A Spectacle of Glory: God’s Light Shining Through Me written by Joni Eareckson Tada, published by Zondervan and released in October 2016.
When I was first contacted to review this book, truth is that it was the author’s name that sparked interest. I remember my Mom being inspired by Joni Eareckson and her walk in faith. I cannot clearly recall, but do believe that Mom saw Joni speak in person. As a wheelchair-bound quadriplegic since a diving accident at the age of 17, Joni’s story grew into a movement, now called the Joni and Friends International Disability Center. She has written fifty books, her story was made into a movie, she has served on the National Council of Disability and, over the years, received numerous awards and accolades.
In this newest book, published specifically mark her 2017 50th anniversary in a wheelchair, Joni offers short daily devotions to remind us that every day is an opportunity to be a spectacle of God’s glory, to shine on even under difficult circumstances. In the introduction, Joni quotes John Newton, who wrote Amazing Grace back in the 1700s:
Some Christians are born to endure a disproportionate of suffering. Such Christians are a spectacle of grace to the church, like flaming bushes unconsumed, and cause us to ask, like Moses, ‘Why is this bush not burned?’ The strength and stability of these believers can be explained only by the miracle of God’s sustaining grace.
As I do when reviewing these types of books, I selected five random dates to read. Each devotion is about two thirds of a short (4×6″) page followed by a brief prayer of reflection and praise.
- The first reading I chose spoke of chronic pain and how it can rob you of joy (but don’t let it break your faith).
- The next reminded us that though we sometimes need to walk through the fire, we do not walk alone.
- A third suggested that we stop and remind ourselves of the people and things in life that we love and value, and to be thankful for them.
- The fourth compared our natural aversion to be given a bed bath by someone else when we are ill to the glory of being bathed to real cleanliness through Christ.
- The last prompts readers to reflect on conditional promises made to us in the Bible.
If you or someone on your gift list suffers from chronic pain, is experiencing a serious illness, is dealing with failing relationships or struggles with understanding life’s purpose, this might be the perfect gift and it will keep inspiring for the next 365 days and beyond. I think my Mom would have loved it.
You can order the book here through Joni’s website or order here through Amazon.com.
As the back cover reminds us:
Your life is not too ordinary, your world is not too small, and your work is not too insignificant. You can be a stage set to glorify God. Joni is your companion on this journey.
