Building a Doll House: It’s All About the Details – Chapter 8

NOTE: If you missed Chapters 1-7 of Building a Doll House, you can find it in the column under "blog archive" to the right. 

From the beginning of this dollhouse project, my husband said we needed to be very careful with each piece. During the painting process, it was important that the paint didn’t drip, because that would cause it to be out of line with the rest of the pieces. During the sanding process, we had to be sure that just the right amount was sanded or it would fit.

Then of course, the details of the entire project was overwhelming. The directions. The number of pieces. The step-by-step process to take all of these pieces and create one doll house from them all. It was pretty amazing.

Here’s the thing. If we hadn’t paid attention to the details, it would not have turned out the way it was supposed to. It would not have looked like a house. Or at least not a pleasant-looking house.

It’s the same with our spiritual lives. If we haven’t taken care of the details of our faith, it’s hard to say what the outcome might be. But if we follow God’s plan and pay attention to the details, the results will be exactly what God intended us to be.

God planned that we would be “His chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God.” (1 Peter 2:9 – NIV)

So how do we get to this point? What steps (details) do we need to take to become exactly what God intended us to be?

We must believe

There is a lot that we simply must have faith in. We must believe that God’s Word is living and active and that God breathed life into each verse. (Hebrews 4:12; 2 Timothy 3:16)

We must believe that Jesus is God’s Son, sent to be the Messiah, the Savior of mankind. (John 3:15-16; 1 John 5:1; 5:5; Romans 3:22)

We must believe that Jesus was crucified for the forgiveness of our sins and rose to life to prove victory over death. (Luke 24:46-7; 1 Thessalonians 4:14)

We must repent

Repentance means to turn completely around. To go the opposite direction of our original path. So for a believer, we must put to death the sinful nature in order for the spiritual nature to be visible. (Matthew 4:17; Mark 1:15; Acts 2:38; Acts 3:19)

We must confess

You’ve heard it before, Peter’s great confession of our Lord. “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16 – NIV) Yes, we must proclaim it as well. (Matthew 16:16; 2 Timothy 2:19)

We must be baptized

Jesus teaches that baptism is part of the salvation plan and was himself baptized. Peter preached it on the day of Pentecost. Paul also was baptized and preached baptism. (Matthew 3:13; 28:19-20; Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; Acts 9:18; Galatians 3:27)

We must live

Live lives that bring honor, glory and praise to God who has freely lavished grace upon us. There are plenty of passages that lead us in this direction, but I’m just listing two here. (Galatians 5:16-26; Ephesians 2:10)

We must tell

If in fact we have the greatest news mankind has ever heard, why do we keep silent? Why isn’t His message on the tip of our tongues constantly? I don’t know the answer to that question, but I know that Scriptures tell me to share the Gospel. (Matthew 28:19-20; Luke 24:47)

These are the “details” of our spiritual lives. They each fit perfectly with the next, like a plan, and exactly as God intended. By paying attention to each of these details, we ensure that our salvation will be complete.

Oh, I know that we’ll mess up along the way. I know that a detail will be missed or we’ll botch it up. But please know that God can take all those mishaps, those imperfections, and turn them into a thing of beauty. That’s an added bonus of loving God. Grace.

If you have a question about these “details,” I’d be happy to chat with you. I do know that there is nothing like being in God’s grace.

I’d also love to hear your story of grace. How your faith has been built through the years. What God’s grace means to you. Would you be willing to share?

In the end, the pieces of the dollhouse went together pretty well. There were a few pieces that didn’t quite fit, but a little sand paper and caulk covered a lot of mistakes. Please don’t look too closely at the dollhouse. You just might find those mistakes.

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Donna

My God Reigns

Yesterday was Election Day. I’m sure if you are like me, you are thankful that the television ads are over, the phone calls have stopped, and that peace will once again reign in households all across America.

Over the past few days, there have been statements on Facebook that refer to the fact that regardless of who won the election, that today and every day, God is still in control. He knew what the outcome of the election would be long before the poles opened.

Why is it that we have difficulty maintaining this way of thinking through our day-to-day lives? Why do we spend precious time worrying? We should be spending less time worrying and more time praying.

Yes, God is still in control this morning. He will be all day long and well into the evening. Even while you’re sleeping through the night, God will be in control. When I came to this realization and really accepted it as truth, my life suddenly became less hectic, less aggravating, and produced much less worrying.

A wonderful Psalm delivers this message. “The Lord reigns, he is robed in majesty; the Lord is robed in majesty and is armed with strength. The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved. Your throne was established long ago; you are from all eternity.” (Psalm 93:1-2 – NIV)

Aren’t there some wonderful thoughts in this passage? God reigns. He is robed in majesty. He is armed with strength. His throne was established long ago. He is eternity.

If we believe these five statements, we will be able to face each day and offer it to God. In return He will keep our world (lives) on a firm foundation.

What are you facing today? A difficulty? An illness? A broken relationship? A job search? A death? Whatever it is, God wants to be in the middle of it with you. Why not open up to Him and allow Him to encourage you with His strength. Allow Him to wrap His robe around you for comfort. Allow Him to be the Lord of your life and reign on the throne of your heart. Allow Him to be your eternity.

I will be praying for you…and our nation!

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Donna

To Color or Not?

Have you ever experienced mental exhaustion? Brain tiredness? Boy I have. There have been times when I’m just not able to calculate, work through, or analyze another thing. My brain is just plain tired.

On my recent trip to SE Asia I experienced this almost daily. I saw and experienced so many things in a day that by the time my head hit the pillow at night, I couldn’t think of another thing, let alone analyze anything I had seen. So I’d just go to sleep and pray for a fresh start the next morning. The problem was that I just added more experiences and sights to my already overloaded brain.

It’s been two weeks now since I’ve returned and I’m recalling incidents that I could never have remembered or thought about there. It’s amazing how our brains store such pieces of information.

For fun, I read through magazines that have little impact upon my life. Oh I might find a recipe I’ll stash away for the future or I’ll read a section on weight loss and wonder if I’ll ever lose the weight I need to lose, but for the most part, it’s just something light.

In a recent article I saw a little blurb about coloring. Now I love to color. I’ve just never been in the habit of coloring without my children or grandchildren. But according to this little paragraph, perhaps I should consider it more often.

According to British researchers, “coloring just two minutes can increase your mental energy by as much as 29%.” These researchers believer that “the repetitive, precise motion stimulates the brain’s alertness center.”[i]

Yes that is one way, but another way to increase mental energy is by saturating it with God’s Word and His message.

Scripture tells us that God examines our minds (Psalm 7:9; Psalm 26:2; and Jeremiah 17:10). Our minds are the one place we can hold secrets from our earthly friends and family, but God knows those secrets. He gets into the nooks and crannies and knows our thoughts. When I think of it this way, I am even more determined to keep the awful thoughts out.

So just how can we free our minds of unwanted thoughts and mental exhaustion? Romans 12:2 (NIV) gives us insight. “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” We must first allow God to transform our minds.

Then our minds need a new attitude. “You were taught with regard to your former way of life, to put off our old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 4:22-24 – NIV)

Our minds must be prepared and ready for action. “Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.” (1 Peter 1:13 – NIV)

So what are the results? First, we’ll gain peace. But just not any peace, you’ll gain God’s perfect peace. “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.” (Isaiah 26:3 – NIV)

And then, because your mind is set on God, you’ll be able to pray more effectively. “The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear-minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.” (1 Peter 4:7 – NIV)

So if your mind is faltering, flailing, or feeling fatigued, you have a few options. You can color or you can rely on God’s strength, wisdom, and expertise in renewing, restoring, and refreshing your mind.

Let me know what works for you. How do you keep your mind focused when you are most distracted? How do you use God in situations like this? Are you a colorer or a depender? Perhaps you are both? Whatever it is, let me know. I’d love to hear from you!

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Donna

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[i] Women’s World, Volume XXXIII, Number 44, October 29, 2012

Missed it By That Much

Have you ever missed out on something wonderful? Something that you know you would have enjoyed if you had been part of it? Something so awesome that it would have fulfilled at least one of your dreams in life?

I have.

Earlier this summer, my favorite race car driver, Michael Waltrip, came to Denver. He was raising money for the folks who lost their homes and possessions in the devastating wildfires we’ve had this year.

Mickey (as he is known by his family, friends and fans) signed autographs at the NAPA distribution center and then delivered a check to the disaster relief fund at the Colorado National Speedway. But it gets even better…he raced that night in his famous NAPA #55 Toyota.

And here’s the crazy part. This speedway is two miles from my house. I hear the cars race on Saturday evenings during the summer. That particular night they were really loud. I remember making that comment.

So how did I miss this? I don’t get a newspaper. I watch the news irregularly. I didn’t follow MWR tweets the week before. And I missed it.

I am not the only one who has missed out on something wonderful.

I’m sure there were plenty of people who missed what Jesus had to say. They sat at His feet hearing His words, but they never really sunk in. They thought His words were entertaining, but that was as far as the words went.

There is one such account we find in Scripture. You’ll know him as the Rich Young Man or the Rich Young Ruler. Three of the Gospels record his story. And the ending is the same in each (Matthew 19:16-30; Mark 10:17-31; and Luke 18:18-30).

This wealthy young man had heard Jesus’ message. Perhaps several times. It had made an impact on him and he desired to find out how to guarantee his spiritual salvation. His exact question was, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Mark 10:17 – NIV)

Jesus quoted some of the commands given by Moses in the Old Testament. The ones about murder, adultery, lying, and honoring parents. This young man was pleased to declare that he had kept them all since he was a young boy. Perhaps he thought he had this. Perhaps he thought he was going to be able to get by with these obediences of God’s commands.

But then, Jesus spoke again, with love in his heart for this young person standing before Him.

“Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” (Mark 10:21 – NIV)

Oh, how disappointed this poor lad was. Scripture says his “face fell.” He had heard Jesus’ teachings, but had missed the real message. He hadn’t realized the importance of putting God first in his life.

Upon hearing these words, he knew that he could not do as Jesus requested. Scripture says he had “great wealth.” He wasn’t willing to give it all away for eternal life. And this man walked away from Jesus.

Jesus continued with His teaching after this encounter. Teaching about the rich and heaven. And in the midst of this teaching, Jesus delivered two one-liners that we all know.

“With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” (Mark 10:27 – NIV)

And, “But many who are first will be last, and the last first.” (Mark 10:31 – NIV)

What can we take away from this account?

I believe we can understand the importance of putting God before everything else. Anything that we love more than God will be in the way of our relationship and that relationship will be damaged.

I also believe that Jesus is telling us here that even if there is something between us and God, with God’s help, we will be able to put it behind us. With God, we are capable of placing God first in our lives.

And I believe Jesus is sharing the timely message that a servant heart is what God is looking for. The attitude of our hearts make us usable vessels. When we have a willing, servant heart, God can do mighty things through us.

And lastly, I believe we can understand the importance of getting the whole message. God’s entire message. Don’t pick and choose the parts you want to learn, know and obey. It is a whole package deal. You take it all or leave it all. There can be nothing in between.

I pray that you haven’t missed it. Missed the important message that Jesus shared with this young man. It is a life-changing message. It is a mind-altering message. It is a forever message. If you have missed it, what is holding you back from accepting God’s message? What is standing between you and eternal life? Is it worth it?

If you’ve only captured a part of God’s message, I pray that you’ll take the time to continue studying God’s Word to hear the rest of the message.

And if you haven’t missed it, praise God for His glorious gift of grace and salvation. Praise Him for what He has done in your life. Thank Him for the changes He has made. Don’t take His gift for granted. Share His message with those around you. Let them know exactly what it has meant in your life.

This missed opportunity to meet Michael Waltrip was actually the second time I’ve missed him. I just shake my head and wonder if it will ever happen. I don’t know.

What I do know, however, is that I haven’t missed God’s message. I understand it fully. I have accepted it fully. I try (very hard) to live it fully. I find complete satisfaction in knowing that my future is secure in God my Savior. I pray that you have that same satisfaction.

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Donna

The Banana Tree

Have you ever seen a banana tree in bloom? I must admit, I never knew how bananas landed on a produce shelf. Not until I went to SE Asia and saw this amazing process.

There is a huge flower that grows on a banana tree. As each layer of the flower pulls back, there is a bunch of bananas growing beneath it. At the tip of each banana is yet another flowering bloom. I was so enthralled by this scene from nature.

And what’s more, banana leaf salad is very popular is SE Asia. I am saddened that I did not have a chance to try such an exotic addition to a salad.

This is exactly how God revealed His plan to mankind. Layer by layer, He showed man how His plan worked.

First, God created man and woman, Adam and Eve. It was perfect until the fall. Sin entered the picture and the rest of God’s plan was put into action.

God called Abram to follow Him in obedience. Abram had no idea what he was getting into, but he had trust and faith in God.

Then Jacob’s name was changed to Israel and his twelve sons would make up the twelve tribes of Israel.

Throughout their history, the Hebrew nation was shown aspects of God. His love. His protection. His discipline. His redemption.

And then, God was silent.

Suddenly, God broke that silence as He revealed the next portion of His plan.

Jesus.

Jesus lived among men. He showed mankind how to draw closer to God. God’s plan would take Jesus to the cross for the forgiveness of all sin.

But then as God’s plan continued, Jesus would raise from the dead so that we might have the opportunity to live forever in heaven.

But God’s plan was not complete. There were a few more details to reveal.

The Church was established. And in God’s remarkable plan, His Church was made available for every person on earth. No one was excluded.

God’s plan, revealed little by little, is the perfect plan. So why did He choose to reveal His plan in this manner? We may never know, but I believe Elihu shared the perfect explanation to Job. “God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding.” (Job 37:5 – NIV)

There comes a point when we simply cannot understand why God does what He does. We must accept His ways and trust that He knows what He is doing and that He is in control.

But we can also live in Christian confidence that the mysteries of Christ have been revealed. Ephesians 3:3-11 speaks of this revelation.

And there are other passages that speak to this as well. “Now to him who is able to establish you by my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, but now revealed and made know through the prophetic writing by the command of the eternal God, so that all nations might believe and obey him—to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.” (Romans 16:25-27 – NIV)

And also, Colossians 1:25-27 (NIV). “I have become its (the Church) servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness—the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

God’s plan was revealed little by little so that we might get His message. That we would have hope and forgiveness and salvation and eternal life through Jesus Christ.

And here is yet another way God is still revealing Himself. Through His Holy Word. Scripture continually reveals a bit of God’s character to me as I study it. Layer by layer, I gain new insight into God on a daily basis. I am so thankful for these words that are so readily available to me.

I pray that you have accepted this plan. God’s plan. I pray that if you haven’t, this writing might encourage you to check out all that God has planned in advance for you. If you do accept God’s plan, I can tell you for certain that a future filled with hope and assurance is far better than living this life without these benefits.

If you have already accepted God’s plan, I pray that you will continue to gain knowledge and wisdom by studying God’s Word to see what new revelations He has in store for you. It is an amazing journey and one that is most rewarding.

I am so thankful to have seen a banana tree in bloom. To see how God put it all together to reveal such a fine fruit for our enjoyment. I am also thankful that He used this beautiful flower to reveal just a little more of Himself to me. I pray that you will never look at a banana again without thinking of this revelation. I know I never will.

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Donna