Jasper optometrist inspires world with faith, writing

JASPER, Ind. (AP) - Local optometrist Dr. Gregory Gordon has fixed Dubois County residents' impaired vision for more than 30 years. But for the last 20, he has extended his reach to help people all over the world see in a different way.

"What I'm trying to say to people is that we all have gifts," he said. "I believe that God put something in us and out there somewhere, the world has a need for it. I believe God has a place where your needs and talents intersect with the world's need, and that is what you were born for, and that's what I was born for."

While he physically corrects eyes at his day job, Gordon's Christian, faith-based books have received acclaim from high-profile names like actor Charlton Heston of "Ben-Hur" and "The Ten Commandments" and Kent Benson, former 11-year NBA player and MVP of the undefeated 1976 Indiana University men's basketball team.

Gordon's new book, "57 Faith: Stories for Brushing Up Your Faith," is a compilation of 57 anecdotal short stories aimed at helping readers sharpen their faith and strengthen their relationship with God. It can be ordered at bookstores and purchased online through Amazon.

"I love telling stories," Gordon said. "What I'm trying to explain (in the book) is that I'm thanking God for 57 years of life. Anything and everything is a part of life, and you can't separate it from God. I believe that everything is from Him."

Gordon, now 58, wrote three books before "57 Faith," two directed at teenagers and adults and a third primarily intended for children. He said the themes of all the books are rooted in God and his personal faith.

He always prayed that God would give him a worldwide ministry, and today he's getting there. His children's book, "Life in a Nutshell," has found its way to places like Jamaica and an African village. Receiving letters and cards from readers all over the globe is one of the big reasons he loves to write.

"That is better than money," he said.

Gordon also frequently preaches at a variety of churches of different denominations. But optometry is still a very integral part of his life, and he genuinely enjoys the emotional connections he makes with his patients on a daily basis.

"I like to find out about (the patients) - where they're from, what they do," he said. "I make them see well with their eyes, but a lot of them trust me with their hearts. They'll talk to me about things - and I'm not a licensed psychiatrist - but I think people sense that I care, and sometimes that helps people heal better than anything."

As much as he'd like to move off and live on a mountain and devote his time solely to writing, he said he'd miss his patients more than he could imagine.

"The ideal life for me may not be writing full time, it may be doing (optometry) part time and then writing and traveling more," he said. "I really think what I'd miss about (optometry) the most would be the people. I'd find out that (they were) the big source of my muse and inspiration probably."

Gordon lives with his wife, Kim, in Jasper. They have three sons - Josh, Jace and Jarah - who all graduated from Northeast Dubois High School.

He hopes to debut a new book tentatively titled "There" sometime soon and also plans on releasing three more children's books in the future.

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Source: Dubois County Herald, http://bit.ly/2ktDLR7

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Information from: The Herald, http://www.dcherald.com