By Victoria Ostrosky
Some of us have a word of the year – mine is ‘moderation’; but, this year I also have a phrase of the year that grabbed me recently on the Road to Redemption podcast, an interview with Dr. Mike. Here it is: The more you listen to God, the louder He speaks.
I love it, because it’s so true. And it looks like John Martin has been a good listener. The idea for Road to Redemption came to him when God’s Holy Spirit impressed upon him that he should start a show sharing powerful testimonies to reach those looking for hope. One day he thought, “Wow, we have so many people with Road to Redemption stories,” and that’s when he knew the Holy Spirit was the one bringing him back to an idea that had been percolating for some time in his heart. John, in obedience to God’s direction, reached out and began partnering with his church, Destiny Worship Center, to produce a weekly radio show and podcast titled “Road to Redemption,” interviewing folks from all walks of life with compelling stories of how God brought them by, sometimes, difficult paths to where they are today. The show seeks to bring glory to God by showcasing how formerly broken and wandering souls have been brought into the fold and saved.
John’s vision for Road to Redemption is first and foremost to reach the lost for Christ. He wants to give the Holy Spirit the platform to use stories of people who love Jesus and desire to share their journey and testimony in order to evangelize those who are seeking joy and peace.
John, and his team, ask the Holy Spirit to lead them to the right people to share their life experiences with Road to Redemption’s listeners. They interview locals from all walks of life, including business owners, retirees, homemakers, young people, famous and normal everyday people like you and me.
Their first podcast was this past December, and John says, “The feedback has been incredible, and the show has already touched many lives.”
Each interview is approximately 20 – 30 minutes long. You can listen to them live every Monday at 2 p.m. on Destiny Radio 91.1 FM, or later, via Apple Podcast and Spotify. All the episodes are archived on the show’s website at www.roadtoredemptionpodcast.com.
John doesn’t do all this on his own. His awesome team includes Nate Kelly, Aliya Yellen, Walker Beach and Drew Powell. Together, they work to conduct the interviews and produce a high-quality radio show and podcast.
You can listen to Shanna’s testimony, an abused wife who was delivered and set on a new course. Or you can learn about Ricardo, who ran afoul of the law and ended up behind bars. That’s where Jesus found him and changed the course of his life. Then there’s Dr. Mike, who God called to live and minister in the Destin area, making a difference in his professional and personal life, learning more and more every day to listen to the Holy Spirit and act in obedience.
These and many more podcasts are available to encourage, uplift and instruct. Like the Apostle Peter said in 1 Peter 3:15, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.”
John Martin has been faithful to his area of service, giving us an example of how we need to look for our area of service as well. As Jesus told us, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore, pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” (Luke 10:2 ESV)
