How do you stay hopeful in such situations？ You trust in God， remember that you are here for a reason， and dedicate yourself to fulfilling that purpose. Whatever challenge you are facing， you are blessed in ways that will help you find a way through it. Just think of my parents and of the hopelessness that they once faced.
BELIEVE IN THE BEST
Remaining positive and motivated when your burden feels unbearable is undoubtedly diffi cult. When I became old enough to understand the challenges awaiting me， I was often haunted by despair and couldn‘t begin to imagine that anything positive lay in store for me. My memories of the darkest days of my childhood are hazy. I was going through one of those periods when being different was particularly tough. I’m sure you have experienced those self-doubts too. We all want to fit in， but at times we all feel like outsiders.
My insecurities and doubts sprang mostly from the physical challenges of having no arms or legs. I cannot know what your concerns are， but hanging on to hope helped me. Here is just one， early experience of how it worked in my world：
I was just a toddler when my medical team recommended that my parents put me in a play group with other kids labeled “disabled.” Their challenges ranged from missing limbs to cystic fibrosis and severe mental disorders. My parents had great love and empathy for other special needs kids and their families， but they don‘t think any child should be limited to one group of playmates. They held on to the conviction that my life would have no limits， and they fought to keep that dream alive.
My mother， bless her， made an important decision at an early stage of my life. “Nicholas， you need to play with normal children because you are normal. You just have a few bits and pieces missing， that’s all，” she said， setting the tone for years to come. She didn‘t want me to feel less than normal or restricted in any way.
She didn’t want me to become introverted， shy， or insecure just because I was different physically.
Little did I realize that my parents were even then instilling in me the belief that I had every right to a life free of labels and restrictions. You have that right too. You should demand to be free of whatever categorizations or limits others try to put on you. Because of my missing bits and pieces， I am sensitive to the fact that some people accept what others say about them and even unconsciously restrict themselves. There certainly were times when I was tired or cranky and tried to claim that studying or going to the doctor was just too taxing， but my parents refused to let me hide behind that.
Labels can provide a tempting hiding place. Some people use them as excuses. Others rise above them. Many， many people have been labeled “handicapped” or “disabled，” only to soar above， enjoying dynamic lives and doing important things. I encourage you to rise above any attempt to restrict you from exploring and developing your gifts.
As a child of God， I know that He is always with me， and I‘m comforted to know that He understands how much we can bear. When others share stories with me of their own challenges and trials， I’m often moved to tears. I remind those who are suffering or grieving that God‘s arm is never too short. He can reach anyone.
Draw strength from that. Dare to give it a go and to soar as high as your imagination will take you. You can expect challenges. Welcome them as “character-building experiences.” Learn from them and rise above them. You may have an excellent dream. Just be open-minded enough to accept that God may have a different path for you than the one you envisioned. There are many ways to reach your dream， so don’t be discouraged if you can‘t yet see the way on your own.
BIONIC BOY
Hope is a catalyst. It can even move obstacles that seem immovable. When you keep pushing， refusing to give up， you create momentum. Hope creates opportunities you never would have anticipated. Helpful people are drawn to you. Doors open. Paths are cleared.
Remember—action brings reaction. When you are tempted to abandon your dreams， push yourself to continue one more day， one more week， one more month， and one more year. You will be amazed at what happens when you refuse to quit.
When it came time for me to begin elementary school， my parents again lobbied for me to have a typical education. As a result of their unyielding conviction， I became one of the first disabled children in Australia to “mainstream” into the regular school system. I did so well in the mainstream school that the local newspaper ran a story with the headline “Integration lets disabled boy blossom.” The story， accompanied by a big photograph of my sister Michelle riding with me in my wheelchair， set off a national media blitz that brought visits from government officials， cards， letters， gifts， and invitations from across the country.
The donations that flowed in after that newspaper story helped fund my parents’ efforts to equip me with replacement limbs. They‘d been trying to fit me with artificial limbs since I was eighteen months old. My first prosthesis was just one arm， which didn’t work well for me. The arm and hand were operated mechanically with pulleys and levers， and it weighed about twice as much as all the rest of me！
Just keeping my balance with this contraption on was a challenge. I managed to operate it after a while. I‘d already become adept at grabbing objects with my little foot， my chin， or my teeth， so the bionic arm seemed only to make daily chores more diffi cult. My parents were disappointed at first， but my confidence grew because I felt good about doing so well on my own. I encouraged them and thanked them and looked ahead.
