Vicky Kolman
When I lost my sight at the age of twenty-five, it was a terrible tragedy for me. Overcoming challenges and obstacles was a regular part of my life since I was legally blind from birth. But the loss of the remainder of my vision was an obstacle that seemed insurmountable. My hopes and dreams for the future were dashed. I could not find joy in a life I no longer could see. And my value and self-worth were totally diminished since I could not do things I once did.
When we give the Lord our tragedies, He transforms them into gifts. That’s what He has done for me. My blindness has become my greatest gift. I now see that my value does not come from myself and what I do, but from the Lord our God and who I become in Him. As I give up my own hopes and dreams in exchange for the Lord’s will, He uses my life in ways that are far beyond any imagining. Yes, I am blind, but God is giving me eyes to see. What joy that is!
RELEASING MY FIRST CD
In November of 2005 we released the CD recording of my music which we entitled, All for the Glory of God. In less than four months time we raised $6,000 for our parish. We were in awe of what the Lord had done. But He made it very clear to both of us that we were not to stop here because His plan was much bigger. So we continued our recordings and released more CDs. Then we began to bring the music to other parishes within our diocese so that they, too, could share in the gift and the proceeds from it. Now, four years later, we have released five CD recordings of my music, and they are being shared all across the country. God’s power and grace have been made manifest in ways far beyond any imagining.
HOW WE BEGAN
Playing the piano by ear has been one of God’s greatest gifts of my blindness.
For many years I have had the opportunity to share this gift by playing prelude
music on Sundays before Mass and meditational music during Reconciliation
services. And despite the simplicity of my playing, God has used it to touch
the hearts of many. Paula Joy, my very good friend, believed that I needed
to make a recording of what I played so that even more people could share it.
After many months of prayer, I knew He was calling us to raise money for the
Building Fund in our parish by selling a recording of the music I played. That
is when All for the Glory of God Ministry, began.
