The wonderful, deeply rich life testimony of Joni Eareckson Tada has been a blessing to my soul.

You may be familiar with her story. She was an athletic teenager who loved the outdoors. One hot July day in 1967, at the age of 17, she broke her neck while diving into shallow water and was left a quadriplegic. Today, she is an internationally known mouth artist, a talented vocalist, a radio host, and the author of over 48 books, as well as being an advocate for disabled persons worldwide. There was a time in my life when Joni’s devotional book, Secret Strength, was a source of great comfort to me.

When I heard that Joni had been diagnosed with breast cancer, I honestly asked, “Why, Lord? Hasn’t she been through enough? She already deals with her disability with grace and dignity as she lives daily with chronic pain along with all that comes with being a quadriplegic.”

Then I decided to read her blog and was inspired by this entry.

“Yesterday I came across a fascinating comment on Joshua Harris' blog. He was referencing John 15:5, where Jesus says, "I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in Me and I in Him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing." Harris writes, "When we think about what it means to abide in Jesus, our temptation is to do a checklist. But abiding isn't a program. Abiding is a relationship. We live in an electronic world, and we want to treat this like charging an electronic device. How long do I have to be plugged into God through a quiet time, or prayer, or reading a book to get the charge I need to then go out and do my thing? But Jesus doesn't say, 'I am the power cord; you are the cell phone.' He says, 'I'm the vine. You're the branch.' If you want life, there can't be any disconnect. Abiding is living in this constant awareness of total dependence. Abiding is what desperate people do who realize that they have no life, power, no inward resource of themselves."

I'll be grateful for this: cancer and quadriplegia have kept me abiding in Jesus in such a way I would've never dreamed possible just six months ago. This week, it's my prayer you'll be thankful for the problems that keep you pressed up against Jesus' heart, as well.”

What can I say? I need to do more abiding.

For Joni, hardship is just another reason to thank her Lord, and she chooses daily to abide in Him. She does so with untold grace, dignity, and beauty. The Holy Spirit shines through her life, and she radiates His joy.

Let’s be inspired to remain constantly aware of our life source, Jesus Christ our Saviour and Lord, as we abide in Him.

Susan Page is the daughter of the King, His beloved child, wonderfully forgiven and blessed! Susan longs to age gracefully, becoming more like Jesus as she seeks the hidden treasures revealed to her through Scripture, literature, the arts, humankind, and nature.