Can Grace Find You in the Mess? | Brick by Brick Ep. 5

What happens when purpose shows up before you’ve healed, recovered, or forgiven yourself?

In the fifth installment of the Brick by Brick series, Dr. A.C. Cristales explores grace—the brick that gives us room to take responsibility without allowing our worst moments to define us.

Reflecting on heartbreak, financial loss, depression, and his return to teaching in 2022, A.C. shares how purpose continued revealing itself while his life still felt like it was falling apart. His story is a reminder that functioning doesn’t always mean we’re okay—and that one damaged part of the wall doesn’t mean God has stopped building.

Grace doesn’t erase the consequences or excuse the choices we’ve made. It gives us the strength to pick up the next brick and keep moving forward.

In this episode:

• Why showing up doesn’t necessarily mean you’re okay
• How serving others can remind you of what is still alive within you
• Recognizing evidence that your story isn’t over
• Taking responsibility without surrendering your identity
• A 24-hour challenge to identify your “in spite of”

00:00 — Intro: What do you do when purpose shows up in the middle of your falling apart?

02:34 — 2022: the heartbreak, the depleted bank account, and the depression he hadn't fully talked about before

05:10 — Evidence that God wasn’t done with me

07:00 — Grace gives you strength to lay the next brick

10:50 — The “in spite of” challenge

What brick will you lay this week?

If this episode made you think of someone struggling to forgive themselves, share it with them. Subscribe to Mission Driven with A.C. Cristales and follow the show so you don’t miss the next brick in the series.