REAL PEOPLE | REAL STORIES | REAL HOPE
Quarterly Publication Issue 1 2014
Finishing The Task
Fulfill your Purpose! Dream Big!
Plus…
In His Wakes Season Summary • Champion’s Heart News • Ministering In Russia
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The Lion of the Tribe of Judah is Roaring!
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FROM THE PUBLISHER
Are We There Yet? At the beginning of the year, many publications bombard us with information about goal setting and attaining those goals in a timely manner. They encourage us to chase after our dreams and expand our horizons. Even I couldn’t resist including an article or two on these topics in this issue, our first of four in 2014. What if, however, we’ve been diligently working towards our goals and fallen short? What if we’ve been faithfully pursuing our dreams, only to remain miles away? What if we’ve been given a promise, perhaps from someone or even the Lord, yet failed to see it come to fruition? What if we’ve been trusting God with all the details of our situations, but haven’t seen Him “work all things out for good” quite yet? If any of these situations sound familiar, then I think you’ll be encouraged by this issue of Victorious Living. As I returned to Russia in January, to minister in the town and orphanage where two of my children once lived, I couldn’t help but think back to the waiting period Tim and I experienced during our international adoption. At times, it seemed as though the promise of our children would never become a reality. Yet, as I stand on the other side of our promise nine years later, I am beginning to catch a glimpse of how God’s mighty hand has been at work in ways that I could never have imagined during my waiting period. He was laying a foundation for things still to come. My prayer is that through this publication, you will be encouraged in your “wait” …encouraged to hold fast to your faith, to persevere in your spirit, to be disciplined, and self-controlled. May you be encouraged to trust the heart of God when you don’t understand the hand of God. While my daughter and I spent time in Russia, we had many experiences. As we were surrounded by people of a different culture and language, we often had to simply trust that those leading us knew the way. There were many times when my eleven-yearold daughter wanted to know all the details before she would climb into the car. She’d ask where we
were going, why we had to go, when we’d return home, how long it would take, and who would be at our destination. Repeatedly I asked her to get in the car. Yet, the questions would continue. On one occasion, with frustration mounting, I looked at her and said, “Ivy, you don’ t have to know every detail to move. Just get in the car! Trust that we know where we are going and we will take care of you.” I explained that if she would just sit quiet long enough, listen, and observe what is going on around her, she’d discover quite a bit on her own. All of a sudden, God slapped my heart with the truth that we, His children, are often like precious Ivy. We want to know all the details before we decide to “get into the car” with Him. We stand outside repeatedly asking, “Where are we going, Lord? How long is it going to take? Why are we going this way? Why is it taking so long?” And of course, every child’s favorite, “Are we there yet?” Sometimes, God answers our questions, but most often, He doesn’t (or at least not in the timing or way we’d like). I can just picture God saying to us (surely with more patience than I exhibited), “Just get in the car, My child. You don’t have to know everything to move forward. Just be still and know that I AM the answer to all of your questions.” I bet if we’d just silence our hearts and minds, get in God’s presence, listen for His voice, and observe those things that are going on around us, we’d discover quite a bit, too. Yes, it’s more comfortable to know many details… I agree. Numerous times I’ve begged God for more information. It didn’t always come. Yet, as I look back over my life I can say with all certainty, He has never failed to get me to my destination and fulfill every promise, desire, and dream He has placed in my heart. Be encouraged, my friend! Although you may be waiting, God is still at work. There are things going on behind the scenes that are greater than you could ever imagine. With God as your driver, rest in the truth that you can move forward with confidence, peace, and joy even without all the details. It may be a long journey… but I promise you, it will be worth it! Blessings and fruitfulness in 2014!
Kristi Overton Johnson
Publisher/Editor Kristi Overton Johnson Assistant Editor Charlene Hannah Contributors George Beasley Roy Borges Sandy Burdick Linda Cubbedge Amanda Cumbass Jan Tharrington Dorfer Bonnie Hagemann Donna Hannah Charlene Hannah Kristi Overton Johnson Maureen Lendzion Aleshia Martin Nate Miller Carey Morford Dr. James Peoples JoAnn Roy Susan Stafford Jean Tyson Kelsey Waters Brad Williams 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 a free quarterly publication distributed to KOJ Ministries and In His Wakes donors, at various distribution locations, and within the Florida Prison System. ©2014, 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 any submission and 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
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 800 words and are subject to editing. For more information about submission requirements and how to submit your story, see page 7. If your business or organization would like to partner with Victorious Living financially, please contact us. Your support will touch the lives of many.
www.kojministries.org 5
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REFRESH YOUR SOUL
Goose Poop Eatin’ Puppy! by Kristi Overton Johnson
My dog, Mater, loves to eat. The problem, however, is that he is not a respecter of foods. If it can be ingested (notice I didn’t say digested), he eats it. He loves table scraps, dog food of any brand, oranges off our ground, trash from our trashcan, and of course, poop from any species. Mater ate so much goose poop last summer at the lake, that his tongue was green. It got so bad that my husband, Tim, made up a song to the tune of “Boot Scootin’ Boogie” (by Ronnie Dunn). It was called, “Goose poop eatin’ puppy.” And to think… with that same tongue, Mater lavishes love on his master… ME! Yuck! Oh, it should not be so! Recently during our walk, Mater stopped in the middle of the road and began to choke. It was obvious he had bit off more than he could chew. In the darkness of the early morning, I watched as Mater struggled to regurgitate the plastic bag he had ingested. With big brown eyes, Mater looked up at me as I spoke these words of truth to him in love, “Mater! Your mouth is going to get you in trouble!” During that same week, I had already pulled butter wrappers from his throat among other pieces of trash. And on more than one occasion, I had smelled the evidence of his mouth’s adventures, if you know what I mean.
How disgusting it must be to God when believers march out of the church building with smiles on their faces and Bibles pressed against their chest, only to climb in their car and spew out judgment and criticism over the lives of their brothers and sisters in Christ… For years Mater has had digestive problems. In fact, he almost died last year because of a twisted colon. With a diet like his, it’s no wonder. As I spoke those words I couldn’t help but think of the truth behind this statement, not just for dogs, but for people. How many times in our life has our mouth gotten us in trouble? Or should I say, how many times during a single day does our mouth spew out dead, stinky, rotten words that cause us to choke and, in the end leave a stench for all to smell?
From the beginning of time, the mouth has been a source of evil causing people to stumble in their daily walk with God. In the Garden of Eden, the Serpent used words to twist God’s truth and tempt Adam and Eve to sin. Adam and Eve used their mouth to cast blame on one another, Satan, and God. Words evolved into lies, gossip, slander, criticism, and even murder. James 3:7-10 (NLT) says, “People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!” As I looked at Mater and thought of all the times he had kissed me with that dirty, nasty, poop-covered and trash-laden tongue, I couldn’t help but think of the many times I’ve kissed God, my Master, lavishing Him with praise and love, with my own polluted mouth. How repulsed He must be. It shames me to even think about it. James points out the problem. As Christians, we proclaim to know Christ. We rise up in church and sing songs of praise to Him. We pray and shout “Amen” and “Praise the Lord!” Yet, the moment we step away from the
6 www.kojministries.org
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Table of Contents
Writer, Kristi Overton Johnson enjoys walking with her dog, Mater, while trying to prevent his ingestion of inappropriate “snacks.”
church building, we curse those made in the very image of God. Who is James referring to? People. God’s precious creation and the object of His love. How disgusting it must be to God when believers march out of the church building with smiles on their faces and Bibles pressed against their chest, only to climb in their car and spew out judgment and criticism over the lives of their brothers and sisters in Christ… their pastor, worship leaders, Sunday School teachers, and those they share a pew with on a weekly basis. The stench continues as Christians go home and curse their family and friends both publicly on social media and privately behind closed doors. Christians then go to work and gossip about co-workers, judging their work, beliefs, marriages, finances, and their decisions. As James says, “Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!” How does this happen? Simply put, a polluted mouth is the result of a polluted heart: for out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks. Matthew 12:34 (TNIV) If a believer’s words are filled with gossip, judgment, slander, and other destructive words, it is a result of a heart filled with envy, bitterness, and hate. “A tree is identified by its fruit. If a tree is good, its fruit will be good. If a tree is bad, its fruit will be bad.” Matthew 12:33 (NLT) Words are the fruit that identify the condition of a person’s heart. Jesus says to the Pharisees in this passage, “You brood of snakes! How could evil men like you speak what is good and right? For whatever is in your heart determines what you say. A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person evil things from the treasury of an evil heart.” Matthew 12:33-35 (NLT) From this verse we see that the treasury of the heart determines the fruit of a believer’s life. If we fill our hearts and minds with the Word of God, meditate on it’s truth, and put into practice what it says, then good things will come forth. To the contrary, if we fill the treasury of our heart with bitterness, envy, hurt, unforgiveness, judgment, and criticism, then bad fruit will fall from the trees of our lives… fruit the world will see, taste, and smell. In fact, Jesus says in Matthew 7:16 that we will be able to identify true followers of Christ by their fruit. Our spiritual condition is revealed to the world by our actions and our words. Our words determine the course of our life. They justify or condemn us. They open up the floodgates of God’s blessings and promises in our lives; or, they build a wall of division Kristi Overton Johnson is the and bring death. Our words bring joy to our Father God founder of or break His heart. They bring wisdom and knowledge into Champion’s Heart, our lives; or, they lead us down a path of foolishness and KOJ Ministries folly. They build our Christian testimony or destroy it. and In His Wakes. “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those Kristi currently who love it will eat its fruits” Proverbs 18:21 (NLT) Even resides in Florida Mater has seen the truth in this verse! V with her husband, Tim, and three children.
Issue 1 2014
6 Goose Poop Eatin’ Puppy Kristi Overton Johnson 8 A Call To Bless Kristi Overton Johnson 9 Completely Lovely Carey Morford 10 The Greatest Gift JoAnn Roy 12 Time To Move Joan Tyson 13 My Valentine To Jesus Charlene Hannah Jung 14 Quite A Story Kelsey Waters 15 Like A Dream Linda Cubbedge 16 Moment By Moment Susan Stafford 17 Fulfill Your Purpose George Beasley 17 A Brick Church Jan Tharrington Dorfer 18 Ministry News | KOJ Ministries 20 Ministry News | Champion’s Heart 21 Ministry News | In His Wakes 22 Angels From Above Margaret Davis 23 It’s Not Over Bonnie Hagemann 24 Champion’s Heart Award | Roy Borges 25 Wait Dr. James Peoples 26 Love Covers Kristi Overton Johnson 27 The Anchor of Hope Brad Williams 27 A Big God Aleshia Dye 28 God’s Mirror Kristi Overton Johnson 29 Dream Big Amanda Cumbass 30 Finishing The Task Maureen Lendzion, Sandra Burdick
Has God faithfully led you to victory? Share your story and help others find hope and encouragement. Please note: • Submissions are not guaranteed to be included in magazine. • Submission is acknowledgement of your granting KOJM and Victorious Living Publications rights to produce submission in magazine and other ministry publications. • Photos submitted must have photographer’s and photographed subjects’ consent of reproduction. • Photographer’s name must be included. Hard copies of photographs will not be returned. • Victorious Living does not pay for submissions. • Submissions should be a maximum of 800 words and are subject to editing. • Mail submissions to: Victorious Living Publications, PO Box 968, Keystone Heights, FL 32656; or submit online at kojministries.org. • Victorious Living is a free quarterly publication distributed to KOJ Ministries and In His Wakes donors, at various distribution locations, and within the Florida Prison System.
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A Call to Bless by Kristi Overton Johnson
We shift the responsibility of blessing to God forgetting the truth that God blesses people through people. God brings justice through people. God shows love through people… people like you and me!
Tucked away in the New Testament, seemingly hidden between Titus and Hebrews, you’ll find Philemon, a one chapter book, with 25 verses. If you weren’t looking for Philemon, you’d surely never find it. And even if you were, you’d certainly pass over it, again and again. Once found, you’d probably be tempted to skim the page and mark it as ‘read.’ But if Paul, the author of Philemon, were here today, I’m sure he’d plead, “Slow down my brothers and sisters, don’t miss what I’ve got to say. It’s important! Apply these truths to your life and the world will never be the same!” As I take Paul up on this assumed invitation and park my heart and mind in this book for awhile, I begin to uncover amazing nuggets of truth about faith, love, generosity, kindness, forgiveness, and reconciliation. I invite you to check it out yourself. It is here you will find Paul complimenting Philemon on his faith in the Lord and His love for all of God’s people. I was reminded that our faith in God and our love for people should be known, it should be loud enough for the world to hear. Paul says to Philemon, “I am constantly hearing about your faith and love.” (v.5) (NLT) Don’t miss the fact that as Paul wrote these words, he was sitting in a prison cell. Yet in that dark cell, he could still hear the evidence of Philemon’s faith and love. His actions, his words, his lifestyle proclaimed loudly the truth that he was a follower of Jesus Christ and a lover of God’s people. Philemon’s life was the talk of the town! I wonder if Paul was still sitting in that prison cell today, would he hear about my faith and love? Would he hear of yours? After complimenting Philemon, Paul reminds Philemon to “put into action the generosity that comes from your faith” (v. 6) (NLT). The words ‘put into action’ leaped off the page and into my heart. As believers, we are commanded and expected to be generous. We aren’t just to think generous thoughts and wish good upon people; rather, we are called to real, tangible acts of generosity. These generous acts should be a natural overflow resulting from our faith. This reminds me of the day I drove down my driveway and saw my neighbor, Tommy, loading my stinky trash in his truck to take to the city dump. Tommy is an amazing man, always helping out his neighbors in some way. As I saw Tommy, I immediately thanked God for such a thoughtful neighbor. I then proceeded to ask the Lord to bless Him. No sooner were the words out of my mouth that I heard this reply, “You bless him.” Talk about a reality check.
Now don’t take these words the wrong way. God wasn’t being sarcastic; rather, He was simply reminding me that if I had the means and the opportunity to bless Tommy, then I should bless him. So I did. The Bible says to look for opportunities to bless people; yet, so often we as believers trade the action of blessing for prayers of blessing. We ask God to help someone and then carry on, never giving the opportunity we had to be a blessing another thought. We shift the responsibility of blessing to God forgetting the truth that God blesses people through people. God brings justice through people. God shows love through people… people like you and me! These acts of blessing are commanded because they are the very thing God uses to strengthen and encourage the hearts of His people. Philemon’s acts comforted Paul in a lonely prison cell. These words are evidence of that truth, “Your love has given me much joy and comfort, my brother, for your kindness has often refreshed the hearts of God’s people” (vs. 6-7). We don’t have to look very hard to find someone whose heart needs refreshing. In fact, we can probably find that broken, discouraged heart faster than we can find Philemon! The world is full of people overwhelmed with despair. But let’s also not forget people like Tommy, people who are generous givers on a consistent basis. God desires for us to bless the ‘Tommy’s’ of the world too! It’s a way to say thank you and show those who are consistent in doing good deeds that their acts have not gone unnoticed or unappreciated. Let’s ask God to open our eyes to the opportunities for generosity that surround us daily… then let’s be quick to answer His call to bless. As we become God’s hand of love, justice, and provision, the world around us will be encouraged and changed. “If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?” (I John 3:17, NIV) Vw
Kristi Overton Johnson is the founder of Champion’s Heart, KOJ Ministries and In His Wakes. Kristi is married to her best friend, Tim. They have three children.
8 www.kojministries.org
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Completely Lovely S
ometimes our life is like a fairy tale… “Once Upon a Time…” Sometimes it’s more like being thrown into the dungeon. Most of the time, however, it’s somewhere in between. We live in the tension between “Once upon a Time” and “Happily Ever After.” I love my life. Seriously… love it! I married my best friend who is my favorite person on the whole planet. We’ve been married eleven years and have four children who fill our lives with joy and laughter and art and stories. I’m really close to my mom, dad, and my little sister. Even my in-laws are fabulous! I genuinely love my job and the amazing people I work with. And yet…
There it is: Tension.
FRESH PERSPECTIVE
by Carey Morford
Fortunately, for me and my husband, my actual birthday was better. It was a day filled with things that reminded me that although all of my dreams have not come true, many of them have. As a matter of fact, one of those dream-come-true-things arrived in the mail on my birthday. A ministry where I serve, Seeds of Grace, received notice from the IRS that it was tax exempt under section 501c3. The trick, I think, is to not get stuck in the tension. To not get so tense that you can’t move. Yes, be obedient and faithful to the things God has given you now, but also keep growing and leaning-in to what God has called you to do. I keep learning, over and over and over (‘cause I’m slow like that) that life isn’t about arriving at some amazing destination. Life is about who we become on the journey ‘home’ to Paradise with our Father. Life is about uncovering our truest selves, our imageof-God-selves, from underneath all of the rubble that has piled on top of us. Like in the Old Testament, you may have discovered that during days (or maybe even years) of wandering or running away from our callings, we often end up in some very uncomfortable places. Sometimes we may feel like Jonah, like we’ve been eaten by a giant fish! Sometimes we feel like Hannah, praying so fervently we seem drunk. Or perhaps, we’re like Jacob, being repeatedly tricked by an uncle. During those times, however, we have to remember that God isn’t punishing us; although, that’s definitely how it has been sometimes read and preached, and it may be how it feels! God is using that time to uncover more of the image-of-God in us. We would all be silly to think that the moment God speaks His words and promises to us, we are totally ready to be faithful to that calling. Even though that may be what we want, what we really need is refining. More than letters from the IRS (ha!), I’m thankful for friends who write me notes that say things like, “I pray you never forget the word God has spoke about your life.” In the midst of the wandering refinement of God, in the tension, sometimes I need to borrow someone else’s faith to hold onto my own. If you are living in a tension that is about to paralyze you, I pray that God will give you a wake-up moment whether it be a day full of all the things you love, or a friend who is brave enough to stand with you and believe the promises that God has spoken to you. I pray He gives you some specially designed moment that reminds you in some unmistakable way that Jesus is speaking ever so clearly to your soul, encouraging you to “…take your mat and go home.” (Matthew 2:11 NIV) V
There are so many days when I ache on the inside. I just know at the guttural level that something is missing. Part of this tension, I believe, comes from the Fall. We are all trying to recover (or uncover) the full image of God inside of us. Every day we have to fight to become our truest selves. We ache as a reminder that this is not who we are; this is not where we belong. We belong in Paradise with our Father. We were made to worship Him ... unashamed and unfettered. This is not easy work, and so our necks stiffen and the muscles in our backs ache. Part of this tension, at least for me, relates to my calling. I know, ‘once upon a time’ that God said some things to me. I’ve shared them with my closest friends and family, and they confirm what I know to be true in my heart. And yet, when I look at my daily life, no matter how lovely the day, I don’t see what God promised. I just turned 31. For at least two days prior to my birthday, I moped and struggled, unable to articulate exactly what I was feeling. One evening, I tried to at least express some of my thoughts to my amazing husband. I told him that I felt like I was letting some important people in my life down. He said, “You can’t do everything.” My immediate response, with a little too much bitterness in my voice, “That’s the thing- why do I always have to give up my things, what I want to do?” It was not a glowing moment, but it was an honest one! It was a moment that woke me up, too. If you’ve read much of the Old Testament, you’ve found that God has been known to take several life times to fulfill a promise. HowevCarey Morford is a Media Specialist and President of Seeds of er, you’ll also find that often times it was the Grace, Inc. Visit their site at Seedsofgrace-highridge.blogspot. people’s inability to remain content and com. She is married to her very best friend Isaac Morford, and trust God in their current circumstances they have two daughters, Layla and Rigby, and two sons, Gary that created the biggest messes and the and Gavin . longest delays. www.kojministries.org 9
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The GREATEST Gift (The Story of John Roy) ‘Twas the week before Christmas and all through the Roy’s house excitement stirred as Matthew, Mark, Luke, Jennifer, and Elizabeth awaited the promised gift of their baby brother, John. My husband, Lansing, and I waited excitedly at the hospital where my labor was started due to the high risk of my pregnancy. While in the labor room, we caught sight of a sign which described that someone in one of the labor rooms was having a Down syndrome baby aborted. Lansing got so sick at the thought that he actually vomited in the bathroom. Little did we know that the baby we were about to deliver would have that same syndrome. Around 5 o’clock that afternoon, John finally arrived. He was the sweetest little pink, soft baby you could imagine. But he had an unusual look: slanted eyes, pinkies that curved unnaturally, and a tongue that was too large for his mouth. The medical team put him in my arms for only a minute before they whisked him away to the NICU. We soon discovered that not only did he have Down Syndrome, but he also had a very large hole in his heart that would require surgery.
by JoAnn Roy
I was in the recovery room when my husband came in to see me. He bent over my bed and told me the news. Then, he reassured me that I could handle it, that my faith was strong, and that everything would be okay. A nurse stood by while my husband said goodbye. I felt as if a cocoon of love had been poured over me, bathing me in a soothing oil. God was definitely on the scene. The hospital sent a psychologist to my side because, in their opinion, “I was not acting ‘right’.” I had the peace of God and evidently they didn’t know how to handle that! I was taken to the nursery where the psychologist observed me holding John and feeding him a bottle of water. On Christmas Eve, we carefully dressed John in a red, preemie Christmas outfit and brought home the most incredible Christmas present ever. Even amidst all of our trials, we knew that God had blessed us with an amazing gift. Having John was like having two babies. It took so much time to train him ... to teach him to keep his tongue in, to exercise his limbs, and do the ‘natural’ things that took less time to teach other babies. Fortunately, the whole family got involved. When John was born, the doctors had told us that without open heart surgery he wouldn’t live very long. The surgery was scheduled to occur at about 16 months. Before the heart surgery, I learned that a priest named Fr. DeOrio was coming to Gainesville to hold a healing service. We decided to take John in hopes that God would heal him and that he would not need the surgery. Toward the end of the service, Fr. DeOrio turned towards our direction and called out into the crowd, “There is a baby who has a hole in his heart. Where is he?” My heart was racing as I held up my hand. He came over, picked up John, and took him onto the platform. Several priests surrounded them as John was held up to the Lord. John suddenly began resting in the Spirit of the Lord as they prayed over him. Fr. DeOrio gave him back to me and told me that John was in God’s hands. When the day of the operation came, I reluctantly allowed the nurse to take John into the surgical area. I was terrified. This surgery came with so many risks. What if one of them came true? Finally, the doctor came out of the surgery. In amazement, he told us that he had never seen anything like it! John’s valves should have definitely been compromised because of the large hole in his
heart, but they weren’t. I believe it was the healing hand of God. I stayed by John’s side for ten days as he recovered in the hospital. While there, I had the privilege of praying for many sick babies as well as their parents. One never knows how God will use you. After the repair, John grew amazingly, becoming a bubbly little toddler. One day, at age 2½, he was sitting in the family room when praise music began to play on television. Immediately, John’s little hands shot up in the air as they often did when he heard praise music or someone say, “Praise the Lord.” This music, however, was extra special as it came from a group called, The Miracles. This group consisted of individuals with various disabilities. There were truly amazing! I watched intently as one of the members of the choir, a young lady with Down syndrome, was being interviewed. In my heart I could only think that if she could do that, so could John ... someday. I called the station. They graciously provided me with information so that I could contact the Baddour Center where The Miracles perform. I filed their information away in a special drawer for many years later. Our whole family loves to sing. As a young boy, John would often accompany us on stage and sing his little heart out. As he grew, his love of music and singing grew as well. One day John asked me if he could take voice lessons. I approached a precious lady at our church who agreed to work with John. They blessed each other tremendously. John had such a drive to sing and improved greatly. He actually sang a solo at his graduation.
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As a graduation present we took John to Memphis to fulfill his dream to see Civil War history sights. Since the Baddour Center was located near Memphis, we decided to visit and learn more about The Miracles, the musical group I had heard on television 20 years before. Although John, age 22 at the time, feared that we were going to leave him at the center that day, he did agree to send in an application. Perhaps when he was older, he would go there to live. To our surprise, John was accepted to the Baddour Center a mere six months later! It was so soon! I wasn’t ready to let him go. After much prayer, God granted me the peace to release him. I knew it was the best decision for John’s future and I trusted God to care for him. After settling into the daily routine at the center, John soon tried out for The Miracles’ choir and was accepted. It was beyond my wildest dreams! In addition to singing tenor for The Miracles, a 25 member choir which travels many weekends of the year, John also has a weekly job, rehearses with The Miracles, participates in a mime team, power lifts for Special Olympics, plays on the center’s football team, and participates in the Baddour Center plays. Now in his 30‘s, John has grown into an incredibly independent man. He packs his own clothes and travels alone from Memphis to Orlando to visit us. Wherever he goes, he carries his Bible and shares Jesus with others. John reads the Bible on most days. His favorite verse is II Timothy 1:7, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love and of a sound mind.”(NKJV) This truth gets him through the storms of life. JoAnn Roy resides in Florida with her husband, Lansing. They have 6 children and 9 grandchildren. JoAnn attended Life Christian University where she received her BA in Theology in 2011.
The gift that God gave to our family in John is the gift that keeps on giving, day after day, year after year. He has brought us so much joy and taught us so many lessons-- especially in the areas of for-
giveness and love. He inspires us to strive toward our goals and to never give up, no matter what our weaknesses or trials. We can never thank God enough for His precious gift. V
The Miracles performing LIVE
Wednesday, April 9 • 6:30 pm The Miracles are a select group of singers chosen from the most musically-gifted members who live at The Baddour Center, a community for adults with intellectual disabilities.They travel across the United States to express their faith through music, bridge attitudinal barriers that may exist towards adults with intellectual disabilities, and share the mission and ministry of The Baddour Center.
352.473.2761 • www.trinitybc.org
3716 SE State Road 21 • Keystone Heights, FL 32656
Sunday AM Worship — 8:30 AM & 11:00 AM • Sunday School — 9:45 AM Sunday PM Worship — 6:00 PM • Wednesday — 6:30 PM
Compassionate, Professional Pet Care We offer: • Customized visits for pets of all shapes and sizes • Visits scheduled according to your pet’s individual needs
Serving Earleton, Melrose, Keystone Heights, Hawthorne, Starke, Waldo & surrounding areas.
• 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.
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Time To Move! by Joan Tyson
“...forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13b-14(NKJV) The month of February and Valentine’s Day has had new meaning for me since 2002. It was the lowest time of my life. The previous August I had moved to Virginia Beach, hurting beyond belief, that my marriage of 27 years was over. Going through little ‘c’ (cancer ~ Christ is the BIG ‘C’) wasn’t as painful! What would I do? What could I do? From August through the next year-and-a-half, I did the only thing I knew to do: I threw myself into God’s Word, went to Christian counseling, joined a 12-step program (it’s the best small group in the world!), and found a local body of believers in a wonderful church who prayed and loved me through this terrible time. Since God is and was and will be
on the move, He kept moving in me by His Spirit. In 2002, Valentine’s Day came on a Sunday. Believe me when I tell you that I didn’t feel like going to church that day. I knew I wouldn’t be getting a card or flowers. Yet, the God who is on the move, nudged me to move and I went. When I arrived at church, it seemed like any normal Sunday. We praised and worshiped God, prayed, and then waited for God’s Word to be preached. On the screen were two beautiful roses dripped in dew drops: one pale pink, and the other pale yellow. I seemed to hear the Holy Spirit whisper, “These are for you! Happy Valentine’s Day from your true Husband.” I had forgotten who my true Husband was and is: God Himself! Isaiah 54:4-5 (KJV) says,
“Do not fear, for you will not be ashamed; Neither be disgraced, for you will not be put to shame; For you will forget the shame of your youth, And will not remember the reproach of your widowhood anymore. For your Maker is your husband, The LORD of hosts is His name; And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; He is called the God of the whole earth.”
The sermon that morning was from Luke 7:36-47. A sinful woman came to dinner where Jesus and the Pharisees (religious leaders) were eating. She brought an expensive alabaster flask filled with fragrant oil and knelt before Jesus. Before them all, she washed Jesus’ feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head. She kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil. I am sure that the rest of the scripture was read, but this is what I heard my ‘Husband’ say to me, “If you want to know Me like I know you, let your hair down. Be yourself. Come just as you are to Me. Don’t worry about what people say or will say about you. You are deeply loved, and I will never forsake you. Worship My Son who took all your sins, shame, and guilt on the Cross. He exchanged all of that so you would be righteous and free before Me.” I left church changed that day. The God, who is always on the move, had moved me to a new place, a new beginning, and a new day in Him. What about you? Do you need to move? My friend, it’s time to forget what is behind and reach forward to those things which are ahead! It’s time to “press forward to the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus!” Phil. 3:13(NKJV) He has wonderful things waiting for you! Take a moment… quiet your heart before Him. Now, put your past… all of your regrets, guilt, pain and hurt in your uplifted hand and give them all to Jesus saying, “Redeemer, here is my past. I choose, this day, to move forward with You.” Then, begin to move with Him. Receive the Prize. He is the Prize! He is your Redeemer, Your True Husband. And He loves YOU! V Joan (Joanie) Tyson currently lives in Virginia. 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.
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info@whisperingdog.com • www.whisperingdog.com • 888.240.2962 12 www.kojministries.org
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My Valentine to Jesus by Charlene Hannah Jung
I love you by Charlene Jung
Red, tissue paper in the shape of a heart Taped to the front of a folded card. Wrapped in white linen: stained and dark Yellowed with age and falling apart, Found in the closet in a forgotten box. As I read these words, my tears would not stop.
February 14 is Valentine’s Day. Many lovers will celebrate the day with dinner, chocolates, cards, and flowers. Some will receive jewelry. My Valentine and I have made plans for a sweet, romantic evening filled with laughter, romance, and love. I do love my Valentine. Since Jesus is the lover of my soul, and I do love Him with all of my heart, mind, and might, I will give Him a Valentine. I will not give a card, or candy, or earthly treasure—they have no meaning to Him and they cannot express my deep love for Him. How will I show Jesus that He is my Valentine? I will love the unlovable. I will show love, compassion, kindness, and forgiveness to someone who has none for me. I will not love the one whose response would inflate my ego; I will not show kindness to the one who would bolster my pride. I will forgive the one who has hurt and betrayed me beyond words or tears. I will offer a helping hand
though that one should spit in my face. I will stand beside that one though time and time again that one has turned their back on me. I will shed tears of compassion and pray until the pieces of their broken lives have been made whole again. Yes, I will love the unlovable, because when Jesus loved the unlovable: It was me. I challenge you to love the unlovable. I urge you to find something to love in someone you do not like. You need not make a fuss about it; after all, this is a Valentine to Christ from you. Remember, Jesus still loves the unlovable—and sometimes it is you. Charlene is a B.A.B.E. (Born-Again Believer Every day!) She enjoys writing poetry and short stories. She has 6 (+ 5) children, and 14 grandchildren. Recently married, she and Galen reside in Jacksonville, FL and attend Bread of Life Open Bible Church.
I love you, I love you, I love you, I do! So I made this Valentine for you. Now I’ll be yours and you’ll be mine: Together, forever ‘til the end of time. Signed: Always forever, faithful and true. My darling had passed and now I was alone; My tears were bitter; my heart as a stone. Tears now dried, the card on the shelf; In the box, I found something else. ‘Twas a small, tattered Bible, dusty with age. My tears fell anew as I read each page. I love you. I love you. I love you, I do! So I sent My Son, Jesus to die for you. I will be yours and you will be Mine Together ‘til the end of time. I love you! I love you! I love you, I do! Signed: I Am: Forever, Faithful and True. I love you, My Jesus, I love you, I do! Forever I will be faithful and true. www.kojministries.org 13
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Quite A Story
Photo courtesy of Stetson Athletics
Eventually, I wanted to get married Athletic, busy, full of excitement: this is how I would describe myself. In many and have a family, but… now ways, I am like other girls my age. I love the water, the sun, the outdoors, and every what? I did not know what was now and then, a splurge at the mall. Yet, in some ways, I find myself quite different going to happen. To get through from others. Not many young girls would say that nursing a calf brings them joy, this I had to be strong: Cancer or that diving in the clay to make a catch on the softball field would be considered would not defeat me. to be fun; but to me, it is. By experiencing cancer and Along with Florida’s oppressive heat, I also love the rain; especially whenever a witnessing the effect that it rumbling, thirty-minute thunderstorm rolls in. Of course, it has to be gone quickly had on the people around enough to ride the boat one more time. Yes, that is the perfect day to me. All of me, I can honestly say this these things remind me of God’s beautiful work. He made the Earth and only He was the most influential knows how much more beautiful it is in Heaven. Imagining His home is something and fulfilling experience I have ever that always makes me smile, as does the thought of how His Son, Jesus, died on been a part of. In being diagnosed, I became stronger in the cross for us. my faith and within myself. I also learned that people watch your actions He is my hero. He is the One I look up to when the going gets rough. Jesus more closely than we realize. They take your actions to heart. When they see that managed to live a perfect, sinless life. He was good in all respects. “How was He you are not giving up in a situation, they will not give up on you either. I found that able to do that?,” I sometimes ask myself. Then I remember the sacrifice that He if I put my mind to something and really strove to reach a goal, I could do anything. made for us. I trust Him in everything I do. I know I can because Philippians 4:13 Not only did I gain courage in myself, but I was able to discover a gift. I believe (NKJV) says, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. our purpose on the Earth is to bring the Word of Jesus to those who do not know God sometimes works in mysterious ways, however. Many things happen in life Him. It is a hard and pressing task; but one that has eternal benefits for us and that we cannot explain. We question things over and over in our minds, yet no those we are able to lead to Christ. Honestly, I was lukewarm in my faith and did logical or satisfactory answer comes to us. This sums up one of the most influential not exactly know how to spread the Word of God. moments of my life. At the age of sixteen, three months and twenty-eight days after After surviving the ordeal, I decided to share my testimony at the school prayer obtaining my driver’s license, I went to the doctor for a sore throat. Three weeks group. As a member of my school’s FFA organization, I had become involved in after that first visit, I found myself in another doctor’s public speaking competitions. This became a strong passion for me and I jumped at office. She sat on a stool in the examination room every opportunity to speak. Yet, I had only talked about agricultural issues… until and looked me in the eyes. I will never forget I survived cancer. the words that came out of her mouth, “You Coincidence? I gave up on coincidence. God had a reason for every action. have cancer.” Only after several students, who had never spoken to me, approached me and Honestly, I cannot remember what I did at thanked me for sharing my story did I realize what a gift God had given to me. He that moment; but my mom told me I faced her presented me with the opportunity to share the message of His love, His mercy, His and simply said, “I don’t know why this has healing power, and His kindness to others who might be suffering as well. I had a happened, but God has a reason.” testimony, the skill to speak, and the drive to spread God’s Word. Watching what the diagnosis Since I told my story at the school’s prayer group, I have been presented oppordid to my family and friends tunities to share my experience at the 2012 Relay for Life, several churches and was worse than going newspaper interviews, in an on-line blog, and at a university. This experience has through the cancer itallowed me to grow like I never thought I would. It has highlighted how short life self. The hopelessness is here on earth-- that I need to treasure the time spent with family and friends, to and defeat that I saw take every opportunity to enjoy the outdoors, and to thank everyone who shows in their faces made me kindness, because I do not know what is going to happen or when I will be me determined to called home. be strong. I knew in Whenever I wake up and the sun is shining on the lake outside my window, my heart that I was I smile at how great God is, and, I remind myself that I just have to trust that He going to be fine, but they knows what He is doing. If it is His plan for me to reach my goals, perfect. If not, could not feel what I felt. I knew I am sure He has something just as exciting up His sleeve. I had to show them strength. Yet, Call it leaving things up to chance, but in my mind, chance is God’s will. I go this experience tested me, as well. where He leads me. My talents in sports, public speaking, art, and writing bring joy The day I found out that I had to my life. Now I get to use these talents for God’s glory. Yes, cancer was tough, cancer, thoughts raced through my it tested me; but, it also gave me quite a story to share. For that I am thankful.V mind, especially in regard to my dreams. Were they still possible? Kelsey Waters is living out her dream of playing collegiate softball I wanted to save enough money at level D1 Stetson University while pursuing a double major in to buy a top-of-the-line laptop for Marketing and Religious Studies. college. I wanted to play collegiate softball and start a collegiate Future Farmers of America Chapter (FFA). 14 www.kojministries.org
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Photo co urtesy of Stetson Athletic s
by Kelsey Waters
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Photo co urtesy of Stetson Athletic s
Like A
Dream by Linda Cubbedge
I slid out of bed and onto my knees, opened my Bible and began reading. As I did, this scripture jumped off the page: Psalm 126:1-3: “When the LORD restored his exiles to Jerusalem, it was like a dream! We were filled with laughter, and we sang for joy. And the other nations said, What amazing things the LORD has done for them. Yes, the LORD has done amazing things for us! What joy!” (NLT) I couldn’t help but smile as I thought about the amazing things God had done in my life. In September 1992, I packed up our Ford Probe with our 3 sons (and all I could cram into that little car), left our home in Florida, and traveled to join my husband, Steve, who had been working in Pennsylvania as a self-employed telephone splicer. Although he had traveled extensively for years, the telephone company assured Steve consistent work in the local area of Chambersburg. With this promise, we decided it was time the boys and I joined Steve so that we could be together and settle in our own home. It wasn’t an easy decision as our daughter, Stefanie, was married and raising her son, our very first grandchild, in Florida. For the next 13 years, we lived in beautiful Pennsylvania. Our family had many wonderful experiences. Steve and I were heavily involved in our local church, served the Lord in various ways, and enjoyed deep friendships. Steve loved his job, and the boys enjoyed the outdoor winter activities. I was also very fulfilled in my position as head of the women’s ministry. We were all growing in our knowledge of the Lord and love for one another. Our oldest son, Stephen, graduated from high school and soon married a beautiful young lady from the area. Yet even with our church family and incredible life in Pennsylvania, a deep longing to move back ‘home’ to Florida began to stir in my heart in 2003. For two years I prayed and trusted God to sort out all the details. I either needed Him to take this desire away from me, or give Steve a desire to move. He loved working in this area and was very content.
Not only did I need one of us to have a change of heart, I also needed God to perform a miracle. Work like Steve’s wasn’t common in Florida, and it certainly didn’t pay nearly as well as what he was accustomed to earning up north. Moving back to Florida would be quite difficult. In February 2005, things suddenly began to change. Due to the telephone company’s budget crisis, all subcontractor work was eliminated. Steve’s outside plant work completely shut down. He wasn’t even allowed to finish the jobs he was working on. Steve immediately began making phone calls to find work. He found two options: Ohio or Florida. “Florida! Florida! Florida!” I wanted to yell from the top of my lungs. I knew, however, that I needed to keep my mouth shut and let Steve decide what would be best for our family. I was thrilled when Steve decided to temporarily move to Florida and give that opportunity a try. Since our boys were in the middle of the school year, I remained in Pennsylvania so they could finish out the year. Boy! Were my emotions all over the place! As I spoke to Steve on the phone, it just didn’t sound like Florida was going to work out. As I prayed over our situation, I felt the Lord leading me to go on a 3-day fast. I had fasted many times, but never more than a day--I didn’t have any idea what I was supposed to do (or not do)! Yet, I knew that for whatever reason, God was leading me to this fast: I knew I needed to obey. The fast was an amazing experience. God gave me His strength and His grace to complete it. The following Sunday I attended my nephew’s church to hear a special speaker. At the end of the service the altar was filled with precious people in need of God’s touch and help. My two sons, Clint & Tyler, and I went forward and knelt at the altar. I was sincerely praying for God’s perfect will to be done. Although my heart longed to be back ‘home,’ my heart longed even more to be where God wanted me to be.
As I prayed, the pastor walked over to me and said, “Sister, I do not know you, but the Lord would say to you today, ”I know the plans I have for you. It is I, the Lord, who knows the plans and I will direct you. I will show you clearly what to do. Trust Me, says the LORD!’” As I heard these words, I broke down and sobbed. The presence of the Lord was so strong and so real. I was overwhelmed with His peace as I realized that the Lord would lead Steve and I directly to where He wanted us to be. I didn’t have to worry another moment! Within a couple of days, Steve called and told me we were moving back ‘home’ to Bradford County, Florida. You can bet I celebrated like nobody’s business! I praised the Lord and thanked Him for His goodness. On May 29, 2005, I woke up in my daughter and son-in-law’s home. As I knelt on the floor giving thanks to God, I opened the Bible and smiled as I read Psalm 126:1-3, “…it was like a dream… we were all filled with laughter and we sang for joy!” How true these words had become. If there is one thing I have learned in my years of walking with the Lord, it is this: only God can work out the details of our lives and only He truly knows what is best. As we trust Him and surrender our desires to His perfect will, His perfect way, and His perfect timing, the desires of our hearts will be fulfilled …it will be like a dream! V
Linda Cubbedge resides in north central Florida where she works in the insurance industry. She is also very involved with her church/women’s ministry and often speaks at women’s events. She has 4 children, 9 grandchildren, and 1 great-grandson.
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by Susan Stafford
MOMENT BY MOMENT
On May 31, 2013, my husband, John and I climbed in the car and headed from Florida to Tennessee for a special Stafford Family reunion to visit John’s sister’s family who was coming in from Wyoming. We had a wonderful time visiting with our family, many of whom we don’t often get the chance to see. With the opportunity to spend some quality one-on-one time with John’s son, Greg, we decided to stay an extra day. Since Greg is an avid hunter, we made plans to go to a nearby shooting range situated on a beautiful mountain top. It would be a perfect opportunity to spend precious time together while engaging in an activity we all enjoy. I couldn’t imagine a more perfect day! As we made our way to the range, I noticed John was having difficulty walking the short uphill trail to the shooting range. I didn’t think a great deal about it at first, but within about 20 minutes, John could hardly walk. As Greg packed up our gear, I helped John back to the car and we headed back down the mountain. Initially, John insisted we drive directly home to Florida but we quickly aborted that idea and headed directly for the local hospital, an hour away. By the time we arrived at the hospital, John’s legs were completely paralyzed and he was unable to get himself out of the car. After a week at the Tennessee hospital, John was transferred to Shands Hospital in Gainesville, Florida. He went through numerous tests and procedures, but much to our dismay, the doctors were unable to provide a definitive diagnosis (and still can’t six months later). John was released from Shands Rehab to come home on July 20, almost 7 weeks after this ordeal began. It would take volumes to share the physical, emotional, and spiritual roller coaster ride John and I have experienced since June 3. I look back over the last 6 months with human sight and to be completely transparent, I am amazed that we have been able to get through it all. There have been moments of complete despair as we’ve desperately searched for answers, often mingled with intense fear. Although John and I are on the same journey, our ‘fear-factors’ are completely different. For John, questions like - Is this paralysis permanent? Will I ever walk 16
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again? Will I be dependent on others forever? Who will take care of Susan? creep in and wage war in his mind. For me, the battle includes thoughts such as: How will I be able to provide the care John needs? How will I be able to do all that I have always done and take on the load that John typically carries? How long can I keep this ‘new’ way of life up? Looking back, I know with all my heart that God has carried us. When the weight of our trial has exceeded our ability to carry on, God has continually helped us move forward. For years, I have heard our pastor, Rob Morford, teach about God’s ‘grace packet’- a supernatural packet of strength, provision, power, wisdom, and peace (among other things) that enables us to face life’s trials. Every morning, I picture my ‘grace packet’ lying on my pillow and I receive it by faith. I trust that somehow, someway, God will carry us through. Every time I start to think of all the ‘how’s’ and ‘what if’s,’ I remind myself – “Don’t go there, God is in control. Don’t think too far down the road, take it one day at a time. God is with me and He will take care of John and me.” It’s so easy to look at our situation and become overwhelmed. When I begin to become weighted down by the worries of our trial, God gently reminds me to not look too far ahead, but rather focus on the moment at hand, trusting Him to get us through that moment, and the next moment, and the next… As I look back over the past six months, there have been so many occasions where I have experienced first hand the supernatural provision and protection of God. Repeatedly, God has intervened and given us exactly what we have needed to carry on another day. I remember one particular morning, the lowest point along this journey, when I almost collapsed in an alley in our hometown. I was crying uncontrollably, so completely overwhelmed with all the tasks that I needed to accomplish before John could come home. It’s the only time in my life when I truly thought I was about to lose my mind. In the midst of my pain, I cried out to God and He met me right there in the alley. As I collected myself, God’s small, still voice reminded me to trust Him. I placed my cares and anxious thoughts in His hands, and within the hour, wonderful friends suddenly came to my aid, surrounding me with love, help, and encouraging words. I know without a doubt these friends were God’s provision for me, sent at the exact moment I needed them, infusing me with strength to carry on. This was just one of many little miracles I have experienced that have made a huge difference in my life. These miracles have assured me that God is in the midst of our situation. Although we still long for an answer to John’s physical condition, we have settled into our ‘new normal’ of daily life with doctor visits and physical therapy. John is slowly gaining strength and some movement in his legs. We believe that he will walk again in God’s perfect timing. In the meantime, we will continue to thank God for His faithful provision in our daily lives and trust His plan for our future. We may not know what lies ahead, but we do know the One who is able to help us moment by moment in every way. V John & Susan Stafford have been married 35 years and live in Florida. After a 30-year career in data processing, John prefers to spend time playing golf and volunteering his computer skills at Community Church where Susan enjoys serving as Office Manager following her career with IBM. www.kojministries.org
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Fulfill your Purpose! Finding out who you ‘are’ is so important in life. In your lifetime, many words have been and will continue to be spoken over you. These words shape you and help form your uniqueness and personality. They also determine how you feel about yourself. This is the power of words. Many times, words can cause you to get off track. This is unfortunate as the words of others should never impact your direction, abort your purpose, or affect your destiny. So often people will say this or that about you and the call God has placed on your life. You’ll hear phrases like “I think you are crazy for doing that!”, or “I would never have done it that way!” People will even judge you with the words, “God would never call you to do that!” In all transparency, I have to admit I have been this person and if truth be known, it’s probably been you as well. If you lay aside the words of others, do you truly know who you are? Do you know your God-given purpose? Are you doing it? If not, is it because you are listening to those who have absolutely no stake in the outcome of your kingdom purpose? Have you ever taken the time to find out what the King of Kings says about you? Is He not the One
Who brings to the table your destiny? Who are you listening to ... Jesus (the One who loves you and gave His life for you) or people? People can say what they want but in the end it’s what Jesus says about you and what He thinks of you that really matters. If you could ever overcome that human component of life, you may actually complete your purpose rather than just reaching your destiny. Let me quickly give you a few words from our King. He says that you, as a believer, are righteous, holy, without blame, complete, and perfect. Yes, I said ‘perfect.’ Because of what Jesus Christ did on the cross for your sins, you are perfect in His eyes. Don’t add your works of the flesh to the cross as it diminishes His work on the cross. This is how King Jesus sees you. I know it’s hard to realize and accept this truth in all of your sin and incompleteness. But it’s true. Let this truth be your defense when the words of those who have no voice in mapping out your purpose come against you. Speak out, “You may say that, but King Jesus says this!”
by George Beasley
You are a child of King Jesus, listen to Him and take His defense as yours. He loves you and is ready to wrap His loving arms around you right now. He desires to give you all you need...blessings, peace, joy, and the most sought after place in life: harmony. He desires to pull you from the ashes of destruction, bring you to knowledge of His saving grace, and ultimately help you fulfill your purpose in life. Everyone will reach their destiny but few will truly fulfill their life purpose. Will you? It all depends to whom you listen. Let go of the earthly response to those who have hurt you and come to the One who can put you on the course to fulfill your purpose. V
George Beasley was a part of the In His Wakes team from 2005-2006, serving as the director of the “A Day to Remember” Tour. During his journey with In His Wakes, George began a journey of healing and freedom from his own story that had been suppressed and hidden since his childhood. George is the author of “The Invisible Soul.” He is married to his sweetheart, Lisa.
A Brick Church
Jan Tharrington Dorfer encourages the hearts of ladies and youth as a motivational speaker throughout NC, VA, and SC. Jan loves any day by the water… whether it be a lake, river, or her favorite… the sea.
Since 2002, I have taken many children, teens, single moms, and families to church. Anytime the doors of the church are open (and I have room in my car) I take advantage of the opportunity to share God’s message of love and hope with someone. In 2005, I became very close with a family I had met through my church’s inner-city outreach in Dunn, NC. Due to some circumstances in the lives of this family, the three children came to live with me in my home for a season. While there, they would attend church with me, usually twice a week. On Fridays, I always took the children to stay with their grandmother so they could spend time with her and other family members; but I always picked them up on Saturday nights so we could go to church on Sunday mornings. At the time, the kids were ages 6, 9, and 11. One Saturday night, right before I picked up the children, one of the family members began to ask Keyotta some questions about the church she was attending with me. Since I was Caucasian and
by Jan Tharrington Dorfer
the children were African-American, the aunt had a few questions. “Keyotta,” she asked, “that church that Aunt Jan takes you to ... is it a black church or a white church?” Keyotta, thinking about the question for a while, replied innocently, “I think it’s a brick church.” Amen, sister! It is, in fact, a brick church. Keyotta, in the pure innocence of her heart, had never thought of it any other way. She saw it as it was, a brick church. She saw it with the eyes of Christ. Oh, if only we could see the world with these eyes. If only we could become like Keyotta. The Lord desires for us to have the eyes of a pure, trusting, innocent child. Only then can He truly lead us. Only then are we humble and able to be led. “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter into the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:3 (NKJV) Lord help us all to become like little children, so that we can see through the eyes of childlike faith and obedience. Amen. V
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MINISTRY NEWS
UPDATE FROM KOJ MINISTRIES FOUNDER, KRISTI OVERTON JOHNSON
Enlarged Territory As I sit here in my tiny cabin, making the most of my 17 hour train ride through eastern Russia, I can’t help but be overwhelmed by God’s goodness. At the time of this writing, we are only two weeks into the New Year, yet already I stand amazed! God has been working mightily, expanding our ministry’s territory, and touching lives in unique ways. During my recent trip to Russia, I witnessed miracle after miracle; leading many Russian’s to exclaim, “God’s hand certainly has to be involved!” I just sat back and smiled as I witnessed again, God do only what God can do. Here are a few examples: • God moved on the hearts of many to donate financially to our Russian outreach, enabling us to purchase a gently used nine passenger van to transport orphans to medical facilities. The directors and doctors of the orphanage were overwhelmed at the generosity of our ministry partners from the other side of the world. They have been in desperate need of this provision for years, waiting patiently for their government to provide. Their provision came from above. • This van was previously owned by a believer, who had the words “God Bless You!” inscribed in Russian on the license plate. The car dealer wanted to remove them, reasoning these words would be strange or offensive to the new owners. Isn’t it awesome that God is in every detail? He indeed blessed us with an incredibly priced van.
Ivy christens the newly purchased medical transport van. Thank you to our donors who made this van possible! It will bless many orphans.
Repeatedly I was told, “This van should not have existed at this price!” I am trusting He will bless all those who ride in it! • My daughter and I were unexpectedly invited to speak to several English classes at a Russian High School. It was the first time any of these students had met an American or had an opportunity to practice conversational English. God used this time to break down many stereotypes. We could visibly see walls coming down and have already received an invitation for next year.
Kristi points to the words “God Bless You!” on the front of the van. These words were concrete proof to the Russians that God was in the midst of this gift.
• God allowed my daughter to meet both of her biological brothers. We were not expecting to meet her older brother, but God had other plans. Just days before we were leaving, I received an email from Artur, her 18 year old brother. I had met him briefly the year before but had not heard from him since. Artur had found the Christmas card I had given him a year prior and suddenly felt moved to email me, indicating his desire to meet his sister. He had no idea I was in Russia with Ivy, nor did he know we were already planning to go to his city the next day, a town three hours away. At our meeting, it was obvious this young man,
Ivy looks excitedly out the window during her 17 hour train ride from Moscow to Glazov. Little did she know how God would use her there, the region of her birth. an orphan for over a decade, needs the love of a Heavenly Father who can fill every void. He also needs a relationship with an earthly family. • Finally, over 250 scarves were delivered to my children’s former orphanage, as well as to another local children’s home. Toys and clothes were also given. Many hours were spent playing with and praying over the precious children residing in the orphanage. My prayer is that every child will be blessed with a family. These are just highlights, but one thing is for sure, God is laying a foundation for many years of ministering to the hearts of these precious orphans, workers at the orphanage, students, and other people from this region of Russia. Already He is giving us great favor with officials and residents. I’m not even home yet and already I’m excitedly asking God, “What more can we do? What’s next? How can we show Your love?” Please partner with me as I pray for God’s perfect will to be made known. As I think back to a year ago, I am so humbled at the faithfulness of God! Last January, I was painfully unsure of what lie ahead. Many changes were taking place, uncomfortable ones. It was obvious God was completely rearranging our ministries, leading me in directions and asking me to make decisions I so desperately wanted to avoid. Yet as I obeyed, God transformed this ministry from the inside out ... bringing unity and order that led to powerful, unmistakeable fruitfulness in every ministry division. God has truly opened the floodgates of blessings, as you’ll witness in the updates from the director’s of In His Wakes and Champion’s Heart Life Center.
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As I move forward in 2014, I am so excited! If our trip to Russia is any indication, I am certain God is going to expand our ministry’s territory in ways we’ve never dreamed. I believe one of the greatest expansion will be through Victorious Living. I have received so many testimonies how the candid, heartfelt stories are bringing encouragement and life-changing truth to many. Please continue to pray for our prison outreach. Already, piles of mail from inmates are testifying to the impact of this anointed publication. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your support. As I stood at the orphanage, receiving thank you after thank you, I couldn’t help but be overwhelmed by the truth that I, alone, did not make this van and the other gifts possible. It was God, it was His people, it was perhaps, YOU!
In 2014, it will take many to carry out the visions God has placed on my heart so that we can love people to Christ, one at a time! Thank you in advance for your faithful partnership. More than ever, KOJ Ministries needs your support as we: • Produce four issues of Victorious Living, expanding publication quantities each quarter. • Publish books of inspiration and truth. • Preach and teach the Good News of Jesus Christ to people worldwide. • Expand our prison and orphan outreach.
PO Box 968 • Keystone Heights, FL 32656
352-478-8076 www.kojministries.org
MISSION:
Kristi Overton Johnson Ministries seeks to love people to the Life-Giver… Jesus Christ. Through its various publications, speaking ministry, and prison and orphan outreaches, KOJM encourages the brokenhearted with the Living Water of God’s Word, equipping them to live a life of victory.
CURRENT NEEDS:
Top left: Visiting a local high school, breaking down cultural stereotypes. Top right: A recipient of one of the beautiful hand made scarves is all smiles. Bottom left: Ivy is reunited with her youngest brother, Nikita, and makes a new friend in his foster sister, Sonia. Bottom right: God miraculously allowed Ivy to connect with her older brother, Artur.
• Financial Sponsors for prisons to receive Victorious Living • Stories of God’s Faithfulness to be included in future issues • People willing to pray for and correspond with inmates • Distribution of Victorious Living in your town • General financial support for Victorious Living
KOJM 2013 HIGHLIGHTS:
• Victorious Living expanded into 42 Florida Prisons • 40,000 copies Victorious Living… tens of thousands of lives touched for Christ! • Prison Speaking Ministry began • Financially supported orphans in India and Russia
You!” “God Bless
Kristi spends time pouring God’s love on one of the beautiful orphans.
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UPDATE FROM CHAMPION’S HEART LIFE CENTER DIRECTOR, DONNA HANNAH
MINISTRY NEWS
Different Needs, Same God 160 SW Nightingale Street PO Box 968 Keystone Heights, FL 32656 Tuesday - Thursday 10am - 3pm 352-478-8076 www.championsheart.org
MISSION:
Champion’s Heart Life Center provides relational, resource, and recovery support for families through on-site partnerships and referral services.
CURRENT NEEDS:
CHLC needs people who will: • volunteer to bring help and hope to our community • support our center through monthly donations
CHAMPION’S HEART RESOURCE CENTER 2013 HIGHLIGHTS:
• Helped client get his ID and Birth Certificate after 20 years of challenges; replaced stolen appliances for a client; assisted families in finding housing; provided a family an area to cook for Thanksgiving; connected clients to local churches • Started Autism Empowerment Group • Developed over 100 resource partnerships for our clients • Moved to our new facility to better serve the community • Served 1125 families by connecting them with tangible resources • Hosted various community outreaches: Annual Easter egg hunt, Resource Center Open House, Secret Santa • Guided people through tough times with prayer and the Word of God. Helped them realize the ever faithful love of God
Champion’s Heart has been busier than ever doing God’s work… extending His love and a helping hand. Our partnerships and clientele are ever growing. We praise God for the 1125 families who were served at Champion’s Heart during 2013. We thank Him in advance for the thousands who will be served in 2014 and for those who will come to know Him as their Savior and Lord. I am so thankful for the opportunity to serve as director and witness first hand how God provides for our community through Champion’s Heart. One of my favorite experiences was helping a man obtain his birth certificate after 20 years of challenges. This birth certificate enabled him to get a much needed ID which opened the door for many forms of assistance. He was so grateful and I could sense God working in his heart through the long process. As we persevered in faith, God provided the victory and this man’s life was changed. The end of the year brought many exciting changes and additions. Clay Behavioral expanded their local services at Champion’s Heart. They also added substance abuse classes on Monday and Wednesday nights. Right Path Behavioral also became an on-site partner, leasing all the office space in our main facility. They are working closely with our local schools and bringing much needed mental health services and lifeskill training to our community. Recently, we re-entered into a on-site partnership with Work Source of Florida which helps link unemployed members of the community with employment.
As Right Path took over our office space, our administrative offices and Champion’s Heart Resource Team moved across the street into the space where Answers had previously occupied. This move allows us to better serve the community. We now have a private, intimate area to build relationships with our clients and connect them with 100’s of much needed resources. A new Bible study is being held in our seminar roomAndrew Womack’s “God Wants You Well” - began on Tuesday, January 7th, 2014, 7 PM. This weekly study is led by Kathryn Bland and will run for 18 weeks. It’s not too late to join! There are also other opportunities to grow in your faith at Champion’s Heart: Saturday Night Wonders, Celebrate Recovery, and for children, The SonShine Club. God is working in our community and in the hearts of people. He has brought many faithful, godly volunteers to our team. But don’t worry, there is still room for you! If you have a heart to serve God and love His people to victory, please contact us. Along with volunteers, we are in need of monthly donations to help with the daily costs of running this organization. Our clientele is expanding weekly, requiring us to extend our hours, volunteers, and financial obligations. Please pray how God would have you involved. Finally, this year’s Secret Santa was an immense success! Once again we partnered with Gator Bait Sports Restaurant in Melrose to supply gifts to children of our clients. Countless hours were spent shopping, wrapping, sorting, and delivering gifts so that many children would receive special gifts. Thank you to everyone who helped make this event a success. We especially appreciate Community Church of Keystone Heights allowing us to deliver the gifts to the families at the conclusion of their Sunday service prior to Christmas. This helped us ensure a CHRIST-centered Christmas. We are looking forward to 2014. More than ever, our ministry team is united and committed to love people to Jesus Christ, the Giver of life and hope. V
we prepared for erflowing with gifts as ov s wa ce offi w ne r The couch in ou cret Santa project! our second annual Se
www.championsheart.org
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MINISTRY NEWS
UPDATE FROM IN HIS WAKES DIRECTOR, NATE MILLER
On The Edge! I heard a saying the other day that just stuck with me. It made such an impact, in fact, that I am currently preparing to share a message at a youth conference built entirely around these words: “If you’re not living on the edge, then you’re taking up too much room!” Now, it may be this quote resonated with me due to the fact that I tend to live daily life on the edge, especially when ‘playing’ with my buddies. But when it comes to my spiritual life, I had to take a hard look at my life and ask myself, am I really living on the edge with God? At first glance, it looks like I am right on the edge, but the reality is I often leave just enough buffer area to compensate for any miscalculations. Acts 4:31-32 says, “After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly” (NIV). With great power, the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. Now that’s living on the edge! In the face of persecution and threats of death, the apostles went out and boldly proclaimed the Lord! Of course, the ability to live on the edge for the Lord was only made possible through the power given them by the Holy Spirit. No safety nets, no miscalculations to worry about, just the power of Jesus Christ keeping them right on the edge, but never going over it! Wow! That’s where I want to be as we approach the 2014 season of events. I want to move forward with a boldness that only the Lord Himself can supply! As I look at the many factors that need to fall into place for this year’s schedule to come to fruition, I have to keep in mind that the Lord is with In His Wakes, and me! He alone has been the One who has brought us to the edge,
PO Box 968 • Keystone Heights, FL 32656
352-745-0283 www.inhiswakes.com
MISSION:
and He alone will keep us safe, provide for our every need, and bless us in every way! During this time of preparation for our 2014 “A Day to Remember” Tour, I thank you for your continued prayers and financial support. I am so excited about 2014. After much prayer and waiting on God, we are living on the edge and adding a part-time ministry team. This team will travel to many “A Day to Remember” events and expand our outreach to the wake board community at professional events across the nation. With a second team, Ivy and I will be able to spend more time at other locations, build stronger relationships with our hosts and volunteers, and minister in a more powerful way to our participants as we will now have multiple opportunities to show forth God’s love to them. Right now, I feel as though I am about to fall over the edge. There is so much that has to fall into place as we approach the start of the tour season in March. Yet, I trust God is at work. I know without a doubt that He is orchestrating events, volunteers, finances, and resources. When He gets done with putting everything in place, it’s going to be incredible… way better than I could have every orchestrated in my own planning! Will you step up to the edge with us? Let’s commit together in 2014 to step out of our comfort zones and trust God with the unknowns. Let’s refuse to just take up space and truly make a difference in the world as we follow God. On the edge… there’s truly no greater place to be! V
In His Wakes introduces people to the life-changing power of Jesus Christ through water sports.
CURRENT NEEDS:
IHW needs people who will: • share IHW with others • sponsor D2R Participants • support our ministry through monthly donations
IHW PRAISE REPORT FOR 2013:
• Over 1000 Participants • Hundreds of volunteers • 52 Events • 18,000+ Miles without a breakdown! • Many decisions made for Christ by participants and volunteers! • Ministered at several youth conferences • Conducted church services at lakes, professional and amateur water ski/ wake board tournaments, campgrounds, on floating barges, and even in a youth prison. • Financially supported over 20 other ministries and domestic and international missionaries who are connected with In His Wakes
Will you help us go? Will you help us reach lost souls for Christ… the multitudes and the ‘one’? Our cost is $150.00 per child. Will you sponsor ‘one’? Will you sponsor many? Together, we can help people experience victory, hope, and purpose in Christ Jesus!
www.inhiswakes.com
2014 Schedule COMING SOON! Check the website often for updates!
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Angels from Above out of funds to pay for the place we were renting. We were making the best of a tough situation. We were thankful for our friend who was allowing us to park in her yard. We felt safe there. Heather took my number and told me that I wouldn’t be sleeping in my car that night! When Heather called us that evening, we had already settled down for the night. I told her we were fine, and that tomorrow I would call her. I knew the offer would be just as much needed and appreciated then. She told me she had someone she wanted to call. That is when the second angel came on the scene: Kristi from Champion’s Heart Life Center. The three of us made arrangements to meet after church the next day. These lovely ladies of God took my fiancé’ and I back to the place where we had been living before our money had run out. They made sure our rent was covered for the rest of the month so that we could spend the holidays in a warm place.
Wow! That’s all I can say when I think of Champion’s Heart. And of course, thank you, Jesus! I met several angels of God over the holidays. The first was standing outside the grocery store. She was ringing the bell for the Salvation Army and asked if I wanted to donate to the cause. Her smile and her voice were just so angelic. I told her I would give some money when I came out of the store. When I finished shopping, however, I didn’t have any money to give. Yet, she was still so nice. I got in my car and left. I thought for sure this was my last errand, but God had other plans. When I returned ‘home’, my neighbor asked me if I’d go back to town and get her something. I felt led to go back to the grocery store. I jumped out of my car and immediately saw Heather, the angel ringing the bell. I quickly returned to my car and picked up four quarters to give to the Salvation Army. Heather thanked me and I continued with my errand. As I came out, we once again began to converse. You would think that would have been the end of it, but it wasn’t. Before either of us knew what was happening, we were giving each other a big hug! As I look back, I believe it was God wrapping His loving arms around me. And boy, did I need that hug. I began to pour my heart out to Heather (something I usually don’t do). I shared how my fiancé and I had been sleeping in our car as we had run
only do they help you through your crisis, but they continually check up on you afterwards. I thank God for opening their eyes and heart to the needs of this community. Thank you angels… Heather, Kristi, Donna (director of Champion’s Heart) and others who serve at Champion’s Heart. Thank you also, God, for giving and loving us so much. Not only do you meet my daily needs, but You gave your only begotten Son so I can have everlasting life. Sincerely, Margaret Davis
As I look back, I believe it was God wrapping
His loving arms around me. And boy, did I need that hug.
Now I ask you, who would do this for total strangers if they are not truly sent from God? Amen! Sadly, many people don’t understand what it feels like, or should I say, don’t know that when good things happen to them, it is God’s grace and His mercy. It is Him working behind the scenes caring for their needs. In 2007, on July 17th, I had a near fatal heart attack. I was put in CCU because the doctors weren’t sure if I would pull through. That’s when I first realized the power and love of God’s grace and mercy. In 2011, He showed it once again when I received a pacemaker and defibrillator. It’s not just in the tough times where I’ve witnessed God’s grace and mercy, however. It’s present every day and it is available for everyone! The ministries and staff of Champion’s Heart are incredible. They truly care about their clients. Not
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INSPIRING LEADERSHIP
It’s
NOT Over!
I have a friend who decided he was going to be rich. (This is a true story by the way.) He felt inspired by the many wealthy, successful, well-published, and sometimes famous people who are a part of the corporate education and leadership world in which we both work. To become successful, my friend decided that he was going to set a goal, speak positive affirmations every day, work hard, and keep the faith in his goal. By the end of 2012, he was certain he would be rich, successful, and well published. He was very excited at first, often telling of his progress and even sharing about his failures, all the while speaking positive affirmations. According to whatever material he was reading, this should have been enough for success. Yet, it didn’t work. At the end of 2012, he was not wealthy, nor was he successful according to the bar he had set for himself. He did manage to become published, but the book failed to produce a large income so even this success was bittersweet. I listened to my friend (who I care about very much) and sadly began to pick up a hint of bitterness in his voice. He had done what he was supposed to do. He had set his goals, worked hard, and stayed positive. So why didn’t it work? His story is common to us all. We may not have had the goal of being rich and famous or a published author, but we all have some type of goal in which we have failed to achieve. We’ve all been disappointed and sometimes even disgusted with ourselves or our circumstances. So how do we keep from becoming discouraged and frustrated to the point of quitting? How do we avoid becoming bitter or cynical like my friend? Well, first, we have to determine not to give up, no matter how hard achieving our goal may be. Just because we have missed a goal, doesn’t mean we
by Bonnie Hagemann
should stop trying to reach it. We just have to reset our goal and try again (and sometimes again and again and again...). Any goal worth achieving should be somewhat difficult to attain. In fact, if the goal isn’t difficult, the victory will not be sweet. You shouldn’t be surprised if you don’t reach a difficult goal on the first shot. So, get your head up, get off your disappointment, and go again! I once heard the motivational speaker, Les Brown, give a speech called “It’s Not Over Until I Win.” I latched on to that phrase and you can, too. If you have not reached your goal, it isn’t finished! Press delete and go again. Make sure as you set (and reset) your goal that you set a realistic goal that requires some stretching. If your goal requires an all-out miracle to reach it, then you are setting yourself up for failure. On the other hand, if your goal doesn’t require you to stretch beyond what you naturally do, it is hardly worth your attention. A good goal: • requires you give more of yourself than you would normally give in your daily routine, • requires you to think better, work longer, and reach higher than you typically have to, • should be specific, • should be exciting, • should be something that will really feel like an accomplishment when you achieve it, and • should be meaningful to you. Once you have an exciting and attainable goal, be careful not to mess it up with a vague description. Don’t just say, “I want to lose weight.” Determine how much weight you want to lose and then set a timeline to achieve that specific goal. One of the biggest barriers to overall success when it comes to reaching goals is an arbitrary or inappropriate timeline. This is what happened to my friend. His goal was and is achievable for him as long as he doesn’t give up, but his timeline was not appropriate for his goal. The Bible says we are supposed to “run with patience the race that is set before us.” Hebrews 12:1(KJV)
Reaching a goal takes time, patience, hard work, and determination. You need to be prepared mentally to persevere towards your goal for the long haul. If you want to be a lawyer, you will need approximately 5 or 6 years of higher level education. So, 5 or 6 years is a realistic goal. If, on the other hand, you want to be a supreme court justice, you will need a comprehensive 20 to 30 year plan. Both goals are exciting and both are clearly stretch goals, but the timelines are entirely different. Take a minute to think about the goals that you have set in the past and possibly failed to achieve. How many of these missed goals were due to a vague goal? How many were missed due to an inappropriate timeline? Remember, a timeline is rarely an insurmountable barrier unless you choose to give up. Just because you didn’t achieve the goal by the date on your fridge doesn’t mean you can’t achieve it. Time is relative. If you set out to lose 50 pounds in 5 months and at the end of 2 months you have only lost 5 pounds, should you give up? No! Focus on the fact that you are succeeding, you are making progress! Don’t throw in the towel! Rather, reassess your goal, evaluate the steps you are taking to reach it, commit again to do the work, stay positive, and give the rest to God. Never give up! Never lose hope in your goal! It’s hope in achieving something more in life that moves us forward and makes life exciting. Regardless of where you may be right now in achieving your goal, keep looking forward, pressing on, and keep getting up if you have to. Just don’t give up! And, at the end of those days when you have made only a small fraction of progress towards your goal, or perhaps even taken a few steps backward, don’t beat yourself up! Rather, look yourself in the mirror and repeat after me… “I haven’t won, so it isn’t over!” 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.
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CHAMPION’S HEART AWARD In every issue of Victorious Living, we recognize, through the Champion’s Heart Award, individuals who shine for Christ. Roy Borges is such a man. His faith, character, and passion for Christ is making a difference among the lives of many. Mr. Borges has spent many of his 65 years behind bars in the Florida Prison System. While incarcerated, however, he has chosen to give his life to Christ and be used by Him in whatever ways God should lead. This award is awarded to Mr. Borges because he is a man who has chosen not to let his past hinder or dictate his future. He is a man who realizes his worth and second chance in Christ. He is a man who has chosen to move forward and live a victorious life regardless of his circumstances. Thank you, Mr. Borges, for inspiring and challenging us to bloom where we are planted and to use our gifts to the glory of God. You are in our prayers and trust that God will continue to use your words to help others PRESS ON in their faith.
Press On by Roy Borges
I’ve spent many years of my life in the Florida Prison system. This past July, I celebrated my 65th birthday behind prison doors. Although I remain incarcerated, my future in Christ is full of hope. I know that God has forgiven me and He has a plan for my life. I choose, like former Secretary of State, Colin Powell, to “focus on the front windshield and not the rearview mirror” of life. The apostle Paul said, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (II Cor. 5:17) With God, the past is gone because He forgives it. (I John 1:9) Not only does He forgive us of our sin, but He separates us from it, as far as the east is from the west. (Psalms 103:12) The prophet Micah says He casts our sins into the depths of the sea. (Micah 7:19) God forgives us, but with man, the worst is always remembered. Most men who are released and apply for a job will be disqualified if they admit they have been incarcerated. Even the apostle Paul’s conversion and his early Christian witness were greeted with skepticism and fear. (Acts 9:21) When he went to Jerusalem and tried to join the disciples, they were afraid of him. (v 26) Yet Paul never ignored or hid his past. Rather, he spoke of it as evidence of the mercy of God. (I Timothy 1:13-14) Paul, a man who said that he was the worst of sinners (v 15) became the writer of most of the new Testament. How? Because he focused on the truth that His future hope was in Christ, His past was gone… forgiven and forgotten in God’s eyes. In April 2012, I was saddened by the death of Chuck Colson. He was one of my heroes, although I never met him. After he was released from prison, he started Prison Fellowship. Through God’s anoint-
ing, his ministry became the largest prison ministry in the world. Inside Journal, a publication of Prison Fellowship, is the most read periodical in all prison systems. The apostle Paul and Chuck Colson did not let their past keep them from letting God use them. I’ve learned to do the same. In 1994, Inside Journal included a prayer I submitted. It was the first time anything I had written was published. After that, I became a regular contributor. I’m so thankful that the editors of Inside Journal didn’t hold my past against me and gave me a chance to grow as a writer. Because of the opportunity they gave me, I have had hundreds of articles and stories published in Christian periodicals around the country. I have just finished my first novel and I hope it will be in bookstores soon. Failures didn’t keep the apostle Paul or Chuck Colson from achieving God’s purposes in their lives; and it hasn’t kept me from achieving them, either. The past is gone. None of us are perfect. We all make mistakes and sometimes go the wrong way. We can, however, bounce back after these disappointments and live a productive life, filled with hope and purpose. As God directs us, we can overcome. John wrote that God cleanses us of all unrighteousness because Jesus Christ paid the price for our sins. (See I John 1:9 and 2:2). It’s time to stop focusing on our failures and focus on being used by God. Thank Him today for His forgiveness and let Him set you free so that you can begin again, a new life in Him. Instead of living in
the shadow of yesterday’s regrets, walk in the light of today’s promises… look through the windshield, not the rearview mirror! Listen to the words of the apostle Paul and hear how he did it: “Brethern, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead. I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14) V
Roy writes about his life experiences from a prison in Florida. His stories have appeared in many Christian publications. He won AMY Foundation awards in 1998, 2002, 2003 and 2007. His book “Faith and Love Behind Prison Fences” was published in 2002.
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by Dr. James Peoples
I don’t like to WAIT. I don’t like it when I have to stand in line at the bank or the post office. I don’t like being at a stoplight when the light turns green and I’m stuck sitting behind an accelerator-challenged driver. I don’t like it when I pull into a gas station and all the pumps are occupied, and I have to WAIT for somebody to pull away. Those are fairly casual kinds of WAITING – but we put up with them. However, there are other, more serious and difficult kinds of WAITING. There’s the WAITING of a single person to see if God has marriage in store for him or her. There’s the WAITING of a childless couple who desperately wants to start a family, but month after month, their prayer goes unanswered. There’s the WAITING of someone who longs to have work that’s meaningful and significant and seems to matter, but it doesn’t happen. There’s the WAITING of a spouse that’s trapped in a hurting marriage that seems unable to change. Waiting on the Lord is an act of OBEDIENCE. Waiting is the hardest work of HOPE. Yet, when we turn to the Bible, God Himself – the all-powerful, all wise, and all loving GOD – assures us over and over to WAIT. “Rest in the LORD, and WAIT patiently for Him.” Psalm 37:7 I’ve had to learn this lesson repeatedly in my walk with the Lord, knowing that ultimately He is in control and His timing is perfect. One of numerous examples I could share with you is the time I committed to go on a international mission trip. I was certain this is what God would have me to do, yet, I had no idea where the funding would come from. I recall getting right down to the last moment for the funds to come in, and yet in they came from a totally unexpected source. I could recount for you literally hundreds of other times where God was teaching me to WAIT on Him. Are you looking for some encouragement in your own time of waiting? Spend a while looking up these verses. How are we to wait? • Prayerfully (Psalm 25:4-5). • With strength and courage (Psalm 27:14, Psalm 31:24). • With rejoicing while trusting in His holy
name (Psalm 33:21). • With hope based on the fear of the Lord and His mercy (Psalm 33:18, 20, 22). • Patiently (Psalm 37:7, 40:1; Romans 8:25, Hebrews 6:15). • Obediently (Psalm 37:34, Psalm 119:166). • Desiring Him (Isaiah 26:8-9). • Single-mindedly (Psalm 62:5). • Expectantly (Psalm 123:2, Micah 7:7). • Believing His Word (Psalm 130:5). • Assured He is all we need, He is our portion (Lamentations 3:24). • Quietly (Lamentations 3:26). • Continually (Hosea 12:6). • In anticipation of joy (John 3:29). • Eagerly (Romans 8:19, 23). One of the highest callings of the Scriptures is to wait on God. Some of God’s greatest acts in the Bible required people to wait. It took Noah decades to build the ark, but God showed up when the time was right. The Israelites roamed the desert for 40 years, but God brought them to Canaan in His timing. And, Jesus lay dead in the grave for three days before God raised Him! God’s grace is often best experienced when you have to wait on Him — because when you wait on Him, you have nothing but Him in which to hope. It’s when you think you have your life all together and you don’t feel you need God that things begin to really fall apart, because He is the only foundation that will never crumble. So when a situation comes where you have to wait — whether it’s death, sickness, sorrow, financial problems, a broken home, or a broken marriage — remain faithful and wait patiently on God to work, and you’ll be able to fully experience His abundant grace. One thing I’ve learned in my 39 years of being a Christ-follower: God is seldom early, but He’s never late. Where ever you are, whatever you’re waiting on – look to the Lord with hope, trust, and faith. He is faithful! V
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. www.kojministries.org 25
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by Kristi Overton Johnson
Have you ever had someone hurt you? Have you ever
had someone repeatedly, purposely do or say something that breaks your heart or causes you pain?
Or, have you ever known someone who made a mistake? Have you ever witnessed someone fall in their walk with Christ? Have you ever heard a juicy bit of gossip? Now let me ask you this: What did you do when you encountered these situations? Did you respond to that person in a way to hurt them? Did you get even? Did you run to the phone or send out an e-mail to tell the world about your injustice? Did you post an update on Facebook or Twitter to expose what that person did or didn’t do? Or, did you drop to your knees in prayer and ask God to help that person, or even bless them? Did you make the effort to cover that person’s mistake or did you hastily run to expose it? I don’t know about you, but when people hurt me, my natural reaction is to want to tell somebody what happened. When rumors are flying, lies are being told, and someone is attacking me or my family, I want to defend myself and set the record straight. Likewise, when I see someone make a mistake, it’s often tempting to want to share that information with someone I know (or even share the news in the form of a ‘prayer request’ with my Christian friends!) Yet, the more I study the Word of God and grow in my relationship with the Lord; I am learning that sharing the mistakes of others isn’t something I should engage in, even when every ounce of my flesh feels the world should know. Recently, as I was reading the account of Noah in Genesis 9:20-23, God showed me how important it is to cover the mistakes and choices of others. This passage occurs after Noah and his families have exited the ark. It reads: “Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard. When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent. Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father’s nakedness and told his two brothers outside. But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their father’s nakedness. Their faces were turned the other way so that they would not see their father’s nakedness.” (NIV) As you can see, Noah, a man of the Lord, made a mistake; and his mistake was discovered by his son who found his father lying naked in a drunken state. Evidently, Ham thought his father’s condition was ‘news worth sharing’ as he immediately went out of the tent and told his brothers, Shem and Japheth. The passage doesn’t say how Ham shared the news or what he said, but from Noah’s reaction in the following verses, I am certain Ham didn’t act in a kind and godly way. It’s not likely he ran out of the tent filled with love and concern for his father. Rather, I believe he found his father’s condition humorous and told his brothers so they too could see their father in such a state. What makes me think so? Because “when Noah awoke from his wine and found out what his youngest son had done to him, he said, “Cursed by Canaan! The lowest of slaves will he be to his brothers.” He also said, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Shem! May Canaan be the slave of Shem. May God extend the territory of Japheth, may Japheth live in the tents of Shem, and may Canaan be his slave.” Genesis 9:24-27 (NIV)
Noah obviously wasn’t pleased by what Ham had done. As a result of his actions, Ham was cursed. His choice to share his father’s mistake and expose his nakedness cost him and future generations dearly. His brothers, on the other hand, were blessed and their territories were expanded for their decision to cover their father. Through this account, God spoke to my heart these two powerful words, “Love covers.” As a Christian, the love I have for other believers should motivate me to cover their mistakes, not expose them. These two words have greatly impacted my life. Every time I am tempted to ‘run out of the tent’ and share what I have heard or seen, I remember those words: “Love covers.” Then, I remember Ham, Shem, and Japheth. I envision the one, running around in his folly, exposing his father; then, I picture Shem and Japheth carefully backing into the tent so as not to see their father’s nakedness, and lovingly covering him. I remember the curse placed upon Ham, and the blessings and expanded territories of Shem and Japheth. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out which is a better choice! As a believer, I want the blessings of God. I also want to bless others. I want to be like Shem and Japheth. I want to be like Christ. I want to be a person who covers and forgives the mistakes of others, rather than exposes. Am I saying it will be easy? No! Am I saying that those who purposely set out to hurt you deserve to be covered? No! It is, however, a choice worth making. My friend, it’s a serious act to expose the mistakes of other brothers and sisters of Christ just for the sake of exposing them. Don’t misinterpret what I am saying. I am not suggesting that we should overlook actions and ignore them completely. I’m not saying that certain things should never be shared. But there is a proper manner in which ‘sharing’ should occur, and there is most definitely a proper motive that needs to be present in our ‘sharing’… it’s a little thing called love. Love covers a multitude of sins… the sins of others and our own. V
As a
believer,
I want the
blessings of God. I also
want to bless
others. I want
to be like Shem and Japheth. I want to be like Christ. I want
to be a person who covers
and forgives
the mistakes of others, rather than exposes.
Kristi Overton Johnson is the founder of Champion’s Heart, KOJ Ministries and In His Wakes. Kristi currently resides in Florida with her husband, Tim, and three children.
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The Anchor of Hope Basket after basket was dispersed among the crowd. A group here and a group there was served, and the baskets kept coming. The hungry were fed, and not merely a morsel; rather, Matthew says they ate until they were satisfied (Matthew 14:20). The crowd that ate that day was five thousand men, plus women and children. No one noticed that this grand feast began with five loaves of bread and two fish. The disciples knew the miracle, and one can hardly suspect that there, before their own eyes, they saw a powerful display of God’s promise to provide for His people. What follows this awesome miracle of grace, however, is perplexing, but no less reassuring of God’s promise to be our God in the midst of life’s most challenging times. In Matthew 14:22, we are told, “Immediately [Jesus] made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds.” This seems innocent enough, and so it is, but the trip across the lake would prove harder than the disciples knew. Later, Jesus was alone praying, and the boat was far away from land, but Matthew tells us that the boat was wave-tossed and wind-blown. In other words, Jesus sent His disciples into the treacherous waters of the Sea of Galilee, and they were in the midst of a storm. In Mark’s account, he says that they were struggling, trying to make their way to the other side. It seems hard to understand the fact that Jesus knowingly sent His disciples into the direct path of a storm. One wonders, however, if the storm is the main point of the story. We all face storms of pain, hardship, and trial, but the point of this story in the Gospels is to help us see something with absolute clarity. In Mark’s account of this story, he tells us that Jesus saw them struggling (Mark 6:48). Did you catch that? Jesus saw them struggling! Keep in mind, Jesus was on top of a large hill, and they were around 200
by Brad Williams
yards away from Him–two football fields. There was no distance or hardship that could blind the Lord of glory from the trials that His disciples were facing. Jesus sent them into the storm, and He never lost sight of them. Jesus knew they would struggle, but it seems that He was teaching them a similar lesson they had just seen at the feeding of the five thousand: God’s covenant promise to His people is to never leave or forsake them. In the midst of the storm, Matthew and Mark tell us that Jesus walked out to His disciples and got into the boat with them. God doesn’t promise to make life easy and pain free, but He does promise that we will not face it alone. Pain is painful and trials are hard, but we can experience joy in the midst of them when we lay hold of the promise of God that we are not alone. No one enjoys suffering and trial, but suffering and trial don’t nullify the promise of God to be our God. Distractions and turmoil don’t rescind God’s covenant vow to be an ever-present help in times of trouble. You may be struggling against wind and wave, but Jesus sees you dear one, and He is leading you to a safer shore and a sweeter rest. Let the hope you have in Him be your anchor. V
Brad Williams graduated from Reformed Theological Seminary and is the pastor of Keystone Heights Presbyterian Church in Keystone Heights, FL. He is the husband of Rachel and father of 4 children.
A Big God! Mathew 21:21-22 -have faith, believe, and ask! Studies reveal that people pray for a wide variety of needs. People ask God for everything from a vacant parking space to healing for their loved ones. Yet the same research also uncovers the troubling fact that many who pray don’t actually believe God answers prayer. Well, I know for a fact He does answer prayer! Two years ago, I had to hire an attorney for an issue in my life. I told my attorney that the following things were very important to me: • I did not want my credit ruined; • I did not want my name on my current home, nor did I want to own it; and • I wanted to be debt free.
He chuckled and replied, “That is not going to happen!” I smiled, ignored what he said, and mumbled under my breath, “My God is powerful!” A few months later, I found myself in the midst of a 6 ½ hours mediation. In the first six hours, it didn’t look as if I was going to receive the things I had been praying and believing God for. But, in the last half hour, the tables suddenly turned. The attorney, momentarily speechless, looked at me in astonishment and stated, “You are going to receive your demands as well as one more positive thing we did not ask for!” Tears of joy streamed down my face as I realized that God had answered my prayers. He had been by my side all along ... all the way to the end! Totally shocked, my attorney looked at me and asked, “How on Earth did that just happen? In 25 years of being an attorney, I have never seen anything like it!” I answered, “I serve a God who is more powerful than any of us! He knows our needs and He even gives us the desires of our hearts!”
by Aleshia Dye
No, God doesn’t answer every prayer in the way we might expect or hope. But God does promise that as our Father, He will care for us, His children. He will provide exactly what we need just when we need it! This we can trust! Are you in need? Ask God to provide. Are you lonely? Seek God’s presence and let Him comfort you. Are you stuck in a crisis or conflict? Knock on God’s door for wisdom: He will open it and make a way where the world says there is none. What God-sized request will you make of your heavenly Father today? Remember, nothing is impossible for Him, nor is any request stupid in God’s eyes. Pray and believe BIG and HE will deliver BIG! V Aleshia was born and raised in Florida. She has worked for the School Board for over a decade and now works with the county fire rescue as a 911 dispatcher. She has a heart to teach and help others, especially children.
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God’s Mirror
by Kristi Overton Johnson
I made a quick call to our In His Wakes team to tell them I would not make it to the lake before lunch. Their response? “Take your time. We got more than enough volunteers and everything is running smoothly.” Can you imagine? Without me? God began to pierce my heart with the truth that He had an appointment for me. I just shook my head as I realized the incredible odds of this girl being here. She didn’t live in this part of town, she didn’t have a car, nor did she know I was in town. She just ‘happened’ to be standing in the middle of the parking lot where I was parked.
God always has an interesting way of revealing truth to me. Sometimes it’s like He slaps a mirror right in front of my face to show me areas in my life where I am ‘off’ and away from His will. One such lesson came one busy morning in the spring of 2012. For years I had struggled with my health. In desperation, I was running from doctor to doctor in hopes they would discover the reason behind my symptoms--symptoms that were making life difficult. Unavoidably, I was scheduled for an appointment on the same day as our first event of the 2012 In His Wakes’ “A Day to Remember” Tour. Although I knew the event was in good hands with our fearless leader, Nate Miller, I was still determined to make it out to the event. I spent my morning waiting and running back and forth from my doctor’s office to the hospital. As I headed to the doctor’s for the final time, I breathed a sigh of relief as I calculated that I would be at the lake by lunch, right in time to give a message of hope to the participants. As I got out of the car, my phone began to ring. It was a young lady who I have been mentoring over the last few years, someone that I truly love, but someone I knew would require a good portion of my time as I had already heard from her a couple of times this week. With my agenda on my mind, I pressed the ‘end call’ button, justifying it with the thought, “I’ll call her later.” As I clicked the button and started walking to the doctor’s office, I heard, “Kristi! Kristi!” I looked over my shoulder and lo and behold, the girl I had just ‘clicked off’ was standing in the middle of the parking lot. I couldn’t believe my eyes or the timing. She came over to me, gave me a big hug, and started to cry. To be honest, I wanted to cry with her. Not one day in my last week had gone as planned. I told her to give me a moment so that I could give the doctor the needed results. As I walked into the building I started to complain to God, “Lord, I just want to get out to our event and be a part of what you are doing in In His Wakes. I want to be used by You in a powerful way to change the course of these kid’s lives.” As I grumbled to myself, God’s mirror suddenly appeared right in front of me revealing my selfishness and pride. I didn’t want my schedule to be interrupted, nor did I want to hang out in a parking lot and talk. I wanted to be where I wanted to be ... on a lake and in a boat! Surely God needed me there? Surely He wanted to use me to touch the lives of those kids.
God was at work right where I was standing and He was extending an invitation to me to lay aside my agenda, my selfishness, my pride, and simply join Him. As I thought about her presence, I realized how hypocritical it would be for me to head out to the lake to ‘help’ our participants when there was someone in need standing right before me, someone I loved. How could I possibly leave? Now I understood why all the striving in the world hadn’t gotten me to the lake. God didn’t want me in the middle of a lake ministering to kids at an In His Wakes event, He had that covered. Rather, He wanted me in the middle of this particular parking lot ministering to a broken and overwhelmed heart. God was at work right where I was standing and He was extending an invitation to me to lay aside my agenda, my selfishness, my pride, and simply join Him. When I surrendered my agenda to Him and accepted His invitation to love on His child, it was like a weight was lifted off my heart. Peace like a river began to flood my soul as I rested in the fact that I was right in the middle of God’s plan for me. I didn’t need to go anywhere else, in fact, nothing else mattered. This was God’s assignment for me today. And to think, I almost missed it. How thankful I am that God placed this young girl right at my car door. I ended up having an incredible day, as did she, as we sat at Starbucks sipping some Joe and encouraging our hearts with God’s Word. In the end, this young lady walked away with her head lifted high knowing that God loved her, I loved her, and that there was hope for what seemed to be a hopeless situation. I, too, was encouraged by God’s provision for her, my ministry, my family, and for His giving to me a much needed day of physical rest. Praise the Lord I took the time to look into God’s mirror! V Kristi Overton Johnson is the founder of Champion’s Heart, KOJ Ministries and In His Wakes. Kristi currently resides in Florida with her husband, Tim, and three children.
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Dream Big! I have a dream. If honest with ourselves, we might discover that we all have dreams ... dreams about our future, dreams about God’s call on our lives. Dreams are often enormous, seemingly overwhelming. Sometimes they are at the forefront of our every thought, sometimes they are far suppressed beneath the experiences of life. My question lately has been, “What have I been doing with my dream?” I love how God continually brings things to the surface when He wants me to dig a bit deeper into them. Dreams – specifically my dreams – have been that one thing He has had me focusing on for the past month. In a recent church service a guest pastor made this statement, “Dream long. Dreams are a lifelong persistence of going for what you are after. Fulfillment of your dreams is a process that may often take a very different route than you may have expected.” Sometimes I forget that dreams are not instantaneous. I get impatient, I begin to think my dream is impossible, and eventually I even begin to doubt that my dream will ever take shape. Other times, I think the path that I am on could never result in my dream taking place. However, I am slowly learning that I have to honor and trust the process that God is taking me through, and I must believe that the God who can make the impossible possible can lead me to my dream. As a young man, Joseph had a dream that he would rule over his entire family. He was the youngest son, his dream seemed absurd and completely unrealistic. At age 17 he was sold into slavery by his brothers. I’d say slavery seems a long way away from ruling. At age 33, years after his dream and after going through many set backs, Joseph became second-in-command to Pharaoh over all of Egypt. Even
then his dream was not fulfilled. It was over seven years later when he finally found himself in a position of authority over his brothers. Have you done the math? That’s over twenty years since he had first dreamed of ruling! Twenty years! What is amazing in this Old Testament account is not only the faithfulness of God to fulfill Joseph’s dream, but the dedication and faith that Joseph kept as he pressed on towards that dream. There must have been moments of questions, doubts, and fear, but he never gave up on his dream. He never gave up! We can never give up! So what’s your dream? Dreams are important, they push us to strive for something greater. They motivate us to move forward in our lives. Here are some things I have learned recently in the area of dreams: 1. Pray about your dreams earnestly. 2. Trust the process even when it seems impossible. 3. Celebrate the small successes that lead to your dreams. 4. Share your dream with others so they can encourage you and keep you on track. 5. Never give up your dreams. Friends, dream big! Our God is so much bigger than our wildest dreams. He burns into us His desires and passions because He longs for us to go after our dreams. As we go after them, we get to see God do amazing things! As I look back over my list, I realize it’s time I share my dream so that people can keep me accountable and spur me on. In doing so, I make my dream real, and declare the truth that I believe that my God can do the impossible.
by Amanda Cumbass
Our God is so much bigger than our wildest dreams. So here it is… I step out in faith and begin my pursuit of my God-sized dream as I share it for the first time… I dream to build relationships and share Jesus with Iranian Muslims, and more specifically, I dream to one day be able to do this in the country of Iran. Impossible, right? I am learning it’s really not. Dream long, dream big, and never give up! 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
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Finishing the Task How many times has God come through for us? Too many to count, that’s for sure. God has persevered with us no matter how stubborn, aloof, and even ignorant we’ve been. In fact, the Lord of the universe is the champion of sticking with it (or us, in this case). Sandy and I are both typically able to stick with things of our choosing. Most of the time, we are deadline-driven women, having worked in the realm of marketing and public relations where project deadlines are the norm. We’re professionals and know how to make things happen. We’ve even been known to complete projects with time to spare! Our ability to persevere and complete the job, however, is being sorely tested at this very moment. It all began when Sandy received an assignment from the Lord. You may be wondering how this affects me. Well, here’s the thing: whatever one or the other of us does, we do together. We’re best friends--one for all and all for one. So when Sandy received her very special word, and after prayer, we decided based on our history that it was meant for us as a team. In a nutshell, here’s the assignment: to convey the message that God’s miracles are still widespread in today’s society, they aren’t meant only for biblical times. Through testimonials, we are to show that miracles happen all the time. They are right in front of our eyes. For whatever reason, many people and disturbingly, even church leaders, have become closed to even considering the possibility of miracles. Miracles seem to be no longer recognized for what they are--miraculous happenings due solely to God’s benevolent intervention. When we began this assignment, we (the doers we are) were both so excited! We had a new project, and a meaty one at that! While we realized this new assignment would not be easy, we weren’t concerned in the least. After all, we often work together. We are very like-minded in values and are very diverse in our skills. Combined, we typically comprise the perfect mix for getting a top quality project done swiftly. This shouldn’t be too hard. As with all of our projects, we dove right in. We met, we discussed, and we planned and then, decided this message would take the form of a book. We’d actually both experienced miracles in our
by Maureen Lendzion and Sandra Burdick
We have to make a constant choice to put these doubtful thoughts aside and keep going, knowing we are doing what God would have us do. own lives so we’d certainly write about those. We planned to ferret out other miracles and write about them as well. Simple enough; or, so we thought at the time. And then, life (or should I say, major attacks) set in. This job quickly proved to be unlike any other we’d taken on. Our patience and perseverance were tested in a big way. Roadblocks such as illness, surgeries, family issues, and frustrations piled up in our path. Couldn’t God just make this a little bit easier for us? This assignment, after all, was given by Him to begin with. We began to pray, and then we prayed some more. We thanked God for the gift of having allowed us this opportunity. We asked for direction, focus, and resources. Thankfully, God has provided all we’ve ever needed. Just the other day, Sandy and I were talking about how incredible this journey has been, it in itself has been miraculous. When we started, we had our idea of what the book would look like and who would be included. But with God’s leading, it has taken on a whole new direction. In the beginning, we reached out to people who seemed to us obvious contacts for interview leads. Oddly, (or so it seemed to us) many of those contacts never even responded to our request for an interview. What was wrong with these people? Didn’t they know we had work to do? A book to write? And here they were, ignoring us. Fortunately, God immediately stepped in and began putting people in our path that He wanted interviewed. We marveled at the way He was participating in the selection and interview process. One by one, God began to lead people to us who He wanted included in this assignment. The first contact with a potential interview came as we attended a meeting regarding a healing min-
istry. While there, someone mentioned a name that piqued our interest. It wasn’t the obvious contact or a contact we’d ever considered, but we followed up. From that interview came another contact. And from that one, another. We traveled long distances to conduct interviews. And just when we thought, “Okay, these are the stories God wants told,” He would put yet another specific one in our path. One by one we have been faithful to interview those He has brought in our path and write their stories of miracles. But in all candidness, it’s been a struggle. One reason, we believe, is because we feel immense pressure to “get it right.” God, after all, is not your typical ‘client.’ Doubts that normally would never bother us constantly attempt to settle into our thought processes. Things like: Will anyone like this book? Will anyone read it? And most importantly, will anyone learn from it? We have to make a constant choice to put these doubtful thoughts aside and keep going, knowing we are doing what God would have us do. Another reason this project has been harder to complete than most is that we didn’t choose it. It was chosen for us. And when God gives you something to do, history reveals that saying ‘no’ isn’t the best option. Projects are often tedious and difficult to complete. Yet when you’ve chosen to take them on, somehow it’s easier to find the strength and energy to see them through. In this case, though, we have struggled to find the strength to finish since we didn’t choose to start. We have felt a little bit like Moses (though we’re very thankful God did not choose for us a task like Moses ended up with!). Will we get this project done? Absolutely--without a doubt. Will it be all God wants it to be? We
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certainly hope it will, but that remains to be seen. Will it be easy? I doubt it, but if there is one thing we’ve learned in our walk with the Lord it is that Satan often buffets against those things that have the capacity to make a change in the hearts of people. That is motivation enough to finish the task! And when it is finished, you will be the first to know! V Do YOU have a miracle story? Send it to Victorious Living and we’ll pass it along to Sandy and Maureen! Maureen Lendzion is enjoying self-employment as a special projects writer. She and her husband Dennis have been married 37 years and live in north Florida. Sandy Burdick spent most of her career in marketing, publishing, and advertising before retiring to the Jacksonville, FL area. Since selling her agency, she and her husband, Les, are enjoying their children, grandchildren, and volunteer work.
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