REMASTERED: #30 Forgiving My Kidnappers - Gracia Burnham

Compelled - Christian Stories & Testimonies

Paul Hastings

Personal Journals, Christianity, Society & Culture, Religion & Spirituality

4.9 • 874 Ratings

🗓️ 12 August 2025

⏱️ 57 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

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 glory. ++++++++++++ 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 become a Monthly Partner at: https://compelledpodcast.com/donate Perks of being a Monthly Partner include: EARLY ACCESS to each new Compelled episode 1 week early! FULL LIBRARY of our unedited, behind-the-scenes interviews with each guest... over 100+ hours of additional stories and takeaways! Become a Monthly Partner by selecting the "Monthly" option during check-out. Show notes, emails, and more at: https://compelledpodcast.com Buy the Compelled book of testimonies, endorsed by Lee Strobel, Marvin Olasky, and more: https://compelledpodcast.com/book Compelled is a member of the Proclaim Podcast Network: https://proclaim.fm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	This show is part of the Proclaimed Podcast Network, thoughtfully crafted, faithfully told,
0:07.6	stories that proclaim his name. More at Proclaim.fm. They got on the phone right away and made a bunch of demands.
0:26.6	Philippine military, of course, surrounded the place, and there was shooting, shooting, shooting.
0:33.6	And these A-10s came in bombing the place. I thought we would die there.
0:38.7	I was pretty sure we were just going to die.
0:50.8	I'm Paul Hastings, and you're listening to Compelled, where we use gripping, immersive storytelling
0:56.1	to bring to life Christian testimonies from the kingdom of God, told by the people compelled to live
1:02.2	for him. In a recent episode, we heard the conclusion of Jonathan Pacheco's story. After being confined
1:09.3	to a wheelchair his entire life,
1:11.3	Jonathan was forced to trust God every step of the way.
1:15.9	You can hear the entire story by tuning into episode
1:18.6	number 28 and 29 with Jonathan Pacheco.
1:22.7	Today, our guest is Gracia Burnham,
1:24.9	a missionary to the Philippines who was kidnapped
1:27.4	and held hostage by Muslim terrorists for over a year.
1:31.5	Her faith would be tested to the limits as she began questioning if God still loved her.
1:37.8	So gather around, lean in, and join us for another compelling story from the kingdom of God.
1:52.2	My wife Sarah and I sat down with Gracia in my wife's hometown of Derby, Kansas.
1:58.1	Gracia grew up in a Christian household and gave her life to the Lord early on as a child.
2:03.9	After she grew older, she attended Bible College in Kansas City where she met her husband,
2:08.4	Martin Burnham. Then in 1986, Gratia and Martin moved to the Philippines as aviation missionaries.
2:15.8	And while they did many of the same activities as regular missionaries, as aviation missionaries. And while they did many of the same activities as regular missionaries,
	...

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