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. 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!
