Book Review: Life Without Limits

Ever since we saw a You Tube video of Nick Vujicic, a man born with no arms and no legs, my sons and I have been fascinated by his life and story. Trevor would come to the table and pull his arms behind him, saying, "Look, I'm the guy with no arms and no legs," (excellent opportunity for experimental eating!) or he would lie across his skateboard, as he's seen Nick do in videos, and declare it again. He has been absolutely transfixed by this man and the concept of living without limbs.

What a perfect title for his book, Life Without Limits. A book about a man without limbs living a life without limbs limits! Nick may not have arms and legs, but he has an abundance of confidence in God and a keen ability to draw others into his realm of influence. Who can pull away from a person who has so obviously fought battles that we cannot even dream of. Even my six year old son is able to recognize his strength and wants to align himself with Nick's challenges.

Every one of us can identify with Nick because we all have our individual obstacles in life. Nick challenges his readers to focus on their purpose and a hope for a brighter tomorrow instead of sinking into despair with eyes riveted on today's difficulty. His enthusiasm is encouraging. His persistent message lifts one up above the waves of doubt and despair.

Indeed, I would encourage his publishers to look into offering a "Life Without Limits Calendar" - something that would offer small snippets of Nick's life and message to be consumed on a daily basis. His life is inspiring. His testimony is powerful and effective.

I originally brought home the audio version of this book, but found as I was listening that there were so many passages that I wanted to write down (little sound bites of encouragement). So, when I noticed the library also had the hard back book, I checked that out as well and was pleased to discover it not only afforded me the chance to review his words more thoroughly, but also provided delightful photos of Nick and his family and ministry. The audio has the benefits of his lovely Australian accent and the ability to share his words, but the book holds visual images and opportunity to underline important bits of encouragement (if it is your own copy, of course!) like these:

"If you can't get a miracle, become one!"
"Hope is His gift to us, a window to look through. We cannot know the future He has planned for us. Trust in Him, keep hope in your heart, and even when faced with the worst, do whatever you can to prepare yourself for the best."
"If you can't resolve your own issues, be the solution for someone else."

In the end, I was grateful for having both versions. While listening in the car, my older son heard a snippet that I know he needed to hear. His ears perked up because Nick was discussing weight lifting. Bryce has difficulty accepting failure. Nick told of a fitness instructor who urges lifters to "go to failure" as a way of building up endurance and strength. What a great lesson for my son who thinks he should always succeed and never fail.

While taking Trevor to Awana, we listened to a funny episode of Nick's playground scuffle where an older student tried to beat him up when he was in the first grade. I could practically hear Trevor's little mind visualizing Nick taking on the bully. It was a clear message about allowing fear to motivate you to rise to the occasion.

This little book packs a powerful message and is, indeed (as the sub-title proclaims) "Inspiration for a Ridiculously Good Life!"