We are celebrating 40 years of Joni and Friends Radio! If our program has encouraged you in your own hardships, share your story with us today at joniradio.org.
All this week we’re celebrating 40 years of this radio program!
Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada, and all this week I’ve been listening to snippets of Joni and Friends radio programs which were recorded decades ago. When I think that I started doing radio in 1982, like, I was barely in my 30s. What did I know back then?! But as I’ve listened to these early recordings - and my voice sounds like that of a teenager - as I listen, I’ve been struck with one thing. God was so amazing, so faithful, so very kind to use me, even though in 1982 I had only been paralyzed for a little over, what, almost 15 years. So, in celebration of our 40th anniversary of Radio, let a very young Joni open her heart to you today…
Not many months ago I was in bed for many weeks, struggling to heal a very stubborn pressure sore. I was confined to bed for three months and during that time I had one tough battle against depression. So many nights I’d lie awake, sometimes to the middle of the morning, or 3 or 4 a.m. And everything would seem out of focus during those midnight moments. But there were other sleepless nights where God would blanket me with His peace and I discovered some of my most creative times while others were snoring away. That seemed to be when God would give me songs of the night. One song came to me as I was alone in bed one night staring at my Mikasa vase on top of my dresser. It’s a real treasure and I would feel awfully sad if anything ever happened to it. And as I was staring at the vase I started thinking about my life, much like that piece of china.
And this song came to me: “I have a piece of china, a pretty porcelain vase. It holds such lovely flowers, catches everybody’s gaze. But fragile things do slip and fall as everybody knows. And when that vase came crashing down those tears began to flow. But don’t we all cry when pretty things get broken? Don’t we all sigh at such an awful loss? Jesus will dry your tears as He has spoken, ‘cause He was the One broken on the cross. And when my life came crashing down those tears began to flow. Cause don’t we all cry when pretty things get broken? Don’t we all sigh at such an awful loss? But Jesus will dry your tears as He has spoken, ‘cause He was the One broken on the cross. But Jesus is no porcelain prince, His promises don’t break. His holy Word holds fast and sure. His love no one can shake. So, if your life is shattered by sorrow, pain, or sin, His healing love will reach right down and make you whole again.”
Oh, friend, I remember the night I composed that song in my bed as I was lying there unable to sleep. And honestly, I have not sung it in years. So I do hope the words were a blessing to you, because they sure are to me as I sit here listening to my voice from those long-ago days. Jesus is no porcelain prince and aren’t you glad that his promises will not break. Hey, if your life has been shattered by sorrow, pain, or sin, and if my radio program has encouraged you during those hard times, then let me hear from you. Help us celebrate 40 years of Joni and Friends radio! Share your radio story today with me at joniradio.org.
© Joni and Friends