A song from a wheelchair

We were at Peacehaven this morning and spoke to many people who are wheelchair bound. We listened to their stories, shared their joys and sorrows and prayed with those who allowed or requested us to do so. The morning passed very quickly and soon it was lunch time.

Years ago I met a wonderful lady in a wheelchair. I was one of the Hong Kong delegates to the Lausanne Congress of Evangelsm held in Manila. I can never forget Joni Eareckson, a quadriplegic, paralysed from the shoulders down from a diving accident at the age of seventeen. Instead of mourning and groaning, she said this in her testimony "God has used my wheelchair to change me and make me more like Him." On another occasion she said this, "I learned long ago that God's purpose in redeeming us is not to primarily make our lives happy, healthy or free from trouble. God's purpose in redeeming us is to make us more like Jesus."

Today she is still in a wheelchair. She is married to a lovely Christian man named Ken Tada, so today she is known as Joni Eareckson Tada. They are  a lovely couple and he looks after her and supports her ministry.

Joni is a mouth artist, has written books, made recordings, talented vocalist, radio host and continues today in her wonderful ministry. If you want to know more you can google for information in the Internet.

After 43 years as a quadriplegic, she now has breast cancer, but that does not stop her in his ministry. You see when I can home from Peacehaven Nursing Home today, I have been reflecting on the scenes I saw this morning and the conversation we had with these people. I hope and pray that what I have shared with these folk would be of some help to them. I thank God for the privilege of continuing in ministry of helping people to know Christ and bringing that word of comfort to those who need it.

I love reading poetry and when I find it relaxing to just sit, read or recite poems. My mind went to a poem Joni wrote. Here it is

I have a piece of china,
  A pretty porcelain vase.
It holds such lovely flowers,
  Captures every gaze.
But fragile things do slip and fall
  As everybody knows,
And when that vase came crashing down,
  Those tears began to flow.

My life was just like china,
  A lovely thing to me.
Full of porcelain promises
  Of all that I might be.
But fragile things do slip and fall
  As everybody knows,
And when my life came crashing down,
  Those tears began to flow.

Now Jesus is no porcelain prince,
  His promises won't break.
His holy words hold fast and sure,
  His love no one can shake.
So if your life is shattered
  By sorrow pain, pain or sin,
His healing love will reach right down
  And make you whole again.

Joni's beautiful 'song in the night' speaks to us today as it did when it was first written and published. In life, things do get broken. I can recall the many times, when my own heart was broken but thank God I bring those broken pieces to my Lord and Saviour for He heals and mends the broken heart.