The View Of A Blind And Deaf Person With Vision And Understanding

Helen Keller was both blind and deaf in her darkness from birth until a kind Christian teacher put her speaking fingers into Helen's hand as a young girl. She became one of the most wise, thoughtful and Christian witnesses to God's grace in the world. Here are a few quotes from the heart of this God conscious, lovely person of spiritual vision. RB

Once I knew only darkness and stillness... my life was without past or future... but a little word from the fingers of another fell into my hand that clutched at emptiness, and my heart leaped to the rapture of living.

The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision.

The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart.

Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light.

Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see a shadow.

Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.

Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.

Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.

Everything has its wonders, even darkness and silence, and I learn, whatever state I may be in, therein to be content.

Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. The fearful are caught as often as the bold.  Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.

It is wonderful how much time good people spend fighting the devil. If they would only expend the same amount of energy loving their fellow men, the devil would die in his own tracks of ennui (Weary dissatisfaction)

True happiness... is not attained through self-gratification, but through fidelity to a worthy purpose.

Literature is my Utopia. Here I am not disenfranchised. No barrier of the senses shuts me out from the sweet, gracious discourses of my book friends. They talk to me without embarrassment or awkwardness.

Love is like a beautiful flower which I may not touch, but whose fragrance makes the garden a place of delight just the same.

People do not like to think. If one thinks, one must reach conclusions. Conclusions are not always pleasant.

It's wonderful to climb the liquid mountains of the sky. Behind me and before me is God and I have no fears.

To me a lush carpet of pine needles or spongy grass is more welcome than the most luxurious Persian rug.

Smell is a potent wizard that transports you across thousands of miles and all the years you have lived.

Faith is the strength by which a shattered world shall emerge into the light.

As the eagle was killed by the arrow winged with his own feather, so the hand of the world is wounded by its own skill.

It is hard to interest those who have everything in those who have nothing.

The heresy of one age becomes the orthodoxy of the next.

No pessimist ever discovered the secret of the stars, or sailed to an uncharted land, or opened a new doorway for the human spirit.


The marvelous richness of human experience would lose something of rewarding joy if there were no limitations to overcome. The hilltop hour would not be half so wonderful if there were no dark valleys to traverse.

When we do the best that we can, we never know what miracle is wrought in our life, or in the life of another.

It  is for us to pray not for tasks equal to our powers, but for powers equal to our tasks, to go forward with a great desire forever beating at the door of our hearts as we travel toward our distant goal.

I can see, and that is why I can be happy, in what you call the dark, but which to me is golden. I can see a God-made world, not a manmade world.

Unless we form the habit of going to the Bible in bright moments as well as in trouble, we cannot fully respond to its consolations because we lack equilibrium between light and darkness.

It is a terrible thing to see and have no vision.

"Where there is no vision, the people perish...."  Prov.29:18

"Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not?" Mark 8:18.

So how large are the obstacles in your life which keep you unhappy? RB

God Promised You "Good With A Purpose", But Only Your Love For Him Can Receive It

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." Rom.8:28.

Yes, "All things"... futility, disappointment, pain, evil intent are collected from your life's junk yard, along with all other things, good or bad, which happen, and then recycles and converts them into "good things" in your life ... IF you meet this single condition ... "to them that love God". The word translated "good" in the promise part of that verse is the Greek word "agathos" and is akin to the word "love" (agapao) in the condition part. Since I first read it 70 years ago, this verse has gotten me through the dangerous, difficult but blessed trail of  trials in my life. If I had a favorite verse, it would be this one. If you too truly "love God", which also means you seek to serve Him, though you may fall short, as have I, you can claim this promise no matter what happens to you, however fearful, painful, depressing or whatever.... good or bad, and expect God to "work it all together for your good". Maybe you won't see the "good" today or tomorrow, but you can "know" it is "working" ... "good" and is somehow within God's perfect or permissive will for your spiritual growth and for your good.

Here Is The Promise:

"And we know...." God's promise is absolute! You can "KNOW" ...

"...that all things...." "ALL" means "ALL", large or small, good and bad. happy or sad.... "all".

"...work together...." The successes and failures; the right and wrong decisions;

horrible experiences and glorious experiences, forgiven, combined and homogenized into one spiritually converted, redeemed, transformed and eternal   creation adapted for heaven ... through Jesus Christ who died for the bad. 

"... for good...."  The only "good" that results from some bad things may be simply... "I'll never do that again".... or the tragic death of a friend or loved one may result in someone else's salvation or inspire Christian repentance.   

Here Is The Condition If "all things are to work together for your good"

"... to them that love God...." This is not physical love or lustful love or infatuation or liking love or even friendship love. This is "agapao" love, a holy, total commitment love. It is the same Greek word, "agapao", as in John 3:16... 
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

"to them that are the called according to his purpose ...." 

God's call to those that love Him has a holy purpose within His perfect will for their lives, their talents, their service to Him and for their eternity with Him.

When you "know" this is true and you trust God to perfect it in your life, all things, no matter what, good or bad which come your way will work for you.
That knowledge will get you through all of the trials and difficulties of life. It has for me. RB

What To Do When You See The World Going To Hell

Look Up ... 
There is nothing we can really do to stop the signs of the times or prophecy of them, but we can do much to change the space we are occupying ... ourselves. We cannot save the world, but we can give light to those in darkness near us, that they may see. You may think nothing you can do will make a difference, but that is not true. You, alone, can make a greater difference, for eternity, than if you were the lost, sociopathic, narcissistic President of the United States. Such a person can ruin, undermine and destroy the nation, the Constitution, the economy and the freedoms of millions, but he cannot influence or win a single eternal soul to Christ and heaven. Neither can he give Scriptural truth and instruction, strength and encouragement to a single, spiritually needy soul. A worldly, powerful man can do untold damage to human and physical things, but not one thing to please God, in eternity, if he rejects Christ and persecutes Christians. A witnessing Christian, who lives his faith, in this sin-darkened world, is like a birthday cake candle or a single LED light in Carlsbad Caverns. Even a tiny light enlightens a huge area of total darkness and can help everyone within sight of that little light. Darkness is simply nothing but the absence of light.

So, when you see the whole world going to hell, look up and let your Jesus light shine to those around you. In total darkness, a candle can be seen for miles. You, as a Christian, have that light in you. Lift the basket and let it out. Let it shine. Be a living witness for Jesus. There has never been a time when the darkness was blacker and light needed more than right now. Do your job, Christian, let your Jesus light shine ... It will change eternity for those who see Jesus ... the way, the truth and the life ... in your life and your words.