What a Broken Leg Taught Me About Faith, Grit and Life’s Unexpected Turns

Life can change in an instant. A misstep on a dock in New Zealand transformed a simple fishing trip into a test of endurance!

A little over two years ago, what began as a peaceful fishing trip on beautiful Lake Taupo in New Zealand turned into a test of endurance. I’d stepped onto the dock, noticed a large hole in the wood and warned my husband to be careful. Just five minutes later, I fell through that same hole! 

One leg dropped through while the other pitched to the side. I heard a pop, and the pain was immediate and overwhelming. With the help of a stranger, my husband lifted me out of the hole and carried me to the car. He drove rather quickly to the small local hospital, where we were told that immediate medical care wasn’t available and that there was a 10-hour wait. 

In those early moments, we faced a difficult choice: wait several hours until I could see a doctor in New Zealand or make the 15-hour flight back to Dallas in this painful condition. I was about to discover new levels of perseverance, faith and the true power of grit—otherwise known as determination. 

What to do?

We didn’t know the nature of the injury and were hoping it was only a severe sprain. 

We chose to wait and get treatment after returning home. (It wasn’t until we returned to Texas that we learned my leg was completely fractured, requiring surgery, a steel plate, several pins and screws.)

For our remaining four days in New Zealand, my husband rented a wheelchair from the local pharmacy. He also purchased an orthopedic boot to secure and stabilize my leg (especially important for the long, nonstop flight to Dallas). Elevating my leg, icing it, taking Ibuprofen and wearing a support sock helped make the pain and discomfort tolerable. My husband wheeled me everywhere—even back to the lake so I could fish one last time before leaving!

A flight screen, a book and an awareness

Flying 15 hours challenged my confidence. Pain, fear and lack of sleep all tested me in ways I’d never before imagined. I watched the airplane flight-tracking screen, focusing on the fact that with each passing hour I was an hour closer to home.

Coincidentally, at the same time, I was reading Angela Duckworth’s book Grit, exploring the science behind perseverance and passion. 

I was coming to understand what “grit” is—and how important faith is at times like this. Duckworth argues that success and resilience are less about talent and more about sustained effort over time—something I would need in the weeks ahead. Reading her book in the context of my accident and recovery gave me a perspective to understand what I was experiencing and what was needed. Her focus on commitment, daily choices, and not giving up when circumstances are overwhelming was especially instructive.

Grit, as Duckworth also describes it, is not about avoiding fear or pretending to be strong. It is the ability to keep going when circumstances are difficult, the outcome is uncertain, and the path is painful.

As I look back at my experience, it was the combination of physical endurance, mental focus and emotional determination, in addition to my faith in God, that allowed me to persevere through the injury, the long flight and the recovery process.

Unique challenges and life lessons

Women often cultivate grit through the daily balancing acts of life. When subjected to the moderate-to-severe trials and challenges of life, we can at times experience frustration and disappointment in trying to meet the needs and demands of family, household responsibilities, career and personal goals. 

Sometimes endurance can be learned from sheer necessity through unexpected crises. Other times it can be a choice. 

When life removes comfort and certainty, grit allows us to keep moving. For Christians, grit is leaning on God to provide the courage, confidence and calm to face each moment without being overwhelmed by fear, discouragement or the unknown.

This experience reinforced several life lessons:

•  Life can change in an instant. Life is precious. Appreciating the present moment is not optional. It’s essential.
• Awareness matters. Paying attention and focusing on your surroundings is a form of self-protection. It is a mindful and intentional practice that keeps you grounded.
• Perseverance is strengthened by our faith in God and His promises. Grit can sustain you physically and mentally, but leaning on God and asking Him to walk with you on the journey develops emotional endurance and spiritual growth.

Grit plus faith reveals our capacity for resilience

Few people will experience exactly what I did, yet we all face moments when life changes suddenly. It is in these moments that grit, coupled with our faith, reveals our true capacity for resilience. While grit isn’t something we all have, it can be developed through daily choices, sustained effort and a commitment to move forward despite obstacles.

My experience confirmed that we are capable of more than we imagine, especially when our faith rests on God’s merciful hand and is supported by those who care for us.

I’d never wish this experience on anyone! But I appreciate what I learned: we can develop determination to endure life’s challenges by maintaining faith that God will guide us through them.

Leaning on Him through the trials that demand  grit is what makes the extremely difficult . . . possible.