Jim Stoval, Christian Businessman and Champion Weightlifter, Thrives Despite Being Blind

He has been an International Humanitarian of the Year, a National Olympic weightlifting champion, an Emmy Award winner, and the founder of a television network. He was also named one of the Ten Outstanding Young Americans by the Jaycees, a National Entrepreneur of the Year, the winner of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce National Blue Chip Enterprise Award, and was the author of the best selling book, The Ultimate Gift, which is now a major motion picture. He is also a world renowned speaker and has shared a platform with General Colin Powell, Christopher Reeve, Barbara Bush, and other notable speakers. Jim Stovall, the weightlifter, has done all that despite being totally blind most of the time during which he made those accomplishments, and he credits his faith in Jesus Christ with not only helping him survive, but also thrive.

Jim Stovall loved sports as a young boy and dreamed of playing in the NFL. When he found out that one day he was going to become totally blind and the doctors couldn't help him, his plans changed to weightlifting.

"Jim, we don't know why, and we don't know when, but we do know someday you're going to be totally blind, and there's nothing we can do about it," he recalled what the doctors told him in an interview on the 700 Club, as recorded on www.cbn.com.

After doing research and finding there had never been a blind player in the NFL, Jim Stovall realized his plans needed to change. Stovall, the future weightlifter, humanitarian, author, and motivational speaker, also turned from only believing in Jesus Christ as God's Son Who died on a cross and rose again to save him from his sins, to one who turned to God for daily guidance. As he recalled on the 700 Club, he "turned from religion to relationship in a big hurry."