Joni Eareckson Tada released from hospital, thanks God for 'marvelous' healing
Joni Eareckson Tada, an evangelical author and speaker, announced she’s been released from the hospital — and thanked God for healing her lungs just two weeks after she was hospitalized for severe pain and difficulty breathing.
On the Joni and Friends website, Tada shared a photo of herself smiling with her hands raised in front of a hospital entrance.
She captioned the photo: “I just signed my discharge papers and I am… Free! Praising God for healing of my lungs. Fresh air never felt so good! God bless you for praying me to this marvelous release after 14 days in the hospital! Onward and upward.”
Get Our Latest News for FREE
In an update posted a day earlier, Tada revealed that her discharge was delayed because the hospital wanted to make certain that all the proper medical equipment arrived at her home prior to her release.
“And for that, I am grateful to God!” she said. “My song today? ‘Holy Spirit, you are welcome here, come flood this place and fill the atmosphere. Your glory, God, is what our hearts long for, to be overcome by your presence, Lord!’”
“God is moving in these medical hallways,” she continued, “and I have enjoyed my prayer assignment over the past 14 days here at the hospital! Looking forward to tomorrow!!”
On March 27, Tada’s ministry reported that she had been hospitalized for observation and medical oversight after experiencing severe pain and difficulty breathing. The issues, the update said, occurred in the weeks following the completion of a series of radiation treatments for a recurrence of cancer.
“Knowing the truth of that promise of James 5:16, Joni and Ken would be most grateful for your prayers today,” reported the California-based ministry, Joni and Friends, referring to Tada and her husband. ”As they express confidence that God is in control, the support of prayerful concern would be deeply appreciated.”
In addition to founding Joni and Friends in 1979, Tada has also served as a senior associate for disability concerns for the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization, an adviser to the American Leprosy Mission, and the National Institute on Learning Disabilities.
She was first diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer eight years ago and underwent a mastectomy and chemotherapy treatment. In 2015, she was declared cancer-free.
But last November, doctors discovered a small cancerous tumor within a small nodule which had developed over the site of her mastectomy.
“When I received the unexpected news of cancer from my oncological surgeon, I relaxed and smiled, knowing that my sovereign God loves me dearly and holds me tightly in His hands,” Tada said at the time.
“What good is it if we only trust the Lord when we understand His ways? That only guarantees a life filled with doubts.”
In February, Tada provided an update explaining that she was nearly done with radiation treatments: “All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize,” she said, adding that she wants to “honor Christ as best I can through this ordeal.”
