EPISODE · Jul 1, 2026 · 45 MIN
Navy Chaplain's Secrets to Spiritual Toughness (with Dr. Justin Top)
from Why We Believe · host Nathan Gwilliam
Dr. Justin Top has spent his life chasing one question: how does the grace of God actually reach us? He has looked for the answer in places most people never see. He lived his junior year of high school in Jerusalem. He served a mission in South Korea. He taught seminary for seven years, then traded the classroom for a Navy uniform, deploying twice in the War on Terror and later building a spiritual fitness program for the Marine Corps at the Pentagon. He has sat with the dying as a hospice chaplain and with the hurting as a psychologist. Everywhere he has gone, he has watched grace show up in the dark.In this episode of Why We Believe, host Nathan Gwilliam sits down with Justin to trace where that grace has met him. Justin tells of an ICU patient who had not let herself be happy for twenty years, since the day her daughter was kidnapped, and a priesthood blessing where words he never planned came out of his mouth. He shares the mission companion he once begged God to fix, only to feel God turn the request back on him. He revisits the night he was ready to quit, when an Elder Holland message found him in the dark. Through all of it, Justin keeps arriving at the same witness: God's grace is with us even when we cannot feel it.Loved this episode?Hit Follow and share it with someone who needs to be reminded that God's grace is with them even in the dark. Leave a review for Why We Believe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. Your support helps us bring more inspiring conversations like this to listeners everywhere!Visit WhyWeBelieve.com to download Your FREE guide on 13 Strategies to Increase Faith in Jesus Christ, to support you as you strengthen your own testimony of Jesus Christ.Follow the Why We Believe Show:Website: https://www.whywebelieve.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WhyWeBelieveShowSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6T9DjmWBXJZPFyIFXUCdhmApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/why-we-believe/id1751537256LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/why-we-believe-show/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whywebelievepodcast/Follow Nathan Gwilliam:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathangwilliam/Follow Justin Top:BYU Profile: https://religion.byu.edu/directory/justin-top
What this episode covers
Dr. Justin Top has spent his life chasing one question: how does the grace of God actually reach us? He has looked for the answer in places most people never see. He lived his junior year of high school in Jerusalem. He served a mission in South Korea. He taught seminary for seven years, then traded the classroom for a Navy uniform, deploying twice in the War on Terror and later building a spiritual fitness program for the Marine Corps at the Pentagon. He has sat with the dying as a hospice chaplain and with the hurting as a psychologist. Everywhere he has gone, he has watched grace show up in the dark. In this episode of Why We Believe, host Nathan Gwilliam sits down with Justin to trace where that grace has met him. Justin tells of an ICU patient who had not let herself be happy for twenty years, since the day her daughter was kidnapped, and a priesthood blessing where words he never planned came out of his mouth. He shares the mission companion he once begged God to fix, only to feel God turn the request back on him. He revisits the night he was ready to quit, when an Elder Holland message found him in the dark. Through all of it, Justin keeps arriving at the same witness: God's grace is with us even when we cannot feel it. Loved this episode?Hit Follow and share it with someone who needs to be reminded that God's grace is with them even in the dark. Leave a review for Why We Believe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. Your support helps us bring more inspiring conversations like this to listeners everywhere! Visit WhyWeBelieve.com to download Your FREE guide on 13 Strategies to Increase Faith in Jesus Christ, to support you as you strengthen your own testimony of Jesus Christ. Follow the Why We Believe Show: Website: https://www.whywebelieve.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WhyWeBelieveShow Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6T9DjmWBXJZPFyIFXUCdhm Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/why-we-believe/id1751537256 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/why-we-believe-show/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whywebelievepodcast/ Follow Nathan Gwilliam: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathangwilliam/ Follow Justin Top: BYU Profile: https://religion.byu.edu/directory/justin-top
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Navy Chaplain's Secrets to Spiritual Toughness (with Dr. Justin Top)
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