challenges – Almost An Author

Persistence Pays Off

I recently became a new speaker for the Brain Injury Association of America, a difficult and time consuming accomplishment. For nearly two decades, I’ve helped others with disabilities, especially brain injuries and now I’m able to be a part of this national organization.

Life with a disability has challenges, which without God are next to impossible to overcome, and are humbling. Anyone who’s experienced trauma has extra baggage and living with a disability is not different. Here are some examples.

Some of the baggage of a disability are:

Extreme depression
Physical limitations
Emotional roller coasters
Financial obligations
Personal insecurities

Many non-disabled people experience these roadblocks, but the capacity of the disabled to handle them in an effective way is hampered by physical and mental inabilities. Sometimes it is impossible, for persons with brain injuries, to think clearly about these issues, much less deal with them.

I’ve championed the cause of brain injuries for decades in my local community and recently online, but the opportunity to work with a national organization is a dream.

I first reached out to the organization in 2010 after connecting with the Georgia Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Association, who gave me grants to learn the craft of writing and the technology that I use to write with.

Over a decade later, I have more experience and a better understanding of my brain injuries. As I move into this next stage of my advocacy, I am better prepared for the task, because of my persistence.

Persistence Pays Off!

Persistence is a necessary part of life. Success rarely comes on the first or even second try.

“The quality or state of being persistent.”
Webster’s Dictionary

I remember after my accident the many times I didn’t succeed in simple things like the first time I tried to walk and on the second attempt, I only made it to a chair on the other side of my room. and how humbling it was when I fell off of the toilet.

Months later, I found myself unable to walk steadily between balance beams during therapy but pressed on. After being released from the rehabilitation, I fell off of my bicycle and chose to make failure and disappointment the fuel to keep trying. Giving up would’ve only left me feeling empty and defeated.

A month after I went home, I was biking 21 miles in 100° temperatures. These successes were the motivation for me to keep going in my recovery.

My writing journey is similar. I have faced tons of rejection and disappointment. My recovery from living with a life-altering brain injury has taught me that persistence pays off!

In the writing journey, there will be rejection. Successful writers remain persistent. Although I haven’t achieved my writing goals yet, I am determined to continue in the journey with the help of tips from resources like Writer Unboxed.

Seven secrets of persistent writers:

Forget About Success: The most persistent writers want success as much as anyone, but they treat it as an end goal and put their focus on doing the work itself.
Never Wait in Vain: Waiting for a publication, a publisher, or an agent to get back to you can be agonizing. Persistent writers don’t just wait; they keep writing and submitting in equal measure.\
Take Risks: All writers have a comfort zone, be it genre or topic, or a certain kind of character.
Collaborate: Persistent writers accept that we need other writers—for cheerleading, resource sharing, feedback, or commiseration.
Set boundaries: Persistent writers have to say no a lot.
Take Side-Doors and Back-Alleys: Some of the most persistent writers I know did not listen to only accepted advice. I know writers who sold books straight to publishers without an agent.
Plant a Passion Root: I saved the best and most important piece of advice for last. You will persist if you plant what I call a “passion root.”

In pursuing publication, writer must learn the craft, and network with others in the publishing industry with persistent determination.

As I write this post, I am preparing to go to an annual writers conference, not only learn more about the craft of writing, but also learn speaking techniques and social media building, as well as pitching my books.

There were challenges as I attempted to register for the conference– the room were booked, which meant I’d have to stay at a local hotel and drive back and for. I don’t care for driving at night due to my eyesight. Fortunately, the conference opened other housing. Now, the price of gas has skyrocketed and presents yet another challenge. But, I am determined to remain persistent and meet the challenge head-on.

Challenges!

Face it, life these days is full of challenges and hurdles for us all, regardless if you’re disabled or not in whatever career you pursue. Thanks to my disability, I have a new perspective on life and the challenges I face. Challenges aren’t meant to stop us from being successful, they are meant to strengthen us and prepare us for success.

Hurdles of people with disabilities.

Accessibility – Unfortunately, we don’t live in a disabled-friendly society.
Myths and stereotypes – Even within the brain injury community, it is understood that not every brain injury is the same; outside of this community, there are some pretty harsh stereotypes.
Being teased and abused – Unfortunately, people find enjoyment in putting others down.
Relationships -human beings are complicated. They judge others on a set of parameters that may or may not apply to all situations. These prejudices are the root cause of all mistrust and misunderstanding, according to Narayan Seva Sansthan.

Writers can face challenges and hurdles with persistence and continue to grow. Every day, we must decide whether to keep going or give up. Press on because persistence pays off!

“Do not fear failure but rather fear not trying.”
Roy T. Bennett, Author

Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Traumatic brain injury which left him legally blind and partially paralyzed on the left side. He is a speaker for Brain Injury Awareness of America and an award-winning Christian screenwriter who has recently finished his first Christian nonfiction book. Martin has spent the last nine years volunteering as an ambassador and promoter for Promise Keepers ministries. While speaking to local men’s ministries he shares his testimony. He explains The Jesus Paradigm and how following Jesus changes what matters most in our lives. Martin lives in a Georgia and connects with readers at MartinThomasJonhson.com and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.

Here I Am by Martin Johnson

The desire to write has burned in me ever since I was in middle school. I grew up in a military family that traveled the world until we settled down in the South. Daydreaming about the places I used to live and the wonderful sights I’ve seen led me to write about them.

I wanted to share with others my adventure before moving to the South. I can still remember walking the cobblestone streets of Rome—the beautiful fields of flowers that zipped past the windows of school buses while in route to Italian countryside farms.

The serenity of the early morning fishing trips with my father on Pike’s Peak in Colorado. But, my favorite was always having a white Christmas to celebrate the holidays. Writing was just as much an escape for me as listening to the words of Bing Crosby’s White Christmas.

That’s why I chose to major in English during college. I wanted to take people to great places with my words. However, working two jobs and partying in my spare time, left me little time to escape and write. I was stuck in reality.

I had no more stories to tell—I’m not talking about the lies we tell—wait, is that why our parents called lying telling stories?

My Story

We all have a story to tell, it may be fiction or it may be a-real-life, gut-wrenching truth. Sometimes my story seems like a dream… or nightmare.

When I was 22, during college, I died after a severe car accident. At the hospital the doctors had to do emergency brain surgery to remove bone fragments from my brain and I stroked out. After I was revived they removed 30% of my brain so it would rewire itself and I could function.

I remember coming to a week later and having the doctors tell me I would never walk again. Moreover, I still feel the embarrassment I felt when I fell off of the toilet after lying to a nurse about being able to walk.

After eleven months of inpatient and outpatient therapy, I returned to work and even began mountain biking as part of my recovery. There’s nothing like wearing yourself out pushing a bike pedal for hours to make you feel alive.

I spent a decade trying to write my story by pursuing a modeling career in Atlanta. Then, one night on the set of a popular dance movie I was an extra in, the writing bug bit me again.

I wanted to write again, I wanted to tell a more encouraging story. I wanted to tell people about the things I’ve seen God do in my life.

So, I wrote my first screenplay and it won awards. And my desire to write grew more. But I had a problem. My brain injury kept me from being able to type without hurting my hands.

So I prayed for help and got it. I learned that Georgia had a trust fund for people with brain injuries like me. I was awarded grants to pay for speech dictation software to help me write.

I was also awarded grants to take writing classes from Christian professional writers. And I was encouraged to write a book, and then another and still more.

Sure, I’m no big-name rock star writer and there have been plenty of people look down on me because my story doesn’t look like theirs, but that’s what makes it my story.

I was recently reminded by a fellow writer, “Keep in mind that if God is calling you to write, then you only need to do your part and write the book(s) He gives you to write out of obedience. He can make a way for publication in His timing and in His perfect plan!”

God is using my story to write His story.

History?

Now that I look back to my childhood, I can clearly see where God was giving me a story to write and making a way for me to do it. At this point I’m not sure where the climax is or how it ends, but I know it must be written, it’s part of history.

Years ago, when I volunteered in men’s ministry for Promise Keepers I heard, “God doesn’t use the able, He uses the available.”

Dr. Henry Blackaby says it best, “Will God ever ask you to do something you are not able to do? The answer is yes—all the time! It must be that way, for God’s glory and kingdom. If we function according to our ability alone, we get the glory; if we function according to the power of the Spirit within us, God gets the glory. He wants to reveal Himself to a watching world.” So here I am.

Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Truamatic brain injury which left him legally blind and partially paralyzed on the left side. He award-winning Christian screenwriter who has recently finished his first Christian nonfiction book. Martin has spent the last nine years volunteering as an ambassador and promoter for Promise Keepers ministries. While speaking to local men’s ministries he shares his testimony. He explains The Jesus Paradigm and how following Jesus changes what matters most in our lives. Martin lives in a Georgia and connects with readers at https://spiritualperspectivesofdasingleguy.blogspot.com/ and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/mtjohnson51.