"Soul Surfer" Bethany Hamilton does not really like to talk about the horrific shark attack that cost her her entire left arm in 2003 when she was only 13 years old. It's not because the ordeal was too painful to think about but because it takes the focus away on what really matters—the healing power of faith, she said.
Speaking before the congregation at Glasgow Church in Delaware on Friday night, Hamilton said that her faith in God played a crucial role in her physical, emotional, spiritual, and mental recovery.
"I think God has a reason for our pain and He wants to carry us through these hard times," she said, according to The Newark Post.
Thanks to God, Hamilton found the courage to get back on her surfboard just one month after the shark attack. She won a national title two years after, and Hamilton eventually became a pro surfer.
What's more, God used her story to inspire people from all over the world to never give up on their dreams despite their disabilities. "If by losing my arm, I'm then able to share my story with people who are suffering pains and losses, it makes it all worth it," she said.
Hamilton admitted that there are times when she would imagine just how easy life would be if she had two arms. But she knows that even people blessed with both arms don't have things easy. "Even life with two arms isn't simple, straightforward and easy. We all have our tough times and struggles," she acknowledged.
Hamilton, who is now a mother to son Tobias Dirks, said people all have their difficult moments. The only way to get past this negativity is to find peers who would uplift and promote a stronger relationship with God.
"It's really important to surround yourself with people who uplift and encourage you," she said.
