Goodness with Joni Eareckson Tada
On today’s episode we’re chatting with Joni Eareckson Tada about goodness. Joni’s deep, abiding trust in Christ overflows as you’ll see in this conversation and as you can see from her decades long life of faithfulness. Joni is the Founder and CEO of Joni and Friends International Disability Center, providing outreach to thousands of families impacted by disability around the globe. A diving accident in 1967 left then 17-year-old Joni a quadriplegic in a wheelchair. She founded Joni and Friends in 1979 to provide Christ-centered ministry to special-needs families, as well as training for churches. Joni has written over 50 books and is a regular columnist in several magazines. She and her husband Ken were married in 1982 and reside in Calabasas, California.
Can you share a little about what you do and what circumstances in your life led you to this work?
How have you discovered God to be good to you even in your measure of suffering?
Where do we see the goodness of God throughout all of redemptive history?
What are some passages that lay out God's goodness, or passages that you cling to when you're struggling to remember that he is good?
How does God use sorrowful tragedy to set the stage for surprising triumph, whether in this life, or in the life to come?
What would it look like for us to mirror the goodness of God as a fruit of the Spirit?
THREE QUESTIONS I ASK EVERY GUEST
What 3 resources would you recommend for someone who wants to learn more about goodness?
What are your 3 simple joys?
Who has had the greatest impact on your own journey with Jesus?
NOTEWORTHY QUOTES
“The turning point in my life really involved other people and their prayers.”
“Steve Estes said, ‘God permits what he hates to accomplish that which he loves.’ God permitted what he hated (the horrible death of his own Son), to accomplish what he loves (salvation for a world of sinners).”
“God’s idea of good is bravery in the face of fear, confidence in his promises.”
“God will let things occur that help my soul and increase my soul’s capacity for himself.”
“God is less interested in our physical comfort and more interested in our spiritual well-being.”
“Tomorrow morning I will wake up and I will wake up sad. I’m so tired and weary and I can’t do quadriplegia anymore. But I can do all things through Christ as he strengthens me.”
“God uses sorrowful tragedy to say, “I can’t do it, but I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.’ To wake up boasting in your affliction for then you know that God’s power rests on you.”
“When bad news comes, then you are driven into the arms of your Savior.”
“It’s a good thing to lean on him that hard not just day by day, but moment by moment.”
“When Jesus was on the cross he was passing on the blessing to others. He’s serving others and I think we best emulate him when we do that.”
“It is a dark and despairing world and God would have us to showcase his goodness in places where his kingdom is very weak and people don’t see it.”
“We emulate God’s goodness when we pass on his blessings to others.”
“Take your Christian faith seriously.”
“Find your voice and give it spine.”
RESOURCES
Joni and Friends Family Retreats (29 in the US every summer and 29 in developing nations)
When God Weeps by Steve Estes & Joni Eareckson Tada
Singing Hymns
Reading the Psalms
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Where have you seen God’s goodness on display in the midst of suffering?
What Scriptures reference the goodness of God?
How has God revealed his goodness throughout all of history?
What does the gospel reveal about the goodness of God?
What will abiding in Christ look like for you this week?
SCRIPTURE MEMORY
“But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” Titus 3:4-7
IMPORTANT NOTE
Journeywomen interviews are intended to serve as a springboard for continued study in the context of your local church. While we carefully select guests each week, interviews do not imply Journeywomen's endorsement of all writings and positions of the interviewee or any other resources mentioned.
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