Real Wood: Building a Life that Holds Up

Post 2: Living a Life of Substance, not Surface.

Lambton Shaker Bed

In a world fascinated with appearances, it’s easy to get caught up in living for the surface. Filters, facades, and carefully curated lives flood our screens, often masking what’s real. But deep down, most of us long for something more. We want lives that last longer than our solid wood furniture—hearts that hold steady when the storms roll in. Just like when we purchase a bedframe or sideboard, we don’t want veneer; we want real wood.

Veneer might look like solid wood from a distance, but it’s just a thin layer covering something far less durable. It scratches easily. It warps in heat. It doesn’t endure. Real wood, on the other hand, is solid all the way through. It has grain and texture—marks of authenticity. It may have knots and imperfections, but it holds up. It’s strong. It lasts.

The same is true of our lives. When we build with surface-level strength—depending on popularity, possessions, or public approval—we’re living veneer lives. They might look polished, but they won’t withstand the pressure. When life gets hard (and it always does), a surface-built life will crack.

Decor on a real wood table

But a life rooted by faith in Jesus Christ is different. It's not flashy. It may not always be noticed. But it's real. It's deep. It's strong.

God gives us this picture in Jeremiah 17:7–8:

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”

That’s what a real-wood life looks like. Deeply rooted. Unshaken in drought. Bearing fruit even in hard seasons. Trust in God is what gives us this kind of strength—the kind that doesn’t need to impress but knows how to endure.

So how do we live that kind of life?

• Cultivate roots. Spend time in God’s Word. Let it sink into your soul. Water with prayer. Roots aren’t visible, but they’re vital.

• Choose depth over display. Don’t settle for looking good on the outside. Go deeper. Ask hard questions. Cooperate with Jesus in changing you from the inside. Seek real growth.

• Let God shape your character. Like real wood, you’ll have imperfections—but God uses those to tell a story of grace and strength. Be real about your struggles and how Jesus gave you the victory in them.

In the end, real wood isn’t about being flawless—it’s about being faithful. It’s about standing strong through the years, shaped by storms but not destroyed by them.

Build a life that holds up. Build furniture with real wood. Build with us at Cinnamon Cabin Co.

~ Katherine