“Your brain is actively rewiring itself every second. The question is: Will you do it on purpose?”

That’s from my fascinating conversation with Dr. Lee Warren. Dr. Lee isn’t just a neurosurgeon—he’s a husband, father, Iraq War veteran, and grieving dad who lost his 19-year-old son in a tragic and mysterious death. He’s also one of the most compelling voices today on how faith and neuroscience intersect to transform your life.

In this episode, I talk to Dr. Lee about the mind-blowing science of neuroplasticity, what it means to “do self-brain surgery,” the science behind the Bible’s commands regarding our thinking, and how trauma—if we let it—can either define us or refine us. Dr. Lee opens up about surviving more than 100 mortar attacks during the Iraq War, his battle with PTSD, and how he and his wife Lisa rebuilt their lives (and faith) after the unimaginable loss of their son.

But this isn’t just a story of suffering. It’s a story of redemption. It’s a masterclass in how to find hope again—even after the worst day of your life. And it’s essential for anyone who has been told to “renew your mind” but never felt like that mandate came with any how-to instructions.

We explore:

—The night Dr. Lee got caught outside in a mortar attack with no gear

—What PTSD taught him about unprocessed trauma and healing

—Losing his 19-year-old son—and how that reshaped his faith

—Why the brain can literally change based on what you choose to think about

—How Scripture aligns with neuroscience on anxiety, gratitude, and transformation—The connection between addiction, neuroplasticity, and the lies we believe

—The principle of “loss to legacy” and how suffering can become ministry

Subscribe to Dr. Lee’s newsletter: drleewarren.substack.com

Listen to the Self-Brain Surgery podcast

Get Dr. Lee’s books

Follow Jon: https://www.instagram.com/jonseidl/

Order the book, Confessions of a Christian Alcoholic: www.christianalcoholic.com.

Watch this episode and get daily motivation: www.theveritasdaily.com.

&ldquo;Your brain is actively rewiring itself every second.&nbsp;The question is: Will you do it on purpose?&rdquo;
That&rsquo;s from my fascinating conversation with Dr. Lee Warren. Dr. Lee isn&rsquo;t just a neurosurgeon&mdash;he&rsquo;s a husband, father, Iraq War veteran, and grieving dad who lost his 19-year-old son in a tragic and mysterious death. He&rsquo;s also one of the most compelling voices today on how faith and neuroscience intersect to transform your life.
In this episode, I talk to Dr. Lee about the mind-blowing science of neuroplasticity, what it means to &ldquo;do self-brain surgery,&rdquo; the science behind the Bible&rsquo;s commands regarding our thinking, and how trauma&mdash;if we let it&mdash;can either define us or refine us. Dr. Lee opens up about surviving more than 100 mortar attacks during the Iraq War, his battle with PTSD, and how he and his wife Lisa rebuilt their lives (and faith) after the unimaginable loss of their son.
But this isn&rsquo;t just a story of suffering. It&rsquo;s a story of redemption. It&rsquo;s a masterclass in how to find hope again&mdash;even after the worst day of your life. And it&rsquo;s essential for anyone who has been told to &ldquo;renew your mind&rdquo; but never felt like that mandate came with any how-to instructions.
We explore:
&mdash;The night Dr. Lee got caught outside in a mortar attack with no gear
&mdash;What PTSD taught him about unprocessed trauma and healing
&mdash;Losing his 19-year-old son&mdash;and how that reshaped his faith
&mdash;Why the brain can literally change based on what you choose to think about
&mdash;How Scripture aligns with neuroscience on anxiety, gratitude, and transformation&mdash;The connection between addiction, neuroplasticity, and the lies we believe
&mdash;The principle of &ldquo;loss to legacy&rdquo; and how suffering can become ministry
Subscribe to Dr. Lee&rsquo;s newsletter: <a href="https://drleewarren.substack.com/">drleewarren.substack.com</a>
Listen to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wleewarrenmd.com/podcast">Self-Brain Surgery&nbsp;</a><a href="https://www.wleewarrenmd.com/podcast">podcast</a>
Get <a href="https://www.wleewarrenmd.com/hopeisthefirstdose">Dr. Lee&rsquo;s books</a>
Follow Jon: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jonseidl/">https://www.instagram.com/jonseidl/</a>
Order the book, Confessions of a Christian Alcoholic:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.christianalcoholic.com">www.christianalcoholic.com</a>.
Watch this episode and get daily motivation: <a href="https://www.theveritasdaily.com/">www.theveritasdaily.com</a>.

Jon Seidl is the bestselling Christian author who became an alcoholic, not the other way around. It's usually the other way around. Or is it? "Confessions of a Christian alcoholic" (based on the book by the same title) is all about real stories, radical vulnerability, and remarkable comebacks of people who have struggled with alcoholism and addictions of all sorts. The show features interviews with fellow addicts and alcoholics as well as professionals in the fields of trauma, faith, and addiction recovery. Because let's be honest, we're all addicted to something. "Confessions" is a place for the desperate, the downtrodden, the destitute, and especially, the drunk. But it's also a place of hope and healing. Jon found sobriety after decades of struggling, but more importantly than finding sobriety, he found Jesus. In every episode, he gets radically vulnerable as he explores what it looks like to be on this journey of messy sanctification. Visit christianalcoholic.com for more resources.

Jon Seidl is the bestselling Christian author who became an alcoholic, not the other way around. It's usually the other way around. Or is it? "Confessions of a Christian alcoholic" (based on the book by the same title) is all about real stories, radical vulnerability, and remarkable comebacks of people who have struggled with alcoholism and addictions of all sorts. The show features interviews with fellow addicts and alcoholics as well as professionals in the fields of trauma, faith, and addiction recovery. Because let's be honest, we're all addicted to something. "Confessions" is a place for the desperate, the downtrodden, the destitute, and especially, the drunk. But it's also a place of hope and healing. Jon found sobriety after decades of struggling, but more importantly than finding sobriety, he found Jesus. In every episode, he gets radically vulnerable as he explores what it looks like to be on this journey of messy sanctification. Visit <a href="http://christianalcoholic.com/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://christianalcoholic.com&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1747239325727000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1G-752Q-1dyjq6GN5gt7xw">christianalcoholic.com</a> for more resources.

Jon Seidl is the bestselling Christian author who became an alcoholic, not the other way around. It's usually the other way around. Or is it? "Confessions of a Christian Alcoholic" is all about real stories, radical vulnerability, and remarkable comebacks of people who have struggled with alcoholism and addictions of all sorts.

Confessions of a Christian Alcoholic with Jon Seidl

The Neuroscience of 'Renewing Your Mind' and Changing Your Habits (Dr. Lee Warren): Episode 7

“Hope does not know how to leave. It just stays and quietly whispers, 'everything’s going to be okay. I know everything isn’t okay right now. Everything’s going be okay.'”

That's from Tanner Olson, an absolutely incredible poet who has a lot to say about the things that plunge us into addiction in the first place. His poetry isn't unreachable, though. It's poetry that meets you where you are at. Especially in your struggles. And that's why I'm talking to him today. 

Tanner understands hopelessness—that thing so many of us try to escape and drink away. He's struggled through infertility, depression, and working jobs you know you weren't meant to work. Now he's written a new book all about the antidote to hopelessness called Getting Through What You’re Going Through. It’s a collection of poems and reflections written through hard seasons when the life he wanted felt far out of reach. He doesn’t offer clichés. Instead, he offers beauty.

In this episode, we talk about what led to the new book: working at Chick-fil-A at 25 while dreaming of becoming a writer, winters in northern Wisconsin that felt isolating, and depression that wrapped him like a wet bathing suit. But more importantly, we talk about hope—not as a slogan, not as a trite verse thrown at pain—but as something that remains.

If you’ve ever felt stuck…
If you’ve ever wondered whether you have the faith to sit with yourself instead of escaping…
If you’ve ever questioned whether God is still present in what you’re walking through…

This conversation is an invitation to slow down and go through it, not around it. Because in those places is where God meets us. 

Looking for a one-stop recovery resource? Learn more about the Tyndale Life Recovery Bible by visiting https://hubs.la/Q041HjWm0.

We Explore:

— Hope as “the full assurance that God is with me in this and will get me through this”
— The lie of feeling like a burden and not being good enough
— Depression, loneliness, and winters in northern Wisconsin
— Working at Chick-fil-A at 25 while pursuing a writing calling
— The courage required to leave a season that is no longer life-giving
— Why spiritual clichés often deepen wounds instead of healing them
— How to sit with someone who feels hopeless without trying to fix them
— The quiet, steady nature of real hope
— The difference between escapism and endurance
— Developing the faith to sit with yourself instead of reaching for escape

Get Tanner's new book: Getting Through What You're Going Through: Notes and Poems for Hoping and Becoming
Follow Tanner on Instagram and Substack
Tanner's website: writtentospeak.com
Follow me: @jonseidl
Order my new book, Confessions of a Christian Alcoholic
Get the Tyndale Life Recovery Bible:https://hubs.la/Q041HjWm0

&ldquo;Hope does not know how to leave. It just stays and quietly whispers, 'everything&rsquo;s going to be okay. I know everything isn&rsquo;t okay right now. Everything&rsquo;s going be okay.'&rdquo;
That's from Tanner Olson, an absolutely incredible poet who has a lot to say about the things that plunge us into addiction in the first place. His poetry isn't unreachable, though. It's poetry that meets you where you are at. Especially in your struggles. And that's why I'm talking to him today.&nbsp;
Tanner understands hopelessness&mdash;that thing so many of us try to escape and drink away. He's struggled through infertility, depression, and working jobs you know you weren't meant to work. Now he's written a new book all about the antidote to hopelessness called&nbsp;<a href="https://amzn.to/4qDSLwT">Getting Through What You&rsquo;re Going Through</a>.&nbsp;It&rsquo;s a collection of poems and reflections written through hard seasons when the life he wanted felt far out of reach. He doesn&rsquo;t offer clich&eacute;s. Instead, he offers beauty.
In this episode, we talk about what led to the new book: working at Chick-fil-A at 25 while dreaming of becoming a writer, winters in northern Wisconsin that felt isolating, and depression that wrapped him like a wet bathing suit. But more importantly, we talk about hope&mdash;not as a slogan, not as a trite verse thrown at pain&mdash;but as something that remains.
If you&rsquo;ve ever felt stuck&hellip; If you&rsquo;ve ever wondered whether you have the faith to sit with yourself instead of escaping&hellip; If you&rsquo;ve ever questioned whether God is still present in what you&rsquo;re walking through&hellip;
This conversation is an invitation to slow down and go through it, not around it. Because in those places is where God meets us.&nbsp;
Looking for a one-stop recovery resource? Learn more about the Tyndale Life Recovery Bible by visiting&nbsp;<a href="https://hubs.la/Q041HjWm0">https://hubs.la/Q041HjWm0.</a>
We Explore:
&mdash; Hope as &ldquo;the full assurance that God is with me in this and will get me through this&rdquo; &mdash; The lie of feeling like a burden and not being good enough &mdash; Depression, loneliness, and winters in northern Wisconsin &mdash; Working at Chick-fil-A at 25 while pursuing a writing calling &mdash; The courage required to leave a season that is no longer life-giving &mdash; Why spiritual clich&eacute;s often deepen wounds instead of healing them &mdash; How to sit with someone who feels hopeless without trying to fix them &mdash; The quiet, steady nature of real hope &mdash; The difference between escapism and endurance &mdash; Developing the faith to sit with yourself instead of reaching for escape
Get Tanner's new book: <a href="https://amzn.to/4qDSLwT">Getting Through What You're Going Through: Notes and Poems for Hoping and Becoming</a> Follow Tanner on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/writtentospeak">Instagram</a> and <a href="https://substack.com/@tannerolson">Substack</a> Tanner's website: <a href="https://www.writtentospeak.com">writtentospeak.com</a> Follow me:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/jonseidl/">@jonseidl</a> Order my new book,&nbsp;<a href="https://amzn.to/4opuOt">Confessions of a Christian Alcoholic</a> Get the Tyndale Life Recovery Bible: <a href="https://hubs.la/Q041HjWm0">h</a><a href="https://hubs.la/Q041HjWm0">ttp</a><a href="https://hubs.la/Q041HjWm0">s://hubs.la/Q041HjWm0</a>

Holding Onto Hope Amidst Depression, Anxiety, and Uncertainty: Tanner Olson on Getting Through What You're Going Through

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/5e27a451-e6e6-4c51-aa03-a7370003783c/clips/8f388e3f-8935-45e4-b9d8-b3f5002768b6/transcript

“Forgiveness isn’t condoning what happened. It’s choosing not to let it destroy you anymore. … I forgave my dad more times than I can count, and I’ll probably keep forgiving him forever.”

Those are the beautiful words from Stephen McWhirter. You might not know McWhirter's name, but you do know his songs. Especially one of them. That’s because he’s the man behind the incredibly gripping worship anthem “Come Jesus Come,” recorded by CeCe Winans and eventually country superstar Cody Johnson.

But that's just a small part of a much bigger story. That story? It starts at a young age when McWhirter's father, a successful preacher loved by everyone, would beat his mother. The man who would praise God in the morning would punch his mom in the evening. How do you make sense of that?

The way so many of us do: we try to escape it. Numb it. Blur it out.

That’s exactly what McWhirter did. Despite his Christian upbringing, he ran hard into a life of drugs and alcohol starting at a young age. He needed to do all he could to drown the hypocrisy. The confusion. The images. Until one night, he couldn’t run anymore and God met him in the most unlikely way.

In this episode, McWhirter tells his unedited story from bitterness, to addiction, and ultimately to forgiveness. Along the way, he also tells the unlikely story behind Come Jesus Come—a song born out of longing for Christ’s return that later found a wider audience through Winans and Johnson—and explains how that longing reshaped the way he lives in the present. This is a conversation for anyone who has ever tried to run from God, and for anyone longing for things to be made right.

Looking for a one-stop recovery resource? Learn more about the Tyndale Life Recovery Bible by visiting https://hubs.la/Q041HjWm0.

We explore: 

— How spiritual hypocrisy can fuel addiction and rebellion
— Growing up with abuse behind the scenes of public faith
— Addiction as self-destruction, numbness, and unresolved rage
— Encountering Jesus in the middle of active drug use
— Why forgiveness is necessary even when reconciliation isn’t possible
— The repeated, ongoing nature of true forgiveness
— Repentance as an invitation to freedom, not punishment
— Why hiding always leads to deeper bondage
— Why recovery aimed only at sobriety will never be enough
— What it means to become fully alive in Jesus

Get Stephen's new book: Radically Restored: How Knowing Jesus Heals Our Brokenness
Stephen's Instagram: @stephenmcwhirter
Follow me: @jonseidl
Order my new book, Confessions of a Christian Alcoholic
Get the Tyndale Life Recovery Bible:https://hubs.la/Q041HjWm0

&ldquo;Forgiveness isn&rsquo;t condoning what happened. It&rsquo;s choosing not to let it destroy you anymore. &hellip; I forgave my dad more times than I can count, and I&rsquo;ll probably keep forgiving him forever.&rdquo;
Those are the beautiful words from Stephen McWhirter. You might not know McWhirter's name, but you do know his songs. Especially one of them. That&rsquo;s because he&rsquo;s the man behind the incredibly gripping worship anthem &ldquo;Come Jesus Come,&rdquo; recorded by CeCe Winans and eventually country superstar Cody Johnson.
But that's just a small part of a much bigger story. That story? It starts at a young age when McWhirter's father, a successful preacher loved by everyone, would beat his mother. The man who would praise God in the morning would punch his mom in the evening. How do you make sense of that?
The way so many of us do: we try to escape it. Numb it. Blur it out.
That&rsquo;s exactly what McWhirter did. Despite his Christian upbringing, he ran hard into a life of drugs and alcohol starting at a young age. He needed to do all he could to drown the hypocrisy. The confusion. The images. Until one night, he couldn&rsquo;t run anymore and God met him in the most unlikely way.
<a href="https://hubs.la/Q041HjWm0"></a>In this episode, McWhirter tells his unedited story from bitterness, to addiction, and ultimately to forgiveness. Along the way, he also tells the unlikely story behind Come Jesus Come&mdash;a song born out of longing for Christ&rsquo;s return that later found a wider audience through Winans and Johnson&mdash;and explains how that longing reshaped the way he lives in the present. This is a conversation for anyone who has ever tried to run from God, and for anyone longing for things to be made right.
Looking for a one-stop recovery resource? Learn more about the Tyndale Life Recovery Bible by visiting&nbsp;<a href="https://hubs.la/Q041HjWm0">https://hubs.la/Q041HjWm0.</a>
We explore:&nbsp;
&mdash; How spiritual hypocrisy can fuel addiction and rebellion &mdash; Growing up with abuse behind the scenes of public faith &mdash; Addiction as self-destruction, numbness, and unresolved rage &mdash; Encountering Jesus in the middle of active drug use &mdash; Why forgiveness is necessary even when reconciliation isn&rsquo;t possible &mdash; The repeated, ongoing nature of true forgiveness &mdash; Repentance as an invitation to freedom, not punishment &mdash; Why hiding always leads to deeper bondage &mdash; Why recovery aimed only at sobriety will never be enough &mdash; What it means to become fully alive in Jesus
Get Stephen's new book:&nbsp;<a href="https://amzn.to/4tpBv1f">Radically Restored: How Knowing Jesus Heals Our Brokenness</a> Stephen's Instagram:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/stephenmcwhirter/">@stephenmcwhirter</a> Follow me:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/jonseidl/">@jonseidl</a> Order my new book,&nbsp;<a href="https://amzn.to/4opuOt">Confessions of a Christian Alcoholic</a> Get the Tyndale Life Recovery Bible: <a href="https://hubs.la/Q041HjWm0">h</a><a href="https://hubs.la/Q041HjWm0">ttp</a><a href="https://hubs.la/Q041HjWm0">s://hubs.la/Q041HjWm0</a>

He Wrote CeCe Winans' 'Come Jesus Come.' Stephen McWhirter Now Reveals His Past Struggles with Addiction and Forgiveness.

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/5e27a451-e6e6-4c51-aa03-a7370003783c/clips/3bd0f9ee-4c4f-437e-a806-b3ee002ee5d2/transcript

“You are not stuck because of what happened. You’re stuck because your brain keeps running the same play. And your brain is always ready to run a new one the moment you tell it to.”

That's just one of the incredible insights from practicing neurosurgeon Dr. Lee Warren, who joins us today to talk about a practice he calls "self-brain surgery." In this conversation, Lee explains how modern neuroscience confirms what Scripture has been teaching for thousands of years: transformation happens through the renewing of the mind, and our brains are not fixed, broken machines doomed to repeat the past.

Drawing from his experience as a neurosurgeon, Iraq War veteran, and grieving father, Lee walks through the science of neuroplasticity and why addiction is best understood as a hijacked reward system rather than a moral failure. We talk about how thoughts shape brain structure, why trauma isn’t what keeps us stuck—but our responses to it can—and how believers often unknowingly participate in their own demise by assuming change isn’t possible.

This episode is not about quick fixes or denying the need for professional help. It’s about recovering agency, reclaiming responsibility, and understanding that God has designed the brain to change. If you’ve ever felt trapped by patterns you hate, weighed down by grief, or discouraged by how slow sanctification feels, this conversation offers both hope and a way forward. Listen if you want a deeper, grounded understanding of how faith and neuroscience work together in real transformation.

We explore:

— Why the brain is not creating your thoughts but responding to them
— How neuroplasticity explains biblical commands to renew the mind
— Addiction as a hijacked reward system rather than mere behavior
— The difference between trauma and the responses we form to trauma
— Why grief can become something we unconsciously worship
— How “self-brain surgery” describes real, structural brain change
— The role of metacognition in interrupting destructive thought patterns
— Why Christians often feel stuck even while believing the right theology
— The limits of medication and the necessity of professional care alongside cognitive change
— What it means to refuse to participate in your own demise

Get Lee's new book: The Life-Changing Art of Self-Brain Surgery
Sign up for Lee's emails
Lee's Instagram: @drleewarren
Follow me: @jonseidl
Order my new book, Confessions of a Christian Alcoholic

&ldquo;You are not stuck because of what happened. You&rsquo;re stuck because your brain keeps running the same play. And your brain is always ready to run a new one the moment you tell it to.&rdquo;
That's just one of the incredible insights from practicing neurosurgeon Dr. Lee Warren, who joins us today to talk about a practice he calls "self-brain surgery." In this conversation, Lee explains how modern neuroscience confirms what Scripture has been teaching for thousands of years: transformation happens through the renewing of the mind, and our brains are not fixed, broken machines doomed to repeat the past.
Drawing from his experience as a neurosurgeon, Iraq War veteran, and grieving father, Lee walks through the science of neuroplasticity and why addiction is best understood as a hijacked reward system rather than a moral failure. We talk about how thoughts shape brain structure, why trauma isn&rsquo;t what keeps us stuck&mdash;but our responses to it can&mdash;and how believers often unknowingly participate in their own demise by assuming change isn&rsquo;t possible.
This episode is not about quick fixes or denying the need for professional help. It&rsquo;s about recovering agency, reclaiming responsibility, and understanding that God has designed the brain to change. If you&rsquo;ve ever felt trapped by patterns you hate, weighed down by grief, or discouraged by how slow sanctification feels, this conversation offers both hope and a way forward. Listen if you want a deeper, grounded understanding of how faith and neuroscience work together in real transformation.
We explore:
&mdash; Why the brain is not creating your thoughts but responding to them &mdash; How neuroplasticity explains biblical commands to renew the mind &mdash; Addiction as a hijacked reward system rather than mere behavior &mdash; The difference between trauma and the responses we form to trauma &mdash; Why grief can become something we unconsciously worship &mdash; How &ldquo;self-brain surgery&rdquo; describes real, structural brain change &mdash; The role of metacognition in interrupting destructive thought patterns &mdash; Why Christians often feel stuck even while believing the right theology &mdash; The limits of medication and the necessity of professional care alongside cognitive change &mdash; What it means to refuse to participate in your own demise
Get Lee's new book: <a href="https://amzn.to/3NT9Ghr">The Life-Changing Art of Self-Brain Surgery</a> Sign up for <a href="https://drleewarren.substack.com">Lee's emails</a> Lee's Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/drleewarren/">@drleewarren</a> Follow me: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jonseidl/">@jonseidl</a> Order my new book,&nbsp;<a href="https://amzn.to/4opuOt">Confessions of a Christian Alcoholic</a>

Addiction, Trauma, and Rewiring Your Brain: Dr. Lee Warren Explains the Art of Self-Brain Surgery

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/5e27a451-e6e6-4c51-aa03-a7370003783c/clips/2f802cda-91ea-4767-96b5-b3e601260096/transcript

The Neuroscience of 'Renewing Your Mind' and Changing Your Habits (Dr. Lee Warren): Episode 7

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