Joni and Friends Ministry Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Can't Steal My Joy: Facing Unexpected Heartbreak – Bekah Bowman Mar 04, 2021

Show notes

How do you stay grounded when your life path takes an unexpected turn? Is it possible to hold pain in one hand and joy in the other? This week on the podcast, Bekah Bowman is sharing her journey of finding beauty and goodness amid unthinkable loss and grief.

Bekah is a coach's wife and mother to two boys, Titus and Ely. She served as a children's pastor and teacher until Batten disease came knocking at her door. Facing the heartbreak of a fatal diagnosis for both children, Bekah journeyed through dark valleys of death and grief. But it's been in these deeply broken places that she’s experienced Jesus in a whole new way.

If you are in a season of mourning or struggling with the heaviness of life, hear where Bekah has found hope and joy. Be encouraged to see wholeness in cracks, courage in the broken-hearted, and bravery in the act of letting go.

Resources:

Read Can’t Steal My Joy: The Journey to a Different Kind of Brave
Find Bekah on Instagram and Facebook

Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.

*Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Join us in answering the call in Luke 14:21-23... until his house is full!

Founded by author and international disability advocate Joni Eareckson Tada, the ministry provides Christ-centered care that serves needs and transforms hearts through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, and Retreats and Getaways. Joni and Friends also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses and internships through the Christian Institute on Disability. Find more encouragement through Joni's radio podcast, daily devotional, or by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.

Find all podcast resources and message our team.

Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.

Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Founded by Joni Eareckson Tada, we provide Christ-centered care through Joni's House, Wheels for the World, Retreats and Getaways, and disability ministry training.

Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.

The Heart Behind Joni's House – Joni Eareckson Tada Feb 25, 2021

Show notes

More than one billion people live with disability worldwide, and COVID-19 has only aggravated their struggles. Hunger, unemployment, and lack of medical care have left many people in need of hope. This week on the podcast, we’re kicking off season 3 with a special conversation between Crystal Keating and Founder of Joni and Friends, Joni Eareckson Tada. Listen as they discuss the staggering needs of families with special needs and how a brand-new ministry initiative was birthed out of the pandemic.

Joni first gives an update on her recovery from COVID-19 and shares how this personal challenge has made her even more eager to provide complete, Christ-centered care to people living with disability. Learn how Joni and Friends is on the frontlines showing the love of Jesus as we meet vital needs through Joni’s House!

Learn More About Joni’s House

Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.

You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.

Find all podcast resources and message our team.

Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.

Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.

Welcome to Season 3 of the Joni and Friends Ministry Podcast! Feb 18, 2021

Show notes

We’re so excited to kick off season 3 of the Joni and Friends Ministry Podcast! Over this past year, we’ve all faced unexpected changes, many leading to uncertainty about health, employment, and caregiving. And throughout the pandemic, Joni and Friends has heard from many struggling with loneliness, anxiety, and depression. Aren’t we all in need of real hope?

This season on the podcast, Crystal Keating is sharing hope through hardship and bringing you real conversations about disability, offering practical ways to include people with special needs in your church and community. And along with her encouraging conversations, Crystal will be inviting some of our special guests to answer your questions related to disability. If you have a question or a topic you’d like hear discussed on the podcast, please send Crystal a message at podcast@joniandfriends.org.

And next week to kick off season 3, Crystal will be joined by our Founder and CEO, Joni Eareckson Tada! Listen in to hear an update on Joni’s health and recovery following a diagnosis of COVID-19, as well as the brand-new Joni and Friends ministry initiative that has been birthed out of the pandemic.

Subscribe today and invite a friend to join us every Thursday for the Joni and Friends Ministry Podcast!

Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.

You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.

Find all podcast resources and message our team.

Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.

Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.

More Than a Wheelchair – Jason Holden Dec 17, 2020

Show notes

“Around the world, one of the biggest challenges people living with disabilities are facing is access to services…they’re being left behind.”

While the global impact of COVID-19 has distressed communities around the world, people living with disability have been hit the hardest. Shutdowns have impacted workforces, transportation systems, and supply chains creating serious consequences, especially in developing countries where families have limited access to basic food and medical care.

Today on the podcast, Jason Holden, VP of Global Operations at Joni and Friends, is sharing about the critical challenges being faced by people impacted by disability worldwide. As families face hunger, lack of medical supplies, and deeper isolation, Joni and Friends has shifted our ministry focus to meet these vital needs. Hear how we’re leveraging international partnerships to meet both the physical and spiritual needs of people living with disability and provide ongoing support and community through the body of Christ.

Worldwide people impacted by disability are facing hunger, medical shortages, and isolation. This Christmas you can send vital support that will transform lives. Your gift of $125 provides basic medical care, food, hygiene supplies, and spiritual care for a family living with disability for one month. Give the Perfect Gift!

“If one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?” –James 2:16

Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.

You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.

Find all podcast resources and message our team.

Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.

Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.

Ministry During COVID-19 and Hurricane Season – Leslie Dozier Dec 10, 2020

Show notes

“COVID-19 has not stopped us from sharing the love of Jesus.”

During the pandemic, Joni and Friends has been hard at work finding creative ways to serve families living with disability. In Louisiana where multiple hurricanes have pounded the state, our team has been able to support people who have faced critical challenges, even beyond the restrictions of COVID-19.

Today on the podcast, Leslie Dozier, Area Director of Joni and Friends Louisiana, is sharing about the ministry taking place in her region. Hear how she’s been able to engage local churches to offer ongoing care, support, and discipleship during this challenging season. Subscribe to the podcast to be inspired by her heart for building networks of support to share the hope of the Gospel with people impacted by disability across the state of Louisiana!

This Christmas, send the hope of Christ and practical help to individuals and families impacted by disability. Give the Perfect Gift!

Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.

You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.

Find all podcast resources and message our team.

Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.

Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.

Learning to Lament – Jennifer Ji-Hye Ko Dec 03, 2020

Show notes

“Lament is simply pouring out your anxieties and pain to God…in the expectation that God hears you and He is willing to do something about it.”

2020 has been a year of heightened heartache. Unpredictable circumstances, isolation, and extreme loss have left many people wondering how to process their grief through the lens of Scripture, and in relationship to God’s goodness and sovereignty.

This week on the podcast, Crystal has invited Jennifer Ji-Hye Ko to join her in focusing on the biblical practice of lament. Jennifer, who lives with a number of chronic conditions, is walking through the cleansing and healing process of crying out to God through seasons of deep grief. If you are feeling weighed down today by emptiness or loss, be encouraged by Jennifer’s insight and guidance for the important practice of lament.

Resources:

Download Jennifer's Poem, Vision Through Blood
Follow Jennifer on Instagram
Send the hope of Christ and practical help to individuals and families impacted by disability. Give the Perfect Gift!

Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.

You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.

Find all podcast resources and message our team.

Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.

Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.

Finding Freedom Through Forgiveness – Vaneetha Risner Nov 26, 2020

Show notes

"What God gives us in suffering is more than he takes away."

Vaneetha Risner contracted polio as an infant, was misdiagnosed, and lived with widespread paralysis. In and out of the hospital for ten years, she faced bullying after each hospital stay. When she became a Christian, Vaneetha thought things would get easier, and for a time they did: carefree college days, a dream job in Boston, and an MBA from Stanford where she met and married a classmate.

But life unraveled again. She had four miscarriages and her son died because of a doctor's mistake. Vaneetha was later diagnosed with post-polio syndrome, meaning she would likely become a quadriplegic. And when her husband betrayed her, he moved out and left her to raise two adolescent daughters alone.

Today on the podcast, Vaneetha is talking with Crystal about the grace God has given her to forgive those whose harmful choices radically altered the course of her life. As a modern-day Job, her story of loss, suffering, questioning, and anger has become a life filled with incomprehensible peace and joy. Sharing from her new book Walking Through Fire: A Memoir of Loss and Redemption, hear how she’s made sense of her ongoing hardships and how they have drawn her closer to Christ. Be encouraged by her courageous journey toward wholeness amidst a world of brokenness!

Order Walking Through Fire

Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.

You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.

Find all podcast resources and message our team.

Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.

Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.

God’s Grace in Chronic Illness – Mireille Blanchard Nov 19, 2020

Show notes

“God is sovereign and still good. Even when I think we are in some sort of holding pattern, He always makes a way through.”

At just 18 years old, Mireille Blanchard developed a severe blood clotting disorder that was unknowingly triggered by her acne medication. When ER doctors discovered more than 36 blood clots lighting up the scan of her lungs, Mireille wasn’t sure if she would live to see the next morning.

Today on the podcast, she is sharing about her battle with chronic illness and the emotional repercussions she’s faced over the past decade. Hear how Mireille has seen God’s grace in her health, marriage, and community of support, and be inspired by her advice for creatively supporting people on societal margins.

Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org
Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.

You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.

Find all podcast resources and message our team.

Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.

Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.

How to Manage Stress and Avoid Burnout – Dr. Jay Fine Nov 12, 2020

Show notes

“Troubled times causes great anxiety in our hearts... It reveals our weakness and false hopes. It can lead us to desperation, but it can also turn us toward God and teach us where to find real food for our souls.”

Has the isolation and anxiety of the past few months caused you to become COVID-weary? As we approach winter, many people are battling lethargy, malaise, and depression. During this prolonged season of isolation, it can be difficult to tune our own levels of stress. And as families are challenged by limited support services, stress can lead to burnout – circumstances simply don’t allow for needed rest and recuperation.

This week on the podcast, psychologist Dr. Jay Fine is back to talk about how to manage stress and avoid burnout, especially during this challenging season. Recognizing that we are all impacted physically, emotionally, and spiritually during a prolonged time of strain, he is sharing common stress symptoms, how to identify your stressors, and tools for avoiding burn out.

Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org

Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.

Follow Joni and Friends on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

Help other people find this podcast by leaving us a 5-star review!

*Joni and Friends was founded in 1979 by Joni Eareckson Tada who in a diving accident was left a quadriplegic at 17 years old. Ministry began as Tada, joined by friends around her kitchen table, responded to letters she received from people with disabilities in search of support. For more than 40 years, the ministry has grown to serve thousands of people impacted by disability worldwide: Joni and Friends has delivered more than 180,000 wheelchairs and Bibles through Wheels for the World and provided Christian care to 63,000 special needs family members through Family Retreats. The organization also equips individuals and churches with disability ministry training and provides higher education courses through the Christian Institute on Disability. For more encouragement, download the Joni and Friends radio podcast in English or Spanish, and view inspirational videos on the Joni and Friends website.

www.joniandfriends.org*

You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.

Find all podcast resources and message our team.

Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.

Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.

Coping with a New Normal – Dr. Jay Fine Nov 05, 2020

Show notes

“Be honest with your emotions. Ask for help. A diagnosis is a detour, a change in the map. It’s not the end of the map. It’s a new journey to a different destination.”

How do you cope when you are faced with an unexpected diagnosis or a sudden life-altering disability? What do friends and family members need to understand about how their loved ones might be feeling as they learn to live with a new normal?

This week on the podcast Crystal is talking with Dr. Jay Fine, a Christian counselor and psychologist who specializes in working with families impacted by disability. As an adoptive father to 3 children - two living with disability - God has used Jay’s 38 years of practice and personal experiences to provide the hope of Christ and practical tools to many families facing various hardships.

Be encouraged today by his wisdom and advice for adjusting to a new normal when disability is involved. Be inspired to “do something” as you cope with whatever new challenge you might be facing!

Questions or comments? Email Crystal at podcast@joniandfriends.org

Support Joni and Friends to help make this podcast possible.

Follow Joni and Friends on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

Help other people find this podcast by leaving us a 5-star review!

www.joniandfriends.org*

You make this podcast possible! Thank you for your support.

Find all podcast resources and message our team.

Follow Joni and Friends on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.

Find more encouragement on Joni Eareckson Tada's Sharing Hope podcast and her daily devotional.