Joni And Friends Ministry Podcast

After more than 55 years living with quadriplegia and chronic pain, Joni Eareckson Tada knows what it means to “press on” through suffering. As she celebrates her 73rd birthday, she’s using this miracle milestone to share the Good News of Jesus with families struggling with disabilities. Will you give in Joni’s honor and help others press on in their suffering? Celebrate Joni’s  Birthday!If you or a loved one need encouragement, Joni’s book, Songs of Suffering, will bring comfort and inspiration that has seen Joni through countless long, difficult nights. Songs of Suffering includes 25 hymns with accompanying devotions and photography designed to spark hope in hardship.Learn more about Joni’s life and faith in her autobiography, Joni: An Unforgettable Story.KEY QUESTIONS:How do you deal with obstacles?How do you fight for joy?Do you allow troubles to build your faith? KEY SCRIPTURES:“I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:14“We are ha

Rosaria Butterfield used to be a committed unbeliever, a leading thinker in queer studies, and a practicing lesbian. Then God used an invitation to dinner in a modest home, from a humble couple who lived out the Gospel daily, simply, and authentically, to draw Rosaria to himself. Dr. Butterfield shares her story in her book, The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert: An English Professor’s Journey into Christian FaithRosaria is also the author of The Gospel Comes with a House Key, which points to the power of radically ordinary hospitality in a post-Christian world.Learn more about Dr. Rosaria Butterfield. KEY QUESTIONS:What is the connection between “hospital” and “hospitality”?How does God use hospitality to heal people?How can I practice hospitality with my disability(ies) or other limitations?How can the church practice hospitality? KEY SCRIPTURES:“A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families.” Psalm 68:5–6“How good and pleasant it is when

Rosaria used to be a “committed unbeliever,” a tenured professor at Syracuse University, a leading thinker in queer studies, and a practicing lesbian. Then God used an invitation to dinner in a modest home, from a humble couple who lived out the Gospel daily, simply, and authentically, to draw Rosaria to himself.Rosaria shares her conversion story in her book, The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert: An English Professor’s Journey into Christian FaithLearn more about Dr. Rosaria Butterfield KEY QUESTIONS:How can ordinary hospitality bring someone to faith?How is true Christian hospitality different from entertaining? What makes a good “hospitality home”?What are the spiritual benefits of sharing life, and being vulnerable with one another? KEY SCRIPTURE:“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:24–25----Find more en

Jodi Stuber, co-founder and program director of HopeWell Ranch and the co-author of Project Solomon: The True Story of a Lonely Horse Who Found a Home—and Became a Hero, joins the podcast to share how her organization uses rescued horses to help meet people’s emotional, spiritual, physical, and social needs. Through their compassionate and creative approach to equine therapy (therapy using horses), Jodi and her husband Ty have witnessed God healing hundreds of people: Veterans with post-traumatic stress, people with disabilities, and children and adults dealing with anxiety, depression, trauma, and other challenges.-----“It’s hard to be lonely, isn’t it? To miss someone who should be here?”Jodi Stuber wasn't looking for another horse for her struggling therapy ranch—let alone one like Solomon. After losing his herd, he was solitary and sad, spending his days standing near the plastic deer in his yard for company. No stranger herself to loss and heartache, Jodi knew she had to give Solomon a home.The road to r

An abortion survivor and one of eleven adopted sisters (most with disabilities), Sasha Carpenter returns to the podcast to talk about her family and their ministry and advocacy work, her own journey living with cerebral palsy, and how to be a voice for the voiceless in today’s world.Listen to Part 1 of Crystal's conversation with Sasha Carpenter.Learn more about Ting Ministries.Learn more about Sasha’s family members: Our Family – Ting Ministries. KEY QUESTIONS:How can you speak up for someone who otherwise won’t be heard?What challenges in your life is God using for your good and the good of others?What can you do to care and advocate for vulnerable people in your community? KEY SCRIPTURE:“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well… Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” Psalm 139:13–14, 16 RESO

Sasha Carpenter joins the podcast to share her story of adoption and redemption in Christ. Born in Russia having survived a failed abortion, Sasha was adopted into a family that loves Jesus. Now an adult, and one of eleven adopted sisters with disabilities, Sasha works as an adoption advocate and writer—a “voice for the voiceless.” Sasha is also part of Ting Ministries, an adoption counseling organization founded by the Carpenter family to serve orphans and vulnerable children around the world.Learn more about Ting MinistriesLearn more about Sasha’s family members: Our Family – Ting Ministries KEY QUESTIONS:What makes a person valuable?Who in your life needs support or advocacy? KEY SCRIPTURE:“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well… Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” Psalm 139:13–14, 16 F

Bonnie O’Neil calls herself a hope hunter, finding hope in the hard seasons of life. Born in the shadow of her brother’s death to type 1 diabetes, and raised with a sister living with the disease, she was nevertheless unprepared for the sorrow she experienced when her own son was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age five.Over time, and through a crisis of faith, Bonnie sought the Lord in her family’s struggle. She slowly learned the restorative grace of giving space for sorrow rather than pushing quickly past it. In her book, Chronic Hope: Raising a Child with Chronic Illness with Grace, Courage, and Love, Bonnie offers encouragement for parents and caregivers seeking glimmers of hope amid life’s darkest shadows.Get your copy of Chronic Hope: Raising a Child with Chronic Illness with Grace, Courage, and LoveLearn more about Bonnie O’Neil KEY QUESTIONS:How severe is type 1 diabetes? How does it affect daily life? “Will you surrender—and entrust your child—to God?” How can churches help parents cope with a chi

Susan Wahlers is the founder of Makers of Care, a nonprofit that provides resources and support for caregivers, and equips churches to proactively serve them. Susan understands the exhaustion, loneliness, and discouragement that caregivers face. When her husband Dave was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease at 55, their life went into disarray and caregiving became consuming for Susan. Following Dave’s passing in 2019, Susan founded her ministry to caregivers, providing a path from surviving to thriving in Christ.The Six Stages of a Caregiver's Journey | Comfort Keepers:Stage 1: The Expectant Caregiver—In the near future, I may help an aging relative.Stage 2: The Freshman Caregiver—I am starting to help an aging relative.Stage 3: The Entrenched Caregiver—I am helping.Stage 4: The Pragmatic Caregiver—I am still helping an aging relative.Stage 5: The Transitioning Caregiver—My role is changing.Stage 6: The Godspeed Caregiver—My caregiving has endedAccess Caregiver Resources & Workshops | Makers of CareKEY QUE

Susan Wahlers is on a mission to ensure every caregiver has what they need. She founded Makers of Care, a nonprofit that provides resources for caregivers in dire need of support during a long-term crisis. The organization also equips churches to proactively serve caregivers.FACTS ABOUT CAREGIVERS (courtesy of Makers of Care)80% of care, for those unable to care for themselves, is provided by friends and family.Most caregiving situations result from an unplanned crisis or diagnosis.Amidst the chaos of change, caregivers actively invest their lives to meet needs, often without the critical support they need.Caregiver Resources & Workshops | Makers of CareKEY QUESTIONS:What are the early symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease?How do you communicate well with a person living with Alzheimer’s disease?Should I tell my church or community about my loved one’s Alzheimer’s or dementia diagnosis?When is it time to call hospice?What losses do you need to grieve? KEY SCRIPTURES:“And we know that in all things God works for

When a diving accident left Joni Eareckson Tada with quadriplegia at 17, she felt like her life was over. She couldn’t fathom what good her life could be without legs that walked or hands that worked. She couldn’t imagine that God had good purposes in store for her. She certainly didn’t expect her suffering to sow the seeds of an international disability ministry. Looking back on 55 years in a wheelchair, Joni reflects on the Lord’s faithfulness amid her adversity. She shares how trusting God through hardship has given her strength to not only persevere but live with hope and joy!Joni’s personal mission statement: “I want to be God's best audio-visual aid of how his power is displayed in weakness, so that others can experience his power in their weakness.”Joni’s exhortation to you: “Let your weakness and need be the beautiful platform on which God displays his power through you.” Key Questions:What is your personal mission statement? (Try writing one down).Where in your life do you need to trust God’s strengt

Lamar Hardwick (DMin, Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary) is the lead pastor at Tri-Cities Church in East Point, Georgia. He and his wife, Isabelle have three daughters. Dr. Hardwick’s blogs and articles can be found on his website. Get your copies Dr. Hardwick’s books:I am Strong: The Life and Journey of an Autistic PastorDisability in the Church: A Vision for Diversity and Inclusion Key Questions:What is my purpose?How can my community become more inclusive?How can my church better include people with disabilities? Key Scripture:“A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or th

Lamar Hardwick (DMin, Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary) is the lead pastor at Tri-Cities Church in East Point, Georgia. He and his wife, Isabella have three daughters. Dr. Hardwick’s blogs and articles can be found on his website.Get your copies Dr. Hardwick’s books:I am Strong: The Life and Journey of an Autistic PastorDisability in the Church: A Vision for Diversity and Inclusion Key Questions:What is it like to grow up with undiagnosed autism?What is it like to live with autism as an adult?How can churches and communities support people with autism?What do people (especially people with disabilities) experience when they encounter the church? Key Scriptures:“Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord. Then the Lord sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up.” Jonah 1:3–4“The Word became fle

When Leisa William learned that her son, Justin, had autism, her hopes and dreams got sidelined. At first, the burdens of disability—constant demands, exhaustion, and nagging grief—made Leisa want to withdraw from Christian community. Now, 20 years into living with disability, Leisa shares the importance of HOPE: Having Other People Engaged. She relates her experience of accepting the reality of disability in her family and learning to embrace community, especially when life gets hard. Show Notes:For more than two decades Leisa Williams has cared for a son with a disability. She knows firsthand the grief, hopelessness, family divisions, and weariness that often plague families living with disability. (Listen to part 1 of this conversation.)Leisa joins the podcast again to talk about the power of HOPE: Having Other People Engaged when the challenges of life seem too heavy to bear. She shares about her journey from resistance to radical acceptance of the role Christian community can play in life, especially wit

For more than two decades Leisa Williams has cared for a son with a disability. She knows firsthand the grief, hopelessness, family divisions, and weariness that often plague families living with disability. That’s why she wrote her book, Hope Wins: Overcoming Feelings of Hopelessness in Special Needs Families.Leisa joins the podcast to talk about the challenges that come with disability and the importance of turning to God and Christian community, even when it’s tempting to withdraw. Her insights shed light on many pain points that can come with disability and offer strategies for families and communities to find connection and hope in the midst of difficulties.Learn more about LeisaGet your copy of Leisa’s book: Hope Wins: Overcoming Feelings of Hopelessness in Special Needs FamiliesKey Questions:How can I deal with self-pity?Do I need to simplify my life?What does it mean to serve from a place of rest?Key Scripture:“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing. Now it spr

After decades of living with the ups and downs of chronic pain caused by CRPS, author and Nutritionist Darci J. Steiner wants to give a message of hope to people facing disability and chronic suffering. Her book, Beauty Beyond the Thorns, and its companion study guide, include personal stories of suffering and biblical stories to demonstrate how God can turn unexpected curveballs into victorious home runs. Key Questions:What is it like to live with chronic pain?How does God help you when your pain feels like too much to bear?Where have you seen God bring good or beauty out of your suffering?Key Scripture:“She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: ‘You are the God who sees me,’ for she said, ‘I have now seen the One who sees me.’” Genesis 16:13 Resources:Learn more about DarciGet your copy of Beauty Beyond the ThornsSend Crystal a message. Find more encouragement through Joni Eareckson Tada's radio podcast  and daily devotional.Follow us on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.Your support  makes th

Every person needs to find a place of acceptance and belonging. For people with disabilities, too often, inclusion can be hard to come by, even within the body of Christ. As a pastor, Scott Sauls knows how important it is for the church to embrace marginalized people, like those with disabilities. He has seen firsthand how a robust ministry to people with disabilities—not only welcoming them but evoking their gifts—catalyzes the life of a church.Scott also knows that pastors and ministry leaders can feel overwhelmed by the idea of starting or growing a disability ministry. He exhorts leaders to trust in God’s abundant provision (no matter the size of the budget or congregation) while stepping forward in faith to serve people with disabilities well.Key Questions:How can your church embrace people who are marginalized?What barriers do you face when it comes to serving or connecting with people with disabilities?How can you trust God’s abundance and step out in faith today?Key Scripture:“But if we walk in the li

Everyone carries regret, hurt, and fear. These burdens can weigh you down and make you feel trapped. In his book, Beautiful People Don't Just Happen: How God Redeems Regret, Hurt, and Fear in the Making of Better Humans, Scott Sauls explores how Christ provides hope and healing amid the most trying emotions and circumstances.Pastor Scott hopes to reach people who sin and suffer—people who feel tired or afraid. He shares the message that because of Christ’s love, presence, and promises, the best is always yet to come, even when life feels hopeless.When it comes to redeeming regret, hurt, and fear, Pastor Scott also explains how God can make people better through difficulties. Using historical examples—Dietrich Bonhoeffer, C.S. Lewis, and Tim Keller—and biblical examples—King David, the Apostle Paul, and even Jesus—Scott points out a hopeful pattern of God’s redemptive work that applies to everyone who trusts in him.Key Questions:Do you ever feel burdened with regret, hurt, or fear?Who can you encourage today b

Danika Deva knows isolation. Living with multiple chemical sensitivities, which can cause life-threatening allergic reactions to everyday things, she must be intentional about her relationships. Through seasons of severe sickness and physical isolation, she has found strategies for connection and invites others to walk the trails she has blazed.With God’s help, Danika has learned to serve and minister to others, even from a place of suffering. She urges everyone facing difficulty to seek ways to bless others, pointing to the fact that human beings were not made for isolated, independent lives, but for interdependence and mutual service. She urges Christians to encourage and remind one another of the great hope we have in Christ—whatever our circumstances.Key Questions:Do your health struggles impact your relationships?How is God shaping your character through your hardships?How can you offer hope to someone today, even if you’re suffering? Key Scripture:“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoic

In 2016, Danika Deva’s life was turned upside-down by the sudden onset of severe environmental illness. Desperate, isolated, hopeless, and hurting, she begged God for healing. To this day, Danika lives what she calls “a bubble life,” to manage life-threatening allergic reactions to an ever-shifting range of environmental and dietary triggers. She will tell you, “It’s hard to live like this.” But amid her suffering, she has found hope and closeness to God.Danika’s God-given Ph.D. in "Hard Knocks" and "God Rocks" has equipped her to inspire others to be intentional, and to choose joy and hope in hardship so they can not only heal, but flourish. Key Questions:Where in your “hard knocks” do you see God working?What opportunity do you have to choose joy today? Key Scripture:“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11Additional Resources:Read more from Danika Send Crystal a message with your comments and qu

Since the onset of POTS almost two decades ago, Dr. Andy Laurie has prayed for his suffering to go away. As his disease and the hardships that come with it have remained, God has led Dr. Andy through a process of clarification, grappling, releasing, and ultimately drawing closer to Jesus and his  promises.Crystal Keating and Dr. Andy explore aspects of suffering that God can use for good:Suffering causes us to focus on things that really matter.Suffering can force clarification about our self-image, identity, and priorities.When incurable or unsolvable problems come, Dr. Andy highlights the need to let go of the “old life” and embrace our new reality (with whatever limitations or struggles it comes with). This process of release and redefinition often includes grief. And without hope in God, self-pity, depression, and despair can take hold.Dr. Andy shares his own struggle with despair—the temptation to linger and wallow in the dark after his diagnosis. He also shares a turning point that came through prayer.