No legs. No arms. No stopping Nicholas Vujicic.
Vujicic found a way to thrive despite immense challenges—he was born with a rare disorder characterized by the absence of all four limbs.
The best-selling author, motivational speaker and evangelist presented his faith-based lecture Thursday night in Santa Barbara on how to believe in oneself despite difficulties, and find hope during broken times in life’s journey.
“I love my life. I do,” Vujicic said. “There is a hope beyond death, beyond disability and beyond anything. God can cause all things to come together for the good, for those who love him and who have been called according to his purpose.”
Over five nights, Vujicic will speak in various church settings and venues throughout the Santa Barbara area.
Vujicic approached a large contingent of local churches about six months ago offering to tell his personal story of hope founded in his faith in Jesus, said Dale Swanson, a lead pastor at New Life Church.
More than 20 churches and Christian organizations worked together to arrange the talks, Swanson said.
The Living Faith Church was full Thursday night — more than 500 people filled the church pews and balcony seating.
“The goal is to share a message of hope found in our faith in Christ,” Swanson said. “His story is compelling and inspiring. If a man born with no arms and no legs can find hope for a full and satisfying life, why not tell that story so others can find the source of that hope?”
Vujicic has traveled to more than 54 countries and spoken to countless people in the military, schools, churches, prisons, orphanages, hospitals and stadiums across the globe.
The 33-year-old said his messages had reached over 600 million people.
His unique story also gave him the opportunity to meet ministers and international leaders, and he spent the last month touring in Eastern Europe.
The Melbourne, Australia, native was given no medical explanation for his condition.
Vujicic’s childhood was difficult.
He was faced with the struggles of adolescence, school, loneliness and depression.
“I tried to give up at age 10 because of bullying, and I felt there was no hope,” he said. “All I could see was broken pieces. I didn’t know that God can do beautiful things with broken pieces if you give him a chance.”
He recalled people teasing him and saying “you look weird.”
“It takes one of those sentences and then it’s repeated in your mind, and the more you repeat it—the more you believe it,” Vujicic said. “I didn’t like my story when I was a kid. I hated it.”
Vujicic said he has spoken at more than 900 schools in America and offered an anonymous survey to students.
He said 40 percent of the teenage students surveyed stated the reason for attempted suicide is because of bullying.
“That’s my survey,” Vujicic said. “Not from the government. It was our survey.”
Vujicic faced obstacles but said God had given him the strength to overcome challenges.
“I decided to stay (alive) because I didn’t want to leave that pain with my parents,” Vujicic said.
At age 13, he learned how to be thankful after hurting his single foot during a soccer game.
Vujicic has a small foot with two toes on his left hip that helps him balance.
“I can be angry for what I don’t have,” Vujicic said. “Or be thankful for what I do have.”
When he was 15, his life changed when he read about a man who was born blind.
“I realized God doesn’t need to give me arms and legs to let his glory be revealed in my life,” Vujicic said. “He doesn’t need to heal my body. God has a plan.”
Instead of being troubled about his birth defect, he has fueled his power of faith in God to over come his fears of rejection, he said.
“Encouragement, support, truth, faith and prayer bring me closer to what God has for me,” Vujicic said. “Who could have imagined that a man without hands and feet, could be the arms and legs of God.”
Vujicic started to deliver speeches to the public when he was 19.
He shared how he overcame the most difficult moments, and how he now attains happiness with a wife and two young children.
“I realized I don’t need hands to hold her,” he said. “I just need her heart.”
Vujicic holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and financial planning from Griffith University.
In 2005, he created the international nonprofit ministry Life Without Limbs, which he serves as president.
Vujicic also founded Attitude is Altitude, a motivational speaking company in 2007.
He released his book, “Unstoppable: The Incredible Power of Faith in Action,” in 2012, and shared his experiences about finding hope and meaning in life.
Vujicic will make two more appearances in Santa Barbara.
At 7 p.m. on Friday, at Calvary Chapel (1 North Calle Cesar Chavez) and at 7 p.m. on Saturday, at La Cumbre Junior High (Hope Santa Barbara Church).
Doors open at 6 p.m. and the speech is scheduled to end around 8:30 p.m.
The speech is also live-streamed at 7 p.m. each night on LWL.TV.
On Saturday, New Life Church at 50 E. Alamar, Santa Barbara, 93105, will be live streaming the speech at their facility.
“Choosing venues in various locations rather than one large stadium type event allows for greater intimacy and personal connection with those that come to hear this message,” Swanson said.
“We think this is a tremendous opportunity for people in our community to hear a real and powerful story of authentic and lasting hope. So far, in the first two nights, we’ve had standing room only and have had to turn people away.”
— Noozhawk staff writer Brooke Holland can be reached at bholland@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
