Combat Veteran Saved by Falling Bible

Summary

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Podcast Summary: GPS: God. People. Stories.

Episode: Combat Veteran Saved by Falling Bible

Host: Jim Kirkland
Guest: Fernando Arroyo
Date: April 15, 2026
Theme: A combat veteran’s journey through war, PTSD, despair, and miraculous rescue—finding hope, redemption, and a new mission through Jesus Christ.

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Episode Overview

This episode features Fernando Arroyo, a decorated U.S. Army veteran, who shares his harrowing journey through the traumas of war, the darkness of PTSD, and his near-suicide. Through a mysterious event involving a falling Bible, Fernando found hope that led him to recovery and a new purpose: helping fellow veterans discover hope and healing in Christ.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Fernando’s Childhood and Early Faith

• Growing up in East Los Angeles:

  • Immigrant parents from Mexico; tough neighborhood exposure to gangs, drugs, violence.
  • Dreamed of being a soldier, inspired by Desert Storm coverage (02:35-03:20).

• Introduction to Faith:

  • Began believing in Jesus at 13; at first, it felt more like a formality than a transformative event (03:36).

“I can’t say I had this, like, wow moment. You know, I just believed in Jesus at a young age. But at 13, it was more of a formality.” — Fernando Arroyo (03:36)

Call to Service: The 9/11 Effect

• September 11, 2001:
  • 17 at the time; compelled to enlist in the Army just weeks after the attacks, despite never flying before (04:15).

Military Training and Deployment

• Training Reflections:

  • Relied on prayer during training, initially following his faith closely (04:45).
  • Began to drift away from God once integrated with fellow soldiers (05:12).

• First Deployment: Iraq at 19

  • Faced combat in Fallujah, recurring prayers for safety despite feeling distant from God (05:33).
  • Survived a close ambush, first experience shooting someone in combat (06:21-07:04).

“I was now 19 years old, first time in combat...my training kicked in with my night vision on my M4 and I just start returning fire...that night was the first time I shot someone.” — Fernando Arroyo (05:33-07:04)

• Repeated Trauma:
  • Numerous IEDs, firefights—escaped physical harm but became emotionally numb and further drifted from faith (07:28, 07:42).

Return Home and Worsening PTSD

• Transition to Civilian Life:
  • Persistent PTSD symptoms—nightmares, hypervigilance, isolation, substance abuse (08:09-11:04).
  • Family witnesses his hyperreactive state (08:42).

“Trash day...I yell, incoming. Get down...they're just looking at me, what is going on?...I sit down laughing, like, oh, man, you know, silly me. Yeah, it's a thing we did. And my mom's crying and she says, mijo, are you okay? I said, yeah, mom, I'm fine. And I wasn't.” — Fernando Arroyo (08:42)

• Struggle with Faith:
  • Anger at God for pain and suffering seen in war, loss of friends, and continued deployment assignments (09:52-10:18).

“If God is in control of everything, then all the carnage and the mayhem I saw in combat, he's the one doing it. God is kind of evil... everything bad. It’s his fault.” — Fernando Arroyo (09:52)

The Breaking Point: Suicide Attempt and the “Bang”

• Rock Bottom:
  • Consumed by trauma, isolation, and guilt. Friends had died by suicide; he saw himself traveling the same path (11:55-12:24).
  • In his apartment, put a pistol in his mouth, prayed for a sign, and started pulling the trigger.

“I could taste the oil from the pistol in my mouth and I took the safety off. I heard the click and I said, God, if you're there, save me.” — Fernando Arroyo (00:09, 12:24)

• Divine Intervention:
  • Just as he squeezed the trigger, a loud bang interrupted—his Bible had fallen off the desk, inexplicably (13:11).

“I had a Bible on my office desk...and it just mysteriously just fell off the desk and fell to the floor. And that was the bang that I heard.” — Fernando Arroyo (13:11)

• Immediate Response:
  • Broke down, prayed for help and forgiveness, surrendered to God (13:24).

Path to Healing

• Seeking Help:
  • Old Army buddy connects him to a VA therapist; initially denies symptoms (13:38-14:18).
  • Therapist confronts Fernando with facts and compassion, proposes a spiritual perspective despite being Jewish (14:27-15:59).

“Is there anything that you have done or could ever do that makes what he [Jesus] did on the cross no longer valid or that he cannot cover and that he cannot forgive?” — Fernando’s therapist (15:59)

• Honesty Brings Freedom:
  • Admits everything: nightmares, drinking, trauma, shame. Therapist encourages spiritual surrender (15:21-16:42).
  • Finds love, support, and acceptance when finally opening up to his church (16:54).

“I was surrounded with love, with prayer, with support...I came even closer to God through this.” — Fernando Arroyo (16:54)

Renewed Purpose: Helping Others

• Veteran Advocacy:
  • Joined Biola University’s veterans’ center, now works at Orange County Rescue Mission and with a Christian nonprofit offering free mentorship to veterans (17:40-18:12).

“When I got help, not only did I find help, but I was also... Now I’m able to help others, and I’m helping veterans.” — Fernando Arroyo (17:59)

• Message to Others:
  • Urges people experiencing pain and darkness to call out to God, promising hope and light (18:32).

“God is chasing after us. God cares. He is there. And if you call on him, he is there. He is knocking at the door of your heart...the light breaks through the dark. Trust me. I challenge you to if you’re in a low place, call to Jesus. You will find hope.” — Fernando Arroyo (18:32)

The Gospel and God’s Rescue Plan (Billy Graham’s Words)

• Suffering and Redemption:
  • Host and Billy Graham reflect on evil, suffering, and the necessity of Christ’s sacrifice. God is present in suffering, with a rescue plan centered on Jesus (01:21, 20:21-21:23).

“God has a rescue plan, and his rescue effort is centered in the person of his son, Jesus Christ. That’s why Christ came. That’s why he died on the cross. That’s what the cross is all about.” — Billy Graham (01:21, 20:21)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “I was almost one of those veterans, but I found hope in Jesus Christ.” — Fernando Arroyo (17:35)
• “You’re only as sick as the secrets you keep.” — Fernando Arroyo (11:55)
• “God is chasing after us. God cares. He is there. And if you call on him, he is there.” — Fernando Arroyo (18:32)
• Therapist (Jewish, to Fernando): “Is there anything that you have done or could ever do that makes what he did on the cross no longer valid...?” (15:59)
• “If you surrender your life to Jesus, He gives you life abundantly. But it takes you giving up your pride and just humbling yourself the way Jesus did, and you’ll experience healing, forgiveness, and find true and eternal hope.” — Fernando Arroyo (22:00)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:09 — Fernando’s suicide attempt and prayer for rescue
• 02:35 — Childhood, toy soldiers, dreaming of being a GI Joe
• 03:36 — Early faith in Jesus at 13
• 05:33 — First combat, prayer before battle
• 06:21 — Ambush in Fallujah—description of firefight
• 08:09 — Onset of PTSD after returning home
• 09:52 — Anger and blame toward God after redeployment
• 11:55 — Depression, nightmares, refusing help
• 12:24 — Suicidal moment, plea to God
• 13:11 — Bible falls, interrupting suicide
• 14:27 — Therapist confrontation and spiritual question
• 16:54 — Confession in church, finding loving support
• 17:40 — Veteran advocacy and helping others
• 18:32 — Message of hope to those in darkness
• 20:21 — Billy Graham on the cross and God’s rescue plan
• 22:00 — Fernando’s parting words on abundant life in Christ

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Conclusion

This deeply moving episode chronicles Fernando Arroyo’s journey from the trauma and chaos of battlefields to the brink of self-destruction, and ultimately to renewed faith and healing—sparked by a mysterious, life-saving fall of his Bible. Having faced death and darkness, Fernando now dedicates his life to helping veterans find hope, just as he did, in Jesus Christ’s redemptive love.

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For support or to learn more about faith and suicide prevention:

• Visit findpeacewithgod.net
• Call the Billy Graham 24/7 Prayer Line: 855-255-7729

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Transcript

[Jim Kirkland]

This episode of GPS deals with attempted suicide, specifically with the use of a gun. Listener discretion is advised.

[Fernando Arroyo]

I could taste the oil from the pistol in my mouth and I took the safety off. I heard the click and I said, God, if you're there, save me.

[Jim Kirkland]

Fernando Arroyo was seconds away from taking his own life. He was a combat veteran who had served in the U.S. army. He suffered with post traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, which got so bad he felt felt suicide was his only way out.

[Fernando Arroyo]

So I close my eyes and I'm crying and I put my thumb on the trigger and I slowly start putting pressure on the trigger and then I heard a bang.

[Jim Kirkland]

But the bang was not his gun. It was a Bible. Hear Fernando share his story and how he now helps other veterans find hope in Jesus Christ on this episode of GPS God People Stories, an outreach of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. I'm Jim Kirkland. Even before entering the Army, Fernando realized that he couldn't save himself. But over time, he would come to realize just how much he needed God. Billy Graham shared about the evils of this world, including wars and man's great need for a savior.

[Billy Graham]

Now God has a rescue plan and his rescue effort is centered in the person of his son, Jesus Christ. That's why Christ came. That's why he died on the cross. Cross. That's what the cross is all about.

[Jim Kirkland]

You'll hear more about God's rescue plan from Billy Graham later in this episode. You can also learn more right now about Jesus's forgiveness through the cross by going to our website findpeacewithgod.net findpeacewithgod.nets and if you'd rather speak with someone right now, you can call the Billy Graham 24. 7 prayer line 855-255-7729. That's 855255, pray. And if you need that link and phone number again, you can find it in our show. Notes God People Stories Growing up, Fernando Arroyo and his family lived in a one bedroom home near East Los Angeles. His parents had immigrated to the US From Mexico. They didn't have much. On his rough neighborhood streets, Fernando was exposed to gangs, drugs and violence. But he didn't let that environment determine his future.

[Fernando Arroyo]

As a kid I had these little toy soldiers and like GI Joes playing army outside with my brother and my friends just running around with toy guns and stuff. And I remember watching Operation Desert Storm, so It was like 1991 and I remember on the news it would show these black and white thermal images of stealth fighters And Apache helicopters dropping bombs, destroying Iraqi tanks, all this cool stuff. But the thing that got me was seeing the footage of the guys on the ground, and they're shooting, they're returning fire, and then as they're getting shot at, they're moving up towards the enemy. And I thought, oh, these are real life GI Joes. This is what I want to be.

[Jim Kirkland]

While Fernando found his vocational purpose early on in Life, by age 13, he would discover another, greater purpose. Faith. After consistently attending church with his mom and older brother, he gave his life to Jesus Christ.

[Fernando Arroyo]

I can't say I had this, like, wow moment. You know, I just believed in Jesus at a young age. But at 13, it was more of a formality, like, do you believe in Jesus Christ? Like, yeah, of course. Like, yes, I do.

[Jim Kirkland]

Four years later, as a high school senior, Fernando's faith was put to the test. September 11, 2001. On that day, he was in class when the United States was attacked by terrorists. Compelled to serve his country, Fernando was sworn into the Army. Less than three weeks later, he enlisted to be a paratrooper. But Fernando had never even flown in an airplane. That was until he found himself on his way to infantry school.

[Fernando Arroyo]

When the plane took off, I watched the city of LA just disappear. And I thought, oh, I can't do this. I cannot jump out of an airplane. So I was very overwhelmed. It was a lot. I felt like I didn't know what I was getting myself into, which in a way I didn't. You know, this was bigger than me.

[Jim Kirkland]

After completing 14 weeks of infantry school in Fort Benning, Georgia, Fernando went to airborne school. That's where he learned how to jump out of a plane and become a paratrooper.

[Fernando Arroyo]

I remember through my basic training and airborne school, I was praying to God, asking him for strength. I was reading the book of Psalms. I was going to church on Sundays. And after airborne school, when I got to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, I stopped praying as much. I didn't seek out a church. I didn't seek out the chaplain. I made the mistake of wanting to be one of the boys.

[Jim Kirkland]

After a month in Fort Bragg, Fernando tried for a paratrooper position. It was in one of the reconnaissance platoons, and he was selected. With that accomplishment, Fernando's pride grew, and he began looking more to himself than to God. Then he was deployed to Iraq.

[Fernando Arroyo]

I was now 19 years old, first time in combat. I'm in the back of this Humvee, wearing night vision. There's bullets flying in the air, and I'm going to go to those bullets, right? So I lock and load. And I remember I said a prayer and I said, lord, forgive me for my sins. Sorry I'm not a good Christian. I'm not in the word, I'm not praying as much. But I know that my life is in your hands. If I die, may I wake in your presence in Jesus name, Amen.

[Jim Kirkland]

All the gunfire Fernando and his platoon encountered came at them as they approached the city of Fallujah. But once they entered the city, it all stopped. In fact, Fallujah looked like a ghost town, but they knew they were being watched. Then, as they made their way to the outskirts of the city, in a swampy area by the Euphrates River, Fernando was told, get ready, it's coming.

[Fernando Arroyo]

We're going like 5 to 10 miles an hour tops, looking for the bad guys. And that's when I heard two explosions and I saw two flashes. Two explosions. I felt the blast in my chest.

[Jim Kirkland]

Two glowing red rocket propelled grenades flew about 5ft over Fernando's head. And then more bullets.

[Fernando Arroyo]

It was this out of body experience. I was in an ambush and my training kicked in with my night vision on my M4 and I just start returning fire. And as I'm returning fire, I feel the Humvee move because we're trying to drive out of the kill zone so that we're not just sitting ducks and bullets are whizzing by and I'm shooting back. And I remember that night was the first time I shot someone.

[Jim Kirkland]

After what felt like an eternity, Fernando heard ceasefire.

[Fernando Arroyo]

I felt my team leader, my platoon sergeant touching me. They're touching my face and my body. I'm like, what's going on? They're like, we're making sure you're not hit. So we checked each other, we're good. And I just remember thinking, people are trying to kill me. This is reality, this is war, you know, and I might die here.

[Jim Kirkland]

For the next several months in Fallujah, Fernando faced ongoing attacks from rockets and IEDs, which stands for improvised explosive devices. All the while, he strayed farther and farther from God.

[Fernando Arroyo]

I don't know how many IED roadside bombs I experienced. It was a lot. Nothing ever touched me. I felt a blast and the heat. But God was there again. Not going to church, not reading the Bible. I was more focused on, I'll say a prayer before I go on a mission in case I die.

[Jim Kirkland]

But he did not escape, unaffected by all that he had been through. When Fernando returned from Iraq, he began to suffer from ptsd.

[Fernando Arroyo]

I'm in the barracks at Fort Bragg. And that night, my first night, I remember waking up to the sound of gunfire. I dove out of my bed. I'm on my hands and knees in my barracks room, and I'm looking for my M4, my weapon. I'm looking for my night vision, my body armor. None of it's there. And I'm panicking. And then I look out the window and I see green trees. And I realize, oh, I'm back. I am not in Iraq. This happened a lot.

[Jim Kirkland]

Eventually, other people began noticing his ptsd, including his family when he came home on a two week vacation.

[Fernando Arroyo]

We're watching TV and it was trash day. Well, when garbage trucks grab the trash cans, they lift them up and they shake them right, and it makes a bang. The lid bangs. So I'm in the living room and I hear the bang. And I yell, incoming. Get down. Incoming. And I dive to the living room floor and I'm yelling at my family and I'm cursing at them, get down, get down. Get on the ground. And they're just looking at me, what is going on? And then I remember, oh, I'm home. I am not in Iraq anymore. I sit down laughing, like, oh, man, you know, silly me. Yeah, it's a thing we did. And my mom's crying and she says, mijo, are you okay? I said, yeah, mom, I'm fine. And I wasn't.

[Jim Kirkland]

Six months later, Fernando was deployed to Afghanistan. It was during this deployment that he decided it was time to get out of the army and get back to civilian life. But he was told he first had to deploy to Iraq for another year. Fernando was angry and he blamed God.

[Fernando Arroyo]

I was like, if God is in control of everything, then he's the one that's keeping me from getting out, keeping me from living my life and being successful. Then I looked back and I said, if God is in control of everything, then all the carnage and the mayhem I saw in combat, he's the one doing it. God is kind of evil. How can a good God allow women and children to be killed? I just started laying into God everything bad. It's his fault.

[Jim Kirkland]

Fernando's anger only grew worse during this time in Beiji, Iraq. His platoon was losing men in combat there. His friends were dying. One of the worst experiences. There was a massive suicide car bombing that left horrific carnage in its wake. It was shortly after that that Fernando returned home.

[Fernando Arroyo]

This time, I get a piece of paper that Sundays, you have 10 days to get out of the Army. About two weeks later, I'm a college Student in California and I'm a civilian. After a 15 month deployment and overall over two years of combat, after everything

[Jim Kirkland]

he'd experienced, it just was not possible for Fernando's life to return to normal.

[Fernando Arroyo]

I do not feel safe anywhere. I'm going to church, but I'm sitting in the back of church with a hangover and I'm kind of like, look, God, I know you kept me alive. I know that you're real. So I'm kind of checking the box.

[Jim Kirkland]

Despite going to church on Sundays, Fernando was struggling. He felt alone, and he couldn't let go of his past.

[Fernando Arroyo]

I started falling apart. All the memories of my friends who were killed, of my friends who were wounded, that I carried to the medevac helicopter, to the bodies and things I saw that day, when that car bomb exploded, everything, it all came back to haunt me. And I was having nightmares. I was sleeping two hours or less a night.

[Jim Kirkland]

Fernando hated his life. He was miserable, but nevertheless, he still refused to tell anyone at church about what he was facing.

[Fernando Arroyo]

There's this saying that you're only as sick as the secrets you keep. I was holding onto these secrets, this trauma, this pain, this suffering. I wasn't even praying to God to help me with it.

[Jim Kirkland]

One night in his studio apartment, Fernando decided he would take his own life. A few of his friends had committed suicide, and he thought it was time for him to do the same. So after chugging a beer, he put a pistol in his mouth and closed his eyes.

[Fernando Arroyo]

I could taste the oil from the pistol in my mouth and I took the safety off. I heard the click. And then I said a prayer in my mind and I said, God, if you're there, save me.

[Jim Kirkland]

There was no response. Thanking God didn't care about him. Tears streamed down Fernando's cheeks. He was convinced it was time for him to go.

[Fernando Arroyo]

I'm going to put my thumb on the trigger, I told myself, and I'm just going to start squeezing and I'm not going to feel anything. It's just going to be a surprise.

[Jim Kirkland]

As Fernando slowly started pulling the trigger, he heard a bang. He dropped the gun.

[Fernando Arroyo]

I'm checking if there's blood. There's no blood. I check my head, the back of my head, there's no holes.

[Jim Kirkland]

Panicking, Fernando finally notices what caused the bang.

[Fernando Arroyo]

I had a Bible on my office desk in my studio apartment, and it just mysteriously just fell off the desk and fell to the floor. And that was the bang that I heard.

[Jim Kirkland]

Fernando fell to his knees and cried.

[Fernando Arroyo]

I said, I give up, all right? God, I give up. Help me. Help me. I need help. I need your help. I need your help. I just kept asking God for help, and I asked him for forgiveness, and I asked him to save me.

[Jim Kirkland]

A few days later, an old friend and fellow veteran reached out to Fernando. For months, he had been offering to take Fernando to the Department of Veteran affairs to see a psychologist. But up until that point, Fernando had just said, nope.

[Fernando Arroyo]

I was like, no, that's just for wussies. I'm not a coward. I did what I was trained to do, you know, Mr. Tough Paratrooper Guy.

[Jim Kirkland]

But after the failed suicide attempt, Fernando finally gave in. He took his buddy up on the offer and went to the VA's office in East Los Angeles. Before seeing the therapist, he was given a packet of questions to answer, like, how much do you drink? Do you have nightmares? He lied about all of it.

[Fernando Arroyo]

I was still ashamed, and I just said, no, no, no, no, no. Everything's great. I'm fine.

[Jim Kirkland]

But the therapist saw straight through Fernando's facade.

[Fernando Arroyo]

When I got called in to the therapist's office, you know, he said, come in, have a seat. And he says, you know, according to your answers, you don't need help. And I said, great. Can I leave? He says, hold on. You see, I'm looking at your answers on this piece of paper, and they don't match your military history because you have three combat deployments. You graduated Ranger school, you jumped out of planes. You have a Combat infantryman's badge, which means that I engage in direct battle against the enemy. Your answers do not match your military history. And I think that you're lying to me. He said, the only way I can help you is. Is if you allow me to help you by telling the truth.

[Jim Kirkland]

Fernando was holding on to what little pride he had left after putting a gun in his mouth. He recognized that God was bringing him help through this therapist. But nevertheless, he was debating whether to take it or not.

[Fernando Arroyo]

So I said, okay, what do you want to know? And he said, did you go to combat? I said, yes. Did you lose any friends? Yes. Have you ever had to shoot anyone? Yes. Are you having nightmares? Yes. How many hours of sleep are you getting each night? Two. How many drinks did you have Friday night? I had about 30 some beers. With who? Alone. What about Saturday? The same. With who alone? He said, fernando, you need help.

[Jim Kirkland]

Embarrassed, Fernando started to cry. The therapist asked fernando, are you religious?

[Fernando Arroyo]

I said, I'm a Christian. And he said, okay. He's like, I'm Jewish. I'm not a Christian. But I understand about Christianity. Why did Jesus die on the cross? And I said, he died for our sins. He said, is there anything that you have done or could ever do that makes what he did on the cross no longer valid or that he cannot cover and that he cannot forgive? And I cried and I said, no. And he said, fernando, I'm not a Christian, but I'm here for you, and if this is what it takes for you to find healing, I want to just give you a few moments to pray to Jesus and say whatever you want to him.

[Jim Kirkland]

Fernando prayed again for forgiveness and asked God to help him surrender his life. Over the next year, he met with that therapist two times a week, and he openly confessed to his church the problems that he had been facing.

[Fernando Arroyo]

I thought that I was going to be told, wow, that's terrible. You need to leave the church. You're not a real Christian. Or I just felt so much shame, you know, you're only as sick as a secret to keep. And the truth is, when I shared this, I was surrounded with love, with prayer, with support, and I came even closer to God through this.

[Jim Kirkland]

God changed everything for Fernando. He gave him a purpose to live and surrounded him with a church community. But Fernando knows many veterans are still fighting battles with ptsd, and those battles often result in suicide. As mentioned earlier, in this episode, as many as 17 veterans commit suicide every day.

[Fernando Arroyo]

I was almost one of those veterans, but I found hope in Jesus Christ.

[Jim Kirkland]

After getting back on his feet, Fernando started helping veterans at Biola University, a Christian school in California. It was through that work, the school eventually opened the Biola Veterans Center. Then Fernando became the veterans case manager at the Orange County Rescue Mission.

[Fernando Arroyo]

I found myself helping veterans. I'm like, God, you've called me. You know, I went through what I went through, and when I got help, not only did I find help, but I was also. Now I'm able to help others, and I'm helping veterans.

[Jim Kirkland]

Today, Fernando is a newlywed, and he's working two jobs. One is with a Christian nonprofit. It offers veterans free coaching and mentorship. The other is as a case manager, helping people who are recovering from substance abuse and mental health disorders. Fernando hopes his story encourages others to call out to God and to trust him.

[Fernando Arroyo]

Looking back, I see God was there the whole time. How is it that I went through all these IED explosions and I was never wounded? How is it that I was in an ambush and not a bullet touched me? How is it that I was surrounded by enemy and for an hour, not one bullet hit Me, I mean, it goes on and on of the miracles and to the point where even you know, I have a gun in my mouth and it's God who saved me. God is chasing after us. God cares. He is there. And if you call on him, he is there. He is knocking at the door of your heart. Being in a bad place, you might not see that, but if you start calling out, the light will appear and the light breaks through the dark. Trust me. I challenge you to if you're in a low place, call to Jesus. You will find hope.

[Jim Kirkland]

You can have the same hope in Jesus Christ that Fernando Arroyo discovered. You can know you'll go to heaven when you die. To learn more about starting a relationship with Jesus Christ, you can go to findpeacewithgod.net or call our 24 hour Billy Graham prayer line, 855-255-7729. That's 855255, pray. And the web address again, findpeacewithgod.netflix abundant life. You'll hear more about that from Fernando Arroyo in just a moment.

[Fernando Arroyo]

You're listening to GPS God People Stories, a podcast production of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.

[Billy Graham]

God never meant that there would be prejudice and wars and hate and lust and greed and jealousy and pride. God meant that this was to be a perfect paradise. There would never be any death. Billy Graham the Bible says that all of our problems and all of our suffering, whatever it may be, including death itself, is a result of man's rebellion against God. And of course, Satan was the one that led in that rebellion. Now God has a rescue plan, and his rescue effort is centered in the person of his son, Jesus Christ. That's why Christ came. That's why he died on the cross. That's what the cross is all about. Now, what should be our attitude toward all of this? Well, we should bear our suffering according to the Bible, woe is me for my hurt. My wound is grievous. But I said, truly, this is a grief and I must bear it. There comes a time when we must bear our grief, but God is with us in the midst of the grief, in the midst of the suffering, God is there.

[Jim Kirkland]

Discover more about God being with you in the midst of your grief. Go to findpeacewithgod.org findpeacewithgod.net Our guest on this episode of GPS God People Stories is Fernando Arroyo. He's a combat veteran who experienced the depths of PTSD and now helps other veterans overcome those depths. He's also the author of a memoir the shadow of death, from my battles in Fallujah to the battle for my soul. Ultimately, Fernando wants everyone to find a battle abundant life in Jesus Christ like he has.

[Fernando Arroyo]

If you surrender your life to Jesus, he gives you life abundantly. But it takes you giving up your pride and just humbling yourself the way Jesus did, and you'll experience healing, forgiveness, and find true and eternal hope.

[Jim Kirkland]

We're grateful for Fernando Arroyo's service to his country and service to his fellow veterans, and for his willingness to share his story with us. Make sure you're subscribed to GPS so you do not miss a single episode. We post every other week on Wednesday. I'm Jim Kirkland. GPS God People Stories it's an outreach of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. Always good news.