When we first started this project we had no idea all that would be involved. From the surface the house looked in good condition and foundationally it is. As we removed layers of covering we began to find issues that were a problem that had been masked by carpet, padding, tile, wood, insulation and so much more. One of the first real problems was that the sub-floor was a pressed wood board. For those of us not in construction that means wood chips that were pressed together with some form of binding to form a sheet of wood. They are usually used on roofs but for some reason the previous contractor chose it for flooring. The problem is when it gets wet it molds and eventually it breaks down. Under the carpet in the hallway was black mold. Under the slate tile floor was the same familiar black. The tile floor had a noticeable dip in it. Tile was put down with grout and grout was made up of water and a sand like compound that dried hard. When the tile was laid the floor board had begun to deteriorate. If we had not gotten to the bare floor we would have never known about the mold or the deterioration of the wood. Yes, it is frustrating to know there will have to be even deeper demolition to the property, but I am so grateful to know when we do reconstruct, the black mold will be gone and our health inevitably will be saved.
I thought about how spiritually this parallels. On the surface many of us look pretty good. We attend church, say the right things, we may even give and be involved in missions, but under the coverings of our spiritual acts there may be sickness breeding where the eye doesn’t see. God knows though and even if man doesn’t see it still affects our spiritual health and well being. It can be covered for a while, but eventually our life begins to buckle when pushed. The smoothness of our life hits a hiccup then the bitterness, anger, lack of forgiveness, hurt or whatever has been hidden rises to the top and it must be dealt with . Why not do what we are doing with our house. Lay it bare before the Father and allow Him to take away the broken and corrupted. No, it won’t be easy, but you can do the hard work now or wait until everything is falling apart and try to make the repairs then. By that point the problem may be so far gone that the repair will carry deep scars. God can and will heal you and help you through your broken parts. There are many of us who are living examples that God heals and forgives. As we see this house built back, you too can see your life reconstructed with healthy life. Our prayer is that each of us will uncover our own weaknesses and allow God to make us all new. Les and I are praying for you that you will find healing and strength.