Bethany Hamilton Keeps Trusting God’s Plan 21 Years After Shark Attack
By Movieguide® Contributor
Surfer Bethany Hamilton reflected on how her faith saw her through the loss of her arm 21 years later and reminded others “to be grateful” in their own hard moments.
“21 years ago…The most impactful event of my life loosing [sic] my arm to a shark. Yet sooo much beauty has come from this moment,” Hamilton wrote in an Instagram post. “Today is a reminder to be grateful for life and how precious each day is.”
Hamilton lost her arm when she was 13 years old in a shark attack.
READ MORE: BETHANY HAMILTON REFLECTS ON 20 YEARS SINCE SHARK ATTACK: ‘GOD HAD SO MUCH MORE’
She shared that, while she didn’t immediately “wake up in the hospital thinking I was invincible and was gonna get back to surfing,” the encouragement of friends, as well as a change in mindset, convinced her to get back on the board.
“This was done with courage and this was done in faith,” Hamilton wrote. “And I am so glad I was willing to try and give surfing with one arm my best shot! Now I get to surf with my 4 beautiful children and pass on the love. This is such a joy!”
She continued, “My greatest rock through it all has been God and the faith he has given me. In the midst of pain and the many challenges, God has carried me in ways I cannot quite word. But surely with a steady peace, hope and joy that I have not found elsewhere.”
“So my charge to each of you is… REMEMBER when you have ‘Shark Attack’ or wipe outs moments in life,” Hamilton concluded. “I hope you’re willing to try, choose to be grateful in even the hard moments, adapt, live in faith that God has overcome it all and go forth to give life your best shot! You too CAN OVERCOME!”
Hamilton frequently speaks about how her faith helped her overcome her fear of getting back on her surfboard.
In an interview with Christianity Today, she said, “There were frustrating times and times of uncertainty. But it wasn’t like shaking my fist; that’s a bit much. But I just kept coming back to the basics: Lord, what do you want me to do? Like, with one arm I know I can surf, but competitive surfing can be really frustrating, and sometimes you don’t do as well as you want to. It can be discouraging at times. But whenever I do get frustrated, I just focus on God.”
READ MORE: HOW BETHANY HAMILTON OVERCOMES FEAR: ‘LOOK TO GOD’
“Whoever needs to hear this… God has the world in the palm of his hand,” Hamilton wrote in one post. “Sooo all of our worry and concern, that we may burden, is a call and reminder to look to him, to pray, to hope in Jesus above and beyond the chaos!!! There will always be trouble… There will be hardship… but God is good ALL OF THE TIME! And God has OVERCOME!!!”
