“Discouragement turns to encouragement when we look away from our circumstances and focus our eyes on the Lord”
My Woman’s Study Bible has pages written by about 98 Christian women writers. Some of these ladies are married to ministers, some to Christian songwriters, and some are singers themselves.
When I recently ended up in the hospital for two weeks, I decided to read back over all these personal stories. The quote at the beginning of this article was in one of those stories and it caught my attention.
I quit watching TV and made it my goal to read all these writings again. Some of them are very special to me. I actually met Joni Eareckson Tada on several occasions and donated one of my used wheelchairs for her Wheels for the World ministry.
If you are not familiar with Joni, you should “Google” her and read the biography of this most amazing woman! In her, I see many characteristics also seen in Helen Keller, Anne Frank, Mother Teresa, Corrie Ten Boom and her sister, Betsie Ten Boom.
The first night at her Joni and Friends Retreat, she joined us at our dinner table and I realized my disability was minor, compared to hers as a quadriplegic. Before the evening was over she told me she had a feeling that God had plans to use me in a mighty way! She has no idea what an effect her writings and activities have had on my spiritual life and attitude in the past 25 years.
In one of her articles, Joni answered a question by using the scripture about Moses being “distraught about his speech impediment.” That scripture would affect me later when God offered me opportunities to speak to both small and large crowds about forgiveness, sin and salvation. He led me to meeting Joni and reading about living with disability.
On another page Joni discussed how Old Testament people easily forgot great things God had done, just as we often forget the blessings He gives us, especially in negative times and situations.
Some things I have read that Joni wrote in her books have had major impact on my feelings about my disability and I have shared them in other stories. But many of her thoughts helped me to also acknowledge that “walking isn’t everything!” Thank you, Joni!
It was not my intent that this story would mostly be about Joni but God led me in that direction. I know that God is in control and He uses people, places and things to help us overcome discouragement and focus our eyes on Him.
Email Linda at lindainthecards@gmail.com