JONI: Sometimes when you’re hurting, it helps – it really helps – to understand there’s a purpose, there’s a reason, there is meaning behind your pain. Well, I'm glad you can join me in spending a minute or two the phone with my friend, Jennifer Campbell, who has cerebral palsy. Jennifer, I'm so glad you can join us… first, how are you doing?!
JENNIFER: Good!
JONI: You feelin’ okay?
JENNIFER: Yes.
JONI: Okay! Jennifer, you know, it might help our friends listening to learn how old you are.
JENNIFER: I’m 27.
JONI: Twenty-seven years old! And you have been attending Family Retreats for a long time, haven’t you?!
JENNIFER: Yes.
JONI: Which retreat is it that you go to?
JENNIFER: Bonclarken.
JONI: And you like it, huh!?
JENNIFER: Uh huh.
JONI: Well, Jen, I know your walk with the Lord Jesus has especially deepened lately… and you’ve learned one or two special things from God's Word. Can you tell me about that?
JENNIFER: I’ve learned a lot from your book A Step Further.
JONI: You’re reading my second book A Step Further. Are you liking it?
JENNIFER: Yes.
JONI: What do you like best about it?
JENNIFER: Well, I have attended a church that believes that you had to have faith to be healed. I had stopped going over a year ago, and this book has revealed to me that God can heal today, but that’s usually not his method for today.
JONI: So, you’re not healed out of that wheelchair, but you’ve discovered a deeper healing, huh?
JENNIFER: Yes.
JONI: You know I remember, I think it was four chapters I wrote on the subject of healing in that book A Step Further. I think I also talked about heaven in that book, huh? Well, if you are like me, hope – especially the hope of heaven – is so encouraging. These wheelchairs of ours aren’t going to last forever, are they?
JENNIFER: No.
JONI: So, Jennifer, what are you most looking forward to in heaven?
JENNIFER: Seeing Jesus, being healed, and being with my friends.
JONI: I love the order – seeing Jesus, and being healed and being with your friends. I’m for that! Well, Jennifer, you’ve got to have some advice for other young people in wheelchairs who might be listening. Maybe they’re feeling a little discouraged in their wheelchairs or maybe a little blue… what encouragement might you offer them?
JENNIFER: The verse in the Bible that says, ask anything in my name and it shall be yours - that really means that God will heal us, not give us what we desire.
JONI: Well, He’ll give us our true heart’s desire and that’s grace upon grace, help and hope and peace and a bright perspective for the day, huh?
JENNIFER: Yeah!
JONI: Listen friend, I'm so glad that you could spend a couple of brief minutes on the phone today, with my friend, Jennifer. And Jen, it always lifts my heart when I talk with you. And I hope you feel the same about me.
JENNIFER: Yeah, I do.
JONI: And I hope our friends listening to our time together have had their hearts strengthened, as well. Because the miracle, the true healing that Jesus brings, is learning to smile, right, Jen? Not in spite of your problems, but because of them. And I think that’s why you glorify the Savior so much, Jennifer Campbell. God bless you and thanks for being with us! See you at the Family Retreat.
Used by permission of
JONI AND FRIENDS
P.O. Box 3333
Agoura Hills, CA 93176
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