About Walking with the Savior Podcast
Walking with the Savior Podcast is about following Jesus Christ in real, everyday life. Each week, you’ll hear an interview with a fellow Christian who shares their personal walk with Christ—the ups and downs, the struggles and setbacks, the hurdles they’ve overcome, and the obstacles they faced in finding Him, learning to walk with Him, and now celebrating Him. This isn’t about perfect stories; it’s about honest journeys, real faith, and what it truly means to walk forward, step by step, with the Savior at your side.
My Goals and Vision
The goal of Walking with the Savior is to share real people’s stories so faith moves beyond surface-level belief and becomes something lived and experienced. By listening to honest journeys—the struggles, growth, and redemption—we’re inspired to seek Christ for ourselves, walk with Him daily, and develop a deep, personal love and passion for Him. This podcast invites listeners not just to believe in the Savior, but to truly experience His presence, power, and transforming love in their own lives.
The vision of Walking with the Savior is to build a growing library of hundreds—and eventually thousands—of real faith stories from every kind of life situation: loss and grief, divorce, addiction, incarceration, trauma, and hard, unexpected experiences. By sharing honest journeys, the podcast helps listeners find a story they personally relate to, feel understood, and discover renewed hope in Jesus Christ. No matter where someone has been or what they’re carrying, these stories point to the same truth—that hope, healing, and new life are possible through Christ.
Who Am I?
I am John Merrill Kirkman. I was born and raised in Carson, California—just three miles south of Compton—where drugs, anger, hate, and gang activity were a daily reality. Growing up with faith in Jesus Christ often brought opposition, but I was able to avoid those paths and hold firmly to my belief in the Savior.
For the past 29 years, I’ve taught religion classes to teenagers in Utah, walking with them through faith, questions, and real-life challenges. I’ve been married to my amazing wife for 29 years, and together we raised five children and adopted two more, completing our family. Today, our family continues to grow with two wonderful daughters-in-law and three cherished grandchildren.
Outside the classroom and podcast studio, I enjoy staying fit, practicing jiu-jitsu and Wing Chun, spreading simple “You’re awesome” messages throughout the community, and continuing to learn through books and podcasts. Most of all, I love meeting people and talking about Jesus Christ—inviting others to experience a deeper, more personal walk with the Savior.
My Podcast Story
I started Walking with the Savior because my faith journey reached a turning point. I grew up Christian as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and I always believed in Jesus Christ. That belief was real—but as I got older, I realized belief alone wasn’t enough for me. I didn’t just want to know about the Savior. I wanted to know Him. I wanted to experience His power personally in my life, to feel His love, and to walk with Him in a deeper, more real way. That hunger has stayed with me—and in many ways, it still does.
I’m not a perfect Christian. I never have been. But I hope my life reflects the Savior a little more each day. In 2023, I felt a quiet but persistent nudging from the Lord to do something—to use my voice and to help others share their experiences with Him. My first reaction was resistance: I don’t know how. I don’t have the tools. I’m small. I’m weak. I’m inexperienced. But the message that came back was simple and clear: Act.
So I did the smallest thing I could think of. I set a goal to work on the podcast for five minutes. That day, all I did was open Google and type, “How to start a podcast.” (Yes—really.) I still feel small in many ways, but step by step, that simple act of obedience turned into something much bigger. Since then, I’ve had the privilege of interviewing over 100 incredible people as they share their faith, their struggles, and their witness of the Savior.
What I didn’t expect was that these interviews would change me. I’ve come to realize that each conversation has been for me as much as for anyone else. Through their stories, I’ve seen the Savior more clearly in my own life. I’ve felt His love more deeply and grown in my desire to adore Him and walk with Him.
I often say on the show: we talk of Christ, we preach of Christ, and we podcast of Christ—so that we can all more fully come unto Him and truly experience Him. That’s why this podcast exists. And that’s why I keep going.
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