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ShareLet's Celebrate Joni's 63rd Birthday!
My wife may be the youngest soon-to-turn-63 woman I know, and I can hardly believe her birthday, October 15 is just around the corner. Joni and I are both amazed that she’s breaking all spinal-cord injury statistics – she never expected to see this many birthdays. Who knew God would take the broken pieces of one young girl’s life and turn them into a powerful ministry to people with disabilities all over the world! To celebrate God’s goodness, Joni and I are giving a birthday gift of $63 (a dollar for each year!) to Joni and Friends. How honored we would be if you would join us in the birthday fun – 63 years, a $63 gift, and countless lives changed for Christ. There couldn’t be a greater way to honor my wife. Thank you! –Ken Tada
From Emma's Dad...
“As fathers of disabled kids, we may not look stressed or tired but deep in our hearts we are. We carry and protect our loved ones, but we can’t take the pain or hurt away. So I’m like a bull—a shield that protects my family all the time. Out in the world, if someone looks funny at my daughter, I protect. At Family Retreat, I am relieved of that tension. When I come here, I see other men making it. I hear their testimonies and they give me courage and strength. They help me know I’m not alone. I am proud of the men at Family Retreat. Eighty percent of the time, men with a disabled child will abandon ship. Joni and Friends has taught me the value of marriage. If it doesn’t have Christ in it, it won’t work. If I...
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month! Did you know that about 1 in 8 US women will develop invasive breast cancer during her lifetime? According to American Cancer Society, breast cancer is the most common cancer among American women (besides skin cancer) and the second leading cause of cancer death. For years, it was labeled a terminal disease, but now thanks to earlier detection and improved treatment, there is a 98% survival rate – that’s more than 2.9 million breast cancer survivors! Early detection is important, so go get tested and improve your chance of survival! This month, to highlight...
Joni Shares Her Breast Cancer Journey
According to the American Cancer Society, the chance of a woman having invasive breast cancer some time during her life is about 1 in 8, and in 2010, Joni Eareckson Tada became one of those statistics—she was diagnosed with Stage III Breast Cancer. After undergoing a mastectomy and chemotherapy, and through the healing hand of God and the help of friends and loved ones, Joni joyfully reports that her cancer is in remission. Joni’s desire is to encourage others through her trials and victories, and that’s why she has chosen to share her breast cancer journey with you through this Joni and Friends television episode trailer. Also, don’t forget to listen to Joni’s radio programs this week on breast cancer by visiting our radio page today.
Reaching a Mother’s Heart
10 years ago, Wang had a back tumor. She had surgery but doctors could only remove part of it. Several years later, Wang and her husband dearly desired to have a baby. The doctor warned her that a growing fetus could press against the tumor that remained in her back. The risk of paralysis was high, but Wang and her husband wanted a child so much. Wang soon became pregnant and the doctor's prediction was correct: as the child grew within her, Wang slowly became paralyzed. By the time her baby boy was born, Wang was a paraplegic… but her baby was perfect. For 8 years, Wang has not walked. As she waited for a wheelchair at our Wheels for the World outreach in China, she was filled with joy. “Now I can take a walk with my son, I can go with him to the playground like other...
“Family Retreat is My Disneyland!”
19-year-old Angela has been a Short Term Missionary (STM) at Family Retreats for four years in a row. Why the four-peat? “If you want to experience God in a whole new way – and see Him working through you all week – come to Family Retreat! It’s transformed my life completely,” says Angela. “I see God’s image in a different way and I see genuine, unconditional love here.” Angela spent an exciting and challenging week...
You and Your Church Could Experience This!
Pastor Lyndon Shook and his wife Tammy brought 41 people from their congregation to serve as Short Term Missionaries at Joni and Friends Family Retreat. Every one of them was passionate about serving… Pastor Shook explained why. “The lessons God shows us at Family Retreat are priceless,” said Pastor Shook. “The kids we serve are so happy and they trust the Lord. God can turn marriages around, bring hope and counsel from...
Five Myths About Starting a Disability Ministry
Disability ministry is a ministry for everyone, but you may feel overwhelmed when it comes to starting your own. Do you feel like you just don’t have the resources or the expertise to get started? You don’t need to feel that way! Disability ministry doesn’t require a degree in Special Education –just a willing heart to serve! Take a look as we debunk five myths about starting a disability ministry, then learn how Joni and Friends can help equip you and your church to...
Five Brothers Receive Their First Wheelchairs!
It was hard to believe. One, two, three, four, five disabled brothers were lifted from the bus on a hot day in West Africa. The last brother emerged— Vincent, the 20-year old fulltime caregiver for all five of his beloved brothers. On this day, Vincent had somehow managed to bring them all to our Wheels for the World distribution. It was an astonishing sight. Because of your faithful support and God’s supply, Wheels for the World provided all five brothers with customized wheelchairs—and all five young men...
“Here We Both Hear God!”
At Family Retreats, God uses your prayer to restore families with the healing love of Christ through inspiring teaching, worship, and Christ-centered fellowship. For these families that live with disability, the exhaustion and isolation of everyday life never seem to end – until they arrive at Family Retreat! “We drive through the gates, and people are cheering and calling out our names!” says Lanette. “My son Juddy realizes, ‘At Family...
