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Lessons I Learned in the Dark: Steps to Walking by Faith, Not by Sight

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At the age of fifteen, Jennifer Rothschild confronted two unshakable Blindness is inevitable ... and God is enough. Now this popular author, speaker, and recording artist offers poignant lessons that illuminate a path to freedom and fulfillment. With warmth, humor, and insight,Jennifer shares the guiding principles she walks by -- and shows you how to walk forward by faith into God's marvelous light.

219 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

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About the author

Jennifer Rothschild

49 books210 followers
Jennifer Rothschild is a recovering perfectionist who has learned to live beyond limits ever since her life drastically changed at the age of fifteen, when she lost her sight. Now, more than 30 years later, she boldly and compassionately teaches women how to find contentment, walk with endurance, and celebrate the ordinary.

She's the author of ten books, including the best-selling Lessons I Learned in the Dark, Self Talk, Soul Talk, the popular Me, Myself and Lies Bible study, and her soon to be released, God Is Just Not Fair.

As a speaker, author and accomplished singer-songwriter she travels internationally, offering fresh, sensible, Biblical advice to audiences who, like her, are determined to pursue healthy and fulfilling lives in spite of their circumstances. She has shared her practical and inspiring messages to arena-sized audiences across the country, and media outlets including Dr. Phil, Good Morning America, Life Today, The Learning Channel and The Billy Graham Television Special.

Jennifer is an avid listener of audio books, a C.S. Lewis junkie, and has a weakness for dark chocolate and robust coffee. She and her Dr. Phil live in Springfield, Missouri, and have two sons Connor and Clayton and a lovely daughter-in-law, Caroline. When she is not traveling, Jennifer enjoys nature walks, and riding a bicycle built for two.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
Profile Image for Kristin Emily.
Author 2 books6 followers
December 31, 2008
I've enjoyed hearing her speak on YouTube videos....amazing woman! She went blind when she was in Jr. High from an eye disease. Here are some things from the book that I'd like to remember:

page 76-77
on saying thank you to an aunt who gave her underwear for Christmas when she had suspected and hoped that she was getting a Barbie:

(My Mother) had instilled in me how important it is to always honor the giver by gratefully receiving the gift....Often we struggle with an attitude of ungratefulness because our eyes are fixed so fiercely on the gift. Some things that God allows to come into our lives are genuinely hard to be thankful for. But if we fix our eyes on God, we can see beyond the difficulty of the gift into the heart of the Giver. ....Only an open hand receives the blessings that accompany difficult gifts, and sometimes it's only in a package wrapped in heartache that we receive the fullness of God's grace.

page 112
Just like the rich man, we often run to Jesus and fall down before Him because we have needs that only He can meet. And Jesus looks at us and loves us. We feel His penetrating gaze and His enveloping love. But then we hear His words, and sometimes our faces fall and we go away sad because He doesn't tell us what we want to hear. What He tells us to do seems like too great a sacrifice.

But whatever that sacrifice might be, it's small compared to the prize we receive in His presence. So don't run to Him with preconceived notions or an agenda.

Just run to Him to be with Him.

Run to Him with abandon.

Fall before Him, and cling to Him alone.

He knows what you truly need, and you'll never be disappointed. In fact, you will be amazed and overwhelmed just like the folks in Mark 9:15: "As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him." They saw something in Jesus that the rich man missed - something that was worth everything. When was the last time you caught a true glimpse of Jesus? If you truly see Him, you too will be overwhelmed with wonder, and you will run to Him.

page 113
Do you remember what it felt like in P.E. class when you had to run laps around the perimeter of the basketball courts? I do! I know what it felt like to pant after running so hard. But what I really want to know is what it feels like for my soul to pant after God with the kind of intensity the psalmist describes. When we run to Him with that level of desire, we'll be breathless, and He will become the air we breathe.

pages 147-148
referring to Peter walking on water in Matthew 14:28-31

"Lord, save me" are my three favorite words in the book of Matthew....They are the three most powerful words any of us can speak when we're learning to dance, for they invite the Lord of the dance to teach us the real freedom that comes from full dependence on Him.

Don't wait for the storm to pass before you sing.

Don't wait for just the right situation in life before you let your spirit cut loose and dance.

You can dance in the dark or when the storm rages. Lean fully on the Lord of the dance. Listen closely, and you'll hear His music in your spirit. Rely on Him for your every step, and you'll experience the joy and freedom of dependence.

pages 159-160
Did you know that an unreasonable desire for control is just another form of greed? Jesus has a lot to say about greed...

Greed, however, isn't reserved for material things. If we hold anything in our lives in a death grip, it's a manifestation of greed. It may make you feel as though you're in control, but it leads to death. A control freak never enjoys life - and people who share closets with control freaks don't enjoy life either! On the bicycle built for two, I was holding those handle bars in a death grip, and my knuckles turned white because it cut off the blood supply to my fingers.

We all need to be reminded not to choke the life out of things that aren't really important. Jesus said, "Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?" (Matthew 6:25)

So hold things loosely and learn to rest.

pages 170-171
Laugh at Yourself

Let's face it: We're all pretty serious about ourselves. Sure, we can sometimes struggle with a faulty self-image or low self-esteem, but believe it or not, deep down we still love ourselves. We all do! We love ourselves enough to care on some level what other people think about us. Don't panic - that's not an indictment of our spirituality; it's just part of being human. The problem occurs when we overdo it. Do you realize that taking ourselves too seriously is simply pride? Ouch! Now that could be an indictment of our spirituality!

Pride is our veiled attempt to protect our fragile ego from being exposed and feeling small. Deep down, what we really seek is honor. We want to be honored by others, and we want to know in our heart that we are worthy of honor. But pride never brings us true honor and respect...only humility does.

The Bible tells us that "a man's pride will bring him low, but a humble spirit will obtain honor" (Proverbs 29:23, NASB). Pride cannot laugh at itself. Only humility allows us to respond with a giggle to even the greatest gaffes.

Pages 188-189
referring to Jesus having dinner with Simon and the prostitute came in and washed Jesus' feet with her tears and perfume (Matthew 26, Mark 14, John 12)

I think that if we look in the mirror, we'll find ourselves looking a lot like either Simon or that woman. Which of them really experienced the presence of Christ?

Some of us, like Simon, are religious, good, and moral. We invite Jesus in and are enlightened by His teachings, but we remain unmoved by His presence. We spread before Him all our achievements and wealth, much like Simon spread the meal before Jesus. Simon was pretty impressed with himself. He thought he looked good in the eyes of man and God, and since he was conscious of no need in his life, he felt little love for Jesus. Jesus came to Simon's house, but Simon totally missed out on His visit.

While Simon's self-sufficiency kept him from really knowing the One with whom he dined, the woman was overwhelmed with her need...and it opened the door to the forgiveness and love of God. That's why she cried. Her tears of gratitude were the outward sign that inwardly she had totally abandoned herself to Him. The woman came to Simon's house, and she left intimately connected to Jesus.

Don't ever think that your tears of repentance, gratitude, and love don't touch the heart of God. He is blessed and ministered to when you abandon yourself to Him. The religion of Simon did not minister to Jesus; the woman's love did. Don't allow your religion to be a shallow subsitute for really knowing and experiencing the presence of Jesus in your life. Instead, cry out to Him. Your tears will not only be a sweet offering of worship, they will also promote the health of your soul.

pages 199-201
The Way We Wait
We all have to learn to wait for some things in life, and the way I see it, there are three ways of waiting....The Worried Waiter, The Wishful Waiter, The Wise Waiter

What kind of waiter are you? Are you present where you are, or do you pine away over thngs that are not? Are you wringing your hands, or bending your knees? Are you waiting on God alone, or waiting for the wait to end?

Many of us spend our lives "in the meantime," waiting for something we want or need... We endure the wait, and then, the prize - a promotion, a long vacation, a zero-percent car loan - only to have a new need, a new wait, and a new prize pop up in its place.

Sometimes the wait is much more difficult because the prize seems much greater.

For some of us, the prize is healing. For others, deliverance from suffering. For many, the lifting of a heavy financial burden.

The prize is often the thing that keeps us faithful while we wait. But what if all our joy isn't reserved for the award ceremony? What if there is something deep and precious in the in-between time? If our focus is on the prize alone, we can't help but see the waiting as a trail, and when we do, we can miss the joy of the joruney and overlook the treasures along the way.. Learning to wait for the small things or the big things in life is healthy because it teaches us that our joy doesn't depend on whether we have them or not. It teaches us to experience the strengthening effect of "in all" joy, not just "end-all" joy....

We can find great meaning during the waiting times of our lives by delighting in God.

pages 204-205
Psalm 62:5-6 NASB "My soul, wait in silence for God only, for my hope is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I shall not be shaken."

On that night of painful questioning, those verses became the words that my spirit could not articulate alone. I felt as though I really had looked into the face of my Healer and come so close to Him that I'd heard Him speak to me. He told me that my hope for healing is in Him alone. Therefore, my soul can wait - wait as long as it takes, even if it never happens here on earth. He alone - not my healing - is my rock and my refuge. My deliverance from blindness is not my source of hope....He is.

When we pin our hopes on the fulfillment of our desires, we fall into the trap of wishful waiting....We can't know if our desires will be fulfilled or not....Even if we could, we set ourselves up for disappointment when our focus is on the prize instead of God.

The psalmist had learned where to place his hope. "Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you" (Psalm 39:7 NLT).

When our hope is in God alone, He becomes our prize. Place your hope in the God in whom you delight and you will never be disappointed.

Profile Image for Joyce.
96 reviews
June 19, 2007
I've heard that the author is a great speaker, but I was less than impressed with this book. It seemed very "pollyanna-ish" and seemed to lack any real feeling about the author's blindness and how it has affected her life.
Profile Image for Jean.
8 reviews
February 2, 2013
Jennifer Rothschild is such a beautiful soul. I am in awe of her. Couldn't put the book down! Her faith and confidence in the Lord is the best witness of what God can do when you trust Him. Her blindness literally puts her in the dark but she lives in the light of the Lord!
Profile Image for Shelli Crum.
1 review
October 29, 2017
I am not a reader but I haven't been able to put this book down since I bought it 2 weeks ago.
Profile Image for Jamie Scott.
201 reviews
December 7, 2020
I enjoyed this book. It was a great reminder of things I already knew. If you have any disability this book is one you could relate to. The only reason I gave this audiobook 4 stars is because the narrator’s voice is a bit annoying. I think I want the physical book instead.
17 reviews
October 26, 2017
I choose to read this book because I wanted a quality book I knew I could learn something from. When I first read the title, I had no idea what “in the dark” meant and how it could reate to the book. As a Christian, I could relate to the trials and challenges Jennifer Rothschild presented in her book.
Jenneifer Rothschild made each of her chapters even more relatable with the use of personal stories. Her writing was comical and easy to understand, but still provided an thoughtful lesson. This book would be a great read for anyone looking for a enriching read, but more specifically tailored to religious people.
Profile Image for Dottie Parish.
Author 1 book10 followers
September 19, 2013
Lessons I Learned in the Dark is a profound book about living by faith. The author is afflicted with an eye disease in her teens which leads to blindness. She realizes she will never be able to drive. She wonders will I be able to finish high school. What about college? Will I have a boyfriend? Will I ever marry?

Rothschild learns how to navigate with a white cane so she can be self-sufficient away at college. Two weeks before going to college she is gripped by fear. Her parents insist she go for two weeks. She goes and stays. In the book she gives twelve lessons she learned through high school, college, marriage and having a child. Her lessons are practical as well as faith filled, profound as well as simple.

For example in the chapter titled Remember What Matters she gives a method that taught her to memorize. This method has helped her on a daily basis to remember where things are. She learned that memory is more reliable than sight! She winsomely shows that we all need to memorize the truths of scripture for our dark times and the daily grind.

Walking in the Dark is full of wisdom and light for walking in a dark world. Jennifer Rothschild has overcome a tragic life long affliction to become a beacon for others. She is a nationally known speaker and author both because of and in spite of the loss of her sight. Most of us have easier hurdles in life – but we all have some. Applying the lessons in the book will help you run the race and jump over or accept life’s hurdles.
2 reviews
December 7, 2009
As a woman with RP, reading the life experiences of Ms. Rothschild as she struggled through RP, really helped me feel as though I am not alone in this journey of blindness. It was so easy to relate to her through her writing.

I felt that her book was written to anyone, but maybe it especially touched me because I too am a Christian struggling with the very same eye disease. I really liked her use of scripture throughout, and feel that much of it I'd like to go over again, so I marked the book on those pages.

I feel this book is uplifting and filled with truth. I would recommend anyone read it, not just someone with RP, because the book is not really about RP at all. I could just relate to some of her stories about going blind, as I think anyone could imagine it.

I hope others read it that know me too, because it will help them to understand some of the struggles that I go through too.

Profile Image for Rosa Cline.
986 reviews27 followers
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February 15, 2017
4 star
Ms Rothschild uses her own life's lessons she's learned from becoming blind as a teenager. Through living and through being a Chrisitan. She also incorporates stories from the Bible into the Devotional as well. Bringing 'home' to us that we're all 'human' as Jesus made himself too. She quotes scriptures in references in what she is telling us. She is teaching us but not in a way that she's 'in our face' with the teaching. Almost like we're siting at the kitchen table having a cup of coffee visiting and laughing over her stories reading our Bibles having Bible study. A very warm fun great devotional to read.
Profile Image for Honeybee.
401 reviews15 followers
February 15, 2023
This is a sweet memoir that reads almost like a devotional. The author, whom I met on a few occasions, is very humble and gentle in sharing spiritual insights with her readers. Beginning with the realization that she was going to lose her physical sight until the book's publication in 2002, Jennifer Rothschild shares songs, Scriptures and vignettes from her life to talk about walking with Christ by faith rather than sight. She has an easy-going style and an un-self-conscious sense of humor that is delightful to read.
6 reviews1 follower
August 6, 2008
Jennifer Rothschild brings a huge amount of light into the subject of Faith and believing that God is who He says He is. By going through the book, which is also a workbook, I learned simple steps that I could practice and ponder to help understand how my faith can be strengthened. The study came right on time in my life so I'm able to put it into practice, thanks to her analogy of being blind to "blind" faith!
736 reviews8 followers
July 2, 2017
This was a second reading for me. Rotshchild’s blindness which developed during her late teens has offered her many opportunities to stretch her faith. She has learned in the darkness what many in the light fail to see. Honest sharing of her difficulties and frustrations, along with the lessons she’s learned. Encouraging, inspiring, and challenging for any reader.
8 reviews1 follower
January 12, 2008
This was a very scripture-heavy study that changed my life! I would highly recommend it. She challenges the reader to take an honest look at their faith and move forward with it to completely rely on God. While stepping on toes, it is very motivational.
5 reviews3 followers
January 14, 2008
Jennifer Rothschild lost her vision in her teens yet overcame her sightlessness through a long journey in the dark. As a person with a disability I drew on her strength, courage and faith. I saw many of my struggles and concerns in her life. We can overcome bless God!
Profile Image for Jaclynn.
220 reviews
January 22, 2008
Jennifer is a blind woman who is a speaker, sometimes at the Women of Faith conferences. This is her story and lessons the Lord taught her on her journey from when she became blind at the age of 15 to present. It was an inspiring and sobering read.
Profile Image for Christie.
35 reviews18 followers
October 4, 2008
jennifer is such an inspiration and i enjoyed every word that she put into this book. i have heard her speak in person and she is just as wonderful to hear in person. she is one of the rare individuals that completely beautiful inside and out.
Profile Image for Amy Senter.
134 reviews20 followers
January 3, 2019
This was the first bible study I took at our church and it was a life changer for me when I needed it. A study done by a woman who slowly became blind and had to learn how to trust God even in the darkness.
Profile Image for Emily Reagan.
357 reviews
December 19, 2012
My first bible study with PWOC. This was a great basic one. Jennifer has such a positive attitude toward life and good to know she is human. I'd recommend for any Christian, whether new in your faith or not.
Profile Image for Sherri.
1,595 reviews
December 1, 2013
This book was an inspiring read on how much Jennifer can "see" without seeing. Comical, poignant, grounding, and insightful. I like how she turned situations in her life into scripture lessons. Remarkable.
11 reviews6 followers
October 31, 2007
Fall Bible Study text, includes daily reading assignment. Author, Jennifer Rothschild, lost sight as a high school student and teaches to live a life based on faith rather than sight.
2 reviews
January 18, 2008
This book impacted each and every time I picked it up. I learned a lot about myself.
Profile Image for Grace.
687 reviews21 followers
June 8, 2008
It is a great story about how you are able to do anything if you put your faith in God. Jennifer did a wonderful job of telling her story through comedy and drama.
27 reviews1 follower
August 31, 2008
This book is great. I highly recommend this book. Easy read.
Profile Image for Sheila .
2,004 reviews
February 27, 2009
An inspirational book about having faith in God, written by a woman who lost her vision at the age of 15.
Profile Image for Mary J.
19 reviews
March 18, 2009
Enjoyed reading this book because of the insight it offered. It definitely made me think about my faith life. I really like the way Jennifer writes. Very down to earth.
Profile Image for Sandra.
682 reviews9 followers
December 29, 2011
Jennifer Rothschild lost her sight at the age of 15 and this book chronicles the lessons she learned as she was adjusting to a world of darkness.
18 reviews1 follower
January 8, 2014
My grandma recommended that I read this book. I, like the author, am blind. Her faith story has inspired me in my walk with The Lord.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews

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