What if the biggest threat to your organization isn't the crisis you see coming, but the one you can't? Derek M. Stevens—consultant, author, and former programmer—joins People of Distinction to unpack Top Gun Governance, a radical rethink of leadership built on military-grade situational awareness. Drawing lessons from the 2008 financial crash, COVID, and fighter squadron doctrine, Derek explains why "gradual, then sudden" collapse is the pattern every leader must learn to spot before it's too late. This conversation will change how you think about risk, adaptation, and what it really means to lead in an unpredictable world.

At 15 years old, Jan Rustad snuck onto a freighter to Norway and gave his life to Jesus in a narrow bunk somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic. Decades later, after facing cancer, COVID, and back surgery, he brings his story full circle with his new book, "Lessons on Jesus: Who Is This Man Jesus Christ?" In this episode, Jan sits down to unpack the historical, personal, and spiritual case for the most polarizing figure in history. If you've ever wondered who Jesus really was beneath 2,000 years of tradition, this conversation is for you.

After nearly five decades serving in the Army Corps of Engineers and the Department of Defense, Keith Stelzer set out to answer one question: what does he actually believe? What started as a personal journal after a 2023 revival conference became What I Believe—a book that traces his walk from Operation Desert Storm's "Victory Division" to a deeper understanding of Christ's sacrifice. In this conversation, Keith opens up about the three callings God places on every believer, the tragic story behind his signature word "victory," and why you don't need a seminary degree to know your faith. 

Grab your copy on Amazon or Barnes & Noble and start your own journey through what you believe.

She says she's from heaven—literally. Dr. Nantume Sovereign opens up about growing up in Uganda, the family breakdown that reshaped her faith, and how a quiet, "reserved" girl became a woman convinced God had marked her for something bigger. In this conversation, she unpacks the heart behind her new book, God Sent: Living Under Divine Anointing, and reveals the one verse, buried on page 29, that she says changes how you see your own purpose. If you've ever felt an unexplainable pull toward something greater, this episode is your sign.

Get the book: Amazon & Barnes & Noble

nantumesovereignspks.com | eternalgodchristianchurch.org 

Listen to her podcast: Heavenly Royalty Today

She packed a single suitcase at 17, boarded a plane to the Netherlands alone, and came back a completely different person Now, 50 years later, Margot Stornelli has turned that journey into a memoir the whole world needs to read. In this episode of People of Distinction, Margot unpacks the real story behind The Big Red Suitcase — from changing host families mid-year as a teenager 5,000 miles from home, to building lifelong friendships across three countries, to the powerful truth that home isn't a dot on the map. If you've ever felt the pull of something bigger, this conversation will light a fire under you.

The Big Red Suitcase — Available now on Amazon & Barnes & Noble.

What if a single pair of hands could save lives, coach champions, heal souls, and warn a generation about the collapse of civilization? Vietnam veteran, rehabilitation director, soccer coach, and climate researcher Robert J. Ackerman returns to People of Distinction to unpack his profound new book I Heal You With My Hands — a decades-long reckoning with a divine message he received in 1969 that he's only now fully understood. From the soccer field to the sixth great extinction event, Robert's story will challenge the way you see God, humanity, and the fragile world we share. 

Get your copy now at ihealyouwithmyhands.com or on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

What happens when a diagnosis lands you in a world you never asked to enter and no one around you knows what to say? Tricia Ann Roloff, author of Navigating Through a Strange Land, joins People of Distinction to share how a pituitary tumor diagnosis led her to create a one-of-a-kind resource that weaves together dozens of real patient stories into a lifeline for brain tumor patients and their families. From navigating hospitals and neuropsychologists to what family members should actually say (hint: stop with the platitudes), this conversation is raw, practical, and deeply human.

Pick up the 4th edition of Navigating Through a Strange Land on Amazon, and if someone in your life needs this, get them a copy too.

He flew combat missions over Vietnam, got spit on when he came home, and didn't speak about it for decades—until God gave him a reason to. Colonel David O. Sheiding returns to People of Distinction to share Wings of Faith, a raw and riveting memoir that takes you from the cockpit of a warplane to the quiet courage it takes to survive what war does to a man's soul. This isn't just a soldier's story—it's a love story, a faith story, and a masterclass in resilience that will meet you exactly where you are. 

Grab your copy on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or at davidosheidingauthor.com.

A Holocaust survivor's son who escaped communist Hungary, swam across a river to freedom, and became a decorated physician — now he's writing murder mysteries. Dr. Andrew I. Schafer joins us to discuss The Panacea Doctor: The Mysterious Disappearance of a Beloved Physician, a gripping historical fiction thriller rooted in a real unidentified body that washed ashore in Florida decades ago. From the halls of Harvard and Penn Medicine to the small-town panhandle of Florida, this story has twists you won't see coming. 

Grab your copy now on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

What if 40 years of hard-won career wisdom could be absorbed in the time it takes to drink your morning coffee? Author and systems engineer Michael Alan Bell joins us to break down his book 40/40: 40 Years of Career and Life Advice in 40 Minutes — a razor-sharp guide built for busy professionals who are done wasting time on fluff. From leading without brute force to creating "islands of tranquility" in a demanding career, this conversation is packed with no-nonsense advice that hits no matter where you are in your journey. 

Grab your copy at beta4helps.com or on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.