Paralympian Grace Norman: ‘God Gives Us Our Daily Bread Each Day’
By Movieguide® Staff
The Paralympic games recently kicked off in Tokyo on Monday, Aug. 24, and Olympic Paratriathlete Grace Ann Norman is ready to compete.
Due to congenital constriction band syndrome in Norman’s left leg at birth, she was forced to amputate her left leg and right big toe. However, Norman pursued track & field from a young age and became the first female amputee to finish on the podium at a high school track & field state championship.
Since then, Norman won her first Paralympic gold medal in Rio in 2016 and has won over 20 combined medals in the World Paratriathlon Championships, the USA Paratriathlon National Championships, the World Paratriathlon Event, and the 2021 Americas Triathlon Para Championships Pleasant Prairie event.
However, Norman revealed that her strength comes from her faith in God.
“It’s a part of who I am, and so that means a lot of just giving my life, my workouts, my competitions over to God… there’s a lot more peace that comes with that. I’m not terrified because I know He has a plan,” she said on the K-Love News podcast.
Norman said that despite her rigorous training schedule, she always makes time to pray and read God’s Word.
“I’m in His Word. I pray. I ask His strength because, you know, it’s not easy what I do. It’s more of an individual sport. I have been living alone. I am away from family and so having just the comfort to know that God is always there providing the strength is just an amazing feeling,” she said, “and gives you an extra piece of encouragement in knowing that whenever I step on the line for a race.”
Ahead of the 2021 Paralympics, Norman said that 2 Corinthians 12:9 has “been particularly dear to my heart,” where it says, “My grace is sufficient for you.”
Norman said that she preaches the verse back to herself.
“God gives us our daily bread each day – and it’s not worrying about the next week or the week following, or even tomorrow, but it’s depending on God’s grace to get through each day, to get energy, what I need, in order to complete what I’ve set out to do and what His plans are for me,” she said.
On her Instagram, Norman is candid about her life story.
“This is my story: I was born with congenital amniotic constriction band syndrome that took my left foot and my right big toe. I’ve never let it stop me and I won’t,” she wrote. “My story isn’t one of sadness or great hardship. My story isn’t one to turn heads and make the news stands. My story isnt tragic or heartbreaking. My story IS however, powerful and unique.”
The Paralympics in Tokyo run from Aug. 24 to Sept. 5.
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