This month's story is from GPS Life Journey Graduate, Don Gunther. "I had enjoyed a high level of business success that many would envy. I spent 40 years with the Bechtel Group, one of the world’s leading engineering and construction firms. We worked in 120 countries building some of the most complicated and largest structures ever attempted by an engineering and construction firm. For example, we built the tunnel under the English Channel between England and France. Our company was also responsible for extinguishing the massive oil well fires in the Gulf War. When I retired, I was Vice Chairman and was responsible for all of our business units around the world. I thoroughly enjoyed my career with Bechtel and loved living abroad and all across America. I tried retirement, but after the big house and the big boat, I was not satisfied with my life. I was glad that I had more time for my large family, but I sensed that maybe God had more for me to do. Yet, I was at a loss at how to go about discovering that purpose for the next stage of my life.
A New Friend Changed My Life That is when a friend introduced me to Nolen Rollins and GPS Life Journey. GPS Life Journey helped me focus on the skills I had and how I might use them to help others and have a greater impact in the world. It helped me evaluate my strengths and weaknesses and through it, I began to identify where God would like to use me. Coupled with my commitments to family, I felt called to become involved in a foundation that serves an impoverished migrant community in Southwest Florida, surrounded by immense wealth. I served as Chairman of The Immokalee Foundation and brought my abilities to bear for the benefit of the board, the organization, and those we serve. We are making a big difference in the lives of many young people, who with our help have a much greater chance at success in life. I also started a new chapter of Men’s Golf Fellowship at the country club where I was a member. This weekly group is designed to help men successfully deal with personal issues and to become devoted followers of Christ. It also was my privilege to serve as a leader in Legacy Church in Estero, Florida, where my new friend and mentor, Nolen Rollins, was Senior Pastor. Nolen has been the greatest spiritual influence in my long life. It was a blessed day when I met him. My life went from being prominent to being significant as I learned God’s purposes for my life and began to engage in fulfilling those purposes. There is no feeling as great as knowing that you are doing what God created you to do. And...to see how that makes a difference in the world. A much greater difference than building large structures. GPS Life Journey was very significant in my finding and fulfilling my life purpose." Don Gunther is the retired Vice Chairman, the Bechtel Group. (Story written by Don Gunther)
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Linda and I formally proclaimed our faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and joined this church. The Holy Spirit filled me with a thirst for His Word. Reading and studying the scriptures and meeting with other Christian men in small groups changed my spiritual life in a powerful way.
The Story Continues with GPS Life Journey and Prison Ministry I knew that I had to share my new found faith with others. In 2018, I was introduced to prison ministry by a close friend, Roger Ciskie. Roger was already involved in prison ministry and was also familiar with GPS Life Journey through his friend, Nolen Rollins. I was immediately interested in knowing more about this prison ministry and how GPS Life Journey might help me determine if this would be God’s plan and purpose for my life. I attended a GPS Life Journey class and found that God had prepared me to “share His love by proclaiming the Gospel of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, while performing acts of service for those in need.” I also became certified as a GPS Life Journey Facilitator. I began to go with Roger Ciskie as he brought God’s Word to men in prison. I became convinced that prison ministry was a perfect fit for me and my mission to share God’s Love while proclaiming the Gospel. Since 2019, I have been certified in state prisons in Tennessee, North Carolina, and Florida, as well as Coleman Federal Prison in Florida. A Different Environment My experiences have shown me that God is already at work in all these institutions and the men are hungry for His Word and especially for hope. However, there is a big difference in the makeup of the GPS classes that are typically given in a civilian setting and in those given in a prison environment. The principal difference is that the students in prison are taken from a wide variety of faith groups or no faith at all and many sign up for a class without having the traditional Christian experiences and understanding of scripture. In prison you rarely have an opportunity to hand pick the men who will attend GPS as the opportunity to attend must be shared with all the men without discrimination. As you might imagine, this brings unique challenges to the GPS facilitator. I usually spend the first session by proclaiming God’s Love, explaining the GPS Life Journey method of discovery and proclaiming the Gospel. It’s not uncommon to lose a few men rather quickly but I also find that the men who are already “born again” and walking in the Spirit are a big help to those who are struggling with understanding and may be new to the faith. I have found that men who are in prison for life are just as interested in GPS, if not more so, than men who see themselves being released in a few months or a few years. It seems counter intuitive but men in prison for life desperately need HOPE and they find it in the promises of God to use them despite their past failures. They can live the “abundant life” that Jesus promised His followers. GPS Life Journey helps the men discover their own unique God-given abilities, skills, and spiritual gifts and how God has uniquely created them. Their imprisonment is not a detriment and serves them well in reaching other men in similar circumstances. Since the venues available for service are greatly limited in the prison environment, I stress that the men have to find an area to serve that will be permitted by the prison administration or find an area of service in a ministry that is already active within their own institution. The men understand that GPS Life Journey provides them a framework to assist them in discovering God’s plans that are unique to them. I challenge them to serve one another while sharing God’s Love with other men within their own sphere of influence. The ability to follow up with the men and their own unique mission statements is very limited. When GPS Life Journey is completed my personal contact with them is generally over, as most prisons do not allow personal contact between volunteers and inmates. However, in order to overcome this limitation, I have tried to establish “accountability partnerships” between men who have graduated from a GPS Life Journey class. I encourage the men to have weekly accountability meetings to go over their individual missions and the progress they are making in fulfilling their own action steps. This is about the only way for them to overcome obstacles and difficulties in continuing their journey to fulfill God’s plan for their lives. GPS Life Journey has shown me a clear path to proclaim the Gospel while serving men who are imprisoned. It has brought me great joy and I am growing in Christ daily as I proclaim His Word to some of “the least of these.” GPS Life Journey has also been extremely successful in helping prisoners discover that God has a plan for their lives and gives them a sense of great hope that God will use them to accomplish His purposes for their lives, even in prison. Robert Sandweg is a retired Navy Captain and a certified GPS Life Journey Facilitator. (Story written by Robert Sandweg) Janine BateSOn's GPS Life Journey Story
I had been in my car eating a brown-bag lunch listening to the Moody Radio program “Focus on the Family”. I half-heartedly listened while munching my sandwich. I heard stories of how God had brought estranged families together, healed long-standing emotional wounds and helped strengthened parents in their walk with God.
My walk with God at this time was weak at best, or, so I thought! I did not realize that the Holy Spirit was working with me by placing people, circumstances and yes, radio programs in my life. I felt this growing spiritual hunger to know more, be more and contribute more. There just had to be more to life than this! The Moody radio program ended with a prayer thanking God for His blessings, asking Him to protect families and to awaken those who are listening so they, too, may know God’s love. I crumpled up my lunch sack, grabbed my purse and started briskly walking to the front doors. Where I worked was about a city block away and as I was walked, I started talking to God. If they could talk to God on the radio, I could do it now. “What am I supposed to be doing with my life?” “My life has no meaning and I feel lost”, “WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO?”. Immediately, I heard God say “KNOXVILLE”. I didn’t hear the cars passing on the street or feel the new spring breeze. I stopped and felt a warm glow of love, peace and a new found sense of purpose. The purpose wasn’t clear to me but I wasn’t about to question God. His purpose became clear within the next six months. My husband’s elderly parents lived in Knoxville. When we told them we were moving their way they were elated. The family homestead had become too much for them to manage. We moved in and helped them locate and move into a smaller home within only a few miles from our place. My father-in-law strained his lower back during the move. As the pain grew with the passing days, he could do less and we were now helping mom and dad with their daily chores, medicines and trips to doctors. The back strain proved to be pancreatic cancer. Within a few months hospice moved into their new little home. Dad had weeks to live. He asked us to take care of his funeral arrangements and to move mom in with us. We realized that God started working His plan six months earlier. In His pristine wisdom He was prepping us for work He needed done. That was twenty-five years ago. Today we have a relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Our faith is strong and we understand now why God said “Knoxville!” A NEW STAGE IN LIFE I’m Janine Bateson and my husband is Ken. God’s message for us back twenty-five years ago was absolutely perfect for the work He wanted done in that stage of our life. The glory is all His! Completing GPS Life Journey twenty-five years later, God has given me a new message and GPS turned that message into a Personal Life Mission Statement, which perfectly fits this new stage of life. What a beautiful gift. The ultimate purpose for each of us is to live our life glorifying God. We are to make a difference in the world by sharing our gifts to influence others to know and love Him! And now understanding my purpose, I am so grateful that God once said “Knoxville!” God has me working! My mission is to glorify God by working to save babies from abortion and sharing God’s word with women who have had an abortion. God has given me a pregnancy clinic in Maryville to work with. Good is Good! Janine Bateman is a recent graduate of GPS Life Journey at First Baptist Church, Lenoir City, Tennessee. GPS Life Journey Was a Game Changer for Me Thank you once again, Dr. Yemi, for the opportunity to participate in the GPS Class. It was really a game changer for me. The GPS Life Journey process opened my eyes to a lot of things. It was like a roadmap on how to live a purpose driven life. It showed me hidden potentials I have. Also, my true personality was brought to the forefront. GPS helped me to know how to relate with people around me, making me a better person for Kingdom service. One of the highlights for me was when I discovered my mission statement and my vision for the future became clear. I have always had challenges knowing what to do in life. So, if you too may be confused on your calling this is the course you should take. I am glad I got to know what I now know even though I wished I knew it much earlier in life. I strongly recommend GPS Life Journey for everyone and especially our younger adults. Thank you Dr. Yemi, you freely poured out yourself for us, gave us free tips on financial management and how to use what God has put in us to create success and make an impact for His kingdom. This graduate participated in one of Dr. Yemi Faith Alfred’s GPS Life Journey Classes in Nigeria. God’s network is amazing! Seeking to discover what God might have for the next stage of life for me, I discovered GPS Life Journey while living in southwest Florida. I started my journey many years ago and the adventure continues today. I was so excited about what I learned I knew I had to share it with others. My mission to intentionally invest in others to recognize and receive who they are and live on purpose has been evolving ever since. God has given me amazing opportunities to share with others. I trained and have trained many GPS Life Journey Facilitators. I also became a certified Life Coach and DISC Trainer, which helps me to be able to coach in a more personal way the ones God “brings to my door” through GPS Life Journey. It is so exciting and fulfilling to help others discover who they are and how God made them and witness how God is giving them abundant opportunities to engage in their personal missions. I have traveled to Nigeria, Russia, India, and Ukraine and had the God-given opportunity to do training with students, ministry leaders, and small business owners on how God has uniquely made each one of us and I introduced them to discovering God’s personal mission. Through the online version of GPS Life Journey, I have also “traveled” to Nepal, India, Myanmar, UAE, South Africa, and Costa Rica. Facilitators I had the privilege to train have been able to bring GPS Life Journey to Chechnya, Volgograd, and other surrounding areas of Russia. I feel so privileged to be able to share GPS Life Journey with others in the US and around the world. I LOVE the success stories people are sharing and the healing that is transforming lives. Women’s ministries launched, help to orphanages, ministry to widows, reaching the unreached, teambuilding for business owners, love and help to refugees, and foster care are just a few of the ministries and audiences that are part of mission statements from people all over the world. It’s easy to be passionate about the mission God has given and equipped me to do. What a great blessing to make a difference in others’ lives. Testimonies of GPS Graduates Here are some comments about GPS Life Journey from a few of my friends that have shared their journey with me. Open Doors - “I am seeing God’s open doors right in line with my passions and mission working with teens and young adults helping them discover who they are and how they are made.” Take Action - “With the help of the GPS facilitator I have been able to not only identify my mission but brainstorm and take action to LIVE out this mission.” Serve God with More Unity - “The personality types you taught us today will help me a long way to be able to understand the people that God will bring my way. Most importantly, as the church understands these personality types, the problems we have in churches are going to be reduced and we will serve God with more unity.” World of Possibilities - “This course has enabled me to see a world of possibilities where everyone has a role to play, if only, they can discover themselves to become all that they were made to be. The passion to see lives change led me to start a platform called Women Above Rubies in 2019 - a platform for value reorientation, self-discovery, and empowering women by educating, inspiring, and supporting them to make an impact in their world. I look back on my journey and I thank God for the privilege to have gone through GPS Life Journey, that has helped shape me into the woman I am becoming today.” Transforming - "GPS was life-transforming. I am amazed that through the assessments, self-reflection, group conversations, and one-to-one coaching, my eyes have been opened to who God created when He formed me. I now know that He delights in me and I'm here for a specific, beautiful reason!" Eye-Opening - “The GPS assessments were eye-opening – not just the strengths but also the weaknesses. I’m excited to learn to love myself and to allow God to love me and accept His love. Even more exciting is how that love will spill over to my family and others that I encounter. For the first time I see that as a true, reallife possibility.” GPS Life Journey Makes You Examine Yourself - "I never wanted to accept myself. I covered up my insecurities with sarcasm. GPS makes you examine yourself. I had no concept of what love is. The group IS the experience. I am feeling better about myself and surrendering to God, day by day, moment by moment.” OK to Be the God-made ME - "I think everyone should participate in GPS Life Journey. It provides direction, clarity, and a wonderful group experience. For the first time in my life, I know it is OK to be the God-made me!" Risa Baker is President of Partners 31, LLC, Coach & Consultant in North Metro Atlanta, GA and a global GPS Life Journey Facilitator. (Story written by Risa Baker) Samantha Lewis' GPS Life Journey testimonial.
"I have been searching for my “purpose” and what I was “meant/created” to do for quite some time. Throughout the years, I have placed my sense of value more in worldly achievements and praise from others rather than in truth and purpose. Each season of my life has brought different challenges, but I have approached each one with that same mindset. School/College was about perfect grades. In sports it was about being the best athlete on the team. After graduation it was about landing that prestigious big job, and then about achieving a better title and earning more money in my career. After getting married and having children, God changed my life direction in an unexpected way. He called me to be a full-time mom. The way I self-identified became less about me and more about them. My focus shifted from the best of me to the best for them. No question about it. Fast forward to my current season of life, I have now been a wife for 15 years and am a full-time mom to a teen and a pre-teen. They are in school during the day and, though they still need me, they need me differently than they used to when they were younger and especially during the years that we homeschooled. My role as mommy has for sure shortened to mom. To make matters more challenging, that praise and recognition that I liked so much, is few and far between. That is one of the reasons the GPS Life Journey course appealed to me. Honestly, I thought the course would answer the questions “who am I?” and “what I am supposed to be doing?” Instead, the course aided in the reorienting or rather the transforming of my mind. The weekly self-evaluations and group discussions, in combination with my personal bible study, reminded me that my “purpose” is not about me or what others think of me but rather about Christ and what He thinks of me. My identity, my mission, is to live as an Ambassador of Christ daily to those in my sphere of influence and join God in the work He is already doing around me. Who is included in my sphere of influence? My sphere of influence includes everyone from my husband and children to the folks that pass by me in the grocery store. I am called to represent Christ wherever and to whomever God calls me to that day, knowing I am guided by the power of His Holy Spirit, and with the assurance that He is with me always until the end of the age. I truly cannot think of a more important purpose than to be sent by the One True King, as an accredited diplomat, to represent His Majesty to the world. Can you?" Check the EVENTS page to learn more about when you can participate in GPS Life Journey or use the CONTACT page to get in touch with us. This month's story is from Barb Dunn's GPS testimony! "I work in corporate training and development in the pharma/medical industry. My husband, who is a New York City crane operator, is hoping to retire next year. When we moved away from our home in New Jersey and our church, Hillside Lutheran Brethren, of 28 years to come to Tennessee, finding a church home was very important to us. When we found First Baptist Church of Lenoir City, we were baptized and became members in the Spring of 2021. While waiting to see what Dan and I could do together in ministry after he retires, I said yes to a few things at our new church but I felt a little scattered. I decided to sign up for the GPS Life Journey in May of 2023. I thought this might be like The Purpose Driven Life I read and facilitated years ago. I was intrigued. And anything Pastor John recommends has to be good! So, I signed up. I always shared the verse Jeremiah 29:11 with my husband and sons, but this got me thinking. Why did I know that God had a plan and purpose for my life but never asked any more questions? I was pleased when the first verse shared in the GPS Life Journey class was Jeremiah 29:11. GPS Life Journey didn’t only ask the questions for me, it led me step by step to hear God’s answers for this stage of my life and gave me direction! And as it goes, anytime I go through any training, I look at it as a participant and as a professional. I absolutely loved the program. And as an encouraging “I” personality and one who exists to equip my family and community by encouraging and pointing them to biblical truths to fulfill God‘s purposes in their lives, guess who was encouraged to become a facilitator of the GPS program? The Lord has a plan for your life too. His word is true and tells us so, again in Jeremiah 29:11. I would be excited to walk with you as you discover what that plan is for the next stage of your life! I cannot encourage you enough to go through the GPS Life Journey program!" You can find out what GPS Life Journey events are happening on our EVENTS page or use the CONTACT page to get in touch with your questions.
We knew we wanted to serve within the church in some capacity but exactly what was a mystery to both of us. Then low and behold, one Sunday our Pastor announced an upcoming class called GPS Life Journey that was designed to help people find God’s plan for the next stages of their lives. We signed up online while we were still in the parking lot of the church that day! While I was definitely excited to start the GPS Life Journey course, I was a little wary of how effective the course would turn out. As a professional, I took personality tests and they were accurate but that was all, nothing about what to do with said personality! I have also taken a few spiritual gift assessment tests and I had the same questions as I did with the personality test. “What do I do know? How is this applicable to my life?” As it turns out, this time would definitely be the exception to the rule. It was a seven-week course that started with learning my personal profile, that included seven assessments, and how to hear from God, which then culminated in the development of a personal mission statement with a vision and strategy for making the plan happen. What a gift from the church, from author and facilitator Nolen Rollins and most of all from God. Author Nolen has done what no other program has done before him and that is how to determine what God’s Plan for Significance is for your Life Journey! So, what is the next phase of my life’s journey? My mission is to guide people in discovering God’s plan for their lives through the GPS Life Journey process and to organize a free standing health clinic for the working uninsured of Loudon County, Tennessee. You see, God sometimes has a different plan that you might have thought. He decided to use my education and nursing skills to fulfill His plan for me. I am thrilled to follow His plan. When the Free Health Clinic is completed, I know exactly how to find God’s next plan for me! Oh, and I won’t be telling God what I think that is; I will listen to what He tells me? GPS Life Journey Story by Paula Mills Jim Casali’s GPS Life Journey Story It was my privilege to participate in the GPS Life Journey process many years ago in Naples, Florida. Several years ago, we relocated to Saint Augustine, Florida. Recently, I went back and reviewed all my GPS Life Journey Personal Road Map information and tweaked my purpose somewhat. My giftedness and personal profile have always pointed to primarily a service role with learned leadership skills from my years in executive responsibilities at ASG Software solutions in Naples, Florida. I also have always desired to mentor young men but had never been able to get the two purposes aligned until moving to Saint Augustine.
Two years ago the church we are attending, Reverb Church, here in Saint Augustine moved out of a school environment into the vacant PGA Pro Shop building in the World Golf Complex across from the Golf Hall of Fame. Because of my background at ASG and working on the First Baptist Church Naples Staff, the Pastor here asked me to help them during the renovations of the new space. It took almost a year as it was a total gut out and rebuild. They had a young man already on staff who was leading in worship and who had a construction background. He was given the responsibility of Director of Operations and we worked together during the build out. After we moved into our new space our Pastor came to me and asked if I would consider taking on the volunteer role as Coach for the new Operations Team being assembled. After much prayer I agreed and it has been an amazing blessing for the last two years. The Team is comprised of young married men, including the Director of Operations, and about half of them are fairly new believers. This ministry has allowed me to use my organizational, facilities and leadership skills to build the Team and set expectations for serving on the Team. In addition, I have been able to mentor several of these young men in so many aspects of their Christian walk. It has taken me a while to find a ministry to apply my life purpose so fully. God has been patient with me. I have a lot to be thankful for, especially the GPS Life Journey process and Nolen Rollins’ leadership, influence, and friendship in my life over these many years. There is nothing as fulfilling as knowing you are doing what God created and prepared you to do. Jim Casali If you would like to participate in the GPS Life Journey process then please check for upcoming events in person and online here.
I questioned if that applied to me since I have been involved in Kingdom ministry for many years. I could not imagine learning anything new about “my purpose.” Yet, out of curiosity, I signed up. Since then, my life has been changed.
GPS Life Journey has given me “A New Beginning.” Now, I am ready and excited to live a life of significance, have greater impact in the Kingdom of God, and fulfill my God-given destiny of helping others learn how God has uniquely shaped them for a specific mission in His Kingdom. What are you waiting for? Sign up for GPS Life Journey today and live your live on mission with God! Mary Sue Jordan Executive Director, Lenoir City, Tennessee Housing Authority GPS Life Journey Facilitator |
AuthorNolen Rollins, Founder & President of GPS Life Journey Archives
March 2024
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