How her disability influenced her relationship with family, friends, strangers and most importantly, her relationship to herself and God. I appreciated seeing the portrayals of relationships in this as well.

And all through this book it showed me so many highs and lows I’ve not experienced myself… and worries I’ve never considered before. The first chapter already gave me chills. And sad when there were nurses who wanted to do more for their patients but were overworked, underpaid, and undersupplied. But the times when some cruel nurses took advantage of patients who relied on them in horrifically ableist and abusive ways. Of course, we get to hear about wonderful carers and nurses too. Angry, sad, happy… I especially felt angry when it talked about nurses. I admire Joni’s ability to talk about some of her struggles and joyous moments, but then lifting them and showing how some of the problems she is experiencing able bodied people can also relate to – and therefore she spoke to me on not only how to make the world a more inclusive space for disabled people and wheelchair users, but also on how I can improve and grow in my life personally and spiritually. And as Joni goes through them all, she learns some things herself and in the end comes to a conclusion which sounds strong and healthy to me.

I liked that it discussed some of the harmful and incredibly ableist perspectives some Christians have on disability, and it unpacks those. This one is told by a Christian woman, so it talks about religious beliefs when she discusses her experience. Joni is now available for the first time in an unabridged audio version read by the author. Joni has written an afterword in which she describes the events that have occurred in her life since the book's publication in 1976, including her marriage to Ken Tada and the expansion of her worldwide ministry to families affected by disability. The new 25th Anniversary edition of this award-winning story-which has more than 3,000,000 copies in print in over 40 languages-will introduce a new generation of readers to the incredible greatness of God's power and mercy at work in those who fully give their hearts and lives to him. The hard-earned truths she discovers and the special ways God reveals his love are testimonies to faith's triumph over hardship and suffering. In this unforgettable autobiography, Joni reveals each step of her struggle to accept her disability and discover the meaning of her life. She went from being an active young woman to facing every day in a wheelchair. In a split second on a hot July afternoon, a diving accident transformed the life of Joni Eareckson Tada forever. The award-winning story of a young woman who triumphed over devastating odds to touch countless lives the world over with the healing message of Christ.

Classic postcard book by Joni Mabe