Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People? With Bethany Hamilton
Stay True with Madison Prewett Troutt
Madison Prewett Troutt
4.8 • 3.4K Ratings
🗓️ 13 April 2026
⏱️ 64 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
This week on Stay True Podcast, Madi sits down with Bethany Hamilton for a powerful and honest conversation about suffering, faith, and the question we all ask at some point: why do bad things happen to good people? From losing her arm at just 13 years old to continuing to chase her passion for surfing, raising a family, and impacting lives around the world, Bethany opens up about what it really looks like to walk with God through the unexpected. She talks about choosing faith over fear, surrendering control, and finding purpose even when life doesn't make sense.
If you've ever questioned God in the middle of hardship, struggled to understand suffering, or needed hope in a hard season, this episode will encourage you. It's a reminder that even in the hardest moments, God is still good and still working.
Stay you and stay true!
Topics we dive into:
-Why bad things happen and how to trust God through it
-How to practically choose faith over fear
-Finding purpose in pain and using your story for God's glory
-What it looks like to keep going when life changes overnight
AND SO MUCH MORE!
Helpful Resources:
For more from Bethany Hamilton: https://bethanyhamilton.com/
Dare To Be True by Madison Prewett Troutt: https://a.co/d/gdfpHX
Stay True Website: https://www.staytruepodcast.com
Stay True Merch: https://www.staytruepodcast.com/merch
BEAM: Visit https://shopbeam.com/STAYTRUE and use code STAYTRUE to get our exclusive discount of up to 35% off.
Veracity: For up to 65% off your order, head to VeracityHealth.co and use code STAYTRUE.
Home Chef: That's HomeChef.com/staytrue for 50% off your first box and free dessert for life!
GCU: Visit gcu.edu to learn more.
Connect with Stay True!
💙Instagram | @staytruepodcast
💙TikTok | @staytrue_podcast
💙Follow Madison | @madiprew
💙Follow Bethany | @bethanyhamilton
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | Call my wife. |
| 0:01.5 | Calling UK Wildlife. Voice assistance not working for you. BlackRock Investment Trust has a lot working for you. Get to know them at blackrock.com. Capital at risk. Marketing material. BlackRock Investment Management UK Limited. Authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Every surfer has a healthy fear of sharks. Nobody thinks it's going to happen to them. It's going to happen to me. |
| 0:21.6 | I lost my arm, but I survived. |
| 0:23.6 | So often fear and pain and hardship can just stop us in our tracks. |
| 0:27.6 | Faith is relying on the Lord. |
| 0:31.6 | Yeah, it's terrible. |
| 0:32.6 | A 13-year-old little hard-charging, like happy-go-lucky girl lost her arm, but then God took it and turned |
| 0:39.1 | it into something really beautiful. We don't have the answer to every little thing. Part of faith is |
| 0:44.8 | trusting in the unseen, trusting that God has a plan even in the like most horrific thing. These |
| 0:51.5 | bad things that happen are literally like my call to rely on the Lord |
| 0:55.7 | to be my strength. And it's in our weakness that he is strong. |
| 1:03.0 | What's up guys? Welcome back to another episode of Stay True podcast. I'm your host, Madison |
| 1:08.0 | Pruitt Trout. And I'm so, so excited because I have a new friend that I just |
| 1:13.3 | met right before we press record, and she is someone that has been inspiring a world. |
| 1:19.0 | She has taken such a strong stance for her faith and just walked in such courage. |
| 1:24.1 | She is a professional surfer. You probably already know who I'm talking about by now. |
| 1:28.1 | She has an amazing story and testimony and she is an author. She is a mom. And we've just been |
| 1:35.1 | chatting up all about momhood and all the things that God is doing in her life right before |
| 1:39.6 | this. And I'm so excited for you guys to get to hear from her. So Bethany Hamilton, welcome |
| 1:43.7 | to the Stay True podcast. Thank you. Glad to be here. I'm so excited for you guys to get to hear from her. So Bethany Hamilton, welcome to the |
| 1:44.4 | Stay True podcast. Thank you. Glad to be here. I'm so excited. I'm so excited to get to know |
| 1:50.4 | more about your story in person. I feel like I have seen so much about your life from afar. |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Madison Prewett Troutt, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of Madison Prewett Troutt and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.