Brick by brick...


In July of 2010 I started on a journey...  a crazy, exhausting, beautiful journey.  I went back to school as a Social Work major. 

I know.  Didn't I say?  Crazy.  After all, no one looks at this and says, "Yep!  That's for me!"

But I knew.  I knew what God wanted.  And my choices were pretty clear:  yes or no.

I was either all in or all out.


These lives we lead... they take courage to live. 

It takes courage to get up out of bed and face an unbelieving world.  It takes courage to live in a community that thinks differently than you.  It takes courage to talk about Jesus.  It takes courage to plan your life around His dream for you... to know that people are going to tell you that you're crazy.
(Follow those links to meet some beautiful women who are every day teaching me how to walk this out.)

It takes courage.
  
en·cour·age verb (used with object) 1. to inspire with courage, spirit, or confidence

 dis·cour·age verb (used with object) 1. to deprive of courage, hope, or confidence; dishearten; dispirit.

The words we speak into a person's life... they matter. 

We are, all of us, clay in His hands... forged by fire.

Built in pieces... brick by brick.

And we are, all of us, the bricklayers.

It's hard work.
It's dirty work.
Bleeding hands... 
Bleeding hearts...

It has consequences, this work we do:

Build the wall too high in any one place, and it will begin to teeter.

A brick laid in the wrong place can bring this masterpiece down.

A wall is only as strong as its weakest point... A Body is only as strong as its weakest member.

Beloved, are you building with Me?

Am I placing bricks formed with love and encouragement in the places where you need hope and joy and peace and Truth?  Would you hold me accountable to that?

Father God,
Would You lead my words by the power of Your Spirit?  Would You set a guard over my lips?  Would You allow me to speak only what is edifying to building up Your body?  Would You inspire words of truth and love in my heart?  Would You send me across the paths of people who need You, Lord?  Would you show me the broken areas in their lives that You want to minister to?  God, You are so good!  Thank you, Father.

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