Whenever your quiet times of rest occur, take a moment to thank the Lord. Every restful blessing is a small, grace-filled gift from him.
Whenever your quiet times of rest occur, take a moment to thank the Lord. Every restful blessing is a small, grace-filled gift from him.
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Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Get involved at joniandfriends.org or on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Welcome to Sharing Hope, your place of rest.
Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada and just the other day I was reading an analysis of how the current recession, global upheaval – including the war in Ukraine – and ongoing issues with COVID have made it more challenging to think clearly, to decide wisely, and to rest deeply. We thought we had put it all behind us a year ago, right, when COVID numbers were coming down? But not so. We are, by the grace of God, still trying to make our way through it all. And so, perhaps you’re like me, trying to be more intentional about carving out times to rest. Taking a break in between projects, going outside to enjoy the sky, the backyard breezes. And those quiet, sweet moments that God gives, don’t we all need them? I mean, need them. Here we are near the end of September with more mask mandates, depending on where you live, and “Whether or not we should get the new flu shot,” and man, it’s wearing. Ken keeps looking at gas prices, thinking he’s in a bad dream. And so, Ken and I have become very intentional about pushing the pause button and resting!
And so, here’s a little window into our day. Every morning, right after I sit up in my wheelchair, I so look forward to a quick, but quiet time of rest. After Ken gets me positioned in my chair, he heads to the kitchen and pours a generous, hot cup of Peet’s coffee into a camping mug and he walks back to our bedroom with it. And as I hear his flip-flops coming down the hallway, knowing that he’s got for me a hot mug of great coffee, I start singing, “Do you know the coffee man, the coffee man, the coffee man? Do you know the coffee man? Ken Tada is his name.” And by the time I finish my little ditty, he lifts that cup and I breathe deeply, relax in, and enjoy the rich aroma. And after a generous pause and a wink of my eye, I’ll whisper a word of thanks to Ken, then I will slowly sip it and feel the warmth. We don’t say much; we just relish the moment. A slice of rest, a small routine that refreshes, and I never miss it. Thankfully, the coffee man doesn’t miss it, either – he finds pleasure in tilting that cup to my lips in the morning.
It is a gift. And oh, friend, when God gives you these little gifts, these special moments, please know this: they come from him. Every good and perfect gift, no matter how small, all of it comes from God. And as Jesus says in Matthew 11, "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest." Your time of rest may be your quiet time; or in your prayer closet; maybe in your garden among your backyard flowers; on your back porch or in a park bench in the early morning. Wherever it occurs, recognize it for what it is: a restful blessing; a small grace-filled gift from God. And it is why, every morning, I love hearing the coffee man in his flip-flops coming up the hallway. Hey, today is National – no, it’s International – Coffee Day and whether you enjoy a flat white from Starbucks or a cup of good coffee from Dunkin’ Donuts or McDonald’s, just enjoy. Oh, and one more thing. Visit my radio page today at joniradio.org and enjoy a snapshot of my husband, the coffee man. Then, start tomorrow morning by treasuring those refreshing moments of rest as Spirit-blessed gifts from the Lord. And one more thing: we at Joni and Friends would love to pray for you and your troubles, so share with us your prayer need today at joniradio.org.
© Joni and Friends