Hi, this is Joni Eareckson Tada and Mother’s Day is coming up!
And you know what? Even though it’s been many years since my mom, Lindy Eareckson, went home to be with Jesus, I just had a hankering this week to hear her voice. And so, we dug way back into the radio archives to re-air an interview I did with my mom asking her how she coped after my diving accident. Just listen in…
Joni: You may not realize it but we get so many letters from mothers of disabled children and teenagers who really identify with you. They always ask me: “How did your mother handle it?” How did you handle it, Mom?
Lindy: Just trust in the Lord that every day is going to be a little better than the one that went by and you are going to be a little stronger by His grace and love.
Joni: … and prayer.
Lindy: Oh, prayer is right! Do you remember the time our church had a prayer service all night long?
Joni: It was right after my injury.
Lindy: Yes, but you didn’t really get out of bed and run around, but we realize now that those prayers meant so much. It helped you to grow. You grew out of that bed.
Joni: Well, you know I remember when I was in the hospital they told me that 200 and some odd people …
Lindy: …all night long the church had people – some stayed through the night – I’ll never forget there were two young men who had lost their mother and buried her that very day and they didn’t know what else to do. And they heard about this community prayer service and they came in they said that they couldn’t think of any better way to spend that night just burying their mother that day than just talking with the Lord, praying and singing praises and people just broke out in a song and everyone else just followed.
Joni: Well, I remember hearing about it and in that bed I remember thinking, “Man, the next morning I’m just going to jump up, I’m going to be healed.” All those people prayed, but I think it was a different kind of healing.
Lindy: Yes, we didn’t know what was going on, but there it was. You were being healed spiritually to begin with and I must confess we expected you to be able to go out of that hospital the next morning, but it took a few more years, didn’t it.
Joni: It did and I tell you I’ve been emotionally, spiritually, mentally healed.
Lindy: You were blessed that night – we knew it, we knew it, and we bless you for all you do for us now. Your services to the Lord are never ending.
Joni: What can we sing together? You are such a good singer. Let’s see…
Lindy: I’m not a good singer, I just know the songs.
I do not know why oft around me my hopes all shattered seem to be, God’s perfect plan I cannot see, but someday I’ll understand, some day He’ll make it plain to me. [Lindy: Boy, am I off key!] Some day when I His face shall see, some day from tears I shall be free for some day I shall understand.
Isn’t that a great one to live by? You don’t know what is ahead, what we are into, but someday we’ll understand.
Joni: Jesus is comin’…
Lindy: We know it’s there. We saw it when daddy passed away. What if we could have taken his hand and held it real tight he could have just taken us with him. And now we can’t wait!
Joni: Oh, I can’t wait!
And friend, to complete this interview from the past, you’ve got to see this wonderful photograph of my mother and me from so many years ago. I put it up today on my radio page at joniandfriends.org. Also, I put up a video of my mother singing that beautiful old hymn you just heard us do. Sing along with us by visiting us today at joniandfriends.org. Oh, and one more thing. Mothers are pretty precious… you only have one of them. So honor your mother this weekend… it’s not only a suggestion from me, but you know what? It’s a command from the Lord!
Used by permission of
JONI AND FRIENDS
P.O. Box 3333
Agoura Hills, CA 91376
© Joni and Friends