Tune in to hear Joni tell a touching story of the sweet bond between an aunt and her niece. If you’d like to learn more about how you can use God’s hope to transform lives worldwide through a Beyond Suffering course, go to joniradio.org today.
Visit www.joniradio.org for more on sweet auntie Doris and her niece Diana.
SHAUNA: Welcome to Joni Eareckson Tada: Sharing Hope. Joni, we talk a lot about suffering around here, don’t we?
JONI: That’s right, Shauna, but as much as we do, we also talk about God’s sovereignty, don’t we? I mean, God is sovereign over that suffering. Because I want our listeners to trust God in the midst of disability or cancer, or chronic pain or caregiver burnout, or even depression. All around us, suffering people are looking for answers, and heads up: we’re here to help you find answers. It’s why I’m thrilled we’re launching a new edition of our Beyond Suffering course of study. It’s such a powerful resource that offers a biblical understanding of the most profound human pain. And it points us to Jesus, the one who is the way through and beyond all suffering.
SHAUNA: Oh, that’s right! And Joni, I’ve seen the impact firsthand! I mean, Beyond Suffering is a mighty tool in God’s hands. It’s been used by universities, seminaries, and churches in over 60 countries.
JONI: I love that.
SHAUNA: Pastors, disability ministry leaders, and families struggling with disability—they’re all gaining greater confidence in God through our Beyond Suffering course. Over 25,000 people around the world have gone through it and now they’re living hope-filled lives despite their hardships! We hear amazing testimonies from folks in Peru, Brazil, El Salvador, Ukraine, Uganda, and of course here in the United States!
JONI: Recently, Shauna, I heard this testimony from our friends in Zambia that really touched my heart about Beyond Suffering. Doris, that’s her name—she lives in Zambia. She first encountered my story when she read the Joni book—now this is decades ago in Africa. And that prompted her to go through our Beyond Suffering curriculum. Yup, even in Zambia! It’s where she got a solid grip on what the Bible says about suffering and God’s purposes; it really got Doris’ attention. And at first, she wondered if God were preparing her for some sort of disability in her future. But now, years later, she understands that God was preparing her to love and raise her eight-year-old niece, Diana. And this child knows suffering, she does. Diana has spina bifida, so she can’t walk, her spine forms a significant hump on her back. And although she has other family, it is Diana’s beloved Aunt Doris, a retired social worker, who has cared for Diana full-time for the past five years. You see, not everybody in their community—or even the family – understands that disability can and should be a part of God’s good plan. But Doris learned the truth that all people, regardless of their ability, have equal dignity as image-bearers of God. And through our Christ-centered curriculum, God made it clear to her that Doris was to welcome little Diana into her heart and into her home. And now, Beyond Suffering helps Doris educate those around her, making a way for her disabled niece—and other children in the village with disabilities—to find belonging.
SHAUNA: And Joni, as inspirational as Doris and Diana’s story is—and it really is—it’s just one of countless thousands that show us how Jesus is using Beyond Suffering to change the world, one family at a time. Joni, I want everyone to read Beyond Suffering!
JONI: Well, Shauna, everyone can! Friend, if you have questions about the goodness of God and the problem of so much real suffering in this world [in your world], then go to joniradio.org today where you can learn more about our Beyond Suffering curriculum and you can see an adorable photo and video of Diana and Aunt Doris. Remember, that’s joniradio.org!
© Joni and Friends