The Revealed Image Story

It all started with a walk in the woods…

The Revelation 

Walking through the woods praying on our family farm one weekend in the spring of 2012, I heard God’s voice in a profound way that brought me to my knees. While leading a group of men through a weekend to invite them into a deeper walk with Jesus, I was praying during some time alone with God and asking to be made. I was crying out really...”Make me a better servant, a better husband, a better father, a better employee, a better leader...” Then every hair on my body stood firm as though I was in a cloud of electricity and a voice boldly said, “STOP ASKING TO BE MADE; YOU’RE ALREADY CREATED, IT’S TIME FOR YOU TO BE REVEALED!” I hit my knees in tears with the majesty of what I had just heard and did all I knew to do. “Yes, Lord.”  

The Validation 

A few days later, our dear friend, Jeanie, was in ICU dying of breast cancer and family was arriving to the hospital. I went to be with them in the waiting room. They wanted to hear about my weekend so I shared what I had heard. Then proceeded to open my bible to read John 17 as I had felt a need to point everyone's eyes to Jesus in the midst of the suffering and knew Jeanie’s desire was for everyone to remain unified in Christ. But God took me somewhere else...Roman’s 8 fell open in my lap along with the heading “Life through the Spirit.” I read. When I got to verse 18, I stopped...”I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” I knew God’s glory would come in the midst of this suffering as the Spirit had been guiding me to care for hearts in the suffering, what I didn’t know is how God was going to make sure I didn’t miss what he was trying to tell me. I told everyone to stop what they were doing and read Romans 8 right then. After a few minutes of silence, Jeanie’s best friend looked to me and said, “I bet Romans 8:19 is your favorite verse in the whole bible.” I looked puzzled. She said, “Read it.” I did and my jaw hit the floor and my eyes swelled with tears again. “For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed.” I was in awe at how, through scripture, God validated what I had heard a few days before.

The Confirmation 

A few weeks later, Lori and I were in Italy for our 15th wedding anniversary and found ourselves in the Academia in Florence and in the hall of prisoners. I found myself standing in front of Michelangelo’s prisoner, Atlas. Here stood a figure with the weight of the world on his shoulders, while being held captive to the stone around him and there was nothing he could do about it. The hall of prisoners contains several unfinished works of Michelangelo. He didn’t consider himself to be the sculptor but simply a tool led by the Holy Spirit to reveal the image God had already placed inside the stone. I stood there for what seemed like hours. Realizing the gravity of what had transpired beginning with that walk in the woods. I stood there realizing Atlas was me. They weight of my little world was unbearable, and my heart being held captive was paralyzed unable to do anything on my own.  

The Process 

At the end of that hallway is a beautifully lit rotunda where Michelangelo's David stands. This is the man after God’s own heart. He is fully revealed. Standing before Goliath holding the stone loosely in his hand; the sling draped over his shoulder. He knows who he is, and whose he is and what God is about to do and he has no fear. I realized what God was showing me through all of this is that we are all created in his image and the generational sin, confusion, trauma we all encounter and the lies we believe as truth all keep us from being who we’re created to be. Salvation saves us and we become Teknon (like babies, adopted young children), but creation longs for us to be revealed as the Huios (mature/grown up children) of God) we are created and chosen to be.  Like the stone submits to Michelangelo’s chisel, we must submit to the process God has for us to be revealed as we are created to be.

The Revealing

Upon a return trip to Florence in 2017, I looked at David from a different angle and realized that with God on his side, he was the real giant. I’m beginning to feel less like Atlas and more like David. After a decade of continual submission to the process of restoration and revealing of our heats together, Lori and I are partnering with God in what we’re created to be and growing from Teknon to Huios. It’s as though we’re on a battle field staring at Goliath. We’re still submitted to the process for ourselves, but we know who we are and who’s we are and what God has in store for us and have no fear. That’s the confidence, hope and faith we have in God’s Glory to be revealed as we partner with him to found Revealed Image Ministries and invite others into the process for the restoration and revealing of their hearts.

“STOP ASKING TO BE MADE; YOU’RE ALREADY CREATED, IT’S TIME FOR YOU TO BE REVEALED!”