Today we’d like to introduce you to Christian Englert.
Hi Christian, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I grew up in Euless, TX with my mom, dad, and sister. From the time I was young, my parents placed great importance on family and faith. These things precipitated a foundation for our lives that carried me through my childhood. And this foundation would ultimately serve as our saving grace when I encountered the hardest trial I have ever been through.
At the age of 15, hand tremors that had been present my whole life got worse. After reassessing them with my pediatrician, we were pointed to a neurologist, who believed they were genetic. Yet, he suggested that it might be worthwhile to get an MRI to make sure nothing abnormal was going on. A couple of weeks later, I had what everybody believed to be a routine MRI. But it discovered something none of us were looking for: a brain tumor that was causing severe hydrocephalus. I was rushed to the hospital for an emergency brain surgery to relieve the hydrocephalus and get a biopsy of the tumor. While the surgery ended up being successful, I would soon learn that I had an extremely rare form of brain cancer. I found myself in an uncertain treatment process that my oncology team hoped would save my life. My family and I were living out a daunting nightmare.
Over the next nine months, I went through aggressive chemo, a daunting brain surgery, and full brain and spine radiation. All of them brought challenges that transcended my physical state, and I spent a better part of that period preparing for the possibility that I may not get to see my sixteenth year. But after going through chemo, we learned it was unsuccessful, and my oncology team decided it was time for my surgeon to attempt a surgery to remove my tumor. Preparing for this was one of the hardest things I have have ever done. But this is when my faith became the only rock I could stand on, and God revealed his presence in ways that I could not deny.
Surgery day arrived. Regardless of how it went, the surgery was expected to last ten hours, I was expected to be in ICU for at least two days afterwards, and then finish recovery in the hospital for at least two weeks. Although, my surgery lasted seven hours, the surgeon got every bit of the tumor, I was only in ICU for seventeen hours, and I left the hospital after only four days of recovery. A medical miracle had taken place!
After going through radiation to finish out my cancer treatment, I entered remission in May of 2016. I have since gone through college (a feat my doctors weren’t sure was possible because of the effects from treatment) and written a book on my journey through cancer. God has provided an avenue to publish it through Bell Asteri Publishing, and I am excited to say that we released Refined By Fire in February of 2025.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Not at all! In my journey, I have discovered that life is full of challenges. And even though miraculous healing took place through my journey with cancer, I have come out of it with side effects that will be present for the rest of my life.
My brain no longer has its pineal gland, which is responsible for producing melatonin. So, my sleep patterns are constantly hindered, and this ultimately causes chronic fatigue.
I also deal with processing issues from radiation. This causes constant disorientation that makes completing daily tasks a challenge. Additionally, these processing issues have greatly affected my ability to work through emotions… good or bad. When a strong amount of any emotion hits, the only way my body knows how to process it is through crying. While this might not sound like a huge deal, it has made social situations pretty challenging to navigate.
I am continuing to learn how to cope with these challenges and am constantly seeking ways to live with them as I have now entered adulthood.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I have been called to vocational ministry. Subsequently, it was my journey through cancer and higher education that cultivated a passion for writing and teaching the Bible. One of the initial steps in carrying out my calling was publishing Refined by Fire earlier this year. I am now looking toward developing a website to teach scripture and help people with their questions, as well as pursue an eventual doctorate in Apologetics or Bible.
I think what sets me apart is my ability to encourage approach others with empathy. I believe all people are worth so much more than they know. Moreover, I believe we are called to love our neighbors. Encouraging and relating to them are just a couple of ways to extend that love.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
While suffering is a daunting thing that all humans experience in unique ways, it is something that connects all of us. The reason I wrote my. book is to encourage people with a purpose for life’s challenges, and I hope that it will encourage others in fighting through the odds that they face.
Pricing:
- Kindle- 10.99
- Paperback- 14.99
- Hardcover- 21.99
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christian_englert/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christian.englert.10
- Other: https://www.amazon.com/Refined-Fire-Journey-Through-Cancer/dp/1957604638/
Image Credits
Bell Asteri Publishing
