thanks guys!

Hi,



Today is a good day to count blessings! There is so much to be thankful for! No matter what our circumstances....there's other people that go through much more difficult situations than this.



I have to confess....my normal happy perky mood has left the building. I am writing right now because for days now, around 4 in the afternoon, my sadness turns to peace, my thoughts turn to hope. I think someone out there is praying, and I want them to know.....KEEP IT UP!



While I have no intention of remaining down from health issues....there are others that may have a longer stay in them. There are those who are still waiting on God for their healing, for those who don't know God, for those who have no hope.



There are ministry opportunities there. Not for "oh look at what we can do for those poor folks" but more like "How can we include them, their spiritual gifts, their talents, skills and drive?" Is it possible for the church to accept, include and encourage disabled people to serve in every capacity available? Or, are the disabled, or sick .......useless to the church? Or, are they a drain?



I went online to the Joni and Friends website. Wow! What a ministry born of adversity that serves disabled people! Does God decide that Joni is worthless becacuse she is in a wheel chair? Did God send people into Steven Hawking's life to discourage him and keep him from his studies in Physics? Are people who need wheelchairs, walkers, crutches, braces, medicine therefore worthless in God's eyes for ministry?



I took the survey on the website for the Joni and Friends survey of the month. It asks something to the effect of : Do disabled people have gifts that could be beneficial to the church? The answer options are "yes" "no" "undecided" and "need more information". Upon clicking on my choice I was SHOCKED to see the results!



Only 54% of the responders said that disabled people have gifts useful for the church. An astounding 44% said "NO". The other 2 % had checked the other options.



So, I got online and looked up the definitions of "prejudice" and "discrimination". It was eye opening. Did you know that former President JFK kept his illness a secret because he said "disability is the last stronghold of discrimination". Yup, he had Addison's disease.



I don't know everything, so I'm asking God for wisdom, asking Him for direction and for people's eyes to be opened.



If you'd like to join me in these prayers for the infirm, please do! There is a whole lot of opportunity out there, and the first step is to be inclusive.



I'm in so much pain! EEEK! But, there is progress with my vision and abilities and I'm just going to keep pressing in. Pain? HA! I laugh in the face of pain!

Love you guys!
Teresa