Glitched: My Story of Overcoming a Traumatic Brain Injury Part 3

When your brain betrays you, where do you turn? After surviving childhood abuse, 26 foster homes, and ultimately a brain tumor requiring multiple surgeries, I've discovered profound truths about dependence, relationships, and faith that I never would have learned otherwise.

The traumatic brain injury (TBI) resulting from my surgeries forced me to develop a different kind of dependence on God. Like a spiritual muscle being trained, I've had to choose daily between being overcome by my limitations or leaning more deeply into divine strength. This journey taught me the practical power of putting on the "full armor of God" described in Ephesians 6 - especially the sword of the Spirit (God's Word) which became my essential offensive weapon when everything else in life felt defensive and reactive.

My mentor Scott became a lifeline when many others disappeared, standing beside me through anger, tears, and even moments of spiritual doubt. This experience revealed not only how vital spiritual mentorship is in crisis, but also how desperately our churches need more spiritual fathers and mothers for generations lacking guidance. Equally transformative was recognizing how my TBI affected family relationships, teaching me to be intentional about connection in ways I previously took for granted. Perhaps most challenging has been relearning emotional regulation - understanding that biblical self-control isn't about suppression but about recognizing feelings, identifying belief systems driving them, and submitting them to the Holy Spirit's guidance.

Whether you're facing neurological challenges yourself or simply navigating life's unexpected difficulties, these principles can anchor your spirit when everything else seems uncertain. Subscribe to the Hopeful Perspective podcast and discover how to move from merely surviving to faithfully thriving, regardless of your circumstances. Support our mission to bring hope to a hurting world by rating, reviewing, or contributing financially through the link in our episode description.

Chapters

• 0:00 Introduction to Hopeful Perspective Podcast
• 2:30 Learning Dependence on God with TBI
• 5:51 The Full Armor of God
• 7:23 Importance of Spiritual Mentorship
• 10:09 Family Connection Despite TBI Challenges
• 11:51 Relearning Emotional Regulation
• 14:53 Invitation to Faith and Prayer
• 18:40 Final Encouragement and Support Request

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Welcome to the Hopeful Perspective Podcast. I am your host, jason Hopkins. This podcast is designed to give you a perspective of hope that impacts your daily life in an authentic and tangible way. I aspire to give you a glimpse of how my own life has been impacted so tremendously, and so I chose to take six full episodes and share with you my own personal life story, which illustrates God's glory through experiences overcoming child abuse and trauma, 26 foster homes and institutions, various diagnoses affected me throughout my life and an eventual brain tumor resulting in multiple brain surgeries on my brain stem. I have moved from merely being a surviving victim to a faithful and thriving victor who the Lord has motivated to help others discover hope. Though my past was full of pain and suffering, I have been restored with purpose and sanctification. I have been redeemed and called to follow Christ within that redemption and renewed perspective. If you want to hear more of this transformation, I want to encourage you to listen to the first six episodes, if you have not already. If you have been able to, I now want to help you to develop and deepen a biblical and hopeful perspective as you approach differing situations in your own life, from the delightful to the difficult and everything in between. I do want to thank you for making the time to listen and, if you are able to, taking the time to download our podcast episodes, as when you download, along with rating our podcast with an honest response, you help the algorithm immensely to spread in our reach. We have provided a few options to contact our show with your direct feedback, as I absolutely value your interaction. You can do so on your favorite podcast platform or even utilize our Facebook page, simply entitled the Hopeful Perspective. We would also invite you to support the podcast financially. If you are called to partner with us in bringing hope to a hurting world, just click the embedded links found on any episode you're downloading on your podcast platform. Before we get started today, I want to compel you to grab your favorite snack, hot or cold beverage. Get comfortable and come on this journey with me.

Speaker 1: 2:30

As we conclude this series on my living with a traumatic brain injury and all that it has taught me throughout life from pain to promise and hurt to hope I will be sharing with you various truths the Lord has shown me, living with a traumatic brain injury, that have impacted my friendships, my family and my faith along the way. One of the most significant lessons I have taken away from living with a TBI is the type of dependence that I must have on God. Learning to depend on the Lord has been a spiritual muscle. I have had a lot of practice flexing and training throughout my adult life, from healing my past childhood trauma to learning how to battle an acute personality disorder. But learning how to cope when I no longer have personalities that can take away my pain and being left vulnerably bare and exposed gives me one of two options To be overcome by the stress and the spiritual battles I wage, or to lean on God closer each and every day. God closer each and every day.

Speaker 1: 3:48

I have had to put on the full armor of God that we believers have access to, which allow us to be covered within the battle. If you have not heard of these before or you need a refresher, you can find this in Ephesians 6, verses 10-18, where the Apostle Paul is telling us how we can be strong in the Lord. Let's read it together now, starting in verse 10. Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes, for our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore, put on the full armor of God so that, when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground. And, after you've done everything to stand, stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place and your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil. One Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, and pray in the Spirit on all occasions, with all kinds of prayers and requests, prayers and requests. You will notice that all of these pieces of armor are used to battle the enemy and his tactics defensively, so that if we put the proper pieces on, we will be safe from his attack. Yet there is one piece that we can use for the offensive, and this is the sword of the Spirit or the Word of God.

Speaker 1: 5:51

Hebrews 4.12 states that the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Now, as I have previously stated, I have taken my daily devotional time serious the past three years, more so than even when I was in full-time vocational ministry pastoring churches. As a result, I can attest that I am as close to the Lord now than I have ever been, and I want to encourage all my listeners to hone yourself within your devotional life, whether it be getting in the Word daily, finding an app like YouVersion, which provides not only the entire Bible with multiple versions and translations, but also gives you choices of devotions and reading plans for free, or whatever you can find that motivates you to be in His Word, to learn His Word and to deposit it way down in your soul. 2 Timothy 3.16 says that all Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness correcting and training in righteousness. The next significant takeaway that I would share in living with a TBI I would recommend and did so previous to living with a traumatic brain injury and that is to simply seek out the love and care of a mentor.

Speaker 1: 7:23

Now my mentor, scott, is an absolute godsend in my life. He and his wife, who recently was called home to heaven, used to be marriage mentors for my wife and I for several years. In addition to Scott being my 1v1 mentor, he is several years along in the journey as it pertains in all matters to faith, parenting, marriage, etc. And his wisdom has proven itself like gold for me at times that I've needed him, but none so much as when I had brain surgery and the traumatic brain injury. The fact that he was the one person that remained constant and steady when it seemed everyone else went radio silent proved to be like a drop of water in a hot desert. He listened to me when I was angry, when I was crying out, when I almost walked away from God. Scott never judged me and he also never pandered to me. He kept it real with me all the time when I was going off course or when I wasn't being real with myself. The truth is, I am not sure I'd be here today had it not been for his presence and influence in my life at my darkest moments.

Speaker 1: 8:45

One of my observations of the Western Church today is that we are lacking spiritual mentors for generations that are fatherless and who desperately need spiritual fathers and mothers speaking biblical life and love into them. Conversely, we have to be humble and receptive to walking in a mentoring relationship where we are open to receiving counsel in all areas of our life. We have all, more than likely, heard the proverb 2717, where iron sharpens iron, and I want us to think about the many biblical examples of mentorship that are provided in the scripture. Moses was to Joshua a mentor, just as Elijah was to Elisha and Paul was to Timothy. And these are just a few.

Speaker 1: 9:42

Now, the next significant truth that living with a TBI has revealed to me is just how important it is to be connected to each member of your family, to learn their individual love languages and to invest your time accordingly, value and ability that you have to do so. I would never have believed you if you had told me I was taking such a freedom for granted until I was diagnosed with my traumatic brain injury. Now, all of a sudden, connection with each member of my family grew increasingly difficult, from my wife to my youngest child. Now seven years has gone by, and I wish I could deliver some beautiful spiritual moral of the story that all of this has turned out wonderfully and in many ways I am indeed fortunate, but also true is that each relationship has suffered due to the cognitive and emotional dysfunction that is charged to my TBI, and all I can count on is the grace of God to keep each relationship with all three of my now two adult children and one teenager healthy. I know how the enemy attacks family without the challenges of a TBI, and so I want to encourage you to be intentional with your loved ones. Schedule time, if you must Schedule family game nights. Schedule your vacation times, the date nights with your spouse, vacation times, the date nights with your spouse, whatever is necessary to prioritize your relationships with your family. You have to make these a center and the priorities of your life.

Speaker 1: 11:41

The final nugget that I'd like to share with my listeners about what it's like to live with the TBI is that I have had to relearn what it means to be in touch with my feelings. The first thing, though, as a man, I want to say how biblically unhealthy it is to regulate your emotions. This is what the Bible refers to in the fruit of the Spirit, as self-control. This doesn't mean not to cry, to be clear, nor does it mean a person must cry. Nor does it mean a person must cry. Rather, we need to understand what we are feeling, to recognize the belief systems that drive our emotions, that can, in turn, drive our behavior.

Speaker 1: 12:27

As a biblical counselor, such lingo and therapy was commonplace prior to me being diagnosed with a TBI. Afterward learning, self-control, maturity, regulation, etc. It's like a whole new world for me, my friends and my family. I don't know about you, but, as for me, I do not like to be controlled by my impulses, and so I would much rather be governed by the Holy Spirit or submit my feelings to the Holy Spirit when I'm feeling so raw. And let me be real with you, this wasn't necessarily easy before and isn't particularly easy now, yet I could probably use that descriptor for my whole journey. Friends, my journey wasn't easy before, and it isn't easy now.

Speaker 1: 13:22

I don't think my story is particularly special or in some way unique, even if it may be particularly different than what we are used to hearing. Rather, I choose to trust the Lord. On this path I am on, just like you have to. I cannot even begin to imagine anybody, though, who is trying to walk this life and endure their burdens without first putting their trust in the Lord. And yet many people do this every single day. Some do so willingly, having been given the choice to follow Christ, while others have never heard the gospel and therefore have never been given the choice to follow Christ with their heart and with him.

Speaker 1: 14:12

I believe there are no accidents, incidents, coincidences or instances where he is not weaning his redemptive work in your life. Rather, as we are joined together right now on a podcast, as Jesus himself declared 2,000 years ago, we have an opportunity to join the kingdom of heaven. You have reason to have significant hope in your life right now. Perhaps you are sensing the Spirit moving you toward Him today through even this podcast, and I would be remiss if we left our time today without providing an opportunity for us to respond. And I want to pray for you right now. So, for all of you listening, I want you, in your spirit, to either agree with this prayer and to lift those up praying it for the first time to the Lord, to be blessed and to be drawn to him. Lord Jesus, I sense you drawing me in. I hear your whispers and your beckoning and, though I do not understand them all, I want to acknowledge you in them.

Speaker 1: 15:19

Now, for some of you. You have never said yes to Christ, and this may be what you are sensing, and I want to pray with you right now. Lord Jesus, I repent of my sins and I surrender my life to you. Wash me and cleanse me from all unforgiveness and pride that has blocked me before, and cleanse me from all unforgiveness and pride that has blocked me before. I believe that you are the Messiah and the one true God. You are the Son of God. I believe that you died on the cross for forgiveness of my sins and rose again on the third day for my victory. I believe that in my heart and make confession with my mouth that you, jesus, are my Lord and my Savior and that the kingdom of heaven is both now and forever.

Speaker 1: 16:05

I want to live my life according to your terms and I want you to change my reliance from myself and any earthly vessels or vices in which I have previously placed my hope, in which I have previously placed my hope. Instead, I want to trust your plan and ask for you to put the people, the processes and the plans to pursue forgiveness, restoration and recovery in my life where I am still feeling broken inside. I ask for you to reveal to me where I have neglected the needs of those around me who are broken, where I have become indifferent, incapable or have been unable to prioritize the people in my life who need to feel the hope of Christ. Make me sensitive and loving for their story. Show me where I am called to be a part of your mission and I entrust myself to your equipping and sending, as you will.

Speaker 1: 16:59

Thank you for being a God of mercy, a God of healing and a God of truth, a God of hope. Might I become a beacon of hope to the hurting. May I be the one who shows and shares eternal life with those who, on their way to spiritual death. Make me your salt. Help me to be your light. Show me your ways, lord. Give us the spiritual eyes to see on earth as it is in heaven. May our priorities begin to reflect your heart and your kingdom. It's in your name, jesus, that I pray Amen.

Speaker 1: 17:36

If you have today agreed with this prayer from the depths of your name, jesus, that I pray Amen, if you have today agreed with this prayer from the depths of your heart, I either welcome you to the eternal family of God or perhaps you felt Jesus compelling you to return to him. Perhaps you have been gone away from the fellowship and restoration of the Lord and you hear him calling you back today. Whether you are new to the family or returning, I say welcome home. And now I want to encourage you to find a church faith family who worships the Lord passionately, is committed to the teaching and preaching of the Scriptures and is committed to serving the community and beyond. Also, devote yourself to the reading of the scriptures, as there is so much to grow, to learn and be discipled in as it pertains to new life and maturity in Christ. The Lord has so much in the way of hope to show His children in His love letters that he has written to them Hopeful family. This has been my pleasure to spend a morning, afternoon or evening growing and learning with you.

Speaker 1: 18:40

I look forward to tuning in next time on the Hopeful Perspective podcast. Until then, I want to thank you for joining me along this journey, allowing me to share from my heart today and if you'd be so kind as to follow, subscribe and, most importantly, rate and write a review for others on your podcasting platform, others who may need the hopeful perspective in their life. And again, did you know that you can contribute financially to our show by pressing our support the show link that is embedded on your platform in the episode descriptions. If you believe in what we do, I would cherish your prayerful giving to the cause. I want to shout out my gratitude to the multiple new donors who already have made this commitment to support the show financially. Without you, it would not be possible to reach as many people with the messages we do or anyone who needs to be reminded that hope is real. So thank you so much in advance and until next time. Remember you are loved.