Joni Eareckson Tada

An invitation and a promise for weary Christian parents of special needs kids from a parent who's been there. "It isn't the long day of monitoring a child's precarious health or being hypervigilant about her mood and mental health challenges that weighs parents down; it's the wishing that things were different. . . . Resentment, not the intense care they must provide their child, is the parents' greatest stressor and source of pain." --Laurie Wallin Parents of specials needs children are exhausted. They've done all the research, consulted all the experts, joined support groups, gotten counseling, fought for the best life for their children. Often just caring for their children's needs and attempting to maintain a home maxes out parents' mental, emotional, and spiritual reserves. Laurie Wallin knows firsthand the difficulties of this journey. With Get Your Joy Back, she steps forward to make a bold, audacious claim: in the midst of this long-term, intense task, it is still possible to have an abundant life, full of joy. The key to radically changing daily life and restoring joy to the weary is forgiveness. Wallin gives parents a lifeline to find that restoration, pulling them back to shore when they feel like they're drowning. This book is full of practical, biblical insights and strategies to shed the resentments that leave Christian special-needs parents themselves spiritually, emotionally, and socially drained. Wallin meets readers right where they are, sugar coating nothing, but addressing issues with honesty, humor, and--above all--hope.

A 31-day devotional from bestselling author and speaker Joni Eareckson Tada that takes readers on a month-long journey toward the deepest healing God offers. The entire book is framed against Joni's visit to the healing pool of Bethesda to seek healing where Jesus healed. As Joni relates aspects of her own journey in dealing with the most painful "unanswered prayer" of her life, readers will learn to see beyond potential quick fixes to the deepest and greatest solutions God has for them. As the journey continues, readers deal with topics such as contentment, patience, unanswered prayer, transformation through suffering, wrestling with God, and hoping in God.

Michael Beates's concern with disability issues began nearly 30 years ago when his eldest child was born with multiple profound disabilities. Now, as more families like his are affected by a growing number of difficulties ranging from down syndrome to autism to food allergies, the need for church programs and personal paradigm shifts is greater than ever. Working through key Bible passages on brokenness and disability while answering hard questions, Michael offers helpful principles for believers and their churches. He shows us how to embrace our own brokenness and then to embrace those who are more physically and visibly broken, bringing hope and vision to those of us who need it most.

One thing has saved her: the heaven-sent hope found only in Christ. If hope is scarce in your life, this special booklet will draw you-toward a fresh perspective on suffering, true scriptural encouragement, and this beloved author's hard-won insights about the goodness of God. In her life's journey Joni has learned to meet suffering on God's terms. She has learned that joy is for real. And most of all, she has learned that hope is the best of things when we give it a chance. This book powerfully communicates all these truths from someone who has lived them, so that you can live them too, no matter what you're going through.

One day a merchant found a pearl of immense value. In the well-known parable that Jesus told, the merchant sold everything he had and bought the pearl. Joni Eareckson Tada reminds you there is a spiritual treasure within your reach. Each day contains glorious pearls of hope and faith waiting to be claimed. In Pearls of Great Price, Joni lovingly strings together some of her own choice pearls and presents them to you in this beautiful devotional. Filled with inspiration and insight for an entire year, Pearls of Great Price offers luminous, intimate glimpses of God’s glory.

Stem-cell research. Cloning. Genetic engineering. Today, discoveries in biotechnology are occurring so rapidly that we can barely begin to address one ethical debate before another looms overhead. This brave new world we've entered is a daunting one as well, with disturbing implications for the sanctity of life and for human nature itself. How should we respond as Christians?Drawing on an abundance of cutting-edge information and life experience, Joni Eareckson Tada and Nigel M. de S. Cameron help you think through issues no Christian can afford to ignore. As a quadriplegic who has spent three decades advocating for the disability community out of a wheelchair, Joni offers the insights of a woman intimately acquainted with suffering and struggle. Dr. Cameron shares from his vast knowledge as one of today's foremost bioethics.Together, they offer deeply informed perspectives on such pressing issues as:Human cloningDesigner babiesRedefining human natureHuman harvestingHere is thoughtful, passionate, and gripping reading about the world that is coming--that, indeed, is already here--and how to live out your faith with conviction in its midst.

A little girl on a big horse, cantering across a spring-green pasture...wide-eyed children gathered 'round a beach fire, listening to a father's stories of the high seas... an expansive, you-can-see-forever view from the top of Pike's Peak...Another view from a Stryker frame, where an active young woman learns she will never walk again... Heading down a church aisle to marry the man she loves...looking into the eyes of a child in a wheelchair, and seeing the family God has prepared for a loving heart...sitting by the pool of Bethesda, reflecting on the miracle of healing God has performed in her heart...'The God I Love' brings to life these and many other moments. It offers an eternal perspective from a woman in a wheelchair who affirms that the God she knows and loves is the Center, the Peacemaker, the Passport to adventure, the joy ride, and the Answer to her deepest longings.Raised in an active, adventurous family, Joni Eareckson Tada worked hard and played hard to keep up with her older sisters and athletic father---until one day a diving accident left her a quadriplegic. But the tragedy that could have ended her life was in reality the beginning of an amazing, constantly unfolding story of grace that has touched the lives of millions worldwide and brought Joni unexpected joy and fulfillment. In this book, Joni unveils the God whom she has found to be faithful through over thirty years as a paralytic. This is not the story of a woman who has all the answers or who is very different from you. Joni struggles with the same fears, questions, and heartaches we all have in common. But as the weeks and months turn into years, and the years into decades, she meets her Savior at every turn. In this book, you'll discover that He is there for you as well, no matter what your circumstance or situation may be.Written with beauty, feeling, and amazing honesty, 'The God I Love' captures the heart and soul of one woman's powerful, deeply personal journey of hope. It is a sojourn from a naive child's belief to a tempered faith that transforms and transcends personal tragedy, bringing light to the darkest places and good out of the most difficult situations, and offering glimpses of the glory that awaits God's children.

In spite of a diving accident that has left her paralyzed for more than thirty years, Joni Eareckson Tada has been able to build a life of faith and purpose. The peace she has found as she confronts the painful realities of life as a quadriplegic has made her a hero to many people.In Ordinary People, Extraordinary Faith, Joni lets us know who her heroes are. Inside she tells the stories of people who inspire her with their faith and courage. Although Joni has met many famous "heroes of the faith" through her ministry, the lives she shares here are not the Billy Grahams of the world. They are a mother, a housewife, a nursing home resident, a child. Some are missionaries or pastors; others are bank tellers or data entry clerks. All of these people have touched Joni's life and the lives of others as they found their faith rise to the occasion – to forgive an assailant, to find strength despite the debilitating effects of cerebral palsy, to choose love in the face of racial prejudice, and to discover in the midst of questioning that God Himself is the answer to all questions.

A little girl on a big horse, cantering across a spring-green pasture…wide-eyed children gathered `round a beach fire, listening to a father’s stories of the high seas… an expansive, you-can-see-forever view from the top of Pike’s Peak…Another view from a Stryker frame, where an active young woman learns she will never walk again… Heading down a church aisle to marry the man she loves…looking into the eyes of a child in a wheelchair, and seeing the family God has prepared for a loving heart…sitting by the pool of Bethesda, reflecting on the miracle of healing God has performed in her heart…The God I Love brings to life these and many other moments. It offers an eternal perspective from a woman in a wheelchair who affirms that the God she knows and loves is the center, the peacemaker, the passport to adventure, the joy ride, and the answer to her deepest longings.Raised in an active, adventurous family, Joni Eareckson Tada worked hard and played hard to keep up with her older sisters and athletic father—until one day a diving accident left her a quadriplegic. But the tragedy that could have ended her life was in reality the beginning of an amazing, constantly unfolding story of grace that has touched the lives of millions worldwide and brought Joni unexpected joy and fulfillment. In this book, Joni unveils the God whom she has found to be faithful through over thirty years as a paralytic. This is not the story of a woman who has all the answers or who is very different from you. Joni struggles with the same fears, questions, and heartaches we all have in common. But as the weeks and months turn into years, and the years into decades, she meets her Savior at every turn. In this book, you’ll discover that he is there for you as well, no matter what your circumstance or situation may be.Written with beauty, feeling, and amazing honesty, The God I Love captures the heart and soul of one woman’s powerful, deeply personal journey of hope. It is a sojourn from a naïve child’s belief to a tempered faith that transforms and transcends personal tragedy, bringing light to the darkest places and good out of the most difficult situations, and offering glimpses of the glory that awaits God’s children.

When the diagnosis is serious, what makes the difference between hope and despair?As a practicing oncologist, Dr. Al Weir works daily with patients who receive bad news. A medical doctor with a pastor’s heart, Dr. Weir knows from experience that it’s the patient’s focus, not the diagnosis, that indicates whether one will slip into despair and hopelessness or have the courage to live each day fully. Resilience of spirit can powerfully influence recovery and healing, and within our crisis, the choices we make are important. When Your Doctor Has Bad News offers no easy answers, no quick outs. But it does equip you to weather the storm you are facing and emerge whole again. Practical tips provide questions for you to ask your doctor and choices you can make to achieve your best chances for healing. Real-life stories show how others have coped with life-threatening illness, walked with God, and won. You can deepen communion with God in the midst of medical crisis. When Your Doctor Has Bad News gives you proven principles that will enable you to choose a life worth living, no matter what news the doctor has given you. “Dr. Weir . . . guides the reader—especially the one who has received bad news—past the soul-numbing shock of a dismal medical report. He reminds us of the soothing comfort available in the Word of God, of the heartwarming precepts upon which we can build a new life, and of the simple steps a family can take to promote hope and healing.”—Joni Eareckson Tada (from the introduction)

A must-read for anyone who has ever asked God, "Why me?"It's easy to trust God when things are going our way and the world makes sense. But when suffering strikes--especially seemingly senseless suffering--we are filled with doubt and stunned by events spiraling beyond our control.In the midst of suffering, we often question the very foundation of our faith--our belief in the God who says he loves us. Since our trust and obedience rest on God's character, the questions that life's tragedies force us to face are difficult, even frightening:Who is God?Can he really be trusted?What are his purposes in the face of suffering?If he can stop suffering, why doesn't he?Joni Eareckson Tada, a woman who has lived in a wheelchair for more than thirty years, and Steve Estes, a pastor and one of Joni's closest friends, explore the answers. When God Weeps is not so much a book about suffering as it is about God. It tackles tough questions about heaven and hell, horrors and hardships, and why God allows suffering in this life.Through a panoramic overview of what the Bible says about suffering, the authors make clear who God is, why he permits so much heartache and pain, and how it is we can trust him. With both a practical edge and heartfelt warmth, When God Weeps offers dependence on his love and mercy in spite of our doubts, fears, longings, and questions.

Each of us knows someone who is hearing, visually, or mentally impaired, or physically disabled. Millions more suffer from invisible disabilities that can be just as devastating. Writing from her own experience as a person with a disability Joni Eareckson Tada joins with her fellow disability advocate, Steve Jensen, to share how you can overcome obstacles that have kept you from becoming friends with those who may be limited by their bodies or their circumstances. Joni shows you how to build mutually fulfilling relationships based on insights into how Jesus related to individuals with disabilities. She also offers story after story of the hope and joy of those who've crossed the barriers, from either direction, and found a lifetime of friends.

Statistics show that only 5 percent of churches have an outreach to disabled persons and that 95 percent of the people who have disabilities are not active in any church. Why not? In many cases, churches are newly coming to awareness of the need for disability ministry but have no idea how to start or what's involved. All God's Children is a handbook for pastors, elders, ministry leaders, and laypeople who want to minister to people with disabilities. It is a book to equip churches for ministry to those who are mentally retarded, learning disabled, hearing impaired, visually impaired, or otherwise physically disabled. This edition is extensively revised, especially the chapters on hearing-impaired persons and on getting a disability ministry started. The resource lists have been expanded and brought up to date.

From a human perspective, God often appears to be an intruder. He presumes, invades, and infringes upon our lives. At times, God encroaches with gentle, subtle reminders - at others, with sudden, devastating judgement. God is not tucked away in some far corner of the universe, uncaring, unfeeling, unthinking...uninvolved. You can count on it - He is intimately involved with the tiniest details of your existence. Learn how His constant presence can bring peace, perspective, and healing into the puzzling and chaotic circumstances of your life.

"It was not long after I left the hospital in 1967 that I fell into a deep pit of depression. I was but a young girl, yet I was facing an overwhelming future - a life of total and severe paralysis. I was in desperate need for answers...A young friend who often cam by my home for visits stopped by one day with a special book in hand ...Together, we read that book through the weeks of winter ...I eagerly look forward to each chapter - discovering sense in sovereignty and delighting in a new grasp on God's grace...May I be the friend who stops by in your life this day? You have in your hands that same special book that I read back in that first winter of my disability. Grace grew then for me. And through grace, you will grow too!" - Joni Eareckson Tada, from the Foreword. MARGARET CLARKSON of Willowdale, Ontario, was a poet, hymn-writer, and author. She has written hundreds of articles and several books. Here she offers a thoughtful, biblical exploration of the "why" of human suffering.

Written by a woman who has been a quadriplegic since the age of seventeen, this deeply personal and religious book reflects the spiritual insight and maturity with which she views her suffering