Number Your Days
Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada and, oh do I need help!
You see, I’ve got this disability and I need serious help. I lean on my husband to do many things to help me, but he’s in his 70s now, and if I don’t watch it, I’m going to wear him out. It’s why I’ve asked a few girlfriends to pitch in and help me with some of my disability routines: one girl likes to help only on certain days, another, only Monday evenings; and a third friend every other Wednesday. Now, I love the fact that they are even willing and available, but with a patchwork quilt schedule like that, it could be a calendar nightmare.
So, my go-to Bible verse for this problem is Psalm 90:12 where it says, “Teach [me] to number my days, [oh Lord,] that I may apply my heart to [your] wisdom.” “Joni,” I hear God say, “just take one day at a time, stay calm, write everything down, have all the girls sign in and sign out on your planner, and it’ll work.” And you know what? It does. Doing things one day at a time. And I’m not the only quadriplegic who works this way.
I’m thinking of my friend, Lynn Wheeler. She was in a car accident years ago; as a result, she broke her neck and became a quadriplegic like me. And although Lynn went home to be with the Lord some time ago, her way of organizing her days, to me, is still a great example. Again, she’s a quadriplegic – she depends on friends to help her in her wheelchair. So, she recruited the help of a couple of women in her church, as well. Girls from a local Christian college came over in the morning to get her ready sitting up. Lynn kept a planner open on her dresser where her many helpers wrote down the days they could assist. One morning, Lynn’s husband Doug happened to notice what one gal had written. He looked at the planner, and it said simply, “Serve Lynn.” She didn’t write “work for Lynn” or “sign me up” or “here’s my hours.” No, rather her friends looked at their responsibilities as service. What a blessing it was for Doug to see those sweet words. Through the many years Lynn was paralyzed, she constantly sought God for wisdom on how to best organize her days, as well as how to show appreciation to the girls who helped her.
And I think of Lynn often, especially when I glance at my planner, which is constantly open on my bedroom dresser. Like my friend Lynn, when my girlfriends write their names on Mondays, or Wednesday afternoons, or Saturday, I know they are serving not me so much, but they are serving the Lord. And rich will their reward be in heaven.
Today, may I say that if you need help organizing your days; if you need help numbering them and seeking God’s wisdom on ways you can serve, I’d like to suggest using the same planner that Lynn Wheeler used and I still use. It opens easily with a big spiral binding and its layout is perfect for anyone who’s busy like me. Sure, I could use the electronic calendar on my smartphone, but you know, I just like to see a week or maybe a month at-a-glance. So, visit my radio page today at joniradio.org to see this beautiful planner that I designed for 2021. Full of my favorite scriptures, inspirational quotes, artwork, and I’ve written brand-new monthly devotionals to encourage you. So, take a look at joniradio.org. And today, ask God to teach you to number your days and apply his wisdom to your heart. See you later at joniradio.org.
And hey, if you need more inspiration, you just have to go to my blog today at joniradio.org. Again, that’s my blog at joniradio.org. God bless you today, and thanks for listening to Joni and Friends!
© Joni and Friends
Joni’s 2021 Planner
Joni’s 2021 PlannerJoni’s beautiful 2021 Planner, designed from her We Three Kings painting, provides generous space for jotting down your plans for the year. This 12-month agenda Planner will allow you to stay organized with monthly and weekly spreads that include Bible verses, inspirational quotes and new devotionals by Joni.
This is a perfect gift to give for all occasions and most importantly, all proceeds go to further disability ministry worldwide!
