Joni Eareckson Tada

My three-year-old granddaughter recently discovered a rarely opened cabinet in the basement and explored in wonder. She noticed pictures of fairy tale characters, animals, and animated objects she recognized, but when she opened the cases she found only shiny round disks.

“What are these, Nana?,” she asked with curiosity. She had no idea what a DVD was.

In our on-demand world, we hardly use them any more. The same can be said for cassette tapes. I can recall painstakingly recording my favorite songs onto cassettes for use in my car. Now, I just hit “liked songs” on an app and get the music I want instantly. I no longer own a cassette tape player and have gotten rid of all those “mix tapes.”

Those cassettes were filled with hymns, many of which I memorized by singing them repeatedly. I still love the songs they contained–songs that take me back to a time when the lyrics seemed to be written for just what I was going through. Somehow, they seem to apply to my situation today as well.

Hymns have an enduring quality that lift my eyes to see that Christ is as near to me today as He has been in the past. I love how current artists are recording hymns, sometimes with an added chorus or different tune, but still containing those timeless truths.

We could make a game of it, couldn’t we? “Name that Hymn” could provide just a line or two of a lyric and the contestant would have to name the hymn it came from. Try it now (answers below):

  1. “The waves and wind still know his voice who ruled them while he dwelt below”
  2. “I am finding out the greatness of thy loving heart”
  3. “’Tis an ocean full of blessing, ’tis a haven giving rest!”
  4. “And as He stands in victory sin’s curse has lost its grip on me”

Perhaps you have tunes running through your mind after reading just a line of the song. And often it’s linked to a memory of how that song met you and lifted your drooping head or hands.

In Songs of Suffering: 25 Hymns and Devotions for Weary Soul by Joni Eareckson Tada, Keith and Kristyn Getty write:

“Throughout the Bible and throughout the history of good hymnody, we see that the songs and singing of the church are essential to all of life. They are the sound of our future. They gather in and they send out. They search the soul and they lift up. They teach the word and shape our prayers. They give courage to fight and guide toward green pastures for rest. They are deep wells and high mountaintops. They are a place to bring our children.”

Psalm 96:2 also says, “Sing to the Lord, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day” (ESV, emphasis mine). These hymns can help us wade through the trenches of this life and press on with faithfulness until we reach the end.

It is no coincidence that Jesus found refuge in Psalms—Israel’s hymnbook—even as He suffered on the cross. How do we know that? He quoted from the Psalter as He was taking His last breaths. “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me” is from Psalm 22. “Into your hand I commit my spirit” is from Psalm 31.

As Jesus quoted a line from these hymns, we can imagine how it brought to mind the rest of the psalm both to Himself and all those watching His passion. Psalm 31 says,

In you, O Lord, do I take refuge;
    let me never be put to shame;
    in your righteousness deliver me!
Incline your ear to me;
    rescue me speedily!
Be a rock of refuge for me,
    a strong fortress to save me!

For you are my rock and my fortress;
    and for your name’s sake you lead me and guide me;
you take me out of the net they have hidden for me,
    for you are my refuge.

Into your hand I commit my spirit;
    you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.

We can picture Jesus’s bloodied body and strained breathing as He prayed these hymns and took refuge in the Father while He was laying down His life for His people.

How can we follow in Christ’s example, entrusting ourselves to the Father’s care? Even in the face of great affliction or adversity we can sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs (Eph. 5:19)!

Joni Eareckson Tada is known for singing hymns. On Haven Today this week, she is featured singing, “Jesus, I am Resting, Resting,” with the Haven Quartet. The recording was made several years ago, and though her voice is not as strong today, her confidence in “the greatness of God’s loving heart” has not dimmed.

In her recent book Songs of Suffering, Joni writes of the strength and hope she has found in singing hymns as she has lived with quadriplegia for more than half a century.

“The song must possess enough spiritual muscle to barge into my soul and shake awake a hopeful response. It must be a hymn whose lyrics raise me onto a different plane spiritually; it must summon in me the emotional wherewithal to remember my situation in life so that I can rise above my circumstances. A well-crafted song of suffering–filled with truths about life and God–has the power to do that. It grinds biblical truth into our souls, like a pestle grinding powder in a crucible.”

I hope you will enjoy hearing hymns sung by the Haven Quartet and learning about some of the stories related to those hymns this week on Haven Today. It might feel like pulling out a mix tape of old favorites, or they may be completely new to you. For all of us, I hope they lift our hearts and cause our mouths to overflow in song, “Give thanks to the Lord, for his steadfast love endures forever” (Ps. 118:1). And no surprise–we will be singing songs of praise to God in heaven (Rev. 4:8-11, 5:9-14: 7:10-12; 11:15-18; 12:10-12; 15:3-4; 16:5-7; 19:5-8)!!

Answers:
1. Be Still My Soul
2. Jesus, I am Resting, Resting
3. O, The Deep, Deep Love of Jesus
4. In Christ Alone

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kate Sunday has been a pastor’s wife and women’s Bible study leader in the western suburbs of Chicago for over thirty years. Her husband, David, is a teaching pastor at New Covenant Bible Church and President of WordPartners. She has three adult children (two are married and her youngest is getting married this month) and one sweet granddaughter. Kate is currently a student at Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon, working on a Master of Arts in Ministry and Leadership.

All About Jesus Hymns (CD)

A good hymn has the power to catch your ear, warm your heart, and fill your soul with truths about God and His Word. Haven’s 90th anniversary album All About Jesus Hymns seeks to inspire this through foundational anthems of the Christian faith, including “Softly & Tenderly,” “How Great Thou Art,” “I Surrender All,” and more.

Allow the familiar voices of Steve Ragsdale, Paul Sandberg, Truitt Ford, and other vocalists through the years to lead you to Jesus in a deeply personal way. This hand-selected collection brings together 20 of the Haven Quartet’s greatest recordings in a new 90th anniversary album that includes a commemorative booklet on Haven’s rich legacy from 1934 to the present day.

This commemorative album includes an accompanying booklet featuring the rich history of Haven Ministries! Go back in time with photos of First Mate Bob, the Haven Quartet, Charles Morris, and more.

Did you know that Haven Ministries is celebrating 90 incredible years of ministry?

If you missed our live 90th anniversary celebration, no worries! You can catch all the highlights and heartwarming moments in the video below. Be encouraged as David Wollen, Charles Morris, Joni Eareckson Tada, and more reflect on Haven’s rich history of sharing the gospel for 90 years … and counting!

All About Jesus Hymns (CD)

A good hymn has the power to catch your ear, warm your heart, and fill your soul with truths about God and His Word. Haven’s 90th anniversary album All About Jesus Hymns seeks to inspire this through foundational anthems of the Christian faith, including “Softly & Tenderly,” “How Great Thou Art,” “I Surrender All,” and more.

Allow the familiar voices of Steve Ragsdale, Paul Sandberg, Truitt Ford, and other vocalists through the years to lead you to Jesus in a deeply personal way. This hand-selected collection brings together 20 of the Haven Quartet’s greatest recordings in a new 90th anniversary album that includes a commemorative booklet on Haven’s rich legacy from 1934 to the present day.

This commemorative album includes an accompanying booklet featuring the rich history of Haven Ministries! Go back in time with photos of First Mate Bob, the Haven Quartet, Charles Morris, and more.

Where is Jesus when you need Him most? Whether it’s a chronic condition or a tragic accident, even believers find themselves ill-equipped to handle the myriad of afflictions that often catch us by surprise. That’s why it’s so important to learn now from those who have come before us, people like Joni Eareckson Tada who discovered just how essential it is to practice daily closeness with Christ.

“Suffering has a way of heaving you beyond the shallows of life where your faith tends to feel ankle-deep. It casts you out into the fathomless depths of God, a place where Jesus is the only One who can touch bottom.” —Joni Eareckson Tada, The Practice of the Presence of Jesus

In this conversation with Charles Morris and David Wollen, Joni discusses the many ways she experiences the presence of Jesus in her own daily life—even when overwhelmed with pain and fatigue. Whatever you may be going through right now, we pray this conversation will help you discover new ways to experience Christ daily, even when He seems far away.

More from Joni Eareckson Tada

You can also find the podcast on …

If you liked what you heard, please write a review and help new listeners discover the show!

Sign up for the Great Stories Podcast newsletter to get a weekly update on new episodes each Wednesday. 

What does it mean to practice the presence of God? Rather than relying on “cafeteria-style spirituality,” Joni Eareckson Tada reminds us that God shares His joy on His terms—and His terms call for us to, in some measure, suffer like Jesus.

In fact, Joni goes on to describe how Christians too often want to numb or run away from pain and discomfort. But if we want to get to know this “man of sorrows,” God wants us to feel our own afflictions deeply.

Listen in to the full Haven Today radio series featuring Joni’s full interview to hear more about practicing the presence of Jesus.

The Practice of the Presence of Jesus by Joni Eareckson Tada

Daily Meditations on the Nearness of Our Savior

Discover the joy of intentionally dwelling in the presence of God as Joni Eareckson Tada weaves contemporary insights with the timeless wisdom of seventeenth-century monk Brother Lawrence.

“Suffering has a way of heaving you beyond the shallows of life where your faith feels ankle-deep. It casts you out into the fathomless depths of God.” — Joni, from the Introduction

The Practice of the Presence of Jesus ushers in wisdom from two everyday saints—Joni and Brother Lawrence—to teach and inspire you to experience the nearness of God in your life. Through rich devotional content from Brother Lawrence’s The Practice of the Presence of God, accompanied by original art and never-before-published insights from Joni, you’ll experience a unique blend of past and present wisdom on such themes as humility, thankfulness, fear, worship, obedience, and more. Each devotion ushers you into the peace of the Good Shepherd.

It’s not something I talk about often, but having had polio affects my life every single day — especially since post-polio symptoms have increased as I grow older.

I don’t remember catching the virus at 18 months. It was the early fifties. Polio was at its height, running rampant, killing or paralyzing people for the rest of their lives. The Salk Vaccine — the first major step to eradicating polio — came out just one year after I contracted it.

Thankfully our Seventh-day Adventist physician in a small Kansas town insisted my parents drive me to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Wichita. It was there that I received the life-saving treatment invented by Australian nurse Sister Kenny, where hot moist towels were wrapped around my body multiple times a day.

While this didn’t rid me of all of the effects, it remarkably relieved the outward symptoms. It probably saved me from living a shortened life in an iron lung.

So as far back as I can remember, I’ve had to live with a disability.

Weakness on one side, fatigue all around. While other kids could go run and play, I had to spend six or seven summers of my childhood in the hospital for orthopedic surgery. I spent weeks at a time on crutches with a cast either over my effected leg or even my good leg.

Decades later, the illness I had hoped would only torment my younger years returned, and now I have what doctors call post-polio.

When I read about the reemergence of polio in America today, I shudder to think of what some people are going to have to go through, as I did. Two biblical instances speak loudly in my ear, even to this day. Paul was given his thorn in the side, and Jacob lived with the lifelong limp the Lord gave him after his famous wrestling match in Genesis. Just like Paul, I have prayed for God to heal me, but my disability has been what he used to draw me closer to him.

On a practical level, I am reminded every day of my weakness, but I am also reminded that the Lord is strong. And it is out of his strength that he gives me the grace I now experience in abundance — something I can share with others.

All last week, Joni Eareckson Tada has joined me on the program. From a wheel chair, paralyzed from the neck down, she’s outlived so most other quadriplegics. And yet every day she turns her face toward heaven and looks to where her strength comes from. That bolsters my own faith and gives me the impetus to do the same thing.

Joni’s new hardback book Songs of Suffering has also become a resource that helps readers seek refuge in the Lord — even in the midst of hardship — and rejoice in his goodness.

We all have troubles as Christians, yet God’s Word promises that if we just keep looking to Jesus, he will lead us through it all into his glory when we finally see our savior face-to-face. That’s a hope I hang tightly to in my own daily struggles, and I know that’s the case for Joni as well.

But before I sign off, I also want to remind you that Haven has a team of prayer warriors standing by to take your requests for prayer. Whatever may be happening in your life right now, you can always follow this link and let our team know how we can pray for you.

About the Author

As the leader of Haven Ministries, Charles Morris is always thinking of ways to lead Christians and non-Christians to Christ—hence the familiar slogan, “Telling the great story … it’s all about Jesus.” Charles is a former secular journalist, who has worked for United Press International, and as a press secretary for two former U.S. senators. He began working in the Christian world after seminary, coming to Haven as the fourth speaker in 2000. He and his wife, Janet, have written several books, including Fleeing ISIS, Finding Jesus.

Songs of Suffering: 25 Hymns and Devotions for Weary Souls

As an author, speaker, and advocate for people with disabilities, Joni Eareckson Tada has inspired people around the world with her story of faith in the midst of suffering. In this beautiful collection of hymns and devotions she acts as a “song leader,” guiding readers through their own painful seasons with heartfelt praises to God.

Songs of Suffering includes 25 hymns with accompanying devotions and photography designed to spark hope in hardship. Opening with a special message from hymn writers Keith and Kristyn Getty, this book is a source of comfort for anyone who needs biblical encouragement, prompting readers to seek refuge in the Lord and rejoice in his goodness.

There’s something about music that powerfully connects our minds with our hearts. Few people know this as intimately as Joni Eareckson Tada, who became a quadriplegic after a diving accident 55 years ago. She has also battled stage 3 cancer, pulmonary hypertension, and chronic pain. In the moments when it becomes too painful to even string two words together to form a prayer, Joni says that hymns are often her most dependable source of comfort that leads to Jesus.

In this conversation with Charles Morris, Joni discusses how hymns have been a constant companion in her relationship with Jesus. Even in her darkest moments, these “songs of suffering” are what the Lord uses to comfort her, guide her, and give her hope.

Whatever is going on in your life today, we pray this musical and encouraging conversation with Joni Eareckson Tada will help you discover new ways to rejoice in Christ’s peace and goodness, even during your own painful seasons in life.

More From Joni Eareckson Tada

You can also find the podcast on …

If you liked what you heard, please write a review and help new listeners discover the show!

Sign up for the Great Stories Podcast newsletter to get a weekly update on new episodes each Wednesday. 

Have you ever seen yourself in a funhouse mirror? In one mirror you’re half your height and doubly wide. In another you’re stretched out. The reflection is not reality, but it teaches us something about how we view the world and disability.

Our world is kind of like a funhouse mirror. Creation—including you and me—was designed to glorify God, to reflect His character and His priorities. But our “mirrors” are warped or cracked. The world, as Paul says, is sin-tainted and broken.

That brokenness extends all the way down to our DNA. Often disability starts there. “Disability is not an abnormal part of life in a normal world, nor is it a normal part of life in a normal world; it is a normal part of life in an abnormal world” (Stephanie Hubach, 2006).

We shouldn’t be surprised by disability. It’s part of the human experience. But how do Christians of varying abilities engage our disabled children, siblings, or friends with the gospel? It starts by viewing everyone as children of God.

Disability Hits Close to Home

Our son spent the first 100 days of his life in the neonatal ICU, and the medical team was forthright with us, saying he’d likely never walk, talk, or see. Still we held that tiny, tiny baby in our hands and knew there was nothing lacking, nothing less than desirable in him, nothing that reduced our love for him. He was indeed fearfully and wonderfully made, in the very image of God.

From the moment our son drew breath, he had a disability. But what does that even mean?

The prefix “dis” usually suggests something is lacking, less than desirable, needing to be fixed. So the word disability often carries negative connotations. But how does God view disability? How are we as followers of Jesus to view disability? How do you view the people around you impacted by disability?

When I interact with my friends who use a wheelchair to move around, who cannot hear sounds or see well, who struggle daily with pain, who seem unable to communicate at all, I am seeing individuals made in the image of God.

Is this perfection? Holiness? No, but I know full well that every part of us is distinctly, wonderfully made. Whatever our inabilities or abilities, the Lord has designed us perfectly for His plans in this world.

Disability and the Gospel

As our son grew older, he would have to discover this for himself.

A hard day in parenting a child with disabilities is the day the child realizes he is different from other kids. For us, this began a repeating drama which centered on our son tearfully asking us why God made him this way.

“His disciples asked him, ‘Who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ ‘Neither, …’ said Jesus, ‘but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.’” John 9:2-3

In this short passage we see that Jewish culture affirmed that the blind man was made in the image of God. But it also believed his disability was a curse from God for sin, either that of his parents or of his own.

Some Christians around the world still hold this perception today. The truth is, we may not be able to fathom what the Lord is doing in our lives. But we know that whatever our disabilities and imperfections, we have a Savior who not only sees our worth but also conquered sin and death to make us holy and righteous in His sight.

God delights to transform us to be holy as He is holy. This comes through faith in Jesus. When you trust in Him, you believe He is with not only your mouth, but with you for all eternity.

“In every situation and every circumstance of your life, God is always doing a thousand different things that you cannot see and you do not know.” John Piper

The Many Forms of Disability

In Scripture, we read about those who are lame, those who can’t speak, those who are deaf, and those who are blind. We read about those with chronic illness and behavioral challenges. These are reflective of what we know in our world today, too.

When we consider disability, we may think of the visible forms it takes (as with someone who uses a wheelchair or someone with Down syndrome). There are also less visible disabilities such as sensory processing disorder, traumatic brain injury, or fetal alcohol syndrome. Often with aging will come other kinds of disability like dementia, vision loss, and chronic pain. The “temporarily able bodied” begin to realize that if we live long enough, disability will arrive in our own lives. When we comprehend how wide-ranging it is, our fear of disability lessens and our compassion expands.

Disability is everywhere, but the brokenness of the world won’t last forever. God has compassion on those with disabilities, and that is good news for all of us.

How Churches Can Engage

Have you ever worked on a puzzle and in frustration thought, there must be a missing piece? In our house, this usually results in a family member walking by the puzzle and randomly, easily finding the piece thought to be lost. If even the one piece were truly gone, the puzzle would feel incomplete. A church without members who have disabilities is as incomplete as a puzzle missing a piece.

According to the Center for Disease Control, one in four Americans has a disability. Yet few churches reflect that mix. Sometimes we may not know if church members are impacted by disability. We must ask, are we intentional about reaching out to, adapting our teaching for, and enfolding those around us whose lives clearly are impacted by disability? As we have been observing, God has a heart for disability ministry and the disabled. But do we?

If we don’t, we’ll never know how incomplete we are. As we welcome these families into our fellowship, we see the richness they add to our church communities and soon will find it difficult to imagine life any other way.

I know families who have struggled to be a part of “regular life” activities, but caring for their loved one with disabilities makes it hard to do so. Often it’s just easier to pass on going to restaurants, sporting events, parties, church services, etc. The effort it takes to mount up an outing doesn’t feel worth it. They begin to settle for going it alone and withdrawing from the community.

When our son was younger, the exhaustion of trying to manage him in public settings pushed us in that direction, too.

Praise God for loving friends and family members who keep inviting, keep reaching out, keep dragging us along! And especially praise God for His Word which instructs us of the truth that we were made to be in community. He warmly welcomes us all into life and especially into the church.

What You Can Do

If you want to engage disability with the gospel, you can simply start by reaching out, showing up, and making a place for people of all abilities to find love and community with God’s people.

Though all of our abilities differ, we need each other to be the complete community He has called us to be. He sees each person impacted by disability as critical to the body of believers. After all …

“Missing pieces do more than complete the puzzle; they fill in an empty space.” (unknown)

More Resources

  • This article is adapted by this month’s Anchor Devotional by Kevin Daane. To follow along for the rest of the month or start from the beginning, you can click here to find the digital edition for August 2022.
  • Follow this link to start getting Anchor Devotional in your mailbox.
  • This week on Haven Today, Charles Morris is joined by Joni Eareckson Tada to talk about the hymns that have brought them through their greatest trials. Click here to listen.
  • Get a copy of Joni Eareckson Tada’s incredible new book Songs of Suffering: 25 Hymns and Devotions for Weary Souls.

About the Author

After 18 years as a pastor and counselor, Kevin Daane is now the director of ministry engagement for Engaging Disability With The Gospel, an organization which helps churches enfold our friends with exceptional needs into the body of Christ. His wife Kathy is the editor of Anchor. In 35 years of marriage, they’ve learned much and have been humbled often, especially through parenting their son with exceptional needs. Kevin enjoys biking, hiking, a good cup of coffee, and spending time with family, particularly their new grandchild, a baby girl. What gives him the greatest joy, however, is pointing people to Jesus.