Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness – Isaiah 41:10
I was introduced to Sam Bloom through the movie Penguin Bloom, which excellently reveals this woman’s extraordinary journey. As with most stories, it begins with the key character’s life, performed admirably by actress Naomi Watts. Sam is a woman living a fulfilling life as a wife and mother of three boys, and who tremendously enjoys surfing the beautiful oceans of Australia. A pivotal turning point for Sam occurs during a family vacation in Thailand when, while exploring a spectacular balcony view, she loses her grip on an unstable railing and falls several floors onto the pavement. Sam’s injury ultimately leaves her paralyzed from the chest down and unable to function as she once did.
God never said that life would be fair, or that it would come without irrevocable realities. Neither did He promise that facing those life-altering events wouldn’t require getting in the ring with fierce opponents—many of which will be your own internal urges to quit and give up. Overcoming those inclinations toward self-pity and blame-shifting won’t happen without a fight. However, that fight rewards those who choose not to be defeated. They are given a powerful assurance of strength as per Isaiah 41:10, which says: “I will strengthen thee.”
While not a Christian movie, Penguin Bloom nevertheless captures the battle of Sam Bloom’s horrific ordeal, both physically and emotionally, and how a wounded bird becomes a critical ally in Sam’s discovery of her amazing future. It’s a comforting reminder to know that our fight is never without God’s support, manifested in His way.