Just finished this inspirational autobiography by Bethany Hamilton, pro-surfer and shark-attack survivor. And I have to say it is a really good read.
I was first drawn to the story when the movie, based on the book and of the same name, came out last year.
Bethany's story is an amazing one. A young girl, obviously born to surf, loses her arm in a terrifying accident but somehow finds the will to get back in the water and achieve her dreams even after they seem completely (pardon the pun) out of reach.
But that is not why I am so captivated by this story, it's the fact that she is using her loss as a way to reach out to others. If you read the book, losing her arm is tough, but what might be even harder on Bethany is being a celebrity. She is a shy person and would rather be in the background surfing, than on center stage, yet from the news story to the book deals to the movie, she has become a well known figure and a house-hold name. She does this not FOR the fame. (Oh, no, she hates that part), but rather she gives up her privacy in order to tell as many people as possible about Christ and how He truly has helped her, be not just a survivor, but a victor for Him.
I have yet to read, see or hear; an interview, movie or book with her name on it that is not dripping with references to God and Jesus. Bethany might just be the modern Eric Liddell. (An Olympic gold medalist who made history by refusing to run on Sunday.)
Bethany has gone so far as to say that she would never take her arm back, because God has done so much more with out her arm than she could have done with it.
So, I want to run like Eric Liddell and surf like Bethany Hamilton, for God all the way.
