The Rasmussen Family
Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada and, boy, do we need your prayers!
Starting today, we will be holding 15 Family Retreats in the next 30 days — I can remember years ago when we thought it was a big deal to just run three or four Family Retreats, but now; decades later, just in the next four weeks Joni and Friends will be serving over 700 special-needs families, including thousands of disabled children and their siblings and volunteers. So, may I repeat… we need your prayers. Many of the moms and dads and kids who are coming do not know Jesus Christ. And we have no intention of making our camps just a fun place to do lots of cool activities. No, no, no, through the fun and fellowship we want these families to come to know Christ as their Savior. We want them to get plugged into caring churches. We want them to network with other special-needs families who have Christ at the center. It’s all about rescuing people out of depression and despair; it’s about mending marriages and building relationships, and helping people see God’s sovereign hand in their hardships. That’s a lot, so would you please pray?
I’m thinking of one family in particular, the Rasmussen’s. Over the years, mom and dad have fostered over 20 special-needs kids — they have a genuine heart to serve these kids that nobody else wants. And they’ve adopted little Jeremiah, the cutest little kid with spina bifida. He’s got a ton of medical issues, but you’d never know it from his smile. Wait to see this little boy — in fact I’ve posted on my radio page today a wonderful video highlighting the Rasmussen’s. You’ve gotta go to Joniradio.org to see this amazing family — and to get an inside look at their excitement about attending Family Retreat, because mom and dad rarely, if ever, get a break. You can see the weariness in their eyes. But the look on Jeremiah’s face as they pull up to camp in their van is priceless. In fact, little Jeremiah in the back seat yells out: “It’s Joni and Friends camp!” Oh, my goodness.
Those five days at Family Retreat, for mom and dad Rasmussen and for their children, including Jeremiah, is so refreshing and so life-restoring. At retreat, they find the strength to go on; they find the hope and help to keep putting one foot in front of the other and to keep moving forward into life. But rather than me talk about it, see it for yourself at Joniradio.org. The video will also give you an up close and personal look at exactly what Joni and Friends Family Retreat is all about.
So, join me in praying (that’s the big request today) for the Rasmussen family and hundreds of other families this coming month who will attend our Family Retreats. In fact, if you are able, just join me in your heart right now, would you, as I pray (I think it’s wonderful to think of you and all my other listening friends interceding with me), “Lord Jesus, I’m amazed at the way your Holy Spirit keeps showing up at our summer camps for families with special-needs children. But many of these families don’t know you as Lord and Savior. So please, open up their hearts and minds to the gospel. Give them saving faith. Give them a spirit of repentance when they hear the camp pastor. Bring them into the fold of your family. And connect these moms and dads with other parents who are struggling — restore hurting marriages, and lift depression and discouragement from their hearts. Glorify your holy name through the weakness which will be displayed over and over at Family Retreat. We ask all this in Jesus’ name, Amen.” Hey, friend, let me know if you prayed along. Visit my radio page today at joniradio.org and while you are there be sure to share a prayer request. If you are feeling down and wanting to find the way up, we want to pray for you. When you have a chance today drop by joniradio.org.
© Joni and Friends
