Here's what Bethany Hamilton, the girl who back in 2003 lost her left arm in a shark attack while surfing, said about being in the spotlight:
"I try not to make a big soap opera out of the shark attack. I would rather focus on what God has allowed me to do in picking up the pieces of my old life and adjusting to parts that are new and different for me. Most of all, I want to use my story as a way to tell people about God's story. It seems like he has given me the attention of the world for a moment, and I had better take advantage of it while I can." (from her book, Soul Surfer, 2004).
That is an unbelievably mature thing for a 14-year-old kid (at the time of the book) to say about such a loss. "Most of all, I want to use my story as a way to tell people about God's story." Outstanding. From the mouths of babes....And she feels much the same today, as her true-story movie is about to be released. The rest of the story is that she got back on her surfboard and competes....with only one arm. Fantastic.
Watch the trailer at the movie website - there are also some good interviews and such.
That's so cool, and reminds me of one of the coolest episodes in the Bible - the one where Jesus heals the demon-possessed guy and tells him to go home and tell everyone "what the Lord has done for you." And what a story he had! So, yeah, I think some of us whose stories seem rather bland actually have more to testify about than we think we do.
ReplyDeleteRight on Blaine.
ReplyDeleteI guess her quote resonated with me because I'm feeling a kind of similar thing: I want Janie's & my story to aim people towards God's Story....