A Life of Faith Beyond Sight With Marilynn Highland, Sharon Brown, and Lori Brill

Marilynn Highland, Sharon Brown, and Lori Brill are longtime members and supporters of the Minnesota Christian Fellowship of the Blind, a faith-centered Minnesota community that brings blind, visually impaired, and sighted people together through fellowship, service, and encouragement. Marilynn and Sharon draw on their lived experience with blindness to promote independence, dignity, inclusion, and greater understanding, while Lori has spent many years volunteering alongside the community. Together, they help challenge misconceptions about blindness, strengthen connections across faith communities, and encourage people to see ability before disability. Their shared message centers on faith, friendship, respect, and belonging..

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

[2:52] Marilynn Highland’s introduction to the Minnesota Christian Fellowship of the Blind
[13:41] Marilynn’s biggest hurdles with self-confidence and expectations as a blind person
[18:07] Sharon Brown’s experience parenting children with sight
[21:50] Tips on cane use and guide dog training
[30:01] What drew Lori Brill to become a sighted individual for the blind
[34:36] Common myths about what blind people really need
[39:25] Practical ways to assist blind individuals with dignity and respect

In this episode…

Living with blindness or vision loss can change how you navigate the world, but it doesn’t change your need for faith, friendship, purpose, or independence. So what helps someone move through blindness with hope while still feeling fully seen and included?

For Marilynn Highland, Sharon Brown, and Lori Brill, the answer is community built on faith, understanding, and respect. Marilynn explains that blind people often have to show others how capable they are, while Sharon describes the fellowship’s deep sense of unity, and Lori shares how years of volunteering have led to meaningful involvement and practical support. Their experiences show that meaningful inclusion is less about doing things for someone and more about treating people as capable individuals, asking what they need, and walking alongside them.

In this episode of the Align & Abide podcast, host Dr. Kim Tran is joined by Marilynn Highland, Sharon Brown, and Lori Brill of the Minnesota Christian Fellowship of the Blind to discuss blindness, faith, community, and independence. They explore independence, common misconceptions, and practical support. Marilynn, Sharon, and Lori also talk about how sighted people can offer help respectfully.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Quotable Moments

“When you learn to adapt to your surroundings, then you find other ways to cope, you know.”
“We’re just the same as anybody else, except we’re blind.”
“Sometimes people don’t want help, and sometimes they don’t really need help.”
“We’re perfectly capable of walking. We just don’t know where to go sometimes.”
“We like to be treated like anyone else and asked personally.”

Action Steps

Ask before offering help: Respectful support starts with asking whether assistance is wanted, since blind individuals may not need help in every situation.
Treat blind individuals as capable adults: Speaking directly to someone instead of through another person reinforces dignity, independence, and inclusion.
Learn proper sighted-guide techniques: Allowing a blind person to take your arm provides direction without unnecessarily grabbing or physically steering them.
Connect with supportive communities and resources: Fellowship groups and vision-loss services can provide encouragement, practical guidance, and meaningful relationships for individuals and families.
Challenge misconceptions about blindness: Recognizing that blind people share the same hopes, abilities, and everyday experiences can create more welcoming and inclusive communities.

Sponsor for this episode:

This episode is brought to you by Minnesota Family Chiropractic, a wellness clinic founded and led by Dr. Kim Tran.

Dedicated to helping patients find lasting relief and vibrant health through chiropractic care, nutrition, and functional medicine, Minnesota Family Chiropractic is on a mission to transform lives — physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Its Signature Wellness System focuses on whole-person care to address the root causes — not just the symptoms — so you can get back to living fully.

Ready to start your path toward better health? Visit MinnesotaFamilyChiropractic.com or call (612) 545-5672 to schedule your consultation and experience integrative, patient-centered care.