A dear friend of mine in Sacramento contacted me after my debut book was published. X marks the spot. His parents got ahold of me late November 2020 and delivered some awful news. Self-explanatory based on the book’s title. We are in the midst of composing a thorough narrative, detailing his life and experience with a brain injury. Collaborating hand in hand with his dear parents, Debby and Jim, and my sweet friend and editor, Justine Jackson. We are hopeful for the right opportunities to come about and have big dreams. Please pray for us, most of all his parents.

So much to do, so little time lol. I’ve been having the time of my life. Busy would be an understatement. Great trip last year to NM. Good progress still on the devotional. Write a few entries per week. Because of COVID, I ended up cancelling my trip to California for more work on ‘The Book of James.’ A memoir about my brain-injured friend who passed away before Thanksgiving 2020. Had been so excited about seeing his family, Debby and Jim, and his children. In time it will come, as well as other speaking engagements. Eager about my new office assistant coming onboard, Miss Paola. My Peruvian friend will be so helpful in keeping me organized.

Concurrently, I have taken on an additional writing project. I was asked to help put together a devotional and or biography of an inspirational young lady, Demi Bliesner. She is such a dear friend and has amazing thoughts to impart, profound devotionals to inspire, and sacred teachings to reveal. I was left in awe upon learning the challenges that have stood in her way. Her story is one of tragedy turned to triumph. Demi has persisted against the odds. She will inspire you. The revelations from her lips. Her childlike faith. Her grit and determination. All for the Lord Jesus. We have overcome. Because He lives.

Well, deep subject.  Where to begin?  This has been a learning curve.  The same God of our forefathers, the One whom Abraham trusted and sacrificed his son, Isaac, on the altar, ALMOST.  The same God who closed the mouths of the lions when Daniel was in the den.  The same God who impelled David to slay the giant, Goliath, with one stone; the other four stones, coincidentally, were for his four brothers.

When we are down, when we are backed up against a wall, never fear.  It may be hard to be patient and trust the Lord.  He is my deliverer.  My strong tower, in Whom I take refuge.  He will not cast us away.  Though the going gets tough, the tough line their lives up with the Word of God.  My strong tower.  I will not be afraid.

It is amazing in the years since the divorce what opportunities have come my way.  The churches I have been part of, the small groups I have led, the Bible studies.  I have taken a more active role in the Fort Myers Lee Memorial (hospital) trauma unit for brain injury survivors.  It makes me grateful to come alongside others suffering with this “invisible disability,” the majority appearing ‘normal’, without physical impairment.

I cannot begin to name all the friends and family that have helped me.  I appreciate them so much.  One mentor stands out in particular, Dr. Beck Carter.  Nearly daily my counselor touches base with me and steers me in the right direction.  He is my go-to for advice.  Such a godly man.  The interesting story, Dr. Beck Carter is the name of the character he plays in one of my next books: my counselor, my friend.

A few quotes from my research:

(We) wish for a day, an hour, ten minutes, you go walk in our shoes and experience what we’re experiencing.

We wouldn’t wish a brain injury upon our worst enemy.

Brain injury is the last thing you think about, until brain injury is the only thing you think about.

That’s all, folks. April 25, 2018 marked the end of an era and the beginning of our official divorce. Reasons multiple, and for those that know the truth of the matter, find it unbelievable. I miss my kids much and happy to see them when I can. I praise Jesus for showing me Himself through this saga and journey into the unknown. Unknown for us but known for Him. Grateful to having been led to Miss T. (Won’t say her name yet but it’s a God-thing, baby.) Over and out. Make someone happy today.

Well, nothing new, caught off guard again. My divorce is in full swing.  No turning back now. New beginnings ahead. Looks like our minds’ made up, maybe for quite a while. I’ve seen such a behavioral change in her once my own. Emotional inaffection, psychological disconnection, cognitve distractions, blah, blah, blah. Claiming one thing but the cover for a host of things I take personally regarding my injury. Shared here because that changes the dynamics and focus of my next book project. Had had a second edition of the debut book nearly competed with additional chapters portraying our lives to the present. So if you do a thing, pray for my children. Range from 10 years to 16, bless them. The innocent ones.

I will share more details of my next book in progress when the time is right. It is coming along nicely and working hard on it. Thank you.

The hand of God leads, guides, and directs us. The hand of God orchestrates all things to work together for our good. The hand of God gives us so much more than we deserve. The hand of God occasionally strips us of intellect, proper reasoning, rationalizing, and coping skills.

Though my brain trauma occurred in my youth, its manifestations often plague the daylights out of me. Someone close may say, “Oh look at him. He has it all together.” Not so, thus the subtitle of my new book- ‘Brain Injury, Divorce and New Beginnings.’ So yes, I did lose it all, but what I gained via the hand of God was priceless. My memory is gone; yet I compensate. Along with other brain injury survivors, I have learned coping strategies to put on a good front. Though, I have no more idea what I was doing an hour ago than the man in the moon. (Yes I do. Upon reediting, I was writing the initial paragraph an hour previous.)

With my cognitive struggles having been greatly impaired, I am now more sensitive to the struggles of others. I try to be compassionate. It is sometimes hard but my goal. My emotions shift like the Hawaiian seashore. They exasperate some, especially me, highs and lows. All from the hand of God. Behaviorally, I think I am doing alright and acting perfunctorily (hello Forrest:) missed you today).

You may remember my dramatic and repulsive struggle with forgiveness. As my memory is shot, I intensively struggle with forgiving folks who wrong me; or if I am the one in the wrong, this also besets me. Forgiveness and brain trauma actually had been a tentative subplot in my most recent manuscript. To this day–even now–this topic can devastate my world like nothing else. At the expense of God? At the hand of God? Or, permitted by God, perhaps.

Lately I have been invited into the throne room of God and gotten to behold His Presence. Answered prayer after answered prayer we have witnessed. I don’t believe He wants me to mention the requests for which we prayed, however I will my enlightening, insightful, reverential, respectful, and respectable prayer partner, Deanna Drake. It is more than a pleasure hearing her heart cry to the Lord.

Her story may be one of many we’re fixing to weave into the ‘New Beginnings’ portion of my book. Her life is absolutely incredible. From how it was reshaped, what she has been through, to what she is doing with it. Absolutely astonishing how remarkable her life is becoming. Believe the hand of God has gifted this young lady with awesome signs and wonders. Next post will tell of more of the survivors whose story will also be included.

No, not McDonald’s. But lovin’ the excellent day. Got so much done. Maybe tomorrow I’ll remember the exact sequence of events. Wait a minute. Met a marvelous young lady, Deanna Drake, at Taco Bell. See there? That’s why I was loving it. Run for the border, baby. Anyway, just like many do not realize I have a brain injury (until maybe they see my physical symptoms and inquire), they can not rationalize Deanna’s plight, who has a brain injury as well. Not that you’d know it. It’s almost like she’s up a creek without a paddle. The majority of folks in the world do not understand us, the brain-injured. They cannot understand us. Unless you have had a TBI, you don’t know what we’re talking about. Only in theory could you try to comprehend. I have read a few books by physicians who have been brain-injured and they talk about it. Very insightful. You better believe their struggle is real. So, most people cannot understand us and accurately, nor we them, but often wonder to myself who it is that has more capacity to comprehend the situation, us or normal people? Spouses often grumble “Well I’m not normal. I have this or that wrong.” Wonder how many times I heard that one. How would they like having to function and compensate with half a mind or their beleaguered mind having had to repair neurons and brain signals just to function at the lesser capacity in which they do? If the shoe were on the other foot, might be a different story. Anyway, what a blessing to meet Miss Deanna; and what an encouragement we can be to each other.

Great lunch at Taco Bell, after working out at the fitness center. Able to work a lot on my new manuscript as I was sitting there sipping Diet Coke. Wrote a lot for section two, New Beginnings. Using aliases for the many characters I have in the story. So it is being written from the third-person perspective. The fellow authoring it is a guy named Julio or Pedro…..can’t remember.