The final night of the Impossible Online Conference 2020 saw Nick Vujicic take to the stage.

Born without arms and legs, Vujicic is a world-renowned motivational speaker and founder of international nonprofit organisation Life Without Limbs.

His message for the attendees that night? We all need a firm foundation for our lives.

The 38-year-old began by sharing openly that – like many other people – 2020 has been really difficult for him.

As his motivational speaking business around the world grounded to a halt because of COVID-19, Vujicic had faced times of anxiety and panic – even anger.

That honest review of 2020 was Vujicic’s segue into sharing his life story, who shared that he had faced many other years that were full of crises as well.

As a person born without arms and legs, growing up was difficult because Vujicic would be “teased” and bullied by other children at school.

He would come home crying to his parents every day. They comforted him, but also taught him that he had to learn to be brave and face his fears head-on. 

Those formative years were a crucible for Vujicic who came to learn a truth: “There are some times in life where you can’t change circumstances.”

Candidly acknowledging that his lack of arms and legs is a fact that won’t change anytime soon, Vujicic further made the point that his hope isn’t in waiting for God to give him arms or legs.

“My real hope is understanding that this temporary life is so short, and heaven is waiting for me,” said the father of four.

YOU ARE HERE FOR A REASON

Speaking about how human it is to fear, especially in years like this one, Vujicic shared openly about how his parents felt when he was born.

They were grieved and fearful for his future as a boy born without limbs. Beyond the fears his parents had for him, Vujicic also laid out all the negative predictions doctors made about what his quality of life would be.

It wasn’t a pretty picture.

But somehow, Vujicic would eventually overcome each one: “Not only am I talking, walking, jumping, swimming, golfing, fishing, scuba diving, skydiving… I got married to the most beautiful woman on planet Earth!”

His point was that years like 2020 can be painful, and living can be hard for all of us – but what gives us the strength to go on is knowing that there is meaning to life and that there is hope.

“I want you to know you are here for a reason,” said Vujicic. “You’re beautiful. There’s not another you.”

Having established the many ways in which the world can be a painful place, Vujicic then raised another question: “Where do we go to when everything runs out?

“What do we hold on to when everything seems chaotic and crazy and nuts? What do you have? What’s the hope?”

Vujicic shared that the first way he dealt with this anxiety and fear was by talking to someone. To him, beginning to receive help from our community can be as simple as writing down two trusted friends’ phone numbers.

“We need each other,” he reminded. “We were never meant to live alone. “

“God’s not just going to help you go through this, He’s going to help you grow through this.”

Of course, there will be times in life when we do feel alone.

Vujicic talked at length about going through depression at just eight years old. At the time, he thought constantly that he would never be good enough and felt that there was nothing to live for.

What got him through those years? Hope that comes from God.

“There is one hope that I have,” declared Vujicic. “Knowing that God knows me better than anyone else. He has a plan, hope and future for me.

“Just like He has for you.”

Vujicic emphasised that knowing God doesn’t mean we won’t go through storms – when storms come in our lives, God may not tell them to go away.

The encouragement for us is that though our circumstances might remain, Jesus will hold us through the storm until our heart feels at peace and gains strength again.

“God’s not just going to help you go through this, He’s going to help you grow through this,” encouraged Vujicic.

To Vujicic, knowing that God has a plan for our lives is why our decisions each day matter.

And in that light, the most important decisions in our “temporary lives” have to do with eternity and where we will live forever – heaven or hell.

Here Vujicic began to emphasise the reality of God and the spiritual realm, noting that he has personally seen 13 miracles to date.

He also spoke about what God has done in his own body: “I have a medically unexplainable healing in my back of a rare degenerative disease that I was born, where my spine turns into nothing.

“Over the years, the spine was built back up! Doctors said that was impossible. But not with God! All things are possible.”

And yet, these health challenges were still not the worst thing that Vujicic had to face.

“The greatest disability that I really had to overcome was sin and death,” he revealed.

Those are things that no human can fix. Vujicic made the point that the world is finding it hard enough to come up with a vaccine for the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

What more the cure for death? 

THERE IS HOPE

Vujicic then turned his attention to Jesus’ claim to be the only way to God: “I am the way and the truth and the life.”

For Vujicic, the reason Jesus could say something like that was because He had triumphed over death and sin. Jesus is the cure.

“Jesus died and resurrected,” said Vujicic, “when you believe that, you’re taking on the cure of death: the resurrection.”

Urging attendees to make the right choice about Jesus, Vujicic said that every decision makes a difference once we realise that our temporary, mortal lives are so small in comparison to eternity.

His encouragement, as such, was to make sure that “everything” we are building with our lives will count towards eternity.

“I don’t take money with me. I don’t take a degree or diploma with me,” he said, speaking about death. “I take my soul – God takes my soul.”

“2020 wasn’t a surprise to God,” said Vujicic towards the end of his message. “Everything changes around you, but one thing remains – the Rock. The Word of God.”

Going back to what he said at the start of his message about the need for a firm foundation, Vujicic then played a video about two houses built with the same blueprint and materials.

After they were built, a massive storm came. One house couldn’t withstand the elements and fell, while the other stood and remained intact.

Vujicic’s point? It wasn’t the storm, materials or the blueprint that was responsible for this outcome. It was the foundation.

The house that stayed intact was built on bedrock, and the house that fell was built on sand.

“There is no doubt that the foundation of a home determines its destiny,” concluded the video’s narrator.

The peace that Jesus can give you is a peace that the world cannot give and doesn’t understand.

Speaking to the attendees, Vujicic issued his closing challenge: “What will you choose? Will you continue to build your house on the sand?

“Are you going to keep on relying on your strength in building up some tower of success? Or a tower of affirmation of your value because of other people?” 

“What you want is peace,” urged Vujicic. “And the peace that Jesus can give you is a peace that the world cannot give and doesn’t understand.”

To catch up on all our stories from the Impossible Conference 2020, read these: