No Limbs, No Limits

Although you thank God for the many blessings He’s bestowed upon you, have you ever thought about how you’d react if God seemingly passed you by? Or, worse still, more than ignoring you, if He’d seemingly dealt you an overwhelming impediment for life? It wasn’t until I met Nick that such thoughts ever entered my consciousness.

Nick Vujicic is a young man, 22 years of age, a resident of suburban Brisbane, Queensland. Nick has a positive approach to life, is outgoing and friendly, with a happy, cheerful personality. He has a smile that makes anyone feel comforted and at ease. But life hasn’t been easy for him.

His parents, both lifelong Christians, had eagerly anticipated the birth of Nick, their first child. But when he arrived, all his mother could say was, “Please, take him away!”

Nick, although generally healthy, had neither arms nor legs.

There was no medical explanation as to why this should have happened, and they had no idea it was going to, so when his devastated parents were presented with a baby with such disabilities, it tested their faith, says Nick. They loved God, and, if God loved them, why would He let something this bad happen to them? they reasoned. But parents’ love being what it is, Nick was soon accepted, and became as much-loved as any family member, even though he required almost 24-hour care as he grew through infancy.

When old enough, Nick went to school like any other youngster, becoming one of the first with such a disability to be integrated into mainstream education in Melbourne. But things didn’t go smoothly. In his loving Christian home and environment, Nick was surrounded and supported by family members. At school, he soon learned the difficulties of loneliness and trying to make friends. He suffered bullying, teasing and had his self-esteem all but destroyed. There seemed to be an assumption by some that people with physical disabilities also had some mental disability that rendered them senseless to taunts and hurt.

But having endured that, around age 10 and with thoughts of his own, he began an even more difficult period. He just couldn’t see any point in living. He realised he was a burden to his parents and family.

“I got so angry because I was made like this,” he admits. “I couldn’t see a future or hope for one until a few years on when I read the words of Jeremiah.”

He quotes them: “‘I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end’ [Jeremiah 29:11, KJV].”

It’s Nick’s belief that we suffer only so God can strengthen us—drawing us closer to Him and growing with Him—if we seek Him.

Again, he quotes the words of Jeremiah: “‘And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. And I will be found . . . saith the Lord’ [Jeremiah 29:12-14].”

And that became Nick’s life: God first.

Nick attended primary and high school in Brisbane before continuing his studies at university, graduating with a double degree in accounting and financial planning. Around that time, after many prayers “talking” to God, he began to realise God had a life plan for him.

“Instead of questioning God—‘Why me?— I found purpose in God

“Instead of questioning God—‘Why me?— I found purpose in God, and today there’s no greater satisfaction than being able to glorify Him, knowing that He is with me,” he says.

“I do remember, however, reading in the Bible that God created man in His image. I thought, Right! It was a little confusing then, because if God loved me and created me in His image, why would he make me like this?”

With a love of God and acceptance of his situation, Nick was able to achieve an inner peace. He realised there was a lot he couldn’t do, and nothing that couldn’t be overcome with God’s help, if that was in God’s plan for his life.

He says his Christian belief was also strengthened by accepting the words of the apostle Paul in Romans 8:28: “We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

“God won’t let anything happen to you unless He has a good purpose for it,” says Nick. “So when we thinkg God doesn’t answer our prayers, He may just be strengthening our hearts—preparing our hearts for something more—teaching us. We must trust in God,” he says, turning again to the wisdom of proverbs, this time quoting the Living Bible: “‘Don’t ever trust yourself. IN everything you do, put God first, and he will direct you and crown your efforts with success,’ Proverbs 3:5, 6.”

Nick does have feet or sorts, and so although Nick learned to kick a soccer ball and tennis ball around the house, he admits he missed not being able to play with his friends. But a strong desire for independence enabled him to do most personal things for himself, even if it sometimes takes a little extra help from his younger brother, whom he calls his official carer. His parents’ house, where he lives, has many adaptations to his needs. Nick showers and dressed himself; he uses ingenious and novel devices to perform many simple tasks, such as brushing his hair, shaving and cleaning his teeth. Such is his personality that he enjoys such challenges, meeting and overcoming obstacles. He writes using an attachment on his toe, doing far better than many able-bodied persons; he operates his computer using the racing drivers’ “heel ’n’ toe” method to type; and plays a synthesizer, all quite outstanding achievements. But this is Nick.

Does he ever get depressed, I asked, despite an amazingly positive attitude?

“Absolutely!” (He’s also forthright and honest.) “I’m not happy 24 hours a day; I’m just like everyone else—little things get me down from time to time. But I recover, just like everyone else. Not having arms and legs doesn’t worry me at all—although I used to wish I could play soccer better.

“Now that I’ve found my purpose in Christ, there’s no greater satisfaction than being able to glorify Him—to speak to people about God and his love for them and encourage them to fulfil their dreams.”

And that’s part of what he does for a living, working as a motivational speaker. Nick was pushed in this direction, inspired by a friend Phil Toth who, at the age of 22, without warning woke up and found he was having difficulty speaking. Doctors were mystified but eventually diagnosed his problem, a form of muscular degeneration, which soon spread throughout his body. Phil was given three months to live. Despite suffering pain, he lived for five more years.

“It was Phil’s smile that inspired me, says Nick. It’s a humbling experience when someone like that, who couldn’t move a muscle, could manage a smile.”

I’m sure Nick’s personality and smile affects people similarly as he speaks to school and church groups around the nation. He says he especially loves talking to young people, although he’s comfortable with people of any generation. He tells how at one school he met a 15-year-old boy who had never hugged his parents or anyone else. After Nick spoke, the boy came up and hugged Nick, bringing tears to his teacher’s eyes.

Nick says his interest in young people is because he has a deep concern about the high rate of suicide among teens. “If I can save just one, I’d feel I’ve achieved,” he says.

Although Nick says he’s already seen God’s glory revealed through his own early struggles of life without limbs, he continues to dream big. “My dreams won’t be fulfilled until I take my last breath, but I’m content right now, with my life in God’s hands.”

He’s achieved peace, but probably still has one unfulfilled wish. He’s looking to find the right girl and be happily married. With all his heart and faith, Nick believes this will happen. In the meantime, he says, he appreciates the encouragement, the hugs and prayers for his focus on ministry, for his faith, and for his future.

Continuing his professional corporate motivational speaking is high on his list of priorities. He also makes television appearances (to be on Oprah is his goal). He is just finishing writing his story, tentatively titled No Arms, No Legs—No Worries! and has also produced a video. He also finds time for such normal pursuits as swimming, music and fishing. (How do you fish if you don’t have arms? He has a fishing rod with an electronic reel.)

My short time with Nick revealed him to me for just what he is—an extraordinary guy and an inspiration. But for that, as with everything in his life, he attributes it to his bond with God: “‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,’” says Nick, quoting Philippians 4:13.