Welcome to Joni and Friends where there’s always Christian encouragement.
Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada and I sure do love offering those words of encouragement – because so many people encourage me. Like my friend Tracy Traylor. Let me tell you about her. Back in the 90s, Tracy was a 19-year-old design student at Baylor University when, in a rainstorm going home, her car hydroplaned and she hit a tree. The accident left her with a serious brain injury and the inability to walk. Now, so many years later, Tracy — although disabled — is still interested in design. From her wheelchair, she designs jewelry (and I’m posting a great photo of her and one of her necklaces on my radio page today). Tracy and I are email buddies. She types like one would text, with lots of shortcuts and cryptic language; for her, a necessity since she types with some difficulty using her good finger, but her messages are always filled with sweet encouragement — like the email she sent me shortly after Ken and I appeared on The Mike Huckabee Show. And I’m going to read it word for word, if I can get through the cryptic text.
Tracy writes: “Joni, people can c how powerful He is thru u. God could reveal Himself thru a normal life, but He wouldn’t b seen. in a light room, u can light a candle, but its not noticeable. But in a very dark room, a lighted candle is shown ever so brightly & can keep us from bumpin n2 somethin. The Lord has 2 have a dark “life” ; I mean, a life with lots of problems, like you and me 2 shine his light so He can b seen so others will understand what an awesome God we serve! believe me, I no how tough this life gets. I have 2 put that thought n my head b4 I lose it! Ur suffering isnt wasted,when we’re n heaven skippin through the field of gold, I don’t think we’ll even remember how tuf this life was we’ll b 2 busy praising our Father. the half-sisters will b reunited. From [sad emoji] to [smiling emoji] in Him, Tracy. PS- plz don’t answer instead Joni do His wrk. jst wanted 2 encourage u the least I could do 4 my sis today!”
Okay friend, I just might lose it here — an attitude like that — living with a brain injury and paralysis, well, can you see why I enjoy having Tracy as my email buddy. And I like what she says about candles in the brightly lit room. When all is bright, when all is easy and breezy and comfortable you don’t see candles; don’t notice them in a bright room, but you really notice the flame of a candle when the room becomes darkened. Now, a thought like that can be very encouraging to a quadriplegic like me, and perhaps you, too, especially if you’re going through some dark times with pain or problems. God loves to show His light when it’s contrasted against darkness. It’s just the way God does things, as Tracy would say. And it’s the way Jesus does things because friend you are that light, you are that candle in the dark world around you. Shine for Him! James Stewart, the Scottish theologian, wrote, “The devil’s hordes thought, at first, that the crucifixion of Christ was triumph. But their very schemes, God used for their defeat. They thought they had God with His back to the wall, pinned and helpless. Jesus did not conquer in spite of the dark mystery of evil, He conquered through it.”
That is the amazing love of God. He helps us conquer through the darkness so that His light will shine all the brighter. Hey, I want you to see a photo of my friend, Tracy; just visit my radio page today at joniandfriends.org.
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