God Is Faithful!

I have a secret for setting the tone for each day. Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada here with my friend Shauna Amick. 

SHAUNA: Hi, there. Hi, Joni! 

JONI: Good to be with you. And Shauna and I want to let you in on a recipe for daily success. How ʼbout it? 

SHAUNA:  Yeah, it’s not about a special diet or any certain exercise routine. Those things are good, of course, and we should do them; but first and foremost, feasting on God’s Word is the best way to start every day. I mean, reading the Bible and praying are our lifelines all throughout each day, but Joni, there’s just something special about giving God the first part of our day, isn’t there? 

JONI: Absolutely. You know, as we begin the new year, everybody’s on a new diet. Everybody’s got a new food program. Well, how about nutrition that really feeds the soul. Like David says in Psalm 5: “In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.” Like you said, Shauna, just then talking to Jesus, I think, first thing in the morning – it’s gotta align your perspective with His; it’s gotta give you courage to face the day, and help you tackle whatever might lie ahead. And I know in my darkest seasons, waking up to God’s Word – sometimes it’s about 4:00 in the morning when my hip wakes me up in pain – I’m thinking of the Word of God; I’m rehearsing His promises; it’s what gives me strength to face each day with confidence. 

SHAUNA: You make me think of a season in my life when I really had to lean on the Word of God first thing in the morning, if I was going to get through that next 24 hours. During my first pregnancy, I developed some very serious blood clots; I actually had a blood clotting disorder, and that meant in my next pregnancy I needed to give myself a shot. I had to give myself an injection in my leg each morning so that I wouldn’t get blood clots during that pregnancy either. So, I know that plenty of our friends have to give themselves injections every day, and they’re probably thinking it’s no big deal, but I’ll tell you what, it became a real spiritual battleground. Every time I would bring that needle down close to my leg – I kid you not, my hand froze. (JONI: I can see why!) Yeah, no matter what I tried, I was just paralyzed by fear, and there was no way I was going to be able to give myself that injection.  

JONI: So what did you do? 

SHAUNA: Well, I called my girlfriend and I asked her to pray for me. And she did; she did pray. But then she gave me some of the best advice I’ve ever gotten. She said, “Shauna, you have got to silence that fear the same way Jesus silenced the devil when He was tested in the wilderness, and it was with the Word of God.”   

JONI: Alright, what great advice. 

SHAUNA: Oh, no kidding. So I picked from 1 Corinthians 1:9 – short and sweet – “God is faithful!” I figured that was enough I could remember in my time of fear. But it also packed such a powerful punch. So, every morning, I’d wake up, I would declare that truth – God is faithful! (JONI: God is faithful!) And I’d grab that needle, and I’d slam it into my leg. I got the life-giving medicine that I needed every morning, and at the same time, I got a life-giving reminder that I needed to move throughout every day in the confidence of Christ. 

JONI: Ah, yes, a shot of God’s Word, infusing strength and power into your spiritual veins. And now, all these years later, you’re still starting your day with the Bible? 

SHAUNA: I sure am. You know, as soon as that alarm goes off, I’ve got the Bible in one hand and my coffee in the other. (JONI: Good for you.) I talk to the Lord and I trust Him to order my steps for the whole day. And, you know, Joni, I love going to your daily devotional every morning. (JONI: Really?) I sure do. You do such a beautiful job of explaining Scripture in personal, but very applicable, practical ways; I’m always encouraged –I’m sometimes convicted – but I’m always blessed. 

JONI: Oh, I’m going to encourage my listening friends, if you haven’t signed up for my daily devotional, get it delivered directly to your device. Go to joniradio.org where I’ve posted a link. And remember, God is faithful! That’s your injection for this day.

© Joni and Friends 

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