More than Conquerors with Lou Lepore - By Faith, not Sight | Bonnie Leithmann

Send us Fan MailWhat happens when you leave for work able to see—and just hours later realize you can no longer see the cars or even the sidewalk in front of you?For Bonnie Leithmann, an ordinary workday became the beginning of a life-changing trial. She was hospitalized for a week and underwent four MRIs, three CAT scans, and more than 200 vials of blood testing as doctors searched for an explanation for her sudden loss of vision. Even today, the cause remains unknown. But the heart of Bonnie’s story isn’t simply what happened to her eyesight. It’s what happened to her faith when there was no answer.Bonnie had spent much of her life serving—27 years as an educator, mission work overseas, ministry through her church, Christian camps, and more. Suddenly she could no longer jump in the car and go. Along with her independence came a deeply personal question:“This was how I was serving the Lord, and now what can I do?”In the middle of that uncertainty, Bonnie found herself in the book of Job. Job’s response became her own: God had given her sight, and if He allowed it to be taken away, she would still bless His name and trust Him. That trust doesn’t mean the journey has been easy. Bonnie talks honestly about fear, loss of independence, financial uncertainty, learning patience, and the possibility that she may eventually lose what vision remains. Yet she also shares how God continues to provide—sometimes through family and friends, sometimes through unexpected financial provision, and sometimes by changing what ministry looks like. She now has more time to pray, and neighbors have begun reaching out to her with questions about the Bible and faith. And when Lou asks what it means to know that one day she will see Christ face-to-face, Bonnie gives an answer that captures the hope behind her entire story:“I’ll be able to see, and the first thing I’ll see is Him.”For anyone waiting for an answer, adjusting to a life they never expected, or wondering whether God can still use them in a changed season, Bonnie’s testimony is a reminder that we do not have to understand everything God allows in order to trust the One who does.Scriptures Referenced in This EpisodePsalm 37:23 — God directing our steps.  Psalm 37:23 Job 1:21 — the passage that became foundational to Bonnie’s response: the Lord gives, the Lord takes away, yet His name is still blessed.  Job 1:21 Proverbs 3:5–6 — trusting the Lord rather than leaning on our own understanding. Read Proverbs 3:5–6 Philippians 3:14 — Paul’s encouragement to “press on.”  Philippians 3:14 2 Corinthians 5:7 — walking by faith, not by sight—a particularly meaningful passage in Bonnie’s story.  2 Corinthians 5:7 2 Corinthians 12:9 — God’s sufficient grace in weakness and Paul’s unresolved trial. Read 2 Corinthians 12:9 Hebrews 13:5 — God’s promise never to leave or forsake His people. Read Hebrews 13:5 Philippians 4:19 — God supplying the needs of His people according to His riches in Christ. Philip