Ask God for help in setting a good example for the people in your life. Someone is always looking up to you!
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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.
I’m Joni Eareckson Tada and I have such a soft heart for children.
It’s because I realize that girls and boys watch me very closely in my wheelchair. I see it when I’m in a group of, let’s say, elementary school students who come and tour our Joni and Friends headquarters here in Southern California. The tour usually involves a visit to my art studio and, if I am not doing something else that day at the ministry, I always, always take time to pull up to my easel and give them a little art lesson. They watch me. They see that my hands don’t work, and neither do my legs. They examine my wheelchair; their eyes, I can tell, are fixed on me, watching me smile, watching me talk freely about the Lord Jesus. And I can also read the fascination in their eyes, ’cause they’re connecting the dots; they’re computing all this in their little heads. And they are amazed! Like, “How is it,” they’re probably thinking, “how is it this special lady can draw holding pencils between her teeth? She doesn’t walk; she doesn’t use her hands; yet she’s happy! Maybe,” I can see them thinking, “Maybe Jesus really does work in the lives of people who are hurting!”
You know, this is why I steward my suffering well. ’Cause I realize these impressionable children are observing me, taking it all in, and God has given me a sobering responsibility to represent him well in front of them. Like, for instance, eight-year-old Emmy. This child loves art, and to encourage her, her mother and grandmother shared my story with her. They also went to our website at Joni and Friends and showed her some of my artwork. Emmy was captivated! And she told her grandmother that all she really wanted for her birthday was “one of Miss Joni’s art prints.” Oh, my goodness! And so, her grandmom went to our online store and purchased my pastel-pencil drawing, “The Nativity.” She gift-wrapped it and presented it to Emmy on her birthday. Her reaction? Well, I will quote her grandmother. She said, “Emmy was so overwhelmed with the gift, welling up with tears, and stressing over and over how she will cherish it forever as an heirloom!” Well, I tell you, after reading that, my eyes filled with tears, too! Honestly, it really made my day.
You know, when Paul wrote to Titus, he underscored that young man’s ministry to other young believers. And so, Paul wrote to him, he said, “In everything set them an example by doing what is good. Show integrity, seriousness, and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned.” Oh, friend, that’s great advice for any adult, any parent or teacher; that’s great advice for me when I engage with boys and girls. Like Emmy and all the other children like her who are inspired by my story. We adults, we’ve just got to show integrity; we’ve got to take seriously our sphere of influence and be careful of what we say around little ones.
Hey, I would love for you to see a photo of eight-year-old little Emmy. It is hands-down, over-the-top, the most precious snapshot of her with my artwork. And I will be following up with her, perhaps, I don’t know, sending Emmy my children’s book on heaven. And you know what? I will be so bold as to ask you to share my story with the children and grandchildren in your life. Tell them about the lady in the wheelchair who loves Jesus and who smiles despite her paralysis. Show them my artwork or give them my book for Christmas; whatever, just visit the Joni and Friends store for all kinds of great ideas, especially for Christmas. Thank you for helping me share hope in hardship among young people in this new generation and see a photo of Emmy at joniradio.org. That’s your good word today from Joni Eareckson Tada sharing hope.
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