AL: No only is it a national holiday tomorrow, but I think for these two wonderful people here with me in the studio we could very easily declare a national holiday today because this is the 25th wedding anniversary of our host, Joni Eareckson Tada, and her wonderful husband, Ken. And folks, right off the stop, I got to tell you, you both look absolutely marvelous.
KEN: Thank you, Al.
JONI: Thank you so much… it’s our 25th, can you believe it?
KEN: Oh, it’s so exciting!
JONI: What is that… it’s not diamond, platinum, no, silver. Silver wedding anniversary. Does that mean I’m getting something silver tonight?
KEN: You may!
JONI: Ok!
AL: You know, I well remember your wedding day. It was a marvelous occasion with beautiful music and, of course, Pastor John MacArthur was doing the service. It was all in all just a wonderful day! So, let’s reflect back for just a few moments if we may and I’m going to ask you, if you will, to tell us what you remember especially about this day of all days.
KEN: I think for me, Al, it was a celebration. It was just so exciting to be a part of it. I mean, I can’t tell you… Joni and I both felt rather nervous in the couple of weeks up until our wedding, but then that day we just knew we were in the right place exactly where God would want us.
JONI: Exactly at the right place at the right time!
AL: You know, looking back I guess I have to ask: Would you do it all over again knowing that your wheelchair hasn’t been the easiest thing?
KEN: I’d do it in an instant. And you’re right. I want to make sure that people understand it hasn’t been easy… it hasn’t been easy for Joni. It hasn’t been easy for myself and for Joni it’s just getting used to a marriage.
JONI: To hear you say that, I mean that quick – I’d do it all over again – that fast, I mean not many of our listening friends might understand all the things you have to do…putting me to bed at night, washing my face, hooking me up to the drainage bucket, turning me on my side, tucking the pillow. You’d do all that over again in an instant, huh? I’m amazed. Bless you for that. That’s why I love you so much, Ken Tada.
KEN: But you know, Joni, you have done so much for me over these past 25 years. I don’t think I would be as close to Christ today as I was 25 years ago had we not gotten married.
JONI: Well, thank you. Al, I’m one praying wife for this guy. I really do intercede for him on a regular basis.
AL: Thanks for sharing it. And I guess to summarize things, what would you say that these 25 years of marriage taught you?
KEN: I think for me it’s taught me you really have to have a focus on Christ in a marriage. I don’t see how couples do without it!
JONI: You know what I love about you, Ken? When we drive somewhere like going out to dinner, or heading out here to the office together in the van, or when we are going over to some friend’s house I love what we do with that time when we’re driving in the car. We don’t turn on the radio or CD.
KEN: Actually we share memorization verses.
JONI: That’s right – back and forth.
KEN: And you know something, the fun part is when you memorize something in a different version and we kind of go line by line and alternate back and forth between the two different versions.
JONI: Yes, I’m kind of a King James girl when I memorize.
KEN: I’m a NIV person myself.
JONI: We do that and it’s so much fun. It’s a game! And it really makes us focus on the words of Scripture that we’ve memorized and we’re really listening to each other, but how odd, how unusual speeding down the Ventura Freeway heading somewhere you and I are quoting Scripture to each other in the car. I just think that’s a pretty neat thing for a husband to do. Thank you for that.
KEN: Well, you’re welcome, but thank you.
AL: Thanks so much for dropping the curtain, as it were, and letting us look in behind the scenes, to find out what’s been going on with Joni Eareckson Tada, our host for these daily programs (also celebrating our 25th anniversary on the air) and our delightful friend, Ken Tada – two people who really focus on the Lord and that’s what we appreciate more than we can possibly tell you.
JONI: Thanks, Al!
KEN: Thank you, Al!
Used by permission of
JONI AND FRIENDS
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Agoura Hills, CA 93176
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