Welcome to Joni and Friends; I’m Joni Eareckson Tada.
Since 1974 Marilyn Paul has lived with Multiple Sclerosis – and since the mid 80’s, she has had to use a power wheelchair. It was at that point Marilyn realized that changes needed to be made in her home so she could have access. So then came the ramps and the mechanical lifts, the curb cuts and the roll in shower. When Marilyn’s husband passed away, she went into a nursing home. Now, that would be enough to send most people into a pit of self-pity, but not Marilyn. She just started looking for new things that provided access – like the Hoyer Lift that enabled her to get in and out of bed, and the automatic doors that gave her access to the garden outside. I tell you… Marilyn looks on the bright side. In fact, this whole thing with access pushed her into a Bible study in which she wanted to find other ways to access the grace of God.
She wrote me and told me the results of her Bible study on access. She said, “Joni, if you outline my journey with Multiple Sclerosis, God's word has spoken to me countless times. I can still remember my delight in discovering more access in Romans chapter 5 where it says that we have gained access by faith into the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. I smiled to think that because of Jesus, I have access to the Father and my disability with three paralyzed limbs cannot stand in the way of my salvation.”
Oh, wow! I sure do love Marilyn’s perspective on life. Because there are countless times when human access will fail her and will fail me, whether it’s an elevator that doesn’t work or steps that become a barrier, whether it’s dead batteries on my wheelchair or a maitre ‘d in a restaurant who tells me I can’t sit here or there. Human access is no guarantee. But Marilyn leans on six accessible verses from God's word which assure her of peace and joy abounding, and she spells them out in an acronym.
She says that A is for assurance. Hebrews 10 tells us that we can feel free to draw near to God. C is for comfort. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so through Christ our comfort overflows to others. Another C in this acronym stands for confidence. First John 5 tells us that this is the confidence we have in approaching God – that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. ACC – E stands for eternal life according to John 3:16. Then S stands for sanctification for God sets us apart for his service. And the final S in access, according to Marilyn, stands for strength – for she and I (and you too) can do everything through Him who gives us strength. Access! Assurance, comfort, confidence, eternal life, sanctification and strength. That’s something to remember from my friend, Marilyn, whose nursing home has now become her mission field.
There is so much happening through Wheels for The World right now and we have lots of new outreaches planned for 2011. If you would like to join a Wheels for The World team as a seating mechanic or if you are a physical therapist, then consider serving with us, would you? Just visit our Wheels for the World page at joniandfriends.org for all the details and more. Until next time, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada and you are listening to Joni and Friends.
Used by permission of
JONI AND FRIENDS
P.O. Box 3333
Agoura Hills, CA 93176
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