Cedarville Magazine, Summer 2017

“I’ve looked forward to running for Cedarville most of my life,” she shared. “To finally be on the team, it’s very exciting.” GOD’S PLAN Norman was born without her left foot and ankle and her right big toe due to an amniotic band disorder. Because of the condition, fetal parts in the womb, such as fingers, toes, and limbs, are caught in fibrous bands, and amputated. A team of her dad’s engineering students developed an early swim foot prosthetic for Norman when she was 9 years old. Since then, she has graduated to prosthetic limbs that have propelled her beyond laps in a pool to the gold medal stand. “I’m very grateful for my prosthetic,” Norman affirmed. “If I would have not been born like this, I probably wouldn’t have been given these opportunities to compete on a world stage and share my faith with others. God had this plan for my life all along.” Hard work and dedication are integral to an athlete’s life. For Norman, she has the extra motivation of knowing this is God’s course. “He has a reason and plan for me,” she said, “and I have to trust that His plan is perfect for my life.” INSPIRING EXAMPLE While Norman understands the gravity of what she accomplished in Rio, she was also a little stunned by the response. “I’ve definitely been surprised,” she offered. “I knew a lot of people were supporting me, but the amount of congratulatory feedback has been amazing, whether it was just my hometown, my teammates, or people I don’t even know who were touched by my achievement.” Little girls have approached Norman and told her she has encouraged them to run cross country. Others have been inspired to face their own challenges. And her counsel to them? “Don’t let anything in life stop you, whether disabilities, or circumstances,” she said. “God placed those in your life to grow you and challenge you, not to stop you.” RAISED PLATFORM Since her accomplishments in Rio, her platform to share Christ has grown exponentially. It started with innumerable newspaper, online, and television reports, and continued with Facebook and Instagram. “I give glory to God in my social media posts,” Norman said. And there was that invitation to the nation’s capital. On September 29, 2016, Norman, along with other U.S. Olympic and Paralympic medalists, was invited to the White House where she was congratulated personally by the president and first lady. Back home in Ohio, and also in Utah, where she trains, doors opened for her to speak with elementary and high school students. “Sometimes I’ll focus more on my work ethic, and sometimes more on the actual race in Rio,” she 4 | Cedarville Magazine