A Bright Future

Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada, and when interns come, I get excited!

Thanks for tuning in today, and I love our internship program here at Joni and Friends. It means that the hallways are peopled with young individuals, students, who are studying occupational therapy, special ed – you name it. Nursing, whatever. They come to learn more about a Christian worldview on disability, and to have an opportunity to practice a little Christianity with its sleeves rolled up, serving hands-on with special-needs families. And today, I’ve got an intern with me – Olivia Batchelor – who is finishing up her doctorate at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Olivia, welcome!

OLIVIA: Thank you, Joni.

JONI: When I first met you, I learned that when you were seven years old, you were saved at a tent meeting revival in your hometown. Now, I’m picturing that down South. What was it like?

OLIVIA: Well, I remember, Joni, my family all went up to this tent revival meeting on a hill. It’s ironic because the church I attend now actually is built on that very same hill. But, they had an adults’ tent and a children’s tent, and my parents pushed me out. They said, go to the children’s tent on your own, and for the first time, I heard the Gospel with my own ears.

JONI: And you went up front, and you were saved.

OLIVIA: Yes, ma’am.

JONI: Oh, I love it. Now, Olivia, there are a variety of things that internships do with us at Joni and Friends, so describe a typical day.

OLIVIA: So for me, as a capstone student, it’s a little bit different than some of the other internships here. I am able to collaborate with some occupational therapist partners that we have in East Africa, and design some resources that they can utilize in their everyday practice. I also completed the Beyond Suffering curriculum, so learning about a Christian worldview of disability.

JONI: Why do you think that’s important?

OLIVIA: I think without a Christian worldview on disability there’s no hope, ultimately. You know, we live in a world where obviously physical healing, physical rehab, is a wonderful thing; it’s a great thing. But at the end of the day, if there’s no Jesus, if there’s no Gospel, then there’s no hope for that person. So, to combine the two – rehabilitation and redemption – it’s an amazing holistic perspective on the world.

JONI: That’s why I’m always telling students who are interested in pre-med, music therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, special ed, nursing – Joni and Friends’ internship is appropriate for them, wouldn’t you agree?

OLIVIA: Absolutely. There’s no better way, like you said, than to roll up your sleeves, learn about what the Bible says about people with disabilities, and then apply those practical skills that you’ve gained in school.

JONI: Well, you are modeling the Lord Jesus in such a wonderful way, who indeed, he spent so much time hanging out with people with disabilities on every page of the Gospel – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. There he is, connecting with the deaf, the blind, the paralyzed, and fathers of little boys with seizures. So, you are following closely the steps of the Lord. Give a shoutout to any student out there who might be scratching her head or his head thinking, “Is this for me? Should I do this?”

OLIVIA: Listen to the Lord’s calling, if he has placed that in your heart. Don’t wait; reach out and take that step of faith outside of your comfort zone to really serve, even if you feel like you aren’t adequate to meet those needs. The Lord will work through you.

JONI: And oh, friend, I wish you could see this light that I see in Olivia’s eyes. I’ve posted a photo of Olivia so you can see it at joniradio.org, and be delighted in this young woman. And perhaps prompted to pray for her. Friends listening, we have an array of internship opportunities for you, whether vocational here at the International Disability Center or global, involving a focus on missions. So, please come and learn that Christian worldview on disability. You can get all the information on our Internships page at joniandfriends.org. Thanks, Olivia!

OLIVIA: Thank you!

JONI: We’ll be praying for you as you head into your future. I think it’s going to be pretty exciting.

OLIVIA: Absolutely.

© Joni and Friends