Compelled - Christian Stories & Testimonies

As a child, Josh Glasscock was diagnosed with a rare genetic disease called cystic fibrosis, which has no cure and always causes death in its victims.

But instead of shutting down and resigning himself to a defeated existence doomed to die, Josh and his wife Amy believe that God has called them to live a full and abundant life.

Show notes: https://compelledpodcast.com/episodes/josh-amy-glasscock-pt-1/

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Compelled is a seasonal podcast using gripping, immersive storytelling to celebrate the powerful ways God is transforming Christians around the world.

These Christian...

For years, Laura Perry Smalts rejected God and hated her own body. She thought that she would find answers by transgendering herself into a “man”. But after living as what the culture would say was a transgender man for almost 10 years, she realized that the Creator of the universe had a far greater plan for her life. Her mother, Francine, joins us to share her perspective throughout Laura's journey as well.

Show notes: https://compelledpodcast.com/episodes/laura-perry

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Compelled is a seasonal podcast using gripping, immersive storytelling to c...

Atticus Carr was a young man steeped in New Age philosophy and Hindu mysticism. But then one night, for inexplicable reasons, he began reading the Bible which opened his eyes to the truth.

Show notes: https://compelledpodcast.com/episodes/atticus-carr/

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Compelled is a seasonal podcast using gripping, immersive storytelling to celebrate the powerful ways God is transforming Christians around the world.

These Christian testimonies are raw, true, and powerful. Be encouraged and let your faith be strengthened!

Want to help make new episodes? Either make a one-time gift, or...

Yusuf Agoro grew up as a Muslim. But when he was a teenager, he placed his faith in Jesus. His devout Muslim parents, relatives, and mosque ordered him to recant. Could his brand-new faith stand firm?

Show notes: https://compelledpodcast.com/episodes/yusuf-agoro/

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Compelled is a seasonal podcast using gripping, immersive storytelling to celebrate the powerful ways God is transforming Christians around the world.

These Christian testimonies are raw, true, and powerful. Be encouraged and let your faith be strengthened!

Want to help make new episodes? Either make a...

Doug and Selah Helms saw their world turned upside down when a terrible car accident left their 17-year-old son, Peter, with a traumatic brain injury. They would face the greatest trial of their life and their faith in the Lord would be tested to the limit.

Show notes: https://compelledpodcast.com/episodes/doug-selah-helms/

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Compelled is a seasonal podcast using gripping, immersive storytelling to celebrate the powerful ways God is transforming Christians around the world.

These Christian testimonies are raw, true, and powerful. Be encouraged and let your faith be strengthened!

Julian Weber was a family man with everything the American Dream could offer - a loving wife, 4 children, a beautiful home, a great job, and even leadership in his church.

But when his identity was stripped away, his idyllic life soon followed. He became addicted to painkillers, alcohol, and pornography - and everything he held precious was destroyed. Only a Savior could bring him peace.

Show notes: https://compelledpodcast.com/episodes/julian-weber

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Compelled is a seasonal podcast using gripping, immersive storytelling to celebrate the powerful ways God is transforming Christians around...

Jason and David Benham (a.k.a The Benham Brothers) share the remarkable story of growing up as identical twins, becoming professional baseball players, and working today as successful real estate entrepreneurs.

But everything took a twist when they were told their national reality TV show would be canceled unless they renounced their beliefs in the Bible.

Show notes: https://compelledpodcast.com/episodes/benham-brothers/

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Compelled is a seasonal podcast using gripping, immersive storytelling to celebrate the powerful ways God is transforming Christians around the world.

These Christian testimonies are...

Texas State Senator Brian Birdwell was at the Pentagon on September 11, 2001 when American Airlines flight 77 crashed just yards away from him, instantly engulfing his body in flames.

Brian was faced with certain death but also with complete peace in knowing that his faith was already placed in a Savior. His story is raw, true, and filled with miracles.

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Compelled is a seasonal podcast using gripping, immersive storytelling to celebrate the powerful ways God is transforming Christians around the world.

These Christian testimonies are raw, true, and powerful. Be encouraged and let...

Virginia Prodan was an attorney in Communist Romania defending Christians in court during the 1980s. Her success angered the Romanian government, and they marked her for assassination. Virginia was alone and unprotected… until God intervened…

Show notes at: https://compelledpodcast.com/episodes/virginia-prodan

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Compelled is a seasonal podcast using gripping, immersive storytelling to celebrate the powerful ways God is transforming Christians around the world.

These Christian testimonies are raw, true, and powerful. Be encouraged and let your faith be strengthened!

Want to help make new episodes? Either make a one...

Exactly 20 years ago this week, Hurricane Katrina slammed into New Orleans with a fury the city had never seen before. Fannie was there in the middle of the storm, where she experienced both fear for her life... and... the profound peace of God.

Show notes @ https://compelledpodcast.com/episodes/fannie-scott

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Compelled is a seasonal podcast using gripping, immersive storytelling to celebrate the powerful ways God is transforming Christians around the world.

These Christian testimonies are raw, true, and powerful. Be encouraged and let your faith be strengthened!

Want to...

Gracia Burnham was serving as a missionary in the Philippines when she and her husband, Martin, were kidnapped by Muslim terrorists. They spent over a year in the jungle as hostages enduring hardships of all kinds, including constant shortage of drinking water, near starvation, and 17 gun battles.

Even more difficult than the physical challenges were the questions Gracia wrestled with. How could God still love her? How could she forgive those who had so horribly mistreated her?  

God worked in miraculous ways through Gracia’s time in captivity to change her heart, all for His glor...

Shortly after Jonathan Pacheco was married, he unexpectedly found himself in the middle of the biggest trial of his life: leukemia. Given only months to live, he discovered rest and peace in the Lord and surrendered himself to God’s will... when God worked yet another miracle.

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Compelled is a seasonal podcast using gripping, immersive storytelling to celebrate the powerful ways God is transforming Christians around the world.

These Christian testimonies are raw, true, and powerful. Be encouraged and let your faith be strengthened!

Want to help make new episodes? Either ma...

Jonathan Pacheco was severely disabled at birth when his spinal cord was nearly severed, and he has lived his entire life in a motorized wheelchair. 

Jonathan shares what his journey of faith has looked like as he has come to grips with God's sovereignty in all things, including his disability and more.

Show notes @ https://compelledpodcast.com/episodes/jonathan-pacheco-pt-1

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Compelled is a seasonal podcast using gripping, immersive storytelling to celebrate the powerful ways God is transforming Christians around the world.

These Christian testimonies are raw, true, and powerful. Be e...

Jill Robbins had an abortion at the age of 17, which was only the beginning of a self-destructive lifestyle that included drugs and promiscuity. Which in turn resulted in the decline of her mental health. As Jill’s life fell further apart, the harder she dug in. Could Anyone, dig her out?

Show notes @ https://compelledpodcast.com/episodes/jill-robbins

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Compelled is a seasonal podcast using gripping, immersive storytelling to celebrate the powerful ways God is transforming Christians around the world.

These Christian testimonies are raw, true, and powerful. Be encouraged and let yo...

Jonathan Carswell grew up in a Christian home and could explain the Gospel forwards and backwards... but it held no actual power in his personal life. Then one day, the scales fell off his eyes, and Jonathan saw Jesus for who He truly was... which put into motion a revolution in the world of Christian publishing.

Show notes @ https://compelledpodcast.com/episodes/jonathan-carswell

Also, in this episode… the Compelled Book has finally arrived! It’s a powerful collection of 7 Christian testimonies, endorsed by Lee Strobel, Marvin Olasky, Ginger Hubbard, and others!

From doubt to t...

Sheila Booth-Alberstadt ignored God for the first 40 years of her life. But after being confronted by His very real existence, she proceeded to treat Him like a genie in a bottle.

Yet she was constantly plagued by doubts like:

Why couldn't she heal her own children when they were sick?

Why couldn't she heal her own body?

Why didn't financial prosperity come to her even when she had the “faith” that it should?

It eventually all came to a head after she left for the woods to spend time with...

Todd finds and tells stories of modern-day Christians who are being persecuted and martyred throughout the world. And while that job carries many responsibilities, Todd is adamant there are few greater honors than co-laboring with these saints and telling their stories of God’s faithfulness.

From a widow in Turkey whose husband was killed for his faith, to a Chinese woman imprisoned for following Christ, to a new believer in Laos who couldn’t wait to share his faith with others… These are just a handful of the Christians Todd has met throughout his years supporting the persec...

We’re celebrating God’s faithfulness in letting us release 100 episodes of Compelled!

Show notes (including all the mentioned episodes) @ https://compelledpodcast.com/episodes/celebrating-100-episodes

Zach Fowler’s favorite episodes: 

#05 A Spiritual Suicide - Phillip Telfer: https://compelledpodcast.com/episodes/phillip-telfer

#17 Doubts. Depression. Disease. - Ryan Dobson: https://compelledpodcast.com/episodes/ryan-dobson

Becky Hetrick’s favorite episode:

#27 9/11 Survivor at the Pentagon - Brian Birdwell: https://compelledpodcast.com/episodes/brian-birdwell

Atley Nugent’s favorite episodes:

#90 Healing After Rape - Teri Hrabovsky: https://compelledpodcast.com/episode...

Joe Friedman was raised in a family that was proud of their ancestry and devoted to their Jewish community and way of life. But even though Joe spent much of his life as a devoted Jew, practicing rabbinical rules and trying to earn favor with God, something still seemed to be missing.

After attending a cult meeting, Joe was so unsettled by the cult’s depiction of Jesus, he decided to read a Christian Bible for the first time… and had no idea what God was about to do.

Show notes here⁠: https://compelledpodcast.com/episod...

Dakota grew up with a terrible, abusive father who hated God. Yet despite that role model, Dakota learned to trust in a Good Father whose love was unconditional and whose plan for the future was made even more beautiful by the past.

Show notes @ https://compelledpodcast.com/episodes/dakota-lynch

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Compelled is a seasonal podcast using gripping, immersive storytelling to celebrate the powerful ways God is transforming Christians around the world.

These Christian testimonies are raw, true, and powerful. Be encouraged and let your faith be strengthened!

Want to help...

Eric yielded his career, his reputation, his finances, and even his family to God’s will. Despite the difficulties Eric has experienced living for Jesus, he’s found deeper intimacy with Christ to be a sweet reward, which made every trial worthwhile. 

Show notes @ https://compelledpodcast.com/episodes/eric-ludy

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Compelled is a seasonal podcast using gripping, immersive storytelling to celebrate the powerful ways God is transforming Christians around the world.

These Christian testimonies are raw, true, and powerful. Be encouraged and let your faith be strengthened!

Want to help make...

Jerri Jameson was a drug addict. She hated her life and wanted to stop using... but she couldn't kick the habit. Then one night, she cried out in desperation to a God she wasn't even sure existed... and He answered.

Show notes @ https://compelledpodcast.com/episodes/jerri-jameson

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Compelled is a seasonal podcast using gripping, immersive storytelling to celebrate the powerful ways God is transforming Christians around the world.

These Christian testimonies are raw, true, and powerful. Be encouraged and let your faith be strengthened!

Want to help make new...

Robert Harris was a depressed, suicidal teenager when God entered his life. God has now led Robert to the frontlines of evangelism, both in America and overseas in South Asia where he is driven to bring the Gospel to people groups who have never heard the name of Jesus. Robert is on the front lines of evangelism and has seen God's work displayed up close in many ways.

Show notes @ https://compelledpodcast.com/episodes/robert-harris

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Compelled is a seasonal podcast using gripping, immersive storytelling to celebrate the powerful ways God is transforming Christians...

Tom Rudelius was a top student at an Ivy League school, triple-majoring in physics, math, and statistical science, and had never given much thought to God. Maybe He existed... or maybe not... but there probably wasn't any real way to tell. But then one day, Tom began looking for proof, and ended up finding faith.

Show notes @ https://compelledpodcast.com/episodes/tom-rudelius

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Compelled is a seasonal podcast using gripping, immersive storytelling to celebrate the powerful ways God is transforming Christians around the world.

These Christian testimonies are raw, true, and powerful...

Meriann Sanford grew up surrounded by cults and drugs, yet tried to make her own way through life and felt she was good person… but didn't realize how far from the mark she truly was... or how close God had been every step of the way.

Show notes @ https://compelledpodcast.com/episodes/meriann-sanford

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Compelled is a seasonal podcast using gripping, immersive storytelling to celebrate the powerful ways God is transforming Christians around the world.

These Christian testimonies are raw, true, and powerful. Be encouraged and let your faith be strengthened!

...

Laddie Calloway was a street fighter and drug dealer. After being declared a fatality from a gang shooting, Laddie's life continued to spiral out of control… until he remembered the seeds of faith that had been planted by his childhood church.

Show notes @ https://compelledpodcast.com/episodes/laddie-calloway

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Compelled is a seasonal podcast using gripping, immersive storytelling to celebrate the powerful ways God is transforming Christians around the world.

These Christian testimonies are raw, true, and powerful. Be encouraged an...

Afshin Javid grew up in Iran under strict Islamic law. He loved Allah and was willing to kill and die for him. But after a supernatural encounter, the foundations of Afshin’s faith began to crumble.

Listen to Part 2 of Afshin Javid’s testimony: https://www.storypartners.org/podcast/s3-e1p2-killing-in-the-name-of-god-former-hezbollah-member-meets-jesus-part-2

Listen to the Story Partners podcast: https://www.storypartners.org/podcast

Learn more about the Proclaim Podcast Network: https://proclaim.fm

Learn more about your ad choices. Visi...

This is Part 2 of Lori Apon’s story. Make sure to listen to Part 1 first.

Lori met Bobby Apon, the love of her life at a Christian concert. He was one of the founding members of NewSong, an upcoming Christian music group. Bobby was young, charismatic, and good-looking, and quickly swept Lori off her feet. After a romance and engagement that seemed straight out of a fairytale, they were married. But at the wedding altar, both Lori and Bobby were in bondage to sin. Lori carried an eating disorder, stemming from her desire to be...

Lori Apon met the love of her life at a Christian concert. Bobby Apon was a young, dashing man who sang songs for God's glory. He was a founding member of the Christian music group, NewSong, and he swept Lori off her feet. But at the wedding altar, both of them were in bondage to sin. What, or Who, could set them free?

Show notes @ https://compelledpodcast.com/episodes/lori-apon-part-1

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Compelled is a seasonal podcast using gripping, immersive storytelling to celebrate the powerful ways...

Ron Husband grew up in California during the 50s and 60s. And he'd heard about Jesus... but he also heard about flying saucers and ancient civilizations. What was the truth? And would this truth have any bearing when he was invited to draw moving pictures for a random children's company called... Disney?

Show notes @ https://compelledpodcast.com/episodes/ron-husband

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Compelled is a seasonal podcast using gripping, immersive storytelling to celebrate the powerful ways God is transforming Christians around the world.

Steven Matamoros grew up as a Jehovah's Witness with a distorted view of God. But through a crumbling marriage and heartbreaking loss, he would encounter the true God of the Bible, who promised to always be by Steven's side... even in the darkest of times.

Show notes @ https://compelledpodcast.com/episodes/steven-matamoros

🎧 Recommended Episodes:

#89 Finding My Father - Peter Davidson: Peter was exposed to cultural Christianity while growing up, but it never meant much. He lost his parents as a child and his future pro...

Celebrate what God did in 2024. Hear Compelled's vision for 2025.

What God allowed us to do in 2024:

Our vision for 2025:

Before he was ever involved with Living Waters, Emeal (“E.Z.”) Zwayne was a rising gang member with a burgeoning future as a drug dealer and rapper. But one day, he was invited to an event that would change the course of his life. 

Show notes @ https://compelledpodcast.com/episodes/emeal-zwayne (and also hear the special clip of Emeal rapping and sharing the story about his dad's shocking age!)

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Compelled is a seasonal podcast using gripping, immersive storytelling to celebrate the powerful ways God is tr...

Teri Hrabovsky grew up caught between Catholicism and cultural occultic practices. But after the enemy tried everything to destroy her, God allowed Teri’s life to become a story of healing and redemption, touching countless lives in ways she never knew possible.

Show notes @ https://compelledpodcast.com/episodes/teri-hrabovsky

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Compelled is a seasonal podcast using gripping, immersive storytelling to celebrate the powerful ways God is transforming Christians around the world.

These Christian testimonies are raw, true, and powerful. Be en...

Peter Davidson was exposed to cultural Christianity while growing up, but it never meant much. He lost his parents as a child and his future prospects appeared bleak, until God came looking for him and revealed to Peter who his “True Father” was.

Show notes @ https://compelledpodcast.com/episodes/peter-davidson

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Compelled is a seasonal podcast using gripping, immersive storytelling to celebrate the powerful ways God is transforming Christians around the world.

These Christian testimonies are raw, true, and powerful. Be e...

Jessica experienced the weight of family challenges from an early age and with limited outlets for her emotions she started down a path of self-harm and thoughts about suicide. But God saw Jessica in the midst of her struggle and was eager to meet her in her time of need.

Show notes @ https://compelledpodcast.com/episodes/jessica-carpenter

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Compelled is a seasonal podcast using gripping, immersive storytelling to celebrate the powerful ways God is transforming Christians around the world.

These...

In the 1960s, Tom Tarrants was a young man on a mission - to save America from Communism, Marxism, and desegregation. He was prepared to do anything, including joining the Ku Klux Klan, drive-by shootings, or even dying for his cause. Yet God had a far greater plan for this would-be revolutionary.

Show notes @ https://compelledpodcast.com/episodes/tom-tarrants

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Compelled is a seasonal podcast using gripping, immersive storytelling to celebrate the powerful ways God is transforming Christians around the world.

Brian Lynn grew up inspired by missionaries like George Mueller. But, as an adult, he was blindsided by a painful divorce and became a single dad. After struggling with self-pity and anger, Brian realized that God had called him to live out a counter-cultural lifestyle that he never thought possible.

Show notes @ https://compelledpodcast.com/episodes/brian-lynn

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Compelled is a seasonal podcast using gripping, immersive storytelling to celebrate the powerful ways God is transforming Christians around the world.

These...

Wendy grew up in a broken home and was always searching for the truth. But as she grew older she fell into rebellion and numbed her pain with drugs and alcohol. In desperation, she decided to get sober and began reading the Bible. What she discovered would change her life.

Show notes @ https://compelledpodcast.com/episodes/wendy-zaeringer

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Compelled is a seasonal podcast using gripping, immersive storytelling to celebrate the powerful ways God is transforming Christians around the world.

These...

1. Today, we're launching the Proclaim Podcast Network. Learn more at Proclaim.fm

Listen to our other network shows at:

2. Radio Fundraising Update: We've raised around $19k of our $80k goal.

If you'd like to give toward the radio initiative, you can do so at CompelledPodcast.com/donate

3. Hang with us at the SING Conference

If you're at the conference and want to hang out with...