“Soul Surfer” by Bethany Hamilton
Here on the farm there are 3 Canadian geese that each have a broken wing due to attack from a predator such as a raccoon or fox. These geese are unable to fly with the other geese, so they remain earthbound on the farm. It's sad to watch them run with the other geese with their wings outstretched, and while the other geese take off into the sky, these geese flap the floppy wings unable to catch the wind causing them to stop short as they watch the others soar away.
Then I thought, you know these same things happen to people too. Soldiers lose limbs in battle. People lose limbs in accidents or to disease, yet they able to overcome and go on to accomplish amazing achievements.
One such person was Bethany Hamilton, a world famous championship surfer from Hawaii. In 2003, at the age of 13, she was attacked by a 14 foot Tiger shark while practicing surfing with her best friend and her friend's father and brother. The shark bit off her left arm. The father's fast thinking, (making a tourniquet from his surf board's tow rope) and Bethany remaining calm during the traumatic event, saved her from bleeding to death. Bethany took priority in surgery over her own father who was prepped and about to undergo a routine knee surgery when a call came into the hospital that a surfer had been attacked by a shark.
Bethany miraculously survived the attack even though she lost 60 percent of her blood and was in hypovolemic shock. Despite losing her arm, Bethany returned to surfing a month after the attack. She had to learn to surf with one arm. She entered her first major competition January 10th, 2004. Throughout her career she competed in the United States and other countries. She placed first in many events becoming one of the best surfers in the world. In 2012, she became the first woman surfer to surf in the Rip Curl Cup.
Hamilton said she let Jesus into her heart when she was 5 years old, so when the shark took her arm in 2003, it wasn't hard to put her faith in God.
"Because of where Jesus brought me, I have no regrets of the adversities God has allowed me to go through," she said at a breakfast, "As you look at me you could think, ' Wow, have pity on her, she lost her arm to a shark,' But I look it as something beautiful. God has taken something awful and turned it into something incredibly amazing. "
Bethany wrote about her experience in the 2004 autobiography 'Soul Surfer: A True story of Faith, Family and Fighting to get Back on the Board. ' In April 2011, the feature film Soul Surfer was released. She was in a movie called "Unstoppable" where she shows the struggles and happiness of her family.
Other major achievements: ESPY Award (2004), NSSA National Helping Kids Champion (2005), 2nd place, ASP World Junior Championships (2008)
Bethany has appeared in multiple television shows, multiple public speaking events motivating audiences world wide to live their lives with tenacity, courage and faith. She has several books and documentaries of her life. In 2011, she appeared in a video for the Christian organization 'I Am Second, ' telling of her struggles after the shark attack and how she trusted in God to get her through it.
Bethany proved God's words in the verse from Romans 8:28, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God: those who are called according to His purpose. " and also in Philippians 4:13, " I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. "
Bethany's life has been an inspiration and blessing to millions world wide.
God Bless, Linda Shields