All tagged blindness

Why Does God Allow Bad Things to Happen?

As humans, we are especially prone to asking the “why” question when bad things happen in our lives.

Why did I get fired?

Why did my mother have to leave us so early?

Why am I going through this divorce?

As Christians, we know that God is all-powerful. So, it seems natural for us to begin questioning Him as well.

Why Do We Question God?

Whenever I speak to large groups, people are always making comments.

A common one is, “I wouldn’t be able to do that. Don’t you get nervous?”

The answer, honestly, is no.

A friend told me recently,

“God doesn’t call the equipped, rather He equips those who are called!”

This is so true! God definitely gave me the tools to be able to share my testimony when He called me to do so, and He continues to prepare me for this purpose even today. There are definitely times, though, when I do not receive God’s call as easily or willingly.

What it Means to Walk by Faith, Not by Sight

Since losing my sight in 2015, 2 Corinthians 5:7 has become my motto.

It says, “For we walk by faith, not by sight.”

Over the last eight years, I have seen this verse ring true in my life both spiritually and literally as I navigate the world without my sight. Merriam Webster defines faith as, “Belief in, loyalty to, and complete trust in God, and as a firm belief in something for which there is no proof.”

So, what does it mean to navigate the world solely on your trust in God and on your belief in the unseen? What does it mean to walk by faith and not by sight?

Have I Lost My Purpose?

What was the hardest part about losing my sight suddenly at age 20?

There were so many challenges that accompanied the unexpected tragedy which occurred over 6 years ago.

Some of these hardships included losing my independence, having to adjust to a new way of living and engaging with the world, and enduring the frustrating search to find my purpose as someone with a disability.

Losing sight of my way, my plans for the future, and the purpose I thought I had for my life would be one of the hardest things I had to face.

At the time of my sight loss in 2015, I was on track to graduate college the following year, pursue a graduate degree, and begin a career in the field of Psychology.

In the blink of an eye, all of that disappeared and I no longer had a plan for what my life would be ten years down the road, let alone 10 months, weeks, or even days in the future.

God, Why Did You Let This Happen?

My nephew, Charlie, is 17 months old, and it has been so much fun watching him grow.

Listening to him learn new words has probably been my favorite part of this process. One of the first words, other than Mama and Daddy, that he said clearly was “book”. It was adorable! I remember being so amazed at how this small little human had expressed such a clear thought. With each new word that he says, it brings a smile to my face.

It won’t be long before he expands his vocabulary further and even begins to string these solitary words into small sentences. Before we know it, he will be asking that question that parents with small children hear so often…”Why?”

What it Means to Walk by Faith, Not by Sight

Since losing my sight in 2015, 2 Corinthians 5:7 has become my motto.

It says, “For we walk by faith, not by sight.”

Over the last five years, I have seen this verse ring true in my life both spiritually and literally as I navigate the world without my sight. Merriam Webster defines faith as, “Belief in, loyalty to, and complete trust in God, and as a firm belief in something for which there is no proof.”

So, what does it mean to navigate the world solely on your trust in God and on your belief in the unseen? What does it mean to walk by faith and not by sight?

Listening to God's Call

A friend told me recently, “God doesn’t call the equipped, rather He equips those who are called!” This is so true! God definitely gave me the tools to be able to share my testimony when He called me to do so, and He continues to prepare me for this purpose even today. There are definitely times, though, when I do not receive God’s call as easily or willingly.

It's Been Five Years

May 5, 2020 (5/5/20) will be the 5th anniversary of the surgery on May 5, 2015 (5/5/15) that left me blind. That’s a lot of fives! When this date comes around each year, it is always a very emotional time. I think a lot about what my life was like back in 2015 and how suddenly all of it changed. It is hard during these moments of reminiscing to not dwell on how challenging my life is now due to my blindness compared to how carefree my life used to be.

Facing Fears

We are all afraid of something whether it’s heights, snakes, spiders or clowns. In fact, I used to be scared of the dark. Before I lost my sight, I always had to sleep with my closet light on...even when I was 20 years old. So, when the world went dark in 2015, I was forced to face this fear. It was scary, to say the least, but I was able to learn a lot about how to conquer what makes us afraid. Here are a few things that I learned.

Let's Go Back to the Beginning

I have not spoken much about what my life was like before I learned to adapt to my blindness. While I do not believe I will ever completely get used to all of the hardships that blindness brings, I have made a lot of progress in the last five years.

While I normally focus on the positives, this week I want to give my readers a little insight into how I felt, what I thought, and how I lived immediately following my sight loss.