Rejoicing in 10,000 Messages
Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada and today the celebration has reached a peak!
Yep, all week long we’ve been thanking God and blessing him and praising him for bringing me to this amazing milestone. ’Cause today, I have reached it. Right now, even as I speak, I am recording the 10,000th – count it – 10,000 “Joni and Friends” radio programs. Never, ever did I believe I would make it this far. Thirty-eight years ago when I parked my wheelchair in front of this microphone – well, not this one, but you know what I mean – never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be strong enough – no, no, no, I take that back – never did I think I’d live long enough.
So, okay, I did the math yesterday. And a 4-minute program times 10,000? That’s 40,000 minutes and when you divide that into hours, you get – and you will never believe this – my calculator showed 666 hours of talking up God and his Word in my wheelchair. But please do not email me about the anti-Christ, okay? It is just pure, simple math, and I’ve enjoyed every minute of those 666 hours sharing all that God has taught me these many years in my wheelchair. What an honor, what a blessing, how humbling it has been. I mean, every time I’ve shared this daily broadcast, I’m so keenly aware of the privilege. Years ago, God gave me a gift to communicate his encouragement, and I just so love using my gift to serve and help others through my story. And my motto? 1 Peter 4:11–12 says, “As good stewards… each of you should use whatever gift he has received to serve one another. If anyone speaks, he should speak as though conveying the words of God.” Wow! That alone should humble any Christian who speaks over the radio.
So, what exactly is it I want to say on this 10,000th program? This amazing milestone? Well, I will speak as though one conveying the words of God. Because God has not kept me alive as a quadriplegic these many years to make light of this opportunity. So, if I were to boil it all down, just get to the basics – I would implore you, each of you listeners: make much of Jesus Christ. Make him the center of everything. And show it by not complaining at the hardships he brings your way. “In everything give thanks,” it says in 1 Thessalonians chapter 5. And that means everything, says the lady in the wheelchair. Jesus loved you enough to die for you, and that means he’s utterly trustworthy when it comes to life challenges. So, look to every affliction as a wonderful opportunity to show your neighbors and your family and friends; show the Spirit world; the angels and demons – view every affliction as a chance to prove your trust and confidence in Christ. Oh, friend, the cosmic stakes are too high for you to cave into despair or collapse in discouragement. The reputation of Jesus himself is at stake in the way you respond to your problems. Now as never before, please make good on your claim to follow Christ by giving thanks, being content, showing patience, remaining prayerful, and best of all, praising your Lord and Savior. His reasons for allowing your painful hardships are always wise, specific and good.
Oh, friend, this is the message worthy of my 10,000th radio program; this is a 1 Peter chapter 4 message; this is my speaking as though I were conveying the words of God. So, celebrate the milestone with me. Let me hear from you if you’ve been blessed by my messages. Because for the 10,000th time, I love sharing hope through every hardship.
© Joni and Friends
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