From behind his pulpit, Dr. Travis Freeman faces his audience. Subconsciously his index finger brushes across the side of his notes. He checks the time, inhales deeply, and launches into his sermon. For seasoned preachers, the first few ticks of a Sunday sermon probably feel very similar. Except for one thing—Travis Freeman is totally blind.

Cavernous sinus thrombosis stole Freeman's eyesight when he was 12, but that did not stop him from playing high school football with the Corbin Redhounds in Corbin, Kentucky. Freeman played third-string center although his coach, Mike Whitaker, insists that he was more than that to the team, recognizing #63 as their team's "spiritual leader." A movie, 23 Blast, has recently released about Freeman's football experiences.

After achieving a 4.0 at Corbin High, Freeman went on to earn a BA, an MDiv, and a Ph.D in preaching. Today he's a professor at the University of the Cumberlands, CEO of The Freeman Foundation, just finished ...