Why Bethany Hamilton Has Hope When Facing Obstacles
By Movieguide® Contributor
Surfer Bethany Hamilton encouraged her Instagram followers to look for hope when they face obstacles, recalling how a friend urged her to surf again after she lost her arm in a shark attack.
“‘Hey, I think you can learn to surf with one arm.’ When my friend @mikecoots said that to me, it lit a lightbulb of inspiration. After that, I was thinking ‘OK, let’s do this,’” Hamilton stated in a now-deleted Instagram post.
Hamilton was excited to start this new journey, but she was also afraid she wouldn’t be able to surf again even if she tried. However, once she caught her first wave, she knew she could do anything, and her story inspired the Movieguide® award-winning movie SOUL SURFER.
“It was definitely a gradual process with ups and downs,” Hamilton wrote. “Day after day, I had to choose to persevere. I took tons of wipeouts, but I was determined to figure it out. It’s definitely been a journey of overcoming!”
“I’m cheering you on to overcome the obstacles in your life today too,” she encouraged her followers. “You can choose to be adaptable and to persevere! When challenges come your way, look for that hint of hope, talk with someone, and allow God’s Word to speak into your life a greater hope!!”
Movieguide® recently reported how God has given Hamilton the strength to share her story:
“Living my life so much in the public’s eye has been extremely challenging and yet very beautiful at the same time!” she captioned a recent post. “Receiving letters from people all over the world, saying I inspired them to keep going as they faced their hardship… led me to step outside of my comfort zone to encourage and bless others.”
Hamilton admitted that she initially “wanted to hide on my little island” but decided to “enter into the spotlight” to share her story with others.
“I am so glad I made the decision I did–even when it hasn’t been easy,” she shared.
“God gave me the strength when I was weak,” Hamilton continued. “I am so honored to be able to keep bringing hope to other people. It has been so amazing to see how God has used my life in ways I never imagined!”
“You can be a light to others in your life if you’re willing to step out of your comfort zone too!” she concluded.
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