Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada and welcome to “Joni and Friends.”
You’ve probably heard me mention that, this year, Joni and Friends is celebrating 35 years of ministry to people with disabilities and their families. But 2014 marks another significant anniversary. It was 50 years ago that I opened my heart to Jesus Christ at a weekend retreat and began this incredible adventure of following my Lord and Savior. I was only 15 years old at the time, and never—never ever—could I have imagined that most of the rest of my life would be lived as a quadriplegic in a wheelchair, because just about 3 years later, in 1967, after I prayed to receive Jesus, I broke my neck in a diving accident. I cannot begin to describe the horror and the depression that absolutely overwhelmed me. Thankfully, many of those same Christian friends who were with me at that weekend retreat were the ones who stuck by me while I was in the hospital. Their love for me, and their love for the Word of God, is what eventually lifted the depression and softened my heart toward God.
Sometime after that accident—oh, maybe five or so years later—after my trust in Christ began growing I wrote a poem. At the time, I didn’t think it was that special, but the other day, as I was reminiscing about this anniversary of knowing Jesus for 50 years, I re-read it, and, oh, did it touch my heart. So much so, that I thought I would share it with you today. So, okay, this is what I wrote when I was in my 20’s and still rather new to my wheelchair:
I have a piece of china, a lovely porcelain vase, It holds such lovely flowers, captures everybody’s gaze. But fragile things do slip and fall as everybody knows,
And when my 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?
But Jesus will dry those tears as He has spoken, ‘Cause He was the One broken on the cross. My life was just like china, a lovely thing to me, Full of porcelain promises of all that I might be.
But fragile things do slip and fall as everybody knows. And when my life 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?
But Jesus will dry those tears as He has spoken, ‘Cause He was the One broken on the cross. Now Jesus is no porcelain Prince. His promises won’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.
Well, that’s my poem and I wrote it in my 20s (I can’t believe it). I hope you were blessed by the words. I don’t pretend to be a poet, and I don’t write verse very often, but this particular one, I think, expresses exactly what God was doing in my heart those early years when I was still adjusting to my wheelchair. Friend, I’d love to share this poem with you. You can go to my radio page at joniandfriends.org and download it or print off a copy. Share it with a friend who is experiencing brokenness right now. And when you give them the poem, tell them I resonate. I understand their heart ache, their difficulties ‘cause when your life is shattered by sorrow, pain or sin, I tell you his healing love will reach right down and make you whole again. Oh, and while you’re on my radio page, take a look at a brief video of my testimony and share it with your Facebook friends who are needing encouragement. It’ll be one way you can celebrate with me on this, my most remarkable and personal anniversary of knowing Jesus for (wow!) half a century.
© Joni and Friends
Used by permission of Joni and Friends
P.O. Box 3333, Agoura Hills, CA 91376