THIS IS NOT ABOUT ME
I am super grateful and excited
for the life the Lord has allowed me to live.
In my travels around the world
I have watched people appear so miserable and unhappy.
Life is short. Tomorrow, today will be yesterday.
Since my new spiritual birth
the Lord has opened my eyes
to see unselfish living for others
is how to live for Christ.
It is better to give than to get.
August 7, 2000 I got up early in the morning
to have breakfast at the hotel I was staying at
in Utrecht in the Netherlands.
The food was amazing.
I love bread and the Dutch people know how to bake.
The selection of meats, cheeses, and spreads
to put on the bread was incredible.
From its outward appearance this hotel
would be rated as average.
I had feasted on their friendly
excellent service and the fantastic breakfast buffet.
The food was phenomenal
with scrambled eggs, boiled eggs, fried eggs,
ham, bacon, sausage, salami, bologna,
and more stuff to indulge my taste buds in
that I can remember. For 10 days I had been blessed
to attend “Amsterdam 2000”
a life changing Billy Graham Conference
for 11300 evangelists from 209 countries.
I had the luxury of having a double room all to myself
while 7000 others stayed in a dormitory
with some serious challenges to get any sleep at night.
So this morning I found me, I and myself
with a stinking attitude
for several reasons which of none qualify
as good excuses rather hear my explanation.
My flight home was at 6 P.M
but I was told I had to take the bus at 8 A.M.
In my grumpy old-self
I was not looking forward to spend all day
at Schiphol airport in Amsterdam.
Unknown to me at the time
I was about to learn another lesson
and find out God’s ways are not my ways.
After a few hours of reading through the material
I had collected from some of the most famous
preachers in the world
I decided to go and buy some bottled water.
Schiphol airport is huge
so I jumped on one of those transportation things
you can stand on while it takes you were you are going.
Lazy on my feet I watched Sister Joni Erickson Tada
catching up with me in her motorized wheel chair.
I called out to her asking if she had a minute.
“Yes of course”, she said with her amazing smile
which lights up the entire world,
“you must have been to the conference”.
I told her how much I had,
along with those around me in the stands,
appreciated her preaching, singing and her testimony.
I wanted to thank her
for being such a blessing and inspiration to all of us.
Joni just shrugged it off
and laughed and said
though she was grateful for the kind words
the Lord Jesus deserves all the glory.
I told her how Jesus changed my attitude
through hearing her story.
Joni had told us at first
she was mad to find out she was paralyzed.
But now she finds her life more valuable
because of the opportunities the Lord gives to serve others.
I could not understand how anyone
bound to a wheel chair as a quadriplegic
could say her life was better
than with arms and legs working.
Sister Joni is truly amazing.
The ministry the Lord has given her worldwide
brings help and encouragement
to physically disabled people all over the world.
I was truly blessed to find the reason
why God had me at the airport early that day.
I highly recommend you check out the ministry
the Lord Jesus has given Joni:
www.joniandfriends.org
Recently at church
we watched Brother Nick from Australia
who despite having no arms or legs
travels all over the world and share Christ.
These two fellow believers of mine
have risen to the occasion
and have enlisted themselves
into the Lord’s service
for His glory and benefit of others.
It reminds me of the ultimate sacrifice of our Lord,
Savior and Messiah
and what Jesus did for us on the Cross
when He shed His blood for our sins.
He is risen indeed.
Thank You Lord Jesus!
