Joni Eareckson Tada Discusses Milestones And God's Faithfulness

Are you watching what's going on around the country are you are you dismayed are you aghast are you fearful a lot of people are well. I got good news for you. We don't have to be. We can be calm and assured knowing that he who began a good work in us is faithful to complete it to the day of Christ Jesus my guest on the soda date understands that in spades and she has been a mentor and a friend and she tolerates me. Bless her heart. God lover and that is John Erickson taught at Johnny is done you with this illegal but we got a good connection.

I am tolerating God bless you for your lack of judgment. Johnny and I asked him if you'd like to come on today and talk about some things because as I looked around what's going on in our world and our country.

There's so much unsettled this so much division so much outrage so much fear and I thought you know want. We need to we need to talk this through from seasoned people of faith who walked through some very difficult times and Johnny is certainly one of those for those you do not know her story and I can imagine that many of you don't. But, but for those you don't. She was hurt in a diving accident 54 years ago this month on July 30. I know that because that is also my birthday in joining us, what notes on that day because I think that's an important room of the Bible you have anything planned for my birthday this year. Johnny I don't know what I need to wear it every do I need to dress up for this or what is theirs no I'm just kidding. She and Kim and her husband had just Johnny's lives with quadriplegia. She's also had to deal with breast cancer twice and she and Ken just celebrated 39 years of marriage last week and I was watching the pictures that she was posting on on social media, and they were just so precious and the divorce rate in couples that have a disability in the family is right under 90% and that's where there's a spouse or special needs child. Whatever. And here's this couple who has faced this for 39 years through severe challenges and so Johnny I want you to know that I'm grateful that you took the time to call into the show today and how are you how are you feeling today as you did a lot of recording yesterday and I was concerned about that for you today are actually and I celebrated our wedding anniversary up the Eastern Sierra mountain. We went up to you right north of Mammoth Mountain borrowed a friend and I am out over the lake area range and all your off in Montana now quite like the mountain 350 refresh your spirit and your vision and appreciation for how great and awesome God are faring well. The battle against mentioned that the court chronic pain.

But then again you also understand that no white public chronic date anyone, but I mentioned earlier, no reason here or on the lawn. We hold fast what stop and God was for not against us.

I often say to people that got God may allow farm body again. I'm a quadriplegic.

I public cancer, chronic pain body on top and back on Christ is always a billable efficient bond to every challenge every lengthy answer to your question about how my will Gracie give you one piece of advice before today showcase he said look just get out of Johnny's way. Just did, would you just get out of her way. Just leave her alone just let her do her thing. You just leave her that's my wife she's the support I just felt to them it was so strong now I just get what I think of you Johnny. I think of of hymns because of you and I both have a deep abiding love of the hymns and I was thinking about one particular this morning with you and I'm going to circle back to your anniversary people would with asymptotes. What is your secret will you and I would both share the same thing émigrés have been married 35 years next month and there's there is no secret is like the old saw the Stuart Hamilton Road. There is, it is no secret what God can do what he's done for others will do for you.

There's no secret, it is Christ and Christ alone and and I was thinking about you with this him that I would walk over to a call at the caregiver keyboard because this is what I use on the show on Saturday mornings, and I know you know this him wonder I leave… There were not court but the second verse is what makes me think of you here raised by Ebenezer here by thy great help. I've come in. I hope by thy good pleasure, safely, to arrive at home. Jesus taught me what a stranger wandering from the fold of God he to rescue me from danger, interposes precious blood and when I hear that II think about you and how you and kid have planted your Ebenezer that standard that this is where this is where we are anchoring our lives.

We are betting everything on this, which is Christ and what about that I write when I turned seven years old. A couple years ago I went on Ebenezer Hite called it and my husband went with me several of the girl who get me up in the morning that me in my wheelchair others to help me lay down at night. I get the out of my wheelchair equipment abroad. Each of them to bring down and write on Scripture that difficult time. So there's my part, but to me I'm in my wheelchair taking on expectable hike up to a high well overlooking the Pacific Ocean and why don't you wait that is left. Of course, the prophet Samuel, who after a great victory over the posting set up a monument, boil sort, he proclaimed the Lord exactly what I did Peter. We all piled on top of that thing that very there are great….com and I just pray to the Lord on top back overlooking the ocean. She you have been so faithful over more than five Nearly 40 years of marriage. Years of chronic cleaning and struggled against cancer more than sufficient weight to stop smiling. My wife why when I got sure that your great night and I'm not quite years to come to birth, come out found him is very special to me. You know you are very brave. I never let anybody come around me all my friends was Stone's cousin Freda fling them at me and very careful.

Go. I think that I think of you what I think of that because you not talked about this a couple weeks ago and I introducing him to buy weekly show audience every week because I feel like we have gotten away from this treasure trove of hymns that were born out of great conviction and often great suffering and I share with you one that I was going to share with my audience because I know that in the middle the night you you wake up and you sing these hymns to get you through some very difficult times.

Gracie's the same way and this one was a hero, O God, our help in ages past, our hope for years to come in at the reason I'm saying these things. Johnny's because so much of our society right now is just in a freefall, and people are scrimping on what to believe and I think this is what anchors us to realize okay here raised by Ebenezer here by thy great help. I've come so far the Lord has brought us through this, O God, our help in ages past, and I want people to have that that great hope of looking back and seeing this is what God has stunned the Lord has done great things for us and we can trust him with this. Even with disability, even with quadriplegia, even with amputation. Even with chronic pain, even with broken marriages. Even with all the special-needs children what ever we come to him with all we need to come to him with his need and this is the message that I wanted to be able to extend the audience today. Talk a little bit about that, O God, our help in ages past. What does that mean to you when you're crying out in the middle the night Johnny well Peter that one of the site at 2 o'clock in the morning or maybe 4 o'clock in the morning when you wake up and I dare not dare not get my husband up for 1/3 time to reposition me and I cannot position myself in bed when I'm uncomfortable or in because I'm paralyzed him a quadriplegic, so can comfortably talk the problem turned my And because there's my leg, but only once or twice don't dare call him the third time so I part of the Lord Jesus. I like him just like the one you mentioned God, our help in ages past, their hope for years to come.

You are my shelter from the storm glass you are in my carnal home and Peter just last night again. I don't want them I'm lamenting here.

Not at all, but again last night was a very night and about 3 o'clock in the morning I find myself whispering to the feeling she could find what you are finding out your loving hot upon you and your you my fold for my dog. My time one hour hold might not be o'clock in the morning to come to Jesus because your tried-and-true only work relying on you.

You want we should be talking flexible butter o'clock in the morning or afternoon watching the late afternoon, talk to all fold down at God defendant on precious son equally good. Not only why not a great so you worship songs or time with passages of Scripture that that combine back foundation of the court on those memorized when you become conscious.

I do it's like David exactly my favorite stores in Scripture when his own men were going to stone them again that the stoning resonates with me, but those old men will still visit. David did what he encouraged himself in the Lord and and I think that the reason I like these him so much as they reflect the theology of these wonderful writers and and it provides a easy phrase for us to remember in these great moments and in if you did you ever see that movie we were soldiers once with Mel Gibson. It's a hard movie to watch it.

It's it was that of Vietnam is a hard movie to watch and it was in there was one scene in their particular that it was just all falling apart.

Bullets are flying in and people were young men were being just just ripped apart if it was a terrible scene in this was true it was true story and into this Col. Hal Moore, played by Mel Gibson stood up and he said to these many barked out orders were to take that creek working to that hill. He wasn't talking about her taxes are back home or mowing the grass or anything else were just dealing with this mobile to do this right here and sometimes these hymns can anchor us in the present so powerfully, so that when there's always flying at us when the bullets are flying we turn on the news we see all these things going on. We can go back and say these things. Seeing them over and over again, wonderful words of life love that him beautiful words. I just love that him and we weave you right. We've got to start preaching the source of just like David did it Cycladic because how can we take this to the world if were so busy scrambling to figure out what we believe and why we believe it and doesn't me were not to have moments of despair but it does mean that this is how we do it like that Peter Bernard much in bedroom unrest and turmoil straight. I night I find myself wondering, my thoughts wandering, and I can't even put together in a prior I'm so good to fall back on, or default to memorize even think about but that just come to the surface of your heart you that for me again in the middle the night, anxious or fearful because I'm in great clean.

I think accomplishment Scripture let one after 48.we are clashed on all on all five are not clashed great, the card business would agree that there are times when late and on all sides.

Remember not clashed, maybe not down but not not work.Jason that internally like I fell in line.

God's ability cancer pain caused by indeed. It does whispers in my ear. 25+ years ago because his grief. He also causes great compassion this Johnny Erickson taught this is American family radio we are taking the gospel. The loss of the dying while in the emergency room with my wife as she was struggling with the coving 19 fires herself and I looked at the skin she settled but I've been through worse certainty of mankind's history with uncertain an article by Peter Rosenberger and then as her fever was approaching almost hundred three she started singing in a place my trust in some glory in the cross and that's how she has anchored herself in the certainty of Christ through her huge medical journey that is included in the surgeries both of her legs hundred doctors will now the coving 19 so live with those kinds of uncertain so Christ is the only place we can run to serve to read this article and more a.net/stand American family radio I Rosenberger again for this hour and we are so glad with us and talk with my long time taught in what we wanted to do today is just provide you with some things we have stood upon, leaned upon web deposit clung to, and been clung to for a home of the things of Christ to sustain us both in our journey and and Johnny and her husband Ken just celebrated their 39th anniversary marriage that is forged through challenges that are beyond the pale of quadriplegia, cancer, chronic pain, gracing 35 years next month of of lots of things have had Gracie's had 80 surgeries that I can kill both of her legs gone chronic pain and then been married to me and through painful things and that I've done I had my own train wreck. When you deal with immorality and and so forth.

There's you know God, I've given got way too much to redeem. But the reason we share these things is not to glorify in the in the literalness or the old of the dysfunction, but to talk about this great Savior that he reaches and even to these things and and pulls up something beautiful.

Johnny told me this guy she's been back Johnny Salzman 30 years a member you saying this their national we lived in Nashville and he said he reaches into the vilest of things and pulls up something extraordinary. Don't know why does it.

Don't know how he does it. Just grateful that he does. And I'll never forget that what what why look like all people positive good but I think like getting a quote correctly… Oh, you know, I tell you what blessed ghetto blessed my heart. It was 30 years ago.

Johnny was along to what I want. I love this. I was think about one more him for you. This is by the way, there's nothing like getting called on the carpet by Johnny Erickson taught out live on the radio. This is nothing like it, but ghetto goddesses that make her laugh and you I think you will see that now there's another heel that I wanted to do that. I wanted to turn over some things to you, but this is one that I love and I will. I think you do too well never talked about this him, but I have a sign on my door from a particular phrase in the Salem wanted to see if you know this when Johnny and you know that my shirt pray the Lord my creation all my old freight car key foundation will there's a line in it that I cannot get away from and I wrote it down on a Post-it note. It's still in my office door than Gracie had it in grade and and framed in its ponder a new what the Almighty can do ponder a new what the Almighty can do and I wanted just to let you have your head with that woman just take that one wherever you want to go because I think this is the call for the invitation for us as believers ponder a new think about these things reflect on it. This is the whole point of the show today is for us to be anchored in in the greatness of God, not the the turbulence of the world, but the greatness of God Johnny talk about pondering the new what the Almighty can do a great way to share with you what story that occurred when I was up at the carbon in the mountains just last week overlooking the lake, and while Ken went up on the porch. I yelled out onto the lawn overlooking the lake and I'm writing more Jesus.

I don't know what you think you got in store but just now that I'm ready. I am dwelling, I would not get the part e.g. set but it's better but I cannot bear it all labor for me on so you're not about to call me, I don't want that battle is not over quadriplegia is not calming on what you find a great fresh great day.the lawn goal, but much of and so on. Water at me all forth in the face of the chest. I was soaking wet about the laptop I get down to the joystick of my blood chair to get out of the way of the sprinkler and what happened but joystick falls talk I water comes running so upset at me that what you got a quick find the joystick but got lost in the graph. I got 95 million that I thought wow how good God. Immediately I thought of, one, the Proverbs woman who closed cell dignity and grace in lab at the gate to calm gave me fresh great that enabled me to a conundrum of strange twist made with water. Joystick upset with me.

Can't wait. But I'm thinking how, but if you and great you are going to come will enable me to laugh at the gate, and that with such a strange way of God, and for that that kind of prayer, pondering what the Almighty. But he showed me that is graph great candy laughing great in the face of a pretty topic budget. Well, I'm counting on it because I have one of the lesser-known spiritual gifts. The gift of mirth one of the wise men I would buy gold prices and mirth. I love to laugh and I love to make Gracie laugh and it's it's to me it is a and I like to make you left because I feel like if I made either one of you two women laugh.

That's a pretty good day's work.

I will tell you all store. This is embarrassing. I would do it anyway because it's funny and don't tell anybody. This just stays between us here in the audience. Okay I'm telling by the store, but once when Johnny was at her home in Nashville. She came over Donna. You may remember this, you better try to put it out of your memory.

Id. But it was rainy was there and we are and and I was playing host to Gracie just had surgery and you want to see her and see going there to her bedroom and you're there that she's in bed and you're there at her bedside and you're talking and I was asking greatness.

It I've never played host to you before and so I was like whoa what is Johnny like to eat or whatever and in October the inventory list of over think I had the refrigerator and in us missing Gracie so she loves grapes and so I I go in there with a bowl of grapes and you patiently teach me how to help you eat grapes and I'm feeding you grapes wanted a ton. Well, for whatever reason Johnny my weird mind just said you know Johnny when Gracie makes me fear grapes like this you makes me take my shirt off and rub oil over my chest but I don't make you feel uncomfortable and it it and you started laughing like you did that but you had a grape in your mouth and out at you is so like you're choking about that whole dear Lord she's choking. I just killed Johnny Erickson taught I would have the mark of pain on my head.

I will be cursed among the nation at this think about what I did and I know how to give the Heimlich maneuver to somebody in a wheelchair I would. I was just like what have I done you know it, but you get laughing. It was okay and I will you know it just pastel, but you know those are funny moments in it. It's okay to laugh on guy right here by the microphone and everything obey what I might hear a word, John will be better if you cannot hear do little fishing don't you think well.

When I gone America will remember to go.

I didn't realize you were killed by white so you decide that I wanted.

For all that you do and you know Johnny Gorman. I learned that after 39 years Lord willing, another 40th year and maybe on further but a good point. You might euro all my gun edgy about Ken before you jump on this as I know you got your like a ninja on the radio like to jump in and jump out real quick.

But isn't it great from one caregiving husband to another of of wives that have broken bodies, isn't it spectacular to know that we have a Savior who himself cares for his wounded bread and heart that just gives me great comfort and strength. No, I would concur with your computer and you know one of those privilege or overcurrent as a product or that God and something that we can do and when we talk about we were done, Mike Lawson 323 your work partly upon the Lord out of man silly. With the idea that we are doing it or more will happen were married for disabled women will go back to this whole thing with laughter. Johnny in Psalm 126 two then our mouth was filled with laughter and our tongue with shouts of joy.

Then they said among the nations. The Lord has done great things for them and I I would suggest to you that not only about you, and can Gracie and me, but that we as all believers that they could say among the nations. The Lord has done great things for them to people look at the church of Jesus Christ in this world and say the Lord has done great things for them, and if not, then why not because he has and he's willing to do it.

What he's done for others, he'll do for you, as Stuart Hammer said that great song. It is no secret and and I think as we go. We see this this world falling apart around us. Can we stand firm and let the world look with with with envy and with marble that we can be peaceful in the midst of this, we can become. We can even laugh in the midst of this, he will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouting Job great Job 821. Can we do this and I say to you, yes we can, and I think that's the message I want to just bring today to this audience and let them know that what a mighty God we serve. And this is this is between Johnny and Gracie between kid and I this is your looking at what is at 40 and 35, 75 years of marriage through disability.

You get to women who have what 90 years of disability and suffering and and were planning our flag are Ebenezer in this in the in the great redemptive work of Christ.

Johnny, you got a a lot of things going on with Johnny and friends would you leave us with one way that people can find out more about you and all the ministry aspects of what you're doing it Johnny friends before we wrap it up, but Peter are trying to talk about and we want to give it to thousands of other people disability or family member out all around the world and back next weekend and I will be heading off to minor Johnny and Fran family retreat, we will create retreat or special family where there's lots of fun and lots of joy and laughter every time think God's word because it mentioning about the example we can be to a skeptical unbelieving world. One of the strongest evidence of Christ cannot complain are the hardship and suffering. Chapter 2 verse 14 everything without complaining. While I'm gone. I want to malfunction. Eventually it got laughter.

He got not complaining. I'm uncomplaining spirit always a wonderful way to testify about your holding fast to the Lord Jesus, you have every confidence that Grace will meet you for the days we can witness to an unbelieving culture.

Don't you agree.

Indeed it is and this is available to each of us right now and these are these are principles that we can incorporate in our life and stand on in her life that that God is has invited us to trust him that there is peace even while tears are still drying on your cheek, you can still have the joy of the Lord, you can. It is not that you don't have to have everything your life working just the way you want. Then you can be happy. That's not the point of this. The point is you can have the joy of the Lord. No matter what is you will and I will watch Gracie come out of surgery. One time of meter, but this was after her remaining leg was amputated.

She's now a double amputee. They were wheeling around the surgery. She was halfway sedated, but her hands were lifted to heaven and she was singing the doxology praise God from whom all explode. While the that's what were talking about right there and so Johnny, you have blessed me today. You and Kim both sorry Kim that I nearly killed your wife. I'm sorry about that, but it was it was a moment and no no no no no, you did fine. You did five. We gotta go. This is that our time of Peter Rosenberg. This is American family radio.

Now you understand a little bit more of this great peace this great grace this great strength is available to you right now you don't have to wait to clean up just all you need is the thank you for being a part see next.

This is John Butler and I produce hope for the caregiver with Peter Rosenberg. Some of you know the remarkable story of Peter's wife Gracie and recently Peter talk to Gracie about all the wonderful things that have emerged from her difficult journey. Take a listen Gracie. When you envision doing a prosthetic limb outreach. Did you ever think that inmates would help you do that, not in a million years. When you go to the facility run by core civic and you see the faces of these inmates that are working on prosthetic limbs that you have helped collect from all of the country that you put out the plea for and their disassembly sell these legs like what you have your own prosody and arms and orange everything when you see all this. What do you make me cry because I see the smiles on their faces and I know I know what it is to be locked in place where you can't get out without somebody else allowing you to get out course, being in the hospital so much and so long and so that these men are so glad that they get to be doing as as one man said something good family with my hands. Did you know before you became an amputee that parts of prosthetic limbs could be recycled now had no idea and I thought a peg leg.

I thought of wooden legs.

I never thought of titanium and carbon legs and flex feet. The legs and all that.

I never thought about that as you watch these inmates participate in something like this, knowing that there there helping other people don't walk there, providing the means for the supplies to get over there. What is it do to you. Just on the heart level. I wish I could explain to the world. What I see in here and I wish that I could be able to go and say the this guy right here Denise go to Africa with that. I never not feel that way out every time you know you always make me have to leave.

I don't want to leave them. II feel like I'm at home with them and I feel like that we have a common bond that would've never expected that only God could put together. Now that you've had experience with it what you think of the faith-based programs. The core civic offers. I think they're just absolutely awesome and I think every prison out there should have faith-based programs like this because the return rate of the man that are involved in this particular faith-based program and other ones like it, but I know about this one are. It is just an amazingly low rate compared to those who don't happen and I think that that says so much that doesn't have anything to do with me just has something to do with God using somebody broken to help other broken people. If people want to donate or use prosthetic limbs, whether from a loved one who passed away or you know somebody well groomed. You've donated some of your own for them to do, how to how they do that please go to standing with hope.com/recycle staining with hope.com/recycle. Thanks. Grace