Thus Far The Lord Has Helped Me
Today, I’m saying a nostalgic goodbye to October.
Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada and, boy, this was quite the month! October 15th was my birthday, and as you know I’m officially in my 70s. I’ve been celebrating this amazing milestone all month long. I enjoyed more than a few birthday cakes. But, for me, the highlight was – well, I look back and I call it my Ebenezer hike. You see, I asked a bunch of my girlfriends to go on a hike to help me raise an Ebenezer. That word Ebenezer literally means “a stone of help,” or “a stone memorial.” I Samuel 7:12 describes how, after a miraculous victory over the Philistines, Samuel the prophet built a memorial of that victory with a pile of stones. After he raised it, he stepped back and inasmuch said, let this pile of stones be a visible sign that “thus far, the Lord has helped us,” and we’ve got every confidence He’s gonna help us in the future! I’ve always loved that story, and so when I thought about marking my milestone birthday, I decided to raise an Ebenezer, too. So, I asked my friends – these are the girls who get me up in the morning and help Ken put me to bed at night – I invited these friends to go with Ken Tada and me on a birthday hike. I asked each one to bring a small rock or a stone. “Write your favorite scripture on it,” I told the girls. “Because you are going to help me raise an Ebenezer.”
We met on a Saturday morning near the Santa Monica Mountains State Park down the road from Joni and Friends headquarters. It was a beautiful morning, and the accessible trail was clear all the way to the top of the ridge. As we walked, we sang praise songs and hymns. Didn’t take long to reach the ridge where, in the distance, you could even see the Channel Islands in the Pacific Ocean. Behind us was the sprawling Conejo Valley; it was all so beautiful. Ken and the girls and I gathered in a small group. I looked at each one with such affection. I mean, they’re great caregivers, and I credit them for keeping me healthy. We formed a circle there at the top of the trail, and as each placed her rock on the pile, we sang that old hymn:
“Here I raise my Ebenezer;
Hither by Thy help I’ve come;
And I hope by Thy good pleasure
Safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger
Wandering from the fold of God.
He, to rescue me from danger
Interposed His precious blood.”
By the time we finished the hymn, there was my Ebenezer, my pile of stones, each with the Scripture, proclaiming, “Thus far the Lord has helped me,” and He will help me still. It was a precious moment and a great way to celebrate my milestone birthday.
You know, I hope when you reach a milestone birthday, whatever that might be, you might think to do the same. Mark each decade with a memorial proclaiming, “Thus far the Lord has helped me, and He’s gonna help me in days to come.” Hey, although tomorrow starts a new month, may I be so bold as to say, it’s not too late to donate to my birthday? So, join me in reaching more disabled people for Christ around the world. Visit joniradio.org for all the details. Oh, and what will happen to that pile of stones up there on the top of that ridge? I just bet other hikers are gonna kick those stones around, but maybe, just maybe, a few hikers will pick up the rocks, go home, and they might just look up those Scriptures. Lord willing, one day, they, too, might be able to say, “Thus far the Lord has helped me.” And one more thing, visit my radio page today at joniandfriends.org, and while you’re 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 joniandfriends.org.
© Joni and Friends
Joni’s 70th Birthday Fundraiser!
October 15th marked a big milestone for Joni. She turned 70! With every year, she is working harder to reach more people with disabilities for Christ and so, the rest of October, she is looking for more friends to donate $70 dollars each to Joni and Friends to serve more people living with disabilities worldwide!
Donate!
