When God Weeps
May 15, 2019
Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada here with my friend, Shauna Amick. Shauna, it’s always good to have you in the studio.
SHAUNA: Thanks Joni.
JONI: And we’re celebrating National Get Caught Reading Month!
SHAUNA: That’s right. I’m, I’m excited about this. I didn’t even know there was such a thing (JONI: Me either) until a little while ago. (JONI: Right!) You know, as soon as I heard that phrase ‘get caught reading,’ it brought me back to the third grade when we had read-a-thons (JONI: Yep) and the contest was to see how many books we could read in a certain amount of time. And boy, I can remember as a little kid my teachers just instilling a love for reading in me then and I’m so grateful I’ve kept that with me all these years later.
JONI: So…what’s on your nightstand nowadays? What particular book has grabbed you?
SHAUNA: Well, are you ready for this? It might surprise you, Joni, but actually I am re-reading this timeless classic, written by Joni Eareckson Tada, (JONI: Oh, come on) I’m, I’m serious. And while I love so many of your books – you know I think of, of course, the Joni book, I think of Ordinary People, Extraordinary Faith (that one touched me so much) – but right now I’m re-reading When God Weeps.
JONI: Oh my goodness, that is not an easy read.
SHAUNA: Well, you know it isn’t, but it’s a needed read. Boy, it was probably 12 years ago when somebody handed me this book, When God Weeps, and boy, at that time, Joni, my youngest child was still a baby, Sarah—with Down syndrome, and her heart defect and all her other genetic abnormalities. And I spent most of my time weeping. And so the title alone (JONI: Yea) is what got me because I thought, ‘Boy, I’m walking around, crying all the time. What would make God weep?’
JONI: Yea, well you know, when I wrote that book, must have been over 20 years ago with Steve Estes (um, he was my spiritual mentor when I got out of the hospital); when I wrote it and people started reading it, some people put it down; they, they just couldn’t stomach it. (SHAUNA: Wow). But the people who really liked that book are the ones who have suffered greatly. They’re the ones who really “get;” they get the message of when God weeps.
SHAUNA: Boy, I can remember right where I was even sitting the first time I read it. I just gobbled it up.
JONI: Well, it’s, it’s about a subject that’s so tough for people to swallow. How do you reconcile the goodness and the sweetness of God, with the horror of evil and suffering that He permits in this world; even our own suffering.
SHAUNA: Early in the book you talk about how we do try to make sense of our suffering. And even in our good intentions of making sense of suffering, they can be self-centered. They can be “me” focused, like suffering helps me understand the Bible better. Or this trial is giving me a better character. Or even, um, God has used this difficult thing to improve my marriage. And in the book you say “Did you hear all the ‘I’s’?” (JONI: Yea, right.) God did too.
JONI: Sometimes we get so “me” focused about our suffering it’s like, what does it do to help my faith? Deepen my love for the Bible? Help my prayer life? And really suffering goes a lot further than just, just yourself, doesn’t it?
SHAUNA: Well, that’s right. Well, you know what you taught me through that book, and you through the book became my spiritual mentor, is that when we choose to trust God the problem of suffering is not about some “thing,” it’s about some “one”. It’s about knowing our Lord Jesus Christ and keeping our eye on him – not keeping our eye on suffering or even suffering’s benefits, but keeping our eye on Jesus.
JONI: You know I learned that truth many years ago from Elisabeth Elliot; her writings really touched me back then. You know, Shauna, her new collection of unpublished works was just compiled in a book called Suffering is Never for Nothing. You ought to put that next on your list, (SHAUNA: I sure will) for which I wrote the foreword I was so honored to do that. And you know we have both books When God Weeps and Suffering is Never for Nothing in our online store this month, so friend listening, if you would like to be caught reading this month, we’ve got lots of selections for you in our online store at joniandfriends.org.
© Joni and Friends
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I’m Joni Eareckson Tada with a powerful lesson from Mark Chapter 6.
And you know the story well, but we can never hear it enough, start with verse 45, just, just listen. “Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to Bethsaida, while He dismissed the crowd. After leaving them, He went up on a mountainside to pray. Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and He was alone on land. He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, when they saw Him walking on the lake, they thought He was a ghost. They cried out, because they all saw Him and were terrified. Immediately He spoke to them and said, ‘Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.’ And then He climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed.”
Now I love this passage because it is about Jesus and the storms He sends our way. And both you and I, what we’ve been through a lot of storms. But when I read this passage this morning, I was struck with these words: “Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and row out.” He did that knowing that they would face a storm, and He knew it would be terrifying. Nevertheless, Jesus commanded them to row directly into a tempest. And what touched me especially was that they obeyed. Even when the storm arises, they don’t turn back. They keep heading toward Bethsaida where Jesus told them to go. And here’s another thing: when the wind and the rain began blowing, I mean you’d think Jesus would have calmed the sea from where He stood on land. But no, He lets His followers battle it out in the worst part of the storm, for hours. Remember it was only right before dawn when Jesus finally chose to enter the hurricane and reveal Himself to the disciples. And He revealed Himself in the storm. The point wasn’t for Him to simply stop the storm, and thereby show them His power over the wind and the waves; Jesus waited to show Himself in the storm with them. Jesus knew that the storm, the, the trial was needed so that they might feel their need of Him.
And oh, it is that way for us, isn’t it? There’s a peace, there is a, a joy, a delight – not when the storm goes away. I mean, my paralysis is not going away and neither is my wheelchair; my chronic pain may not go away, and perhaps not even my cancer. So the delight is not in the storm disappearing, but in seeing Jesus in your personal storm and hearing those life-changing words, “Take courage. It is I. Don’t be afraid.” Jesus says that to you today. “Don’t be afraid. I am here, I’m with you. You obeyed me when I led you into this trial, and I am not gonna abandon you.”
Friend, today may this passage in Mark Chapter 6 speak to you afresh, even though you know the story well. Do not expect Jesus to quiet the wind and the waves before you see Him. Wait until you hear those sweet words, “Take courage! It is I. Yes, the wind and waves are here, but I am here as well. Don’t be afraid.” These encouragements are echoed in Elisabeth Elliot’s new book Suffering is Never for Nothing, for which I wrote the foreword. So be sure to visit joniandfriends.org where we’re offering Elisabeth Elliot’s new book, because suffering is never, ever, ever for nothing; you learned that today right here on Joni and Friends.
© Joni and Friends
May 14, 2019
Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada here with my friend, Shauna Amick. And we are celebrating National Get Caught Reading Month. I bet you didn’t know there was such a thing, right? Because there are so many good books out there, so many good Christian books, too. Isn’t that right, Shauna?
Shauna: That’s right. And I know a great one that you wrote the foreword to, Joni.
Joni: Well, well you are, ok, you’re talking about this new book that has been compiled from the never-before-published essays of Elisabeth Elliot, and it’s called Suffering Is Never for Nothing. It just came out and for any listener who has been blessed over the years by Elizabeth Elliot’s writings like I have, this new one by her is such a blessing.
Shauna: Oh, you were great friends with her, weren’t you, Joni? I’m assuming that’s why you must have written this foreword?
Joni: Well, I guess you’re right on both counts. I first learned about Elisabeth Elliot; it was 1965 when in high school I read her book Through Gates of Splendor. Now the thing is, I had no idea that right after graduation and a diving accident, I would enter those dark valleys that Elisabeth wrote about. Many of our listeners know that she was a missionary wife. Her husband was speared to death by Auca Indians in South America. And I was enthralled with her story. I then met her years later in 1976 when we were both speakers at a conference in Canada. I was only 26 years old with less than a decade under my belt as a quadriplegic. I could hardly believe I was actually sharing the same speaking platform with this saint of the age.
Shauna: I can’t imagine. What was is that really connected you two?
Joni: Well obviously she suffered greatly. Her husband was tragically killed. And of course, I had suffered a diving accident. I guess that’s what drew us together. I think our suffering brought us to each other. At the conference one evening afterward, she came to my hotel room. And as she sat on the edge of my bed, we opened our hearts and shared how God had tenderly helped us both where our pain, our disappointment. And I think we connected real fast through our shared experience of deep suffering. And I mean I couldn’t believe it. Here she was in my own hotel room, and by the end of the evening, we both agreed that no one participates in God’s joy without first tasting the afflictions of His Son. And that is when she smiled at me and said (right before leaving my hotel room, she was at the door and said), “Joni, remember suffering is never for nothing.” It was so Elizabethan, and I thought I understood what she meant back then. I mean after all, nine years of quadriplegia had made me take seriously the Lordship of Christ, and it refined my faith, and had given me a deeper interest in prayer and the Word. But man, I would never have guessed that I had still a long, long, long way to go.
Shauna: Yeah, like, decades of paralysis.
Joni: You’re right, Shauna. And please you know this when affliction is your daily companion, you understand why Elizabeth wrote the things she did: from her I learned that the Bible’s answers are never to be separated from the God of the Bible. That truth has guided me over 50 years of paralysis, and pain, and cancer. And, Shauna, that’s the reason why, when I was asked to write the foreword to this new book of her unpublished works called Suffering Is Never for Nothing. What a privilege!
Shauna: And Joni, I hope don’t mind but I want listeners to know that that book is available. So folks just need to go to joniandfriends.org where they’ll learn everything they need to about this amazing book written by Elizabeth Elliot’s own pen, and learn firsthand suffering is never for nothing.
Joni: Oh, and please know that we at Joni and Friends care about your struggles, too. Our staff gathers every morning to intercede on behalf of friends like you who contact our ministry in need of prayer, whether it’s upcoming surgery, or prodigal child going astray, write us your prayer request at joniandfriends.org. And then please keep us posted on how you’re doing, and what’s going on.
© Joni and Friends
May 13, 2019
Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada with a sweet story for Mother’s Day…
And it’s a story for any mom who is going through a painful trial, or who still has a thorn in her heart from a past wound. Like my own mother, Lindy Eareckson. When I broke my neck, that tragedy became her painful trial, as much as mine. Of course, I didn’t realize what a broken neck meant. I was just a teenager. To me, paralysis was something that would wear off in time. But my mother knew differently. And so, the painful thorn of my life-altering injury went far deeper into her heart than it did into mine. Over time, though, that thorn sank deeper into me as I began to understand the permanency of my paralysis. And while I was in the hospital, I read a little book that helped me adjust. And it was that Christian classic, maybe you’ve read it, “Hind’s Feet on High Places” by Hannah Hurnard. Perhaps you’ve heard of it and, if not, it’s really something worth reading, especially if you are struggling through pain or hardship in your walk with Christ. My mother was blessed by it, too. “Hind’s Feet” is the story of the good Shepherd’s love for a little lame young woman named Much-Afraid. And let me share with you our favorite part where the Shepherd wants to give this lame girl a little seed. Okay, so here it goes:
“Much Afraid, bent forward to look, then she gave a startled little cry and drew back. There was indeed a seed lying in the palm of the Shepherd’s hand, but it was shaped exactly like a long, sharply-pointed thorn… She said shrinkingly, ‘This seed looks very sharp. Won’t it hurt if you put it into my heart?’
He answered gently, ‘It is so sharp that it slips in very quickly. But, Much-Afraid, I have already warned you that love and pain go together, for a time at least. If you would know love, you must know pain as well.’
Much-Afraid looked at the thorn and shrank from it. Then she looked at the Shepherd’s face and repeated his words to herself. ’When the seed of love in your heart is ready to bloom, you will be loved in return,’ and then a strange new courage entered her. She suddenly stepped forward, bared her heart, and said, ‘Please then plant the seed here in my heart.’… Then the Shepherd pressed the thorn deep into her heart. And it was true; it did cause a piercing pain, but it slipped in quickly and then, suddenly, a sweetness she had never felt before tingled through her. It was bittersweet, but the sweetness was the stronger. Her pale, sallow cheeks suddenly glowed pink and her eyes shown. And for a moment Much-Afraid did not look afraid at all.”
You know reading that I can say that was me. And that excerpt from the book also describes my mother. When I broke my neck, both of us learned that joy and pain go together. Peace and suffering do as well. And Tim Keller has said, “The joy of the Lord doesn’t come after the sorrow. It does not come after the weeping. The weeping drives you into the joy, and it enhances the joy, and then the joy enables you to actually feel your grief without it sinking you. And then you find you are finally emotionally healthy.” That’s what happened to me and my mother. And it’s why, for me, Mother’s Day always has in it a hint of sorrow, but a lot of joy. So, for you, mom, listening who may yet still feel the thorn in your heart, let it drive you into the arms of your Good Shepherd. And when you do, this Mother’s Day may well be bitter-sweet. But the sweetness will be all the stronger. And Lindy Eareckson would agree.
© Joni and Friends
May 10, 2019
Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada here with my friend and co-worker, Shauna Amick. Welcome Shauna.
Shauna: Thank you, Joni.
Joni: And we were just swapping mother stories. And with Mother’s Day this week, it’s the perfect time to reminisce, and honor our dear mothers. Now, Shauna, you’re the mom of three children, but today tell me your favorite story of your own mother.
Shauna: Oh, I am so happy to. Joni, you know when I think of my own dear mom, what I always remember is her over a sewing machine. So, my mother, a single mother, really out of necessity taught herself how to become an expert seamstress, and from the time I was a baby, all my clothes were handmade by my mom. And she really was fantastic! I mean not only did she make the clothes I wore to school, my sweaters, but she then made all my prom dresses (Joni: Really!?); she made my wedding dress (Joni: Wow!) I just remember watching her sew one after another a little tiny bead on the bodice of my wedding dress. That is really how she expressed love.
Joni: Oh my goodness. I can’t image. That’s amazing! What a dedicated mother! Tell us more!
Shauna: Well, she was never the kind of lady who would express affection through words. She was a service type girl. (Joni: Ok.) And so that is how I knew my mom loved me. And after I got married, my mom started getting into quilting. She’s made a beautiful quilt for our bed. And as the kids came, one after the other, she would make quilts for each of them. So, it would start out with little tiny quilts that would fit the baby crib. And then as the children got older, the quilts got bigger and bigger.
Joni: Boy, you’ve got lots of family heirlooms to make bequests to your kids. Oh, my goodness, how many quilts does that make?! Many, many.
Shauna: Well, it is many and I haven’t counted, but you’re right, we have plenty. And one of the joys I get now. Now that my mom is, is older, and she is dealing with age related disability, and early onset of dementia is, when I go see her every week in her nursing home, I get to bring one of the quilts that she made and wrap her up in that.
Joni: Oh, my!
Shauna: I know she loves it. And many ways the same ways that she expressed love to me in making them, I get to cover her with my love as I wrap those quilts around her.
Joni: Does she recognize her handiwork? I mean, when you bring that quilt to her, does she know that this is the work of her own hands?
Shauna: She does, and it is very fun because she’ll say, “Oh, I remember this one.”
Joni: Oh, yes!
Shauna: Yes,
Joni: That what a mother wants to know.
Shauna: Yeah, that’s right.
Joni: Isn’t it great? Well, Shauna, you make me think of Isaiah Chapter 66. I love this verse, “As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you.” And in so many ways, God who is showing His love on us through our mothers and, in your case, He’s bringing great comfort to your mother through you.
Shauna: Well I pray that Joni. And you know at the same time it just blesses me because I get to honor her for all those years of the sewing, the knitting, and the quilting, really putting her love into me that way.
Joni: Yep, her love language.
Shauna: Oh, you’re right, Joni! And I am curious. What was your mom’s love language?
Joni: Well, my mother was quite the athlete. And even when I was little, I thought the world when she would invite me onto the tennis court. She’d give me a little raquette. I had mine my own size, and when she played tennis with me, I felt so loved, like ‘Mommy wants to play with me!’ I mean it was the strange way of expressing love, but to me it meant the world.
Shauna: It’s quality time, isn’t it?
Joni: Well, friend, how has God shown His love and mercy to you through your mother? We’d love to know. So share your mom story with us by tagging Joni and Friends on your Facebook and Instagram posts, would you? And please go to joniradio.org where you’ll find a sweet photo of Shauna’s mother wrapped lovingly in one of those beautiful quilts that she made many, many years ago. See you later on Facebook or Instagram. Come to our website at joniradio.org.
© Joni and Friends
May 9, 2019
There’s nothing like a bond between mother and daughter.
Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada and I’ve seen that bond between Jill Miller and her daughter, Ashley. With Mother’s Day coming up, I can’t think of a more touching story than theirs. Because Ashley was the family’s Mother Theresa – I mean this young woman cared about everybody and their needs. Even when she was little, Ashley had an unusual compassion for hurting people – like her younger sister, Kim, who has autism. It always bothered Ashley that Kim could not speak. But little sister opened big sister’s eyes to a whole world of young people with disabilities, and it’s why eventually Ashley chose special education as a career. Compassionate Ashley even took her sister to a speech computer camp to learn how to speak through a computer. What an unusual, wonderful way for Ashely’s prayers to be answered…Kim can finally speak, all because of a caring older sister.
Well, things got harder when in her mid-30s Ashley was diagnosed with cancer. Her mother Jill was amazed at the selfless way she handled the disease. Jill, and her husband Paul would watch, as their daughter – on her way to the chemo clinic – their daughter would hand out homemade lunches to homeless people. Always this young woman was looking out for others – especially when she married and had children of her own. It’s why it was especially hard on the family when, at the age of 42, this remarkable young woman, Ashley, passed away from cancer. Such an exceptional follower of Christ; taken at such a young age.
And Paul and Jill miss her terribly. I keep in contact with Jill and she often shares how hard it is, how much she misses her beautiful daughter. There’s not a day that goes by that she doesn’t think about her. As a grieving mother, Jill often speaks about that glorious time when she’ll see her dear, brave Ashley again in heaven. And it is for this reason that Jill keeps on her kitchen windowsill a bowl of small potatoes. That bowl of little potatoes is such a comfort. Why is that? Well, as Jill tells me, every day when she’s at her kitchen sink, and looks up and sees that bowl of potatoes, it’s a reminder of a favorite paraphrase of Second Corinthians Chapter 4, verses 17 to 18. Get this, ‘cause I think this paraphrase will bless you, too. It says, “These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There’s far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today and gone tomorrow. But the things we cannot see will last forever.”
What heartwarming words for any mom who’s grieving the loss of her child. And you can see why that bowl of potatoes encourages Jill. And if the idea of heaven encourages you in your loss, think about hunting down a good paraphrase of Second Corinthians Chapter 4. And then, uh, set a few small potatoes on your kitchen windowsill. Keep ‘em as a visible reminder that the hard times we experience here are small potatoes compared to the gloriously good times ahead in heaven. Today, if you’re grieving the loss of your child much like Jill, then I pray this Mother’s Day will be good cause to reflect on all the sweet remembrances of your daughter or your son. And may those memories spur your thoughts on toward heaven. Oh, and please stop by joniradio.org and enjoy a great photo of mother Jill and her precious daughter, Ashley, whom you one day will meet in heaven where there’ll be no more small potatoes. Oh, and one more thing, when we serve the needy, we also please God and it’s why I want you to go over to my radio page today at joniandfriends.org and ask for our Joni and Friends Newsletter. It’s filled with opportunities for you to serve people with disabilities in the name of Jesus.
© Joni and Friends
May 8, 2019
Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada and I love caregivers!
And I better had love them ‘cause I’ve got one in my husband, not to mention a few friends who help me lay down at night or get me ready to sit up in my wheelchair every morning. I love them all, and of course I especially appreciate my husband Ken Tada – that’s my term of affection for him, Ken Tada. And I make it a habit of not only affirming him, but each and every person who helps me. And I don’t mean empty flattery or compliments that aren’t sincere. I don’t mean saying sweet things to manipulate my husband to do what I want him to do. No, affirmation is nothing like that at all, to affirm someone is a skill; it’s a skill that Ephesians chapter 1 talks about when Paul prays that the eyes of our heart might be opened. Friend, it’s the skill of opening up your eyes to see what Christ-like characteristics are in your friend or your husband or wife. The life of any other person and then nurturing those godly attributes with words of encouragement.
And boy, does my husband thrive on that, actually, anyone thrives on it, right, when other people observe their honest- to -goodness godly qualities. Ken Tada works hard to take care of me. Like, most often at night (and I will try to say this without crying), my husband has to get up sometimes two or three times to turn me. My paralysis won’t allow me to stay in one position in bed too long; it just hurts too much, and it can cause pressure sores. So, Ken gets up and makes certain (sometimes he sets his watch) to come over, pull back my blankets, put me on my other side, re-tuck my pillows. To me, that is the kind of sacrificial service that honors God – it not only helps me, but it glorifies the Lord. It’s the kind of service that so many caregivers provide to their family members, often losing their sleep, often going without a break to make certain their loved-one is served well.
And that is why even in the middle of the night, it could be 3 AM, 4 AM, I am always certain to be awake enough to say, “thank you, Ken, thank you so much.” When he comes back from the medical supply store with stuff, I commend him, I’ll tell him, thank you for making the extra effort. Or I will brag on him in front of others. I'll look for times when he’s compassionate toward a neighbor or mindful of doing the right thing. I will recognize that, and say something to him like, um, you know, Ken, you bring God such pleasure when you do that. And perhaps the nicest way of affirming someone is looking out for their best interests. So, I try to give caregivers lots of breaks, like with Ken Tada, I’ll arrange for a girlfriend to occasionally sleep overnight with me, or I’ll ask a few girls to stay with me so Ken can go fishing.
You know, I’ve been speaking to caregivers here. But this advice really works for anyone. Wives, we should always be affirming our husbands, and husbands your wives. If you live with a roommate and that person does a great job of holding up their end of household responsibilities, commend them for it. Tell them they have a wonderful sense of responsibility. Use biblical affirmation with your children and tell them when they’ve done well on a chore. And finally, please share this program with any of your Facebook friends who have a disability in their family. Let’s encourage our caregivers, let’s spread the word, because the Bible says that giving affirmation (Biblical affirmation) is like giving a basket full of apples of gold. By the way, I would love to hear what you are praying about or a favorite Bible verse that you are memorizing. Tell me about it; just go my radio page today at joniandfriends.org. Or you can always write me at Joni and Friends, Post Office Box 3333, Agoura Hills, California 91376. God bless you today and thanks for listening to Joni and Friends.
© Joni and Friends
May 7, 2019
Hi, I’m Joni Erickson Tada today in the studio with Shauna Amick.
JONI: Shauna, welcome!
SHAUNA: Thank you, Joni.
JONI: And given that Mother’s Day is coming up, friend listening, you’re gonna to hear a little more than usual from Shauna because this woman knows motherhood, and when she told me this great story about a special mother in the Bible and what it meant to her as a mom herself with three kids, one with a disability, well, Shauna why don’t you just share this story as you shared it with me. It was so cool.
SHAUNA: Oh, sure. Well, you know I’ve always loved and appreciated the story of Ruth and Naomi from the book of Ruth. I mean, these are women who know suffering. And I think specifically of Naomi. So first she has to deal with the famine, her husband moves her and her two sons to a foreign land; if that’s not hard enough, then when they get to that new land, well, first her husband dies, then her two sons die. I mean it’s almost too much for one woman to bear.
And yet what does Naomi do? Instead of really turning from the Lord, in this little book called Ruth, she brings her questions and she brings her heart to the Lord, she shows wisdom and discernment and how she mentors her two daughters-in-law, and she exhibits incredible endurance when she chooses to trust God as her Redeemer when really I think she was facing impossible odds.
JONI: You know this must be why so many women I know name their daughters Naomi. She is quite the example in God’s Word.
SHAUNA: Well, she sure is and you know that name means “pleasant”. And for a time there the Word tells us that she wanted her name to be changed to Mara, which means “bitter”. But truly Naomi there means “pleasant” and that is what she showed us. She showed us how to live being pleasant in really very bad times, because in good times or in bad times she shows us that God Himself is still good.
JONI: Well you know, by the end of this book, book of Ruth, we all know it well, we learn that Naomi’s daughter-in-law Ruth, clings by her side; doesn’t forget dear Naomi even after getting remarried and having a baby. And I love what you say about those last several verses of Ruth. Just describe it because I think it was so fun.
SHAUNA: Well, I just love the picture of Naomi holding her new grandson, Obed, in her lap. She looks at his face and she sees the future. She sees new dreams and it always makes me think of that amazing quote from author and counselor Larry Crabb and I’d like to share it right now. It’s about shattered dreams and he says, “Shattered dreams open the door to better dreams, dreams that we don’t properly value until the dreams we improperly value are destroyed. Shattered dreams destroy false expectations, such as the “victorious” Christian life with no real struggle or failure. They help us discover true hope. We need the help of shattered dreams to put us in touch with what we most long for, to create an appetite for better dreams. And living for the better dreams generates a new, unfamiliar feeling we eventually recognize as joy.”
JONI: Oh Shauna, I listen to you read this: that’s your story.
SHAUNA: That’s right.
JONI: I mean, here you are a mother of three children, two of whom have disabilities – one very significant – and you’ve had shattered dreams, but boy has God given you a gracious longing for Himself and a joy unspeakable.
SHAUNA: Oh, He sure has, Joni. He is our Redeemer, bringing empty lives back to full again. He did it for Naomi; He did it for Ruth and He did it for me.
JONI: Well, friend, if you’re struggling over shattered dreams today, go to the Bible, read the book of Ruth, follow Naomi’s example. Trusting Jesus with the future always brings about better hope, hope-filled dreams, because remember, the best is yet to come!
SHAUNA: Amen!
© Joni and Friends
May 6, 2019
Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada with a look at the purpose behind suffering.
Because when you’re a child of God, suffering doesn’t come at you without purpose, without great cause. I love this quote by Alan Redpath, he said, “There is no circumstance, no trouble, no testing, that can ever touch me until, first, it has gone past God, gone past Christ, and then right through to me. And if it has come that far, it has come with a great purpose.” Man, the lady in the wheelchair loves that quote by Redpath; I really believe it. I’m convinced great hardship has the potential for great purpose. So, just what is that purpose behind affliction and suffering?
Well, if we look to the Bible for purposes, we can easily find them. Hebrews Chapter 12 makes it plain that some suffering is given in order to, well, to discipline or chastise or correct a person for his wrongful ways – Jonah is a great example of that. He ran away from God, got into trouble on the stormy sea, was thrown overboard and swallowed by a great fish. Hebrews tells us to endure hardship for the sake of discipline. So right there is one purpose and as I often say to friends (some of you might not like this); but I believe God disciplined me when I had my broken neck. I was off on a really wrong path. I was heading for real moral trouble. God rescued me through this wheelchair. I know, I know, some of you may have a hard time seeing that the rod of God might’ve had something to do with my paralysis, but when I read Hebrews Chapter 12, all I see is a good, good Father who’s got His children’s best interest (my spiritual well-being) at heart. So okay, enough of that. That’s at least one purpose, right? Discipline, correction, reproof.
But some suffering is given not to correct past wrongs, but to prevent future ones, like Joseph who was sold into slavery, all so that he might rescue God's people from famine. And there’s Daniel in the lion’s den, in the fiery furnace, all of it set the stage for the Persian king to look with favor on God’s people in exile. But some suffering has no purpose. No purpose other than to lead a person to love God more ardently for the sake of Christ alone, and then to discover ultimate, perhaps even the highest peace and freedom. I’ve seen God work in my life that way; as I’ve grown older in Christ and lived longer in my wheelchair, I have been led to love Jesus for His own sake – to share in the fellowship of His sufferings, to enjoy His grace, and to lean hard on Him each and every day.
And I see this in the special-needs families that we serve at our Joni and Friends Family Retreats. Whether the hardship, disability in their lives has been a matter of discipline, or something to prevent worse circumstances in the future, I can’t say. But I can say that these kids and adults with disabilities and their families are drawn so much closer to Christ through their hardships. You gotta see it for yourself. On my radio page today at joniradio.org take a look at a new video highlighting all that happens at a Family Retreat. And when you do, you just might decide you want to volunteer with us, we need more friends like you to chip in and help out, so visit Joniradio.org. And finally, one more word on this topic of suffering and its purpose. Tim Keller once said, "The best people often have terrible lives. Job is one example, and Jesus – the ultimate Job – is another example." Yep, people with hard lives really can and, yes, do discover the highest peace and freedom through their suffering. See it for yourself this summer at a Joni and Friends Family Retreat. And hey, if you need more inspiration you just have to go to my blog today at joniandfriends.org.
© Joni and Friends
May 3, 2019
Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada and I’m wondering; how do you sleep? Well, for me lately I have not been sleeping well. As you know I’ve battled cancer and finished radiation therapy – the treatment has caused more-than-the-usual pain and a lot of fatigue that I’m still not over yet. And that, in turn, has resulted in very little sleep. I’ve got the joint pain in my back that keeps me up. I’ve tried everything, nothing helps. Over the last month, I've laid awake at night, watching the digital clock that projects itself on my ceiling, and I stare at it wondering how I will be able to survive on so little rest. I prayed “Lord, what is the way out of this impossible situation involving pain, and lack of sleep, and cancer, and radiation, and fatigue? And I don’t want to wake my husband up to turn me three more times. Will you come to my rescue; will you deliver me from this cycle of no sleep?” Honestly, sometimes at 4 AM, it can feel like I’m in a trap.
But, my heart is steadfast. And I draw courage from Exodus 14, verse 2. Get this; it’s where the Lord ordered Moses (now listen closely), "Tell the Israelites to turn back and encamp near Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea. Camp there along the shore." Now at first glance, the verse seems like nothing more than directions on MapQuest as to how to, where to set up camp. But if you look at that verse closer, it shows God purposefully telling His people to turn around; stop heading toward Mount Sinai, turn around and head back. Head back where? Well, God told them to turn back and follow Him into an inescapable trap. “Camp there,” he says! With mountains on either side, the sea in front, and Pharaoh’s threatening armies closing in from behind. The Lord personally led them into an impossible situation; a dangerous situation. And there was no answer. And if there were one, it would have to be really, really, really miraculous; I mean, a big time phenomenon, and guess what? It was! God’s people were pressed up against the waves, cowering as they heard the thunderous sound of chariots approaching. But then they look, oh my goodness, the Red Sea begins parting, congealing into two skyscraper walls of water. In faith, believing that God would keep the waters at bay, the Lord’s people then walked through a highway in the ocean, and God received overwhelming glory, and praise and thanksgiving!
So, can you see why Exodus 14:2 is such an encouragement? I'm trusting God to miraculously find a way to help me live with paralysis, and cancer, and radiation, and pain, AND much-needed sleep. Like Moses, I’m confident God has led me to camp on the shore, all so that He might display His wonderous way out, all for His glory. So, if you are feeling trapped, if you are frustrated by the situation in which you find yourself, remember the lesson of Exodus. God says, “Tell the Israelites to turn back, I’m going to lead them into a trap. I’m going to have them encamp in a place where there is no way out and I’ll get the glory when I open a way.” That’s really a funny thing, God tells them twice. Turn around and camp there; that’s right, right there along the shore. Oh friend, God has led you exactly the same way; where He wants you. He will make a way though, a miraculous way if you and I would but trust Him. And it’ll be all to His glory.
As the song goes, “God will make a way where there seems to be no way. He works in ways we cannot see, He will make a way for me. He will be my guide; He'll hold me closely by His side. With love and strength for each new day, He will make a way. Oh friend, remember, He will make a way. Trust Him to miraculously do that for you today and when He does, thank Him, glorify Him for leading you out of the trap. Thanks for listening today on Joni and Friends.
© Joni and Friends
May 2, 2019
I’m Joni Eareckson Tada with a word for you who are feeling down.
And maybe not just feeling down, but you know you are down, down for the count, overwhelmed, lying prostrate, near defeat. It could be you are a caregiver who simply has nothing else to give. It could be a wheelchair you’re trying to get used to but you can’t—could be an eviction notice, or a layoff, or a death in the family, an unexpected divorce. Whatever, it’s overwhelming and you are flat out and face down, and I am with you; I have been there; I know how it feels. During those many weeks of battling my recent cancer, after so many radiation treatments, and cancer drugs that left me utterly fatigued, and all that lack of sleep, I hit the floor, face down. I was overwhelmed.
But when your trials force your face to the floor, there’s only one thing you can do and second Chronicles Chapter 13 tells us. So let me set the scene here: "Judah turned and saw that they were being attacked at both the front and the rear. Then they cried out to the Lord. The priests blew their trumpets and the men of Judah raised the battle cry. At the sound of their battle cry, God routed Jeroboam and all Israel; the people of Judah were victorious because they relied on the Lord." So now, what did God's people do when they were surrounded on all sides, feeling like they were down for the count and overwhelmed, danger on every side? They looked up for deliverance. I love that, “they looked up” and then they cried out to the Lord. And when I say that they cried, I mean it. Earnest prayer has in it more than a few groans; come on, you gotta show a little passion, a little emotion; you gotta show God that your heart is in the prayer that you are asking Him for deliverance. What's more, to the cry of prayer, the people of Judah then added the shout of faith. And they became (as it says) more than conquerors. Now I find that fascinating, because when we are in trouble, God wants us to be more than conquerors. And so, He has us attach importance to our prayers: like, come on, pour out your gut, let me hear your heart, I want to know that “you mean this;” you really want help from on High. So cry out. But then, get up from your prayer and offer a shout of faith, just like Judah did. “God, I know you’re going to do this! You’re gonna come through. You’re gonna make good on your promises! I believe you and I am stakin’ my life on it.”
That is the way to defeat an enemy that has surrounded you left and right and center; from behind and before. Cry out to the Lord (cry out to the Lord) and then lift a shout of faith, holding God happily to His promises. You know it’s what we do with weary and wounded special-needs families who come to our Family Retreats, many of them feeling down for the count, so overwhelmed, near defeat. We come alongside ‘em, we help them cry out to the Lord, we shed tears with them and then we help them lift a shout of confidence in God and His promises, helping ‘em be more than conquerors. And I would like you to help us do that. Our Family Retreat season starts full swing next month and we need people who could cry out to the Lord. Volunteers (we call them short term missionaries), Christians who will come alongside these families and make a difference. Just get all the info on my radio page today at joniradio.org and then come and serve with us this summer at a Joni and Friends’ Family Retreat. And while you’re on my radio page, watch a very cool brand-new video that I just posted of what a Family Retreat looks like and feels like. Don’t miss it today at joniradio.org. And if you’ve got problems, cry out to God today and then lift a shout of faith.
© Joni and Friends
May 1, 2019
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