Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People? With Bethany Hamilton

Summary

Podcast Summary: Stay True with Madison Prewett Troutt – "Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People?" with Bethany Hamilton
Episode Date: April 13, 2026

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Episode Overview

In this heartfelt and deeply personal episode, Madison Prewett Troutt sits down with legendary surfer, author, and speaker Bethany Hamilton to navigate the age-old question: Why do bad things happen to good people? The conversation weaves together stories of pain and faith, practical tools for overcoming fear, and a candid look at the realities of motherhood, identity, and spiritual growth. Both women share vulnerable reflections on suffering, the role of faith in hardship, and learning to trust God’s purpose even when life takes unexpected turns.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Bethany’s Story and Her Source of Strength

• Bethany recounts her early years in Hawaii and the day her life changed forever after a shark attack took her left arm at age 13.
• She stresses how faith "is the glue" that's held her together through loss, motherhood, marriage, and all of life's challenges.
• Refers listeners looking for more details to her documentary Unstoppable and the movie Soul Surfer.
  • “God's painting of my life is way better than I could have imagined.” (05:25)

2. Confronting and Combating Fear

• Bethany reflects on facing fear after the attack, from returning to surfing to questioning her purpose and future (“Is someone gonna love me?”).
• She points out that fear evolves through seasons—what once was fear of sharks and the ocean is now fear over parenting or providing for her children.
  • “I'm realizing that there's always going to be some sort of fear brewing around the corner.” (05:25)
• Faith, she says, means “complete reliance on the Lord” and becoming like a child: dependent, humble, and teachable.
  • “The beauty of fear is it's our reminder of our need for God.” (05:25)
• Madison offers her own relatable metaphor: “I am covered in my mess and I'm helpless. This is a picture of all of us, but God and his great love and mercy...” (09:16)

3. Practical Faith in Hard Times

• Bethany describes her approach as a balance between walking in her own strength and leaning on God:
  • “Sometimes I walk in my own strength and that's when I'm weak.” (10:49)
• She references key scriptures:
  • “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and a sound mind.” (10:58)
  • John 16:33: “In the world, you will have trouble. But take heart, I have overcome the world.” (12:56)
• The importance of church community, scripture, and a teachable heart is emphasized as tools for combating anxiety and maintaining perspective.

4. Navigating Emotions and Finding Truth

• The conversation turns to the modern tendency for emotions to sit “in the driver's seat.”
  • “But they might even be lying too... sometimes we exaggerate things... so kind of putting some boundaries with your own emotions...” (16:30)
• Both agree: don't suppress emotions, but question them. Use discernment and scripture as a guide.
• Mentorship and teachability—finding older, wiser Christians locally—are highlighted as crucial supports.
  • “Mentorship should totally be brought back into the world on a community level.” (18:54)

5. Tackling the Core Question: Why Bad Things Happen to Good People

• Bethany’s honest response:
  • “These bad things that happen are literally my call to rely on the Lord to be my strength. And it's in our weakness that he is strong.” (21:52)
• She acknowledges that beauty doesn’t always emerge immediately from pain, but sometimes, “it turned me to God more.”
• Faith, she insists, involves humility and trusting in the unseen—accepting that not all answers are available this side of heaven.

6. Suffering as a Pathway to Deeper Faith

• Madison reflects on seasons of suffering as times of the greatest intimacy with God, referencing the Beatitudes and quoting:
  • “When rain is plentiful, it's an afterthought. But in a drought, it's the only thought.” (28:47)
• Bethany reframes the Beatitudes as a portrait of Christ’s own humility and suffering.
  • “Christ is the one that changes and molds and makes us new... Oftentimes it's through those trying seasons that he humbles us.” (29:16)
• The conversation highlights how our culture's emphasis on visible outcomes and “purpose” may distract from simply experiencing God’s presence and sufficiency.

7. Identity, Calling, and Social Media

• Both women discuss grappling with public identity (as “the girl from The Bachelor” or “the girl who lost her arm”) and moving beyond those defining moments.
  • “I didn't paint this life, the Lord did... some of the most beautiful aspects of my life are the things no one sees.” (31:44)
• The dangers of social media-induced dissatisfaction are explored, urging listeners to focus on Christ rather than compare or seek public validation.

8. Motherhood, Homeschooling, and Counter-Cultural Living

• Bethany details her experience as a homeschooling mom of four, sharing the joys and challenges of an “integrated as a family” lifestyle, with extended family nearby and travel adventures together.
• She emphasizes slowing down, prioritizing presence, and not “bowing down to the American dream” or perfection in roles.
  • “If you feel annoyed with your children, it's not because your children are annoying, but it's because something in your life needs a shift.” (52:26)
• She advocates for self-care—turning off noise, being in nature, embracing simplicity, and realigning priorities as acts of faith and sanity.

9. Authentic Faith Through Different Seasons

• Bethany shares about her faith journey from an evangelical upbringing to a conservative Lutheran church and the value of liturgy and “the Easter sermon every single day.”
• She stresses the need for both law (awareness of sin) and gospel (awareness of grace), finding encouragement in both the structure and message of her church community.

10. Encouragement and Closing Thoughts

• Bethany’s final encouragement:
  • “Dig deep on the areas of your life that feel like pain points, and face those with honesty… When I face them and work through them and present them to God... He is the one that can take all things and make it new.” (61:56)
• She invites all listeners, of faith or not, to seek and experience the sufficiency of God’s grace.
• The episode closes with a moving prayer over listeners by Bethany, asking for God’s blessing, guidance, and fullness for each one. (63:23)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• Bethany Hamilton:

  • “God took it and turned it into something really beautiful.” (51:09)
  • “The beauty of faith is to become like that little child… in complete reliance.” (05:25)
  • “It’s in our weakness that he is strong.” (21:52)
  • “Christ is the one that changes and molds and makes us new.” (29:16)

• Madison Prewett Troutt:

  • “In order for fear to decrease, something else has got to increase. And it's this... dependence upon God.” (09:16)
  • “The Bible is for you, it's not about you...I was created for God, not God created for me.” (31:15)
  • “Have I been seeking your hand more than your face?” (34:01)

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Key Segment Timestamps

• Bethany’s testimony and childhood: (03:14 – 05:25)
• Facing fear and faith after losing her arm: (05:25 – 09:16)
• Combatting fear in practical terms, role of scripture/church: (09:16 – 12:56)
• Emotions versus truth and mentorship: (16:30 – 20:18)
• Why do bad things happen to good people?: (21:52 – 24:58)
• Suffering, the presence of God, and the Beatitudes: (28:47 – 31:44)
• Social media/identity and focus on Christ’s sufficiency: (31:44 – 35:24)
• Motherhood, homeschooling, countercultural family life: (45:25 – 54:21)
• Raising children, family integration, and faith in parenting: (54:21 – 58:47)
• Final encouragements and prayer: (61:56 – 64:21)

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Final Encouragement

In their honest, down-to-earth style, Madison and Bethany offer real hope to anyone struggling with pain, fear, or uncertainty. Their message: faith isn't about having all the answers or seeing purpose in every hardship—it's about trusting a good God, walking in humble dependence, and seeking the sufficiency of grace even when life doesn't make sense.

“So I would just say there’s an invite for you, whether you’re of faith or not, that there is a God that loves you. His grace is sufficient for you…Embrace a little bit of that, like, I’m the baby, I am helpless, I need you, Lord, in and through all the seasons.” (61:56 - 63:19, Bethany Hamilton)

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Useful for: Anyone seeking encouragement in a hard season or searching for honest answers about faith, suffering, and staying true to God’s calling.

Transcript

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

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[Bethany Hamilton]

surfer has a healthy fear of sharks. Nobody thinks it's going to happen to them. And it happened to me. I lost my arm but I survived. So often fear and pain and hardship can just stop us in our tracks. Faith is relying on the Lord. Yeah, it's terrible. A 13 year old little hard charging like happy go. Lucky girl lost her arm but then God took it and turned it into something really beautiful. We don't have the answer to every little thing. Part of faith is trusting in the unseen. Trusting that God has a plan even in the most horrific thing. These bad things that happen are literally my call to rely on the Lord to be my strength. And it's in our weakness that he is strong.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

What's up guys? Welcome back to another episode of Stay True Podcast. I'm your host Madison Pruitt Trout and I'm so so excited because I have a new friend that I just met right before we press record and she is someone that has been inspiring a world. She has taken such a strong stance for her faith and just walked in. Such courage. She is a professional surfer. You probably already know who I'm talking about by now. She has an amaz story and testimony and she is an author, she is a mom and we've just been chatting up all about momhood and all the things that God is doing in her life right before this and I'm so excited for you guys to get to hear from her. So Bethany Hamilton, welcome to the Stay True podcast.

[Bethany Hamilton]

Thank you. Glad to be here.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

I'm so excited. I'm so excited to get to know more about your story in person. I Feel like I have seen so much about your life from afar and even, like, for a long time. I mean, you're just someone that I feel like the Lord has been using in different times of life and for different things. And it's just. It's so cool. We were praying right before this, and I just was thanking the Lord for your. Yes, and for your boldness and for your courage, because I know you have been. You've brought so many people to this place of feeling like they can step out in courage and that they can conquer their fears and that they can stay faithful to the Lord through hard seasons. And. And so I'm so excited. And for those who maybe don't know your story or need a good refresher, if you could just share a little bit about your story, your testimony, and kind of what got you to where you are today.

[Bethany Hamilton]

Yeah. Yeah. Well, I'm so glad to be here. Thanks for having me. Congrats on your new baby and growing family. Yeah. So I was born and raised in Hawaii. A lot of people don't realize that, but I'm, like, truly an island girl. Like, I mostly live my life barefoot. I love it so much, and I like a simple life. But God has also given me way more than a simple life, and very, like, complex and out there and in the public eye. And, yeah, he's given me a passion and a drive that's unique. And it's just carried me so far to do so much more than I could have imagined with my life and. But, you know, at the end of the day, there's so many things that people don't see in life that are really hard and crazy challenging. And I would say that my faith is the glue in my life through it all, through the arm loss, through motherhood, through marriage, through just challenging seasons. And I guess to sum it up, I'm just Bethany. And God has made me who I am, and I've been through a lot. But if you guys really want to dive into my story story, you can watch Unstoppable, my documentary. And then there's Soul Surfer, which is kind of the feature film on my life. But, yeah, it's such a.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

It's such a good movie. I remember, like, it's so cool. Like, how cool is it that you have a literal movie about your life?

[Bethany Hamilton]

And.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

And it's just cool. Again, what I was saying is how many people have been encouraged by your story? And I think it's because what's so easy is when something really hard happens or something unexpected. Happens that would create a woe is me mindset or create a fear.

[Bethany Hamilton]

Fear.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

You looked that fear in the face and you were like, you're not going to stop me. I'm just. I'm going to keep being who God's called me to be. I'm going to keep doing what God's called me to do. And that's what I think has inspired a world, or I know that's what it has inspired a world. So tell us a little bit more about. So how old were you when the shark attack happened? And kind of get us into that moment of what that looked like.

[Bethany Hamilton]

And, yeah, I mean, I don't talk about the shark attack now, but, yeah, it was just wild. I think every surfer has a healthy fear of sharks. Obviously, it's like a predator. You know, you're of course going to be scared when you're entering into their nature, but nobody thinks it's going to happen to them. And it happened to me. And I survived. I lost my arm, but I survived. And then fast forward. I continued to compete and surf well, I know I continued to surf and then I went and continued to compete. And then I had a successful career. Career maybe not as successful as I might have had if I had two arms. And, like, continued on that same trajectory. But at the same time, like, God's painting of my life is way better than I could have imagined. And it's been so fulfilling and enjoyable. And then today I'm a mother of four and I still surf all the time. I still surf at a very high level. I'm not competing, really, but I might do a fun event here and there, or I was dreaming of doing this event with my son, who's 10, in a couple of years, where it's like, you can join in as a team. So we would be on each other's team. So that's kind of my, like, next dreaming phase. I love that as far as surf competing. But, yeah, I wanted to come back to fear because you talked about, like, I think so often fear and pain and hardship can just stop us in our tracks. And there's something that I'm learning. Fast forward now is in my mid-30s and, like, having lived just various seasons of life. And I'm realizing that there's always going to be some sort of fear brewing around the corner. Like, we're always going to struggle with some sort of fear. You know, the fear that I might have today might have to do something with mothering my children. Like, am I doing a good job? Like, am I raising them in the way that they should go. Am I there for them in the way that they need? Like, these are like my modern day fears. Whereas back then was like facing my fears of sharks and like getting back in the ocean and then like other fears of like, is someone gonna love me? Am I gonna find that Mr. Right. And then is that marriage even gonna thrive? You know, like all these different things, you have these different seasons of life and different seasons of fears. And I'm realizing that faith is relying on the Lord. It's trusting that he is there leading and guiding and protecting. And I think, like, the beauty of faith is to become like that little child. Like, there's a verse, I don't have it exactly memorized. I would say having four children, my memory is very average. I definitely have some mom brain going on. But like, there's this picture in the Bible that like to become like the child. And what is it, what is it about the child that God is calling upon us? It's when I birthed my first baby, that baby would not survive unless I took care of it. Like, the baby is helpless and in full need and in complete reliance. And I think that paints the picture of faith is we're in complete reliance on the Lord, but yet our sin nature wants to like, go out. And I got this. And you know, I'm like a strong willed person. Like, I'm like ready to go charge and do all the things and do it in my own accord. And sometimes the Lord has humbled me along the way and is like, no, we're doing it my way. And so I think just the beauty of fear is it's our reminder of our need for God and to be reliant on him through it all. Because we can ignore those little fears, but oftentimes they're in the back of our minds and then they surface in different ways that we might not even realize. You know, in panic or anxiety or you know, these different struggles that we may have.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Yeah, no, that was so beautifully explained because it's like in order for fear to decrease, like, something else has got to increase. And it's this like love and dependence upon God. It's this understanding that, okay, this circumstance may be hard or this circumstance may be unknown, but I just trust in the one who created me and who created the world. Like, he's got me. It's going to be okay. And I think that's such a beautiful picture of thinking about, like, I think about whenever I had Hosanna and she had one of her first, like, blowouts, and she's just, like, covered in poop. And I'm like, this is me before the Lord. Like, this. I am covered in crap. I'm covered in my mess and I'm helpless. And this is. This is a picture of all of us but God and his great love and mercy. Like, as we were covered in crap, as we were stuck in sin, like, he. He paid the price. He came towards us in love and redeemed our life. And I just think it's so beautiful when you think about it like that. It's like that verse that says, perfect love, cast out all fear. When you just begin to, like, look at his love and fix on that, I feel like those fears start to, you know, become smaller. But it is hard when the fears feel so real. Like, practically for you. What did that look like? How was your brain processing? You just went through something really traumatic. You just went through something really hard. And then, you know, whether it be this season of getting back in the water again or whether, like, you're saying the season of motherhood and all of those fears popping up, like, how have you practically combated that fear? With walking in faith. Like, you're talking about.

[Bethany Hamilton]

Totally. It's totally a. Like a balancing beam, I guess, because sometimes I walk in my own strength and that's when I'm weak.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Yeah.

[Bethany Hamilton]

You know, and, like, I think of that verse. I love that verse you just shared. But also, I was thinking of. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. And so whenever a mind is not sound and when we're living in fear and not power and love, like, you know, that's not of God. And so being able to, like, kind of recognize those moments and it's honest. Honestly, it's easier said than done. Like, none of us are perfect. And even, you know, today I'm struggling with different fears and, like, struggles in my behind the scenes, offline life, you know, And I know that I need the Lord and I need to just call upon his name. And I think there is beauty in knowing scripture and being attached to your church, which is foundational to your faith. And, like, having that continual encouragement. And, yeah, I think over the years it's looked really different. Like, when I was 13, it was childlike faith. Like, I knew that the Lord had more for my life. And even though this was not what I had pictured, like, he allowed me to live for a reason. And I'm just gonna do my best, you know, show up the best I can and trust that he has more for me. And I almost want to keep it that simple, though. Fast forward. Like, I'm gonna just show up and do my best and trust that he has more for me in and through all the different seasons and. But one thing that's been really key for me is like, continually approaching life with a teachable mindset, which, if you read through the Proverbs. The Proverbs is such a cool book in the Bible. If you all aren't familiar with the Bible, the Proverbs is like. It's like the how to live life via God's way. And it's just full of wisdom. It's the book of wisdom. Right. My mom was obsessed with Proverbs, so now I am too.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Yeah.

[Bethany Hamilton]

She's like the most influential person probably in my life. And I love just. But the Proverbs is like painting how to live life. And I forget where I was going with this. But anyway, I think just knowing God's word can be key in working through those seasons of fear. And while memory does not come strong, some verses have stuck in there and they've been so sticky and like, yeah, like, I just always go back to John 16:33, for God is not or no. For I've said these things to you. In me, you will have peace. In the world, you will have trouble. But take heart, I have overcome the world. And I. I think, how does that look on a daily basis is like, we're gonna have trouble. The world's full of sin. Life's not perfect. I'm not perfect. My neighbor's not perfect. We're all gonna, like, you know, wallow in our dirty for a bit here and there. But, like, the hope and peace is that Christ has overcome the world. And so remembering the Easter message every single day, that Christ has overcome the world on our behalf and in and through the sin, he can work through that. He can cleanse us. He can renew our mind. He can bring us hope and peace in the chaos. And so just, you know, remembering and be reminded and. But I think there is an action step of, like, you got to put yourself in a place of, like, being reminded and being encouraged. Like, if you depart from the church and depart from your friends who are of faith and live alone and isolated, like, you're gonna struggle that much more. So surrounding yourself with people and a community that will be able to speak into your life. Yeah.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Before we get started today, I have an exciting announcement here on Stay True podcast. I am introducing an additional episode each week.

[Bethany Hamilton]

Woo.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

I'm so excited. So you guys can check back every Thursday morning for episodes from me or Grant or us together. And it will be like our own mini Bible study time together. I'm so, so excited. We will study and read scripture. We will spend spend time in prayer. And I want you to think of these episodes as this quick reset for your heart and your mind that will just set you up for an amazing day. You will grow deeper in your love and knowledge for the word of God. We will spend time together in prayer and reflection. And these shorter episodes, we will be addressing lies. We hear questions, we carry the weights we all feel and what God actually says about it. All these will be short and simple and really intentional episodes. Something you can listen to on your way to work while you're getting ready or. Or just when you need a peaceful moment in the middle of the day. Cause I know I need that too. And my heart is that these Thursday episodes become a consistent place that you can come to be grounded, encouraged, and reminded of what's true. And now my Monday episodes are typically interviews with amazing guests. But I'm so excited to now have these Thursday episodes, to have time to just open the word and grow in the truth together. I'll see y' all Thursday morning. No, that's so beautiful. I feel like that's. I talk about that often on the podcast, the Importance of like. I mean, that's why I called this podcast Stay True of Like. In order to stay true, we've got to know the truth. We've gotta be in the word of God. It's gotta be written on the tablet of our heart. We've gotta be in it consistently. And then also surrounding ourself with people that can remind us of the truth. When we have those moments where it's like, man, I. I'm believing lies, or I'm in. I'm in my feels right now. You know, Like, I'm feeling all these things. And they're valid, they're real. But I need someone that's.

[Bethany Hamilton]

But they might even be lying too. I, like, often think of, like, my emotions. I'm like, okay, is this true? Like, let's try to dissect, like, being honest with yourself. Because sometimes we exaggerate things or we build it up so much that it's speaking more than God's word in our life. And so kind of putting some boundaries with your own emotions, like not. Not suppressing them, like, I think that's also not good, but also not letting them rule.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Right?

[Bethany Hamilton]

So it's like kind of this fine line balance beam. I don't know. No, totally.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

They're not in the driver's seat, Right. They're in the car, but they're not in the driver's seat. You know, it's like you're accept you're. They're like, they're there but like they're not going to drive your life.

[Bethany Hamilton]

I've even found too like, like listening to them a bit like, wait, why am I feeling this? Where is this coming from? Like, can we work through this? Like what's going on here? Like if you completely suppress and ignore them then like maybe there's actually something there to work through and like confront front and be honest with and you know, to stay true towards.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Yeah.

[Bethany Hamilton]

And pull back into like a healthy place. I don't know. I. It's a. I don't know.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Yeah, no, that's. It's so good and, and really helpful. I think we. I was actually just having a conversation with a friend right before this podcast too where we were talking about just this generation, how this generation is. Tends to be very anxious but also very emotional. Like lots of feelings, lots of a very feelings led generation. And I think that that can for such good. I think that's such a beautiful thing where in the past, I think in previous generations it was like, oh no, we don't have a mo. Like this is the way, you know, and just like can be very. Yeah. Suppress it all. Very like knowledge based. And so it's all about just like, you know, you do this, we're not even going to confront those things. And I think now we have a generation that's very hungry. But I think that the, the flip side of the coin, the negative is that the emotions can tend to be in the driver's seat. And so those fear based emotions or you know, questioning value and worth, whatever it may be, questioning purpose can get in our heads to where it's really hard to find the truth. Like for you, how do you, how do. What does that moment look like for you when you are faced with a situation where you're like, huh, is that a lie? Is that truth? How do you discern like the difference between lies and truth and like acknowledging what you're feeling without letting it like lead.

[Bethany Hamilton]

Oh my gosh, it's so tough. But I mean you can kind of align things with God's word or. I don't know, I think for me like emotions, I do have strong emotions, but I also don't let them drive me. I Think I've adopted, like, a natural, like, kind of healthy approach with them. Like, pray over them, I think praying over them and asking the Lord to work through whatever it is that you're struggling with. I don't know. I feel like I'm not giving the best encouragement here, but I think, too, finding that teachability. So if there's an older mentor, like, figure in your life, whether that you can go to and trust, that maybe has a good take on this, you know, life's many challenges. I think just being teachable is so important. And having that mentor. I think mentorship should totally be brought back into the world on a, like, community level, though, like, less of like an online mentor. Like, I mean, I might be doing some sort of mentorship program at some point, but, like, I also am, like, but go to the women in your church who are steady, who have been through it, who do have a good take. I don't know, it can be tough because you also got to find the right person that you jam well with or that actually does have good advice.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Yeah, yeah, no, totally.

[Bethany Hamilton]

Yeah.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

I still believe in mentorship. That's. I mean, that's even something I've been praying for in this season. And I've told my husband. Great. I'm like, because I had a great one in Texas. And so now in being here and being newer to the area, I'm just like, let's just really pray for really amazing mentors. I don't think that's something you ever graduate from. I'm like, I want to be, you know, 70 years old and still have a mentor. Like, I'm like, I don't. I think we should all be like, you're saying, continuing to grow and being teachable and having that, like, I mean, you know, it talks about Matthew 5, 6. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. Like, I just wanted to always stay hungry. I want to always stay hungry for more of God and growing in my faith. And I think that's such good encouragement. I think one thing that, you know, you hear from so many people who choose to not believe in Jesus or who have a hard relation, a hard time following Jesus is this, like, why would bad things happen to good people? And I just look at your life and I'm like, you. You've had this, like, glass half full mindset of like, oh, I'm alive. I'm. I, Like, God has a purpose for my life. And I think that's so beautiful because so many people would have the glass half empty mindset. And I, I just, that's inspiring to me and I'd love to dive into that a little bit more because I know that there are people are probably in a really hard situation right now or facing something really tough or have gone through something really, really hard. And it's like, why would God let this happen to me? Why would God let this, you know, circumstance happen or this person do this to me? And did you ever have a moment like that? And what would your advice be to someone who is asking that question? Like, why would God let this happen to me? And why do bad things happen to good people?

[Bethany Hamilton]

Oh my gosh. And it's. The thing is like, you're gonna continue to go through life and if you can't figure out how to get the glasses half full, you're gonna continue to face challenges, you're gonna continue to have junk things that happen to you. And so to me it comes back to like, these bad things that happen are literally like my call to rely on the Lord to be my strength. And it's in our weakness that he is strong. And so for me, you know, yeah, it's terrible. A 13 year old, little hard charging, like, happy go. Lucky girl, lost her arm. But then God took it and turned it into something really beautiful. And maybe for some people though, like, they go through really tough things and they don't necessarily see the beautiful thing that came out of it. But maybe it's as simple as, like, well, it turned me to God more. Like, I know that I need help. I know that I can't do it by myself. I know that, you know, that life's. There's more to it than just everything going smooth and good and perfect. And you know, it's a, it's a tough one to break down. Like, we could go really deep and be like, well, why, why did God allow sin to enter into the world? Like, why is there good and evil? Like, why couldn't things have just been smooth and easy? And I think like, there is an element to faith that is. We don't have the answer to every little thing. And that is humbling. Like, you can't be the know it all that you might want to be. And like, part of faith is trusting in the unseen, trusting that God has a plan even in the like, most horrific things.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

So good.

[Bethany Hamilton]

And yeah, I think like, I've faced a lot of different challenges and it comes back to just needing the Lord. Like some of the things are not. They don't feel really pretty, they don't feel beautiful. They don't feel purposeful right now. And it's been super awful in some ways and it's truly just made me rely on the Lord more. And I think it's coming back to that childlike faith. And so, yeah, I think it's a hard one to swallow. But the Lord is always wanting good for us. He always has our best and interests in mind. And a lot of the chaos in our life is also our horrific choices along the way. So there's also some humbling there of like, whoa. Well, you actually made some super stupid decisions that led you to that path. So there's like, maybe some humbling that needs to happen of like, well, actually I kind of got myself into this mess and I made all these choices to get here and, and, oh, maybe I should consider that, like, the Lord has some wisdom and a better life for me, that he can turn the awful and ugly into something beautiful. And that beauty can be as simple as like, whoa, I want to know you, Lord.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Okay, can we talk about something that I feel like does not get talked about enough? Hormones. I feel like for so long your body just kind of works and you really don't think about it. And then at some point things start to feel off. Like your energy isn't steady, your mood can fluctuate more, your skin changes and you're like, wait, what is going on? That's actually what led me to try Glow by Beam. And I'll be honest, I was a little skeptical at first, but I've been using it for a while now and I genuinely love it. Glow is a once a day hormone support blend and I've noticed such a difference in how I feel overall. My energy is more stable, my skin looks brighter, and I feel less bloated and just more like myself again. It's been so easy to add Glow to my daily routine. Plus, it actually tastes amazing. I've been drinking the raspberry flavor and I love it. It's only 10 calories, caffeine free, and made to support your body in a really simple, consistent way. And I'm not the only one. Over 40,000 women have tried Glow and it has thousands of reviews. So if you've been feeling a little off or just want to support your body better, I definitely recommend trying it for a limited time. Beam is offering my listeners up to 35% off Glow. Just visit shopbeam.com staytrue and use code Stay True at checkout. They just released their variety pack, so now you can try all of the flavors in the glow line. That's shop B-E-A-M.com staytrue and don't forget to use code staytrue for your exclusive discount of up to 35% off. One thing I've been really intentional about lately is simplifying my routines, especially when it comes to dinner. And something I've genuinely been loving is Home Chef. I love cooking, but on busy days it can feel like a lot to plan everything out. And Home Chef has made it so simple and so much easier for me. Everything shows up fresh, pre portioned and ready to go. And the recipes are so simple to follow, it takes the pressure off. But I still get to cook meals that feel really intense, intentional and actually taste amazing. And I love that it doesn't feel repetitive. They have over 30 meal options each week, so I can choose what sounds good depending on the week, whether I want something quick, something more classic, or even an oven ready meal when I need things to be extra easy. They even have Chef inspired recipes which makes it feel a little more elevated but still super doable. At home Home Chef makes cooking simple, fresh food delivered, easy recipes to follow and meals that actually taste great. And it's rated number one by users of other meal kits for quality, convenience, value, taste and recipe ease. For a limited time, Home Chef is offering my listeners 50% off and free shipping for your first box plus free dessert for life. Go to home chef.com stay true. That's home chef.com stay true for 50% off your first box and free dessert for life. Home chef.com stay true. Must be an active subscriber to receive free dessert. I keep thinking about the beatitudes in Matthew 5 and, and yeah, the very first one is blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. And I think about like that in terms of just poor in spirit doesn't mean like, oh, God wants you to just like be like so poor. It's like dependency, like a desperation, a dependency upon him. And I've so seen that in my own life. And some of the highest highs and lowest of lows, like the sweetest times of my life are the times where I'm like so close to him and I know his voice better than I know my own. And the times where I'm so dependent upon him and, and so I even look back in seasons of like deep suffering and hardship and I'm like, man, those were actually like, like, I don't want to say I miss those times because I'm like, oh, I don't want to Suffer again like that. But I'm like, man, but kind of because of the richness of God's presence and because of just how he showed up. And I was so desperate for him to move and to speak. And I wasn't dependent upon all these other things. I didn't have all these other distractions. I was like, crying out to him. I remember reading. I think it's called the Circle Maker. I don't. I think that's the book name. A long, long time ago. And there was like, a quote in there where it was like, when rain is plentiful, it's an afterthought. But. But in a drought, it's the only thought. And I thought. I think about that in terms of my faith all the time of just like, man, when I am just going about my day, and, like, I'm just like, yeah, yeah, yeah, God, God, you know, and it's like. But when I'm in a hard season, I'm like, God, like, I need you. And it's such a different mindset. And I think that's something beautiful that. That suffering and hardship and hard things can do and can produce in you. And you see that even through the life of Jesus. I mean, he was the Son of suffering. He was the man of Sorrows. And, you know, it's crazy.

[Bethany Hamilton]

You know, what's interesting about the Beatitudes is I recently have just. I either went through a Bible study series or read a book. But it could be said that the Beatitudes is actually speaking about Christ. So it's like the nature of Christ and it's painting the picture of, like, what Christ is and who he is and, like, how the God of all creation is. And, like, it's less about us. Like, we always want to paint ourselves into Scripture, but actually the Beatitudes could be painting Christ. And so, like, Christ was poor in spirit, you know, like, all these things that you wouldn't think of God, but actually it's like. And then we read it, and we're like, oh, I want to be like that. But, like, you can't really force yourself to be like that. The only thing that can make you like the Beatitude, so to say, is. Is Christ.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Yeah.

[Bethany Hamilton]

Like, Christ is the one that changes and molds and makes us new. And it's like, we can strive and do and try, but, like, oftentimes it's through those trying seasons that he humbles us and he reminds us. Reminds us that, like, he's in charge and he's the one that makes us Whole and new or changes, you know, changes us through like the, the more awful things. So anyway, it was just like an interesting take.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Yeah.

[Bethany Hamilton]

Just to look in the lens of the Bible is like a lot of times the Bible is actually painting the picture of who Christ is. And so, so often we want something for ourselves, but like just understanding the nature of God, you actually might not resist God as much once you look at it through those lens. Like we have such a shallow view of life and the world around us and we want things instantaneously, we want everything to go our way. But what if God's ways, it's like

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

the Bible is for you, it's not about you. Like when you, when you're reading, when you're reading the Bible, it's not just like, how can I find what's going to serve me and give me what I want? It's like, no, no, no, I was created for God, not God created for me. And so often we're like, oh God, I just want you to come along. Everything I want to do and I want you to bless what I want to do. My plans, my dreams, my will, my desires. It's like, man, that is Jesus. Invitation was pick up your cross, die to yourself.

[Bethany Hamilton]

Like even my life, I think like so often people will be like, oh, I want to be like Bethany. Or I don't want to have a life like Bethany. But like, I didn't paint this life, the Lord did. And maybe he doesn't have like the same life that I have for each and every one of us listening, like, everyone's life is different. And I think for me some of the most beautiful aspects of my life are like the things that no one sees, the moments that no one sees. And so just knowing that like, you know, we live in such a social media saturated life that creates, often creates like a dissatisfaction, you know, it can create dissatisfaction in your marriage, in your mothering, in your finances. And so. But God's the one that brings satisfaction. And if our eyes are pointed towards him versus these social media influences, maybe we would be more satisfied. Maybe we would have that peace that surpasses all understanding even in the tough seasons. And so I just wanted to bring that up because I think so often like even that desire to like have a deep purpose behind your hardship, maybe that doesn't always come. Maybe you don't ever see a true outcome of like your super hard thing that you went through. Maybe there's no like movie, so to say. Yeah, but just knowing that in life we can have satisfaction in Christ, and he can work in and through the tough stuff and, like, bring wholeness, even when it may be really hard and even when you may not feel, like, a beautiful outcome through it.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

So good. I love that you spoke to that, because I think so often we have on the other side of, like, I'm going through something hard, but that means, like, God's gonna. God's gonna bless this and use this, and I'm gonna, like, you know, I'm gonna find my thing or whatever it is. And it's almost like we can focus more on God's gifts and, you know, the purpose in which other people see and know us as or affirm us in as greater than just the rewarding gift of God himself.

[Bethany Hamilton]

Yeah.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

And I think that's something. I mean, I've personally even had to, like, work through and repent of, of just. Lord, have I been seeking your hand more than your face? Like, have I been wanting more what you can give me and what other people see in me than just who you are and what you've already done for me? Like, if you never gave me anything else, that the cross is so much more than enough. And, yeah, it's like, you think of,

[Bethany Hamilton]

like, Job, for example. He literally had everything stripped from him, Right. Like, if we were really honest, like, where would our faith be if we lost all our children, our spouse, all our wealth, everything we ever knew, and it's all gone? And on top of that, we have, like, boils on our skin and friends lying to us, telling us to turn our eyes away from the Lord.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Your spouse telling you to curse God. I'm like, he really had it from every angle.

[Bethany Hamilton]

It's pretty intense. And so just remembering that, like, the Lord doesn't promise you, like, a lot of good things or even, like, an amazing outcome here in this life, but he does promise you his grace. And his grace is sufficient for all the seasons. And that's, like, you know, coming back to this childlike faith. Like, we need you, Lord, to carry us through, even if we lose everything.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

That's so good. Did you grow up, like, how has your faith been so? Like, how is your faith so strong? Did you grow up with parents that really showed you what it looked like to follow Jesus?

[Bethany Hamilton]

Oh, my goodness. Well, I am super grateful for my childhood. I grew up in a Christian home. Yeah. Both my parents were of faith, and we kind of church hopped a bit in my youth, and I don't know, both my parents approach faith differently. But, like, the thing that stands out to me, that my mom did was she read the Psalms and proverbs to me and, like, would pray with me. And I think that was such a blessing. And even in her time of need, like, we lived very humbly, you know, like, we didn't have a lot of money. It was just paycheck to paycheck and just little things along the way. Like, the way my mom would pray for things was beautiful. And I have so much respect for her, and it's been like, such a journey and. But then even when I lost my arm, I'm like, wow, I really did have, like, such a sweet, childlike faith. Like, even the day I lost my arm, I prayed and like, Lord, like, help me in this moment. Like, you know, I instantly went to God. And then I would just say, like, there's always been a underlying, like, faith in my life. And I would say in my mid, like, mid-20s, I kind of went on a, like, re seeking journey, so to say. So fast forward, I went from, like, non denominational. Now I'm a Lutheran, like a more conservative Lutheran, which most people in America don't even know what that is. We're like a really small number. But if you look at the history of Martin Luther, you can kind of get a picture of like, okay, the Catholic Church was the large Christian church. And then Martin Luther came and he's like, hey, Catholic Church, this is what we don't agree with. And he put up the 95 theses. And it's just been like, anyway, we went on this long journey. So fast forward now. I grew up in more of an evangelical church, and now I go to very liturgical, like, classic. You know, we sing hymns and it's very. It almost feels like a Catholic service. And, you know, we take communion every Sunday. We value the sacraments and. But fast forward, like, I really respect the reverence and the beauty and the style of church. I really love the liturgy. So, you know, every Sunday we as a church pray the Lord's Prayer or we pray together. Like, forgive me of the things I've done and left undone. And like, every Sunday, something hits me in the liturgy. So the pastor could totally fail the sermon and give us nothing. But there's always something so beautiful in the liturgy that hits me and, like, meets me where I'm at. And I've just grown to, like, really love that. Like, you know, how often do we pray? Like, forgive me of the things I've left undone. Like, are we even thinking of the things we've left undone? Like, no. Like, oftentimes our focus of sin is the things that are a little more apparent. But when you live a fairly decent life, sometimes it's hard to notice our sin nature, or we're just so busy doing our thing that you're not really have this introspective of, where am I falling short? What am I leaving undone? Especially as a mother and wife, I'm like, whoa, how many things did I leave undone, you know, concerning my husband or my children? And so it's just been really humbling and beautiful. But then I always get something from the law and the gospel every Sunday. And I just love that. Like, I think we as Christians need both in every single season of our life. Like, we need to be reminded of our sin, but we also need to be reminded of the gospel and the grace that God bestows upon our life. And so, yeah, it's been such a long journey, but I love our. I love our little church. And I feel like I've gotten a really rich kind of content, so to say, from, like, some of the voices of faith and influence that I've received over the years, because I've kind of, like, gotten outside of the box, so to say, you know, like, just questioning more and asking questions and, like, looking at the church at large and being like, what are we missing? Like, you know, what do the people really need? And at the end of the day, like, we need the gospel, we need the Easter sermon every single day life, not just on Easter. And so I found that I get that more in the church that I attend and go to. And I think, like, no church is perfect. You know, where man is, there's sin. So, like, no church is perfect.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Yeah.

[Bethany Hamilton]

But it's just kind of like, brought me to this place of, like, I don't know, I just. Just feel really grateful.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Yeah.

[Bethany Hamilton]

And I feel like, yeah, it's just been kind of unexpected joy in my faith journey. And, like, I just love hearing certain elements of faith that I feel like I really needed, but I wasn't necessarily getting prior to my transition.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

So, yeah, I love that so much. I love to like faith. It just is a continual journey and you're just continuing to go. It's like. Like, I love that you were talking about the childlike faith that you had when you were young, and it's like, we're always going to need that. But then I also think about how Paul's like, hey, when you were babies, like, you had milk, and then now that you're older, like, you have food.

[Bethany Hamilton]

Yeah.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

And it's like there is an aspect of like, you don't ever want to lose the childlike faith. And we want to continue to mature and grow and, you know, be entrusted with more and be able to digest more and understand more and grow deeper in our faith. So I just think that that's so cool and so beautiful. How has, like, for you, like, I think about my story, for example. So I, I went on the Bachelor five or six years ago.

[Bethany Hamilton]

Were you of faith at that point?

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Bethany Hamilton]

Oh.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Which is crazy. And that's, that's my whole.

[Bethany Hamilton]

No, I know.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Well, that's another thing.

[Bethany Hamilton]

I was like, maybe she's baby interface or something.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

No, I see. I grew up in the church. I've been like, strong in my walk with Jesus since like day one and. And felt led to say yes to going on the Bachelor. My friends applied me. It was a crazy, crazy journey. And one of the hardest parts of it was that the church very much disagreed with it.

[Bethany Hamilton]

And so there was a lot of

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

rejection and church hurt and things I had to walk through. And a lot of it, obviously I understood, but I look back and I'm like, I've seen how the Lord has used that. Yes. And that, that journey and getting to take a stand for my faith and my purity and all of those things, which is so cool. But I know for me, something that has been interesting to like walk through is like, people will come up and be like, oh, are you the girl from the Bachelor? Like, are you the girl on the Bachelor? Were you the girl?

[Bethany Hamilton]

Was that five years ago? And you still get that?

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

I still get that. And, and now it's, it's so much better now. Like, now I feel like majority of anyone who follows me or whatever, it's like, like they've read my books or they listened to the podcast or they've been encouraged by, you know, my love for Jesus, which is amazing and beautiful. But I just think about, like, for you, has it been. How have you kind of like, I guess, continue to grow in your ministry and what you feel called to do apart from what happened when you were 13, like, has that been something that you've had to walk through as far as like your identity of like, hey, I'm Bethany. I'm not just like the girl who, when I was 13 years old, this happened to me. Like, how has that been? Is just like your identity being formed?

[Bethany Hamilton]

No. Totally. People still think of me as the 13 year old Bethany. Yeah. But at the same time, I've had such amazing support and like, I think people see my vision. They're like, let's encourage each other to overcome and keep going and live a life of faith and, like, never give up sort of vibes.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Yeah.

[Bethany Hamilton]

And. And just, like, the community in that sense has been so cool and so beautiful and so accepting and inviting and, like, just cheering me on. I haven't had a lot of resistance, and I've spoken out on some tougher topics, and that wasn't my favorite, but I would still do it because I just kind of. But I just don't make it my everyday subject. Yeah.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Yeah.

[Bethany Hamilton]

But, yeah, it's just been. Yeah, it's been beautiful to kind of see how God can take crazy things and turn them into something beautiful. Totally. And I think having Christ at the forefront of my life, you know, it leads and directs my path naturally. Like, you know, I don't get distracted by random things too much. And so, yeah, even, like, the timing of having my first son, like, it wasn't the timing that I wanted, but it was God's timing. And I, looking back, I'm like, oh, my gosh, I'm so glad for that timing. Like, even though in the moment, the initial reaction was like, oh, this wasn't the timing I wanted, like, this feels, like, upside down and, like, I felt really frustrated. But then as soon as I met my baby, all those fears and doubts and frustrations dissolved, and we ran head over heels for motherhood and being a mom. And, yeah, I don't know what your original question was. I always kind of ramble like that,

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

but I love it. I love it. And how has motherhood shaped like all that you feel called to do? And what's that balance been like as you feel called to utilize the story? God's given you, the giftings, God's given you the passions God's given you. While also, you know, as a mom, like, that's obviously a huge calling and a huge thing. Like, how do you balance that? I mean, that's something I'm learning myself as I'm one year in. You're a few steps ahead of me. So how is that? How have you processed that and balanced that?

[Bethany Hamilton]

Yeah. So here we are, four babies later, I have three boys and a girl, and I want more. My husband currently does not. So I'm praying over that. Lord, can you go with my will, Lord? We'll see what happens, though. But that's how much I love being a mom. I want to have more.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

And you guys know we talk a lot on this podcast about purpose and really seeking the path God has for our lives and when it comes to education, I truly believe that path should lead to something meaningful. That's one of the reasons I love Grand Canyon University. GCU is a private, nonprofit Christian university located in beautiful Phoenix, Arizona, and they are passionate about making education an affordable path forward for students who want to grow in their faith and in their calling. What I really love about GCU is that they are grounded in Christian truth and focused on equipping the next generation to lead with integrity and serve with purpose, which is something I know so many of you care about too. And they've actually kept tuition at the same rate on their traditional campus for 17 years. Plus, in 2025 alone, they awarded over $404 million in institutional scholarships. So whether you're looking to earn your degree on campus or online, you can pursue your purpose at gcu, Private Christian, affordable nonprofit. Visit GCU to learn more. Okay, can we talk about stress for a second? Because I feel like in this season of life, it's so easy to carry things we were never meant to carry on our own. And something the Lord has been reminding me lately is that we're called to give him our anxiety. And we're also called to steward our bodies well and to be intentional with what we're putting in and how we're caring for ourselves. That's actually why I was really excited to receive Veracity. This podcast is sponsored by Veracity, and I just got their Cortisol calming supplement, which is designed to support your body when it comes to stress. Because stress doesn't always look obvious, it can show up as brain fog, feeling overwhelmed, trouble sleeping, or just feeling off. And this is formulated to help your body regulate those cortisol spikes in a really natural way. It's made with clean ingredients, and I love that it's a doctor formulated, all natural and really focused on supporting your body, not just masking symptoms. And for me, I love anything that helps me show up more grounded, more present, and more steady, especially as I'm trying to live with intention and trust God in every area of my life. So I'm really excited to start incorporating this into my routine. Head to veracityhealth.com and use code STAY TRUE for for up to 65% off your order. Once again, that's Veracity. V E R A C I t y help.com for up to 65% off and make sure you use my promo code Stay True so they know I sent you.

[Bethany Hamilton]

Yeah, I don't know. I. I feel like I've like. It's interesting how you kind of get older, and you're, like, get more and more opinionated. And I don't want to be, like, angry, bitter, old person that's overly opinionated. But, like, yeah, a lot of my life is, like, directed by, well, one God and his word, and, like, what I believe he calls upon my life, but also, like, some of the values that I believe in. Like, for example, we're homeschooling our children, and we're very integrated as a family, and my husband and I teamwork, a lot of the Bethany things that we do, and we're. And, like, adventuring on other endeavors as well, but.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

And were you homeschooling?

[Bethany Hamilton]

I was homeschooled from sixth grade on, and I absolutely loved it. For me, where I lived, the schooling is, like, very below average. And I think with good parents, you could still, like, do your best and still come out okay.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Yeah.

[Bethany Hamilton]

But I was also, like, a little professional athlete at a young age. I was already traveling international at, like, 13, so. And then I. I think my first international travel was, like, 17 without my parents. So I was very, like, already well traveled and, like, already kind of heading on a trajectory. So homeschool really allowed for that. And one sign, like, as I started to envision motherhood someday, I always thought I would homeschool my children. And it's definitely challenging. Like, we have probably way too much on our plate, and sometimes both my husband and I feel like we're drowning. Yeah. But at the same time, like, for example, my mom and dad live in our guest house, and they're really close, and I love them, and they're integrated into our life. And my husband's parents help a bit, too, and my brother guys all live nearby, and we're all raising children together. And it's just the sweetest, like, setup, so to say. And, like, we also have nature and. Yeah, but definitely four. I'm like, whoa, there's lots of. Couple years was a lot.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Yeah.

[Bethany Hamilton]

I'm trying to manage all the things, and I'm very much a believer. I think being a surfer, I'm like, I slow down a lot. I go in the ocean. I turn off the noise. Like, I have that place of, like, outlet that's so nice, that place of peace and rest. And I feel like that's been my sanity through some of my, like, trying seasons. I'm, like, just being able to ground and be in nature. I'm really into health, too, so getting sunshine and being and nature is super important to me. And sometimes I feel crazy when I'm, like, Traveling and away from my like, home environment.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Yeah, yeah.

[Bethany Hamilton]

But yeah, being able to slow down and then we just kind of like prioritize our life. Like we bring our children with when we travel, like they are literally with us and it costs more money. And we don't fly first class because there's six of us. So I'm like, you know, half of the time we're like in the last aisle because we book our flights last minute. We're literally by the toilets. Like, so it's not always like glamorous or whatever. Which I've never been the person that needs that. Like, I'm happy to like be in a shed. Like, I don't need like fancy living, but I do need beach and like nature and ocean and fun times with my family. So. But we also do really cool things. Like we do travel to really amazing places. And my children are very like, well established. So the way I value education is kind of different than like, maybe other people might. Like, I look at my children, I'm like, okay, are you thriving in life? Like beyond how well you're doing in math, writing or the subjects, but are you thriving in life? And like, I see them and I think they're thriving. Like, they're very self driven, they read a ton. And then like within their education, like they have some challenges, but who doesn't? Like, we've all had our challenges in education. So overall I'm like, okay, I love what we're doing. I love the life we're painting and we get to do a lot of it together and sometimes it feels chaotic, but I think most people have those moments of like, life's chaotic. Oh, totally. But also we're not pursuing like all the sports, we're not pursuing all the things, we're not doing all the extracurriculars. We are doing some, like, we're doing some sports, but we're not like kind of bowing down to the American so called dream.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Yeah.

[Bethany Hamilton]

And so we're kind of going against the grain in a lot of ways. But I really love it. And I think if you feel annoyed with your children, it's not because your children are annoying, but it's because something in your life needs a shift. And so as you get older and as your children, like if you have a low capacity for your child, you need to shift something in you and how you're doing life, whether it's nutrition, sleep, slowing down, doing less. Like when I get short with my children, I know that I need to look back at myself. It's Less about them and more about me. And so parenting, like, will humble you. And I think turning off the social media noise too. Like, there's so much derogatory commentary towards family and parenting and mothering and like, okay, fine, I haven't slept amazing for 10 years. But like, I also figured out how to wake up feeling refreshed because I take care of myself in a way that supports me to like, my babies never did sleep through the night. Like, I have my 2 year old, she still wakes up 2 times a night. And so I never got. What you got your baby sleeping suit? Sick. Six months sleeping through the night. I never got that. So.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Oh my God. And you look amazing.

[Bethany Hamilton]

And I'm like, how are you doing? I mean, I got some eye wrinkles here. It's the sunshine.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Fine.

[Bethany Hamilton]

But I'm just saying, like, there is some reality is that like, it is hard being a mother and it is hard having to be humbled and have that introspective of like, wait, why am I annoyed by. With my child? Like, why don't I have the capacity for them and like, kind of realigning yourself to be able to show up for them. I feel like I'm continually like, unpeeling the onion layers on myself of like, lord, I need you.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

No, I, I think we were talking right before this podcast. I was like, you're about to have a teenager. I was like, that's. You're gonna get into teenage years. I'm like, I'm getting old. That is so wild. Like, the teenage years, that's a whole.

[Bethany Hamilton]

Like even that, like, teenage years might be a amazing, right? Like, they might be incredible. It might not even be that bad or hard. Like, well, especially the way, like, you're

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

saying you guys are doing it differently and you guys are going against the grain and I, I think that's what it takes.

[Bethany Hamilton]

No, like, my children are so uninfluenced that, like, their fashion is horrible. Like, my 10 year old wears like a dress shirt, a shirt that's like halfway down in size. I'm like, dude, like, can we wear a shirt that fits you? And he's like always wearing the shirt halfway down his thighs. So that's how uninfluenced my children are. Like, they don't go on. Youtub know, like, what the cool kid out there is doing who's on social media at a young age. Like, they're just uninfluenced and unadulterated. And it's so cool, it's so fun and they're so Sweet and fun. And they can interact with grandma to the baby. Like, they're so good with all the ages and they, like, want to be engaged. Like, my. We got here to Nashville or Tennessee, wherever we are. And my 8 year old's like, oh, I wish we didn't stay in Florida as long because he's having so much fun with his grandpa and grandma playing card games. And we were at, like, this super nice house in Florida with, like, a pool, and we had such a good time. Like, I was. I was loving it. Like, I was like, whoa, was that our first vacation? Because normally my version of a vacation is a surf trip, which isn't that relaxing because you're constantly pursuing waves.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Yeah.

[Bethany Hamilton]

And so you don't actually relax. And so we went to this house. We're staying at this house in Florida with a pool and, like, there's nothing on the agenda. And I'm like, whoa, what am I doing? I actually, like, relax. That is so funny. But, like, how cute Was that? My 8 year old was like, I wish we were here longer because he just wanted to hang with grandpa and grandma and play card games.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

That's beautiful. And did they know, like, you? Do they know your life? Do they know, like, my mom is a legend? Like, the.

[Bethany Hamilton]

Their cousins told them what happened. I never did because I just. I don't know. I don't want to be the bearer of bad news.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Wait, no way. Yeah, their cousins told them.

[Bethany Hamilton]

Well, it's, like, interesting, because when you have a baby, like Aleyah, my two and a half year old, she's so sweet and she's like, you only have one arm. Like, she's just kind of discovering it now, but, like, up until then, she's just so used to me. Like, yeah, having one arm doesn't really compute. And then they're just so used. Like, all my friends, they forget that I have one arm. Like, like my husband doesn't realize I have one arm half the time. You know, like people who live in and out each and every day with me, like, you just kind of forget, Right. And so I think for my children, it didn't really, like, compute much. And then, so I never had to really tell them. And then eventually, like, they might have noticed that I didn't have one arm, But I don't know. My children weren't as curious as some kids, but some kids are so curious. I actually have a hard time with super curious kids. Kids, because they'll, like, pester you, like, endlessly with all the questions, and I'll just Be like, oh, I don't want to talk about it anymore.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Yeah.

[Bethany Hamilton]

And then, like, sometimes they'll. They'll respect that and they'll be like, okay. And then sometimes they'll just, like, keep going after me.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

I'm like, oh, my Ruthless. Wait. So, okay, I'm imagining this, like, scene going down. So the cousins, like, come up to your kids and they're like, did you hear?

[Bethany Hamilton]

They just like. I don't know. They're so cute in their, like, sweet, innocent way. They like, like, I don't know, at some point they probably told him, like, that my. Your mom lost her. I'm too shark. And then that's, like, when they found out. I don't know.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Our mom is the coolest ever. So does that like. Like, how do your kids are.

[Bethany Hamilton]

They.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

They don't have a fear with that. Like, they don't have a fear of the ocean.

[Bethany Hamilton]

They both surf and they're not scared. So, yeah, pretty good. Yeah.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

I love that.

[Bethany Hamilton]

I feel like just growing up in and out of the ocean, it's just like one of those things where. Where it's kind of like, oh, they're way out there probably, but we don't have to worry too much, so.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

I have never been surfing.

[Bethany Hamilton]

I was gonna say I'm gonna. Well, I wanted to extend an official invite to learn to surf with me out in Kauai, Hawaii. So you can bring your husband and baby. We can get all three of you on a board if you want, and we can go surf and then you can jump on all things possible with me.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Yes. Well, I will say I'm gonna have to overcome my fear because my number dwell. Well, my two fears are snakes and sharks. Probably the most typical fears. Like, everyone's like, that's so basic, Maddie. That's just my biggest fear.

[Bethany Hamilton]

Okay, I'll put you on. I'll put a shark bands on you. It's a little shark repellent thing. Like, I actually surf in it. But I was gonna say, I'll take you in the baby waves where sharks, like, literally can't even go. So you don't have to be too worried.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

That's perfect.

[Bethany Hamilton]

But we actually had Alex Clark out in Kauai with us, and we took her surfing and literally, like, work. Two days later, there was a crazy shark incident. Oh. And she texted me. She's like, was that where we were? And I was like, it was only a few miles away, but it was way out there. Like, it was out in the deep blue. But she was, like, fully engaged on that she's like, oh, my gosh.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Like, yeah, see, I just. That was never. I have so many friends that surf, and I would go to, like, where do they live?

[Bethany Hamilton]

Like, well, California.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

So I, like, a lot of my friends, like, live or lived in California, and I would go out and I'd visit them, and I'm like, the girl on the beach, and I'm like, I'll take your pictures. I'm in a sunbathe. You have fun out there. They're, like, in their suits. I'm like, y' all are so cool. I just. That was never.

[Bethany Hamilton]

No, I could get you totally having a good time. So the invite is extended. When you need a vacay, you can come out to where I live.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

And I'm so down.

[Bethany Hamilton]

It's heaven on earth. It's hard to leave. So.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

I love Hawaii. I've been, like, like four or five times.

[Bethany Hamilton]

But what is. Did you go.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

I've been to Maui. I've been to Honolulu. I've been to. I think the one you said. What'd you just say? I think I've been there. I don't even remember. Okay, it's been a minute. But. But I've been to a lot. What's. So, what's your, like, husband's personality like? I wonder if our husbands would. Would vibe. He.

[Bethany Hamilton]

What is he like? He. He's easygoing. Like, I feel like everyone gets along with them. Like, everyone's excited to meet me, and then they meet him and they, like, love him.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

See, that' of my life. I. I laugh because everyone that I spend time with, they're like, grant is my favorite. And I'm like, guys, I'm chopped liver. I'll be having, like, the best conversation with someone. Grant and I will be, like, encouraging someone. They're, like, going through something, and I'm, like, giving world's best advice. Like, best advice I've ever given in my life. I'm like, that should have been recorded on a podcast. That was so good. And, like, the next day, they're like, man. I mean, I was really thinking about, and what Grant said, like, really impacted me, and I'm like. I said. Said so many good things, and you don't even remember what I said? No, I'm like, I say the same thing about Grant all the time. So we. We did. We should make a trip.

[Bethany Hamilton]

He's like a lumberman, though. Like, he's meant to be outdoors. He's a super dad. He's very just. Yeah, he's. He ends up stealing the show half of the time.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

That's incredible. I love it so much. Well, I'd love for you to just kind of, like, end. I mean, we always end in prayer, but also, like, if there's any just, like, encouragement as you think about just. Just your life message of living this life of unstoppable. Like, live your life with courage and with gratitude and with boldness and tackling fear. Like, what encouragement would you give to those listening who. You know, wherever they may find themselves? But I know that that message encourages, no matter where you're at.

[Bethany Hamilton]

I feel like, you know, I don't know where. Who all your listeners are and, like, their walks of life, but whether you're of faith or not, like. Like, I would just challenge you to, like, dig deep on the areas of your life that feel like pain points and to face those with honesty and, like, what's actually going on there. Because I feel like as I've gone through life, like, the harder seasons and the harder pain points, like, if I wasn't honest with them, like, they would continue to rob me of my joy. But when I face them and work through them and present them to God, ask God for help. Like, like, he's the author and finisher of our faith. He is the one that can take all things and make it new. And so I would just say there's an invite there for you, whether you're of faith or not, that, like, there is a God that loves you. His grace is sufficient for you. And if this sounds like quack talk, maybe you need to dig deep, deeper. And maybe you are of faith, but you've just kind of been stagnant or you have forgotten the gospel, forgotten the grace that is bestowed upon your life and that is there for you each and every day. And that is what moves us and changes us. And I don't know, I think also embracing a little bit of that, like, I'm like, the baby. I'm helpless and I need you, Lord, in and through all the seasons.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

So good. So good. Do you mind praying over those who are listening?

[Bethany Hamilton]

Yeah, I wasn't ready for it, but I can throw up her app. Okay. Thank you, God, for this time with Maddie. I barely know you, but I just pray that you'd continue to bless her story, her life, her journey, have your hand upon her marriage, her mothering, whatever is in the near future that you would be with her and in through all the challenges, but also all the beauty and. And I just pray for all the listeners that they would be able to hear your calling on their life to look to you to be the author and finisher of their faith that with you life is better. With you life is full even when it might actually be kind of empty. But you can still have a fullness and a joy that only you can bring, Lord. So I ask that you bring that for all the listeners and just bless them as they go about their day, their day and week and season. In Jesus name, Amen.

[Madison Pruitt Trout]

Amen. Thank you so much. Well this was so fun. Thank you so much for coming on Stay True and just sharing your story and your heart and your wisdom. I'm so encouraged by you, have been for a while and just even more so getting to spend time with you today. So thank you so much and I'll be linking all of Bethany's just how you can get in touch with her, her books, her films, all the things. But again, again thank you so much for coming on Aloha everyone. And as always guys, be sure to stay you Stay True. We love you. Stay True podcast is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Do you ever think about switching insurance companies to see if you could save some cash? Progressive makes it easy to see if you could save when you bundle your home and auto policy. Try [e-mail] Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. Potential savings will vary. Not available in all states.