Roger Marsh: Welcome to another edition of Dr. James Dobson's Family Talk. I'm Roger Marsh. Today, we will bring you the rest of Dr. Dobson's conversation with Nick Vujicic. Now in this installment, Nick will share how he has overcome his birth defect. The one that left him without arms or legs. And he now unashamedly preaches the gospel around the world. Here now is part two of Nick's story here on Dr. James Dobson's Family Talk.
Nick Vujicic: I do have to say, Dr. Dobson, my best day in my life was at age 15 when I was at a Bible study of our church when my dad was not ministering, but he was in a church, and we were talking about John nine. And Jesus came through a village, and He came across a man who was born blind. And Jesus was asked by all the people around Him why was this man born this way? The disciples asked Him that. And they thought that maybe it was because of the sins of him, the man in a previous life, or was it because God's punishing him, punishing the parents. Jesus said neither.
Dr. James Dobson: Jesus said neither.
Nick Vujicic: Jesus said it was done so that the works of God may be revealed through him. And I stopped. I didn't even read on. I didn't even read on at 15 about how he spits and makes the clay puts on man's eyes. I just wanted to know that I know that I know that I know that I know that God knows. Just because the blind man didn't know why and his parents didn't know why, and the disciples didn't know why it doesn't mean that God didn't know why. And this faith came over me, and I had this peace that came on my heart, and I felt like the Lord asking me a question, "Nick, do you trust me?" And I said, "Yes, God, if you give me arms and legs, I trust you. But if you don't give me arms and legs, I still trust you." Do not worship God for what you hope He's going to give you.
Dr. James Dobson: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Nick Vujicic: Worship God for who He is and what He's already given you, eternal life, and your name written in the book of life. Peace, joy that arms and legs cannot bring.
Dr. James Dobson: Did you get an understanding of that at 15 years of age?
Nick Vujicic: Yes, sir. I did. I actually had an understanding at age seven that it doesn't matter about how you look at all because people were picking on me without arms and legs, and I could pick on some with a big nose and freckles. And I realized that and you know what, people weren't friends with me because of how I looked. And that's where I realized your value is not determined on how you look or what you can do or how much money you have. It's all about the inside. And I used to be very depressed as a child, thinking, "I'm not going to get a job. I'm not going to be independent. I'm not going to get married." I remember the first wedding I ever went to. As a six-year-old, my uncle was getting married, and I saw them dancing.
"I'm not going to dance with my bride on our wedding night. I saw him carry her out through the door. "I'm not going to be able to do that. I'm not going to be able even hold my kids when they're crying." I see a kid in a park and he falls off his bike, and he cries. "What kind of father am I going to be when my child's crying? I can't even hold him." No one had the answers. But at 15, all my answers were given when I said, "Yes, Lord, I trust you. I trust that your grace is sufficient. I trust that no matter what I think that your plan is greater." And I used to think, Dr. Dobson, I had a good intentional prayer. At age eight, can you imagine if God gave me arms and legs?
I knew you as an eight-year-old Dr. Dobson, and you were on my list of when I said, "God if You give me arms and legs, I'll go on Oprah Winfrey. And I'll go on Dr. Dobson, and I'll go around the world. I'll go on radio, and I'll go on TV to share the miracle that if You give me arms and legs to show the miracle." Now let's say, Dr. Dobson, that you get an email from Australia and I'm on TV. And yes, a boy without arms and legs has been given a miracle by God. Even if you believe that, and even you paid for my ticket to come here and interview me, big deal, big deal, because that ain't going to relate to the majority of the audience in the world today when you ask for something, and you don't get it. Better is to be saved. Better is to have peace and love and joy.
Does God say yes to everybody? No. I am not a preacher who says, "You ask anything in Jesus name, and you're given it." No, I'll tell you a revelation for me is when it says, "Seek ye first the Kingdom." If God can use me better without arms and legs than with arms and legs, what would you rather have? Arms and legs for 90 years or no arms and no legs for that one soul or the 520,000 souls that come to Jesus Christ.
Dr. James Dobson: Well, you're getting at here why I appreciate you so much, Nick. Because instead of being bitter the rest of your life, you have said, "Lord, use me. Take me as I am and use me." And you have reached millions of people that you could never have touched if you hadn't been willing to let the Lord have your circumstances and your body. I mean that…
Nick Vujicic: By His grace. By His grace. By His grace.
Dr. James Dobson: That takes my breath away. Yeah
Nick Vujicic: Not because of Nick. By His grace.
Dr. James Dobson: Oh. Well, I can tell you and this very, I complained about some things to my wife. Not about her, but some circumstances. And I feel guilty today because I know what you're saying is correct. I know it's right. You give it to Him. You let Him have all of the frustrations and all the disappointments. I wonder about all those teenagers that are out there, who live in a world where physical perfection is held before them. They look at these Hollywood stars, and they want to be like one of them. And there's no way they can with their braces and with their acne and with their other physical characteristics that frustrate them. What do you say to them? We're talking to them right now.
Nick Vujicic: First of all, I love you. I just want you to hear those words. I love you. I know I'm on this other side of the microphone. I don't know who you are. I don't know what you've done. I don't know what you have. I don't know what you're facing. I don't know anything about you, but I love you. And if you've never heard those words before, I want you to hear them because those are the words of the Father. God, telling you that He loves you just the way that you are. He does have a plan for you. When you go to school, you try to look at everybody else. And even at Christian schools, you compare yourself to magazines, and you compare yourself to TV and actors, and you say, "Well, I need to be like that, or I wish I could be like that."
Well, first of all, if you saw me now face to face and I asked you, "Would you like to be my friend?" You would say, "Yes." I would say, "But I have no arms and no legs." And you'll say, "Well, I don't care." Well, if that's the case. If it's true that you don't actually care that I have no arms, no legs, that it actually doesn't determine the value of me as a human being and as a brother in Christ, then why are you so negative when you look yourself in the mirror? There's no point in being complete on the outside when you're broken on the inside. And there is no point in having arms and legs when you're paralyzed with fear on the inside. You need to know the truth, and the truth will set you free and who the Son sets free is free indeed.
Here's the truth. Every three-year-old girl that I've ever met doesn't matter what culture doesn't matter what nation you're from. Every three-year-old girl wants to be our princess. Have we ever asked ourselves why? No. I haven't read book. I just want you to know, but I'll tell you why God has put this on my heart. Every three-year-old girl wants to be a princess. But when that three-year-old girl says, "I want to be a princess," and you ask her why. She will look you in the eye as if you are the most incompetent, most unknowledgeable person in the world. Of course, she wants to be a princess. Yet, all they know about being a princess is a couple sparkles, some pink shirts, and maybe a crown, but nothing to do with knowing the truth. When we come to the king, the king of kings, we become adopted sons and daughters of the king. And a daughter of the king is a princess. And us boys at three, what do we want to do?
Want to fight, conquer, kill, destroy. What? Not each other. That's not how God made us and why he made us to kill each other. I stand before you, a man without arms and legs. You do not need arms and legs to love God. You do not need arms and legs to love your neighbors yourself. And you don't need arms and legs. And you can have cerebral palsy and stand in front of the gates of hell and redirect traffic. There are some mentally handicapped people who can teach a thing or two about love and forgiveness to the world. If God can use a man without arms and legs, then God can use you.
Dr. James Dobson: Nick, let's talk about your ministry and your mission. How did it come about? How did you begin to realize that God had something very specific that He wanted you to do? But how do you go out and tell the world, "Guess what, I'm here?" How did that happen?
Nick Vujicic: That's a really good... especially when you're waving, and you don't have hands to wave, right.
Dr. James Dobson: Right.
Nick Vujicic: As I told you, I gave my life to the Lord Jesus Christ. And I was in a public high school. And I also became a vice president of my high school as well. And in my junior year, before that happened, I became friends with a janitor who was a strong Christian. Who actually, we talked quite a lot about adult things. See, as a child, when kids would tease me, I talked to adults. So I could hold a conversation with an adult at six. So I had a furtherance in my maturity than the average 17-year-old. And so we talked about-
Dr. James Dobson: I don't have trouble believing that. Do you?
Nick Vujicic: So anyway, he knew of the prayer group that was happening in the public high school. And I didn't want to be known as a Christian. I wanted to be in the world, not of the world, but in world, and just hanging out with my non-Christian friends. And anyway, they, for three months, said, "Nick, please come for a Friday lunch. Please, just share something." I said, "I have nothing to share. What is your problem?" I said, "Just leave me alone. I am not coming. I don't have anything to share. Nothing good at all." For three months, I said no. Then they twisted my arm. And I finally said yes. I went there. Did you laugh for that one? Did you get that one? Twisted my arm? Ah, did you see it? Anyway, I went there, and I spoke for about seven to eight minutes, and I was really nervous.
Anyway, I said, "Okay, God, whatever. I'm just doing this out of obedience. I don't there's anything good here." They started crying, and I thought, "Okay, that's really good acting," right. They took my number down, and I didn't think that it was anything special. My phone started ringing. "Nick, come and speak to our youth group. Come and speak here." I did 12 engagements between the age of 17 and 19. I was invited after a trip across Australia, United States, and Africa. Took $20,000 of my savings for an orphanage in South Africa. And a 19-year-old saw my DVD in 2003 and said to his family, "I'm bringing Nick to South Africa." I spoke in front 300 sophomore students for seven minutes, and I was so nervous. My palms were sweating. My knees were shaking. Within three minutes, half the girls were crying.
And one girl in the middle of the room started weeping. She couldn't stop crying. And all of her 300 peers looked at her, and she just couldn't hold it in. She put up a hand, and she said, "I'm so sorry. Can I come up there and give you a hug?" And in front of everybody, she came, and she hugged me, and she wept on my shoulder for a good solid minute. That's a long time in front of-
Dr. James Dobson: It is.
Nick Vujicic: ... 300. And she is just bawling her eyes out. But then she whispers in my ear, "Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. No one's ever told me that I'm beautiful the way that I am. No one's ever told me that they love me," changed my life. At that time, I was halfway through my degree in accounting and financial planning, a double major. And I thought I was going to start up my financial practice and become financial independent.
That's fine. That's all fine. There's nothing wrong with money. However, no one ever told me, "Nick, you will be able to do something that money cannot buy." And today, Dr. Dobson, I look you straight in the eye, and I tell you if someone came with a check of $1 trillion or a hundred trillion to say, "Nick, stop speaking." I will never stop speaking because what is given through every single talk, whether it's a minute, five minutes, 10 minutes for 45 minutes, or three hours. God speaks to people, and it gives them hope that money cannot buy. And so that's how it started.
Dr. James Dobson: And you've seen so many people come to the Lord.
Nick Vujicic: I've seen so many. I started with zero invitations, and today I received 200 invitations a week for me to speak. And we have on file 30,000 emails saying, "Nick, can you come and speak here and there?"
Dr. James Dobson: Is that exciting that the Lord had a plan for you just like we read in Jeremiah 29:11 at the top of the first program, "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" He has done that in your life. Hasn't He?
Nick Vujicic: He has. And I want to encourage you with the following verses. In verse 12, I just want you to know that, if today, you don't know the plans that God has for you. It says this. "Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me. And I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 'I will be found by you,' declares the Lord." And the other familiar verse that everybody knows is Philippians 4:13, "For I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." I have to talk about this for just one minute. I'm so sorry.
Dr. James Dobson: No, no. Don't apologize.
Nick Vujicic: People talk about that verse in the context of saying, "Well, I can do anything through Christ." Yes, you can do anything through Christ, but please read it in context. We're talking about the beginning of chapter four, where it says, verse six to seven, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and petition, with Thanksgiving, present your request to God, and let the peace of God that transcends all understanding guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
Why did Apostle Paul say that? That's when you request something, and he says, "No, or not yet." Of course, you're going to have peace if He says yes right away. He gives you a supernatural peace and the guarding of your heart. Philippians four from verse 11b onwards it says…Apostle Paul says, "For I have learned to be in whatever state I am content. I know how it is to be fed and hungry. I know how it is to be abased and to suffer need for I can do all things." And in that context, the better word is I can endure all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Dr. James Dobson: Have you found that contentment?
Nick Vujicic: Yes, sir.
Dr. James Dobson: Do you look at the future with anxiety?
Nick Vujicic: You know what? I want people to know that I am not a man who just wakes up in the morning without any pain, without any stress, without any tears in his eyes. I am not a perfect person. Please do not hold me up as an example. Hold up Jesus Christ only as the example. I have my ups and downs, but life is always an uphill climb. The higher you climb, the more you see. And when you feel like falling, Jesus is standing right by you. And I just want you to know that I am under construction. Philippians 1:6, "Being confident of this. He who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. I am under construction, and I am a work in progress until my last breath here on earth.
Dr. James Dobson: I am so delighted to meet you and to get better acquainted with you. We got acquainted late one afternoon. The sun had already gone down. I was still in my office, and you came in to see me, and I saw the spiritual depth in you that day. And that's led to this day. And it is a pleasure to talk to you, to hear your heart, to see your love for the Lord, and to see what He's doing in your life. Any last thing you want to say to people who are out there? Though, who are discouraged today. Who are depressed. Who are frustrated. Who feel that God has let them down. In my book, When God Doesn't Make Sense, I talked about the betrayal barrier. Now, sooner or later, people hit the betrayal barrier. The place where they feel like they've been let down by God. That just happens. It happened all through the scriptures. Even Jesus on the cross said, "My God, my God. Why? Why have You forsaken me?"
Nick Vujicic: Exactly.
Dr. James Dobson: Yeah. We all go through that. What do you say to those who are standing before the betrayal barrier today?
Nick Vujicic: I have met people who have given their life to the Lord Jesus Christ in fullness of their spirit and heart and honesty and sincere. Then two weeks later, their father dies, and they turn to God and say, "See, I knew you weren't real." Now, there were four people in the Garden of Eden. It was God. It was Adam. There was Eve, and there was Satan. Before Adam and Eve fell into sin, they did not have to die. They had no sickness or disease. They were meant to stay there for eternity. But when they took on that nature of sin, then we were cursed. Not by God, not by anybody, but by Satan himself. I want you to know today that God has not inflicted that pain on you but Satan has. But when you lay it down at the feet of Jesus, even the most broken pieces and shattered pieces of your life, God can use for good.
When you don't get a miracle, you can still be a miracle for someone else. When God doesn't part the clouds of your storm, you can still carry someone else through theirs. Four and a half years ago in California, met a little boy with no arms and no legs. His name was Daniel Martinez. Up until that point, I'm not kidding you, 22 and a half years old. I had not met anybody so similar to me like this kid. No arms, no legs, and a little foot just like me. I saw him at a church. I couldn't believe what I saw. The mother came and hugged me later. And we brought him up on stage, and you could hear a pin drop. No one was breathing. Why? Because people were witnessing a miracle with their very naked eye. That God would be so good and so thoughtful and so perfect that He would send me from down under Australia to come be at that church at that time for that family.
That mother came up and hug me. And she said, "Nick, you are our miracle. We've been praying for a sign that God would help me and our family to know that he hasn't forgotten us." That morning, Dr. Dobson, I am not joking. My parents were already flying from Australia to come and see me for a week. That week. It was just incredible when I saw my mom hug his mum and my dad hug his dad and then praying together and holding each other while they cry. I mean, it was just amazing. The doctors told that family that they don't know why that boy was born that way.
And they said he probably won't walk. And then the doctor saw me and said, "Oh, he's going to walk. And then Daniel, at two and a half years old, saw a video of me swimming. And he started speaking, "Swim like Nick. Swim like Nick." Now Daniel has an older brother to look to. I'll tell you one thing that would've helped me at age 10 when I wanted to commit suicide, and I tried to commit suicide, was a man who was older than me just like me to then look me in the eye.
Dr. James Dobson: Yeah.
Nick Vujicic: And say, "It's going to be okay." I didn't get that miracle. But now I am that miracle to the little…
Dr. James Dobson: ... many, many others. Nick, thank you for being our guest. I appreciate it so much, and our prayers are with you.
Nick Vujicic: Thank you so much.
Dr. James Dobson: And I would like to stay in touch with you now. Before you go, Nick, tell us the name of your book.
Nick Vujicic: It's called Life Without Limits.
Dr. James Dobson: Yeah. And it tells your story and a whole lot more.
Nick Vujicic: Tells my story lot a lot, a lot more than what we even just shared in this interview as well.
Dr. James Dobson: Published by Random House. And I said at the top of the first program that you have seen 500,000 people come to know the Lord.
Nick Vujicic: Yes sir.
Dr. James Dobson: As a result of your ministry and what you're trying to do for Him.
Nick Vujicic: But I can't even explain to you how many people come up in the airport who've seen our YouTube-
Dr. James Dobson: Yeah.
Nick Vujicic: ... things and said, "Nick, that changed my life. Or I just showed your video to my whole company." So we will not know the fruit of our labor until we actually go to Heaven. And I'm excited.
Dr. James Dobson: We have 30 seconds left.
Nick Vujicic: Yes, sir.
Dr. James Dobson: 30 seconds now. You could talk for another eight weeks, but 30 seconds. Now you're down to about 24. Yes. Tell people how they can come to know Christ.
Nick Vujicic: More than arms and legs, I needed to be free of the chains of sin and death, and only Jesus Christ conquer that for you. Only the maker of the heart can heal the heart. And again, He only understands the language of your tears. He's the only one who knows that. So take one day at a time with Jesus Christ. Talk to Him, say, "God, come into my life, forgive me, change my heart, renew my mind. I want to know the plans that You have for me. I want to know You." The greatest purpose of all is to know God and introduce someone else to the love of God.
Dr. James Dobson: And you don't have to earn it.
Nick Vujicic: Or you don't have to earn it. God loves you.
Dr. James Dobson: It's just free.
Nick Vujicic: It's free. You must have faith. Ask God to help your unbelief and take one step at a time. Go to a church, go to a Bible study, and learn more. And all that God has for you is all good.
Dr. James Dobson: God, go with you, Nick.
Nick Vujicic: Please, God bless you as well. And thank you so much for this honor and opportunity to shake your hand, give you a hug and be on this program. And may God bless all of your viewers to support you, to take your ministry as far as God wants to take it.
Dr. James Dobson: Thank you, my friend.
Nick Vujicic: God bless you.
Roger Marsh: Well, we hope that hearing Nick's story over the past two days here on Family Talk has pushed you to realize your value and your worth to your heavenly Father. Now, in case you weren't able to hear part one of this fascinating testimony on yesterday's program, go to our broadcast page at drjamesdobson.org. You can listen to that program or any of our other past shows as well. Again, our broadcast page can be found at drjamesdobson.org. Check out our Facebook page at facebook.com/drjamesdobsonsfamilytalk.
Once you're there, you can join in on conversations about the broadcast or read the inspirational quotes and see the inspirational photos that we've posted there at that site. Again, facebook.com/drjamesdobsonsfamilytalk is where you'll find us on Facebook. I'm Roger Marsh, thanking you for listening today. Reminding you to join us again next time for another edition of Dr. James Dobson's Family Talk. Have a blessed weekend.
Announcer: This has been a presentation of the Dr. James Dobson Family Institute.
Dr. James Dobson: Someone once said comparison is the root of all inferiority and how true that is. When you look at another person's strengths and compare them to your own weaknesses, there's just no way to come out feeling good about yourself. Young people are especially vulnerable to the game of comparison. A while back, I was speaking to a group of teenagers at a conference, and I'll never forget the question posed by one young man. He said, "It seems that everyone has more to offer than I do. I envy the guys who are better looking than I am or are more athletic or smarter. I just don't measure up. How can I deal with my own insecurities?" The problem he was describing as a common one among young men and women. Even at a young age, our self-images are shaped by how we stack up against our peers.
It's not how tall we are that matters. It's who's the tallest. It's not how fast we can run. It's who runs fastest. It's not how smart we are. It's who's the smartest. Thus begins a pattern of self-doubt that often becomes all-consuming during adolescence. The answer I gave that young man is one that many teenagers need to hear. When you pitch yourself against the best and brightest, you're merely setting yourself up for failure. Mental health begins with an acceptance of life as it is and a willingness to make the most of the unique strengths and talents you've been given. When that's achieved, comparison with others is no longer a relevant issue.
Dr. Tim Clinton: Hi, this is Dr. Tim Clinton. Thanks for listening to Family Talk. You're going through a tough time or right now? Can't see your way out? You think there's no hope? We'd love to talk to you. I want you to know this. Dr. Dobson has been doing this for a long time, and he really cares about you so much that we'd love to talk to you right now. You can actually call us toll-free. Our number is (877) 732-6825. You're going to be encouraged. You're going to be challenged. You're going to find new hope. You know why? Because God really does care about you. He loves you. And Dr. Dobson cares about you too. Call us now, (877) 732-6825.