AL: I want to remind our listeners that yesterday was the day their "Heart for the Disabled" cards, letters and notes of encouragement arrived in the mailboxes of our five special-needs families. For those who, a month ago, weren't able to tune in, hundreds of our listeners responded and wrote the most wonderful, Christ-centered, Spirit-filled cards of encouragement to disabled people and their families like: the Hopsons, and Charlotte Sherman, Greg and Laura, the Talamentes family, and Anna Turpin and her children.
JONI: And, Al, I want to especially thank our listeners; a lot of them went a little bit farther, some even sending in gift certificates to places like McDonald's and Baskin-Robbins, isn’t that wonderful? It warmed my heart to see that virtually every card said, "I'm praying for you!"
AL: I imagine you hear from these people... I'm guessing they want to convey their thanks...
JONI: Oh, my goodness yes! The very day that big overnight package arrives filled with cards and gifts and letters, that very day our phone at Joni and Friends starts ringing off the hook. Each family it seems is bubbling over with thanks, most of them in tears...
AL: What's the most common thing they say?
JONI: Well, people like Charlotte and Anna and the Hopsons are absolutely blown away, they tell us, that so many people are praying for them. They simply can't imagine that that many Christians would care to take that much time to write and pray. I remember last year, one of our Heart for the Disabled recipients was Tom and Melanie Nicklas and their six children, two of them with disabilities, they were so blessed by our Joni and Friends listeners who wrote them... and they were so grateful I remembered them, that what they did, was they had each of their children -- even the two with disabilities – record a thank you message on a cassette tape. The children sang hymns and recited their favorite Scriptures to me. They went around in a circle and prayed for our ministry. The 12-year-old knitted me a wool scarf. They sent me a head scratcher, this funny looking thing – about 4 o’clock in the afternoon I ask my secretary “Would you take that thing and scratch my head.” They colored me pictures... my goodness, it was like opening up my own "Heart for the Disabled" Valentine package! I personally was able to experience the same blessing all these other disabled Valentine recipients receive when they open up their Valentine cards! I honestly sat there in tears -- it was so encouraging to me.
AL: You know, Joni, we shouldn't have to wait for our Heart for the Disabled program to do something like that in order to bless a neighbor or a relative with a handicapping condition. 1 Thessalonians 5 is a mandate to Christians for each and every day where it says, "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing."
JONI: You’re absolutely right! That's you, my listening friend, you really did that yesterday as your special encouragement arrived in the mailbox just in time for Heart for the Disabled. God bless you for caring.
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JONI AND FRIENDS
P.O. Box 3333
Agoura Hills, CA 93176
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