He can’t brush his own teeth, comb his own hair, or hold anyone’s hand.
But that hasn’t stopped him from sharing his message of hope.
Nick Vujicic was born without arms or legs. The 27-year-old Australian native vowed not to let his disabilities hold him back. He travels all around the world sharing his inspirational story with audiences.
Vujicic had just returned from speaking in Japan when the Monroe Bank and Trust Expo Center on the Monroe County Fairgrounds welcomed him on March 4.
The night started out in worship with music performed by a band from Monroe called A Vass Majority.
“It’s about churches coming together, being together, as one—like here tonight,” John Vass, the guitarist and father of the family band, said that night.
When the Vass family’s music faded, the crowd, which numbered over 1,800, cheered as Vujicic stepped onto the stage.
He told the story of how his life went from a “life without limbs” to a” life without limits.”
When he was younger, he kept asking “why.” Why did his brother, sister, and everyone else in the world have arms and legs and not him?
He told the story of how, when he was younger, he kept asking “why.” Why did his brother, sister, and everyone else in the world have arms and legs and not him?
“I didn’t understand how I could prosper,” he said. “At the age of eight, I told my mom I wanted to commit suicide. At the age of ten, I tried.”
He described how he tried to drown himself in the bathtub, but at the last minute decided not to.
“I loved my parents more than I loved me, so I stuck around,” he said.
“Boy, am I glad that I stuck around!”
As a boy, Vujicic was consumed with fear and doubt, he said.
“It was difficult as a child to believe that God had a plan for me,” Vujicic said. “I believe fear is the greatest disability of all: fear of not being good enough, fear that no one cares. It’s all a lie.”
Now, despite his disability, Vujicic can walk, swim, skateboard, and type 43 words per minute using his partially formed feet.
“No one ever thought I would start walking until I did. No one ever thought I would be able to write, until I starting trying,” he said.
Vujicic flipped through his Bible, walked, and jumped using his two small feet, while onstage.
He even used humor when talking about his disabilities.
“I really like to freak kids out,” he joked. “They go, ‘what happened to you?’ and I say, ‘cigarettes!'”
MCCC student Jeannie Connelly was impressed.
“Nick’s choice to begin his preaching with humorous stories worked to attract my attention: not only because I enjoy laughing, but also because this helped me recognize how ‘real’ of a person Nick is,” she said.
Vujicic’s message was centered on his faith in God. He said God was the reason he was able to live each day the way he does.
“I don’t need arms or legs,” he said. “If you put your happiness in temporary things, your happiness will be temporary.”
“But hope in God never fails.”
“Nick gave Monroe more than just a nice story,” Benjamin Collins, MCCC student, said. “He gave the audience a real look at a life dedicated to serving Christ. By speaking God’s truth, he cut through a lot of lies that seep into our heads.”
“Never once did I feel as though he was reading from a script or reciting a speech,” Jeannie Connelly said.
“Instead, I noticed several moments when Nick would pause and look to his Bible or lower his head to pray silently, seeking God’s direction for the next portion of the night’s preaching. These acts of tapping into the Holy Spirit really spoke to me that this message—this event—was real.”
After Vujicic’s message and a group prayer, the Vass family took the stage once more to end the night with “Amazing Grace.”
