“[F]or everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.” — 1 John 5:4

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Isaquias Queiroz dos Santos is a Brazilian sprint canoeist with a remarkable story to tell. At first glance, one notices his incredible record: the only Brazilian athlete to ever win three medals at a single Olympic Games, and the third-most decorated Brazilian athlete overall with four medals total (a bronze, two silvers and a prized gold medal). He’s dominated the World Championships in his sport with 14 medals, half of them gold, as well as the Pan American Games.

But what may not be as obvious is the fact that the guy is a survivor in every sense of the word.

For starters, as a toddler, Isaquias spilled boiling water on himself and spent a month recovering in the hospital. At the age of 5, he was kidnapped and put up for adoption before being rescued by his mother in the nick of time. Five years later, he fell out of a tree while trying to catch a snake and ended up losing a kidney. Death seemed to be toying with the guy from the beginning. Some would argue that the odds were certainly against him ever living to adulthood, let alone becoming an elite athlete.

And yet, he owns the fact that all these things shaped him into the person he has become now. Following his Tokyo Olympic gold-medal performance, he reflected on his past and noted, “This is how I reached here. … I am not special for being here. I just tried and always believed in myself.” When asked what message he would want kids and listeners out there to know, he just repeated the need to believe in your potential. For him, the fact that he has had to endure so many challenges early in life and learn the power of belief and hope has given him perspective and motivation in ways that an easier path may not have afforded him.

While most of us may not ever endure the degree of severe suffering that Isaquias went through in his childhood, we all still have a story and history of things we’ve had to overcome. Some of us more and some less. We’ve all gone through shaping experiences and challenges that forced us to expand our faith and believe in the face of difficulties and setbacks. Jesus didn’t promise us an easy ride in this life but He did promise that those who belong to Him overcome these things through Him (1 John 5:4, above). Our faith is our assured victory.

It’s important to put our stories in perspective and realize that God is bigger than any odds. No complications or adversity can stop what He has planned or wants to do in your life or mine, and instead of looking at stuff that’s happened to us as a negatively defining point that hinders us throughout our life, we need to embrace it. We need to realize it’s all part of what got us here and has made us who we are. Our stories matter to God and they should matter to us.

— Katherine Singer

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