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Jeff Moyer
Challenges are to be Battled, Not to be Ran From
Nick Vujicic, 31 years old, was born in Australia without arms or legs and given no
medical reason for his condition. Perhaps many would assume, his initial doctors included, that
Nick would be unable to live a healthy, happy, and successful life due to his condition of not
having any limbs. However, Nick fortunately had the enduring, resilient support of his mum
and father. Of course, it was emotionally challenging for Mr. and Mrs. Vujicic to get the first
glimpse of their newborn son and realize he does not have any limbs.
From reading Nicks inspiration for a ridiculously good life in his book, Life Without
Limits, I gathered that Nicks mum and father would have quickly adjusted to their new and
unique baby boy. However, the Vujicics unintentionally lost their optimism and faith resulting
from the lead doctors hesitancy while helping to deliver Nick. Nicks parents also heard
discouraging words from many other doctors and nurses at the hospital. In addition, their
knowledge of how the school system was operating in Australia during this time caused doubt.
The term doubt does not exist in the Vujicic family, as they possess an enormous amount of
spirituality.
Now that there was a baby boy in the Vujicic household, Mr. and Mrs. Vujicic
transitioned from the newly married couple to a family with a young child. Therefore, Nicks
parents altered their primary theme, function, and tasks within the family approach. According to
the guest speaker Dr. Mary (Rina) Chittooran (July 13, 2015), Nicks mum and father
experienced themes of inclusion, affiliation, and industry with the presence of their newborn.
Further, Mr. and Mrs. Vujicic had to implement parental functions such as caring [for Nick],
providing behavioral models, and appropriate limit-setting (Chittooran, 2015). Lastly,

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Chittoorans (2015) Expanded Family Life Cycle Approach would suggest that these parents
took on new responsibilities regarding realignment of family to include child, dealing with
changes in own relationship, development of parenting style, and division of responsibilities.
There are many challenges that any new couple experiences as they bring a newborn into their
home lives and eventually elsewhere. Resilience on Nicks mum and fathers behalf was even
displayed after going through a short, yet uncommon, phase of doubting Gods plan for Nick.
Throughout these 31 years Nick has come into contact with many wonderful people in a
variety of nations. In Nicks book, Life Without Limits, he shares anecdotes of the time he spent
in many of these nations. One of the 54 nations that Nick visited and immediately experienced
culture shock was a region of India that consisted of countless slums. The intention behind
visiting the less privileged areas of these nations, such as Dharavi, India, is to give them hope
though sharing the struggles he endured during his earlier years of life. Not even the doctors
thought Nick would be living the good life at age 31. Thus, Nick extends his positive outlook
on life and genuine love that he has personally experienced with people all over the globe,
regardless of the communitys challenging circumstance.
While reading, Life Without Limits, this spiritual man of resilience voluntarily dropped all
his personal plans and other important arrangements for the week to visit the pain struck victims
living in Indonesia after the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami in 2004. These voluntary
gestures that Nick so often offers are exceptionally admirable. He knows firsthand the motivating
effect that humans can have on other humans going through stressed times.
Nick certainly did not an easy path growing up as he felt he was a burden on his family
and many other individuals he frequented with. As Nick is at a successful place in his life back,
he is able to reflect back on his childhood. Looking back on the countless caring acts his mum

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and father provided him with, he eventually realized that love does not have any limits. If Mr.
and Mrs. Vujicic loved their son that much to move a few times to access different doctors and
schools, Nick has finally dismissed the notion that he was a burden on his family and other
members of his care team.
Throughout the book he authored, this spiritual man of resilience has learned to embrace
the differences that God gave to him at birth. Just like all other individuals who display
resilience, there is a long, active process that one must be dedicated to if such individuals have
hopes of overcoming/accepting the challenge presented to them. This long, active process led
Nick through many dark paths. Unfortunately, Nick chose to eliminate his faith and belief in a
higher power from his life that he attempted to commit suicide in the bathtub. This was around
the middle school years of his life when gaining acceptance with his peers was consistently
challenging on a daily basis. Nick wished those students who he wanted to become friends with
would look past the fact that he has no limbs.
As a result of not having any limbs, Nick has become somewhat of a minor stunt devil, or
perhaps magician-like. Through his creativity and desire to do as much on his own as possible,
Nick learned many fun techniques of getting ready for the day. For example, when Nick was a
child in Australia, the process of just turning on the shower took quite a while. I understand his
frustration at the time when he first implemented his creative strategy of turning the shower
faucet on. However, his level of mental maturity has increased exponentially. He has come to
view his handicap as a cross he carries, just as he was taught of Jesus carrying His cross that we
was crucified on.
I was very blessed to read, Life Without Limits, as Nick Vujicics personal resiliency,
along with an exceptionally caring family and his strong sense of spirituality, have allowed me to

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examine resiliency through a different lens. I have not came into contact with anyone missing all
four limbs, and especially one who chooses not to wear any prosthetics. However, Nicks journey
is a testament that if you desire a particular outcome, such as his desire to accept his handicap so
he would allow others to accept him, the abundance of strenuous efforts that Nick applied to get
to this desired end point have allowed him to find his purpose in his rewarding and productive
life. Hence, challenges are to be battled, not to be ran from.

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References
Chittooran, D. M. (Director) (2015, July 13). Interventions with children and families: The
expanded family life cycle approach. Advanced Child Development. Lecture conducted
from Webster University.
Vujicic, N. (2010). Life without limits: Inspiration for a ridiculously good life. New York, New
York: Doubleday.