Soul Surfer Bethany Hamilton and Husband Adam Dirks Search for God's Plan as a Couple (Pictures)

By Luke Leung

Bethany Hamilton, whose story of tenacity, courage and faith was brought to the big screen through "Soul Surfer," and her newly-wed husband Adam Dirks have been away from work "to pray and think on how God wants to use them as a couple,"  according to Hamilton's publicist at The Joy Agency and Friends of Bethany Hamilton Organization.

Bethany Hamilton and Adam Dirks
Bethany Hamilton and Adam Dirks Facebook/Bethany Hamilton

Since their marriage in August, the Christian couple has Kayaked in Alaska, watched sea lions and saw the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco Bay Area. In addition, they will be traveling to Florida as guest speakers at a youth worship night hosted by the First United Methodist Church of Cocoa Beach on Oct. 27th.

While enjoying her new married life with Christian youth minister Dirks, Hamilton, 23, recently said that her future plans will be grounded in what she loves to do most - surfing. Even after losing her left arm in a shark attack in 2003, Hamilton never gave up her passion, but continued to pursue her dream as a pro-surfer with just one arm.

"My plan is to keep improving my surfing, to keep Living The Search, and go surf some new waves around the world," Bethany told Rip Curl. "I also still love competing and plan on surfing in a few select events!"

Moreover, Hamilton and her longtime friend/Rip Curl team-mate Alana Blanchard will be hosting their first annual "Bethany and Alana Keiki Class," a free surf contest for kids 16 and under, at Pine Trees, Hanalei Bay, Hawaii. Shortly after that, she will head out to East Coast of Australia from November 12-17 for the Rip Curl My Bikini Tour, which will feature her, Blanchard, Tyler Wright, and Nikki Van Dijk.

Hamilton's story of perseverance was published in a New York Times best-selling book that was eventually made into the movie, "Soul Surfer," starring AnnaSophia Robb, Dennis Quaid, Helen Hunt and Carrie Underwood.

According to Hamilton's Facebook fan page, the Bible verses that she lives by are:

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord" - Colossians 3:23

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things." - Philippians 4:8

"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." - Jeremiah 29:11

  • ‘Wang Mingdao’s Diary’ reproduction highlights complexities of contemporary Chinese Christianity

    On December 9, the China Graduate School of Theology (中国神学研究院) hosted a public lecture titled “A Courageous Witness in the Times—Launch of Wang Mingdao (王明道)’s Diary.” The lecture, themed “Faith Patterns in Beijing’s Christian Churches Through the Lens of Wang Mingdao’s Diary,” featured Dr. Ni Buxiao (倪步晓), Associate Director and Assistant Professor at the Christian Faith and Chinese Culture Research Center of Alliance Bible Seminary (建道神学院), as the keynote speaker.

  • Floating library ‘Doulos Hope’ arrives in Taiwan; spreading love and hope from a former cruise ship

    Doulos Hope, the international floating book fair ship, has returned to Taiwan and is now docked at Kaohsiung Port, open to the public from December 18, 2024, to January 12, 2025. Originally built in 1991 and renovated in 2022, the ship features over 2,000 books on various topics, including faith, science, and art. It is operated by a diverse crew of 140 volunteers from 25 countries, offering services such as education, healthcare, and community outreach. The ship's mission is to spread hope and

  • Chinese Online School of Theology publishes annual ministry report: Expanding Chinese theological education through new strategies

    In the 2023-2024 academic year, New York-based Chinese Online School of Theology (COST) has seen significant development in expanding its ministry in theological education and mission outreach. They have promoted a series of new events and projects to explore different strategies that expand theological education for Chinese ministers. The following are some highlights from the 2023-2024 annual report:

  • Dr. Fenggang Yang: How foreign forces transformed traditional Chinese legal systems

    In a recent lecture to Chinese Christians, scholar Dr. Fenggang Yang (杨凤岗) gave an in-depth analysis of the historical evolution and contemporary significance of the modern legal system in Chinese society. He explored the tensions and integrations between traditional law and modern rule of law, highlighting the distinctive characteristics of China’s traditional legal system and emphasizing the role of foreign influences in introducing modern legal practices into Chinese society.

Top Stories