From a childhood marked by poverty, illness, and abuse, Ben Brady learned early that survival would take more than willpower — it would take grace. Raised in a home shadowed by alcoholism, abandonment, and pain, he grew up searching for hope in a world that seemed determined to take everything from him. Then, in a rainy Lowell doorway, he encountered the gospel and found a Savior who could redeem even the most broken life. What followed was a journey of faith, forgiveness, music, and unexpected calling — a story of how God uses suffering, stubbornness, and ordinary moments to shape a life for His purpose. Honest, redemptive, and deeply human, this memoir is a testimony to the power of God to bring beauty out of brokenness and to lead one man from surviving life to serving it.

From a childhood marked by poverty, illness, and abuse, Ben Brady learned early that survival would take more than willpower — it would take grace. Raised in a home shadowed by alcoholism, abandonment, and pain, he grew up searching for hope in a world that seemed determined to take everything from him. Then, in a rainy doorway in Lowell, Massachusetts, he encountered the gospel and found a Savior who could redeem even the most broken life. What followed was a journey of faith, forgiveness, music, and unexpected calling — a story of how God uses suffering, stubbornness, and ordinary moments to shape a life for His purpose. Honest, redemptive, and deeply human, this memoir is a testimony to the power of God to bring beauty out of brokenness and to lead one man from surviving life to serving it.

https://youtu.be/Si3lhgEfCHM?is=U6HahidnAdCSUVuZ

WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET: A LIFE STORY IN MY OWN WORDS CHRONICLES A REMARKABLE JOURNEY OF FAITH AND RESILIENCE Mr. Ben E. Brady shares an honest memoir that reflects on hardship, redemption, and a lifetime of unexpected experiences shaped by enduring faith. New York, NY, July 25, 2026 — Mr. Ben E. Brady presents What You See Is What You Get: A Life Story in My Own Words, a compelling memoir that recounts a lifetime marked by extraordinary challenges, unexpected opportunities, and unwavering faith. From his premature birth in Lowell, Massachusetts, to careers and adventures that carried him across the United States, Brady's story offers readers a candid account of perseverance, personal growth, and spiritual transformation. In What You See Is What You Get: A Life Story in My Own Words, Brady reflects on the many chapters of a life that defies convention. His journey includes experiences ranging from performing music in neighborhood venues while sharing his Christian faith to serving as a Justice of the Peace in Texas, along with numerous other unexpected turns that reveal both personal struggle and remarkable determination. The inspiration for the memoir comes from Brady's desire to share his life exactly as he lived it, without embellishment or pretense. Looking back across decades of hardship, personal loss, professional change, and spiritual renewal, he recognized an opportunity to document the faith that sustained him through every season. His honest reflections encourage readers to see how perseverance, humility, and trust in God can shape even the most unpredictable life journey. Beyond recounting memorable experiences, the memoir explores broader themes of redemption, purpose, and the enduring influence of faith. Brady demonstrates that a meaningful life is not defined by perfection but by the willingness to continue moving forward despite adversity. His story emphasizes that God's grace often becomes most visible through life's greatest trials, offering readers encouragement to embrace hope and remain faithful through changing circumstances. What You See Is What You Get: A Life Story in My Own Words is written for readers who appreciate inspirational memoirs, Christian testimony, and true stories of resilience. It will resonate with individuals seeking encouragement through life's challenges as well as those interested in authentic accounts of personal transformation. Through thoughtful storytelling and heartfelt reflection, the memoir reminds readers that every experience, no matter how difficult, can contribute to a greater purpose. Mr. Ben E. Brady draws upon a lifetime of diverse experiences, public service, music, and Christian faith to offer readers a memoir rooted in authenticity and gratitude. His commitment to honesty and his willingness to share both victories and failures provide a compelling portrait of a life shaped by perseverance and grace. Through What You See Is What You Get: A Life Story in My Own Words, Brady leaves readers with a timeless reminder that faith can sustain hope through every chapter of life's journey. The book is now available — secure your copy here: https:/a.co/d/07qZMUfz For review copies, interview requests, or additional information, please contact: Mr. Ben E. Brady Email: benebrady[gmail].com

This memoir is a raw, unapologetic, and thoroughly American life story. Ben E. Brady's journey reads like a cross between a classic country song and a testament to iron-willed survival. Coming into the world at two pounds and two ounces in 1957—fifteen weeks premature, with broken legs and a cluster of heart defects—Brady was a statistical impossibility from day one. What stands out most about his early life is the sheer brutality of his upbringing: an unstable, schizophrenic father who eventually abandoned the family, a fifteen-year-old mother overwhelmed and abusive, and a childhood marked by violence, poverty, and isolation. Yet, rather than descending into self-pity or grievance politics, Brady treats these hardships as raw facts of life. He acknowledges the sins of his parents without wallowing in bitterness, ultimately finding a way to forgive them—a mature and distinctly Christian resolution to a turbulent past. The book is also a fascinating historical time capsule. Brady captures the texture of mid-century America: the grit of Lowell, Massachusetts, the space program on black-and-white television, the terror of the Northeast Blackout of 1965, the pioneering days of home computing (tinkering with PDP-8s and writing Z-80 assembly language), and the rugged reality of working cattle ranches in Arizona. Several threads make this memoir particularly compelling: 1. Self-Reliance and the Intellect: Denied a normal childhood and bullied for being bookish, Brady used his intellect as armor. He taught himself to read from comic books, mastered electronics and computer programming from library books, and built a forty-year career as an independent software consultant—all without the benefit of formal degrees. 2. Faith and Redemption: The pivotal moment on the Pawtucket Bridge—where a carp breaking the surface reminded him that God takes care of His creation—turned his life around. His conversion led him away from despair and into a lifelong walk of faith, music, and ministry. His knack for planting "seeds" by slipping a gospel song into a beer lounge performance is classic Americana evangelism. 3. The Bench and Compassion: His four years as a Justice of the Peace in Caldwell County, Texas, show a man who understood human frailty firsthand. Operating under the principle of being "a Christian first and a judge second," he sought to rehabilitate young offenders through accountability and workbooks rather than simply throwing the book at them, while balancing the grim reality of death investigations with pastoral compassion. 4. Resilience in the Face of Physical Trials: From losing his right eye to retinopathy of prematurity, surviving numerous car crashes, undergoing multiple cervical spine fusions, and battling severe neuropathy, Brady's body has taken a beating. Yet his spirit remains remarkably intact, anchored by his faith, his music, his 3D printing hobby, and his life with Kristie and their family in New Braunfels. It is the story of a man who refused to let statistics, poverty, or abuse define the ceiling of his life. It is honest, humorous, deeply reflective, and a testament to the fact that with grit, faith, and a stubborn refusal to quit, a man can build something lasting out of the wreckage of a broken beginning.

Discover an unforgettable journey of resilience, faith, and triumph against all odds in Ben E. Brady’s captivating memoir, What You See Is What You Get: A Life Story in My Own Words. ​ Why You Can't Put This Book Down: ​A Miraculous Beginning: Born 15 weeks premature at just two pounds, two ounces with two broken legs and severe heart defects, Ben was never supposed to survive. Saved in an incubator by a rogue nurse with Karo corn syrup, his life began as a living refutation of medical statistics. ​Unvarnished Honesty & Resilience: Taught to read by giant Batman comics in a turbulent home, Ben transformed early hardship into a lifelong drive for self-reliance and learning. ​An Extraordinary Life of Many Chapters: Follow an incredible journey through decades of American life—from touring as a country and gospel musician and pioneering software design in the early PC era, to serving as a volunteer firefighter and assisting an FBI investigation. ​Faith, Forgiveness, and Redemption: Beyond the dramatic milestones lies a deeply human story about reconciliation with family, letting go of past bitterness, and finding quiet contentment alongside the love of his life. ​Grab your copy today and experience a candid, inspiring American life story that proves no obstacle is too great to overcome! https://a.co/d/07qZMUfz

More than 11 years ago, while Kristie and I were leading worship at Redwood Baptist Church, just outside of San Marcos, one of my fellow congregants asked me if I knew the song, "On the Wings of a Dove". I had heard the song hundreds of times but I had never taken the time to learn it. He asked if I would learn it and sing it there at church. I learned the song and sang it a couple of weeks later. The next morning, God had awakened me very early and as I lay there thinking about the song and it's history, I realized that although the song in its original form had become the first million-selling gospel song, it didn't fully express the full gospel message that Christ died for us. In 1956, the original song writer, Bob Ferguson, wrote the song with the chorus and 2 verses after completing a tough project at work, as an exercise in relaxation. Somehow, it garnered the attention of Ferlin Husky and it became a number-one hit for him. In 1971, Dolly Parton decided to record the song and she added a third verse to it, about Jesus' being baptized and God's approval of his obedience. In 1983, the song was featured in the Oscar-winning movie, "Tender Mercies", about a down and out drunken country song writer who finds redemption and it enjoyed a resurgence in popularity. Bob Ferguson passed away in 2001. As I lay there thinking about the song and it's message, the Lord told me it was time to add a new verse to the song. I got up and went to the computer and wrote the following fourth verse: "Up Calvary's mountain, the Jesus did go. He suffered and died, 'cause he loved us so. He sends down his Spirit, listen closely, you'll hear it. He sends down his love, On the Wings of a Dove." For the past 11 years I've sang that last verse to the song, in the belief that it finally brought forth the full gospel message to the song. But, this morning God told me different. The new "last verse" is now: "Up Calvary's mountain, then Jesus did go. He suffered and died, 'cause he loved us so. Christ rose on the third day, that all men might be saved. God sent down his son, On the Wings of a Dove." Now, the song completely describes the full gospel message. https://youtu.be/za0aAwziSuU

Kristie and I just got a HUGE blessing that once again confirms to us that God is continuing to take care of us. Some of you may know that our truck is failing and needs a new transmission. But the transmission rebuild would cost way more than the truck is worth. This morning I was thinking about things and I remembered that when was a justice of the peace in Caldwell County I contributed to the TCDRS retirement system. When I first took office, they told me it would be 8 years before I was "fully vested" in the account. I didn't know what that meant. So this morning I asked Google. It told me that applied to the employer contribution, but the money I paid in, I would automatically be 100% vested. I called them this morning and found out I could withdraw the money I paid in. Now we can get another vehicle. God is once again taking care of what we need. Thank you, Jesus!

I wrote this song for an Easter sunrise service when I was 21 years old, and I sang it in churches all over the country on Easter for more than 30 years. https://youtu.be/FLwcm8RlhSI

A little more than 10 years ago, my wife and I were leading worship in a small church, and one of the congregants asked me if I knew this song. At the time, I didn't, but I had heard it many times and loved it. He asked me to learn it to sing at the church. A few weeks later, I sang it. The next morning, when I awakened, the song was the first thing I thought of, and I lay in bed reflecting upon what the message of the song was trying to impart. When Ferlin Husky originally recorded it, the song only had 2 verses. It was the first million selling gospel song. The 3rd verse was written and added by Dolly Parton when she recorded it in 1971. As I lay there thinking about the song, I realized that although the song was good, it really didn't bring forth the full gospel message that Christ died for us because he loves us. I got out of bed and went to my computer, picked up my guitar, and wrote a 4th verse. Here is how I finished the song: Up Calvary's mountain Then, Jesus did go. He suffered and died, 'cause he loves us so. He sends down his spirit, Listen closely, you'll hear it, He sends down His love, On the wings of a dove. Now, the song tells the full gospel message. https://youtu.be/X8Zgog-94W8?si=MVd2x1Up-3NrN_-z

Here's a song i wrote when I was 21 years old. I sang it every Easter where i attended church for more than 30 years. https://youtu.be/FLwcm8RlhSI?si=awOyVhRDmpnP_AzH

Joshua 1:19 always gives me hope.