Bringing The Gospel To The World’s Forgotten And Neglected

“When you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind and you will be blessed… compel them to come in, so that my house will be full.”

Luke 14:13, 23

I’m celebrating a milestone birthday and it’s a dream come true. There’s nothing God loves more than keeping promises, answering prayers, performing miracles, and fulfilling dreams. That is who he is. That is what he does. The bigger our prayers and dreams, the better. That way, God gets more glory when those prayers and dreams are fulfilled.

As I turn 72, I’m still reaching for the dream God gave me more than 40 years ago.

A dream to bring the Gospel to the world’s forgotten and neglected… people with disabilities.

I got the idea from Jesus’s own words in Luke 14, so we simply can’t settle for a small vision – one that is more doable, more achievable, or can be accomplished without God’s divine intervention. Nothing honors Jesus Christ more than a big dream that is way beyond our ability to fulfill. Because when that dream comes true, there’s no way we can take credit for it. God is the one who receives all the glory.

It’s why I’m so excited about the expansion of Joni’s House around the world as we give hands-on help and the hope of Christ. Then there’s the hefty lineup of Wheels for the World teams heading out this month and next, all of them traveling to the darkest corners of the globe. The dream is coming true among countless families struggling with disability as they yield to Christ at our International Family Retreats in Peru, China, El Salvador, Brazil and beyond.

A Gospel-driven dream is God’s gift to us; what we do with it is our gift back to God.

So on my benchmark birthday, I am giving all praise, honor, and glory to God for the way he is unfolding the dream right before our eyes. And we’re still reaching for its fulfillment as we work to completely fill the Father’s house, just as he asked.

So, on my birthday, please help me keep reaching for this larger than life dream! It’s the one Jesus birthed in my heart to “invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind… compel them to come in… so that my house will be full.”

“Do this,” Jesus says, “and you will be blessed.” Oh, yes, I am blessed! And I pray you are, too. I’m so grateful to God you are living the dream with me!

–Joni Eareckson Tada