Made and re-made: a Roofbreaker’ s redemption story
“ But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.”( Isaiah 64:8)
John Garrett embodies the mission of Through the Roof. Accompanied by his guide dog, John is a Roofbreaker using his gifts to lead worship at his local Baptist church, and actively enabling positive change for other disabled people. Our editor, Annette, interviews John, about his story and how he is spreading the message of the Gospel.
Isaiah 64:8 describes God as the Master Potter, shaping us as new creations in Christ Jesus. John Garrett’ s journey echoes this truth. Brokenness has been both a burden and a blessing for John. He has suffered with addiction issues and struggled with relying on God alone, but John’ s life has been transformed by God’ s healing touch.
When John’ s marriage ended, he realised he felt broken on the inside. He described himself as like one of those Russian dolls with one model inside another; the one on the outside looked presentable, but the inner ones were damaged, with paint peeling off. But God said:‘ You’ ve got to be broken to be fixed. Now you cannot cope by yourself, will you let me in?’ Reaching rock bottom was the turning point. It was there that John began to depend fully on God and experienced a radical transformation. He was remade in God’ s image.
Today, John uses his God-given musical talents to lead worship, playing keyboard in his church band. But God didn’ t stop there – He inspired John to write powerful songs that reflect his own journey. After first writing in the 1980s, John prayed for a refreshing of his gift of songwriting. Then in the early 2000s, John’ s first album, Life Story, started to take shape. The album is freely available online, so anyone can hear John’ s crystal-clear voice and experience the healing message of powerful biblical truths through his Spiritfilled music.
Life Story is more than an album – it’ s John’ s testimony. The first half tells the story of a life that felt broken and worthless, only to be rebuilt by the hands of the Master Potter. Through adoption, a challenging upbringing, addiction, sight loss, and failed marriages, God’ s loving hands have reshaped him, showing him his true value, and assuring him of a place and a purpose in God’ s plans. The second half of the album is a source of encouragement for those walking their own narrow path of truth and life.
John invites listeners to hear his story in song, offering an honest glimpse into the highs and lows of his journey with Christ. All he asks is less than an hour of your time to sit back, listen, and let his music inspire you.
You can stream or download Life Story on multiple platforms through the following link: https:// ditto. fm / life-story-john-garrett or watch a video version with lyrics on YouTube at: https:// www. youtube. com /@ LifeStory-j3r
Vital Link Spring 2025 | www. throughtheroof. org