Joni Eareckson Tada: Sharing Hope

Shauna: I'm Shauna with Joni Eareckson Tada: Sharing Hope. Thank you for joining us. Joni, I know that people have been asking about the condition of your lungs. You were hospitalized last year for a bad lung infection. So, how's your breathing now?

Joni Eareckson Tada: My pulmonologist asks the exact same thing: "How's your breathing?"

Shauna: And what do you tell him?

Joni Eareckson Tada: I assure him that I'm diligent and persistent when it comes to nebulizing in the morning and evening with two different medications. I use the nebulizer in the AM when I get up in my wheelchair, but in the evening, I've got to do it sitting up in bed. It's easy nebulizing in the morning; I just use the 20 minutes while I'm hooked up to the machine to sit there and memorize scripture while I'm in my chair. I just put my notebook on a stool in front of me.

But it's a different story at night. I've got to raise the head of my bed. Ken Tada puts two big pillows on my lap, then balances a little lap desk on the puffy pillow arrangement, then gingerly places my memorization notebook on top of that. He puts the mask over my head, puts on my eyeglasses, turns on the chest percussion machine, and that's when the jackhammering starts. Everything including the pillows vibrates like crazy.

In the middle of all the noise and shaking, I memorize out of the Psalms, a new chapter in Colossians, or the stanzas of an old hymn. It's so funny because when people see my setup, they say, "What in the world are you doing?" And I respond, "Look, I've got 20 minutes to do nothing but just lie here with a machine and a nebulizer going. I could look out the window, but it's dark. I could look around the bedroom, but that's boring. Or I could take a nap—no, I withdraw that statement; it's impossible to rest when your body is doing the shake, rattle, and roll thing, plus it's so noisy."

I use the time to memorize. Or else, it's 20 minutes with nothing to do, and another 20 minutes in the morning the same thing. For me, actually for any Christian, memorizing the Word of God is not an option. Psalm 119:11 tells us to store up God's word in our hearts. Colossians 3 says that the word of Christ should dwell in us richly. Deuteronomy is even more explicit. It says in chapter 11 verse 18 that we shall lay up God's word in our heart and in our soul.

Psalm 1 tells us to meditate day and night on the law, that is, his word. And don't forget Proverbs 3, where it says that God's word should be written on the tablets of our hearts. And that's just scratching the surface. Now, I don't say all this to put anybody to shame. It's just that my quadriplegia and my pain force me into the pages of scripture. So, when I'm nebulizing, why not use those 40 minutes to take in the word of God?

Shauna: Wow, Joni. You described that scene, that sitting up in bed part, so well. Could I ask, is it possible to even see a snapshot of your setup? Would you feel comfortable with that? Because I think our friends listening would be fascinated.

Joni Eareckson Tada: Well, if a photo inspires someone to pick up their Bible and start memorizing, then sure. I've got a snapshot, and I wouldn't mind if it were posted today.

Shauna: Well, I can't wait to see it. Friend listening, if you feel the same, and I know you do, go to joniradio.org today where you can see Joni's photo, hear this program, and get a storehouse of other encouragement from Joni. And by the way, if you have a prayer request, you can share that with us when you're at joniradio.org too.