Writing for Therapy

By Chandler Gerber

Writing is therapeutic for me.  It’s an outlet and a way to get my thoughts that are often jumbled and complex, into words that are understandable for even me.  There is a saying: “Leaders are readers”.  I love reading non-fiction books of different kinds, and oftentimes, as I read a book I am filled with new ways of thinking about problems or issues that I am facing or that we are facing as a country.  As I begin having new ways of thinking about problems, I love to be able to put down my thoughts in the form of writing as well.  They say music is art and we know that if you are a professional musician, you are considered a “music artist”.  Writing is my art form.  I love to be thinking and processing an issue and then be able to get all of the different parts put down in an orderly way.

My book, The Irony of Grace: A Journey of Forgiveness, is available.  I have been so thrilled to see the book come together over the last twelve to fifteen months!  As I dealt with the guilt and horror of causing an automobile crash that killed three people in an Amish buggy I was counselled to begin journaling.  That was back in 2012.  The concept of writing really stuck as the years have moved forward and it turned into a hobby of blogging, and then ultimately, the book being written. 

The book describes my experience of that horrible day of the crash, the weeks and months that followed, the blessings that ultimately came from that horrible situation, and even the crash in 2009 that I was a victim in.  Having been in a coma for ten days in 2009 after being t-boned in my car and appearing on the “Today” show years later to describe why driving safety is so important after what I caused in 2012, the book was a great way to share how God can use horrible situations and bring great things from them in the long run. 

I’ve learned so much about love, forgiveness, and compassion from the Amish family that I got to know after the events of 2012. I’ve been so thankful to be able to put the lessons that I’ve learned down on paper for the entire world to read about!  Life happens at a million miles per second, so in the midst of the chaos of those events, I had thousands of thoughts going through my mind all the time.  Writing and journaling and blogging became a way to organize my thoughts, then a hobby, and then an avenue to share valuable lessons that I’ve learned.

Be sure to grab my book in August, connect with me on Facebook, and continue reading in general.  Open your mind, expand your thoughts, and push yourself to do more in life than you thought was possible! God bless.

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Chandler Gerber is a husband to Rachel and a father to a daughter, Shiloh, and two sons, Zander and Tripp. He was born and raised in the area around Bluffton, Indiana where he still currently resides with his family. Chandler and his wife chose from the beginning of the chaotic time in their lives that started in 2009, to stay positive, up-beat, and to ultimately bring The Irony of Grace: A Journey of Forgiveness. He has spoken around the country on the topics of driving safety, forgiveness, overcoming obstacles, and a variety of similar themes. Each of us has things in our lives that are unexpected or tragic and Chandler has devoted his life to showing others how to move through the valleys that life has to offer. He presents the same methods that he personally used to cope with tragedy when he speaks and teaches. His life plans never included speaking or being involved in the public eye, but God has a way of using each of us as He sees fit. Whether it was living through horrible memories of bad decisions, speaking with Katie Couric, or talking to a group of students at a high school, Chandler has tried to turn every opportunity into a way to show others to never give up and to always look forward to the days ahead. Our experiences shape us. Turn your unpleasant experiences to beautiful things! Follow Chandler’s blog at chandlergerber.wordpress.com.

Writing the Hand You're Dealt

By Chandler Gerber

Each of us has certain talents and abilities; that’s life.  Some are good with numbers, others are good with athletics, and some are good with music.  As I’ve gone through life, I’ve always enjoyed writing and putting my thoughts on paper.  However, I never knew how big of an impact writing would have on my life.

I’ve gone through two life-altering car crashes.  The first, I was a victim in; the second, I was responsible for.  After suffering major head trauma as a result of the first crash, I was counseled to do some journaling as a form of therapy.  I began journaling and writing about my emotions and challenges and the words continued to flow onto the computer screen. Miraculously, after extensive therapy, my mental capabilities returned to their normal levels!   

After the second crash, the one that I was responsible for, I suffered with severe depression and anxiety after taking three lives due to my carelessness behind the wheel.  Again, journaling was recommended to me, and it was very therapeutic.  I started writing about the experience, and although the season that I was currently in passed, my enjoyment for writing remained.  I began blogging at chandlergerber.blogspot.com and I continued to write about my story in my spare time. I teamed up with AT&T and their “It can wait” campaign against distracted driving.  The “From One Second to the Next” documentary was launched on YouTube and Netflix and has been viewed millions of times.  Once the film went viral, opportunities abounded.  I appeared on the “Today” show, spoke with Katie Couric, and was featured in an international commercial promoting driving safety that can still be found on YouTube. 

The icing on the cake was when Suzanne Woods Fisher, the best-selling author out of California, called and asked me to be a part of one of her upcoming books, “The Heart of the Amish”.  That opportunity landed me a position with the Hartline Literary Agency and the opportunity to put an actual book together about my experiences and how God used them to truly bring, “Beauty from Ashes”, as the title of my upcoming book implies.  As I speak around the country to businesses, churches, and schools, my message is clear: Don’t give up.  Life will undoubtedly throw you curve balls from time to time. We each have to learn how to hit them. 

We each deal with things at different times.  After the experiences that I’ve had, I now speak on the dangers of distracted driving, forgiveness, compassion, and perseverance because those are the topics that I have learned about firsthand. I don’t have the college degrees that would be needed to teach on these topics in a formal classroom setting, but as the old saying goes: “A man with an opinion is not at the mercy of a man with an experience.”  

For some people, maybe they are creative and like to write fictional stories.   For others, maybe rhyming comes instinctively so they write children’s books.  I’m just playing the hand that I was dealt, and whether I like it or not, God has me here so I’m going to show the world just how faithful He is. Never give up!

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Chandler Gerber is a husband to Rachel and a father to a daughter, Shiloh, and a son, Zander. He was born and raised in the area around Bluffton, Indiana where he still currently resides with his family. Chandler and his wife chose from the beginning of the chaotic time in their lives that started in 2009, to stay positive, up-beat, and to ultimately bring ‘Beauty from Ashes’. He has spoken around the country on the topics of driving safety, forgiveness, overcoming obstacles, and a variety of similar themes. Each of us has things in our lives that are unexpected or tragic and Chandler has devoted his life to showing others how to move through the valleys that life has to offer.   He presents the same methods that he personally used to cope with tragedy when he speaks and teaches. His life plans never included speaking or being involved in the public eye, but God has a way of using each of us as He sees fit.  Chandler’s blog can be found at chandlergerber.blogspot.com, his author’s page on Facebook, and his personal Facebook page.  Connect with him and send him your thoughts!