Regina, SK.  some time ago.   I first thought about using this entry as a comment on her status, but I really don’t like to drop in and mess up peoples statuses with too much content, so rather decided to post the message to my blog.

Michelle’s simple note actually inspired me to share this post today as a cry out to the people of God to WORK TOGETHER!  I wanted to re-post Michelle’s quick note on Church Growth so others can feel the urgency of this day and the need for God’s people to come together for God and the sake of God’s vision.

I hope you make your way to see this post my friend, thanks for sharing!  God Bless!

Here is the article from Michelle’s facebook, as per her request, it has been re-posted for your reading enjoyment and growth, enjoy!

Michelle Wilson

“CHURCH GROWTH: When you have a Senior Leader with a huge vision, very seldom does the Senior have anything to do with the – Management Part of that Vision. Senior Leaders Job is to make sure the vision is cast, instructions are given – Those that work with Senior Leaders will then be the reason why the Church Grows by the ability to MANAGE THE VISION of the House. If your Church is not growing then you may need NEW MANAGERS!
we are called to build the vision of the house under the leader of the house, but many too busy building their own visions their own minsitries, no flesh shall glory in his presence…. (re-post)”

We need to be planted in our local assembly.  This is how the church grows.  Not to run all over the country to churchs to make open doors and pull ourselves away from the local assembly.  We need to stay rooted and planted in our church’s.  This is a priceless accomplishment, and will ultimately result in growth like never before.  I could cry when I ask beleivers I encounter if they go to a church and I hear them say: “no, not really I don’t have a home church right now”…  this is a tragedy, and will always result in fruitless-ness.

Get planted!  Remain Planted!  Grow Up!  Be Fruitful!  Serve God!  Deny Self!  Pick-Up Cross!   Die Daily!