Jacob Phillips of West Monroe, Louisiana, defied medical expectations from the moment of his birth at Bossier General Hospital on December 12, 1977. What doctors initially described as a fatal condition has become a remarkable story of faith that Phillips, now 48, shares through his ministry and published testimony.
When Phillips was delivered by Caesarean section, medical professionals discovered he faced what he calls “triple trouble”: hydrocephalus (fluid accumulation commonly known as water on the brain), partial skull formation, and the absence of a fully developed brain. Only his brain stem was functioning at birth.
A grim prognosis met with unwavering faith
“I was born with hydrocephalus, more commonly known as water on the brain. I also had partial skull formation, which means I barely had any skull, [and] to top it all off, I had no brain,” Phillips said. “My brain stem was what was keeping me alive. Finding this out, the doctor told my parents and family I wouldn’t live through the hour. I was given an immediate death sentence. I credit my faith in God for where I am today. I strive to keep a close relationship with God because He gave me what I needed to live.”
Phillips’ mother, who had previously experienced a miscarriage, refused to accept the dire prediction. Despite her doctor’s objections, she threatened to wheel herself to the nursery to feed her newborn son. Her determination was matched by Phillips’ grandmother, who confronted the attending physician directly.
“I remember my grandmother telling me once that she told the doctor I wasn’t going to die. She looked him in the eye and said, ‘You don’t know what my God can do!'” Phillips said.
Three pastors and a prayer
The family received substantial support from the church community. Phillips’ nurse, Susie, contacted her pastor Don Logan from Shreveport with his mother’s permission. Simultaneously, his grandparents reached out to their own pastor in West Monroe, Loel Ashbrook. A friend of Ashbrook’s, Duane Amis, happened to be present during that call.
“I call these three men the Power Trio,” said Phillips. “They came to the hospital to pray for me. God created a brain in my head because of the preachers’ prayer.”
In Phillips’ book “Born Without A Brain,” he includes recollections from Nurse Susie that she shared via Facebook messenger in 2014 about her conversation with Pastor Duane Amis.
Nurse Susie wrote: “I remember the baby without a brain. His head was shaped like a peanut. He had hydrocephalus. We transferred him to Ochsner’s Hospital in New Orleans. The Lord healed that child. The neurosurgeon called him a vegetable that day; I was infuriated! The baby’s head was so filled with fluid, doctors didn’t know if surgery would help. I think Jacob [Phillips] was 3 when his mom brought him back to see me. I wept that day! I am so thankful the Lord let me see His power.”
A life marked by medical challenges and resilience
Phillips has endured 25 surgeries throughout his life, beginning with a major procedure at one week old to install a shunt in his head to address the hydrocephalus. Doctors subsequently constructed a skull for him using bone grafts. He is legally blind and faced a critical medical emergency at age 10 when his shunt malfunctioned, requiring a 26-day hospitalization for shunt replacement and removal of a stomach cyst.
His childhood was difficult in other ways. Phillips experienced bullying from preschool through high school because of his appearance, often returning home from school in tears. “That part of my life has been difficult to overcome, but I have left it behind for the most part,” he reflected. “I don’t really have a philosophy I live by; I just take one day at a time.”
At age 10, Phillips became “born again” at his uncle’s children’s church. He was called into ministry at 17, and after 25 years, became a licensed and ordained evangelist minister.
Ministry and marriage
Phillips and his wife of 16 years, Charlene, 46, operate a ministry called “Sons of Righteousness,” traveling nationwide to share their message of faith. Their relationship began when Phillips was 18 and Charlene was 16, introduced through a mutual friend over the phone.
“I went to see her a few days later, and when I stepped out of the car, I took one look at her and said, ‘I’m going to marry that girl one day,'” Phillips said. “I couldn’t ask for anyone better.”
After waiting nine years, Phillips published his book documenting his experiences. “I have a friend in Oregon who helped me get started, and a friend in Mississippi hooked me up with a publisher in West Virginia who would ultimately help me get published on Amazon,” he said. “I wanted to get my story out to show God still does miracles, and He wants to do something in the lives of others.”
For those facing difficulties, Phillips emphasizes the importance of prayer. “I’m huge on having a solid prayer life,” he said. “There is nothing in this life that can’t be overcome.”
