Bethany Hamilton - Rise Above. A 90- Day Devotional

Other books in the Soul Surfer Series:

Soul Surfer Bible

Nonfiction:

Ask BethanyFAQs: Surfing, Faith & Friends

Fiction:

Clash (Book One)

Burned (Book Two)

Storm (Book Three)

Crunch (Book Four)

ZONDERVAN

www.zonderkidz.com

Rise Above
Copyright 2007 by Bethany Hamilton

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of Zondervan.

ePub Edition August 2009 ISBN: 978-0-310-86673-2

Requests for information should be addressed to:
Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Hamilton, Bethany.

Rise above : a 90-day devotional / written by Bethany Hamilton with Doris Rikkers.

p. cm.(Soul surfer series)

ISBN-13: 978-0-310-71226-8 (softcover)

ISBN-10: 0-310-71226-2 (softcover)

1. GirlsReligious life. 2. GirlsPrayer-books and devotionsEnglish. 3. Aviation in missionary work. I. Title.
BV4551.3.H36 2007
242.62dc22

2006029321

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version. NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All Rights Reserved.

Scripture quotations marked are taken from THE MESSAGE. Copyright by Eugene H. Peterson 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation. Copyright 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL 60189 USA. All rights reserved.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy, reco rding, or any otherexcept for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.

Zonderkidz is a trademark of Zondervan

Interior design: Christine Orejuela-Winkelman Art direction and cover design: Merit Alderink

Contents

On a beautiful October morning in 2003, thirteenyear-old Bethany Hamilton woke up early, eager to start the day. The surf was up, and she wanted to join her friend Alana for a few hours of surfi ng off the North Shore of Kauai. While resting on her surfboard, waiting for the next perfect wave, Bethany caught a glimpse of a moving shadow in the water. She felt a tug on her left arm and then saw the blood. Without screaming or panicking, she quickly called out to her friends that she had been attacked by a shark.

Bethanys calmness, courage, and faith in God helped her to survive the trauma, face losing her arm, and move on with her life. Within weeks of the attack, she was back in the water surfi ng. Within months, she was competing in a surfi ng contest.

Bethany has used her experience to tell others about her faith and the loving God she serves. She is an inspiration to everyone who hears her story.

We hope that you fi nd inspiration in Bethanys story of faith and love, and that you also fi nd the courage to rise above.

Sincerely,

Zonderkidz

Devotion 1
Big Plans Ahead

On that October morning of the shark attack, everyone around me (including me!) feared that my plans for being a professional surfer were over. Who had ever heard of a surfer with one arm? How would I paddle out? How would I get up on the board? How would I balance? All the hopes and dreams about surfing that Id had since I was little seemed to be gone.

But you know what? God had plans for me. He had bigger plans than I could have ever imagined. Before the attack, I might have become a surfer and been well-known in the surfing crowd. I might have had my picture on several surfing magazines. But now God is able to use me in a different way, above and beyond all that I could ever ask or think. Hes doing things in my life that I could never have dreamed of before the attack. Hes helping me to rise above it all.

God has big plans for your life too. The purpose he has for your life is different than the one he has for mine. But hes got plans. Big plans. You need to be willing to be used by him. Trust him. Follow him. Ask him to start preparing your heart for his purpose.

Gods Words Inspire

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Jeremiah 29:11

Chatting with God

Dear God, thank you for having a plan for me. Help me to trust that your plan for my future is the best for me. Give me patience and help me to prepare for what you have in store for me. In Jesus name, amen.

Did You Know?

Jeremiah 29:11 is one of my favorite Bible verses. My youth counselor, Sarah, was inspired by God to think of it the morning she heard about the attack. Its been a great support for me, my family, and my friends ever since.

Devotion 2
Rock Solid Foundation

Ive spent my whole life enjoying the ocean, the surf, and the sand on the beach. I know all about sand castles and the surf. Ive seen how one wave can just wipe out a sand castle in a second. Houses, castles, dreams, or plans only last if they are built on a solid foundation. God is the rock in my lifemy foundation. I keep my relationship with him strong.

Its good to have dreams. I hope you have lots of dreams to do spectacular things. But you have to put your hope and faith into something that cant suddenly disappear. You need a strong foundation, a hard rock platform to build your dreams and future plans upon. Anything less than that will be a total wipeout.

Popularity can be lost with one round of gossip. Money can be easily taken away or lost. Clothes go out of style. Nothing really lasts except Gods love. If you build your hopes and dreams and your life on him, youll always be on solid ground and able to survive lifes challenges.

Gods Words Inspire

Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.

Matthew 7:24 5

Chatting with God

Jesus, help me to put my faith in you. Help me build my life upon you, my Rock, so I will be strong and secure in you. In Jesus name, amen.

Did You Know?

Have you ever picked up a handful of sand and tried to count the grains? Have you noticed all the different color variations and seen how it sparkles when the sun shines on it? Its made from the earths elements of the area its in: coral, shells, rock, sandstone, quartz, etc. There are even beaches with all black sand from volcanic rock. How precious are Gods thoughts toward us that they are more in number than the grains of sand on the beach (Psalm 139:17 18).

Devotion 3
Faithful Friends

One of the greatest gifts God has given me is my friends. One of my dearest friends is Alana, my surfing buddy. Alana was surfing with me when I got attacked by the shark. She stayed with me through the whole thing. Shes awesome!