Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada with six little amazing words.
Welcome to "Joni and Friends" where these six little words are such a part of our culture here at the ministry. What are those six words? “Through Christ, you can do it.” It’s amazing how encouraging these words of hope can be in the life of someone suffering deep affliction. And not only amazing—sometimes, these words can even be life changing. I remember after my diving accident in which I broke my neck, when I was in the hospital years ago just getting adjusted to my wheelchair, I recall times when my occupational therapist—her name was Chris Smith—she pushed my wheelchair in front of a typewriter, or an easel. And she told me I could learn how to write, type, and even draw holding pencils or pens or, brushes between my teeth. Chris stood there holding an unsharpened pencil with an eraser tip, “Here,” she said, “put this in your mouth and see if you can reach the keys of the typewriter on the eraser end.” I really struggled with that. I didn’t like the idea of writing with my mouth or, even typing with my mouth.
She would say, “Joni, you can do it.” To me, back then, writing with my mouth sounded weird, like people writing with their toes. It sounded like I was handicapped, disabled. It sounded impossible. But even my friends would say, “Joni, with Christ all things are possible. You can do all things through Christ.” I felt like saying, “Yeah, well, Jesus made hands to hold things, not mouths.” But after awhile, I got tired of sitting there feeling sorry for myself, just looking at the typewriter, and staring at the easel. I decided to take a deep breath, ask God for help, and give it a try. And, oh, was I amazed at the results—at my first time at an electric typewriter, I composed a whole letter to my parents—just hunting and pecking like a chicken. Peck. Peck. Peck. And then at the easel, I could actually draw—I was amazed!
I was learning that it’s okay to do weird things when you have a disability. God delights in showcasing His strength in the midst of impossible situations. It was only when I quit resisting and wrestling against my occupational therapist; it was only when I thought, God, I cannot do this ... I cannot do what you, what everyone is asking of me. It’s impossible. It’s only when I came to that point and then said, “So, Lord, you are going to have to do this. I can only sit at this easel with pencils in my teeth if you’re going to show up here, big time, and help me.” It’s only when I brought that attitude to the Lord did I then discover the strength—His strength—to pick up those pencils with my teeth and learn how to draw. And I’ve been drawing to this day, so many years later.
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” is a principle of encouragement for you if you are faced with a challenge today that seems impossible; if you are facing a choice or a path in life that seems undo-able. If you are thinking, Lord, what you are asking here is impossible. I can’t do this! Well, you know what? You probably can’t. But God can. And He resists the proud who think they can do it (those that do it on their own, that do it in their own energy with their own resources and reasoning, talents and abilities). He resists those who think they have it all together, and He grants grace and strength and enabling to those who come to Him saying, “I can’t, but you can.”
As a reminder of this principle, I would like to send you three of my Christmas cards. Visit my radio page today at joniandfriends.org. It’s all in celebration of those wonderful little words, “You can do it” through Christ.
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P.O. Box 3333, Agoura Hills, CA 91376