5061 Lord Alfred Ct
Cincinnati, OH 45241
United States
I came under conviction to start a life time project that I'd put off for years... authoring my memoir of my early years and actually getting it published. The book's title is " "Unwanted, Unworthy, UNSHACKLED". Over the years, I shared my inspirational life story to hundreds of audiences and tens of thousands of people. I was encouraged many times to author a book... but didn't feel I had the skill set or the need to write a book. God convicted me that I needed to do it at a church service where a speaker was sharing how they argued with God about writing a book... and I immediately had these words pop into my head: "Brad, do you think that all the pain & misery you experienced growing up was just for you... there are hundreds of thousands of people that need to read what you experienced and how I used it in amazing ways... and how you were able to break the generational curse of addictions, and a life filled with traumatic physical, emotional & verbal abuse".
I really didn't want to do it, but I felt compelled to start putting thoughts to paper. It was very challenging because I really was not very good as a writer and I knew absolutely nothing about writing a book. But through a series of circumstances, I call them "God Appointments", I finally finished the book, had it published and have received great reviews from many different people. I plan on using the book as another tool to get my story out to an even wider audience. and recently been told by those who know far better than I that "Unwanted, Unworthy, UNSHACKLED" would make an excellent inspirational movie.
Writing the book was quite challenging, and even though many of the "soul" issues had been dealt with decades ago, it was surprising how hurtful it was to write about some of my early years and the resulting trauma that I was forced to live through for many years of my younger life. But God's word is true... Romans 8:28... "God causes ALL things to work for good, for those that LOVE Him and are called according to His purpose". And that included extending total forgiveness to my parents who inflicted me with hundreds of traumatic encounters (but they were just living out of their own traumatic upbringing) that haunted me for many years. I go into all the early years of trauma... and how God intervened in my life, in spite of me "kicking & screaming" not wanting anything to do with Him. God broke 3 to 4 generations of traumatic abuse and drug & Alcohol addictions. The fruit of what God did: I am blessed to be married for 45 years to my best friend (Tami), where we raised 4 wonderful adult children, who married wonderful spouses, and they are in process of raising 11 superstar grandkids. May our Lord be praised!!! I now know that I know... that I'm LOVED Unconditionally by the God of the Universe. I'm not only loved but I'm forgiven, accepted, adopted into His family, redeemed, transformed, rescued, restored, made whole, AND I know that our triune GOD not only Loves me... but he actually LIKES me... a lot!!! He is especially "FOND" of me!
- Gladiator: Great commander, who was unjustly imprisoned, but became a champion gladiator and legend, to right the many wrongs of the ruling class of Rome. One of my favorite HERO movies, despite the overwhelming brutality.
- The Shack: a Traumatically abused boy who grew up to become a damaged adult, with a warped sense of who God is... lost their youngest 7 or 8 year old daughter to a pedofile who raped and then killer her... and then meeting the "triune" God in a "shack" in the woods that became a place of healing.
- Braveheart: a young man, who was a warrior, rallied all the "Scottsmen" to resist & raise up against the king of England. The women he loved was killed by the soldier of England... he became a hero, was killed by the king (decapitated) but in the end, his death was instrumental and the Scottish winning their freedom. Despite overwhelming odds, he was responsible for breaking the crushing reign of England over Scotland. A classic!
- "What God Wishes Christians Knew About Christianity" Author Bill Gillham: - Very important book in my life as I was going through some very difficult times after becoming a Christ Follower. I had been a Christian for about 15 years but didn't have a clear grasp of knowing that I am a cherished, loved child of God. While I read it and knew it as a head knowledge... I didn't grasp it from my heart. This book was transformational to finally believe and accept that I was indeed a loved, wanted, adopted child into God's family... not head knowledge -- but deep within my heart, soul & mind.
- "The Search for Significance" Author Robert S. McGee: How to free myself from the LIES I accepted as I grew up. I had to confront the Lies, dismantle them and learn what the triune God did for me when I asked Him to save me and live in me... it took many years to finally accept who I really was in Christ.
- "The Normal Christian Life" Author Watchman Nee: This classic book was HUGE in my early years as a growing Christ Follower. I've read it more than a few times and some chapters have so many notes, it is hard to read the words printed on the pages. I learned that "I don't try but I;m trusting... not struggling but RESTING" " Walking in the Spirit - Not only am I in Christ... but Christ is in me"
- Our HOME - Why? Sharing Life with Tami (my wife) Living under the influence of Unconditional Love, Respect, Peace, Joy, Fellowship, laughter, good natured kidding, and experiencing our 4 adult kids & their families (when they visit our home) including our 11 grandchildren and our newest addition to our family ... currently a 7 month old Golden Bernie Doodle - ASHER.
- Our Four kids homes when we visit... Why? We get to experience and see in action how they have a solid, happy home experience with each of their spouses and their kids (our grandkids). It is a humbling experience to see & witness each of them love their spouses, love & discipline their kids, and do it with unconditional love, Respect, Joy, laughter, etc., To know that they are Christ Followers and are teaching their kids the vital importance of each of them becoming Christ followers and then seeing it action.The reality is, that we as parents, really don't know how the "kids" are going to turn out until they are out on their own, living their lives, making their own choices... and then as their parents, witnessing the wise choices they are making... for themselves, their children and for our grandchildren... our combined future legacies. This is when we see the fruit of raising our kids as God instructed... "train a child in the way of God, and they shall not depart from it" as they get older.