Tyler Murray’s Story of Hope
Reposted from bethanyhamilton.com:
“Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope…”
Romans 5:3-4
Tyler was born with congenital amniotic band syndrome. Growing up with one arm, life seemed normal. It was the only reality she knew. However, when she got to college her limb difference did not go unnoticed. “I was shocked because everyone was looking and staring at me. They [were] seeing my arm; they [were] not seeing me… I felt like [my missing arm] defined me [in other’s eyes].”
After attending my Beautifully Flawed Retreats something shifted in Tyler. “When I came back I was completely different and I embraced myself and my arm. I felt like I wasn’t supposed to hide from it but use it. It was something God gave me to use.” When asked what it means to be ‘Beautifully Flawed’ Tyler shared:
“It means no matter the flaw or the difference that you’re still beautiful; that you’re still beautiful and made in God’s image.”
Psalm 40:3, “He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God.” When Tyler looked at herself -and her body- through God’s eyes, she was able to see herself as a daughter of Christ, made in His image. The life God gave her wasn’t a song of sadness it was a song of praise! It was a song of God’s faithfulness, a song of God’s beautiful design, and it was a song that should be sung.
When I’m unstoppable, I live each day with confidence knowing I am created in God’s image.
-Bethany Hamilton
The application for our 2020 Beautifully Flawed Retreat is now open! If you or anyone you know is a 14-25 young woman with limb difference, please apply here!
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