I’m Joni Eareckson Tada and it’s time for Joni and Friends.
I’m a big believer in encouraging others. I think that’s because I have experienced, time and time again, the powerful benefit of someone else’s encouraging words. Like this note I received from my friend Careen who works in Chicago. It just came in today. Careen simply wrote:
“Have been praying for you and Ken this week. God brought Isaiah 61:7 to mind: ‘Instead of your shame you will have a double portion, And instead of humiliation they will shout for joy over their portion. Therefore they will possess a double portion in their land, Everlasting joy will be theirs.’”
And then Careen went on to write, “Jon, am praying a double portion of everlasting joy over you today. May your ‘land’ be doubled… your influence marked by joy… and your ministry be one that drives away shame and humiliation. I pray that shouts of joy well up in you today over being the King’s beloved… looking forward to seeing you! Love you, Careen.”
Boy, I needed to hear that because last night I felt so humiliated… it was one of those leg bag accidents (a wet carpet)… and I don’t need to say more! I felt so angry at myself… actually, I felt ashamed. My disability feels so clumsy at times, so awkward. And I start thinking I’m too much trouble, especially for my husband, Ken (even though he was really gracious). But I guess as I laid in bed, struggling with the everyday limitations of my paralysis, as I laid there in the dark and prayed about the whole ordeal, that feeling of humiliation that I kept fighting off.
And then the next morning – actually, today – I come into work, sort through the mail, and just happen to open up the most wonderful, the most encouraging verse of Scripture from Careen (frankly, I had never heard of Isaiah 61:7 before, or if I had, it was probably only in the context of a Bible study). But God was good enough to move in the heart of my friend Careen many days ago to jot me that special note with that extraordinarily appropriate verse from his Word.
I thank the Lord Jesus for his Word. Really! But I also thank people like Careen who take the time to listen to the nudgings, the promptings, the whisperings of the Spirit… they take the time to put it down on paper for the benefit of a friend. They take the opportunity to search for a hand-tailored bit of a Psalm, or a bit of a Bible verse that “fits” the moment.
Yes, I thank people like Careen. And I hope that you, dear friend, may be one of them today. Has the Lord placed someone on your heart right now? Is there a hymn or a song or a verse that you believe (after much prayer) might fit an occasion in your friend’s life? Hey, Careen didn’t even know about that silly accident on my carpet last night with my leg bag. But like Careen, you can listen for the Lord and respond to the promptings. And today, take the time to write, and be an encourager! Isaiah 61:7 says, “Instead of your shame (that’s how I felt) you will have a double portion. Instead of humiliation you will shout for joy over that portion. Therefore, they will possess a double portion in their land, everlasting joy will be there.”
And don’t forget, please remember to visit me today at joniandfriends.org.
Used by permission of
JONI AND FRIENDS
P.O. Box 3333
Agoura Hills, CA 93176
© Joni and Friends