I failed to mention in the last post (and I’m SO sorry if I gave the wrong impression): Bricklayers is not going dormant!
I (Cristina) may be a bit off the radar right now as I focus on my own “bricklaying” but the Beautiful Bricklayers in Orange County are actively meeting and preparing for continued involvement of the Bricklayers community. Laura Vencill (pictured with her husband, Mike) and Cassie Robertson are leading these events. They are particularly focused on leading a monthly prayer meeting in Irvine and hope to start up a new Bricklayers class later this year as well. Keep an eye out for dates and times here on the blog and also on our Facebook page.
Wow. Have you heard the story of Ian and Larissa Murphy? These two demonstrate unconditional love in marriage. When Ian’s brain was damaged in a life-altering automobile accident, his then-girlfriend, Larissa, didn’t give up. Watch their update here:
[vimeo 88485530 w=500 h=281]
If you are interested to read their book or learn more about their story, visit their website here.
What is the first thing you do to get ready for your shower? Well, you need to take off all your clothes. Ok, before you think I’m a crazy Californian wanting to talk about getting naked during a short devotional message, just bear with me. We’re actually going to talk about taking a spiritual shower. I felt so grateful to be asked to share this message a couple of months ago at a Ladies Luncheon at my church. The community here in Arkansas has welcomed my husband and me with such warmth and we’re glad to be here.
Regardless of where you are and at what life stage you are in right now, I hope this brief devotional refreshes and challenges you. Every time you take a shower, you can be reminded that our heart needs a good wash too!
“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your
“Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.“
At home:
Read the whole chapter to soak in the full context of the verses above. Savor the words by reading them out loud, memorizing a verse or passage that caught your attention, or writing them out in your journal.
Take a spiritual shower. For those of you who have put your trust in Christ, go through these steps in prayer, letting the Holy Spirit highlight areas that aren’t right and need cleansing. Let Him teach you ways that you can train your heart to willingly submit to Him.
For those of you haven’t taken that first step of faith in Jesus: taking a spiritual “heart shower” is a great place to start.
This month, Melissa Pena, recommends Gary Thomas’ Every Body Matters to help us dive deeper into the health theme. She shares more of a summary below so you can be further inspired to worship God with your whole being… including your body.
While the world around pushes for us to lose weight and look our best in healthy and unhealthy ways, the church often opts out of conversations about physical health and well being altogether. Gary Thomas addresses this trend and dives right into the discussion in his book, Every Body Matters. Here, Thomas explores from a Biblical perspective the benefits of physical fitness and how it can profoundly impact our lives as Christ followers. He shares how becoming physically fit can lead to being more sensitive to God’s voice, having more zest for life, and having a fresh attitude of service and love for others.
In addition to discussing the spiritual and emotional benefits of physical fitness, Gary Thomas also shares the true motivation behind all of it. The goal behind getting healthy as a Christian is not that we might look and feel great but that we might be “instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work” (2 Timothy 2:21). By being disciplined in what we eat and the activities we choose, we train ourselves so that we might be ready (now both physically, mentally, and spiritually) for any good work- for Christ and His kingdom.
I am so grateful to have read this book and very highly recommend it. Every chapter is infused with convicting truth, motivating perspective, and refreshing candor. Every time I put the book down, I felt this deep urge to go for a brisk walk or do some sort of exercise. This book has given me a deeper motivation for being healthy. It’s not about me just getting thinner and more agile but it’s about walking with my God and serving Him with all my heart. For me, that’s just about the best motivation I could ever ask for. I hope you find this book as refreshing and motivating as I did. Press on, sisters!
“Soft people who frequently complain about the smallest annoyances, who give in to laziness and excess, who expect others to work so they can rest, who collapse into passive entertainment instead of active exercise- these are souls custom-made to become all but irrelevant in kingdom warfare. They are no threat to anyone- least of all to Satan.” pg. 127
one of my chocolate-free desserts during singleness
Several years ago, a dear friend of mine gave up chocolate. She was like an older sister to me. I thought she was crazy for forgoing chocolate. She decided that she was going to fast chocolate until she met her husband. This girl loved her chocolate, and she would feel the sacrifice. She was going to use the desire to eat the yummy treat as a reminder to pray for her future husband. I probably tapped her on the back and said, “Good for you. I hope you feel like it’s worthwhile when all is said and done!”
A couple years later, I helped her pack for her honeymoon the night before her wedding. She was giddy and overjoyed to marry the man she loved so much. I had met him for the first time at the rehearsal dinner (since we lived states away) and I was amazed by how God answered her diligent, persistent prayers. She totally prayed for this man and I was amazed at how specifically God answered in her husband to be.
At the marriage ceremony the next day I sensed the Holy Spirit pressing upon my heart to do a chocolate fast of my own. I wanted to plug my spiritual ears and pretend that I didn’t hear that divine instruction (because I really liked to be able to eat chocolate)! However, I was curious to see how God might use this fast in my own life. The chocolate cupcake served to me at their wedding reception was the last taste of chocolate I had before I got married. I was one month shy of going 5 years without chocolate.
date #3 when the chocolate fast first came up in conversation
A funny little side story takes place at a picnic at the beach near the Balboa Pier in Newport Beach. My husband and I were on our third date. He had prepared a pretty sophisticated dinner using his backpacking stove. When it came time for us to have dessert, I could tell he was especially excited. He pulled out fresh strawberries and chocolate. I was cringing inside because I knew I needed to hold to my fast, but I already really liked him and didn’t want to be rude. He proceeded to melt the chocolate in fondue fashion and as he prepared the strawberries for dipping, I had to tell him. I said that I was on a chocolate fast and I would normally be ecstatic about the dessert he made, but I can only eat the strawberries. He looked at me intrigued. Of course, he asked what I didn’t want him to ask, “Why are you fasting chocolate?” I told him that I didn’t feel at liberty to share, but that I was excited to have some yummy strawberries. Fast forward about a year. We were driving somewhere and he told me that he still didn’t know why I was fasting it, but he told me that he wanted to join in and pray for me as I continued my fast. Several months later, he proposed and asked me about the fast. I finally told him and he was, of course, delighted. We broke the fast together the day after we got married… with chocolate dipped strawberries on the balcony of our hotel room.
I share these stories with you to share my own experience of God answering prayers and I share to encourage you to take up the discipline of fasting. The main point is to not feel condemnation or pressure to fast a certain amount of time or way. Be gentle with yourself as you learn and grow in the fasting discipline. The goal is to grow in your yearning for the Lord and to be drawn into His presence even more often than normal because of the repeated reminder that we need Him. Whatever it is that we are fasting: food, time, finances, talking, media, whatever it may be – we are meant to draw near to Him with a sincere heart.
As you seek to dig deeper into the discipline of fasting, here are some resources that might be helpful to you:
I would encourage you to read all you can from the Word (search fasting at www.biblegateway.com) and meditate on His Word. Remember this is not a legalistic exercise; it’s a relationship strengthening discipline. His love is so GREAT towards us!
“Is not this the kind of fastingI have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousnesswill go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.9 Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.” Isaiah 58:6-9
This girl just inspires me. She lives out simple obedience. Talk about “love and faithfulness” displayed in such a beautiful way through this radiant young woman.
Have you read her book? Katie Davis just shines for Jesus through her words AND actions!
Even if you have read this wonderful page turner, listen to her story below:
