The GPS Podcast Turns 10: A Decade of God’s Goodness

Summary

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Podcast Summary

GPS: God. People. Stories.

Episode: The GPS Podcast Turns 10: A Decade of God’s Goodness
Date: November 12, 2025
Host: Jim Kirkland, Billy Graham Evangelistic Association

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Episode Overview

This special 10th anniversary episode of GPS: God. People. Stories. celebrates a decade of sharing testimonies about lives radically transformed by encounters with Jesus Christ. Host Jim Kirkland revisits some of the podcast’s most powerful and memorable stories—from addiction recovery and near-fatal disasters to redemption after crime and miraculous survival. Throughout, the episode emphasizes a central message: God is faithful, meets people in their darkest moments, redeems brokenness, and transforms lives.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Introduction: Reflecting on a Decade of Stories

• The podcast has shared over 350 stories from diverse individuals, illustrating Jesus Christ’s life-changing power.
• “Every one of our guests has something powerful in common. It's a story with clear testimony to the transformational power Jesus Christ has in our lives.” —Jim Kirkland [01:36]

The Gospel Foundation

• Billy Graham’s words underline the foundational theme of spiritual rebirth as essential to all stories shared on GPS:
  • "Jesus said, you must be born again. It's the work of the Spirit of God that changes your life...and makes you a new person." —Billy Graham [01:55]

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Ben Fuller: From Addiction to Worship (03:02–06:33)

Background

• Ben Fuller, now a Christian music artist, grew up as a stonemason and functioning addict in Vermont.
• His spiral into substance abuse — working long weeks, then drinking and using drugs nightly.

Key Moments

• “I was drinking, know, 15 to 17 beers every night...acting like you ain't scared, how's that heart? A stone ain't so hard when you're alone. Crying tears you hope nobody sees. Guess the good news is he'll never leave you be. Jesus loves you, black sheep.” —Ben Fuller [03:02]
• Ben tried escaping addiction by moving to Nashville, but “addiction follows you.”
• A transformative worship night led to encountering the Holy Spirit.
• “It was the highest that I had ever been in my life. And I did nothing for it...that’s when I just said, I want more of this. Fix me, help me, change me, send me.” —Ben Fuller [05:17]
• Gradual but radical life transformation: He stopped drinking, using drugs, swearing, and found himself convicted about his actions.
• “I'm gonna preach until the day that I die that Christ has...he died for me and he healed me from those things.” [06:10]

Takeaway

• Ben’s story evidences the message of 2 Corinthians 5:17 — In Christ, the old has gone and the new has come.

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Tammy Jo Schultz: Faith at 32,500 Feet (06:33–09:31)

Background

• Tammy Jo Schultz, one of the first female F18 Navy jet pilots, became a commercial airline pilot.
• On Southwest Flight 1380 (2018), she faced a catastrophic engine explosion at cruising altitude.

Key Moments

• “About 20 minutes into the flight, passing 32,500ft, we heard an explosion and had such a hard hit, it felt like we'd been hit by another aircraft. And I remember thinking, this could be the day that I meet my maker.” —Tammy Jo Schultz [00:00; 07:43]

Framework for Life

• Tammy Jo describes “habits, heroes, and hope” as the three constants she learned through her ordeal:
  • “Habits on a good day become our instincts on a bad day...practicing heroes don't require equipment or title...and hope—it doesn't have to change our circumstances. It changes us.” —Tammy Jo Schultz [08:31]

Takeaway

• Her faith created the foundation for calm and resourcefulness during crisis—and offers a practical, biblical framework for everyday and extraordinary challenges.

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Mark Whitaker: Redemption Through Brokenness (09:31–10:51)

Background

• Mark Whitaker, business executive, served as an FBI informant and subsequently served prison time after exposing a corporate scandal.

Key Moments

• “The most adversity that I've ever experienced in my life was wearing a wire and the FBI telling you, Mark, if they catch you, they're going to kill you.” —Mark Whitaker [00:22; 09:57]
• His eight and a half years in prison became the most productive of his life:
  • “I learned for the first time in my life how rewarding it was to help someone else besides myself. You hear the word servant leadership, but I sure never experienced it until I went to prison, until I became a believer and a follower of Jesus. And it changed my life forever.” —Mark Whitaker [10:09]
• Mark sees his brokenness as the path to transformation.
  • “I thank God for brokenness because that's what it took me. I had to get to the end of myself to get to know God.” —Mark Whitaker [10:51]

Takeaway

• Hitting rock bottom paved the way for authentic faith, greater family unity, and true humility.

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Angie Thompson: Prayer in the Tornado (11:26–13:03)

Background

• Angie Thompson’s home was destroyed by a tornado while she sheltered underneath a staircase.

Key Moments

• “I was screaming out to God that I knew I was dying...I said, God, please make it stop. Please make it stop.” —Angie Thompson [11:26]
• Her husband Tim testifies to God's miraculous protection:
  • “God protected her that night. There's no other question, no other explanation. God, by his grace, protected her...Everyone that met her said, 'God's got a plan for you and God's not through with you yet.'” —Tim Thompson [12:16]

Takeaway

• Even in literal storms, faith and prayer can make a tangible difference, with miraculous outcomes acknowledged even by nonbelievers.

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Closing Themes & Reflections

• Every GPS story, regardless of the background, points to God’s faithfulness and power to bring good out of adversity.
• “He redeems even our worst mistakes. He transforms lives in ways that only he can. Whether it's through addiction, tragedy, imprisonment or near death experiences. God shows up. He changes hearts. He makes all things new.” —Jim Kirkland [13:03]
• The podcast’s mission remains: to testify about the ongoing, transforming work of Jesus Christ in people’s lives.

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Notable Quotes & Gospel Invitation

• “You must be born again. It's the work of the spirit of God that changes your life and...makes you a new person.” —Billy Graham [01:55; 14:14]
• “When Christ comes into your heart, he changes your nature. You become a new creation in Christ. Old things pass away and everything becomes new.” —Billy Graham [14:19]

Visitors are invited to learn more at findpeacewithgod.net and to call the Billy Graham 24/7 prayer line if they desire prayer or want to begin a relationship with Jesus.

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Selected Timestamps for Main Segments

• [00:00] – Tammy Jo Schultz recalls Flight 1380 ordeal
• [02:40] – Jim introduces Ben Fuller’s redemption story
• [03:02-06:33] – Ben Fuller: addiction, transformation, and faith
• [07:29–09:31] – Tammy Jo Schultz: faith and crisis survival
• [09:31–10:51] – Mark Whitaker: brokenness, prison, and finding God
• [11:26–13:03] – Angie Thompson: miraculous protection in a tornado
• [14:14–15:05] – Billy Graham’s message on spiritual rebirth
• [13:03 & 15:04] – Host reflects on the decade; invitation to listeners

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Tone & Style

The episode is warm, hopeful, earnest, and testimony-driven—punctuated by real-life accounts, scriptural truths, and classic Billy Graham evangelistic clarity. The stories are raw and honest, yet always pointing back to the certainty of God’s intervention and the fresh start available through Christ.

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In Summary:
Over ten years, GPS: God. People. Stories. has provided a platform for telling how God’s love and grace reach people from all backgrounds, drawing them out of crisis, addiction, loss, and despair into transformed lives anchored in faith.

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Transcript

[Tammy Jo Schultz]

About 20 minutes into the flight, passing 32,500ft, we heard an explosion and had such a hard hit, it felt like we'd been hit by another aircraft. And I remember thinking, this could be the day that I meet my maker.

[Jim Kirkland]

That's Tammy Jo Schultz, a commercial airline pilot.

[Mark Whitaker]

The most adversity that I've ever experienced in my life was wearing a wire and, and the FBI telling you, Mark, if they catch you, they're going to kill you.

[Jim Kirkland]

And that's Mark Whitaker, a business executive who became an informant for the FBI. Over the past 10 years, this podcast, God People Stories, has had the privilege of sharing their stories and over 300 others. In every story, in every situation, God has worked powerfully in the lives of our guests. And in this special episode, we celebrate with just a few of the standout stories of God's work we've heard over the past decade. I'm Jim Kirkland and this is GPS God People Stories, an outreach of the Billy Graham Evangelistic association. Here we are, 10 years of GPS. That is hard to believe. When this podcast started back in 2015, we had no idea how God would use it to share stories of redemption, hope and and faith with you and others who are listening around the world. As I mentioned a moment ago, we have featured hundreds of guests, some well known, others you probably never have heard of before. But every one of our guests has something powerful in common. It's a story with clear testimony to the transformational power Jesus Christ has in our lives. As Billy Graham explains, Jesus said, you.

[Billy Graham]

Must be born again. It's the work of the Spirit of God that changes your life and changes your heart and makes you a new person.

[Jim Kirkland]

We'll have more from Billy Graham later on in this episode, but if you're curious about what it means to be born again, like every one of our guests on GPS, we can help visit our website, findpeacewithgod.net when you're there, click where it says begin a relationship with Jesus. That'[e-mail] as always, we have a link for you to get there through our show. Notes.

[Tim Thompson]

God People Stories.

[Jim Kirkland]

In March of 2023, a story of redemption that touched my heart is the story of Ben Fuller. Today. He's a well known Christian music artist, but that would have been unimaginable to him just eight or nine years earlier. Ben Fuller was a hardened young stonemason from Vermont who played guitar in bars for drinks and money.

[Ben Fuller]

I was a functioning addict and so I could work 60 hours a week and then I could go get high on Friday night and I could get high on Saturday, and I could sober up on Sunday and I could go back to work during the week and work another 60 hour week, you know, along with that came the drinking as well. And so, you know, there was a point where I was drinking, know, 15 to 17 beers every night. And it became, you know, during the week too, and I would just pass out and, you know, wake up the next morning. I was just again, I was functioning. So I was able to put it down and go to work and keep my job and, you know, do my best, or so I thought to hide it from everybody. How's it going out there? Acting like you ain't scared how's that heart? A stone ain't so hard when you're alone Crying tears you hope nobody sees Guess the good news is he'll never leave you be Jesus loves you black sheep.

[Jim Kirkland]

He'd only been in church for funerals and weddings, and he found his happiness, albeit temporarily. He in drugs, sex, and living fast. By the time he moved to Nashville to pursue a music career, Ben knew he was in a battle with addiction. He thought the focus on music and a new environment might change things. It didn't. Ben cautions from firsthand experience, you can never go anywhere far enough to hide from addiction.

[Ben Fuller]

My addiction continued all the way through, up until I moved to Nashville. And that's the thing about addiction is that you can run wherever. Go ahead, run away, you know, run to Colorado, run to California, run to Mexico. I don't care where you go, it's going to follow you.

[Jim Kirkland]

But God had other plans. Through what appeared to be an amazing coincidence, a case where people from his area of Vermont had also relocated to Nashville, God introduced Ben Fuller to Christ. And when Ben surrendered his life, everything changed.

[Ben Fuller]

I had an experience at a worship night that really changed everything. And I believe it was the first experience that I had with the Holy Spirit. And I had some strangers pray over me. And it was like if somebody were filming it, I swear I could still swear that my feet were off the ground. It was the highest as an addiction. It was the highest that I had ever been in my life. And I did nothing for it. And I had to spend no money and I had to have no regret and no shame and no guilt. And I was like, what is this? And that's when I said, yes. That's when I just said, I want more of this. Fix me, help me, change me, send me. And so my 17 beers a night went to 12, went to 10, went to two over two months. It was about a two month period. My. My mouth, I had a foul mouth. Language was awful. Just literally the words just fell out. Took them right out of my vocabulary. Stopped having sex, stop using drug, all these things. Just stop with the lying. I had to face my problems. All of a sudden, I started feeling convicted over things. I was like, what is happening to me? I'm gonna preach until the day that I die that Christ has. He died for me and he healed me from those things.

[Jim Kirkland]

That's the power of the gospel. Second Corinthians 5, verse 17 says, Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has gone, the new has come. That's exactly what happened to Ben Fuller, and that's the kind of story we love to share here on gps. Another fascinating person we met through GPS was Tammy Jo Schultz. We met her in December 2019. Tammy Jo was a Navy fighter pilot and a commercial airline pilot, one of the first female F18 jet pilots, thanks to her perseverance and the gifts God has given her. But here's what's key. She always had God to turn to in times of weakness and despair. She'd been a follower of Jesus since junior high, but she had no idea how she would have to call on the Lord for help. During a seemingly routine Southwest Airlines flight from New York City to Dallas.

[Billy Graham]

Southwest 13, 1380 has an engine fire.

[Ben Fuller]

Descending cell 1380, are you descending right now?

[Billy Graham]

Yes, sir, we're single engine descending.

[Jim Kirkland]

Have a fire, number one.

[Tammy Jo Schultz]

About 20 minutes into the flight, passing 32,500ft, we heard an explosion and had such a hard hit, it felt like we'd been hit by another aircraft. And I remember thinking, this could be the day that I meet my maker.

[Jim Kirkland]

Tammy Jo's consistent relationship with God meant the difference between life and death in more than one way. This story is not a story without loss, but it is ultimately a story with victory. And Tammy Jo quickly and unapologetically thanks her Lord Jesus Christ. She also shares what she calls the gifts of wise habits, the potential of being a hero, and the critical need of hope, all rooted in biblical teaching and a relationship with Christ.

[Tammy Jo Schultz]

When I think about Flight 1380 and pray for different people at different times from that flight, it's kind of like a kaleidoscope in that every time I look at it, it has a little different appearance and takeaways, but three of them always remain constant. And that's habits, heroes and hope. Habits on a good day become our instincts. On a bad day. And God has given us that generous gift of choice and what we choose to make habits both in our thought processes as well as our priorities. And practicing heroes don't require equipment or title. They just require someone to be attentive, to take the time, to see in the effort to act on behalf of someone else and hope it doesn't have to change our circumstances. It changes us.

[Jim Kirkland]

Habits, heroes and hope. What a powerful framework for living life. Another guest who shared a remarkable story of God's redemptive power was Mark Whitaker. He's a business executive who became a whistleblower. His life took some dramatic turns, including time in prison. But it was in that brokenness that he encountered Christ.

[Mark Whitaker]

The most adversity that I've ever experienced in my life was wearing a wire and the FBI telling you, Mark, if they catch you, they're going to kill you.

[Jim Kirkland]

But listen to what Mark learned through all this.

[Mark Whitaker]

I look back and I would say the eight and a half years in prison were the most productive years of my life at 20amonth. Because I learned for the first time in my life how rewarding it was to help someone else besides myself. You hear the word servant leadership, but I sure never experienced it until I went to prison, until I became a believer and a follower of Jesus. And it changed my life forever.

[Jim Kirkland]

Mark made what he calls a train wreck of his life, but God held it all together. He didn't just survive, he thrived. His family grew stronger. His children walked with God as. And Mark says today, I look back.

[Mark Whitaker]

And I thank God that it, even though it took prison for me to get there, I thank God for brokenness because that's what it took me. I had to get to the end of myself to get to know God.

[Jim Kirkland]

That is a theme we've seen again and again on gps. Sometimes God allows us to reach the end of ourselves so we can truly begin to rely on him. Here's one more story to share with you today. It's from Angie Thompson, who survived a devastating tornado that destroyed her home. While she was inside the house under.

[Angie Thompson]

A staircase, I was screaming out to God that I knew I was dying. And I kept saying, God, I'm dying, I'm dying. The floor underneath me. I've tried to think of an explanation and it has to be. A jackhammer was underneath me on the floor, at my head, underneath. And I remember crying out to God about three or four times saying that I was dying. I knew I was dying at that moment. That's the most closest near death experience I've ever had. And then after those three screams out to God, I, I said, God, please make it stop. Please make it stop.

[Jim Kirkland]

Angie's husband Tim was on the phone with her during the ordeal. He shared with us how God protected her that night in ways that can only be described miraculous.

[Tim Thompson]

God protected her that night. There's no other question, no other explanation. God, by his grace, protected her. Everyone that met her said, God's got a plan for you and God's not through with you yet. And it's only by the grace of God. Now I'm talking about people that didn't go to church, people that didn't know us. They smelt Jesus all over her. And I thought of that last night. God protected her for a reason. And God's got a plan for her life. And we believe that.

[Jim Kirkland]

You've heard just a few of the incredible stories of we've been privileged to share over the past 10 years. From every single GPS episode, there's at least one takeaway. For me that's not an exaggeration. There is in every episode a life application or a reminder or a conviction or a praise to take away all these stories. Ben Fuller's, Tammy Jo Schultz's, Mark Whitaker's, Angie Thompson's and the hundreds of others we featured, they all point to the same truth. God is faithful. He meets us in our darkest moments. He redeems even our worst mistakes. He transforms lives in ways that only he can. Whether it's through addiction, tragedy, imprisonment or near death experiences. God shows up. He changes hearts. He makes all things new. And sharing these stories is what GPS is all about.

[Mark Whitaker]

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

[Billy Graham]

Jesus said you must be born again.

[Jim Kirkland]

Billy Graham.

[Billy Graham]

It's the work of the spirit of God that changes your life and changes your heart and makes you a new person. You see, when Christ comes into your heart, he changes your nature. You become a new creation in Christ. Old things pass away and everything becomes new. Your sin is forgiven and all the penalties are removed. He produces a new person. He gives you a new capacity. You have a new attitude. I'm asking you tonight to respond to Jesus Christ's command that spiritually you be born into the kingdom of God. You may be, but you're not sure of it. There isn't that certainty. You can be sure tonight.

[Jim Kirkland]

Like every guest we have had on gps, you too can be born again and experience a new life through Jesus Christ. Learn how at our website findpeacewithgod.net and when you're there, click the link that says begin a relationship with Jesus. Once again, that'[e-mail] and if you'd rather speak with someone, we're here for you at the Billy Graham 247 prayer line, 855-255-7729 that's 855255 pray. And the easiest way to get the link to our website or to get that number again is to pay a visit to our Show Notes as we celebrate this 10 year milestone, all of us who put together GPS want to thank you. Thank you for joining us on this journey. Thank you for sharing these episodes with people who've come to mind while you were listening. Thank you for your emails and your messages encouraging us and telling us how these stories have encouraged you in your own walk with Christ. And a reminder that the stories you've heard come from our extensive library of over 350 episodes. You can browse them in your podcast app on YouTube [e-mail] GPS in the middle of life GPS is here in the middle of the week, every other Wednesday. It's a pleasure and an honor to bring you these stories. Here's to many more years of sharing how God is moving in the lives of people all over the world. Thank you for listening. Thank you for your support. I'm Jim Kirkland. This is GPS God People Stories. It's an outreach of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. Always good news.

Sam.