Chapters Overview

…..[ the Creator’s end-product of a human being in a beautiful garden full of life and structure was a direct opposite to the empty, dark void of the beginning. Your end-product also should fill the dark and void areas of your life. Where the lack existed at the beginning should be filled with abundance….

Imagine God the Creator, the Holy Spirit, and the Son looking at the void, empty, dark, bleak earth and having a vision for a beautiful earth inhabited with animals and a master creation—a human with attributes similar to those of the Creator himself.

And then imagine the Creator embarking on a process to make that vision a reality through a series of defined and determined steps. And finally, it is accomplished, just as he envisioned.

The good news is that you can follow the same process. Begin with the end in mind; completely create the internal vision and believe that it can be attained with the Creator’s help. And it will happen.

Light also eliminates or removes the darkness. Darkness represents obscurity, invisibility, or heaviness. In the dark, you have no sense of your true surroundings. Our human eyes cannot see well in the dark. We were not meant to exist in darkness, but in light.

But what do these things represent or symbolize?

Darkness in your life is anything that hinders your ability to see or obscures your path. These may be internal issues, such as thought patterns, behaviors, lifestyles, or habits. It may be low self-esteem, fear of failure, or some other internal obstacle based on your childhood or your past.

…. as we progress through life, heaven is to be a reference point or compass to direct our lives on earth. Our choices and decisions here ultimately will determine the life we live in the next realm—in heaven.

While I believe a real heaven exists, the lesson to be learned from Day Two in Genesis is that each of us has to create a concept of heaven as a boundary or guideline for life.

Each person has to have his or her utopia — an ideal or a symbol of perfection. In the creative process, this heaven has to be relevant and unique, and certainly will differ for the various areas of your life.

Evaluate the area or purpose you are creating and ask the Creator to reveal the truth about who you need to be or what you need to do to create the GOE that would honor him who filled you with a unique purpose and destiny. Truth about yourself and your life [i.e. your true identity] is a sound basis on which you can build your masterpiece.

One important foundation that each person must include is a strong financial base. Whatever masterpiece you are creating, money will be necessary for its growth and emergence. Therefore, be sure to identify the foundation for your financial life.

To create a GOE that will last, you must understand the cycles of your life, profession, industry, or ministry. If your business is in the growth phase, know that you must focus on refining your corporate vision, building teams, and investing in infrastructure. Once that season has passed, you must understand what is necessary for the next season. Is it investment in Research & Development or seeking an alliance or joint venture partner to prepare for what lies ahead?

You have within you the resources to understand what is necessary to create the right GOE for the masterpiece. Remember, growth comes from within. Therefore, as you learn about your industry, ministry group, physical health, or focus area, look inward for clarity on the requirements for the current season.

I found [the].. lesson from Day Five very useful in my own life, as in creating my GOE I moved from working as a lawyer in a government setting to working in the private sector. I was in the same profession, but the environment was very different and required different capabilities. And as I wrote the first edition of this book to create my masterpiece, I was venturing into a totally different industry—fashion design. Then after the fashion business, I moved for a time into the world of international diplomacy. Now I am continuing to express the masterpiece by developing my public speaking and writing life. This principle will be one that guides me as I continue to modify and adopt ways of dealing with clients, new employees, and business partners.

As you proceed in creating your GOE, you must be willing to be like a fish when necessary or appropriate by having the ability to maneuver skillfully in a different environment.

[We]  are to mirror God and not limit the possibilities of our creativity.

Consider the fact that each animal is unique. If we begin to analyze the unique characteristics of each, we will be busy for a very long time. From the smallest bug to the largest hippopotamus, all animals have been created with special features, abilities, strengths, and roles within the animal world. And there is an abundance of color, design, texture, and appearance in God’s creation. Life is not black and white or grey. Rather, life is full of color and vibrancy and energy.

In the midst of creating your GOE for your masterpiece, whether it is a tangible product or a lifestyle, you must incorporate levels of variety of color, form, structure, usefulness, outward appearance, and movement.

The seventh day is a day of rest, but not a day of inactivity and stagnation. Rest is a state of peace in which you know who you are to become, what you’ve done, and where you’re going.

When you know that you have followed the Creator’s pattern, enlisted the guidance and wisdom of the Holy Spirit, and are creating a life full of godly values and standards, you can continue to live in a state of peace and assurance. This is the state in which we should approach all of life’s adventures.