VL - Issue 9 - September 2013 by VICTORIOUS LIVING Magazine

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REAL PEOPLE | REAL STORIES | REAL HOPE

Quarterly Publication Issue 3 2013

The

POWER of Prayer

Just Relax! Face The Facts

LightIn The Darkness Plus…

In His Wakes Season Summary • Champion’s Heart News • Pastor’s Point of View

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The Lion of the Tribe of Judah is Roaring!

Every Saturday at 7 p.m. Champion’s Heart

205 Magnolia Avenue • Keystone Heights, FL 32656 Each week features a unique guest worship and word minister! Check our website to see a listing of upcoming leaders.

352.361.7652 www.ephesians-4-prayer-fellowship.com Get a FREE copy of The Joshua Accounts!

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FROM THE PUBLISHER

God… In the Big and Small Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Matthew 29-30 (NIV) Although it’s been almost 30 years, the following scene is as fresh in my mind as if it happened yesterday. Let me take you back to that unforgettable moment in the early 1980’s… There I am, a young teenager, sitting in Sunday School class with my hand raised, eagerly waiting to share my prayer request with my peers. When my name is called, I humbly ask the group to pray for the Lord to protect my family in our upcoming travels. For as long as I live, I’ll never forget the response of my Sunday School teacher, who was also the associate pastor of my church. He said, “That is a very selfish prayer! You don’t ask God to keep you safe as you travel!” If there was ever a moment where I wanted to hide under a rock, that was it! I was so embarrassed, not to mention overwhelmed with guilt! For years, I struggled with the concept of “selfish prayers”. Every time I presented a request before a group or God, I couldn’t help but wonder if some how there was a hidden, selfish motive attached. One thing is for sure, I didn’t raise my hand for “that” prayer request anymore! Fortunately, after years of studying the Word of God on my own and growing in my personal relationship with God, I began to realize what I knew as a child to be true. God does care for me and my safety. He cares about the “big” and the “little” things in my life. He cares when my feelings are hurt and He cares when I experience an incredible victory. God is concerned about my health, my travels, my athletic career, my relationships, my academic endeavors… everything! And He cares about you, too! Over the years, I have heard many views on prayer. I’ve met people who pray about everything (including parking spots). I’ve also met people who refuse to ask God for anything. They reason that since God is all knowing and well… God… that He will simply give them what they need and what He wants them to have. These different views can lead to some pretty intense moments. I remember shocking a friend recently as I began to pray out loud for God to help us find an item for her home that she had been searching for. As soon as these words came out of my mouth, she looked at me like I had three heads and exclaimed, “You can’t pray for THAT!” She looked frightened, as if lightening was going to strike us both dead. www.kojministries.com

“Why not?” I asked. “Don’t you think God cares about your time and your finances? Don’t you think He can help you find the exact thing you need for your home at just the right price?” In my personal relationship with the Lord, I’ve learned that God does indeed care… He cares about everything that concerns us. He even cares about toilets! I’ll never forget the day I was driving down the road in Florida and God laid on my heart to call a friend in North Carolina and offer to buy her a handicap toilet. How blessed I was to hear her screams of joy on the other end of the phone as she explained to me the following: “Kristi, I haven’t told anyone how badly I needed a new toilet, except God. I’m in so much pain from my hip surgery and I simply can’t sit on my toilet. I cried out to God and He heard my cries!” God did indeed hear her cries, and He arranged for her prayer to be answered. This issue of Victorious Living is dedicated to testimonies of God’s faithfulness in both the “big” and the “small” issues of life. As you read these articles, I pray you realize the truth that God does hears your cries, even the ones you never speak to another soul. I also hope you enjoy the new addition of Pastor’s Point of View. In this column, I asked three godly men who have made an incredible impact on my life, two questions about prayer. You’ll be encouraged by their biblically-based answers. Thank you for your continued support of Victorious Living. God is using the testimonies within its pages to transform lives and bring much needed hope. Please continue to pray for funding so that we can continue this outreach, and pray for an expansion of the magazine’s territory. There are many hearts, locally and nationally, that need to be encouraged by the stories of truth and hope contained in this magazine. Share Victorious Living today, and give that hope. God bless,

Publisher/Editor Kristi Overton Johnson Assistant Editors Becky Harris Overton Charlene Hannah Barbara Sullivan Contributors Sandy Burdick Katie Brooke Clemmons Linda Cubbedge Amanda Cumbass Jan Tharrington Dorfer Kim Grizzard Bonnie Hagemann Donna Hannah Charlene Hannah Kristi Overton Johnson Michelle Lawson Maureen Lendzion Aleshia Martin Carter McCain Nate Miller Myra Monroe Carey Morford Rob Morford Dr. James Peoples Joanie Tyson Creative Director/Graphic Design Amy Zackowski • amy@whisperingdog.com Advertising advertise@championsheart.net Victorious Living PO Box 968 • Keystone Hts, FL 32656 352.478.2098 • fax 888.837.9153 Victorious Living is published quarterly in Keystone Heights, Florida. ©2013, all rights reserved by Victorious Living. Contents may not be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the publisher. The publisher reserves the right to refuse advertising. The publisher accepts no responsibility for advertising errors beyond the cost of the advertisement itself. The publisher accepts no responsibility for submitted materials. All submitted materials subject to editing.

Victorious Living’s

MISSION

The mission of Victorious Living is to provide hope for the heart and help for life through the inspirational stories of people just like you. We commit to provide REAL STORIES by REAL PEOPLE so you can experience REAL HOPE!

Victorious Living’s

SUBMISSIONS

Kristi Overton Johnson

Do you have a story of victory? Share it with us! Your life story can change the life of another. Submissions should be a maximum 400 to 600 words and are subject to editing. To send your article submissions, go to www.Championsheart.org and visit the Victorious Living Magazine page.

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REFRESH YOUR SOUL

JESUS, TAKE THE WHEEL! One summer, I embarked on a ten hour road trip in my husband’s work truck. As usual, I was quite a sight with three children and two dogs inside the cab, driving a truck and boat loaded down with a month’s worth of luggage, skis, and other equipment needed for our ministry events.

HOPE AHEAD

All was going well until we stopped in Florence, SC to grab a bite to eat. I pulled the truck up to a spot at the front of a local sub restaurant and headed inside with my kids. When we finished, we walked the dogs and climbed aboard for our final three hours. Everything was great until I pulled out of the parking spot and realized that there was no place to turn the truck and boat around.

Just to make sure, I eased the truck forward a ways but I didn’t see an exit. Over the course of the next fifteen minutes, I tried to back the boat trailer out of the parking lot.

Kristi Overton Johnson is the founder of Champion’s Heart and In His Wakes, divisions of KOJ Ministries. Kristi currently resides in the Lake Area Region with her husband, Tim, and three children.

Now would be a good time to tell you that backing a trailer isn’t my God-given gift! My inability to back a trailer provided many on-lookers with free entertainment, including about ten migrant workers who were outside the restaurant eating sandwiches. In the end, they were on their feet watching me pull forward and backwards, forward and backwards… with big smiles on their faces. As you can imagine, with three kids starting to panic, a Labrador retriever licking me in the face and men laughing at me, my emotions were starting to fuel up. I started to pray and asked Jesus to “Take the Wheel!” I wish I could say I remained in a godly state, but fear and embarrassment were starting to take control. As I sat there wondering what I was going to do, I noticed out of the corner of my eye an elderly gentlemen and his wife pulled to the side, sitting in their car watching my situation. He looked harmless so I got out of the truck and went to talk to Him. He then asked me, “Honey, what are you trying to do?”

by Kristi Overton Johnson

“Call to me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things, fenced in and hidden, which you do not know.” Jeremiah 33:3 (AMP)

When I told him I was trying to get out, he responded with a wise, “Sugar, there isn’t enough room to turn this boat around in here.” I wanted to say, “No Duh!” But instead, I just smiled and replied, “I know.” I waited helplessly beside his wife as this man climbed into my truck and pulled away with my kids (who were wide-eyed with fear) and my dogs (who were licking him in the face). He kept going straight until he disappeared around the corner of the building. I couldn’t believe it! There was a way out all the time! All I had to do was pull forward a few more feet and I would have seen that there was a road beside the dumpster. As I was sharing this story with a friend, I realized how similar this situation is to how we live our lives. We go back and forth without really going anywhere. We grow angry, embarrassed, and irritated over situations that really aren’t even an issue. We also panic and grow anxious when all we have to do is put our lives in park, say a prayer, and look for God to lead us to freedom. Are you feeling trapped, discouraged, confused, or anxious today? Take time to sit with God, put your mind and body in park for a moment, and call out to Him. Get in His Word and open your heart to be led by Him. A way out is right around the corner. v

Put your mind and body in park and call out to Him. Get in His Word and open your heart to be led by Him. A way out is right around the corner. 6

www.kojministries.com

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FROM OUR READERS I just had to email and thank you for your publication, Victorious Living! For over an hour I sat on my front porch with a glass of sweet tea and my beagle, Copper, and read your magazine from cover to cover… stories, ads… everything! I cannot ever recall doing this and I’ve received some pretty good magazines over the years! I am overwhelmed by every article and refreshed as I feel connected with the testimonies of your submitters. They prove that although life can take many twists and turns, there is still hope because our amazing Savior, Jesus Christ, will never let us go! He will never disappoint us or never give up on us! How wonderful! I am looking at the cover of the May issue again… the words NEVER QUIT keep jumping out at me. These two words carry such power. Thank you for pressing through every adversity to keep this magazine going! NEVER QUIT! Whatever it takes, my heart’s desire is to see more of your magazines available in our Bradford County Community. So many people need to hear “The Good News” and how God loves them no matter what they’ve done or what’s happened in their lives. Your magazine rings r Neveit loud and clear this Heavenly Message! Qu You and your family are continually in my g Lookin prayers! I’m praying He will continue to For Calm Water? open the windows of Heaven over each of Free! you and your ministries and destroy every st At La wicked scheme of the devil! Spring

REAL OPLE | REAL PE

Table of Contents

We hope you enjoy this edition of Victorious Living. These stories of faith and perseverance are sure to inspire you as you pass through the waters of life.

2013

PE | REAL HO STORIES

Jump In!

Featuring… rs sports Edition Special Water Les Todd • Emma Shee

~Linda Cubbedge, FL

p • April Coble lson • Becky Lathro KC Wi on Johnson Kristi Overt

Issue 3 2013

Jesus, Take The Wheel Kristi Overton Johnson

Skeptic’s Seat Carey Morford

Pastor’s Point of View | Prayer

A Bed & Breakfast Jan Tharrington Dorfer

Promised Provision Michelle Lawson

Angels Unaware Sandy Burdick

Praying For Sparky Maureen Lendzion

Goodness & Mercy Joanie Tyson

Accelerated Healing Linda Cubbedge

God Knows What You Need Kristi Overton Johnson

The Little Things Jan Tharrington Dorfer

Wakes with In His

sssss Thank you, In His Wakes, for an amazing day at Lake Kristi. As we were leaving the event with the kids, Max told me it was the best day of his life. When I asked the kids if they would want to do it again, Max said, "I want to do this every day for the rest of my life!" God bless your team for everything you did for our kids. Only eternity will reveal what those seeds you planted could yield in their lives! ~ Kim Grizzard, NC

sssss Being a volunteer at the In His Wakes event was such a great experience for my daughter, Gracie… and for me! It was so nice to sit on the banks and watch her just being herself. She had no reservations, nor was she trying to meet anyone’s expectations, as she helped those kids. She was simply focused on serving others and doing what her heart led her to do. She was free to be herself! It was also nice for me to get away from “life” for a while and just watch my kids and the other kids who were participating. My cheeks hurt from smiling! Thank you for that opportunity! It was a nice reminder of all the blessings that simple things can bring. ~ Lindy Williams, NC

www.kojministries.com

Shattered Dreams or God’s Masterpiece Anonymous

Meet Our New CHLC Director Donnah Hannah

United: In His Wakes Update Nate Miller

Ministry News

New Life Is Budding Amanda Cumbass

If My Father Knew Charlene Hannah

Just Relax! Bonnie Hagemann

Champion’s Heart Award Katie Brooke Clemmons

The Need for God’s Instruction Katie Brooke Clemmons

Pizza Man Kim Grizzard

My Faith to See Aleshia Martin

Light In The Darkness Myra Monroe

Face The Facts Kristi Overton Johnson 7

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FRESH PERSPECTIVE

Skeptic's Seat by Carey Morford

Carey Morford is the Media Specialist at Keystone Elementary and President of Seeds of Grace, Inc. Visit their site at Seedsofgrace-highridge.blogspot.com. She is married to her very best friend Isaac Morford, and they have two daughters, Layla and Rigby.

Have you ever found yourself sitting in the skeptic's seat? I know the Truth. I know it deeply in my soul as I know my name and the palm of my hand and the color of my eyes. I've never been without the Truth. Isn't that supposed to be the best kind of testimony — to be able to say there was never a time when I didn't believe? That's me. I've always known God is real. I’ve always trusted that He would save me. And He always has. But there are moments, that sometimes turn into months, when nothing magical happens. Sometimes I can go a whole span of time, years even, when it seems like everything around me is dying. Sure, the last several years have had a few flickering moments of joy, but mostly, it's been a lot of tired moments strung together by some heartache and confusion. When those moments (or months, or years) happen and there is only silence, I often feel lost and doubtful. Depending on how difficult life gets in those moments, I can even feel scared to death that the God whom I've never been without has left me. In these moments, I become the cynic, the doubter, the skeptic. There is a book called A Long Obedience in the Same Direction written by Eugene Peterson that talks about these moments of silence. If I didn't keep giving my copy away, you would find it on my night stand with tattered, dog-eared pages.

Using the Psalms as his biblical text, Eugene Peterson teaches a great deal of wisdom about living the Christian faith. Here are a few helpful quotes: In reference to worship, "We think if we don't feel something there can be no authenticity to it." "The only cure for cynicism is to bring it out from behind the scenes. It is a parasite on faith. The reason that many of us don't ardently believe in the gospel is that we have never given it a rigorous testing, thrown our hard questions at it, faced it with our prickly doubts." "We survive in the way of faith not because we have extraordinary stamina but because God sticks with us." If you find yourself in the skeptic's seat, here are some things I suggest, based on Peterson’s quotes and my own experience. Worship. Worship even if it feels empty and like you are faking it. God is worthy of being worshipped, even when we don't think so or feel like it. So, take a risk. Read scripture. Read anything, but especially the Psalms and the Minor Prophets. Join them in hurling your questions and your anger and your doubts at God. I recommend standing on the back porch and yelling as loudly as you can! He can handle it, and He loves you just the same. Trust. After you’ve worshipped and ranted, trust that God is with you even when you don't feel like it. Trust that one day you will feel better. If I were to make a spiritual time table, I would have to tell you that the last seven years have been one of these cynic "moments" for me. There are many days when I'm filled with more questions than answers. I don't remember the last time I felt something powerful when I prayed. I don't remember the last time I was awe struck by God in worship. Lately, I’ve had no big miraculous moments, no grand visions, only quiet moments. The other day I asked God, with a hint of envy over someone else's miracle (yes, it was a shining moment), "When was the last time You answered one of my prayers? I don't even know why I keep doing this." And then, all of a sudden, there in my brain arose three things I'd prayed about over the last few years that had been resolved. God had been with me. He had answered my prayers. The other night as I was driving home, I found myself singing a praise and worship song (louder than I would ever sing with anyone in the car with me), and actually meaning what I sang… and I felt pure joy. I know the feeling might not matter, but I noticed it and I giggled out loud, remembering how my God never leaves me and thinking that maybe, just maybe, I was going to be able to continue this long obedience. If you sit in the skeptic's seat today, I know you probably feel hopelessly alone. I pray (with the little bit of fervor I can muster) that you will know that you are not alone. I pray that you will find safe places where you can be deeply honest. I pray that you will have the courage to "Be Still and Know that He is God." I pray that you will giggle in His presence one day soon. And until that day, I pray you will feel His firm grip holding onto you. v www.kojministries.com

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PASTOR’S POINT OF VIEW

Prayer… Is it wrong to ask God for things or personal needs? What hinders our prayers being answered?

In this column, I asked three godly men who have made an incredible impact on my life, two questions about prayer. You’ll be encouraged by their biblically-based answers.

~Kristi

For the last 19 years, Dr. James Peoples has served as the Senior Pastor of Trinity Baptist in Keystone Heights, FL. Pastor James and his wife, Jeannie, have been blessed with two beautiful children, Emily and Dana.

Rob Morford is pastor of Community Church of Keystone Heights. He and his wife, Dotty have three children and two grandchildren.

Carter McCain is currently living in Dallas where he is studying at Perkins School of Theology/SMU. He and his wife Karen have three wonderful children.

Is it wrong to ask God for things or personal needs?

Clearly, it is not wrong to go to God in prayer regarding personal concerns you have. In both the Old and New Testaments the Bible encourages us to bring our concerns to the Lord. God is our loving heavenly Father whose heart is tender toward His children. “Cast your burden on the Lord, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.” Psalm 55:22 (NKJV) “Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7 (NKJV) “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6–7 (NKJV) “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16 (NKJV)

When I first read the question, my immediate answer was “sin.” Isaiah 59:2 (NKJV) says, “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.” While that answer is correct, the question may need to be explained further. Many people believe

Most questions that Christians have about whether it is right to ask God for things or personal needs to be met come from misunderstandings of who God is and how He works. “God’s people perish for a lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6). Many of those Christians focus on only one aspect of God; they believe God is going to do what He is going to do and they do not need to ask or pray. They do not understand how God in His sovereignty chose to operate in this world through prayer. The word “ASK” is used in over 100 different scriptures and “PRAY” in over 300. Over 25 times Jesus tells us to “ASK” when we pray. James tells us that many Christians “have not because you “ASK” not” (James 4:2). Jesus came to earth to straighten out many of our misunderstandings of God. People believed in an omnipotent God, but did not see Him as a loving Dad. His disciples asked Him to teach them how to pray or talk to God and in His model prayer or what we call the Lord’s prayer, (Matthew 6:913); He corrected many misconceptions that still linger today. He starts by addressing God as “Our Father.” The Hebrew word is Abba which is relational like a Dad. We are to talk to God like a son would talk to his Dad. Our “ASKING” is based on our relationship. Jesus then says, “Give us this day our daily bread.” Daily bread refers to “ASKING” for your daily needs to be met.

“...You do not have, because you do not ask.” (James 4:2, ESV) “... Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.” (John 16:24, ESV) Not only is it not wrong, it's commanded by Jesus! We have a God who declares over and over that He cares about every detail of our lives. Can you imagine a loving Father rebuking a child who is asking for something she needs with a "Now now, that's really quite selfish?” Some of the ways we most bless others is by giving them those things they don't "need." Can you imagine a perfect parent turning down a request for something without having a good reason? In our asking, though, we have to be careful to guard our hearts against several things: • Assuming God doesn't really love us or becoming discontent because we didn't get what we asked for; • Thinking that the presence or lack of material blessing is a good indicator of faithfulness or faithlessness; and • Having most or all of our prayer time focused just on our wants/needs rather than on God and others. I think it is for these reasons (and many others!) that good people have told us not to pray for things for ourselves. We need to be cautious; God's ways are not our ways and sometimes God knows that things we think would be good for us would

continued on page 30

What hinders our prayers being answered?

www.kojministries.com

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A Bed and Breakfast by Jan Tharrington Dorfer

“Sing, barren woman, you who never bore a child; burst into song, shout for joy, you who were never in labor; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband,” says the Lord. “Enlarge the place of your tent,stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes. For you will spread out to the right and to the left; your descendants will dispossess nations and settle in their desolate cities.” Isaiah 54:1-3 NIV

2008, my entire world changed in the blink of an eye. At the time, I was married to a wonderful man and together we were ministering healing to the hurting on our 80 acre property with a private 40 acre lake aptly called Stillwater. But on September 1st, my husband of 18 years and my ministry partner of six walked away, saying he no longer wanted to be a husband, minister, or run a camp. I never saw it coming! I was in total shock. I prayed and prayed, asking God to restore our marriage. But since there has to be two willing parties for restoration, it never happened. I ended up leaving Stillwater. My husband bought me out of my half of the house and I moved to a 100-year-old Victorian style home in Benson, NC. Years before, the Lord had given me a vision of a Christian Bed & Breakfast. I had a peace and excitement about this new home as I knew it would be a place where God would heal many hearts… I just didn’t know that it would be my own heart that would find healing there. After hearing a sermon from the fifth chapter of John, entitled “The Healing at Bethesda”, I knew what I’d call my new home… Bethesda House Bed & Breakfast. In Hebrew, Bethesda means "a place of healing and grace". Healing and grace… it was perfect for this time in my life. I was in so much pain and needed much healing because of the hurt caused by the divorce and the shut down of my camp… all of which was completely beyond my control. I moved to my new house on May 1, 2009. I was so devastated that I could barely function. I sat on my porch in the rocking chair and looked in horror at the stop sign and traffic light right in front of my home. This was a far cry from the incredible,

private, and peaceful land of Stillwater. I shook my head and asked out loud, "Lord, what in the world am I doing here?" He simply whispered to my heart, "Your call… Isaiah 54." I had no clue what He meant. Oh, I had read the text. I knew it backwards and forwards, and I had acknowledged it as my call from God to the mission field years before. But how was Benson ''the mission field"? A week later at nine o’clock in the evening, I had the answer to my question as I heard a knock on my door. When I opened the door, there before me stood a father and three children that I had been ministering to for years. I had come to know this family through an inner city ministry my church had started in the inner city of Dunn, NC in 2005. I had witnessed the mom (who was on probation for a felony), the dad, and the oldest son come to know Christ. I had watched their victories and their “stumblings” as new believers. And I had come to love them very much. It turned out that the mom had violated her probation and had been taken into custody to serve the rest of her term in prison. The dad had tried to “hold it all down” …the three kids, school, laundry, homework, cooking, cleaning, bath time… but just couldn’t do it without her. I stayed on the porch with him and asked him what he was going to do? To my surprise he answered, "I thought I could leave them here with you. I know they would be safe here, and you would take real good care of them." I almost passed out on the porch! I didn’t have any kids of my own. I was “Aunt Jan”, “Maw”, or “Camp Lady” …but NEVER a 24/7 mom! This was a huge responsibility! My own life was a wreck, how did he believe for one second that I could take on his troubles. As I stood there speechless and fumbling for an excuse, he teared up and said, “Please. There is some gang activity going on over on our street. I’m afraid the kids are gonna get caught in the mess and get hurt.” Wow! What could I say but yes? I took them in that night and spent the next three days asking God to find another place for them. Maybe their grandmother, a friend, an aunt… anyone other than me, could take them in. But it was not meant to be. So, they moved in. The amazing thing was that so far (in the one week I had lived there) I had only unpacked the master bedroom and the guest rooms. I just couldn’t finish the task. I had 35 boxes of memories piled up in my foyer. If I unpacked them, I felt as if I was agreeing that my marriage was over, a marriage I was still praying for God to restore. But God, in His grace, had given me the strength to unpack exactly what needed to be unpacked and prepared for the opportunity He was sending to my front door. continued page 11

Keyotta and her little brother, Desmond, received the free gift of salvation while living in my home! 10

www.kojministries.com

VictoriousLivingSeptember2013F_VLmagazine 9/30/13 9:09 AM Page 11

Promised Provision by Michelle Lawson

continued from page 10 The first night they stayed in the guest room together. The boys slept in the double bed and the little girl slept on the floor on a twin mattress I had brought from my camp. We were saying our prayers and I suddenly began to cry. Everything… the divorce, the move, the loss, and now this situation hit me like a ton of bricks. The kids had seen the house a few times before I had bought it and I had shared with them the vision God had given me for a Christian Bed & Breakfast. Six-year-old Keyotta took my hand and said, "Aunt Jan, don't cry. I know you said God told you this was gonna be a Bed & Breakfast, and HE DIDN’T LIE! You know why? ‘Cuz we gonna get a bed and we gonna get some breakfast!" A peace washed over me at that very moment and I heard that still small voice say "Isaiah 54". How clearly the innocent heart of a child can SEE God's plan. I had taken what God laid on my heart and put the traditional Bed & Breakfast spin on it. The Lord, however, had a different plan! How thankful I am to God for His plan, and also for these three kids. Keyotta and I hugged and prayed some more that night. Afterwards she said, "Aunt Jan, I’m not sure if God brought us here for you to rescue us or for us to rescue you!” Wow! Amen Sister! A little of both, I think… a little of both. v Jan Tharrington Dorfer is a native of Garner, NC. Jan enjoys motivational speaking to ladies and youth groups at various in NC, VA, and SC. Jan loves any day by the water… whether it be a lake, river, or her favorite… the sea. www.kojministries.com

It was a crisp night. No clouds were in sight that evening in October 2008. As I looked up at the stars I thanked God for the beautiful sky and for His provision in my life. I also thanked Him for the life He created in my womb. My husband and I had just learned that I was pregnant in late September. We were excited; but, we had not shared the news with anyone else. On that particular October evening I began to show symptoms of a miscarriage. I knew I needed to get to the hospital. Walking outside to tell my husband what I suspected, I stopped, looked toward heaven, drew in a deep breath and said, “Lord, You gave me this child. If I am losing this baby, I know there are no better hands than Yours to care for him. Although I do not understand, I trust You.” I imagine this is how Abraham may have felt when God instructed him to sacrifice his teenage son, Isaac. Abraham and Sarah had waited so long for a child. I can only imagine the joy they felt when Isaac was born and how great it was to see him grow and mature. There are times in our lives that our faithfulness in God will be tested. God tested Abraham’s faithfulness by asking for his son’s life. As he made his way up the mountain with Isaac, I can hear Abraham saying to God, “I do not understand, but I trust You.” Abraham trusted God’s providence. God’s providence tells us that our world and our lives are not ruled by chance or fate, but by God alone. God is in control of our lives and He wants nothing more than to bless us and be in a relationship with us. The depth of our relationship is based on how we respond to His provision for us. Matthew 6:26 (NKJV) promises, “Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” The answer is, yes, we are of more value. God gave us tremendous authority over the Earth and all creatures on it (Psalms 8:6-8, NKJV). We are to act responsibly within this authority to care for this Earth just as God cares and provides for us. This is the providential relationship He designed with us in mind and challenges us to trust in Him to meet our needs. As Abraham and Isaac climbed the mountain together, Isaac asked his father where the lamb was that they would sacrifice. Abraham answered his son saying, “My son, God will provide...” (Genesis 22:8, NKJV). God did just that, providing a ram caught in a thicket for Abraham to sacrifice in replacement for Isaac. Abraham named that place on the mountain “Jehovah-Jireh.” These Hebrew words translated into English literally mean, “The Lord will provide.” Abraham trusted the Lord, and the Lord provided. In the potential loss of my child, I, like Abraham, stood on God’s provision and claimed Jehovah-Jireh over my child’s life. I placed my faith and trust in the same living God who provided for Abraham. My husband and I arrived at the emergency room and endured multiple ultrasounds and tests. For hours we waited alone in the examination room for the doctor to tell us what was happening. But as I laid there in the bed, I was at peace because I knew in my heart that I had given my child back to God just as Abraham had sacrificed Isaac in his heart before he ever laid him on the altar. Abraham and I trusted God’s provision in our lives and in the lives of our children. The doctor quietly came in, gently sat down, sighed and said, “Mr. and Mrs. Lawson, you are not having a baby… you are going to have two babies!” My husband and I stared at each other in shock; then we smiled and claimed, “Jehovah-Jireh.” We knew we needed God’s provision to raise twins! Our healthy twin boys are now four years old and God has provided exceedingly and abundantly in our family and has given us more than we could have asked for. (Ephesians 3:20 NKJV) The Lord will always provide, in the joyful times and scary times. He will never fail you. The question is, will you trust His provision? v Michelle Lawson is married to her husband of thirteen years. She is a chaplain candidate in the Florida National Guard and is in her senior year to complete her Master's of Divinity. She has a heart for marriage counseling and working with at-risk youth. 11

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Angels Unaware It was supposed to be a fun family outing in the summer of 1981. It turned out to be a day we would never forget. We awoke to a gorgeous Colorado morning, eager to leave for the mountains to show our niece, Kathy, the incredible sights and adventures the Rocky Mountains had to offer. She was visiting us in Denver from her home in Florida and we all were excited to spend the day exploring the mountains. Kathy and our son, David, were both early teens and at the age where they were game for any and all adventures. We packed our picnic lunch, guide books, drinks, and cameras and headed for the picturesque mountain community of Grand Lakes, CO. - true wild mountain country in its purest sense. Because it was early summer and at an elevation of 8437 feet, the weather was very brisk and the creeks were icy cold and fast moving as the snow melted from the high mountains. We arrived in Grand Lakes full of excitement. We couldn’t wait to start exploring the thousands of acres and trails in that area. We chose a secluded trail that included a creek and waterfall; then my husband, Les, and I, our two sons and Kathy all “headed for the hills” (as we often proclaimed when starting on these adventures). After walking deep along the forest trail into the mountains we started hearing the rushing creek. We hurried towards the sound and came upon an absolutely beautiful setting of trees, crashing creeks, and fallen logs. A dead tree was firmly lodged, straddling the creek. Both Kathy and David sprinted down the path to cross over the log. This was clearly a challenge neither could pass up!

by Sandy Burdick

Les and I both started calling to them not to go across it. If the creek had been slow moving or low we would not have been so concerned but it was at its peak and was sweeping everything in its path downstream. The creek was crooked and the smaller logs and other items it was carrying downstream were being pulled under, thrown into trees and rocks, and often mangled. They both called out promising that they wouldn’t walk across, but would instead slide very slowly on their bottoms. Before we got there, Kathy was straddling the log and slowly moving across to the other side. We held our breath until she jumped onto the other side and called to David, “Your turn! Come on over”. As a teenage boy, this was a challenge he couldn’t forfeit. He, too, straddled the log and made his way across safely. They explored that side of the creek for a while then started to come back. Again, Kathy went first, straddling the log and scooting across. But just as she reached the bank, she stood up on the log and walked the last couple of steps laughing and saying, “That’s not so hard!” David, again not able to turn his back on his girl-cousin’s challenge, started balancing on the log as he returned. We held our breath as we watched him take each step across that roaring water. He was doing great until, at the midway point, he looked down at the water. Then it began! He started wobbling in what may have been the longest moment of my life as I screamed “Don’t look down! Don’t look down!” (as though it could be undone at this point). continued on page 13 Above: David and Kathy playing on the log prior to David’s fall into the river. Left: The Burdick family.

Sandy Burdick spent most of her career in marketing, publishing, and advertising before retiring to the Jacksonville area. Since selling her agency, she and her husband, Les, are enjoying their children, grandchildren, and volunteer work. 12

www.kojministries.com

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continued from page 12 It was like slow motion as his body slipped off the log and into that roaring creek. I fought through the thick foliage to get down to the bank to catch him, but it was too late. He was in the water being pulled down the creek. My husband dashed towards a bend in the creek where he felt he may be able to get him, but we both knew there was no way he would be able to get there before David was carried passed. Although I had been raised in a church, I have to admit I had not been practicing my faith for some time. Church had definitely not been part of our daily life. But as they say, “There are no atheists in the foxhole”. Without even knowing it, I started yelling, “God, help him! Help him! Please help him!” What happened next will be implanted in my brain for life. Out of absolutely nowhere, two men appeared at the side of the creek. They both rushed into the hurling waters, grabbed David who was struggling to keep his head above water as he grasped onto a small branch. They picked him up and brought him up to the trail. As I watched this incredible scene, all I could remember about these two men was that they were both wearing boots of some type when they went into the water. I ran to David, wrapped a jacket around him, and made sure he was okay. He was gasping for air and freezing, but overall appeared to be fine. At that moment, I had an odd thought that the men’s leather boots would be ruined. I wanted to offer to pay for them but when I turned around to thank them for coming to our rescue, they were gone. All of us had seen the men rushing into the roaring water. We had all seen them pull David out, but none of us had seen these men arrive on the site or leave it. We searched the area but there were no traces of broken branches on the paths, footprints, or any other sign that anyone else had been there. There was no sign of soaking wet clothes or boots. Since it was so quickly after the rescue, we knew they could not have gone far. As we were looking and calling for them, a scripture I had heard years before rose up within me. It was the verse about angels being ministering spirits and the fact that we could entertain them without even being aware of it (Hebrews 13:2). I began to remember examples from the Bible where angels would appear as “ministering spirits” and in the form of men to help people or deliver messages. We continued looking for some time, but I knew in my heart we were not going to find them. I did then, and continue, to be convinced they were ministering angels sent to save David and our family that day. In the ensuing years, our whole family has come to know Jesus and have seen His mercy and grace in our lives in astounding ways. There is no doubt that “God answers prayers” -- even the frantic call of a frightened mother who had not prayed in years. God used that incident to bring us all back to Him. v www.kojministries.com

Praying for Sparky

by Maureen Lendzion

Eeeeeww!! How he did it is a mystery, but Sparky, my five-year-old granddaughter's beloved goldfish, had jumped sometime during the night from his little aquarium on the kitchen counter and landed in the sink. My husband found him as he made his morning pot of coffee. Sparky was limp and lifeless. Not knowing what else to do, he plunked Sparky back into his aquarium. It quickly became clear that Sparky had survived the ordeal, but he certainly wasn't normal. He couldn't move his tail, limply floating in the water. He wouldn't eat. His outlook appeared very grim. Sparky was still alive when we picked Chloe up the next day. Since she would be spending the next couple of days with us, Chloe’s simple faith is a I told her the harsh great example of how truth: Sparky was likely we are to approach dying. our Heavenly Father. "Well, did you pray for him?" she asked. My husband and I glanced at each another. "No, we didn't," I told her. Honestly, it had never occurred to us to pray for a goldfish. "Dear God, please fix Sparky," she prayed. "We love him and we want him to get better. In Jesus' name, Amen." "There!" Chloe exclaimed. For her, that was it--she'd done all she needed to do for Sparky.

Maureen Lendzion is enjoying self-employment as a special projects writer. She and her husband Dennis have been married 36 years and live in Orange Park, Florida.

When we got to the house, Chloe ran upstairs, eager to see how Sparky was doing. Amazingly, he was swimming, his tail moving back and forth propelling him forward. The next morning when we awoke Sparky got excited when we approached his fish tank as he always does when he wants to eat. Chloe sprinkled in fish flakes and watched as Sparky feasted on them. It's been two weeks since the mishap and, as my best friend says, "Sparky is doing swimmingly!" So does God care that much about a goldfish? I don't know. But I do know God cares that much about Chloe. He sees in her, faith so strong that it expects miracles. After all, it wouldn't be the first time fish have been miraculously used to increase or cement faith. According to Matthew, Jesus used just two fish and five loaves to feed thousands. The story then describes the basketfuls of food left over. Luke tells of fishermen who had worked through the night without catching anything. As they washed their nets Jesus instructed Simon, "Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch" (Luke 5:4 NIV). Simon explained they'd already fished all night without success, but relented and did as he was asked. Their catch was so great their nets began to break. It was this miracle that convinced Simon to follow Jesus. Was Sparky's recovery a miracle? Was it an answer to Chloe's prayer? Honestly, it didn't take Sparky's incident to convince Chloe that God answers prayer. She already knew it. But I choose to believe it was God's way of further cementing her faith. It also gave her a story to tell--to anyone who will listen--of how God answered her prayer. And she does tell the story ... over and over again!v

“Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:3 13

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Goodness & Mercy by Joanie Tyson

Just recently my daughter and I took a vacation to Oahu, Hawaii. During our trip we didn’t do the tourist thing. Rather, we rented a Mustang convertible and traveled the island. As we drove, we saw God’s beauty everywhere - in the mountains as they met the shoreline, in the colorful array of flowers, waterfalls, pineapples, mangos, coconuts, kiwi, and papaya. We even saw daily rainbows that reminded us of God’s promises. Never have either of us seen such beauty. It was the gift of a lifetime! God’s “goodness and mercy” was evident everywhere we looked. His “goodness and mercy” were following us. Psalm 23:6 says, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.” The Hebrew word for “follow” means “running hard to grab and attack”.

Good ness & For Y Mercy… Lov ou! e, Go d

He only promises us today and today is a gift. That’s why it’s called the PRESENT. May we live it to the fullest!

God’s “goodness and mercy” are running after us, chasing us down! Can you picture it tackling you and me? Well, it is! And I’ve experienced it time and time again; through the good times of my life and through the tough times. There have been times in my life when I’ve thought, “Come on, goodness! Come on, mercy! Where are you?” Divorce after 27 years of marriage was the most difficult life trial I have ever faced; but I’ve learned that when trials come, we can either run from God or to Him. I chose to run to Him, and He brought me through. In 2005 I was diagnosed with breast cancer (I call cancer little “c” because Christ is the BIG “C”). When I received the news that I was to have eight chemo treatments and 35 radiation treatments, a dear friend and I decided to take a little trip! It wasn’t your normal trip… we went up 1200 feet in the sky in a parasail. The ride up was really scary; however, when we arrived at our highest height, we could see for miles around in all directions. The waves in the ocean looked calm and almost nonexistent. As we flew through the air, the Holy Spirit gently spoke to my heart, “You can only see in front of your face. God is timeless and He sees your entire life… it’s a life of purpose: His purpose.” As I took in these precious words an amazing thing happened inside me, my fear over my diagnosis turned to awe as I realized my life was truly in the hands of Almighty God. Suddenly, the waves of cancer didn’t seem so big. With this promise and the realization that God saw my entire life, I made a conscious decision to trust the Lord to bring me through. I got into His Word like never before, storing His Word deep inside me, making His Word a part of me. I also committed to pray with every doctor and nurse with whom I would come into contact. Both my oncologist and radiologist were Jewish. It was great fun being in their presence. One time I forgot to pray while on the radiation table. The assistants said, “Aren’t we going to pray?” “Yes!” I said, and began to pray lying down. They then asked, “Aren’t we going to hold hands?” So, I got up off the table, grabbed ahold of their hands, and prayed.

His “goodness and mercy” were following me everywhere and they helped me through every trial I had to face. I never even got sick during my treatments. Nor did I get burned by the radiation. What an amazing testimony of Jesus’ healing power in the public school where I teach. I never missed a day’s work! Praise Him! 2012 was not as easy as 2005. I awakened one day and couldn’t walk on my left side. Thinking it was my sciatic nerve, I went to the doctor and she put me on steroids for a week. It got better; however, the next week the pain was on my right side. To make a long story short, I was diagnosed with little “c” in my spine (8-9-10 thoracic and 1-2-4-5 lumbar). The doctors didn’t know why I wasn’t in a wheel chair, but I do… God’s “goodness and mercy”! So, it was back to radiation. In May of 2012, at the end of 11 treatments, the radiologist stood before me and said, “Your back is secure and perfectly normal.” I pointed to heaven and asked, “What do you call this?” He replied, “A blessing!” As I’ve walked this journey of life with God, I’ve realized that God promises to provide “our daily bread”… not our monthly or yearly bread. He only promises us today and today is a gift. That’s why it’s called the PRESENT. May we live it to the fullest! May we have spiritual eyes to see that no matter what we are experiencing in this life that Jesus will get us through. Ah, but we must go through. Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:14, 16, “You are the light of the world… Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” Sometimes the places we must go are dark places so that His light can shine brightly through us… whether it is in our marriages, with our wayward children, in our finances, our workplace, or our health. But the good news is that God’s “goodness and mercy” are following us daily! All we have to do is TRUST Him fully. Jesus is all we need for today. Remember He is timeless. He is “the Alpha and the Omega; the Beginning and the End… Who is and was and evermore shall be” (Rev. 1:8). May we recognize and praise Him for His goodness and provisions in our daily lives. Don’t look now, but “goodness and mercy” are following YOU!v Joan (Joanie) Tyson currently lives in Virginia Beach, VA. She is a member of Redeemer Church in Chesapeake. Joan loves to sing and worship as well as share the Word of God every Monday on the beach. She has two adult children: Miriam and Josh. www.kojministries.com

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Accelerated Healing by Linda Cubbedge

The love of God is absolutely incredible! His love is so deep, it’s so real. As I, on purpose, allow my eyes to read His Love Letter (the Bible) and think about this amazing love — my heart, my soul, and my spirit respond. Damaged emotions begin to heal and become, not only restored, but stronger than ever as His Love saturates every part of my being. On April 22, 2011, Steve, my husband of forty-two years and eight months entered his Heavenly Home after a nineteen month battle with brain cancer. As I look back over the last couple of years, I am amazed at how far the Lord has brought me through my grieving journey. Like many have said, the first year was the hardest. So many adjustments had to be made. I cried out to the Lord like never before during this painful time. I’ll never forget His response as I heard Him speak to my heart so clearly, promising me that if I would stay ever so close to Him in prayer, spend time worshipping Him with praise and worship music, and pour out my pain to Him, that He would accelerate my grieving process. That was an interesting thought, something I had never considered. To think that God was ready and willing to help me through my grief and heal me of my pain so that I could come to a place of peace and comfort sooner. At that time I had no idea what lay ahead of me, I wasn’t even sure what a “grieving process” meant; but God did, and it was His heart’s desire to help me through it all. Isn’t it amazing that the Lord, the King of Glory, longs to restore my soul? If you think about it, it really does line up with God’s Word. He wants to work in our lives, He is just waiting for us to give Him permission to go to work. He is gently waiting for us to invite Him in and for us to willingly expose our broken hearts and lives to His healing touch. He knows that the longer we hold onto our issues and try to fix them ourselves, we will struggle in our own efforts, miss out on His blessings, and delay our recovery process. He wants us to come to Him so that He can pour out His healing ointment of grace and mercy into our souls. The Bible says that God’s mercies are new every morning. Through my loss, I discovered how much I needed God’s fresh mercies each day. I needed His strength and peace to help me down this path, a path I had not walked before.

www.kojministries.com

As I look back and recall how tender my emotions were and how deeply I ached, I am so grateful that the Holy Spirit was willing to come along side of me and touch my whole being and heal me just as His Word promises. Psalm 107:20 says, “He sent His Word and healed me and delivered me from my destructions.” I spent a lot of time in God’s Word after Steve’s death and His Word did indeed heal me. The scriptures gave me so much strength and confidence. As I spent time in His Word and leaned on His promises rather than my own understanding, I found peace, hope, and answers. I also found myself falling deeply in love with God. One thing that really helped me after Steve’s death was praying God’s promises back to Him. This was something I had learned from some of God’s precious servants like Stormie Omartian and had been practicing for well over twenty years. Through her books, I learned that I could pray God’s Word and His promises back to Him and in return, He would prove Himself faithful. The Bible says that God cannot lie. If He has promised something in His Word, He will bring it to fulfillment. As I began this “practice”, I saw many prayers answered. Some answers came fast, others took longer. As I waited, I learned to simply trust the Lord, His promises, His timing, and the truth that He was working out all the details in my life and in the lives of those I prayed for. Even though I continue to miss Steve so much, I cannot help but rejoice as I think about how much he must be enjoying Heaven. We have so many family members and friends who are there with him. I also rejoice over the truth that he is completely and totally healed. He is more alive than ever! These and other promises in God’s Word are the things that have helped me move past the pain of him not being here with me.

The Cubbedge Family It also helps me to remember how brief this thing called “life” truly is, and how eternal Heaven is. Keeping my focus heavenward lifts the burdens that want to weigh me down. I know that one day I will be reunited with Steve. I will also meet my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, face to face. Then, all the pain, the heartache, and the challenges of this earthly life will pass away. Oh how it will be worth it all when I see the face of my incredible Savior, the One who paid the price for my sins, healed my heart, and gives me access to His Home! Does your heart need to be restored? Are you going through a time of pain and heartache? Are you grieving the loss of a loved one or perhaps the loss of a dream? Go to God. Give Him your pain, questions, anger, confusion, hopelessness… whatever you are holding on to. As you pour your heart out to Him, stand on His Word, and worship Him, He will accelerate your recovery process as well. Here are some great scriptures for you to meditate on regarding the restoration promise: Psalm 23, Psalm 40:1-5, Psalm 91, Psalm 103, Isaiah 40:31, Isaiah 41:10, and Romans 8:35-39. As you take the time to embrace these powerful scriptures, the Holy Spirit will breathe life through His Words and “restore your soul”! v Linda Cubbedge resides in Graham, FL. She works at Cubbedge-Wiggins Ins. Agency and attends First Baptist Church Starke where she leads the Women's Ministry. She is also a guest speaker at women's events. She has 4 children, 9 grandchildren, and 1 great grandson. 15

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God Knows What You Need! by Kristi Overton Johnson

be Brianna’s birthday. Miss It’s amazing to think that God, the creator of this Universe, the One keeping the Jan knew immediately that whole world in motion, cares about the personal details of our lives… the big the cake and goodies the and the small. To think He has the time, or even takes the time to look down from Lord had instructed her to Heaven and send us little messages to remind us that He sees us, loves us, and bake was to celebrate this cares for us individually is mind boggling. But He does. And I’ve seen it happen young lady’s special day. time and time again. During lunch, our Recently at one of our In His Wakes outreach events, I was reminded of this team, participants, and voluntruth as God used a dear friend and ministry partner, Miss Jan, to send a message teers celebrated with Brianna, devouring all the of love to our event participants, in particular, to a 15 year old girl named sugar our bodies could handle. After we had eaten, Miss Jan Brianna. When Miss Jan went to bed the night before, she had no idea she was shared a three point message the Lord had given her early that going to be the carrier of this message. But the Lord had plans to use Miss Jan and morning to share with our participants and our ministry team. praise God, when He invited her to partner with Him on this special mission, she Here are those three things, and I quote… obeyed… even though the invitation came at 3 AM! “God don’t make NO junk!” Miss Jan was sleeping like a baby when the Lord woke her up in the “God don’t make NO mistakes!”, wee hours of the morning telling her to get up and make a and “God has a plan!” birthday cake for the In His Wakes event that was being held You should have heard the that morning a couple of hours away from her home. Jan kids yelling these three had already made lots of cupcakes the day before the truths back to event, so her immediate response was, “Lord, why Miss Jan! As these make a cake? We already have a ton of cupcakes!” words echoed Although she didn’t know why she was baking across the lake and this cake or who it was for, she knew enough bounced back about the ways of the Lord to be obedient. So, at under the pavilion 3 AM, Miss Jan rolled out of bed, walked into the where we stood, they penetrated our hearts. In kitchen and started baking. Hours later, she fact, I heard my dad and my daughter arrived “wide-eyed and bushy tailed” (as we say sharing these truths with others days later, long in the south), looking a bit like Little Red Riding after Miss Jan had left the premises. Hood with her braids, cake, and basket of 75 Do you know these truths? Have they cupcakes of three assorted flavors. penetrated your heart? Do you know It didn’t take long for Miss Jan to realize why the without a doubt that you are special and that Lord had gotten her up that morning to bake. Within Isaiah 65:24 (NLT) “God don’t make NO junk”? Do you know moments of arriving on site, she was introduced to Brianna, “God don’t make NO mistakes”? Do you know He a shy, 15 year old African American girl. It “just so happened” to has an incredible plan for your life (Jeremiah 29:11) and regardless of what you’ve been through or where you find yourself right now, God can make a way and work ALL THINGS out for good (Romans 8:28)? Have you ever grasped the amazing truth that God cares about YOU, little ole’ YOU, and every detail of your life… even something as simple as a birthday? He cares about everything! That’s why He says, be anxious over nothing, but pray about everything (Philippians 4:6-8). Years ago as I was driving down the road in Florida, God put on my heart the idea to purchase a handicap toilet for a friend in North Carolina who had just gone through hip surgery. When I called my friend and awkwardly shared this news… (How do you gracefully say, “Hey, can I buy you a toilet?”)… she cried out in tears, “Oh Kristi. I haven’t told anyone but the Lord about my need for a toilet and He answered my prayers!” I’ve seen Him provide toilets, homes, jobs, doctors, schools, children, spouses, friends, money, first class air plane tickets to Australia for an injured friend, and now birthday cakes. Why? Because God knows what we need to meet both our tangible needs and encourage our hearts. continued on page 17

“I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers!”

www.kojministries.com

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God Cares About The LIttle Things

Oh, how I love Jesus! Oh, how I love being used by God to reach the lost! And oh, how I LOVED baking some cupcakes as a special little treat for my ministry friends… as that was literally all I had to give. But what a blessing that baking brought! I’m always amazed how God can use little things, the things we think are so small, to change lives. When I pulled out that box of cake mix at 4 am to make a chocolate cake (after having already made cupcakes the night before for the event), I had no idea what an impact it would have on a pre-teen’s life that day. But I soon learned as Brianna (the birthday girl) and I sat by the water talking after our little celebration. She told me that she had NEVER had a birthday cake before as her mother had told her that she was too fat and didn't need one. Can you imagine? Now that is someone God wants to reach! Someone who needs to know how special they are and how much God loves them! And to think He used my cake to tell her just that! I am so humbled to have been a part of that particular In His Wakes’ “A Day to Remember” event. I will forever know that when that young girl stands on a platform to give her testimony in the future, she will start with something like this… “One day I went to this lake with a big house on it… there were these people with a water sports ministry… at lunch this biker lady stood up and said God told her to make a birthday cake for me… I left that event changed forever.” Wow! To God be the glory! v

~ Jan

“God don’t make NO junk! God don’t make NO mistakes! God has a PLAN!”

continued from page 16 I believe with all my heart that Brianna needed to know that someone cared about the fact that it was her birthday, the fact that she existed. I couldn’t help but think about the truth that Miss Jan’s cake was most likely the only cake and celebration she would receive that day, or perhaps has ever received. We’ve met many children at our events who have never had a birthday cake. Brianna was a different child when she left our event with a box full of goodies. She was smiling from ear to ear not because she had eaten some cake, but because she knew without a doubt that her life meant something to God and to others. My friend, nothing is too small for God. I am not advocating going to God to “get”, but I do promise you this… as you delight yourself in the Lord, He will give you the desires of your heart (Psalms 37:4). It is His joy and His greatest pleasure. Seeing you smile brings a smile to His face. One last thing to think about, if Miss Jan hadn’t risen up out of her comfort zone (her bed) and answered the invitation God issued her that morning, Brianna’s day may have been a bit different and we would have missed an incredible message. Don’t discount those crazy ideas that pop in your heart at crazy times of the day for God just might be getting ready to use you in a most special way. You won’t want to miss it!v Kristi Overton Johnson is the founder of Champion’s Heart and In His Wakes, divisions of KOJ Ministries. Kristi currently resides in the Lake Area Region with her husband, Tim, and three children, Ty, Dalton and Ivy. www.kojministries.com

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Shattered Dreams?Or, God’s Masterpiece? Anonymous Submission Knowing where to start my story is difficult, especially when writing from my heart. If I were going to title this honestly, I might call it “Shattered Dreams”. I believe nearly all parents have hopes and dreams for their children. That was and still is the case in our family. What I am learning, and have been for some years, is that things don’t always go as we plan. It’s so hard when you have big dreams for your children and you don’t see them coming to pass. It’s even more devastating when those dreams are cast aside for the lifestyles, choices, and consequences that your kids have chosen for themselves. I have lived through these “shattered dreams” for many years; they encompass many roads where I never dreamed I would walk down. Sometimes I feel as if I have been knocked down so hard that I can’t even imagine taking another step. But, by the grace of God, and because of my choice to continue daily in His strength, I have found many blessings in the midst of my broken mess. I have to admit, many days and sometimes many times within the day, all I can do is crawl. But I’ve learned, it’s enough. God isn’t looking for people who have it all together. He’s just looking for people who will lean on Him and keep moving forward. He never gives up on us no matter what. Sometimes we choose to give up hope regarding a situation or a person; but praise God, He never does. Many times, my husband and I have come close to losing both of our children physically, spiritually, and emotionally. I don’t mean for a week or a month, but for years. I am fighting very hard to win the battle of getting them back. I know that the battle belongs to the

Isolation coupled with shame can paralyze you. Lord, but He has a position for me in that army. I’ve had to allow the Lord to work in my own heart as I too have been affected by many of the choices and consequences that my children have made. Years ago, as I was driving along the road to our neighborhood, I couldn’t help but notice that the ditches were full of water and filled with lots of trash. I’d never seen so much trash before! As I looked at the trash, God spoke the following to my heart: “When the water rises, the trash floats to the top.” How true! I’ve had a lot of “trash” rise up over the past years, especially within my own heart. Part of my growth process has been allowing God to heal my heart and clean out my own ditches. He has been so loving and gracious in this process. He has taught me many ways to continue to move forward. Here are a few of the things that have truly helped me. I pray that they will help you in your own “shattered dreams”. Every day I purpose in my heart to stay in the moment and be thankful for the victories we have, no matter how small. If I focus on the fact that we are making progress, as small as it may be, it makes for a better day. I have to remind myself that even though we aren’t “there” yet, we aren’t where we were before! This gives me hope for our future. Another thing that helps me is to maintain control over how I react to the situations that arise. I have to remember the truth that although I don’t have control over what people do, I do have control of how I react, or how I choose not to react. This helps me maintain my peace. At times, “not reacting” is the most difficult thing of all. Often, it’s much

easier said than done. I’ve learned that “not reacting” doesn’t mean I agree with my children’s choices, or give into them when I know in my heart it isn’t the right thing. Rather, it means that I react according to the Holy Spirit’s leading, instead of out of my flesh (my anger, frustration, disappointment). There is no doubt that I have made more than my share of mistakes; but I have attempted to learn from them and to not repeat them. As I’ve told my kids for years, “I don’t want to get hit by the same truck twice!” Sometimes it’s so easy to blame myself for all of my children’s choices and to feel guilty for their consequences. I remind myself that the consequences they have to face are not my fault. It is by constantly “capturing my thoughts” and lining them up with God’s Word that I am able to combat the guilt Satan wants me to feel. To say my life isn’t where I expected it to be is an understatement. Besides our adult children living with us, we have 3 very young grandchildren living in our home as well. There is never a dull moment! (I say this with a smile). Our son calls it “Romper Room gone bad!” But everyday when I hold my precious grand babies, I cannot deny that they are an incredible blessing from God, just as our children are. I am fortunate to be such a part of their precious lives and watch them grow in every area. As I remember these things, I am able to keep my mind positive. Much of my success is dependent on my perspective, on how I look at things. I have to choose to find the blessing in the midst of the “shattered dreams” and focus on them. Although my life has taken a different course than expected, the fact is, “I’m here.” The question now is, “How will I handle this situation?” By finding God’s perspective in each situation and allowing Him to give me a plan of action, I am able to keep from becoming overwhelmed. Is it easy all the time? No! Sometimes I feel so alone. But I know this is one of the enemy’s tricks. He loves to make those going through tough times feel so isolated that we will give up hope. He tricks us into keeping our burdens to ourselves with thoughts such as “no one cares” or “no one will understand”. Isolation coupled with shame can paralyze you.

continued on page 19

www.kojministries.com

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A CHANGED LIFE …NOW CHANGING LIVES MEET OUR CHLC DIRECTOR

Donna Hannah first came to Champion's Heart in 2012 as a client when she and her family found themselves in financial hardship. Here is her testimony: My family and I moved from Jacksonville to Keystone Heights so that my husband could be closer to his job at Camp Blanding. Being both new to the community of Keystone and being busy taking care of our two boys, one of whom has autism, I had not yet had an opportunity to secure a job when we found ourselves in a car accident that left us without a car and left us with a huge financial burden. As we watched our finances dwindle away, we began to ask people in the community if they knew anywhere we could get help. Over and over again we heard, “Go to Champion's Heart, they will help you!” And they did! When I came to Champion's Heart I was welcomed with God's love and given much needed resource help and relational support that not helped me get back on my feet and encouraged me in my daily life. During my time at the center, the Champion's Heart Team also mentored me spiritually and helped me get plugged into a local church where I, and my husband, have since rededicated our lives to Christ. It wasn't long before I became more involved with the outreaches of Champion's Heart. I started volunteering as a receptionist and then was hired part-time to help with administrative work and assist the current director. As part of my training, I learned about all the available resources offered to our community, began to develop relatioships with organizations, and even had the opportunity to attend counseling training so that I could help other's as I'd been helped.

As of May of 2013, I was blessed to become the Director of the Champion's Heart Life Center. I have the most amazing and rewarding job here at Champion's Heart! I get to link people with needs to available community resources, provide Life Coaching services, and schedule events and other services that will impact our community. These responsibilities produce amazing results that change lives and inspire our community. My reward is knowing that the part I play in their life makes a difference to that client. Champion's Heart is all about promoting spiritual growth while reaching out to the physical needs of our clients. As Director, I will continue to make that a priority. My goals include: 1) raising community awareness of the center's availability, resources, and programs of our facilities; 2) increasing client volume by providing information of these services to area agencies, businesses, churches, and schools; 3) recruiting volunteers and training them for intake, assessment, and follow-up of clients. I look forward to serving our community and my Lord through Champion's Heart. Come by and see me soon! ~Donna v

Donna and her husband, Jason, live in Keystone Heights, FL. They have two sons, Kevin and Aydin. Donna is now the Director of Champion's Heart Life Resource Center. Her husband currently serves in the military.

Need Assistance? Call Donna at 352.478.8076 Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday 10 am - 3 pm.

Shattered Dreams? Or, God’s Masterpiece? The Word tells us to bear each other’s burdens. I’ve found so much strength by letting others “in” and allowing them to stand with me, even if it is just a few close trusted friends. I have also found strength in the fact that I can also stand with others and help them in their situations. Because of my experiences, I am able to truly understand their feelings and what they are walking through, encourage them, and be a witness of hope that God can change their situation. www.kojministries.com

Even when we were in the middle of some very dark times, I knew that God would allow me to use these trials to help others… and He has. “Shattered Dreams?” Maybe the dreams I had were shattered but I’ve seen God take the broken pieces and create a beautiful new masterpiece. Although my plans may have gone astray, I find hope in the fact that God isn’t done with our family yet. He is working all things together for our good. Because

continued from page 18 of that, I will never give up hope! These are the words my son wrote on my birthday card recently, “You gave me a life I would have never known existed. Through thick and thin you’ve always been there. Words can’t describe the mother you have been to me. Happy B-Day !! I Love You.” No one will ever convince me that people and situations cannot change. Do not give up! v 19

VictoriousLivingSeptember2013F_VLmagazine 9/30/13 9:11 AM Page 20

MINISTRY NEWS

United “Make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose” (Philippians 2:2 NAS). I’d say this verse just about sums up how a motor home full of people of all ages can keep on moving down the highway, ministering to youth across the United States, without someone getting thrown off the bus! Last year, after much prayer, Ivy and I decided to add fired-up young adults to our traveling team to broaden the ministering opportunities of In His Wakes. For several weeks, eight of us traveled in two motor homes. Although it was an incredible experience and added so much to each event, we weren’t sure the Lord was calling us to repeat this scenario again for 2013. He did… but with a few modifications. This past June as we rolled out of North Carolina toward Maryland, we found ourselves with seven team members in one motor home built to sleep four. I’m not so sure this was a modification of improvement or not! One thing is for sure, the only way this trip was possible is in the fact that we were living our Philippians 2:2 in our daily lives.

by Nate Miller, In His Wakes Director Being united as one body with one purpose helped keep our eyes off our selfish desires and instead keep them focused on the Lord and what He had brought us all together to accomplish. Because of this, many lives were impacted over the short three weeks we were together. From Maryland to New Jersey, Maine, Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin and Iowa, we saw the Lord work in a mighty way! Through the message of God’s unconditional love He has called us to bring in word and action, and because people could witness our team’s unity and love, many people responded to the Gospel presented at the end of each event (John 17:23). I witnessed some of the most hardened young individuals I have ever worked with leave the “A Day to Remember Event” with softened hearts. The Lord continues to open unique doors of opportunity for In His Wakes to minister off the water as well. In Maine, after being rained out of one event, we had the opportunity to go into the detention facility of the participants we would have worked with if the event had not been canceled. While there, we presented the would-be participants with their goodie

“Make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.”

bags filled with t-shirts, Bibles, gold medals, a copy of Victorious Living magazine, among other things. We also had the privilege of conducting a chapel service for the young people in the facility. Once again, because we were united in purpose and focused on what the Lord had called us to do (rather than complaining that things had not gone according to our plans), there was an immediate connection made between our team and those we were ministering to. continued on page 21

(Philippians 2:2 NAS)

Nate Miller is the director of In His Wakes. He lives in Bend, OR with his wife, Ivy. If you are interested in learning more about In His Wakes, contact Nate at nate@inhiswakes.com.

www.kojministries.com

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MINISTRY NEWS

United continued from page 20

At the time of this writing, we are now en route to the West Coast for the remainder of our 2013 tour. Ivy and I feel as though the motor home has grown in size! Of course, that feeling could be due to the fact that we have gone from seven members to just the two of us. I guess we win this season of “The Survivor IHW Motorhome Series”! Thank you for your continued prayers. We still have many events scheduled until October 14th. Here are some specific prayer needs… safety, good weather, and for God to prepare hearts to receive His Good News at the remainder of the IHW events; discipleship for those who have made decisions for Christ; continued provision and protection of our resources such as our boats, trailers, and motor home; wisdom for the young adults that traveled with us, including our daughter, Kayla, as they all have many decisions to make regarding jobs, schooling, and areas of ministry. After our time at the detention center, some of our team members felt the Lord perhaps calling them to some type of ministry to young people who have been incarcerated. v

Congrats To Our Scholarship Winners! Kristi Overton Johnson Ministries and In His Wakes present several scholarships each year to encourage young adults to use their gifts to impact the world. This year, at the 54th US Masters Water Ski and Wake Board Tournament, KOJM and In His Wakes presented the KOJ Sportsman Award to Anna Gay; the Champion’s Heart Award to June Fladborg; and the IHW scholarship to Allie Nicholson. Congrats also to Taylor Hubbard and Emily Green of Keystone Heights High School! They are the 2013 recipients of The Emily Rund Champion’s Heart Award.

The KOJ Sportsman Award went to Anna Gay for her courage on the water and sportsmanship in her interactions with her fans and peers.

Champion's Heart Award was given to June Fladborg (pictured here with Kristi and Tom Asher) for her incredible perseverance through many medical trials. Congrats June and welcome back to the water!

Taylor Hubbard was awarded the “Emily Rund Champion's Heart Scholarship”, which is given to two Keystone Heights High School Seniors who exemplify the heart of a champion.

The IHW Scholarship was awarded to Allie Nicholson for her abilities on the water, service in her community, and excellence in education. Kristi had the opportunity to baptize Allie at the US Masters Tournament in May.

For more information on our scholarships, visit www.inhiswakes.com

India Orphanage Support Champion’s Heart is blessed to support Favour the Helpless in India. We recently received this letter and photo as a “thank you” for our endeavours. For more information on this Brother John’s ministry, please visit www.favourthehelpless.org.

Your b a greatlessed financial here in I help to our hu favor has bee n ndia. It m has helpble ministry o r p e hans, and d pastor Kind s, sisters ly see that all twidows. are veryof the Championhe brothers and much gre ’s Heart Fa eted for all of usmily . Bro. Joh n Paul. More News on page 29! www.kojministries.com

VictoriousLivingSeptember2013F_VLmagazine 9/30/13 9:13 AM Page 22

New Life Is Budding I recently purchased a house and began doing projects here and there in order to make it my own. Through one project in particular, I’ve learned a lot. If any of you have ever been to southern Arizona, you know that it is a large desert with a few trees and many cactuses and sand. My back yard is the “lots of sand” version of Arizona. To change that, I went and bought lots of plants including a few Crape Myrtle trees and 80 bags of rock to hide the plain desert sand. The backyard is finally finished, complete with a swing on which I now spend my mornings and some of my evenings to enjoy the only cool parts of the day. From this swing, I’ve been able to watch the new plants take on life and begin to thrive. There is one Crape Myrtle, however, that decided to be different and instead of thriving, it began to die. When I first got this Crape Myrtle it was in a pot with all the proper nutrients and nice rich soil where it easily established its roots. It was beautiful; nice green leaves, vibrant purple blossoms, and a strong root system that supplied the water and nutrients that it depended on.

by Amanda Cumbass

Well, life in the pot came to an abrupt end when that beautiful Crape Myrtle found itself transplanted into the rocky, hard dirt that makes up Arizona's desert. On the first day, the plant seemed to be doing great, but gradually as the days continued that poor tree turned brown, lost most of its leaves, and no longer had any blossoms. For several mornings, I sat in my swing thinking that this tree was dying. I was sure I would have to dig it up and throw it out… that is until one evening. As I was making my rounds through the yard watering all the plants, I noticed some fresh green leaves beginning to show. The next morning I didn’t even have to look hard to see the green. As I sat on my swing, I just marveled at the new life forcing its way out. Sitting there, I realized that I am just like that Crape Myrtle. Most of my life, prior to arriving in Arizona, I had been surrounded by fellow Christians, planted in the best soil that a young believer could ask for, blessed with people to learn from and grow along side of. In that environment, I had been growing and thriving in my relationship with Jesus. Here in Arizona, however, I found myself transplanted into a dry and rocky spiritual environment. I found myself in a season of life totally uprooted from the soil that had been built up around me, placed in a situation devoid of all that is familiar and good. For what has seemed like an eternity, I have felt like I was dying… dying to myself, dying to all the presuppositions that I had been clinging to, dying to dependency on others for my own faith. The process of death is not a pleasant thing. At times it has hurt; sometimes it’s been lonely; at other times it has felt like utter failure. But I learned from the Crape Myrtle, that when things get tough, there’s no need for me to despair. If I just hold on, keep fighting, refuse to give up, and confidently rely on the truth that Jesus is far bigger than anything I will face, I know without a doubt that He will sustain me, He will enable my roots to go deep in Him, and I will eventually find new life… even in the driest of places. v Amanda is originally from Keystone Heights, FL. She is currently residing in Arizona and serving in the Air Force. You can follow Amanda on her blog at www.chosenbytheone.wordpress.com

I would like to submit this original poem, “If My Father Knew”, for publication in the Victorious Living magazine. This is the story behind it. I grew up without a father. My grandparents raised me; but my grandfather died when I was about 12 years old. My life was then filled with much turmoil over several years. I am a survivor of familial sexual abuse and physical domestic violence. After many years of anger and bitterness, the Lord taught me how to forgive others and myself. It is only through Him and His strength that I smile with a heart that is free to love and accept love. He has also shown me that although I did not have the protection of an earthly father, I did have a Father who was always there with me… even when I did not know who He was. This poem was therapeutic for me and I hope that others will find the same comfort in it that I found. Charlene Hannah, Keystone Heights, Florida 22

If My Father Knew If my father knew what you did to me He would thump your head, Break your arm and stomp your toes. That is what my father would do If he knew what you did to me. But I have no father, you see. If my father knew how much you hurt me, He would lock you up in a tiny room With just himself and a broom. That is what my father would do If he knew what you did to me. But I have no father, you see.

by Charlene Hannah

So, at the end of a very long day; I kneel by my bed and I pray. Because I do have a Father YOU cannot see. And He knows all that you've done to me. Then, as He quietly comforts me, I hear Him say: Vengeance is mine; I will repay. (Romans 12:19 KJV) But, if you ask Him to, He will forgive you. (1 John 1:9 KJV) And I will forgive you, too. (Matt. 6:14-15 KJV)

And if my father knew of your cruelty to me, You would NOT do THAT again; No Sirree! But, I have no father, you see. www.kojministries.com

VictoriousLivingSeptember2013F_VLmagazine 9/30/13 9:14 AM Page 23

INSPIRING LEADERSHIP

Just Relax

by Bonnie Hagemann

It’s funny how we try to reason things out for God, even when we are trying to follow Him. The problem with reasoning is that we are often “off base”. I have plenty of examples of being “off base” in my life; God has had to help me get realigned on a regular basis. You see, I love to work. “Not working” has never been a consideration for me. When I started in the workforce, I jumped into a logical career path. I went into education, not because of the great pay, but because that was the career that women in my Oklahoma farm family usually went into. It made sense… we could help with the farm in the summer, help bring in some income, and be available for our kids before and after school. Since I was good at English and terrible at math, I chose to teach high school English. Seemed like really good logic. However, I hated teaching in high school… there was this bell that rang every 45 minutes, I had to teach the same class over and over again, and realistically, I was young enough to date my students. Clear that I had made a terrible mistake, I looked around at what job might fit me better. Counseling! Ah ha! The school counselor did not have to change classes every 45 minutes, didn’t have to teach the same thing over and over again, and they had the benefit of working one-on-one with the students both to help them with their classes and their drama. Seemed like a great idea! Now, I’m not going to lie. I like a little drama; but I prefer good drama to bad drama. I followed this path and went back to college at night to get a Master’s degree in counseling. I loved helping people get strong and make good decisions. I even liked the action and strategic thinking that comes with a crisis situation, but I did not like the counselor “couch”… the time spent sitting and looking back at all the bad things that had happened in the past. That’s depressing! So, I did the next logical thing and gravitated to the business world. I was able to transfer my education skills from the classroom and my experi-

ence from counseling to training and coaching. I loved it. In business it seemed that no one wanted to look back; rather, everyone seemed to want to look forward to a better future. “This is GREAT!” I thought. Proud of myself for finding a career path, I began to reason things out again. Here’s how my reasoning went: I love God and the things of God. I want to serve Him. He, of course, knows that I want to serve Him so He must have put me in the “marketplace ministry” to reach the lost and to raise money for the ministries that He had connected me and my husband to. That sounded right. It must be right. But, it wasn’t right. One day, while I was talking to God on my morning run, I was telling Him about how frustrated I was for not being able to bring in enough money for His Kingdom work. That’s when God suddenly straightened out my thinking with these words, “I don’t need you to raise money for My Kingdom.” I quickly answered, “Right! Got it, God!” Only to follow it up with a “WHAT? If you don’t need me to raise money for the Kingdom, what do You need me to do?” In my reasoning, I had never considered there could be anything else He would have me to do. “I want you to listen and obey. If you do that, I will be happy with you,” He replied. “Oh, wow! I can do that!” I said. I was so relieved. For so long I had worked so hard, often becoming so stressed out, to carry out the task I had placed on myself, a task that I had reasoned myself into. How comforting to know that God had a better way. He had a way that would bring peace and joy into my life, rather than stress. So, for the last few years I’ve made listening and obeying my goal. I’ve been trying to

get up every day, spend time with Him, and simply listen for my instructions for the day. As I have, He has been faithful to lead me into His plan for each day. What a better way than trying to carry out the things I think I “should” do. I’ve learned that God never wants us to worry. He always wants us to give our cares to Him. I’ve also learned that He loves to surprise us with His beauty. He doesn’t mind at all if we do not talk about work or spend the entire prayer time trying to win souls. He likes just to be with me and He likes to be with you. The best part about it is that I’ve learned when I relax and quit trying to make things happen or reason things out, those things that I worry about have a way of working out. Surprisingly, God doesn’t need my help for those either. v Bonnie Hagemann is a member of the Board of Directors for Champion’s Heart Life Centers. Bonnie is the CEO of Executive Development Associates, a 28-year-old internationally known boutique consulting firm that specializes in executive development, executive coaching, and high potential development. To date, Bonnie has 11 published works.

Need wisdom for a business decision? Visit Bonnie’s blog at https://bonniehagemann.wordpress.com www.kojministries.com

VictoriousLivingSeptember2013F_VLmagazine 9/30/13 9:14 AM Page 24

CHAMPION’S HEART AWARD

Katie Brooke Clemmons Recently our ministry, In His Wakes (IHW), was blessed beyond measure by a young girl named Katie Brooke Clemmons who, for her 9th birthday party, asked her friends and family to bring donations to IHW in lieu of presents. Katie Brooke and her family had ministered with our IHW team at a “Day to Remember” event held in 2012 near their home in Alabama. Through her involvement with the ministry, Katie Brooke saw first hand how the Lord uses people and the sport she loves… water skiing… to change the lives of children FOREVER. Her gift was a way to help our ministry touch more lives for Christ. Thank you, Katie Brooke, for your generous gift to our ministry and for your loving, servant’s heart for God and His people. You truly have the heart of a champion; a heart that will undoubtedly be used by God to touch many lives! We asked Katie Brooke to share her heart in this issue of Victorious Living. She excitedly obliged us and with her mother’s help, Katie penned the following words. You can read her mother’s testimony on page 31.

Do you know someone with a Champion’s Heart? Write to us and let us know! We’d like to recognize champions in our upcoming issues. Email nominations to kristi@championsheart.org or mail to Champion’s Heart, PO Box 968, Keystone Heights, FL 32656.

The Need For God’s Instruction When I ski at Lake Jewel, my coach, Andy, always says these two things: “hips up” and “ski on edge”. He tells me to keep my “hips up” so I don’t fall forward going across the wakes; he tells me to “ski on edge” so I’ll have a smooth ride through the wakes. Coach Andy gives me instructions because he loves me as a student and he wants the best for me as a skier. He wants to keep me safe while I ski. This reminds me of God and the fact that He gives us instructions in the Bible. Just like Coach Andy, God tells us what to do and how to do it because He loves us, His children. God wants the best for us and He wants to keep us safe so that we will have a smooth ride as we go through the wakes of life.

My mom shared this verse with me about the importance of God’s instruction. Joshua 1: 7-9 (NLT) says, “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” I see from this verse that listening and following instructions are important. When I listen and follow Coach Andy’s instructions, the ride across the wakes is safe and smooth. Like the verse says, I am prosperous and I succeed in crossing through the wakes. I usually wipeout when I don’t listen to his instructions. Likewise, when I listen and follow God’s instructions, my ride through the wakes of life is safe and smooth. God says when I follow His instructions I will be successful in all I do. I will be prosperous and succeed in my ride through life. Just like crossing the wakes, if I do what God says, then when I hit the wakes of life they will not knock me forward. In skiing, if I don’t keep my “hips up” when I hit the wake it throws me forward and I go over the top of my ski. I feel like a helicopter crashing and it usually hurts. If I don’t “ski on edge” when I hit the wakes, my ski is flat and it bounces everywhere, making me lose control of the ski. This usually causes me to go forward, sometimes over

by Katie Brooke Clemmons

Katie Brooke and friends enjoy cake at her birthday party. Her invitation asked that they donate to In His Wakes in lieu of gifts. the top of my ski! Likewise, if I choose not to obey God’s instructions, then when I hit the wakes of life they will knock me forward and I will crash and sometimes get hurt. Disobedience will cause me to have a bumpy ride. We need to follow God’s instructions because He loves us, cares for us, and He died on the Cross to save us from our sins. He knows what is best for us and wants us to have victory crossing the wakes of life. v Katie Brooke Clemmons, age 9, is a follower of Christ, and slalom skier in training. She resides in Killen, AL .

www.kojministries.com

VictoriousLivingSeptember2013F_VLmagazine 9/30/13 9:14 AM Page 25

Look!

A Baby on Skis!

At 9 months old, most babies are just learning to climb. Not Water Baby! In this true story, author Barbara Collins brings to life the journey of a baby who learns to ski and goes on to become a national champion. The first book in the Water Baby series, Water Baby Learns to Ski, will surprise you in more ways than one with its delightful story and charming illustrations.

“Through Barbara Collin’s Water Baby series, your child will learn important character values and become a champion on the waters of life!”

— Kristi Overton Johnson, World Champion and Former World Record Holder

To obtain your copy, visit www.waterbabyandmore.com

waterbabyandmore.com 864-844-2243 707 NW 13th Street • 352.372.8551 • Fax 352.338.1965

www.TheTrophyShop.com www.kojministries.com

VictoriousLivingSeptember2013F_VLmagazine 9/30/13 9:14 AM Page 26

Pizza Man by Kim Grizzard

“I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.” Revelation 3:20

My husband says that Friday night is his night to cook, and that’s why we always have takeout pizza. When our two sons were younger, he started this little routine of ringing the doorbell, pizza box in hand, and waiting for the boys to come to the door. When they would open it, he’d say “Pizza Man!” and come inside. One Friday night a few years ago, “Pizza Man” had a larger-than-normal delivery to make. A former neighbor had called to say she was in a bind for a baby sitter, so I had taken her three boys in for the night. I was a little worried that Colby, who was only three-years-old when they moved away, might not remember us, but he seemed fine running and playing with everyone else. When the doorbell rang for pizza, everyone raced downstairs. My husband did his “Pizza Man” routine, gave me a kiss and helped to set the table. We said the blessing, sat down and started to dig in, but about five minutes into our meal, Colby got up from his chair, walked over to mine and tugged on my shirt. Pointing to my husband, he said, “What’s that guy still doing here?” As I’ve been reading Not a Fan by Kyle Idleman, I have wondered if I sometimes treat my heavenly Father like “Pizza Man.” I place my order (pray), offer Him a quick thank you, give Him a small tip at the door, and then shut it behind Him. Revelation 3:20 says, “I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.” When I was growing up, I can remember our pastor preaching about “opening the door to our hearts” to let Jesus in, but that is just the beginning. Jesus wants to get past the door.

In his book, Idleman, who is pastor of Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Ky., the fifth largest church in the country, explains the difference between being a true follower of Christ and just being a “fan”. “The biggest threat to the church today is fans who call themselves Christians but aren’t actually interested in following Christ,” he writes. “They want to be close enough to Jesus to get all the benefits, but not so close that it requires anything of them.” While I have considered myself to be a follower of Jesus for many years now, the truth is that there are times when I act like a fan at best. There are many times that a person could look at me and be confused about the nature of my relationship with God. Sadly, there are times when someone could spend a whole day with me without getting a sense of how I feel about “that guy” (Jesus). There are days when I “have a devotion” in the morning but do little or nothing to show my devotion to God the rest of the day. There are times when I attend a Bible study and quote Scripture only to walk out as if I’ve left Jesus standing in that room. God sent Jesus not only to deliver us but to be with us. If I’m a true follower of Jesus, then He should always have a place at the table, long after the blessing has been said. v Kim Grizzard writes feature articles for The Daily Reflector in Greenville, N.C. She lives in Winterville, NC with her husband and two sons.

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VictoriousLivingSeptember2013F_VLmagazine 9/30/13 9:14 AM Page 27

My Faith to See by Aleshia Martin

For the past eight years, I have had the opportunity to work with blind students, teaching them all the basics they need to function in life. If you’ve ever been around a blind person, I’m sure you realized very quickly that they use their other senses - smell, touch, hearing, and tasting - to see. It’s amazing how their senses kick in and how they use different techniques to learn and understand what I am trying to teach them. Awhile back I had the opportunity to fly to Utah to visit the National Ability Center, a center that reaches out to people of all ages with disabilities. While I was there, I met an incredible thirty-six yearold man named David. David was totally blind and had difficulty speaking. He grabbed my attention because I work with children much like him. I wanted to know his story so I could better understand how he came to the place where he is today, a place of healing and victory. David was kind enough to sit down and share his story with me. It turns out that he was a former steer wrestler and had worked at his parent’s chemical plant in Alabama. One day he and his buddy were checking on the chemicals when somehow his buddy fell into one of the huge chemical pots. David jumped in to save him but by the time help arrived, David had been in the chemicals so long that he suffered brain damage. David lost his vision and his ability to speak. As you can imagine, many changes came into his life. No longer could he see his wife or his son. No longer could he do the things in the way he had done them in the past. David found himself in a state of depression, something he likened to a roller coaster ride. To add to his emotional trials, David found himself in the middle of a divorce. After going through a season of hopelessness, he came to the realization that life was too short to continue to sit around, do nothing, and be depressed. So, he made the decision to begin to live again. He let go of the past, learned new ways to do things, and as a result, began to move forward and once again enjoy his life.

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During my time at the NAC, I had the opportunity to ride in a ski boat as David learned something new ... water ski. After about six tries, David was up and skiing. We were so happy for him. His smile told us how happy he was that he had accomplished his goals. As he made his way around the lake, it didn’t take long for David to realize that he had to be prepared for the waves he could not see! It was amazing to watch him make adjustments to his body position and keep on going when the waves came his way. As I watched David, I couldn’t help but be encouraged. David couldn’t see this lake, the mountains, the boat, or even us; but that didn’t stop him from having success. He put his trust and faith in the water ski instructors knowing that we would help and protect him, he listened to our instructions, and he didn’t panic when trials came. Seeing him helped me realize that although I may not see the emotional, physical, and spiritual “waves” that are coming my way, if I, like David, have faith in Christ (my protector and help in time of need), listen and obey His instruction, and be willing to make a few adjustments along the way, I too can be prepared and have the victory no matter what. Another thing that encouraged me was David’s unwillingness to allow his impairment to stand in the way of his goals and dreams. Rather than throwing in the towel when life changed as he knew it, he decided to rise up and experience life in a new way. This challenged me to press on when I encounter changes that “mess up” my routine or radically change my life. Instead of giving up and getting mad, David showed me that if I choose to adjust, have a persevering spirit, and praise God for giving me other abilities and resources to enable me to work through it, I can overcome and enjoy life even in the midst of the trial. Complaining or giving up will get me nowhere. By taking my focus off my challenges and the “waves” that are beating against me and placing them instead on God and His promises, there is nothing I can’t overcome. v

“For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.” II Corinthians 4:16-18 NLT

Left: Aleshia and David riding bikes. Below: David on his skis.

Aleshia was born and raised in Keystone Heights, Florida. She has worked in Clay County for over a decade with the School Board and now works with the Clay County Fire Rescue as a 911 dispatcher. She has a heart to teach and help others, especially children. 27

VictoriousLivingSeptember2013F_VLmagazine 9/30/13 9:15 AM Page 28

Light

in the Darkness

For me, the hardest thing about raising a child with a disability is that I often feel like a ship sailing through the dark of night. Because my daughter has Down Syndrome, there are many things about her physical and emotional makeup that I simply don't understand. Lately, I’ve been reading about the many factors that could be affecting her behavior and seeking answers. Recently, we took Marianna to her pediatrician to have some tests run. We were hoping that the results would help us understand what is causing her issues. I was so excited when my husband told me he was able to get a stool sample from her at the doctor’s office, only to learn that the sample was contaminated by toilet water. We headed over to the lab to have her blood drawn, but the technician wasn’t able to get that sample either. It was a frustrating, tearful, all-day-long experience… and we left with nothing. The worst part was knowing that we would have to try to get both samples again. I left the doctor’s office with the feeling I’ve had many times over the past ten years—like God had left me in a situation far too big for me to handle. A situation I so desperately wanted to fix but couldn’t. It’s an unsettling, “fumbling in the dark” feeling. I want so much to be a good mother and to help my daughter succeed in her life. I know God has a purpose for her life; she is truly precious. I also know there is a reason that He gave her to me to raise. But I’ve often felt so overwhelmed and alone on this path. As these feelings began to emerge in my heart, I made a conscious decision to lay aside my negative feelings of despair, and focus on what I know to be true… that God is with me. How easy it can be to look at the mountain of day-to-day challenges rather than the One who can help us through them and ultimately change things. Jesus’ last words on earth recorded in Matthew 28:20 (NIV) were “…Surely, I am with you always…” I am so thankful for this promise. I cling to it when feelings of fear and doubt begin to rise over me. I may not always

by Myra Monroe

Faith is being sure of what we hope for, certain of what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1, NIV feel like He is with me, I may not always feel His presence or see Him at work, but nonetheless, I choose to believe He is there with me in the midst of my confusion. I know that this kind of faith pleases God, moves mountains, and brings the answers I seek. The answers may not come as fast as I desire, but I know that they will come. He has never let me down yet. Through this decade of intense testing (on many different levels), I've learned the hard truth that God is just as interested in my journey of faith with Him as He is in giving me the results I’m looking for. I want answers now. I want to see Him working in my situation right then. But I’ve learned that whether or not I can see or feel Him, I have to trust Him. This is the true test of faith. “Faith is being sure of what we hope for, certain of what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1, NIV). It is my belief that God is with me and willing and able to help me that gives me the strength to continue to move forward through the challenges that lie before us. And sometimes I feel like there is a whole mountain of challenges ahead! My faith in Him keeps me from feeling overwhelmed, especially when I consider all the dietary changes and medical tests we may have to endure to find out what will improve our family’s quality of life. I find comfort in the fact that God already knows what my daughter needs because He made her. I know that He will provide what she needs because He is a loving Father. I know, too, that He will give me what I need ... wisdom, patience, joy, and strength to travel this road. It really is a matter of perspective. I'm choosing to see the Light in the darkness and choosing to believe the Captain is in control of my ship. v Myra Monroe is a wife and mother of two children. She is retired from a career in television news. She resides in Gainesville, FL.

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VictoriousLivingSeptember2013F_VLmagazine 9/30/13 9:15 AM Page 29

Face the Facts

Without Wavering! by Kristi Overton Johnson One of the most difficult tasks as an athlete is staying focused when conditions around you start to get challenging. I can vividly remember the mental war that would wage in my mind as I would sit on a dock, wait for my turn and watch helplessly as the conditions would continuously grow worse with each skier. Nothing can be more frustrating than knowing you had trained so hard, traveled so far, spent so much money only to face wind, waves, and rain that would make running the course and performing your best so difficult. As I matured in my career as a pro athlete, I quickly learned that in situations like these, if I wanted to have the victory, I had to refuse to let the conditions become my focus. Going out on the water timid and afraid would provide nothing but disappointment and defeat. To win I had to get focused, trust in my ability as an athlete and give it everything I had! I had to face the facts of the conditions but stand firm in my belief that I could go out there and do what needed to be done to win. Recently I came across a verse in the Bible that reminds me of the above situation. Romans 4:19-20 (NIV) says that "Without weakening in his faith, Abraham faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah's womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised." What an amazing verse! Abraham had been given a promise by God that he would be the Father of many nations. The problem was that naturally, having a child at his age and his wife's age was impossible. Abraham faced the fact that his body was as good as dead WITHOUT wavering in his belief that God would fulfill the promise. Hebrews 11:11-12 (NIV) says "And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered Him faithful Who had made the promise. And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore." Because Abraham and Sarah didn't let “the facts” overshadow the promise of God, because they believed in His Word and believed in His character, they saw the glory of God revealed in their lives. They experienced a miracle. Do you need a miracle today? I've got good news...God is still in the miracle working business. "Then Jesus said, 'Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?'" (John 11:40 NIV). What facts do you have to face today? Are there conditions in your health, finances, marriage, career that seem hopeless, dead and impossible? Like Abraham and Sarah, face the facts of what is going on in your life; however, don't let the facts overshadow this important fact ... NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD. No “fact” is too grim for God. Nothing is too hard for Him. God is a God against all odds! Refuse to let the “conditions” of your life cause you to waver in your faith. Be strong and courageous, trust in God's character and His ability to help you, focus on the truth of His Word, and then “get off the dock” with Him. Victory is on the way! v

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MINISTRY NEWS

Autism Empowerment Group At CHLC Champion’s Heart will be hosting an Autism Empowerment Group (AEG) beginning Sept. 10, 2013, at 6:30 pm. AEG is a support group for parents with autistic children. It will meet every 2nd Tuesday of each month. Call CHLC at (352) 478-8076 for more info.

“Richness Of Life” Education at CHLC Karen O’Brien, a rep. of the Richness of Life Inst., is providing educational services to our community at Champion’s Heart. The educational classes began in July and cover the topics of retirement planning, social security benefits, and Medicare. Please call 352-4788076 for dates and times.

Russian Orphanage Outreach Champion’s Heart is now collecting decorative scarves, make-up, and hand-written letters for a unique “Gift Bag” outreach to women in Glazov, Russia. Financial contributions for Russian Bibles, toys, medical supplies, and a medical emergency transport van are also being collected. Kristi Overton Johnson will hand deliver the gifts on Russia’s Christmas Day (Jan. 7, 2014) to the precious women who helped raise her two youngest children, Dalton and Ivy. Items can be dropped off at CHLC or mailed to PO Box 968, Keystone Heights, FL 32656. Deadline for gifts is December 1st. Online donations can be made at kojministries.org.

Did you know you can view past issues of Victorious Living at any time? Just visit www.kojministries.org!

VictoriousLivingSeptember2013F_VLmagazine 9/30/13 9:15 AM Page 30

PASTOR’S POINT OF VIEW

continued from page 9

Rob Morford is pastor of Community Church of Keystone Heights. He and his wife, Dotty have three children and two grandchildren.

Carter McCain is currently living in Dallas where he is studying at Perkins School of Theology/SMU. He and his wife Karen have three wonderful children.

continued from page 9

What hinders our prayers being answered?

Is it wrong to ask God for things or personal needs?

answered prayer is God granting a prayer request that is offered to Him. If a prayer request is not granted, it is understood as an “unanswered” prayer. However, this is an incorrect understanding of prayer. God answers every prayer that is lifted to Him. Sometimes God answers “no” or “wait.” God only promises to grant our prayers when we ask according to His will. 1 John 5:14–15 (NKJV) says, "Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him." Praying according to God’s will is praying for things that honor and glorify God and/or praying for what the Bible clearly reveals God’s will to be. If we pray for something that is not honoring to God or not God’s will for our lives, God will not give what we ask for. Jesus said in John 15:7 (NKJV) "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you." The better we understand God’s Word, the better we will know what to pray for. The better we know what to pray for, the more often God will answer “yes” to our requests.

“He who comes to (Daddy) God must believe that He is (their Daddy) and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6). Rewards are your needs and desires. “Your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him” (Matthew 6:8). Asking acknowledges our need and desire for help.

really be disastrous. And sometimes God says no to the "good" to make room for the "better"; He is, after all, more concerned about our growth than our pleasure. However, God loves to give us good things, sometimes even extraordinarily, gloriously unnecessary things! So ask and keep on asking! He'll let you know if the answer is no.

What hinders our prayers being answered?

The number one hindrance to our prayers being answered is asking amiss or with unconfessed sin in our lives (James 4:3). “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me” (Psalm 66:18). The number two hindrance is doubt or unbelief. Most people believe in God, but they fail to believe God. Doubt is being unsure of who God is to you and what He will do for you. Faith is believing God’s Word. “Let him ASK in faith” (James 1:6). “Without faith it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6). “Let him ASK in faith with no doubting” (James 1:6).

This is the kind of question where it is impossible to give a complete answer. In the end only God knows, and we only have the insight to the extent He gives it to us. However, here are some reasons why we may not get what we ask for. • We ask selfishly or have misplaced desires. (James 4:3) • We lack faith. (Matthew 13:58) • We have unconfessed sin. (Psalm 66:18) • It's not God's will. (1 John 5:14) • We will receive it, but not yet. (Luke 18:1-8) • The Lord is trying to teach us more about grace and our dependence on Him. (2 Corinthians 12:8-9) • What we are asking for is either not good for us or not the best thing for us.

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It is important that we don't get overly critical here. Pray through the above things, asking God to show you anything that's amiss. However, if He doesn't reveal anything to you, STOP beating yourself up. Beating ourselves up doesn't do any good. Trust God to reveal what needs to be revealed. There's not always a "problem" we can put our finger on. The call of the Christian is to believe that God is loving and good even in the midst of great obstacles and a world filled with pain. Answered prayers are signposts in this world; unanswered prayers are invitations into deeper intimacy with the One who created it.

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VictoriousLivingSeptember2013F_VLmagazine 9/30/13 9:15 AM Page 31

FROM OUR READERS I hope you don’t take this as boasting, but simply as a testimony of how Jesus has blessed our family through your ministry. Long story short, about five years ago, I read through the entire Bible. I am now finishing up my third time through the Bible. My husband is finishing up his first time. Until we read the Bible, we knew about Christ but we didn’t know Him. It changed our lives! We have such a great desire to serve the Lord and know Him even more. Now that we are growing spiritually, we see our nine-year-old daughter growing spiritually too! About a year ago, she was watching TV and a little girl had a birthday party and in lieu of gifts, the girl asked for shoes to be sent to a foreign country. Katie Brooke, our daughter, said “I would like to do something like that for my next birthday!” I said, “Well, you pray about it and see where the Lord leads you.” My daughter had started water skiing and training on a course at Lake Jewel in Florence, AL. Her coach, Andy Eddins, a very godly man, had invited us about a year ago to come help with an In His Wakes event. WOW is all I can say! My husband, Katie Brooke and I were extremely blessed and honored to be able to serve at this event. Anyway, the closer it got to Katie Brooke’s birthday party, she still hadn’t decided what ministry to support. Then, we received an email that IHW needed help financially. I shared that with Katie Brooke and it was like an answer from God as to who to support. She received $110.00 donations and her party was a blast! Many people took home donation forms to mail in to IHW and also said they would make online donations. So, maybe there will be enough to sponsor a child to attend an IHW event. I can’t tell you how much this ministry has meant to our family. We have shared several of your stories from Victorious Living with our young adult class at church and we have also used your magazine as a witnessing tool to share Christ with skiers who do not know Him. Thank you for your work in the Lord! ~ Shannon Clemmons, AL

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Katie Clemmons enjoying her birthday cake with her friends.

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VictoriousLivingSeptember2013F_VLmagazine 9/30/13 9:15 AM Page 32

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