Reflections: How God Provides Abundantly When You Are Generous
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“This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.”
2 Corinthians 9:12
As we close out season 3 of the Joni and Friends Ministry Podcast, Crystal is reflecting on the many wonderful conversations we’ve had this year and the remarkable people we’ve met along the way. So many of our guests persevered through the hardships of their disabilities and chronic conditions, sacrificing their strength to share about their lives and God’s faithfulness.
Crystal is thinking of friends like Jennifer Ji-Hye Ko who lives with tremendous pain and mental health challenges and brought a powerful reminder about lamenting to our God through seasons of grief. She’s also thinking of Heather Hart who, on the morning we recorded, had been in the ER with one of her daily migraines.
She’s reminded of Abigail Brown who used a communication board to share her testimony of God’s unseen purposes for her suffering and Stephanie Magness who shared on the podcast even though her Friedrich’s ataxia would not allow her to talk for more than about 10 minutes.
We are grateful for these friends and the many more not mentioned, for the kindness you’ve shown by sharing your hearts on this platform. Living with a disability is not easy, but each guest has reminded us that the hope of heaven, the help of other Christians, and the grace of God is sustaining. So how can we make the gospel accessible in our churches and communities? As she wraps up season 3, Crystal shares how Joni and Friends is making this possible through a modest grant program called the Christian Fund for the Disabled and a giving opportunity called the Perfect Gift.
And the best part is, you can get involved! As we give generously and strategically to meet the needs of those God is directing us to care for, the Lord will provide—that is a promise that we can hold fast to! And when we see his provision in a tangible way, it increases our faith, deepens our love for Jesus, and fills our hearts with thanksgiving.
May this season be filled with evidence of God’s hand as you continue to trust in him. Happy Thanksgiving and thank you for listening to the Joni and Friends Ministry Podcast!
Desperate for Hope: Questions We Ask God in Suffering
Vaneetha Risner joins the podcast again to talk about finding true hope in suffering. With a story that includes childhood bullying, losing an infant son, developing post-polio syndrome, and going through an unwanted divorce, Vaneetha has wrestled with God. But through her hardships, God has met Vaneetha in an unmistakable way and she has learned to trust him.