Doug from Mornings had a conversation with youth advocate and abuse survivor, Jason Blyth.
The Impact
Jason began by emphasising the impact his past had on his present perspective. He shared his testimony of everything that unfolded before he was even born.
“I was born to a mother had a really severe motorbike accident at 16. She ended up with a brain injury from that point.”
Jason revealed that he was a product of rape and his conception deeply impacted how he viewed his life. He grew up with a lot of instability with confusion around his purpose on the earth.
“I came into the world under quite a dark shadow around that. Grew up with a lot of violence from my mum. She instantly rejected me as a kid. From two years old, I had my first psychology appointment because my mum was trying to kill me.”
He was labelled as a problem child, with a series of clinicians unable to help him.
“At 11, I asked a doctor to be taken away because I was sick of being hurt.”
Jason lost trust in the system and in himself. He left home at 15 because he continued to be abused.
The Turning Point
Jason explained that his journey happened in slow unveilings. He reached a breaking point, where he knew he had to turn his life around.
“My rock bottom moment landed me in a psych ward for three days, then into a stabilization unit for three weeks,” he said. “I spent my 30th birthday in rehab in Sydney, with 35 guys, all on parole.”
Jason said he had a decision to make at that point.
“I said to myself, if I carry on down this path, I’m going to end up in prison or dead. I realized that I had and was the only one that could change my circumstance. So that for me, it literally had to come to this ultimate rock bottom moment to shake me out of my slumber and set me on a new path.”
The Undoing
It started with letting go of all the things that had control over him, like smoking, drinking, watching porn, doing drugs and hanging out with people that encouraged those decisions.
“If I wanted to have a different life, I would need to do things differently. And I couldn’t expect that anything would change if I just carried on doing the same thing,” he continued. “One by one, I started to unwind, and I think something that will resonate significantly with your listenership as faith has been a huge part of this journey for me.”
“The God piece for me was the part that really allowed me to deal with the unforgiveness and the deep anger and pain that was in me from childhood. And it helped me to be able to make a bit of peace with some of that deeper stuff that you can’t just do just solely by removing bad habits and addictions.”
He outlined the most important points that were instrumental in his own breakthrough.
1. The Power of Choice and Ownership
Jason said that due to the confusion he had, he saw himself as a victim and didn’t take responsibility for his own choices.
“I thought that as I went along my journey, that I was entitled to behave badly. I couldn’t really see that I was just living this really toxic life as a result, as a product of my environment.”
2. Hope, Redemption and Faith
Jason recognised God’s plan in it all and the beauty in the bigger picture.
“I realized later on that it was all part of the formation process of what I would then go on to do. And without having lived the life that I did, I wouldn’t have the skills or the gift or the experience to help others.”
Jason said that part of God’s beautifully poetic redemption plan is to take the worst things and turn them beautiful to help others along their journey. He encouraged people who also find themselves lost to reclaim the pen and the authorship of their life.
“Make sure that we are the ones that are writing the story that we want to write,” said Jason.
3. Perspective and Optimism
In uncertain times, we can hold onto the truth in the word of God.
Referencing Romans 8:28, Jason said these words can help to navigate the complexities of life.
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:28
“We have the power to influence, control and change our circumstances. And that’s a really empowering position to hold as you navigate life.”
4. Identity, Healing and Personal Growth
Part of God’s design is to refine us. Jason likened it to gold, olive oil or wine.
“It wasn’t the grapes or the olives that were valuable, they had to be crushed for their true worth to be revealed.”
He also compared optimism to rain and our attitude towards it.
“And it’s not just to live in a reality of seeing it raining outside and walking out and going, I’m not going to get wet. You’re going, okay, maybe I need to take an umbrella for my journey today.”
5. Parenting and Modelling
Jason encouraged parents to model behaviours to our children through storytelling. He said there are many ways to relate to what our children are going through and we need to take advantage of opportunities to connect with them.
“Use those as learning experiences and opportunities to connect with them. We can develop these really trusting relationships where they feel comfortable and safe to be able to come and talk to us.
There Is Always Hope
Jason concluded with an encouragement of hope.
“The weather will change. There’s times and seasons for everything. If we take those steps towards making positive, healthy choices just day after day, starting with the small things and surrounding ourselves with people that build us up, doing all those really basic foundational things, there is absolutely hope.
God’s Great Plan
“God is amazing at turning our absolute worst moments and days into the things that define our lives and make it so rich and then can be used to help others on their journey too.”
Jason said that taking small steps and looking through a different lens can bring us closer to God.
“If, instead of looking down at our shoes stuck in the mud, we maybe take a look up and see the horizon with a beautiful sunset and all of the nature around, and we change our perspective, we can often find the good things that have come out of bad situations.”
Check out the full chat with Jason Blyth below.
