Welcome to Joni and Friends, where…
We’ve a story to tell to the nations
That will turn their hearts to the right
A story of truth and mercy
A story of peace and light
A story of peace and light
For the darkness shall turn to the dawning
And the dawning to noonday bright
And Christ’s great kingdom shall come to earth
The kingdom of love and light.
You know you could hear me on most mornings as I pass through the front doors of our office at Joni and Friends. Yes, you'd hear me singing this song, and there's a good reason why, because the place where I work really inspires me... not to mention how the Bible inspires me to "Exalt the Lord among the nations" and "proclaim his glory and greatness among the peoples of the earth."
I'm inspired by God's Word... I’m inspired by the people I work with... by songs... and, yes, I'm even inspired by the big photographs we have on the walls here at the International Disability Center. Most mornings on the way to my office I wheel by this one huge photograph that shows one of our Wheels for the World outreaches in Africa. There is an elderly woman in the photograph sitting in one of our wheelchairs looking up into the face of a young African man with his Bible; he has a Gospel bracelet in his hand and is showing her what the various beads on the bracelet mean: black for our sin, red for the blood of Christ, white for forgiveness, and so on. The old African woman seems to understand what he's saying, but there is a third person in the photograph. It's the old woman's daughter -- and she's standing there, dressed in her tribal garb with her hand on her hip and looking directly into the camera, (or I should say as I pass by this big photograph) she is looking directly at me -- right through me.
And, oh, the look on her face. Her expression is like Mona Lisa’s; so mysterious, almost inscrutable. And she seems to be asking, "And when is the last time you gave the Gospel to someone like my mother?" Her look, those words, give me the shivers; it's enough to inspire me to move into the day and get back to my office and do the work of the Kingdom. After all, we've a story to tell to the nations! And not just the nations, but right in our backyard, right friend -- Because there's somebody God wants me to talk to today... and they're someone God wants you to talk to -- someone who needs to know that Christ cares. And you and I don't have to go to Africa, but I will (like that woman looking directly at you), I will ask you “when was the last time you talked to someone about Jesus Christ?”
Oh, and if you want to see the photograph I'm talking about, I've posted a short video on my radio page today -- it's a brief tour of our Joni and Friends International Disability Center where we run our Wheels for the World outreach. Anyway, I’ll take you on a video tour, I promise, and I will show you this extraordinary photograph... and then you can write and tell me what you think that African woman in her tribal garb might be saying to you! Anyway, I'd love to give you a tour of our Center and you can take it today; just go to JoniandFriendsradio.org. Again, that's JoniandFriendsradio.org. and actually we have lots of resources I’d like to show you that are connected with Wheels for the World. You can write me a Joni and Friends, P.O. Box 3333, Agoura Hills, California 91376.
Used by permission of
JONI AND FRIENDS
P.O. Box 3333
Agoura Hills, CA 91376
© Joni and Friends