Joni Eareckson Tada: Swimming Against the Tide

Trailblazers

by Catherine MacKenzie

Joni Eareckson is a well-known Christian speaker and author from America but there was a day when she was a teenage girl in a bathing costume with nothing on her mind but boys, make up and her beloved horse, Tumbleweed. However, all that changed one morning when an innocent dive turned into a tragic accident. Joni's story is a wonderful testimony to God's grace and power in someone's life. Healing may have been an amazing miracle that didn't happen but Joni's ongoing work with thousands of disabled people throughout the world is a miracle in itself.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Christian, Childrens, Faith

176 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2003

About the author

Catherine Mackenzie has written several biographies for young teens in the Trailblazers series as well as other titles for younger children. She lives in Scotland and has several nieces and nephews – a perfect practice audience!

Reviews

[Brayden Wickey]

When Donald left I cried my eyes out😭😭

[Niki Shirkman]

I love Joni and her story. This was a read-aloud with the kids. For their ages, I found this book focused too much on Joni’s struggle with boys/dating/relationships. I talk about all these things with my kids but had to skip over some parts of this book that focused too heavily on it.

[Elise Powell]

I absolutely love Joni's story. I read her book in high school... She was an inspiration to me as a teen, and after hearing her speak at an event, I was able to give her a letter I wrote thanking her for her ministry. As someone familiar with her story, I was excited to share this book with my children.

This book does her story a disservice. It focuses so much on her boyfriends, dating, sexual desires, fantasies... strong arms, boyish grins, blue eyes... It mentions sex and kissing... Not something I was anticipating in a Christian biography recommended for ages 8-12!

It ends abruptly with a quick recap over the second half of her life in timeline form.

Very disappointed.

[Sharon Hatcher]

I was a kid when I first learned who Joni is and immediately was inspired by her. This book was great to be a quick overview of her accident and journey of recovery and following God, but I was left with wanting even more details. I guess I need to check out her autobiography!

Just to note, it is mentioned her struggle with lust and passion as a teen and it is wonderfully explained that God intends sex to be saved for marriage. I agree with everything written, just noting that I wouldn’t have a younger child read this because of that.

[Angela Priebbenow]

This was one of those books that I didn't really expect to enjoy as much as I did. For me, it was a reminder that God's will and ours doesn't always align, and yet that He always brings out the best things for us in His timing. Joni's struggle with needing to give up her dreams and plans for her life and depend on God to bring about His even better plans is something that I can relate to, even though my life hasn't been so drastic!

[Carly Leigh Forbes]

I really enjoyed this book. It was amazing to read about Joni's life, struggles, and faith. Being a disabled woman myself, I could relate to a lot of her emotions and frustrations - especially regarding the subject of healing.

[Vas]

Such a great story about perseverance and trust in God during difficult time.

[Katy Lovejoy]

I remember when we were little and my mom was homeschooling me and my brothers and we had to try to draw a butterfly like Joni would. It didn't end well just in case you were wondering

[Jodi Howard]

A quick audiobook listen about the life of a terrible accident resulting in tremendous faith. Listened in one afternoon.

[Ross Mackenzie]

An ok book but definitely for older children, maybe even teenagers.

[Maree Brown]

Joni's beautiful testimony of accepting Gods will and trusting in his greater purposes after breaking her neck and becoming paralysed from a diving accident at seventeen.

[Sue Perkinson Hawkins]

Good book

[Megan Lunsford]

Trail Blazers writes my favorite biographies for kids on Christian men and women; and this particular one on Joni is excellent. My girls and I were held tight to her story and her surrender to Christs love and plan for her life.

[Yibbie]

Three stars because I remember it quite fondly from my youth, and the message is so well woven throughout the book. It is well done for a children's book, but it is highly novelized. There is a lot of dialogue. Still read it.

[Joanna vdb]

She is such a remarkable woman. Such a good example.