I attended a conference this past weekend in Indianapolis, and one of my great privileges was being able to listen to a very well-known speaker named Joni Eareckson Tada. If you have never heard of Joni, I will briefly explain what makes her unique. Joni, as a very athletic teenager, dove into some water which caused a neck injury (C4 to be specific) that left her paralyzed from the neck down. She is now 65 years old, and still confined to a wheelchair. She sings, she paints with a brush in her teeth, she speaks all over the world about the reason for her hope. And she heads up one of the most significant non-profit organizations for the rights and provision of needs for the disabled on the plant. One of my favorite quotes from her speech was this, “Suffering is the textbook that will teach you who you really are.” I wonder this week if you have some kind of suffering. Do you have a difficulty that seems to overwhelm? Joni Tada is a faithful woman who has wrestled with God many times over her injury and the life that she has been assigned. But, Joni loves God. The other quote I took from her speech speaks of her dependency upon God even when she questions how she can go on another day, “In His strength, I find my own.” What you may not know is that Joni has dealt with horrific chronic pain for the past 20 years, she was diagnosed with breast cancer a couple years ago, and it seems that the hits to her comfort and happiness continue. Joni is a beautiful example of someone who loves Jesus with all her heart, soul, mind and strength. She has not received her healing on this Earth as of yet, but she will be the first person to tell you that Jesus Christ has healed her on the inside, and that is the most important and exquisite thing. I hope you’ll read more about Joni’s life, it is fascinating and inspiring to see a woman choose faith in such circumstances that most of us cannot even imagine. May you be faithful today whatever your situation…
Click here for more about Joni Eareckson Tada: Joni and Friends