#WreckTheRoof

Our church is at the end of a series we started conceptually last fall and corporately this winter called #WreckTheRoof. It comes from a story in the Bible about four men who were willing to break through the roof of a person’s house to lower their paralyzed friend down on a mat to encounter Jesus, have his sins forgiven, and to walk out on his own two feet as a result of his encounter with the Savior. The entire thrust of the series is asking us to personally inventory what we are willing to do to bring people to an intimate personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

How are we willing to “Wreck The Roof” of our generosity in order to bring more people to Him? What are we willing to do, give, or even give up to reach JUST ONE MOREperson?

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will we give what we have for others to know Him? (Photo Credit: @orphanrunner)

Being exposed to the sermons multiple times every weekend, from reading the sermon notes, watching the practices before service, listening to every sermon and the fine tuning in-between, the Holy Spirit has been working me over big time. I have been prayerfully considering my part in this initiative because it’s honestly the difference between life and death for people—spiritually, but possibly literally.

When people ask me what #WreckTheRoof means to me, it means a brown-eyed, curly-haired, brown-skinned Ethiopian who loves to read big books, bake cakes, and play piano and French horn.

See, I was counted among The Lost less than fifteen years ago. My persistent friend kept asking me to come to Bible study at our church. I finally caved. Within months, my husband came and our son, J, was in our church’s preschool. We committed our lives to Christ. Things were clicking along. Life was great and easy.

Then God called for us to adopt and this was the craziest thing! It was not something we would have done outside of the movement of the Holy Spirit. I really never wanted to be a bi-racial family in the Midwest; I thought it was too hard. But yet it was the calling and the Lord brought us Isabella…and I would not change it for anything!

She just filmed and narrated our Christmas video and a little ditty for our women’s ministry called “Baking with B”.

Some of you know her, how precious she is. Can you imagine life without her?

Me, either.

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Our colorful family photos. (Photo Credit: Kim Harris)

Our church was willing, more than a decade ago, to be outwardly focused, to apply what is found in Scripture to real-life circumstances to help me, a sinner saved by grace through faith, and to speak of the power and love of Jesus Christ in a way I was able to understand and capture.

I was saved from the darkness of hell and brought into the kingdom of light.

As a result, a baby halfway around the world born on the outskirts of an African capital city bridges our family to different communities in our little city and beyond. What would have happened to her had we not known and followed our Jesus?

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(Photo Credit: Kim Harris)

What are we willing to do that JUST ONE MORE person would encounter the King of kings and receive salvation and forgiveness of sins? That person was me years ago. Who will it be a decade from now that will look back to this moment in time and be thankful for what we have done?

Wreck my roof, Jesus. Do it again and again. For Your glory and the worship of Your name. Amen.