When you're young, you're invincible - or so you think. A series of injuries challenged my indestructibility, culminating in back pain so severe that I was flat on my back for three months, unable to sit, stand, or walk without excruciating pain. The doctors tried everything, but nothing helped. They directed me to have back surgery, with a 50% chance of relief.
My invincibility faded as the pain wore my defenses down. I could no longer ignore what was happening to my body and the mysterious causes of my discomfort. As I opened my eyes, bizarre experiences occurred that could not be explained logically. I had to let go of old beliefs about what was real and what was not. With the help of extraordinary tools, I released years of debilitating inner baggage and reshaped my view of the world and my place in it. I canceled the surgery two days before the date.
This is my story. The events are true. The people are real people that have been in my life. Some still are. However, I choose to tell this story as just that - a story. Each chapter is a snapshot, like a personal letter from me to you.
"Backtalk Odyssey offers the reader immense hope and possibility for moving beyond chronic conditions, whether they be physical, relational or otherwise. In a practical and humorous way, John Ray invites you into the inner-workings of his mind as he transforms from a skeptical computer programmer with debilitating spinal pain and into a living miracle. You see moment by moment what it took for him to heal himself and avoid the only help medicine offered him, back surgery. You'll discover how powerful the mind can be, that we are not victims of our conditions, and how healing and grace can be found in the most complex of situations. A true testament to the power of a human applying the simplicity of choice, forgiveness, and the powerful force of love. A must read for anyone struggling without hope. You'll find that and much more within these pages and in the tools he offers." - Christi Daniels, Life Coach and Author of Sabbatical from Yes.
