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BREAK FREE | MOVE FORWARD | SOAR TO VICTORY
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Volume 2 • Issue 1
Get Vision page 6 Reveal Yourself page 7 Be Free page 8 Take Action page 9 Give Hope page 10 Choose Life page 12 Leave A Legacy page 16 Beat The Odds page 19
Real People • Real Stories • Real Hope
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It’s Time To Soar! Recently during my morning prayer walk with my faithful companion, Mater, (my yellow lab), I heard two words that stirred my heart… “It’s time!” These words spoke volumes to me and erupted a verbal response that stirred my emotions and encouraged my heart. “Mater,” I said as his ears perked up, tail wagged, and head tilted curiously, “It’s Time!”. “It’s time to truly live. It’s time to lay aside fear, guilt, pride, anger, past circumstances, habits, thoughts, addictions… anything that is holding me back. It’s time to be free! It’s time to get focused, eliminate distractions, and be productive for God. It’s time to embrace who God made me to be and quit trying to be who the world thinks I should be. It’s time to quit doubting my decisions and worrying about my future and trust God is in control and leading me right to where He wants me to be.”
“Mater, it’s time to get my priorities straight. It’s time to maintain balance and health in my physical, emotional, and spiritual life. It’s time to stop letting people and circumstances steal my joy. It’s time to enjoy life, to experience joy and peace even in the midst of the chaos!” On and on I spoke encouraging truths to my soul and to whoever else would listen (the dog, the birds, the horses on the side of the path), to get up and start moving into the realm of victory Jesus Christ desires for us to live. During that walk, something snapped in my heart and mind as I suddenly realized that the time to move forward in life is NOW, not tomorrow. Friend, let’s throw off anything that hinders us, strip off every weight that slows us down, so we can run with endurance the race God has set before us (Hebrews 12:1). It’s time! What are we waiting for? NOW is the time for life… seize it!
Publisher/Editor Kristi Overton Johnson Publication Advisor Karen Lake Contributors Wanda Boutte Rev. Paul Coleman Bonnie Hagemann Renee Harp Brad Harvey Kristi Overton Johnson Lisa Johnson Lucie Miller Sandi Moffit Carey Morford Angie Sapp Hope Barwick Tate Kenny Vaughan Creative Director/Graphic Design Amy Zackowski amy@whisperingdog.com Advertising advertise@championsheart.net Victorious Living 205 Magnolia Avenue Keystone Heights, FL 32656 352.478.2098 fax 888.837.9153
Leviticus 26:13 says, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt so you would no longer be their slaves. I broke the yoke of slavery from your neck so you can walk with your heads held high.”
Victorious Living is published quarterly in Keystone Heights, Florida. ©2012, 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 advertsiting 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
Table of Contents Moving Forward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Love Speaks Louder Than Words. . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Revealing Your True Self . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
A Legacy of Love . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Free At Last . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Calls of Accountability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Do What You Can . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
See Through Barriers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Hope At The Drive Thru. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Being A Gifted Communicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
The Why Behind The What . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Against All Odds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Choosing Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Preparing For Your Future. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
The Loss of a Son, The Love of The Father . . . . . 13
It’s Time. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
How To Know God. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
It’s Time for Health. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
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! Do you have a story of victory? Share it with us!
Your life story can change the life of another. Please send all submissions to be included in Victorious Living to PO Box 968, Keystone Heights, Florida 32656.
Champion’s Heart News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 www.championsheart.net
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REFRESH YOUR SOUL
Moving Forward By Kristi Overton Johnson
“Where there is no vision, the people perish...” Proverbs 29:18
One morning as I was walking, I closed my eyes and started praying. After a minute or two, I opened my eyes and looked back over my path. I was amazed to see how crooked my path had become. It looked like I had been water skiing through a slalom course! Just by closing my eyes for a moment, my path had begun to swerve off course. I suddenly realized the importance of vision! As I looked over my path, I couldn’t help but be reminded of how often I have zigged-zagged my way through life, especially in recent years. I know I have the potential to be focused, I remained focused for 30 years while competing in the sport of water skiing. Focus which enabled me to rise to the top of the sport. During those years, I knew in my heart what I wanted to do and I made sacrifices and life choices to achieve my goals.
Dear Lord, Help me to regain my focus. I don’t want to wander aimlessly through life. I want to fulfill my God-given destiny. Show me where I am distracted then show me steps to take to move forward in your vision for my life. Give me the courage to take the first step and the discipline to stay on course. Give me discernment to know when I am allowing things or people to draw me away from the path you have purposed for me so I can walk in your ways. Amen 6
Since my retirement from being a professional athlete, however, I have often struggled with having the discipline to achieve the passions that lie within my heart. I often lose my focus and allow distractions to steal my time, focus, and energy. I have to laugh… even as I sat here writing, I found myself distracted. Somehow in the midst of paragraph two I found my way to my emails. After answering a couple of emails, I realized I wasn’t writing anymore. Within seconds I was off doing something else! In order to be productive in our lives, we have to guard against distractions as they prevent us from moving forward. Wikipedia defines distractions as a thing that prevents someone from giving full attention to something else. Distractions can come in many forms. As in my example above, the opportunities of the world can often distract us… things like emails, Facebook, television, internet, and cell phones. The offerings of the world can become a distraction as well. It’s often tempting to focus on material things, our careers, and social status and lose sight of what is truly important… our relationship with God and the people He has put in our lives. Speaking of people, we have to stay alert in our relationships and make sure we don’t allow people to distract us. We have to choose relationships carefully and surround ourselves with people who will encourage us to be who God designed us to be, not who they think we should be. We have to guard against “people pleasing” and allowing people’s comments to discourage us from moving forward. Circumstances create another opportunity for distraction. When circumstances begin to change (either for good or bad), our emotions can sway within us and lead us astray. Perhaps we become afraid or discouraged, perhaps we become complacent and satisfied with our current state. Either way, we stop moving forward. We can even become distracted by good things. But doing good things, if it isn’t what God has purposed for our lives, is a distraction. So often I hear people say they just don’t have enough time to do the will of God. I’ve even said the same thing. But if we examine how we spend our time, we may just find that it’s not that we don’t have enough time, rather we have allowed things to steal our time. We’ve lost focus and gotten sidetracked by what seems urgent but in reality isn’t truly important. We’ve allowed ourselves to fall into a cycle of busyness forgetting that busyness isn’t the same thing as productivity. Here’s a simple truth that I hope will change the way you think about your life. When God created the world, He gave us 24 hours every day to do what He has called us to do. He has given us just the amount of time we need for our home life, businesses, relationships, and ministries. God even promises to give us the grace and resources to help us do what He has called us to do within that time frame. Kristi Overton Johnson is the The truth is, we don’t need more time, we founder of Champion’s Heart and In just need to get God’s vision for our lives and His Wakes, divisions of KOJ start making daily decisions that line our Ministries. Kristi currently resides in lives up with His plan. It is there that we the Lake Area Region with her will find purpose, joy, peace and victory! husband, Tim, and three children. www.championsheart.net
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FRESH PERSPECTIVE
E
ven as a little girl, my favorite Bible story was Esther. I’ve always been a girl who wanted to do something big to make a difference, and there is really no better story of a girl who made a difference in the world. Esther, with only the moral support of her uncle and her faith in a God she had never seen, risked her life to save a whole people group, the entire dispersed nation of Israel. As a little girl, I was captivated by the fairytale-like story, and I was thrilled to read this story with my fiveyear-old daughter the other day. I watched her eyes glow as she treasured the words of this Biblical story. I should have known that this moment wasn’t just about reminiscing nor having a good, holy parental moment. God had placed the desire to read that story in my heart because he had a lesson for me too. As I re-read this story as an adult, it wasn’t the pageantry that caught my attention; rather, it was the words of advice and warning that Esther’s uncle spoke: “Don’t think that just because you live in the king’s house, you’re the one Jew who will get out of this alive. If you persist in staying silent at a time like this, help and deliverFlorida native, Carey ance will come for the Morford, attended Jews from someplace college in South Carolina, else; but you and your and later returned to family will be wiped Keystone Heights where out. Who knows? she currently resides with her husband, Isaac Maybe you were and their two daughters, made queen for just Layla and Rigby. Carey such a time as this.” and Isaac both work at Have you ever Keystone Elementary known God was askand Keystone Jr./Sr. High School. www.championsheart.net
ing you to do something? It probably didn’t seem as dramatic or important as saving a whole people group, but it was a specific task nonetheless. Maybe He asked you to… …Forgive, …Give generously, …Love sacrificially, …Speak up for the oppressed, …Seek out justice, …Be honest, …and there were specific instructions to go with it… …Move your family, …Change careers, …Give $10, $100, or $1,000 to a particular ministry, …Write a song, …Show your art to someone, …Call up that person you’ve been ignoring. Maybe God said it and you argued, or you froze, or you thought you must have misheard so you waited for a clearer message. Maybe you were afraid like Esther must have been; afraid of what the people you were trying to impress might think, afraid you would fail.
And so, now, you are stuck. I’ve been stuck like that. Through the support of my family and friends and a professional counselor, I believe I’m beginning to finally crawl out of that deep, murky mud pit into which I had slid. As I’ve been crawling out, I’ve realized that just like Esther was made queen for such a time as this, I’ve been made
Carey for such a time as this. My new favorite part of the story is not Esther’s transformation into a beautiful queen, but her finding power in the part of her she had been trying to hide. No one knew Esther was Jewish, she had been hiding her nationality because she was afraid of what
I believe it’s time for each of us to reveal our true selves, to be who God has created us to be, to quit trying to fit into whatever box we think we are supposed to fit into, and to just do what God has instructed.
people would think; but by revealing her true self, she saved the nation of Israel. I believe it’s time for each of us to reveal our true selves, to be who God has created us to be, to quit trying to fit into whatever box we think we are supposed to fit into, and to just do what God has instructed. It’s scary, I know. To reveal our true selves we become extremely vulnerable, but if we really want to be a woman, or man, who makes a difference in the world, I’m beginning to believe it’s the only way. 7
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Free At Last By Sandi Moffitt
“I just can’t do it,” I thought. It was the summer of 2006 and I was having an all too familiar conversation with myself. Sure I may be able to quit drinking for awhile but I couldn’t imagine not ever having the desire to drink. I liked it too much. Surely that desire would keep drawing me back. For 10 years I battled alcoholism. They say admitting you have a problem is the first step to recovery, I had made that step two years prior. But here I stood at the age of 30, still struggling. It would take pages to describe the depth of my problem. The amount of times I’d driven to the store after several glasses of wine to get more. The drunken presentations in college. The fired jobs. The fights with my husband. The lost friendships. The hidden bottles in the gym bag and dresser drawers. The excuses. The lies. Not to mention the embarrassing behavior that I’ll never truly know about. I tried to hide my drink“I can do ing, especially anything through from my husHim who gives band. This wasn’t too me strength.” hard because Phil 4:13. his work required him to travel often. In fact, his travel schedule gave me reason to justify my drinking. Surely it was his fault for not being there enough. And the job’s fault for being too demanding. And the world’s fault for being so judgmental. Right? I had plenty of reasons to drink my pain away. I continuously prayed for God to help me stop drinking and to pull me out of the vicious cycle of guilt and shame that caused me to feel isolated, ugly, angry, stupid, inadequate, and insecure. I began attending church and small group regularly. I did all the “right things”, but my desire to drink remained. On October 14, 2006, my life hit rock bottom as I had my last drinking fight with my husband. The next morning, we sat in silence on the living room couch for almost the whole day. He was done. I could 8
see it in his eyes. This wasn’t one of those you-get“No temptation has another-chance moments. He looked defeated and overtaken you except what hopeless. is common to mankind. The next day I enrolled in a local, three-month outAnd God is faithful; he will patient recovery program. The knowledge and tools I not let you be tempted begained are priceless. My support group of sisters in yond what you can bear. But Christ were (and are) my rock of encouragement. Durwhen you are tempted, he ing this time, I discovered the real reason for my dewill also provide a way out structive behavior. It’s quite simple… I didn’t like so that you can endure it.” myself. I didn’t see my worth as a child of God. During my recovery, I began to make healthy I Corinthians 10:13. choices and I began to renew my mind with the Word of God. Rather than seeking to please myself, I turned actually proud to be. Am I free from struggles? Of to living a life that pleased God. With every godly decourse not! Although my desire to drink is gone, like cision I made, my respect for myself grew and my deeveryone, I still face other battles. Satan knows I am sire to drink lessened. Yes, the temptation was still a child of God and able to impact the world for God, there, but I was able to resist with God’s help (rather he is persistent in his attacks. than pure willpower). But as I have kept my eyes on When temptation struck, I fought back God, standing on His Word, God has with scripture. Each time I used God’s helped me work though every Word, His spiritual weapon to resist the challenge. Believe me when I tell temptation, I became stronger. It was like you, God is more powerful than any throwing a punch straight to the enemy’s challenge the enemy or the world face, knocking him flat on his back. Sandi Moffitt lives in can send your way. When we call on It took about a year and a half until I Northern California with Him, He comes to our defense. With truly lost the desire to drink. Let me enher husband, son, and Christ on our side, we can do courage you, if God can take my desire chocolate lab. They anything because God Himself, Who to drink away, a desire so deep it conenjoy waterskiing and lives in us, will give us the strength farming. Sandi recently trolled me for a decade, He can help you founded a new to overcome! overcome anything that may hold you women's Christian captive. apparel line, available at In the five years I’ve been sober, God theolivetee.com. You has transformed me into a woman I am can follow Sandi’s blog at theolivetee.com/blog . www.championsheart.net
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DO WHAT YOU CAN AND
GOD
WILL DO
My grandmother, Elizabeth Kitchens, was a larger than life character even though she stood at only 4 feet 5 inches and weighed all of about 87 pounds. Although small in stature, this bundle of energy was great in faith. If asked to describe “Grandmother”, many people would reply, “Peculiar.” Her relationship with God was as real to her as the air she breathed and she wasn’t afraid to live her faith out loud. My favorite time spent with Grandmother was listening to her stories about the many adventures she and God had together. Not too long ago my dad and his brother where talking about one of these “adventures”. Grandmother had been working in the yard and moving things around when she decided she wanted to move a 500 pound bath tub (she had collected from who knows where) about 100 feet across the yard. This would prove to be difficult, seeing that she lived alone and along ways from family. Tired from working in the yard, she went in the house to rest. She began to pray, asking God to show her how to get the tub moved. Almost without hesitation the Lord spoke. “Elizabeth,” He said, “If you want the tub moved, go outside and move it.”
WHAT YOU CAN’T! Without delay she was out the door. She grabbed a 2x4 with which she used to create leverage under the tub. She went from one end of the tub to the other, moving it one inch at a time. She worked with what she had, she did what she could. She believed if she did her part, God would do what she could not do. A few minutes into the move, a truck load of men came driving by and saw her trying to move the tub. They jumped out of the truck, each one grabbed a corner and asked, “Where would you like it?” In less time than it takes to say, “Thank you”, the men were loaded and gone. One may say this was merely a coincidence, but let me share how Grandmother explained it. She said, “If I had stayed in the house only wishing it could be moved and done nothing – nothing is what I would have received. Do what you can and He will do what you cannot.”
By Brad Harvey
Grandmother has long since gone home to be with the Lord. I miss her so much. But her life continues to speak to me every day reminding me to put some feet to my faith and watch what God can do!
Brad Harvey lives in Keystone Heights, FL where he serves as the associate pastor at Community Church. Brad is currently in nursing school and is the father of five children.
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hile on vacation, my family and I went to a fast food restaurant. While ordering our food, my three kids began to make some noise in the back seat of the car. Out of frustration over the noise, the lady on the other side of the speaker instructed me to drive around to the window to place my order. Within seconds, it was obvious that this clerk was never going to win the “Customer Service Award”. Her body language seemed to say, "What are you doing here!" rather than, "May I help you?" Even my kids asked, “Daddy, is that lady mean?” To maintain peace, I just pretended everything was great and placed our order. When the lady came back to the window, she asked, "Why didn't you just order the 12-piece? It would have been much easier and saved you money!" I bit my tongue and just told her, "Hey, if you can get me everything I ordered By Kenny Vaughan and save me money with the 12-piece, that would be great!" I think at this point she finally started feeling guilty for being so rude, especially since I had refused to engage in her verbal battle. While the lady assembled our order, I asked my wife, Tammie, to grab one of our “Shield of Strength” dog tags and a neck chain (No, I wasn’t planning on strangling her!). When the lady returned to the window, I showed her the tag and I watched in amazement as this told her that it was inscribed with one of my favorite verses. As I handed it to her, she was speechless. lady who had been hostile to She turned around and showed it to another employee and then our family moments before, asked if she could have some more for her co-workers. As I gave them to her, tears welled up in her eyes. "You have no idea how was now hanging out of the much I needed this!” she said, “I have so much going on in my life drive-thru window thanking us. right now and I don't know what to do." I watched in amazement as this lady who had been hostile to our family moments before, was now hanging out of the drive-thru window thanking us. I sensed in my spirit she needed prayer, so I asked if she would like me to pray for her. She leaned all the way out of the window, shoulders and all, and reached both hands into our car. We prayed a very simple but powerful prayer. We agreed for God to bring His wisdom, direction, will, peace, and strength into her life. As we drove away, I looked in the mirror and saw the lady still hanging out of the winKenny Vaughan is dow with big tears streaming out of her eyes. Founder of Athletes for I share this story to say: Nothing on this earth is more powerful than the Word Christ and creator of Shields of Strength. of God. This lady didn’t need a “Shield of Strength” to touch her heart, she needed shieldsofstrength.com the Word of God. I could have torn a piece of paper off my chicken bag and written down the scripture, and the same thing would have happened. This lady simply needed to be reminded of God’s love and that His Word is true, regardless of her circumstances. If you want the power of God in your life, let the law of love govern your life. It would have been really easy to respond in anger to this rude lady, I could have even justified it; but doing so would have ruined my day, added to the sorrows of the lady, and caused me to miss an opportunity to show my kids God’s love in action. Because I held my tongue and followed the leading of the Holy Spirit, my family and this lady were able to share a blessing none of us will ever forget.
W
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Psalm 51:10
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The Why Behind The What By Kristi Overton Johnson I am a firm believer that in life, there is always a why behind someone’s what. There is a reason people act and speak the way they do. There is a reason people react to situations in a certain way, going into “protective mode” with words and actions. There is a reason people try to control other people and situations. It’s easy to look at external behaviors and make surface judgments, forgetting that we too have “what’s” of our own. We often fail to remember the possibility that people may be or may have been walking through something very difficult. God hasn’t called us to judge others; rather, we are called to love. As we do, God’s love can cut through the toughest and roughest of people’s “what’s”. Ask God to give you His love for “extra grace required” people. Ask Him to show you why they act the way they do and how you can be a blessing to them. As you show patience, hold your tongue, and show God’s love, walls will come down and hearts will be touched in a powerful way.
By Kenny Vaughan My drive-thru story is a perfect example of why I make “Shields of Strength”. For years I ran into situations where I had no way to “break the ice” and bring God into a conversation. I have found that people are always touched when they receive a tangible reminder of God’s truth and His love. You may not have a “Shield of Strength” in your car, but as long as you have the Word of God in you, you can always pass on hope to the hopeless! So, the next time you find yourself in a situation where you wish you could bring God into the moment, I encourage you to share God’s Word verbally, or simply tear off a piece of paper, write down the scripture that is on your heart, and pass it on! Don’t let fear keep you from touching someone’s heart. God has much to say, so much hope to give ... Share it! To obtain your own “Shield of Strength” visit our website at www.shieldsofstrength.com. www.championsheart.net
A Hatian Man is encouraged by his In His Wakes Shield of Strength In His Wakes would like to thank “Shields of Strength” for partnering with us by providing tangible reminders to our “A Day to Remember” participants of God’s love! Through our specially designed In His Wakes dog tags, we are able to share God’s Word to people across the United States and the world!
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Choosing Life By Wanda Boutte
Have you been broadsided by a tragic event in your life? It may have come in the form of a spouse asking for a divorce, the loss of a long-standing job that you expected to last until retirement, the betrayal of a close friend, a diagnosis of a life-threatening illness or a debilitating injury. Whatever the tragedy, it probably left you feeling devastated and asking, “Why?” You may have even asked, “Where was God when it happened?” For me the tragedy was the loss of a son when he was only seventeen, the loss of a second son only 4 ½ years later and then the loss of my husband about 6 years later. After the loss of my first son, I had difficulty thinking about living a long life before I could ever see him again. You know that feeling of having your children away for an extended period of time such as at camp or visiting grandparents. Think of waiting a lifetime. When one loses a child, that event goes against the natural order of things. Loosing a child to death is not something we ever expect to happen. Parents should be able to watch their children grow into adulthood and have families of their own. Grandparents should then be laid to rest by their children. In my devastation after my first loss, I looked at everyone’s life continuing as usual and I thought, “How can this be! My son is gone! Life can’t just go on; it will never be the same.” With the death of a child, one feels as if his very heart has been ripped out. Why do such tragic events happen? I have found the answer to some of my questions in the Word of God. Since Adam and Eve’s transgression, we live in a fallen world. Jesus declared in John 16:13 that in this world we would have tribulation. This condition of the world will not change until God sets up His reign on earth and our redemption is complete. No, life would never be the same, but my life could go on if I made some critical choices. The greatest factor in bringing about my recovery was I had a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, and I had been filled with His Holy Spirit. I knew God loved me and was with me. Second, I believed God’s Word over my emotions and circumstances. Many times when I felt I couldn’t bear the
loss, I would pray Proverbs 3:5-6 back to God. “Lord, You say to trust in You with all of my heart and to lean not to my own understanding, to acknowledge You in all my ways and You will direct my path. I acknowledge You today in my situation and I trust You to direct my path so that I can go on.” As I stood on God’s Word and trusted His character, I was able to move forward. I knew that God’s nature is love and He is faithful to those He loves. For you to truly know this in your heart is so important in restoring your soul after a tragic loss. I knew God loved me and my children regardless of what had happened in our lives. This does not mean that I don’t miss my loved ones and long to see them. Yet, I can go on with God and life and be thankful for the time I had them with me. The void they left will always be there; but because of God’s love for me and His healing power, I can face what has happened to me and not be destroyed. Through my tragedy, I have seen the goodness and faithfulness of God in ways few have seen. God Himself has carried me through the darkest of days. He has held me in the middle of the night when no one else was around. God, through His Holy Spirit, has prompted others to pray for my daughter and me when we needed it most and lead them to minister to our needs, even when those needs were not obvious. He will do the same for you. God will manifest Himself to you and His love for you if you will open your heart to Him. God experiences our hurts with us. Hebrews 4:15-16 says we do not have a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities. God knows our pain and desires to help us through our toughest times. He is just waiting for us to come boldly to His throne of grace, so we can obtain His mercy and grace to help us in our time of need. Other keys to my victory had to do with my thoughts and words. I had to guard my thoughts and stay in the present. Every day I had to refuse to succumb to the “what if?” scenarios of life. Dwelling on “what if?” is counter productive to receiving comfort and healing from God. If each of us had known how we could have pre-
“This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.”
vented our loss, we would have taken those actions. We did what we knew to do at the time. But even if one has failed to take action, God forgives and wants to heal wounded hearts. “What if” is a tool Satan uses to try to destroy us by bringing guilt and regret into our lives. It is his tool to keep us stuck in the past (Phil. 3:13). We have to guard against these negative, unproductive thoughts as they can lead to depression. When depressing, crippling thoughts come to your mind, choose to cast down those thoughts and replace them with thoughts from God’s Word (See II Cor. 10:4-5, Phil. 4:6-8). In addition to guarding my thoughts, I had to guard my attitude. I had to recognize that God was still worthy of praise even in the midst of my loss. Regardless of what had happened, I determined I would continue to praise Him (often, through tears) and I would continue to seek to understand His Word. God does not ask that we praise Him for the bad things that happen to us, but He desires that we praise Him in the midst of our difficult circumstances. Praising God brings His presence on the scene for the Word declares that He inhabits the praises of His people. Praising Him also requires us to focus on our blessings rather than on our loss. Finally, a host of family and friends provided a loving support system to help me move forward out of my pain. Forever etched in my heart and mind are the kind, loving deeds of these individuals. God used them in so many ways to minister to me. They helped me see past my pain and embrace God’s blessing for each day. If you have been struck by tragedy, I encourage you to run to God and allow Him to restore your life by healing your heart. He Wanda Boutte is a retired loves you and your life high school teacher who is precious to Him. Re- taught most of her gardless of your cir- 30-plus years at Keystone cumstances, your life Heights High School. can once again be filled She has lived in Keystone since 1966 and is a with joy, peace, and member of KH purpose. Community Church. She enjoys spending time with family, being Choose life! involved in church It’s waiting ministry, and traveling. for you.
Deuteronomy 30:19 (NIV)
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The Loss of a Son…
The Love of The Father
By Rev. Paul W. Coleman
It was July 20th, 2011. My wife, Lynn, and I looked up from the front pew in our church toward the pulpit where a friend was about to tell us how we could find God’s love in the death of our thirty-two year old son. I did not know what I wanted him to say. I did not know if I wanted him to say anything at all. What can one human being say to another that can make any difference in the face of such pain? For thirty years I had been the preacher offering words of hope and comfort. For thirty years I had held the hand of the dying, consoled and counseled the grieving, brought midnight news to parents of the death of their young adult child. For thirty years I had been the preacher at the funeral gazing into tear-stained faces, praying that God would give me just the right words. But such terrible mourning and grief had never come so close to Lynn or me, or our two surviving children. Timothy Daniel Coleman entered this world on the wings of a promise. God had revealed to his mother, at the birth of our daughter Sarah, that there would be a Timothy Daniel. On February 11, 1979, Timothy was born, God’s promise was fulfilled, and our family was complete. God had blessed us with our oldest son Jonathan, our daughter Sarah and now, Timothy. We were a close family; the three children were each other’s best friends. At the innocent age of five Timothy asked Jesus to be his Lord and Savior and to live within his heart. At sixteen, he asked to be baptized. Before long his commitment to the Lord would undergo years of testing. In the last year and a half of his life, after years of living far from his family, and far from the Lord, Tim moved to Florida where his brother, Jonathan, mentored him in stonework and living a life of faith. God kept His promise: “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it” (Prov. 22:6). We are so grateful for those eighteen months! All of that is to say that life offers many challenges, and the death of a child is perhaps the hardest challenge any parent will ever face. The question is, how do we live
as if we believe God and His promises of Love and Grace in the wake of such a tremendous loss? The answer — we make a choice each and every day to live victoriously in the face of death. Jesus conquered the grave, and as Christians we also are conquerors. Each day my wife and I choose to live in God’s grace and choose to live victorious lives. Depression and fear are two of the biggest obstacles parents face in the death of their child. We are convinced that the greatest injustice we could do to our son, our Savior and ourselves is to fall into the pit of depression or fear. Instead, we choose to put on the full armor of God and walk straight into the adversities of life. Does that mean we don’t mourn? Absolutely not! We do; but we choose not to stay there, and pray for God’s strength to carry us forward in the day-to-day obligations of life. We stand in awe of what the Lord is teaching us during this difficult time, and we are reminded that God, too, Paul Coleman lives in lost His Son. And in that Keystone Heights, loss, God’s heart was Florida, with his wife broken. His anguish was Lynn, where he serves felt on earth as the curas pastor of Friendship tain in the temple was Bible Church. They have been married torn from top to bottom thirty-seven years, and — approximately a have two other children, four-inch thick curtain Jonathan and Sarah, — ripped like a piece of and eight grandchildren. paper. The skies darkened, thunder rumbled and the earth shook and groaned in agony. Somehow, in God’s infinite way, He is able to relate to us as finite beings and has felt the very same pain. And yet He did not become depressed. He did not destroy the world in anger. Instead, He used the death of his Son to give us grace. In a limited and finite way, my wife and I are choosing to do the same.
How To Know God A relationship with God is crucial to have healing in your heart. If you do not currently have a relationship with God, you can begin one at any time. Romans 10:8-10 explains how: “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” As you accept what Christ has done for you, and put your faith in Him alone for salvation, you are then free to have a relationship with God and experience His peace, power, presence, and love. As you grow in your relationship with Him through studying and applying the Word of God, and by trusting Him daily, you will be able to have victory in your life regardless of your circumstances.
God is too wise to be mistaken. God is too good to be unkind. When you don’t understand, When you don’t see His plan, When you can’t trace His hand,
Trust His heart. ~Babbie Mason
Have A Hurt? Hang Up? Habit?
It’s Time to be FREE! Come See What Celebrate Recovery Is All About! Held weekly at Champion’s Heart on Thursday Evenings @ 7pm. For more information call Michelle at 904-449-4200 www.championsheart.net
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I am constantly amazed at all the ways God allows us to minister to His people! As we soar into 2012, join with me in prayer over each division of Champion’s Heart Ministries and celebrate with us as we strive to bring more champions into His kingdom! For more news and updates, be sure to check our website often as well as sign up for our email newsletters at www.championsheart.net.
Partnership Award Presented to In His Wakes In His Wakes was recognized by the Florida Youth ChalleNGe Academy (FLYCA) on December 10, 2011 for their partnered endeavor of bringing hope, victory and purpose to at-risk youth in the state of Florida. Since their partnership began in 2008, In His Wakes has ministered to more than 1,200 youth from FLYCA.
FLYCA cadets celebrate several baptisms after making commitments at an In His Wakes “A Day To Remember” event.
Kristi Overton Johnson to be Inducted in the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame Champion’s Heart Founder, Kristi Overton Johnson, will be inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame on May 9th, in Raleigh, NC for her accomplishments in the sport of water skiing. Johnson will be joining Hall of Fame members such as Dale Earnhardt, Michael Jordan, Jim “Catfish” Hunter, and Ricky Proehl. Johnson, formally a native of Greenville, NC has resided in the Lake Area Region since 1994 where through her ministries she uses her experiences from her water ski career to ignite the heart of a champion in others.
Clay Behavioral Partnering with Champion’s Heart Champion’s Heart Resource Center is pleased to announce its partnership with Clay Behavioral Health Center, Inc (CBHC). Beginning, Tuesday, January 24th, CBHC will be offering services at Champion’s Heart each week on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:30-
4:30. CBHC will help us achieve our mission of transforming lives by improving the quality of life for Clay County residents by providing affordable mental health and substance abuse services through a comprehensive community-based approach to care. Call (904) 291-5561
7 Youth Scholarships to be Awarded in 2012 Champion’s Heart is pleased to announce several youth scholarships available to the Lake Area Region and beyond. • The Emily Rund Champion’s Heart Scholarship will be awarded in May to two Keystone Heights High School Seniors exemplifying the heart of a champion. • The In His Wakes’ Jr. Masters Scholarship Award will be presented in May to a Jr. Masters wakeboard or water ski competitor exemplifying a champion’s heart both on and off the water. “The Kristi Overton Johnson Sportsman Award” will also be presented to a Jr. Masters competitor. • Finally, The In His Wakes ‘A Day to Remember’ Academic Scholarship will be awarded to four graduating seniors who have participated in the IHW “A Day to Remember” program. Brandon, D2R participant, winner of Ist IHW academic scholarship to help its D2R participants. Pictured here with BMX x-games champ, Dave Mirra at Lake Kristi event in 2011.
Applications for all scholarships can be found online at championsheart.net or can be obtained at our office located at 205 SW Magnolia Ave., Keystone Heights, FL.
Champion’s Heart Outreach Resale Store Open in Starke! Champion’s Heart has been blessed with large loads of furniture donations from Ace Relocations, a global relocation company. Through these on-going donations, Champion’s Heart will be able to bless the Lake Area Region and beyond with quality furniture at reasonable prices as well as provide funding for the many ministries of Champion’s Heart! Our store is located at 14908 HWY 301 South, Starke, Florida, 1/4 mile north of Walmart. Store hours are Friday and Saturday, 10-4. Delivery men bless us with prayer over our Outreach Resale Store after spending hours unloading our first shipment of furniture.
In His Wakes Celebrating 10th Anniversary! In His Wakes, Champion’s Heart’s water sports ministry, is celebrating 10 years of bringing hope, victory and purpose to at-risk youth across the United States, and now globally! Check out inhiswakes.com for a full calendar of events and make plans to visit our ministry in a location near you! Help us help others GET OFF THE DOCK and have victory both on the water and in life! more news on page 23
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Love Speaks Louder Than Words… God is so good. He not only loves us to the point that He was willing to sacrifice His one and only Son, but He also chooses to partner with us and use us to bring people to Himself. How thankful I am that He chose me. I grew up in the Czech Republic, a small country located in the heart of Europe. As a citizen of this very atheistic part of the world, I didn’t hear about the Good News of Jesus Christ until I was 18 years old when I came to the United States as an exchange student. Being the first in my whole family to accept Christ, I have faced difficulties, but God has taught me so much in the process. The most amazing thing God has taught me since giving my life to Him is the power of His love. I have seen His love transform people regardless of their age, gender, and nationality. Since my salvation 3 years ago, I, along with many other people, have been praying for my family to know God. How thankful I am that God is still in the business of bringing people to Himself. So it is with my family. In the summer of 2011, my husband and I had the opportunity to return to the Czech Republic, and to my family, for three months. While there, we were joined by an amazing In His Wakes team where we were able to host two “A Day to Remember” events for local
children. Our mission was to show God’s love to the Czech people. God challenged us to put everything we knew about Him into action. God used our obedience and we watched in amazement as His love penetrated language barriers and touched hearts. At the end of the event, every child raised their hand to accept Christ as their personal Savior. Not only did God touch the hearts of the youth, He also touched the hearts of my family. Because of the love witnessed and experienced at the In His Wakes events, many questions about God were raised in my parent’s hearts. Their image of a harsh God, One who only wants to judge and punish people, was shattered by the love of the In His Wakes team. Over the past six months, my parents have been asking many questions and learning about God and the Truth of His Word. Since only God has the ability to change people’s heart and bring them to Himself, I feel very humbled to be able to see my parents slowly letting the Lord into their hearts. It’s so inspiring to see their journey into the arms of their Creator. God has revealed so much to me through this time of witnessing to my parents. He has taught me that His kingdom is not merely a matter of words, rather, it is living by His power (1 Corinthians 4:20). I believe that as we step out and simply choose to love people, no matter what, making the
By Lucie Miller
Lucie translates Nate Miller’s introduction to A Day To Remember participant.
choice to care for others the way Christ cares for them, God will meet us there and His power will be revealed wherever we go.
Lucie and her husband, Jake, live in Bend, Oregon. Both are part of In His Wakes’ Team and have served with YWAM. Lucie desires to study psychology and counseling as well as be a missionary.
The In His Wakes team pauses to take in the beauty of Czech with Lucie’s family.
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CHAMPIONS HEART
A Legac y of Love By Hope Barwick Tate
When I listen to the song, Legacy, by Nicole Nordeman, I immediately think of my precious grandmother, Big Myra. Big Myra was larger than life. She inspired people everywhere she went.
A former resident of the Lake Area Region, Hope now resides in Winter Garden, Florida. Hope is a Nurse Case Manager with a passion for helping others. She enjoys Bible studies, running and spending time with her active family. 16
Recently, my grandmother, at the age of 90, went home to be with the Lord. Big Myra lived a full life, leaving a legacy of love for her three daughters, eight grandkids, thirteen great grandkids (and counting!), and all who met her. Big Myra knew without a doubt her purpose in life. She knew WHO she was in Christ. This confidence in Christ freed her to live the life that God had intended and created for her. She was free to be bold and free to love others. She was especially free to throw her hands up in the air and shout. My most cherished memory of Big Myra occurred 15 years ago. I was out of college and working
full-time. She invited me to go with her on a trip to Colorado as she wanted to check out a youth ministry that she and a group of ladies
wanted to bring to their hometown of Greenville, NC. I reluctantly accepted the invitation and used my vacation to go on this “adventure”. We were adult guest campers in a sea of teens. We quickly learned of the "hot spot" which was a particular swing on a ropes course. Big Myra could hardly wait to go on this swing. Mind you, she was 75 at the time. We made our way to the swing, appropriately named, "The Screamer". After stepping into our safety harness, we scaled the ladder of this massive evergreen and stood on a small platform. After being secured to our leather swing, Big Myra and I took the plunge together. After free falling for 3-4 seconds, the swing finally began to arch up. White knuckled and horrified, I glanced over to see if my grandmother was OK. OK would be an understatement! Big Myra had one hand on the swing, while she waved her other hand in the air. Her head was tilted back and her legs were completely extended while she shouted to the top of her lungs, "Hot dog! Hallelujah!" That was Big Myra! She lived out loud a language of joy and
love for all to hear. She lived that way every day of her life whether on a swing in Colorado or on her couch recovering from cancer. She spent her life praising the Lord and living out her passions for Him and His people till the day she died. Even at 90 she continued to be a Young Life mentor for young girls in Pitt County. I am going to miss my grandmother more than words can express, but the legacy she left, the lessons she taught my family and others will continue to speak forever. She left us what truly matters: an incredible life of faith, expressed in love, and lived to the extreme. “Well done, good and faithful servant!”
“I want to leave a legac y. Ho w will
they re me mber me? Did I choose to
love? Did I point to You enou gh
T o make a mark on things? I want to leave an offering A chil d of merc y
and grace who blessed
you r na me una pologeticall y. And leave that kind of legac y” ~Nicole Norde man www.championsheart.net
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CHAMPIONS HEART
Calls of Accountability
“I want you to promise me that you will always
By Kristi Overton Johnson
give an invitation “But those who put their trust in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint” (Isaiah 40:31). As I read this verse, I can’t help but be reminded of my dear friend, Ralph Meloon. Mr. Ralph has played many roles in my life. For 20 years, he played the role of my employer as I had the privilege of being a contracted athlete for Nautique, the boat company his father founded 85 years ago. Mr. Ralph has also been an incredible accountability partner in my faith. I can vividly remember the phone calls I would receive as a teenager.
“Kristi,” Mr. Ralph would say, “we are heading over to France for the World Championships and I need you to give your testimony.” These calls kept me on my spiritual toes! You see, although I was a believer in Jesus Christ, I wasn’t always following Him. My life choices weren’t always lining up with God’s will for my life. Mr. Ralph’s invitations to speak caused me to ensure my life testimony matched my words. The last thing I wanted to be was a stumbling block to someone knowing God.
for people to know Jesus.”
Throughout my water ski career, Mr. Ralph opened many opportunities for me to share my faith in countries such as Canada, France, and Singapore. He helped me minister in Russia during our adoption process by providing Russian spiritual tracks which included his testimony. How thankful I am that Mr. Ralph never quit calling me, for his calls helped me continue to seek Christ and to know Him more. His calls have even brought correction into my life. Just a few years ago Mr. Ralph called with a question he wanted answered. “Kristi,” he began, “I loved the church service at the Masters Water Ski Tournament but I want to know, why didn’t you close with an invitation for people to know Christ?” I couldn’t answer him. How could I explain to Mr. Ralph that I was afraid of rejection? He continued, “I want you to promise me that you will always give an invitation for people to know Jesus.” I made a promise to Mr. Ralph that day, one I have attempted to honor every time I have had the opportunity to speak publicly. The result? Many people have come to know the Lord. How thankful I am that Mr. Ralph’s phone calls continue to ring for with each call, lives are changed. The purpose behind every call he makes is for someone to know Christ as their Lord and Savior or simply
to praise God for all that He has done in his life and business. His most recent invitation to join him in God’s work came with this call: “Kristi, I want you to arrange an opportunity for the kids from the Orlando Rescue Mission to have a day on the water with In His Wakes.” On April 14th, many precious children from the inner city of Orlando will have their lives forever changed because of Mr. Ralph. Mr. Ralph has the heart of a champion, God’s champion. Like Caleb in the book of Joshua, he seems as strong today as he was in his youth; his passion for God ever growing. At 92 he continues to travel the world and tell every person he meets about the Good News of Jesus Christ. Helping others find Christ is Mr. Ralph’s purpose in life. Yes, he built many boats in the 80 years he has been with Nautique, but more importantly, Mr. Ralph has helped build the kingdom of God. Thank you Mr. Ralph for helping me find my way into the kingdom of God. Thank you for keeping me on my spiritual toes and for holding me accountable. Thank you for showing me that those who put their trust in the Lord will never grow weary or faint. Thank you for showing me how to live a life of victory and impact the world. You are truly a blessing and an inspiration!
Champion’s Heart Life Center would like to recognize individuals who exhibit the heart of a champion…
a heart of love, integrity, patience, and perseverance. In this issue of Victorious Living, Champion’s Heart would like to present The Champion’s Heart Award to Mr. Ralph Meloon, Sr. of Orlando, Florida, and Mrs. Myra Hodges of Greenville, NC. Both individuals have exemplified a champion’s heart and have set incredible examples of faith and perseverance for all generations. According to Champion’s Heart founder Kristi Overton Johnson, “Mr. Ralph and Big Myra inspire me to live life to the fullest at every stage of my life. They encourage me to let my life shout the goodness of God for all to hear!” Mrs. Hodges’ award will be presented to Hope Tate in memory of her grandmother’s legacy of love. www.championsheart.net
Recent recipient, Baby Melody, and mother Anna Purkey receive The Champion's Heart Award for their heart of perseverance. 17
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INSPIRING LEADERSHIP
See Through Barriers By Bonnie Hagemann In the movie Larry Crowne, the main character is living his life and really enjoying his role as a team leader in a big box company. All is going well until corporate downsizing forces the company to let him go. In complete shock, Larry faces what seems to be an insurmountable number of barriers. He can’t get a job because he doesn’t have a degree. He’s divorced with no children. He lives alone and he has a mortgage on a house in the suburbs. He is in a downward spiral. It’s at this point, seemingly his point of failure, that he begins to see through his barriers. He decides to take the reins of his life and stop letting life decide where he’s going. First, he goes to a university and begins to explore the idea of getting his degree. Instead of wallowing in the troubles he is facing, he sets his sights on new goals while systematically dismantling his terrible financial situation. He walks away from his house and mortgage, giving the papers to the bank, all neat and in order and then moves into a tiny but clean and safe apartment. He sells his gas guzzling suburban and buys a moped, and then, he starts college for the first time in his life. He starts over.
It’s hard to see when you’re in it, but many times you will find that the worst moments in your life and the best moments in your life turn out to be the same moments. Unfortunately, this can only be understood in hindsight. In order to turn your difficulties into opportunities, you have to begin to see through your barriers to the other side. If you’ve lost your job, your home, your business or if you are facing another huge seemingly overwhelming barrier, it’s time to sit down and start thinking. It’s time to get creative. The end of one thing is the beginning of another. It’s time to start over. When I work with leaders and they are stuck, it is usually because they have ahold of something from
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.
the past and they are afraid to let go, something that was good but now it isn’t. The problem is that until they let go of the past, they can’t reach for the future. The barrier is that person’s own fear. It’s time to stop holding on to the way things were. The world has changed, and we have to change with it. It’s time to start envisioning your new future – the future you want, not the one that your fears are trying to steer you toward. How, you ask? Well, you have to do something. Sit down at your kitchen table and get a notepad. Now, with God’s help, map out a plan to get from where you are to where you want to be. Don’t stop until you have a plan. Then, get to work on the plan. The only thing that will keep you from moving forward are the fear barriers in your own mind. It’s time to see through your barriers. It’s time to move on …
Being A Gifted Communicator By Angie Sapp Over the past five months, God has been teaching me the importance of clear and effective communication. I’d like to share some of the things I’ve been learning. Proper communication is needed if we desire to be true to ourselves and to live a life of purpose. Communication begins by putting God first through prayer. A consistent prayer life improves our ability to communicate with others. Most of the problems, misunderstandings, and issues that arise among us are usually the result of a lack Angie Sapp lives in of communication. The Melrose, FL with her obvious solution is to husband and daughter. open the lines of comShe received an AA from munication, yet it is one Santa Fe College, BA in Theology from Life of the hardest things to Christian University, and do. Why? is currently attending I can answer that St. Leo University earning question in one word: BA in Psychology. Angie Fear. We are afraid of is also a member of the Champion’s Heart Team. 18
people’s reaction and afraid of the possible outcome of our communication. But we have to remember that fear is the opposite of faith. Fear affects not only our relationship with others, but also with God. It ultimately affects our prayer life and hinders are ability to talk to God. It paralyzes and keeps us from moving forward as God intends. To eliminate our fear of communicating with people, we need to first make communicating with God a priority in our lives. Webster’s defines communication as “a transmitting or imparting, a giving or exchanging of information, a message or a letter, a connection.” As Joyce Meyer teaches, prayer is simply talking to God. Matthew 6:33 says, “But first, be concerned about His Kingdom and what has His approval. Then all these things will be provided for you” (GWT). When we put God first in our lives and talk to him about EVERYTHING, then He will lead, guide, and direct us in every aspect of our lives… even our communication with people. In the Bible, God says to love God first, then others, and then ourselves. Communication works the
same way. Communication has to start with God and then move out towards those around you. Jesus followed this model and was the most gifted communicator to ever walk the earth. Jesus always prayed and sought the will of His Father first. Then, when ministering to people, He knew exactly what to say and always spoke forth the will of God. Jesus never wasted a word and every word He spoke had power and purpose and accomplished what it was intended to do. Seek God and His will. Ask Him to give you His perspective. He will give you the wisdom to know what, when, and how something needs to be said, all in His perfect timing. God will also give you the love, grace, courage and confidence you will need to do what needs to be done, whatever it is.
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Against All Odds By Reneé Harp
In June of 1981, at the age of 16, I found myself in a secret place… alone and pregnant. For the first seven months of my pregnancy, I told no one except a few trusted friends. I went about my daily life at school and at home without anyone knowing my fear and shame. My slim frame hid my secret from those close to me. During this time, I contemplated my choices. When I thought about my option of keeping the baby, questions began to overload my mind. How would I pay for the medical bills of a pregnancy and the daily needs of a baby? How could I, a sixteen year old, raise a child? I was a mere child myself. What would become of my education? As an honor roll student, surely raising this child would crush my dreams of a career and future. Furthermore, how would I ever tell my parents? Surely they would be so disappointed in me and filled with shame as their church family and friends discovered their daughter’s secret. I didn’t see any hope in this option. My only choice seemed to be an abortion. My friends got together and took up a collection for the procedure. Now, I would be able to “get rid of the problem” and move on with my life. It seemed like a quick and simple solution to an overwhelming problem. But on the day of my appointment, I couldn’t go through with the abortion. Oh how I wanted to get rid of this “thing” that would hold me back, but I couldn’t! Deep down inside, I knew this was a result of a choice that I had made; I knew I needed to take responsibility for my actions.
Reneé and husband, Terry, reside in Keystone Heights. Reneé is the Administrative Director for Champion’s Heart and In His Wakes. www.championsheart.net
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During my pregnancy, I attended a youth rally with my best friend, Deana. During the service, I was so touched by the Holy Spirit as none other than “Little Richard” gave his testimony. When the altar call was presented, the Spirit of God tugged at my heart. I tried to stay in my seat, but I couldn’t. My heart moved my feet and before I knew it, I was kneeling at the altar accepting Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. As time went on, I became convicted about telling my parents the truth about my situation. One night after dinner, my mom asked me, “Renee, are you OK”? I responded with a solemn, “I’m pregnant.” There was a loud clang as my mom dropped the dish she was washing. Then there was a loud roar as my dad “hit the roof”. By this point, I was seven months pregnant with no medical care. My mom immediately got me an appointment with her obstetricians. At the appointment, I was informed that both I and the baby were healthy. He also told me that I was eligible for Medicaid. I didn’t have peace about getting on Medicaid. As I look back, I am amazed at how the Lord gave me such strength at such a young age to meet this trial head-on and take responsibility for my actions. Determined not to be a government “statistic”, I met with accountants at both the medical office and hospital and set up payment plans. I got a job and worked until I was bed ridden with toxemia. After many weeks of bed rest, I gave birth to a healthy little girl. As I held Krissy, I made a commitment out of my love for her to give her the best future possible. Even at 16, I knew with God, all things were possible. Once Krissy and I were settled in at home, I dual enrolled at a local college and completed my high school education. Upon graduation, the Lord provided a job where I was able to support my baby and pay off my bills. Within two years, my bills were completely paid off. I won’t deny that times were tough, but with God’s help I kept moving forward daily. There were so many opportunities to quit, but quitting wasn’t an option if I wanted a future for my baby. There was also many opportunities to wallow in self pity. But wallowing wasn’t going to get me very far down the road of success either! Because I was willing to lay aside excuses and trust God to help me face the hard thing in life rather than settling for the easy way out, I was blessed to see God’s provision over and over again. I learned that as I did my part to provide for my baby (I even sold coke bottles for extra money), God was always faithful to do His part.
Today as I look back over my life, I am amazed. Not only did God help me through those early years, He also gave to me a loving husband to whom I have been married to for over 26 years. Not only has Terry loved me unconditionally, but he has also been a loving father to Krissy as he adopted her as his own. God also blessed Terry and I with another beautiful daughter, Lindsay. Through our daughters, God has also brought incredible “sons” into our lives. The icing on the cake was the blessing of my grand-son, Urijah Reese, son of my first-born, Krissy. I am now a “Glam-Ma!” How incredible that the point of my life that seemed to be the darkest and most overwhelming turned out to be the biggest blessing in my life. Because of my trust in and dependance on the Lord, I have been able to experience His love in ways I never would have known otherwise. God truly took me from the poverty level to the Kingdom level of life! God knows the decisions we have made and will make in our lives… yet He loves us anyway. How thankful I am that in the midst of my mistakes, His hand of love has always been extended, ready to lift me up and help me move forward one step at a time.
Making a decision about an unplanned or unexpected pregnancy is not a decision anyone should have to make alone. Our services are offered at no cost and are completely confidential. Contact us at 352-473-1000 www.findanswersnow.org
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Now Is The Time To Prepare For Your Future! REVEAL Your Excellence Make An Impact The Time is NOW 888.240.2962 • info@whisperingdog.com • 352.475.5874
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By Park of the Palms Often, people wait too long to make the commitment to prepare for their retirement. They believe they will “feel” when the time is right. The truth is, you will never FEEL that the time is right… you have to PLAN it and DO it. Deep sea divers have a mantra for safety — “plan the dive and dive the plan.” The reason for this is that the planning cycle is performed when your head is above water… when you are sitting at your cozy kitchen table, sipping coffee, and seeing your future plans come to fruition in your imagination. This is how you must apply the preparation for your over-sixty life. There are many dangerous events that can impact your peaceful existence that need to be preplanned similar to the deep sea diver knowing that sharks often live in the area of their exploration. Accommodations need to be made for eventualities. If your parents lived a long life and you think you can wait until you are 85 to give up “the homestead” you don t have the right plan. Energy levels at 85 do not allow you to stand on your feet to pack and dispose of 65 years of accumulated possessions. Mental capacity at 85 even makes it difficult to choose between the furniture you want to keep and the furniture you want to sell. At Park of the Palms, we encourage youthful sixty-somethings to make the transition to a relaxed existence (no yard work, painting, repairs, etc.) that gives them the time to enjoy life. You can rent a beautiful two-bedroom residence or enter into a LifeLease arrangement which secures your entrance into the Assisted Living Facility when the time comes, even if that time is the result of an unexpected health event. Packing up the big house and creating a base of operations in one of our modern, well-appointed apartments allows you to travel freely without worrying about the yard, the house and the weather. Even though you may not want to think about a catastrophic event occurring in the life of your spouse; if you have made the move to a retirement community, the trauma is minimized for the remaining care giver. One person cannot provide 24/7 care for their invalid spouse — it takes a team and at the PARK the team of care givers are known for their loving support of the residents. Plan your life and live your plan! Do not wait for unexpected occurrences to derail your tranquility and force you into a traumatic change of living arrangements that have not been preplanned. Remember the deep sea diver mantra: PLAN your dive and dive your PLAN. If you need to sit down with our life planners, call today (352) 473-6100 X 308.
THE CLIPPING CORNER PET GROOMING
When Mater needs a haircut, he calls Clipping Corner! Let us treat your pet like our baby! 2638 SR 21 South, Ste. 2 Melrose, Fl 32666
352-475-5270 20
www.championsheart.net
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Lisa’s Twist: It’s Time For Health
Lisa and her husband, Vic Johnson, live in the Lake Area Region. They have created six of the most popular personal development sites on the Internet.
My husband and I just returned from Barcelona, Spain where we sampled our share of Tapas Restaurants. Tapas refers to a type of
Spanish cuisine used more broadly to describe a style of dining known as small plates. Anything can come on a small plate. You can order several different tapas and share them. Mini appetizers if you will. It’s a great way to try a variety of flavorful dishes in creating your dining experience. During my time in the world of Tapas, I learned a few lessons that put a twist into my eating routine: Twist #1: Use small plates. Use no larger than a 9-inch plate, like a salad plate. Studies show that food psychology works. So whether it is a dinner plate or a salad plate, your eyes tell you it is a plate full of food! Twist #2: Rate Your Plate. Your proportions on ANY size plate should be 50% non-starchy vegetable, 25% starch or grain, and 25% protein. With mixed dishes like casseroles, soups and stews, think of the ingredients separately to see if the proportions are
It’s Time… The beginning of a new year often spurs us to make changes in our lives. It shouldn’t take the turning of a calendar page for us to feel worthy of improvement and called to change. God tells us we are His chosen people… a royal priesthood! A holy nation! (1 Peter 2:9) Now is the time to hold on to that inheritance and move forward under His instruction, living as sons and daughters of the King. Here are several “resolutions” here along with God’s Word on how to attain them. Read them and embrace them… bind them on your heart so you have them to rely on as you reach the potential He has planned for you. (Jeremiah 29:11). It’s Time!
…to Get Serious about your Relationship with God! Matthew 12:30 “Anyone who isn’t with me, opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me.”
…to Forgive! “Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” Colossians 3:12-13
…to Lay Aside Judgments! “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? ... first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.” Matthew 7:1-5
…for Peace!
…to Love! “Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” I John 4:7-8
…to Obey God! “If you love me, obey my commandments.” John 14:15
…to be productive! “Be fruitful and multiply.” Genesis 1:28
…to lighten your load! “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” Matthew 11:28-30
…to Realize your worth! “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes will not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16
…to step out of religion! “I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.” Matthew 12:7
…to trust God!
“Work at living in peace with everyone and work at living a holy life... Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.” Hebrews 12:14-15
“If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else?” Romans 8:31-32
…to be Committed!
“The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.” Proverbs 18:21
“Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.” Ecclesiastes 9:10
www.championsheart.net
correct. All you may need to do is add a fresh salad. Avoid seconds at any meal. Save what remains for another meal and you have maximized your time in the kitchen. Twist #3: Get colorful! Your plate should be a rainbow of color. Use fresh herbs and spices to kick up the flavors. Remember we eat visually with our eyes first. If your plate looks boring and all one color it will not be very appealing to the eyes or to the palate. The result? A beautiful plate with balanced portions of healthy, fresh, and tasty food, just waiting to dance on your taste buds! So if it’s time to lose a few pounds or make healthier food choices, try a smaller plate this year and you'll SEE the difference. Remember: Small Plates = Smart Plates! Find more of Lisa's healthy tips at www.LivingItWithLisa.com
…to watch our words!
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International Ministry
Individual
Impact
Champion’s Heart
It’s Time! Check out our website to find out more about each aspect of our ministry, including speaking engagements with Kristi Overton Johnson.
Come view our beautiful “Tuscany Themed” Chapel. It is perfect for small weddings. The chapel is connected to our newly renovated Education Center that can
205 Magnolia Avenue Keystone Heights, Florida 352.478.2098 www.championsheart.net
up to hold up to 140 people. The education center also makes a wonderful setting for business conferences and personal events. We are equipped with projection screens, seminar tables, kitchen and other necessary equipment to make your event a success. We also have a small seminar room available for events under 25 people. Call us for availability and pricing at 352-478-2098 or email renee@kojministries.org
www.championsheart.net
Helping People Break Free, Move Forward and Soar to Victory!!
RIVIERE TIRE COMPANY, INC.
352-473-7308 7374 Sunrise Blvd. • PO Box 253 • Keystone Heights, FL 32656 22
Special thanks to Beau and all the guys at Riviere Tire Company for your faithful support and service that keep us moving down the road! www.championsheart.net
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MINISTRY NEWS continued from page 14
In His Wakes to Hold Church Service at the US Masters! On Memorial Day Weekend, at the 53rd US Master’s Water Ski and Wakeboard Tournament, Kristi Overton Johnson will be holding a “Morning of Champion’s” Worship Service at the Callaway Gardens Inn in Pine Mountain, Ga. Visit the In His Wakes ministry booth on Robin Lake during this exciting 2day competition and be sure to come worship with us at the Inn on Sunday morning at 8am!
Ministry Partnership Opportunities There are many opportunities to partner with Champion’s Heart. Simply put, we need three things: prayer warriors praying over our ministries, consistent financial partners, and volunteer support. There are intern opportunities as well! Will you partner with us in one or all of these ways? Will you help us bring transformation into people’s lives so they can soar? Call our office today to discover how you can help! 352-478-2098 or visit championsheart.net.
Founder Given Weekly Column for The Washington Times
Compassionate, Professional Pet Care We offer: • Customized visits for pets of all shapes and sizes
Serving Earleton, Melrose, Keystone Heights, Hawthorne, Starke, Waldo & surrounding areas.
• Visits scheduled according to your pet’s individual needs • Dog walking, personal attention and play time • Pet taxi service • Farm animal care • Home care tasks
For more information, contact Bill and Deborah Coleman at 352-234-5760, 352-246-6025, or by email at Info@lovinghandspets.com.
God has opened an incredible opportunity for Kristi Overton Johnson to write a weekly column in the religion section of The Washington Times “Communities” section. Visit their website at communities.washingtontimes.com/religion/ Be sure to share these encouraging words with your friends!
Be sure to stay informed about all of our news and events by subscribing to our email newsletters. Email renee@championsheart.net to be added to our subscriptions list. www.championsheart.net
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