It’s Time for “Joni and Friends”…

By |Published On: April 25, 2011|Categories: News|

joni and ken in the radio studioRadio recording day at the International Disability Center is a pretty big deal – and an all-day one, too! Early on Tuesday morning, April 26th, I’ll head into the studio with Rainey Floreen and Amy Hurtado (the JAF radio department) to get the day rolling with plenty of prayer and praise. In the control room will be Jim Sanders, my producer and, hopefully, Ken Tada will drop by for a quick interview. I’ll be recording 30 “Joni and Friends” radio programs, 45 one-minute features, and 30 public service announcements (check it out on disabilitycampaign.org). Whatever I’ll be recording on Tuesday, it’ll be all about encouragement! 

If there’s one thing I love doing, it’s helping people grasp the comfort and courage that can be found in the Word of God. Isaiah 50:4 says, “The Sovereign Lord has given me an instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught.” Let me remind you, if you weren’t born with the gift of encouragement, God can teach you. There’s no better instructor than the Lord Himself, because He wrote the lesson in Isaiah 50:4. 

God, the all-time great Encourager, says He will give you His words to sustain those around you. He even wants to show you, first thing in the morning, those who may need an encouraging word. He’ll teach you who to be on the lookout for, such as a neighbor who just received a bad medical report, a co-worker who didn’t get the promotion, or a family member who feels hurt and neglected. And what does God require of you, His student? “Listen like one being taught.” That means active listening, not passive. It means cooperating with the Lord when He nudges you to say a kind word to an unsuspecting friend. Folks all around you are facing hardships; you can add richness and meaning to their lives as you offer supernatural encouragement.

Ask God to show you today that special person who needs a word of hope — then keep your eyes open through the morning and afternoon. It may be someone who is discouraged about his job—remind him of past successes. It may be your spouse who feels overwhelmed with the workload—how about an extra hug? Encouraging others costs no more than a bit of time and effort, yet who can put a price on its value? And I put a high value on your prayers for me as we record those radio programs all day Tuesday – thanks for joining me in spreading the encouragement of Christ to those who need Him most!

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