What does it mean to carry your cross?

Joni & Friends: I have looked at my wheelchair as my cross to bear, but is it? What exactly isthe cross I am to take up daily? What about you? Is your cross your arthritis, a dead end job? Is your cross to bear an unhappy marriage, or recurring headaches? Are these the things the Lord had in mind when He told us to take up our cross daily and follow Him?

Well, I think the answer to that question can be found in the cross of Christ, because when He took up His cross, He was taking on the sins of the world; He was bearing our transgressions; He was willing to be nailed to the cross and die for our sins. And friend, that right there helps shape our view on what it should mean to take up our cross daily. It basically means to die to the sins that Jesus died for on His cross. In other words, my cross to bear is not my wheelchair, it’s my rotten attitude about my wheelchair; it’s the fear and the anxiety, the anger I sometimes have when everything about my disability seems to go wrong at once. It’s the occasional doubts I have about God being in control. These are the things I must die to, because these are the sins Christ died for. So when I take up my cross daily, I purpose to be like Jesus. I want to die to sin and live for God.

The Weaker Parts

The Weaker Parts | Dr. Georgia Purdom's Blog: Paul says, “Those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable” (1 Corinthians 12:22). Think about that in relation to those with disabilities: those we consider “weak” are indispensable in the body of Christ. Paul, an amazingly intelligent and gifted man, considered those who are “weak” to be indispensable. Not just “a good part of the body that we’re happy to have along,” but indispensable. Meaning the Body of Christ can’t function without them.

Video: The Sanctity of Life of Those With Disabilities

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Biblical perspective on death

When her mother died, Georgia Purdom's whole world fell apart. "I cried, screamed, and shook my fist at God. It seemed so unfair, and I couldn’t understand why God would do this to me." She asked the question that many Christians do at times like this, “How do you explain death and suffering in a world where an all-powerful, loving, and just God exists?” She goes on:

I found the answer several years later when I really understood for the first time that death is man’s fault, not God’s. God made the world “very good” (Genesis 1:31—meaning no death, disease and suffering). There was only one thing Adam and Eve had to do to keep it that way—obey God by not eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:16–17). Adam and Eve disobeyed God and the punishment for Adam’s sin was death, not just to man (Romans 5:12) but to all of creation (Romans 8:22). Scripture says that “in Adam all die” (1 Corinthians 15:22), so the answer to my question was, “You explain it with sin: Adam’s sin and our personal sin.”

Jesus and the disabled

Joni Eareckson Tada, in ECFA's Focus on Nonprofit Accountability, 2012 2nd quarter, page 1: "The greatest leader Who ever lived loved hanging around with weak people. He went out of His way to connect with the blind and the lame. He avoided the movers-and-shakers of His day and, instead, poured His energy into the ill-equipped and unskilled."

Enjoy every moment

Stephanie Christian Garcia posted this card on Facebook, and wrote, "When Grandmom came home from the hospital and the unknowns of caring for her seemed daunting, my mother printed and framed this quote. It hung at the entrance to Grandmom's rooms as a touching reminder each time we passed through the door. I am so thankful for the moments we were given."

Postmodernism and Disability?

Joni & Friends: Everyone seems to be talking about the dangers of postmodern thought and its influence on our world, but how is it impacting special-needs families? What difference does it make to a person with a disability? Your elderly parent with Alzheimer's? Or your granddaughter born with multiple disabilities? Listen in on Joni Eareckson Tada's perspective on this special interview recently aired on Chuck Colson's Breakpoint.

When we think of the pro life movement, abortion is usually the first topic that comes to mind. But people with disabilities are also targets of an increasingly utilitarian society that's turned its back on biblical truth. During this half-hour interview, BreakPoint welcomes a tireless and brilliant defender of disability dignity, Joni Eareckson Tada, the recipient of this year's William Wilberforce Award.

Book review (+ free offer!): Miracle for Jen

Miracle for Jen, by Linda Barrick with John Perry (Tyndale House) is the account of the fateful accident and subsequent recovery of a young woman who is extraordinary. You could sum it up by saying, "Jen Barrick was a teenager when her life turned upside down through a horrible brain injury." Or you could say, "Jen Barrick was a teenager when God answered her prayers."

It all depends on your perspective, and Jen prefers the latter. Her story must be read to be believed, but ultimately it's not hard to believe.



How could multiple skull fractures resulting in damage to every part of her brain be an answer to prayer? It is if your prayer was for greater intimacy with God and impact for Him.

It's impossible to say how the injury affected her relationship with God, but her mother Linda and other observers documented how, upon coming out of her coma, Jen clearly and cogently expressed herself in prayer and praise to God, as though He was in the room with her. And that ability continues to this day.

Communication with family and friends came less smoothly. In fact, Jen struggled to vocalize her thoughts as severe memory loss hampered her recovery for several months. Yet Bible verses and hymn lyrics would flow effortlessly from her mouth, some that her mother didn't know she had memorized prior to the accident.

While Jen delighted in this new-found freedom, Linda grieved over her daughter's lost capacities. Would she ever go back to school? Would she return to cheerleading or singing in the choir? Would she graduate and have a normal life? Making those old hopes and plans reality seemed impossible. God could heal her, but would He? Would the old Jen return?

Linda began to accept a new reality when she read Jen's prayer journals. What started as an attempt to reconnect with the "old" Jen became a means of embracing the new one. Four months before the crash, she had written,

God, I want You to be my everything. Continue to grow my faith and allow me to know You like never before!

Four days before:

We all want the testimony, but we'd rather skip the test that give us one.

Jen has had quite a testimony since her accident, sharing with groups small and large the miracle of knowing God. This book does not candy-coat the daily struggles along the way, or pretend that one answered prayer alleviates all doubts. Linda writes:

To help me survive the long, hard days I began telling myself over and over that this life on earth is only a dot on the timeline of history, leading to God's eternity where we will experience unparalleled joy. Off and on I'd repeat that truth out loud, so Jen nicknamed me Polka Dot, evidence of one of her first short-term memory triumphs. Every time she called me Polka Dot, it reminded all of us that this difficult and challenging life is a moment in time anticipating life in heaven, with no pain or sorrow, just ahead.

Tucking Jen in bed at night became a family ritual. . . . I often prayed, "Lord, please connect a new pathway in Jen's brain tonight." 

When it was Jen's turn to pray, she was always full of thanksgiving and praise. One night, she astounded us all when she prayed, "Lord, did I meet all of Your expectations today? Did I fulfill all that You had for me to do?"

Wow! It had never crossed my mind to pray a prayer like that. I'd been so busy begging God for healing and help that I had forgotten that this life is not about me or my family's comfort; it is about God and His plan. Jen had a completely different perspective from the rest of us. She knew that God had left her on this earth for a reason. He had things for her to do!

I also appreciate that this book highlights the ministry of caregivers -- their necessity and vital importance. Because Jen wasn't the only one injured in the accident -- both Linda and Jen's dad Andy were severely injured as well -- friends and family members had to step in to provide round-the-clock assistance. Members of Thomas Road Baptist Church in Lynchburg, VA (yes, that one), were not only relied upon for meals and visits, but for long-term personal care.

Win a copy!
This book would make a great gift for caregivers and is an all-around inspiring memoir for church library shelves. In fact, be the first to email me your name and address and I'll send you a certificate for a free copy!

TyndaleHouse Publishers provided me with a complimentary copy of this book.

How to Write a Good Sympathy Card

How to Write a Good Sympathy Card | Counseling One Another: "Since my mother’s death, two years ago this past Saturday, I have radically altered the way I write in sympathy cards. I now know more fully the pain that death brings into our lives and, having received so many impacting words of comfort from others, am convinced I will never write in a card the same way I did before."

Related:

• How to be a miserable comforter
• The comforting power of quiet presence

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Joy on God's terms

Joni and Friends: Jesus is joy spilling over onto earth. The Savior is “joy-incarnate” splashing over heaven’s walls. Jesus swims in elation, and … He is driven to share that joy with us. I mean, He’s driven. Why? Jesus explains in John 15:11, “so that My joy may be in you.” Wow! Jesus has a goal and it’s to make His joy complete and mature in you. He wants you to be happy, to be glad, to be full of His joy. I mean, isn’t that great?!

Can it be? Could God really be that generous? Is He really heaven-bent on seeing us full of joy? Yes, He is, but there is a small catch. God only shares His joy on his terms, and those terms call for you and me to, in some measure, suffer as His beloved Son did while on earth. We may not understand His reasons, but we are insane to fight Him on this. He is in ecstasy beyond words. And it is worth anything to be his friend. . . . We can’t have the crown if we do not first bear the cross.

And that is why I'm so happy. If the reasons for my cross weren’t clear; if I didn’t understand God's goal for my sufferings; if I saw no purpose in the heartaches or hardships, then I would have every reason to be sad, but God has told me in His Word that there is a goal; there are reasons; there is a purpose. Because when I endure suffering without complaining, then and only then does God pour out His joy. The joy of the Lord…[is] a joy like nothing earth has to offer. God's joy is rock-solid and down deep, it’s constant and never fluctuating, it is powerful and strong enough to sustain me through anything. It doesn’t depend on circumstances, but my joy is “in the Lord” as scripture says time and again.

Weak and Loved

Weak and Loved: It was a time of abundant, noisy blessings for Emily Cook. Five children, age 5 and younger, energetically consumed her food, her time, and her heart. Then, in the fall of 2008, this loud and happy life was shattered by a deafening silence. Bouncy four-year-old Aggie was stopped in her tracks by a seizure--It was to be the first of many.

This story includes no clichés or easy answers, and it is not an attempt to answer complicated questions of human suffering. Rather, it is a demonstration of God's faithfulness toward one sick child and her imperfect mother: both weak, but both loved. Aggie had a brain tumor that disrupted her young life; her mother’s sin and selfishness disrupted her best attempts to care for her. Written from the perspective of a mother who suffers with her child, Weak and Loved allows readers to experience the struggles of faith and encouragement of God. Readers will enter the difficult, earthy, and sometimes humorous world of a sick child, and be pleased to find the beauty of God's love in Christ even there.

Follow Emily's blog

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Joni: Lessons from cancer

"Never should we think we suffer for nothing, suffer alone."

Religious, Spiritual Support Benefits Men and Women Facing Chronic Illness

MU News Bureau | MU News Bureau: Individuals who practice religion and spirituality report better physical and mental health than those who do not. To better understand this relationship and how spirituality/religion can be used for coping with significant health issues, University of Missouri researchers are examining what aspects of religion are most beneficial and for what populations. Now, MU health psychology researchers have found that religious and spiritual support improves health outcomes for both men and women who face chronic health conditions.

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Ed's Story: It Ain't Over

Ten years ago doctor's diagnosed Ed Dobson with ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease) and gave him 2-5 years to live, most of which he was told would be in a disabled state. Dobson's journey since then has been one of remembering that life isn't over until it's over and sincerely thanking God for every new morning. Parable

Calvary Care Home dedicated October 2nd!

Missionary Kyle Farran reports: 

"Last week marked an exciting landmark for Calvary Care Home in Richards Bay, South Africa. On October 2nd Calvary Baptist Church held a special dedication service, committing the work to the Lord and thanking Him for His provision. The building is now complete; all that remains are some finishing touches (installing mirrors & paper towel holders, altering curtains and donated sheets, etc.) Patti Buvia arrived from the States on September 22nd to help us during the first year the Care Home is open.

"We have also hired four caregivers who Heather [Farran] will start training next week. One of the caregivers is pastor Clement’s wife. Needless to say, we are thrilled to have her be a part of the ministry. Thank you for praying as we searched for the right workers for Calvary Care Home. All of the caregivers have come by personal referrals and we are so grateful for who God has brought us. Lord willing, we hope to begin taking our first patients at the end of October! Truly, God 'is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think' (Eph. 3:20)." Learn more

‘Few and Evil’

WORLDmag.com | ‘Few and Evil’: "My husband didn’t say much in the weeks that he was dying, which lent a kind of solemnity to each handpicked word. One day all he said to me was 'Life’s not much.' He did not explain, and I did not feel inclined to ask for an explanation. Nor did I feel the need to correct his theology, nor to call him ungrateful. I think he was resonating to the same minor chord that Jacob was, this peculiar lucidity of those who see the measure of their lifespan at a glance and realize how paltry was its ambitions, how finite were the number of its loves and hates."

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Personal Faith, Not Positive Thinking, Is Key for TBI Victims

Personal Faith, Not Positive Thinking, Is Key for TBI Victims, Suggests Study, Christian News: A sense of meaning and purpose in life (existential well-being) was not a “unique predictor” for any outcome. However, “a sense of connection to a higher power” (religious well-being) was, in fact, a unique predictor for life satisfaction, distress and functional ability. In other words, it does not help to have a positive outlook alone. Personal faith in God is apparently the key.

Related:
Traumatic brain injury doubles risk of later dementia
Traumatic brain injury effects 'long lasting
Brain injury survivor has a new life mission

Get to Know: Dare 2 Share

God created us to be with Him. (Genesis 1-2)
Our sins separate us from God. (Genesis 3)
Sins cannot be removed by good deeds. (Genesis 4 - Malachi 4)
Paying the price for sin, Jesus died and rose again. (Matthew - Luke)
Everyone who trusts in Him alone has eternal life. (John)
Life with Jesus starts now and lasts forever. (Acts - Revelation)

Sharing the gospel with someone else is like taking them on a journey with six stops along the way. The evangelist becomes a guide of sorts who brings their fellow sojourners to six stops along the way to pause and ponder the landscape of the story of the Bible, the gospel message. Dare2Share

Giving comfort to hurting people

“Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn” (Romans 12:15). We tend to do better at rejoicing. Because we don’t like to feel pain, we tend to ignore others’ pain. But they need us to become the arms of Christ to them If we’re not there for them, who will be? Eternal Perspectives Ministries, page 5

Editor: Don't miss the list of helpful books and resources for grieving people that accompanies this article.

May/June prayer calendar now available!

Download our May/June prayer calendar and join us in praying for pro-life ministries around the world -- including LIFT groups!

Does God whisper?

The notion that each Christian can receive personal revelation from the Almighty was novel in times past. Nowadays, though, listening to Christians talk about it, the experience appears to be ubiquitous. Virtually everyone seems to be “hearing from God” in some fashion these days—pastors, writers, worship leaders, even the regular folks at our weekly Bible studies—so the basic idea must be right.

But is it? Must I “hear the voice of God” in order to know what He wants from me, as the author above suggested? Is this what Jesus meant by, “My sheep hear My voice,” or what Paul meant by being “led by the Spirit”? And what if I hear nothing but silence when I listen? Does this say something about my spiritual well-being? Am I living a substandard Christian life if I don’t have a hot-line to God? Addressing those concerns and more like them is so important that Greg Koukl is making them the focus of the next three issues of Solid Ground.