1 Week to go…

Hello All,
I was looking for something profound to say all this week, being my last official weekly countdown email, and I kept coming up with things that sounded a bit trite. But then I came across an article in Surfer magazine that said just about everything I wanted to say….
I have been very impressed with Bethany Hamilton’s life story and I just saw that they are making a movie out it (www.soulsurferthemovie.com) I think it will be great for young and old alike, but especially for kids who could use a good role model. Here are some excerpts from the article….
“All lives have defining moments. For most of us, they come in the form of complicated private lessons, the product of years of introspection. But for a small percentage, these life-changing moments occur publicly and spontaneously…terrifying, potentially fatal and very public, Bethany Hamilton’s defining moment was most surfers’ worst nightmare. On halloween morning, 2003, 13 year old Bethany was attacked by a 14 foot tiger shark while surfing. With one bite the shark took off her entire arm and a good part of her surf board. Her friends got her in to the beach and then to the hospital but not before she lost half of the blood in her body”….she was back in the ocean surfing again in just three weeks! Wow, I don’t know if I could have ever gone back.
What really impressed me though, was the two page testimony spread in the magazine. The title read “People Ask, how can God be good if he allowed the shark attack.” What a great question!
“We all get caught in the impact zone at some point in our lives, and sometimes we hit the reef. For me, my adversity was much more than the shark attack. My challenge was trusting in God when life got rough, facing the world at age 13, learning to surf again without fear and adjusting to life with one arm, and suddenly becoming well known. I had a choice – to keep going for it, or to give up. I chose to go for it with God by my side. I know that sometimes people are angry with God when bad things happen that can’t always be explained. Which I can understand, and at times I have thought, ‘Why me?’ A scripture that has always encouraged me in those times is Jeremiah 29:11 ” ‘For I know that plans that I have for you,’ says the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not harm you, to give you a future and a hope.’ ” God’s plan and love for me are what motivate me to strive for my goals, and what encourage me to live without doubt and disbelief! I know that I am not perfect; I struggle just like anyone else. But my hope is for my life overall to reflect the love of Jesus and to inspire everyone who is going through difficult times to press on towards their goals, trusting God and remembering he has a perfect plan despite our circumstances.”
I have similar hopes for my life and for my time here in prison. I hope I have been faithful and effective. I am glad this time is coming to an end and I am very excited to come home!
See you soon,
Joe
PS – Additional links for Bethany and her movie….www.cobianusa.com www.bethanyhamilton.com
PSS – She also has a DVD documentary of her story entitled Soul Surfer you might me able to get from www.walkingonwater.org

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