VictoriousLivingIssueSummerrF_VLmagazine 8/28/12 11:17 AM Page 1
REAL PEOPLE | REAL STORIES | REAL HOPE
Fall 2012
See Yourself As God Sees You!
Second Chances Redeeming Love
Plus…
In His Wakes Update • Champion’s Heart News • Behind The Scenes at Correct Craft
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The
The Joshua Accounts is a biography, interwoven with Scriptural exposition highlighting signs, wonders and miracles. The author, Gary Fuss, is a graduate of Grove City College, PA, and Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and is a resident of the Lake Area Region. Thirty years of experience in evangelism and pastoring took place in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Tennessee, and Florida. This includes the United Methodist Church, Southern Baptist, Church of God, Charismatic, and street ministry to the homeless. The writer’s passion is for winning souls, making disciples, and exalting the Lord Jesus Christ. He currently leads interdenominational weekly “fire” prayer meetings called Ephesians 4. May the believers’ fruits be clearly manifested, Holy Spirit giftings be in full activation, daily Holy Communion be celebrated, and “Jesus” journaling abound.
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FROM THE PUBLISHER
Freedom Is Waiting For You! As each deadline for Victorious Living approaches, I find myself in a battle with fear. I become afraid that the current issue won’t be as impacting as the last, that people won’t submit their heartfelt stories, or that we won’t have the financial support to go to press. Oh me of little faith! Once again, God has proven His faithfulness to bring to completion what He put in my heart to begin over a year ago. He has stirred the hearts of people to share their life stories and He has stirred the hearts of people to give financially. To all involved, I say, “Thank You!” With God at work, I am excited to present to you another incredible issue filled with truth that I believe will spur you on to victory in your daily life journey. In this issue, I pray you find freedom! Freedom from comparisons and freedom from the lie that constantly tells you, “You’re not enough!” so that you can rest in God’s truth that “You’re His treasured possession, worth everything to Him!” It’s my hope that you find freedom to enjoy life in your present circumstances and that you enjoy being YOU! It’s time to throw off the self-hate and self-pity and celebrate who you are in the sight of God… His unique masterpiece! Oh how I have longed for this freedom! I’ve spent my whole life “doing” things in order to feel like I am “enough” in the world’s eyes and more importantly, in my own eyes, as I am my toughest critic. I’ve often laid aside my convictions to join in with the crowd, so that I could find acceptance. I’ve worked myself to exhaustion to accomplish “things” that gave me a sense of achievement. I’ve based my worth on my performance in sports, school, appearance, and the amount of things that I’ve accomplished during a given day. But in the process, I’ve often felt unfulfilled, unloved, ugly, worthless, guilty, and exhausted. As I look back over my life, I have to laugh at my foolishness. For years, I have tried so hard to be perfect in the way I present myself to people and interact with them. I have tried to have the perfect home and ministry. I’ve tried to be the perfect mom, wife, daughter, and friend. I’ve pushed myself academically and athletically to achieve great success and BE who I thought I should BE. But in the midst of my perfection-driven, performance-based life, I have fought a tremendous fear that someone might actually view me as “perfect.” I fear someone
may look at my life and say, “Boy, she has it all together!” Not a win-win situation, huh? Trying to find our worth in the things we do, in the way we look, or by the amount of things we have is a dangerous cycle. It almost destroyed me! As I pushed myself daily to perfection, I set out on a quest to counteract any appearance of “having it all together” by verbally announcing to those in my presence all of my flaws. I began to speak negatively about myself, so that people wouldn’t think that I thought I was anything special. I would remark about how stupid, forgetful, ugly and fat I was, so that my “friends” would know for certain that I wasn’t arrogant. This was my form of humility. But after years of speaking such horrible things over my life, I began to believe them. In the end when I looked in the mirror, I began to see ugly, fat, and stupid. I began to see a worthless reflection. I didn’t see anything special and certainly not anything God could love or use. It has taken me a decade of consciously and consistently replacing the lies I’ve spoken over my life and the lies Satan has fed me with God’s truth to finally come to a place where I actually enjoy my life and enjoy being who God created me to be. Although I have not entered into a place of complete freedom, I can say with excitement that I am much closer than I was years, months, and even days ago! The more I look into God’s mirror (His Word), meditating on His truths and walking in His ways, I am discovering freedom. I am finding rest, peace, and joy. My friend, I want to encourage you to embark on this journey of freedom. Quit spinning your wheels like I’ve done, (and our contributors have done) trying to be that person that you think you have to be. Rather, come to Christ and realize who you already are in His eyes… ENOUGH. God doesn’t expect perfection, that’s why He sent His Son, Jesus, the ONLY perfect One. God is simply looking for a perfect heart towards Him, a heart that is willing to love, willing to be lead by His Spirit, and willing to persevere in His strength. Come to Him, all you who are weary and tired and worn, enter into His presence, enter into His truth, and find freedom. In that place of freedom, you will find rest mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually! May God bless you on your journey!
Publisher/Editor Kristi Overton Johnson Assistant Editor Melinda Rodgers Publication Advisors Sandy Burdick Maureen Lendzion Contributors Vanessa Ashley Col. Dale Collie Ron Curll Renee' Harp Bonnie Hagemann Kristi Overton Johnson Michele Klein Maureen Lendzion Carolyn Massey Bandi Morford Carey Morford Rob Morford Nate Miller Ann Prevatt Jean Roach Angie Sapp Kenny Vaughan Brad Williams Bill Yeargin Creative Director/Graphic Design Amy Zackowski • amy@whisperingdog.com Advertising advertise@championsheart.net Victorious Living 205 Magnolia Ave. • Keystone Hts, FL 32656 352.478.2098 • fax 888.837.9153 Victorious Living is published quarterly in Keystone Heights, Florida. ©2012, all rights reserved by Victorious Living. Contents may not be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the publisher. The publisher reserves the right to refuse advertising. The publisher accepts no responsibility for advertsiting errors beyond the cost of the advertisement itself. The publisher accepts no responsibility for submitted materials. All submitted materials subject to editing.
Victorious Living’s
MISSION
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
“Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” II Corinthians 3:17 “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free!” John 8:32 www.championsheart.org
Do you have a story of victory? Share it with us! Your life story can change the life of another. Submissions should be a maximum 400 to 600 words and are subject to editing. To send your article submissions, go to www.Championsheart.org and visit the Victorious LIving Magazine page.
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See Yourself As God Sees You
REFRESH YOUR SOUL
As I reflect on my career as a professional water skier, it was amazing. I was blessed to travel the world. I made friends on every continent and spent precious time with my family doing something we loved to do. I even got paid to ski. It doesn’t get any better than that! As I look back over my childhood, I can honestly say that I don’t have one bad memory. Trust me, I realize how blessed I am to be able to make that statement. I had (and thankfully still have) incredible parents who loved me and supported me in every way possible. Within the walls of my home, I was protected and shielded from the evils of the world. I was spared the horrors so many people go through... things such as abuse, addictive behaviors, domestic turmoil, or being belittled by poisoned words. My parents loved me as God intended parents to love their children. As their daughter I felt loved, safe, able to do anything, and special. I can still remember my father coming into my room every night singing, “T-H-E-R-E she is, M-I-S-S America.” Then he would proceed to tell me a story about how “Little Kristi would become the best skier in the whole world.” Yet somewhere along my life journey, even in the midst of what some may call a “perfect” environment, my self-image and sense of self-worth became very twisted. It wasn’t until my mid-thirty’s that I began to unravel, one by one, patterns of wrong thinking that had been holding me in secret bondage for decades. My journey to freedom began in 2005, through a young girl from Mexico named Lorenza. Lorenza was a teenage water skier, who had come to live with us in order to improve her water skiing skills. She quickly became a part of our family. We enjoyed training her, but more importantly, we enjoyed her! During her time with us, we took Lorenza to many competitions. For the first time in my career, I stood on the shoreline anxiously watching someone I loved compete, someone I had spent hours training. More than anything I wanted Lorenza to do her best, not for me, but for her! I knew how hard she had trained, I knew how well she had been skiing, and I knew how much performing well on the water would mean to her. At one particular tournament, Lorenza fell short of her goals. After she had a moment to dry off and collect her equipment, we piled into the car and headed home. From the backseat of the car, Lorenza softly said in her Spanish accent, “I’m sorry I disappointed you.” I couldn’t believe my ears. Disappointed me? How could she think that she had let me down? I loved her. I was proud of her. I wasn’t disappointed in her; I was disappointed for her. I didn’t care how she skied; I just wanted her to be happy and fulfilled. As I looked at her reflection in the car mirror, I suddenly saw myself as a child sitting in the backseat of my family car heading home from a water ski tournament. I could see myself, like Lorenza, filled with sadness as my parents drove us home. It was one of those, “Ah-ha!” moments. I finally got it. All of those times I sat in the back of the car thinking that my parents were disappointed in me and my performance was a lie. They weren’t disappointed in me; they were disappointed FOR me. There is a HUGE difference. For years, I traded the truth for a lie. The truth was my parents loved me. Yes, they wanted me to perform well, but my performance didn’t change how they felt about me, their daughter, just as it didn’t change how I felt about Lorenza. But as a young child, my brain didn’t know how to process what was going on. During the ride home, my mind reasoned the only thing that seemed logical, that my parents must be disappointed. They had spent so much time, effort, and money on me… surely I needed to ski well to make it all worthwhile! How relieved I was to finally grasp this truth. I began to wonder how many other lies I had bought into over the years. I began to pray as David, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out any-
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By Kristi Overton Johnson
thing in me that offends You, and lead me along the path of everlasting life” (Psalms 139:23-24 NLT). I wanted God to expose these lies one by one. I wanted to replace them with His truth, so that I could be truly free. Over the coming years, God was faithful to gently reveal memories from my childhood where I had accepted the lie as truth. You may be asking, what’s the big deal? The big deal is that these lies had become the foundation for my life. They were the driving force behind my words and actions. They impacted my self-worth and brought thoughts of condemnation and guilt into my heart and mind. They twisted people’s innocent comments into something negative causing me to react in a defensive manner. The thought pattern of never achieving enough created a sense of self-hatred and even hopelessness that led me to occasional thoughts of suicide. I remember having the thought of wrapping the rope around my neck or skiing in front of the boat in order to end the internal madness. I even endured patterns of physical sickness because of my sense of not “doing” enough. For most of my career, I suffered with tremendous stomach pain because of the internal pressure that I placed on myself to perform well. This thought pattern of being a disappointment impacted my life for decades. It impacted relationships, even my relationship with God. Surely God was disappointed in me when I made a mistake? Through Lorenza, God showed me that not only were my parents not disappointed in me, but also He wasn’t disappointed in me either. Yes, there are times when God may be disappointed because I fail to walk in obedience and receive all that He has for me, but His love for me always remains. His love isn’t based on my performance in life; it is based on the fact that I am His child. The only reason that I share these personal things is with the hope that someone, maybe even you, will find freedom. I don’t think I am the only person who has defined himself or herself by the way they see themselves or by the things they thought someone did or didn’t say. I can only imagine the lies that could be built in the heart of a person whose parents never told them they were loved or who told them they would never amount to anything. Or the wrong belief pattern that could emerge in the life of a woman who has been told she is ugly, fat, and worthless by people she should have been able to trust. It’s easy to see why someone would turn to substances, relationships, and behaviors to ease the pain. I’ve experienced this struggle between the lies of the world and the truth of God over and over again. I’ve also seen it in the lives of my own family, especially my children.
continued on page 7 4 Kristi with her son Ty and daughter in Christ, Lorenza
www.championsheart.org
Kristi Overton Johnson is the founder of Champion’s Heart and In His Wakes, divisions of KOJ Ministries. Kristi currently resides in the Lake Area Region with her husband, Tim, and three children.
www.championsheart.org
Table of Contents
3 According to John 10:10, Satan’s purpose is to bring destruction into the lives of God’s people. One way he does this is through our thoughts. Satan knows that if he can get you to grab hold of a lie, especially at an early age, he will have a greater chance of sabotaging your victory, as you grow older. It is only through examining our thoughts, exposing the lies, and meditating on the truth that we can truly find victory (II Corinthians 10:5). Our family has been on a journey to discover truth and expose Satan’s lies for years. One by one we are throwing off the lies that entangle us, so that we can run the race of life victoriously. Below are a few examples of how we are uncovering Satan’s lies within the young minds of our children. When we adopted our youngest two children, Dalton and Ivy, from Russia, our oldest biological son, Ty, entered into a wrestling contest with negative thoughts that could have easily led him down a path of destruction. As you can imagine, there was a lot of excitement surrounding our international adoption. Everywhere we went, people asked questions about the adoption and wanted to see the “new” children. Although Tim and I were extra careful to continually remind Ty how much we loved him through our words and actions, we had some tough competition. Satan was flooding his seven-year-old mind with lies that everyone loved his brother and sister more. How freeing it was for Ty to admit those thoughts, to replace the lie with the truth that he is loved and that our love for him runs deep. Can you imagine if he had continued building his life on the lie that we loved our other children more? He would have always felt second best. Every action that Tim and I ever took towards the younger children would have had the undertone that we loved them more. This would have created a cycle of hate and jealousy. A lie that truly broke my heart was exposed one night while I was reading to my youngest son, Dalton, a bedtime story about a lion named Leo. Everywhere Leo went people ran away from him because they were afraid. At the end of the story Dalton looked at me and said, “Momma, I’m like Leo the lion.” I was confused and asked him to explain what he meant. Dalton responded with these words, “Nobody wanted me either.” He began to explain how people would come into the orphanage and take home other children, leaving him behind. “Something was wrong with me, Momma, or they would have picked me.” I quickly looked at Dalton and responded with these words of truth, “Dalton, those people couldn’t pick you because God was saving you for me! God closed their eyes to you and shut the doors for them to adopt you, so that you could come live with us.” You should have seen the light in his eyes! He looked at me and said, “That makes perfect sense!” Can you imagine how a lifetime of believing that something is wrong with you, that no one wants you, would impact your life? Throw that thought on top of the other thoughts Dalton wrestled with ... thoughts of being stupid because of his dyslexia, thoughts of not being wanted because of his adoption, thoughts of Tim and I leaving him like others had left him in the past. Unless these thoughts were exposed and replaced with the truth, he had little hope of victory! Even my daughter has been in a constant battle with wrong thought patterns. Ivy grew up in a hospital in Russia where there was little food and little interaction with people. Ivy survived because she was a fighter. Since our adoption, Ivy and I have been on a journey to walk in truth. As we have replaced the lie that she can’t trust anyone, a lie that often causes her to constantly fight for her rights, I have seen God begin to transform her into a gentle, generous, and loving child. Satan is tricky. He starts at a young age filling our minds with thoughts that create fear about our future, doubts about our worth, and distrust towards people and even God. It’s time to expose his dirty little lies and rebuild your life on God’s truth. It’s time to tear down faulty foundations that rob you of your worth, joy, and peace. It’s time to see yourself as God sees you… perfect enough, beautiful, unique, filled with purpose, and worth everything to God. As you see yourself in the light of His truth, everything in your life will change and victory will come. v
September 2012
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2012 marks In His Wakes’ 10th year of ministering on the waters of the world. What a journey it has been… Our 10th season has been amazing so far thanks to the “Dream Team” and our faithful volunteers… read more on page 214
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See Yourself As God Sees You Kristi Overton Johnson
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Come Out Of The Bushes! Carey Morford
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Never a Loser Maureen Lendzion
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Second Chances Dale Collie
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Ministry News / On Earth As It Is In Heaven Angie Sapp
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A New Life Worth Living For! Ron Curll
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He's Enough! Carolyn Massey
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Don't Run the Red Light! Rob Morford
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Am I God's Masterpiece? Michele Klein
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Building Boats to the Glory of God Interview between Kristi Overton Johnson and Bill Yeargin
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Love and Service Kristi Overton Johnson God Always Gives You What You Need Vanessa Ashley
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Redeeming Love Ann Prevatt
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Ministry News
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Nate’s Dream Team Nate Miller
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Enjoying Being ME! Reneé Harp
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How Can I Know? Bonnie Hagemann
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Quitting Isn't An Option Champion's Heart Award Dan and Sue Plaster
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Coloring Outside the Lines Bandi Morford
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A Look in the Mirror Jean Roach
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Popular Kenny Vaughan
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Oh! How He Loves Me! Brad Williams 7
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FRESH PERSPECTIVE
OUT
Come of the Bushes! by Carey Morford
We are all Eve. For each one of us, there is a tree that stands somewhere in our brain, and it dangles tempting fruit. Fruit that seems juicy. Fruit that is so close we can reach out and grab it. Fruit that we have been told will kill us. Fruit that would be best left untouched. But, there is also a clever snake. Sometimes we give him space in our brain, and then he can slither his way into the truest parts of who we are. He says the fruit is delicious. He says the fruit will make us like God. He is the Deceiver, and he lies. We are all Eve, and we feel as though we can't help ourselves. We taste the fruit, and we share with our friends. And then the worst part happens. The slow death begins. We feel shame, and we hide. We hide from God, and we hide from our friends who shared in the tasting, in the killing, in the dis-trusting, in the too-slow-death.
The shame and the hiding and the blaming, this is what the clever snake wanted more than anything. Because now, just like Adam and Eve were literally tangled in the bushes, we are figuratively all-tangled up in the lie. It isn't just that we mistakenly chose to eat the fruit, but now we have taken on the lies and are projecting that same lie- God can not be trusted and neither can our friends. We cannot risk exposing the most vulnerable parts of who we are. What an awful way to live- hiding in the bushes! But, the amazing truth that we see over and over again in Scripture and in present-day testimonies is that God never leaves us hiding and ashamed in the bushes. He is calling for each of us, "Where are you?" And even when we step out of the bushes pointing our fingers at each other, He is patient and kind and gentle. Are there consequences to our horrible choices? Of course! Do we all suffer because of all of these entangled lies and dis-trusting of the one true God? Yes. Even in the consequences and suffering, though, God offers grace. It might even be that the consequences are grace, because then we start to see clearly again. We start to see that before we listened to the clever snake, and believed his lies, and hid in our shame; life was good, and we start to long for those walks in the cool of the day when we could be close to the One who has always loved us. Those longings begin to speak of life again, and then, there is our God standing with arms stretched and stained,
Carey Morford is the Media Specialist at Keystone Elementary and President of Seeds of Grace, Inc. Visit their site at Seedsofgrace-highridge.blogspot.com. She is married to her very best friend Isaac Morford, and they have two daughters, Layla and Rigby.
not with the dirty juice of the fruit, but with the blood that will clean the shame and the sin. Sometimes, though, I think we must all suffer from spiritual amnesia, because so many of us know this to be true, and yet in our daily lives we continue to stuff ourselves with that fruit-of-the-too-slow-death. By now, we have a whole string of lies to stuff ourselves with. Sometimes they sound like Pride, "You are a smart girl. You can figure a way out of this mess. " Sometimes Shame and Fear speak up, "You always mess things up. If you tell anyone you've done it again, they won't love you." Sometimes it is a combination of both. In the end, though, it is always the same, "Just don't tell anyone." And the power of that snake and the secrets he has talked us into keeping begin to strangle us… every time. And sometimes we are almost dead before we are willing to finally let go and confess who we have become. However scary that honesty and vulnerability may seem to us, it is our only hope of salvation. v
And even when we step out of the bushes pointing our fingers at each other, He is patient and kind and gentle. 8
www.championsheart.org
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by Maureen Lendzion
R E V NE oser AL
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Psalm 139:13-14 (NIV) Maureen Lendzion is enjoying self-employment as a special projects writer. She and her husband Dennis have been married 36 years and live in Orange Park, Florida.
“And how old are you?” That seems a simple enough question to ask a four-year-old. Especially since my brother would have just proudly announced his age (11 months older than me), just prior to my being asked the question. But that question, or any other that was spoken to me by an adult that I was not familiar with, brought about terror and the inability to respond. So I lived my early life trying to fly underneath everyone's radar, not making waves or trouble (that could get a kid noticed after all), and trying my best to be invisible. Overwhelming shyness made me uncomfortable in any social setting, school included. I didn't join in activities, though I so wanted to. I was an observer. It seemed the other kids had something I didn't. I couldn't identify it; they just seemed comfortable in their skin.
How in the world do they do it? I would think, as I watched them volunteer for clubs, try out for sports, or-scariest of all--raise their hands in class to answer a question. I envied their confidence. It was all very wearing and left me feeling like a loser. Shyness followed me throughout my school years ending with me tying for “Most Shy” for the senior superlatives to be published in the annual high school yearbook. Fortunately, I lost the title in the runoff vote. So imagine, years later, me at my high school reunion chatting happily with the very people I'd grown up with, those who knew me at my most meek and quiet self. And imagine their surprise, that I had built a career in public relations and public speaking. What, or who, changed me? God. For clarification, God didn't actually change me. He left me as He created me. What He did do though, was implant awareness into me that I am His wonderfully made creation. He had given me gifts that suited me and no one else. He put people in my path to encourage and teach me. Of course, God has done the same for you, but I'm hoping you were fortunate enough to understand it sooner. I don’t know why I didn't get the memo. My grandmother, who was such a major influence on my life, tried to help me understand how precious I was to both her and Jesus. My grandfather, a caring, small town pastor did his part too. But I could look around any room and see
many, many people much more worthy of God's attention. I was, after all, just me. Had I listened to God's nudging earlier, who knows how my life may
Each person is so special to God. So special that He has offered them a direct line to Him through Jesus, His most precious Son. have been different? I'll never know, unless God chooses to enlighten me. But I do believe with all my heart that I am in life where God wants me to be. It just may have taken longer to get here, than it might have. What life's trek has done for me is given me true compassion for those who continually feel “less than.” I understand the feeling of not measuring up; I can see it in someone's face, hear it in their voice, and feel it in a diverted glance. Do you ever feel less than, like a loser? If so, I’d like to remind you that you too, are God's amazing creation and when He looks at you, and me, He says, “They are good!” He smiles and takes great pleasure in His creation… us. Each person is so special to God. So special that He has offered them a direct line to Him through Jesus, His most precious Son. How fortunate does that make each and every one of us? Surely no loser ever gets an offer like that! v
Want to help others realize they are champions? Go to our website at www.championsheart.org/our-ministries/getting-involved or use your smart phone to scan the QR code. www.championsheart.org
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VictoriousLivingIssueSummerrF_VLmagazine 8/28/12 10:58 AM Page 10
SECOND CHANCES The beggar approached me on crutches, while I waited for the afternoon train from Crimea back to Kiev, Ukraine. He held out his palm to ask for money. When I said in Russian “Go away,” he recognized that I am American and said, “Can you give me money? I have leg trauma.” I thought, “Leg trauma?” I’ll show him leg trauma. I put my left foot on my luggage and raised my pants leg to show him my prosthesis, my souvenir of combat in Vietnam. He reached down and pulled his bandage away from the calf of his leg and showed me that he had a green tree leaf placed on a serious patch of gangrene. It was recognizable because that was the same cause of my own amputation years earlier. “My name is Michael,” he said. “I am sorry.” He turned on his crutches and quickly made his way across the crowded train platform. At that same time, my interpreter returned. Instead of explaining what happened, I handed him all the loose money in my pocket and asked, “If you can catch up with that beggar on crutches, give him this money.” When the interpreter caught up with him, the beggar looked across the people between us and placed his hand on his heart again, mouthing the words, “Thank you. I am sorry.” At that moment, the train pulled into the station and the crowded platform came alive as people started making their way to their assigned car. We hurried forward to car number fourteen and waited in line while the conductor checked tickets and passports. A touch on my shoulder surprised me. When I turned, Michael stood there with his hand out as though to shake hands. As our hands met, he twisted our wrists so that my hand was below his, and I felt something drop into my palm. Still holding hands, I asked, “What is it?” Michael said, “It is change.” I replied, “No Michael. I cannot take this,” thinking that he meant he was giving me change from the small amount of money that my interpreter had taken to him.
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No matter what has happened to us in this life, we have a second chance to go forward with Christ. “Yes. You must take it,” he said and removed his hand from mine. I could then tell that I had misunderstood the word “change.” Michael had said, “chain.” “Remember me,” said Michael. “Pray for me.” The conductor announced loudly that I must get aboard, so I turned and threw my luggage up to the place between the cars. I climbed up after the bags and dragged them into my compartment. Because it was so hot in the car, the window was pulled down immediately, and I stood with my elbows on the top edge of the glass watching Michael work the passengers who remained on the platform. When he passed beneath my window, I said his name aloud and let him see me put the chain over my head and drop around my neck. As the train whistle blew and we started to move, he had a helpless and pleading look in his eyes as he said again, “Pray for me.” We looked into each other’s eyes until the train rounded a slight curve and he was lost in the evening dusk. Time passed quickly, as the interpreter and I discussed things that remained to be done. When he announced that he would go to sleep, I said that I would make some notes in my journal and then sleep also. Many events of the day were recorded before I started writing about the incident on the train platform. When I came to the words, “I am sorry,” I paused to consider what was Michael sorry about. Was he sorry because of his wounds? Was he sorry because in me, he could see what would happen to his own leg? Was he sorry that I had lost a leg? In the end, I concluded that I was the one who should be sorry. My mission in Ukraine had been to help others, but when someone in real need stood before me and begged for help, I told him to go away.
by Dale Collie Each time the chain moved against my skin, I prayed for Michael. When we reached the train station in the morning, I gave the interpreter some money and asked him to try to find Michael as he returned through that city. And if it was possible, set up a time for the interpreter to go with Michael to the doctor to see what exactly was needed. I had a second chance to help Michael. All of that transpired, and I eventually got an email explaining that Michael needed a US$3.00 antibiotic injection and a US$0.75 tube of antibiotic cream to begin treatment of the gangrene. For the next year, I prayed for Michael many times, especially each time I felt the chain move against my skin. When the next visit was scheduled, the interpreter scheduled a time for me to meet with Michael in his city. It was on that occasion, that we found that good progress had been made in healing the gangrene. And it was also on that occasion, that Michael heard the Good News of Jesus Christ. As they say in Ukraine, he repented. We were honored with the opportunity to pray with him and celebrate his acceptance of Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. Michael accepted his second chance to change his future, and I had another second chance to tell him about the One who can heal our bodies and our spirits. And there is a lesson in all of this that is even bigger still… the same second chances are available to all of us, over and over again. No matter what has happened to us in this life, we have a second chance to go forward with Christ. No matter what we’ve done in this life, we have the same chance to change things in Christ. We don’t have to overcome our obstacles alone. We’re probably just as helpless as Michael was when we first met that evening on the train platform. We can trust that God has a plan for us and that He will direct our footsteps if we accept Him and accept our own “second chances.” v
Dale Collie is an author and professional speaker who uses the leadership skills of US Army Rangers to help key people succeed. Former professor at West Point and Fortune 500 Executive, Collie was named by business magazine, Fast Company,as one of America’s most innovative leaders for starting businesses in E. Europe to employ the impoverished and provide funds to impoverished orphanages. www.CourageBuilders.com
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MINISTRY NEWS
On Earth As It Is In Heaven What we are experiencing at Champion’s Heart is simply the Kingdom of God at hand (Mark 1:15). People are being healed, delivered, and experiencing miracles by the power of God. The most important lesson I am learning as the center’s director is the power of prayer. Through prayer, our clients are experiencing God in a powerful and intimate way. They are seeing Him meet their needs and heal their hearts. When a client comes into our officce, the first thing we do is access the reason for their visit and identify their needs. We then go to work matching the needs with the resources that are available. Through the last year and a half, we have developed incredible partnerships with county help agencies that can provide our clients with tangible resources. Many of these partnerships are conveniently located right here at Champion’s Heart in our office complex. Every person who calls or comes into our resource center is also offered the opportunity for prayer. Almost all accept. As we join hands in prayer, we begin to experience the presence and the power of God. This is the point where real ministry begins and the gospel of Jesus Christ is being fulfilled. Simply put, our clients experience God’s love at Champion’s Heart. We are in the blessing business and also the business of building relationships, as we love our clients to victory. Just the other day a woman we’ve been helping and ministering to said, “Every time I come here, I get blessed.” I would like to share a couple of testimonies showing God’s hand at work with our clients. I hope these testimonies encourage you and enable you to understand what God is doing on the earth and in the small town of Keystone Heights, Florida. The first testimony is of God delivering a woman from drug addiction. She started using drugs as a child around the age of nine. Family members also sexually abused her as a child, which has been the major cause for her drug use. Her drug of choice “has been” crack-cocaine. Now in her fifties, she told me of all the drug rehabilitation centers she has been to, along with all the professional counseling she’s received, and how she still hasn’t been able to get free from the drugs.
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By Angie Sapp, Champion’s Heart Life Resource Director
I began to teach her about the healing, delivering, and restorative power of Jesus Christ. Awhile back, this woman came to our center and asked me to come outside. She pulled a crack pipe out of her truck, wrapped it in a paper towel, and then stomped it into pieces right there on the concrete! She said, ” Never again!” She recently visited us to celebrate her being drug free! Praise God! She has also started seeing the Mental Health Counselor at Clay Behavioral Health Center that is located in our Champion’s Heart Resource Center office complex. The next testimony I’m going to share is of the healing power of God that was experienced while praying for a woman who was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and several other mental, emotional, and physical problems. When we finished praying she began praising God and crying. She said, “As you were praying for healing in my body, I felt a sensation like electricity going to each part of my body as you prayed for it. I’ve never felt anything like that. I could feel it throughout my whole body!” I explained to her that what she felt was God’s power at work healing her body. Both of these individuals experienced for themselves the awesome power of God. God is revealing Himself to our clients in an intimate and powerful way. They are seeing for themselves how much He loves them and cares about every detail in their lives. As a result, their hope and faith is being restored. We here at Champion’s Heart know that it is not by our might or power, but it is by His Spirit (Zechariah 4:6). We give all the glory to God and know that “apart from Him, we can do nothing” (John 15:5). We invite you to come visit our center in Keystone Heights! We’d love to show you firsthand what the Lord is doing in the lives of people from the Lake Area Region. We invite you to partner with us in prayer for
the healing of our clients and we also invite you to become a financial partner. We need your support! “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed. He has sent me to tell those who mourn that the time of the Lord’s favor has come, and with it, the day of God’s anger against their enemies… He will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the Lord has planted for His own glory. They will revive them, though they have been deserted for many generations.” Isaiah 61: 1-5 At Champion’s Heart, the gospel of the kingdom is going forth and we are experiencing the fulfillment of what was promised to us in Isaiah 61. v
Angie Sapp lives in Melrose, FL with her husband and daughter. She received an AA from Santa Fe College, BA in Theology from Life Christian University, and is pursuing her BA in Psychology. Angie is the Life Resource Director at Champion’s Heart.
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A
New Life Worth Living For
by Ron Curll
I was raised in a loving Christian home. But growing up, I was more interested in being a part of what the world had to offer, than being a Christian. The result was faith that was weak at best. At the age of seven, I started competitive swimming in both summer and winter leagues and quickly began to accumulate awards. I spent a lot of time in the pool. Having asthma, swimming worked out well for me, as my asthma didn't seem to affect my swimming efforts, as it did during other sports. I enjoyed competing and spent most of my young adult years trying to improve myself and climb the podium of success. But in 1979, at the age of 32, my life changed forever. I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. By early 1980, I was paralyzed from the waist down and given a prognosis of spending the rest of my life in a wheelchair.
Being weak spiritually, I blamed God for my condition, rather than calling or leaning on Him. I could not imagine spending the rest of my life in a wheelchair. I viewed handicapped people as useless and worthless. That was not going to be me! I decided the only way out was to end my life. One evening, as I sat in my car, I prepared to end my life. My plan was to pull out in front of a fast moving truck. But God, in His mercy, had other plans for me, as He put the faces of my wife and two sons in the windshield. It was as if they were sitting on the hood of the car staring at me. Needless to say, I didn't pull out in front of the truck. I knew it was God who had saved me, but why? Even after this miracle, I was still angry with God and turned my back on Him. In the spring of 1980, I was reintroduced to swimming through an article in our local newspaper. The article announced that “wheelchair athletes” were coming to my local area to compete in a regional competition. “Wheelchair athletes. Now isn’t that an oxymoron?” I thought. Surely it must be a joke. My wife, Sue, pressured me to go. She knew how much I needed to be a part of something. Through her persistence, I gave in. As I watched these ath-
“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11 NLT
letes, I couldn’t believe how good they were. I decided to give it a try. Starting back into swimming competition was as natural to me as a fish swimming in water. I just picked up where I had left off in high school. Within a year, I made the USA Team and was given the opportunity to represent my country in international competitions, including the Paralympics. Over the next few years, I accumulated five national records and two world records. In addition, I took up hand cycling and even competed in a marathon. My success and notoriety both in the pool and on the track grew. But sadly, as my athletic success grew, my faith weakened to the point of being almost non-existent. After all, I was doing quite well without God. I mean, look at all I had accomplished without Him. In 1988, I retired from competitive swimming while at the top of my game, but I continued to live in spiritual darkness. Many years later, 1994 to be exact, I heard a small still voice say, “Ron, you need to go back to church.” After toiling with the idea, I finally asked my wife if she would like to go. continued on page13
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Perhaps you feel there is no hope.… I’ve felt as useless and as worthless as one could possibly feel. But I’m here to tell you, there is Hope and Hope’s name is Jesus.
Ron Curll, author of Wheels of Faith, is an internationally ranked swimmer, gold medalist Paralympian, and wheelchair athlete. Ron resides in Greenville, NC with his wife, Sue. He still enjoys competing in 5k and 10k road races and hand cycling races, as well as water skiing, kayaking, basketball and scuba diving. He is a sought-after guest speaker for civic organizations, as well as church and student groups.
3Her response was a large smile that really made my heart sink. It wasn't until then, that I realized how far down I had drug her spiritually. I remember entering the church and being ushered into the sanctuary. There were no cutouts for
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wheelchairs, so I had to sit in the main aisle. I was both scared and embarrassed. Scared because I was in God's house after removing Him from my life; embarrassed because I felt that I was on display for the whole world to see. But as the service started, a peace came over me. It was as if God was standing beside me with His arms around me saying, “Welcome back my child.” In Luke 15, Jesus tells the Parable of the Lost Sheep. That day, I felt like He had left the 99 sheep to bring me, the lost sheep, home. I truly felt His love and His forgiveness. I rededicated my life to Christ and vowed to love, serve, and to obey Him. I vowed to bring Him glory through every area of my life, especially through my athletic success. As I’ve been willing, God has opened doors to share about His love in ways I could have never imagined. He has shown me that through Him, I have worth, and with Him, I can do anything. A far cry from the “useless and worthless” life I had imagined I would experience in a wheelchair. With God, all things are possible!
The Bible is full of passages that promise that God will NEVER forsake us. As I look back over my life I realize just how true that is. Even when we forsake Him, He is still faithful. I’ll never forget how God saved me from ending my life. Even when I had given up hope, God had not given up on me. He had a plan for my life and He was just waiting patiently for me to follow Him. Perhaps you feel there is no hope. I know how you feel because I’ve been there. I’ve been in that place where life seems to have come to an end, where there seems to be no future worth living for. I’ve felt as useless and as worthless as one could possibly feel. But I’m here to tell you, there is Hope and Hope’s name is Jesus. In Him you will find life. In Him you will find worth. In Him you have a hope and a future. v
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He’s Enough! During my 83 years, I’ve learned many lessons. Even in my elderly years, God continues to love me, teach me, correct me, and even stretch me as He takes me into new territories, some of which I admit I would rather not go. Recently, I have found myself in such a place and it has caused me to rely on Him more than I ever have before. I’ve truly learned that in my weakness, He is strong. Several years ago, I began to have some unpleasant experiences with dizziness that turned into vertigo. I ended up falling and busting my head open. Although the wound has healed, and even my dizziness has left me, I have remained traumatized. I feel so lonely, often afraid, and have struggled with becoming so dependent on others. I feel as though I am driving my family nuts with all of my needs. I also feel we are constantly disappointing one another with our expectations. Add to my emotional trauma, I can’t hear very well anymore and I seem to forget things all of the time. I never knew aging would be so hard! Billy Graham was right when he said, “Growing old is not for sissies.” I’ll admit it... I’M A BIG SISSY! I don’t like this getting old stuff for one moment! It has to be one of the hardest things I’ve ever gone through, and I’ve been through some difficult things in my lifetime. In 1974, I was living the dream. I had a wonderful husband, three beautiful kids, and a great life. But one day, my husband came home early from work feeling very ill. We took him to the emergency room, but he died 12 hours later of a cerebral hemorrhage. He was 45 years old. In just a moment’s notice, my best friend was gone forever. Carolyn was born and raised in Greenville, N.C. She has been a widow since the age of 45. She is 83 years old, has 3 children and 7 grandchildren. Carolyn continues to mentor to young people in the ways of the Lord.
by Carolyn Massey
This was such a huge trauma for my family and I. I was so frantic! How could I live without him? Although I was a Christian during this time and I knew Jesus was there with me, I still felt so alone. Thankfully, I was surrounded by great Christian friends and family who were faithful to stay by my side, encourage me, and help care for us. God’s love, shown through His people, helped the loneliness to fade away. Through this time, I felt God’s presence in an awesome way, even in the midst of my fears. He was so faithful to provide for my every need during this time and He has continued to remain faithful to me to this very day, even in the midst of my doubts. I praise God for His promise to remain faithful to us even when we aren’t faithful to Him (II Timothy 2:13). My recent experience with vertigo has been difficult in different ways. Losing my husband was incredibly hard, but in the loss of my husband, God surrounded me with people to help me through that difficult season. This time however, I haven’t had the constant companionship of friends and family, nor have I had the ability to get up and go! But in the midst of it all, I sense God doing a work in me; it’s as if Jesus Himself has set me apart to show me things about myself and about Him. At the very start of my dizzy spells, I heard the Holy Spirit say to me, “Be still and know that I am God” (Ps. 46:10). Because I don’t drive anymore, I have had to spend a lot more time at home and to be honest, I don’t like it one bit! I am a very social person and enjoy being active. I enjoy ministering to people. But God, in His sovereignty, is teaching me to rely completely on Him and to allow His presence to minister to my own heart. In the midst of the quiet, God has shown me once again that He is faithful. He has taught me that in the end, He is enough. He is truly all I need. When the enemy has come against me with his lies, when he has sought to bring despair and cause me to lose hope and give up, as I’ve looked to my Savior, God
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has always been there to give me the strength to carry on. He’s taught me that “aloneness” doesn’t have to mean “loneliness.” I’m so thankful that over 50 years ago, I said “Yes!” to Jesus and received His Holy Spirit, for with Him, I have been able to overcome. Although it hasn’t always been an easy journey, it has nonetheless been a fabulous one because every step has been enveloped with His presence. I’ve learned whether in good times or in bad, whether in the noise or in the quiet, God has always been and continues to be with me, showering me with His love and grace. Even when doubts and fears have entered my heart, His love remains. It’s unconditional. Where I’m lacking, He’s complete and He is faithful. I’ll admit, I’ve often missed the mark. But He hasn’t. Oh thank you Savior, for making me complete in you. “We have this treasure in earthen vessels to show that this all surpassing power is from God and is not from us.” II Corinthians 4:7 v
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Am I God’s Masterpiece? by Michele Klein
Control or Chisel
Ephesians 2:10 states that, “We are God’s Masterpiece.” I don’t know about you, but when I get up in the morning and look in the mirror, I don’t see a Masterpiece! I see hair all over the place, drool in the corner of my mouth, and the right side of my face full of wrinkles made by my pillow. Don’t get me wrong; I want to be a Masterpiece! I desire to be everything that God has made me to be. But at times, a Masterpiece seems so out of reach, something that would take a lifetime to achieve. It’s definitely a process.
The “chiseling” process is all about God making us more like Jesus. It’s where He carves out the parts of our lives that do not reflect Him and chops off the areas of our character that holds us back from being and doing all that God has planned for us. Over the course of my life, I have been through the chiseling process countless times. It can be confusing, long lasting, and certainly painful. Once the chiseling process begins, the first question out of my mouth is always…”Why God?” God usually answers with a question for me, “Don’t you trust Me?” or “Do you want ALL that I have planned for you?” At that moment I have a choice to make: Surrender my will to God’s perfect plan for my life, or try to control the situation. When I choose to control the situation how I best see fit, it usually leads to frustration, anger, bitterness, resentment, and depression. I begin to spin my wheels round and round, never really making any progress. Once in full control mode, nothing goes right, everything is a chore, and I am exhausted by the effort. At that point, I usually start to question God out of my frustration asking…”Why are you doing this to me?” and “Why is this so difficult?” How thankful I am that God loves us so much, and out of His love, He is patient with us when we try to do things in our own strength and our own understanding. God will never force His plans or
purposes on us, but He always gives us the option to choose His ways over our own.
Planned Purpose What do you see when you look in the mirror? Can you look at yourself and say, “I’m God’s Original Masterpiece!” Or, when you look in the mirror do you tend to see what is wrong, instead of what is God’s? It’s time to realize that God does NOT create junk. Start each day looking in the mirror and say, “I am God’s Masterpiece!” Get in His Word and begin to see yourself as He sees you. Focus your efforts on taking one step at a time and allow Him to transform you from the inside out. God is the author and finisher of our faith every day of our lives. He has a plan and it is to give you purpose, prosperity, hope, and an amazing future. Once you start believing you are His masterpiece, then you will be able to lift your head and move forward to victory. v Michele Klein is the Founder and President of Bible Life Coach. BLC brings together the World’s Best Results Orientated Techniques, while grounding each principle in God’s Truth. Michele is passionate about helping people understand “Who they are in Christ” and “Whose they are in Christ”. Find more information on her website at www.biblelifecoach.com.
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10
Don’t Run The Red Light by Rob Morford I never make a decision when I am under pressure. Pressure to me is a sign to stop, look, and listen. Learning to listen to that still, small voice inside us is so hard in a culture filled with noise. To do this, I picture that God put a traffic light into my heart when I became a Christian. The light can be red, yellow, or green. Red is pressure and green is peace. Yellow tells me to proceed with caution. Jesus did not come to give me pressure; He came to give me peace. My rule of life is to never run red lights. Running red lights has consequences. As I look back over my life, I can see many times where I ran red lights and I can tell you, none of them turned out good. Proverbs 3:5-6 is my decision-making verse. It says, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths." As we take the time to seek God’s will, He will help us know how to proceed. v www.championsheart.org
Rob Morford is pastor of Community Church of Keystone Heights. He and his wife, Dotty have three children and two grandchildren.
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Building Boats To The Glory of God
An Example of “Love and Service” in Action
It is no secret that Correct Craft, builder of Nautique boats, has an extraordinary faith heritage and culture. Since 1925, they have been building boats for the glory of God using their passion for water sports and love for Christ to touch the world! Recently Kristi Overton Johnson had a chance to ask Correct Craft’s CEO, Bill Yeargin, about the impact the company’s faith has had on it’s employees and those in the water sports industry.
Kristi: Correct Craft is well known in our industry for its mission of “Building Boats for the Glory of God.” Is that still the company’s mission statement? Bill: Absolutely. If you visit us in Orlando, you can see it on big banners in our plant. Our faith culture is important to us. Kristi: Being a skier my entire life, I have seen and heard so many wonderful stories about Correct Craft and the Meloon family standing up for their faith. Is there anything about the past that stands out to you? Bill: As you know, Ralph Meloon (the son of our founder) will be 95 this year and still comes into Correct Craft every day. For decades, Ralph played a major part in building the story that is now Correct Craft’s Christian heritage. I am honored to often hear Ralph tell stories of Correct Craft’s past, including his travels to over 80 countries (even behind the iron curtain) to share his faith. As I travel around the world for Correct Craft, rarely do I visit a country that someone does not ask me about Ralph and share a Ralph story. Our dealer in Lebanon shared one story that stands out with me. Apparently, Ralph visited Lebanon during their civil war and everyone there was very concerned about his safety. He was staying at our dealer’s house and the dealer shared that one day, Ralph disappeared for several hours putting everyone in a serious panic. Ralph had found someone that would drive him to the front lines of the battle (literally), so that he could visit a small church he supported there and be an encouragement to them. Ralph is an amazing man and this story is so typical of him! Kristi: Some people were worried that after the Meloon family sold Correct Craft, perhaps the faith culture would slowly go away. Is that happening? Bill: If you ask Ralph Meloon, I believe he would tell you that Correct Craft’s faith culture is stronger than at any other Correct Craft has been a faithful supporter of In His Wakes, enabling us to bring Hope, Victory and Purpose to children world-wide.
time in the company’s history. Given the amazing history of the company, that is no small feat. Kristi: So how does Correct Craft glorify God in the business today? Bill: First, by loving God and others. I have said many times over the past few years that I want people to understand our values, not by what we say, but by how they see us live. Secondly, we glorify God through service. We want to serve each other and be there when someone in our Nautique family needs us. We want to serve our local community and we have done so over the years with groups like Give Kids the World and the Coalition for the Homeless. Most recently, we did a project with Habitat for Humanity, where Correct Craft funded a new home and our employees’ volunteered time to help work on it. Also, each year we take employees on mission trips outside of Central Florida. Kristi: Can you tell us more about the mission trips? Bill: As part of our desire to serve, each year we take groups of employees on mission trips. This past summer, we took twenty-six employees to the Apache Reservation in Arizona, where we worked on two homes for needy Apache families. Our team had a big impact on not only the homes where we served, but also through helping the organization that builds the homes to develop processes that will help them for years. It is amazing to see our dedicated employees work so hard for people who will never be able to repay them in any way. It is a true and unselfish service. We have also built homes for homeless families in Mexico, built beds for needy families in Guatemala, served in a home for teenage mothers in Nicaragua, and served in Ethiopia with an amazing organization there that is transforming tens of thousands of lives. Later this year, I am taking a group of employees to Kenya and Uganda to serve there. We want to put our beliefs into action. continued on page 17 4
pache home.
ng on an A families worki Correct Craft
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Love and Service by Kristi Overton Johnson I believe one of the biggest questions Christians ask is: “What is God’s will for my life?” As they wait for a big “sign” from above, they often experience fear over the possibility of missing “it” (“it” being God’s perfect plan). I’ve witnessed so many people sit indecisively, afraid to take even the slightest step forward, in fear that they will somehow get off course and miss God’s best. I have to admit, I’ve often been one of those people.
Correct Craft team members on the Apache reservation.
3Kristi: You have weekly employee Bible studies at the plant. How do employees view Correct Craft’s faith culture? Bill: Yes, we have a voluntary employee Bible study at Correct Craft and close to 25% of our employees attend each week. It is very important to me that employees who do not want to participate in our faith culture feel perfectly comfortable working at Correct Craft. We do not pressure anyone to do anything and participating in our faith culture does not provide any job advantages or protection. Even the employees who choose not to participate, tell me that they really appreciate the environment at Correct Craft. We have a very “G” rated atmosphere and people appreciate the trust and integrity that comes along with our culture. Kristi: What are the unique challenges of having a faith culture at Correct Craft? Bill: For me personally, there are two parts of our faith culture that are difficult. First, we are a business and have a responsibility to run our business well, so that it survives to carry on for many more decades. Often when we make a business decision that impacts someone negatively,
the person impacted will take it personally and accuse us (or me) of not being true to our beliefs. From their view, if we really cared about others, then we would never make a decision that impacts them negatively. Secondly, people who share our beliefs and want us to help them financially, bombard us. While we wish that we could help everyone, unfortunately we cannot. Sometimes when we turn down a financial request (which, unfortunately we do often), it opens up another opportunity for someone to question how true we are to our beliefs. Some people think that if we will not help their project, it means that we really don’t believe what we say. Both of the above examples are really tough for us because we do not want to discourage anyone. Kristi: Anything else you would like to say? Bill: Yes, I would like to thank you, Kristi, and In His Wakes for the amazing service you are doing. We appreciate both you and your team doing an incredible job at the chapel service for each year’s Masters tournament, as well as for the work you all do each year with kids around the country. Correct Craft is proud to be a long time sponsor of IHW and proud of our affiliation with you. v
Well today I’ve got some good news for you! God’s plan for our lives is pretty simple. We are called to love the Lord our God with all of our heart, soul, and mind and to love those He puts in our path. As we walk in this love, we are called to glorify Him in the way we live our lives and interact with others on a daily basis. How can we know how we are to live? Get in His Word and you’ll find God’s will for every day living. So often we want God’s BIG plan for our life, when He is just waiting for us to walk in obedience to His Word on a daily basis; to walk in integrity, love, compassion, generosity, trust, forgiveness, and justice... to name a few. It doesn’t matter how old we are, or what gender or race we may be. It doesn’t matter what we do for a living or how much money we have. It doesn’t matter if we are healthy or facing health issues. It doesn’t matter if we live in the city or in the depths of the jungle. Whoever we are, wherever we are, God’s will remains...we are called to love and serve Him, and to love and serve His people. Every day we come into contact with people, whether in our homes, ministries, or businesses. During these interactions we have an incredible opportunity to touch the world for Christ, to bring hope, joy, and peace into a hurting world through our love and service. You don’t have to head off on a huge mission trip to do this; you can do it right where you are today! One of the greatest joys I’ve experienced over the past decade with In His Wakes has been to see God take something so simple… water sports… and use it to touch tens of thousands of lives. How? Because of love and service. Through the simple act of showing unconditional love in the water and on the shores to at-risk youth, God has been glorified and lives has been changed.
Correct Craft CEO, Bill Yeargin, stands in front of one of many banners displayed throughout the Orlando plant stating the company’s mission, “Building Boats to the Glory of God”. www.championsheart.org
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God Always Gives You What You Need It was the summer of 1978, I’d just graduated from college with honors and the world was my oyster. My future was so bright and held boundless and limitless possibilities. But in all honesty, my reality was quite different. I’d moved back home one month after graduation harboring a dark secret; I was pregnant. I was terrified to tell my parents – my Dad, a prominent Pastor and my Mom, who was preparing to have major surgery. I’d come home to care for three younger siblings while my mother recuperated. My grandmother took one look at me, guessed my secret, pulled me into her arms and started singing, “Onward Christian Soldiers.” A tingle still goes down my spine to this day whenever I hear that song. Grandma Eula promised to keep my secret until I was ready to tell. My conscious finally got the better of me and two weeks after my mother had been released from the hospital, I gathered her and my father into our living room and spilled my secret. My father exploded and that’s putting it mildly, while my mother cried and tried with all her might to keep the peace. Even though I was young, I did not feel frightened or scared, but instead, I felt sadness and guilt for the shame I was bringing upon my family. At the time, my family was very prominent in the community and I had three younger, impressionable siblings still at home. They were
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“What would the neighbors think?
”What would Dad’s congregation think?
”What would the rest of the family think? not used to such discord in our home. I was extremely protective of my brother and sisters. I loved them more than anything. The family discussion began soon after what to do with the “pregnant one.” After all, I couldn’t stay at the family home… Oh No… that was not acceptable. After all, “What would the neighbors think?”… ”What would Dad’s congregation think?”… ”What would the rest of the family think?” I looked around the room at this family discussion and it was so surreal. I remember touching my belly. Not only did I already love this baby; I was falling in love with this child. I knew that I would risk all to protect him or her. I was told I had to leave my home, the only home I’d ever known. I needed to leave as quickly as possible and there was no offer of financial assistance. Just pack a bag and go. To the world my circumstances looked very dire and maybe a little hopeless. I had a few dollars saved; decided to pawn my television, and I borrowed $20 from a neighbor. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). Stepping out on faith, or simply not knowing any better, I caught the first bus out of town and moved approximately 600 miles south to Vanessa Ashley Florida. My roommate from makes her home in college and her mother took Gainesville, FL and me in and cared for me those is a buyer at GRU. first few weeks. Mentally and Her daughter, emotionally, I missed my famShema, has always been her inspiration ily. But God loved my unborn and makes her home child and myself so much, in Arlington, VA. that He provided us with loving, caring, and wonderful people. As wonderful as they
by Vanessa Ashley
were, I felt as if I was a burden. I prayed for a job and a permanent place to stay. It’s hard to believe anyone would hire a young pregnant girl. With God, all things are possible. The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? (Psalm 27:1). A family who ran a state operated boarding home was looking for a live-in maid. I applied for the position and God opened that door. That family welcomed me with open arms. I just couldn’t believe my good fortune. Seeds of trust were being planted. God was teaching me to not only trust Him, but also more importantly, trust “in” Him. My prayer life had really begun to take root, praying and seeking Him first in ALL things. Also, unbeknownst to me, I had strong prayer warriors interceding on my behalf. My mother, grandmother, best friend, and various other Christian warriors had strong intercessory prayer sessions asking God for guidance, forgiveness, strength, courage, peace, and reconciliation. There have been so many trials, so many missteps, and so many growing seasons these last 30+ years. I gave birth to a bouncing baby girl, who is the second love of my life to God. Shema, my only child, is bright, educated, beautiful, well adjusted, well traveled, and most importantly, she loves God. God’s light has shone so brightly on both of our lives. He certainly took my mess and transformed it into an incredible message of love and hope. I’ve learned through it all to never give up hope. Zechariah 9:12 refers to us being “prisoners of hope.” I’ve also learned to be open to God’s voice and let His Spirit lead. God’s thoughts and ways are always better. When “we” get out of the way and truly give Him control, then the world is truly our oyster. If there is one word of advice I can give from my life experiences it is this: Learn to forgive. Do not let the root of bitterness take hold of your life. God dealt with me on forgiveness in my early 20’s and I am so glad He did. You cannot move forward in life if you choose to remain in a world of hatred and bitterness. God is “love” and love calls us to forgiveness and peace. Hebrews 13:5 says, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” I thank God for this promise. I know wherever I find myself that God will bring me through. He’s never promised it would be the way I want it, or that it would be easy, but I’ve learned as long as I take “me” out of the equation and put “Him” first, I will always have the Victory! v www.championsheart.org
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Redeeming Love by Ann Prevatt
Like most girls, I didn’t check with God about whom I was to marry. I simply fell in love, married and expected God to bless my choices. The first years were good; we had two children, built a house, and began our respective careers. We had disagreements, but generally worked things out. I’ll admit, I seldom prayed or asked God about most of what was going on in our lives. As time went on, we began to have real difficulties over specific areas. The primary area of conflict was alcohol, in which my husband had started abusing. At first it was just an embarrassment at social functions, but as time went on, it became more frequent and severe. It was obvious that God was not blessing my mess. Many times I threatened divorce, and many times my husband made promises of doing “better.” After we had been married approximately 15 years, I had endured all that I could. That is when God intervened through His Word. He made Romans 7:2 “personal.” “For the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies, she is released from the law of her husband.” If you read that verse in context, it had nothing to do with my situation, but it was God’s Word for me at that time. From that moment on, I would have to trust God with the whole situation, as well as every part of my life. I also knew that He would honor my decision to be obedient. It wasn’t easy for our children or myself; however, none of us were ever physically abused. Had that been the case, perhaps the situation would have been different. My husband continued to work as an attorney and even though he was very intelligent, I knew that he was using poor judgment at times. Our children were teenagers when the drinking reached crisis stage, so they busied themselves with school, sports, and reading. I stayed busy with my teaching and all associated with that. I was so close to the situation that I couldn’t see the obvious, that he needed professional help. His secretary saw the need and called for medial help. He went to the hospital in the early stages of coma and liver failure.
My prayer at that time was, “Lord, either bring him all the way through this or take him home.” One night, while he was in the hospital, the Lord came to him in a vision and delivered him from alcoholism. (What a wonderful testimony it was, but he shared it very cautiously for fear people would think it was the d.t’s.)
Today I can say with assurance that God is faithful and His word is true. After a couple of trying weeks in the hospital, he came home. Two weeks later, he went into a month long program for alcoholics. The program helped him to get his mind focused on the future. We both had some counseling and I could see he was a changed man. I held on to God’s Word that “We know all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). After his treatment, he never drank again. There were still problems and some unpleasant consequences, but life was easier. By this time we were both committed Christians and God had shown Himself in many ways. Even though He was not a part of our life as we started out, He met us where we were and carried us forward in so many instances. It took some time before I could say (with faith) Ann Prevatt has that God is true to His Word lived in Keystone and that He had truly re- Heights, FL for over 45 years. She is deemed me. Today I can say retired but spends with assurance that God time volunteering is faithful and His word is at her church and true. “Christ has redeemed various ministries including Chamus (me)… that we (I) might pion’s Heart. She receive the promise of the enjoys time with Spirit through faith” friends and her four (Gal 3:13-14). v grandchildren.
How has God touched your life? Send us your story of Victory! Go to our website or use your smart phone to scan the QR code to see past issues of Victorious Living or submit your story.
www.championsheart.org
Have A Hurt? Hang Up? Habit?
It’s Time to be FREE! Come See What Celebrate Recovery Is All About! Held weekly at Champion’s Heart on Thursday Evenings @ 7pm.
For more information call Michelle at 904-449-4200
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MINISTRY NEWS
I am constantly amazed at all the ways God allows us to
minister to His people! As we soar into 2012, join with me in
prayer over each division of Champion’s Heart Ministries and celebrate with us as we strive to bring more
champions into His kingdom! For more news and updates, be sure to check our website often as well as sign up for our email newsletters at www.championsheart.org.
In His Wakes Volunteer Roundup If you are interested in volunteering at IHW’s fall events or host an event in 2013, please contact Nate at 352-745-0283 or nate@inhiswakes.com!
Champion’s Heart Provides Cherished Portraits For Local Families In August, Champion’s Heart partnered with Community Church in Keystone Heights, FL. during their annual back-to-school outreach for individuals in need. Champion’s Heart provided free family portraits. A special thanks goes to Krissy Harp Parmeter, who provided a beautiful portrait setting and professional photography services.
Champion's Heart Banquet! In November, we will be hosting a special fundraising event in Keystone Heights for the ministries of Champion's Heart. Please join us on our properties and see first hand what God is doing through your partnership. Call 352-478-2098 for more information.
In His Wakes Update Our team is currently on the west coast hosting our remaining 2012 "A Day to Remember" (D2R) events. During the next couple of months, our team will head back to our headquarters in Keystone Heights, Fl., stopping along the way to bring hope, victory, and purpose into the lives of at-risk youth! Please remember our team in your daily prayers. They have been going strong, by the grace of God, since March!
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International Update In His Wakes held four Czech events in August. Many challenges and obstacles threatened to derail the Czech events. But once again, our God is greater! His work was accomplished and we are confident that the impact will be long lasting and far reaching. What a privilege to work alongside the local church each day. They will be able to help our participants continue to grow spiritually. Thank you to our financial and prayer partners who made this possible! In His Wakes will return to beautiful Costa Rica in December to host a series of D2R events. While there, we will have the privilege of touching the hearts of Nicaraguan refugees through water sports activities, warm hospitality, and a powerful message of God's love. If you would like to contribute to this mission trip, please contact us immediately. Victorious Living is having an international impact, especially in the water sports community. Thousands of copies have reached the hands and hearts of athletes, coaches, and fans across the globe. Kristi Overton Johnson's REFRESH! teaching ministry is touching hearts worldwide through her writing, speaking, and singing ministry. Be sure to get on our mailing list to receive encouraging messages based on God's Word. You can also watch inspiring videos on championsheart.org.
Champion’s Heart Scholarships and Awards Winners • Meg McCollom and Miranda Deviel received $1000 as winners of the Emily Rund Champion’s Heart Scholarship. This scholarship is awarded annually to graduates of Keystone Heights High School for exemplifying the heart of a champion. • K.C. Wilson of Clermont, FL. was awarded the Kristi Overton Johnson Champion’s Heart Award for his performance on the water at the US Masters Water Ski and Wake Board Tournament and for his integrity and character off the water! • Taylor Woosley of Monte Verde, FL. was awarded $500 as winner of the In His Wakes Scholarship. This scholarship is awarded annually to competitors of the US Jr. Masters Water Ski and Wake Board Tournament for overall excellence in character, athletics, community service, and academics.
A Day To Remember participant in Costa Rica experiences the freeedom of gliding across the water.
www.championsheart.org
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by Nate Miller, In His Wakes Director
For some time now, I’ve felt the Lord showing me the importance of ministering to people on the shore while they wait for their turn on the water, and the opportunity it offers to build relationships. I’ve prayerfully considered how to approach this need and who best to take on the challenge. The Lord was faithful to give me the answer and one year later, the work is being done. In July of 2011, I experienced one of the most impacting events of my six seasons with “In His Wakes”, not only because of the situations surrounding the participants, but also those who came to minister to them. At that particular event, several young adults from “Youth With A Mission” (YWAM) came to volunteer at our “A Day to Remember” event in Montana. As I watched this group of volunteers minister to our participants on the shore and evangelize with such boldness, it was evident that this was a needed element for the shores of our future “A Day to Remember” events. Over the next six months, I prayed for God to assemble His “Dream Team”, a team that would travel with my wife, Ivy, and I, during the 2012 season. Coming into 2012, we didn’t
www.championsheart.org
know “who” and we didn’t know “how”, but we trusted that God was about to do something amazing in our midst… and He did. In the spring, God provided the funds through a donor to purchase a second motor home and then He filled it at various times throughout the summer with 8 different young adults, all on-fire for the Lord and ready to serve. Event after event, I watched in amazement, as this international “team” of young adults poured themselves into the participants. Individuals from the US, Czech Republic, Africa, and South Africa were used by God to bring about an incredible number of responses to the gospel. People could just sense the genuine, Christ-filled love that these young people brought to the water, not to mention their energy! It wasn’t just the participants who were impacted by this added group of young evangelists. At every event, our hosts and volunteers expressed their amazement at seeing a group of young people operate with such boldness for the Lord. With an expanded team, God enabled us to expand our ministering opportunities from the lake together. At several events, we were able to visit the participants at their program centers and continue our ministering apart from the actual “A Day to Remember” event. For example, after our events in Maine, our team had the opportunity to go into the detention facility (the facility where our participant’s lived) and conduct a chapel service. With the combined talents of each person, we were able to sing, perform a powerful skit, and teach about God’s unconditional love! You could feel God’s presence in the room,
as He moved in the hearts of these young detainees. In fact, at one point, the Spirit moved so powerfully that the guards began to get a bit uneasy about maintaining control. That day, we were blessed to witness an amazing response to the “altar call!” Since the kids were not allowed to leave their seats, each member of our group placed their hands on as many people as they could reach and led them in a prayer of salvation and healing. As I’ve reflected on the 2012 season, one thing is for sure, that God has been at work. He’s been at work in our team, and He’s been at work in me! Many times I’ve had to step aside, so that God’s plan could be accomplished. As I moved aside, God did abundantly more than I could have ever hoped for or imagined. At this point, many of our team members have already returned to their homes abroad. We are back down to one motor home and a five member traveling team. As we continue our 2012 tour nationally and abroad, it is my prayer that we finish with the same level of enthusiasm and love that we’ve had so far. As we stay focused on Him, I am confident the Lord will continue to use this group in a mighty way! Thank you to all the prayer warriors out there! Your faithfulness of continually lifting us up in prayer makes a difference! Thank you also to our hosts, volunteers, and our financial supporters. You all are a part of God’s “Dream Team” …we couldn’t do it without you! v 21
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Enjoying Being by Reneé Harp
I wish that I were as rich as them. I wish that I were as skinny as her. I wish that I could find a husband. I wish that my husband treated me better. I wish that I were smarter in school. I wish that I had her spiritual gifts. Do any of these statements sound familiar? I believe that if we are honest with ourselves, at some time or another, we have all compared ourselves with other people or desired someone else's life, possessions, looks, money, talent… the list can go on and on. I’ve often struggled with comparisons and I’ve often wished my life to be different and more like the next person’s. In fact, I struggled with “enjoying being me” until my mid-thirties. During this time, I constantly compared my looks, my career, and my family with those who seemed to “have it all together.” Oftentimes, I even did things to fit in with those I wanted to be like. One time I redecorated my house with country ducks, just so my house would look like someone else’s. The funny thing is that I didn’t even like ducks, and to be brutally honest, I didn’t even enjoy being around the people that I so desperately wanted to be like. My husband Terry hated those ducks and so did I! Isn’t it amazing what we will do, just to “fit in?” I’m sure that I’m not the only one who has done things to impress people and be accepted. When I think back as to why I would do these things, it was because I didn't understand that God had a specific plan for me. I didn’t realize He had created me in a special way with gifts, abilities, and opportunities that could be used in a unique way for Him… in a way no one else was equipped to do. I didn’t understand that every time I focused on being someone else, I lost the ability to be me, unique me! John 10:10 says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” I believe with all of my heart that comparisons are a scheme of our enemy to bring destruction. Satan’s goal is to distract us, to keep our eyes off Christ and His plan for our lives. As we focus on others through comparisons, Satan knows we will have a tendency to feel bad about ourselves and fall into self-pity as we come to the conclusion that our gifts and our lives don’t measure up and surely can’t make a difference in this world. 22
ME!
Reneé and husband, Terry, reside in Keystone Heights. Reneé is the Administrative Director for Champion’s Heart and In His Wakes.
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Romans 12:2 If Satan gets his way, our self-pity may even evolve into a little jealousy, anger, resentment, and ultimately despair. This way of thinking affected my self-esteem and even damaged relationships because I wasn't true to myself. My eyes weren’t open to see myself as God saw me. The truth is that God designed us before the foundation of the world. He knew our gifts and personalities before we were ever born. He loved us enough to die for us! So why are we constantly trying to change our Maker's creation? If God wanted us to "copycat" each other, why would He go to so many extremes to make us different? Think about it. The creator of the galaxies, moon, sun, stars, of everything we see, took the time to give you and I our own set of fingerprints, DNA, and even a unique laugh! He created us with unique thought patterns, personalities, looks, skin color, gender… on and on I could go. The answer is He wants you and I to be exactly whom He created, "YOU" and “ME”, and no one else. I think it’s time to lay aside comparisons and begin to see yourself as God sees you. Don’t you? It’s time to start enjoying being ourselves. How? First of all, quit looking into the world’s mirror and look into God’s mirror, His Word. See what He says about you and your life… I think you’ll be surprised. Secondly, quit comparing yourselves to others and start being a blessing to others. F i n a l l y, rather than tear yourself down, build yourself up. Begin to make a list of your unique self and thank God for the life He has given you. v
We asked our readers to share what they have done to find worth and acceptance in the eyes of others… I was trying to get an interview with an airline for a pilot position. With 20,000 applications, they weren’t taking any calls. So, to get their attention, I sent a worn-out pair of sneakers to the VP of Personnel explaining that I had worn out my shoes pacing back and forth while I waited for their call. The person in charge of pilot hiring called me out of curiosity- to see if I was a nut or sane- and the rest is history. I ended up flying for them for 25 years. ~Jeff
a
My mom bought me a pair of boots that I loved. When I wore them to school, my friend said that they were ugly, so I wouldn’t wear them anymore. ~Ivy
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To compensate for my insecurities, I did many outlandish things. As a teen, I jumped on the roof of my car and rode down a skateboard hill with no one driving the car. I also drove my first boat wide-open, “James Bond Style” onto a beach! It took the rest of the afternoon to get it back into the water. ~Rusty
a
I set up a first date with a girl to go to the skating rink, a place that she wanted to go. This itself was crazy because I was not much of a skater. Towards the end of the night, I had worked out most of the kinks and decided that I was going around the rink one more time before we left. My feet got tangled up and I fell down and broke my ankle. That was the first and last date with that girl.
a
~Vernon
I drank a whole bottle of “Boone's Farm” wine at about age 14 to impress some friends. ~Anonymous
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INSPIRING LEADERSHIP
How Can I Know by Bonnie Hagemann Decisions… Decisions… Decisions… Every day we are faced with thousands of decisions that seem to come at us with lightening-like speed. Sometimes the decisions are easy and have limited impact. Should I buy this shirt? Should I go for a walk now or later? But many times decisions are hard, complex and have to be made in a short amount of time with limited information. Should I take this job? Should I let my daughter start dating? Should I place my loved one in assisted living? Should I file bankruptcy? Should I sell my business? These types of decisions are never easy. Recently, I had to make a tough decision regarding the sale of my business to a large company. As I wrestled with my decision, I found myself completely at a loss as to what to do. The opportunity looked good to people in my trusted inner circle, and it initially looked good to me. The acquiring company was large in size and had a good reputation in our field. They had a great leadership team in place that would help the company to continue to grow. Even better, I would have an incredible job with great benefits. It looked like a complimentary fit. However, when I thought about this opportunity, tears would roll down my cheeks.
Am I at peace with this in my heart? Does this decision align with my personal values? Will those closest to me be able to live with the impact of my decision?
Surprised by my own reaction, I knew it was time to seek wisdom from above. One morning during my routine run, I began to converse with God about this opportunity. I asked Him to reveal why my spirit was crying over this decision. I knew it was my spirit, because my flesh was screaming, “GO FOR THE MONEY!” When I pray, God shows me things in images, in a very visual way. It’s how He speaks to me; it’s how I understand Him. During our conversation, God showed me a courtroom with a judge sitting on the bench. Then I heard Him say, “I’m going to teach you how to make judgments” (decisions). Great! I thought. That’s exactly what I need. God reminded me of the story of King Solomon found in I Kings 3:16-28. If you remember, Solomon was faced with the task of deciding the true identity of the mother of a little baby. Both women stood before him claiming the child was theirs. Each woman pled her case before the King. In this scene, God showed me that there were influential people trying to persuade Solomon to decide one way or the other. There was a lot of pressure in this decision. During my prayer time, I suddenly saw a curtain drop out of the sky on three sides of the baby. This curtain blocked out everyone except for Solomon and the baby. In my spirit I heard God say, “When you need to make a judgment (decision), you must first silence all of the competing voices.” This is exactly what Solomon did. In his situation, many voices competed for his attention… the voices
of the women and the voices of people in Solomon’s inner circle. The problem however, was that some of the “voices” were lying. To bring forth the truth, Solomon in his wisdom said, “Cut the baby in half! That way each of you can have part of him” (1 Kings 3:25). He knew the real mother would give her baby up before she would allow the baby to be killed. His plan worked and the baby went home with its mother. Truth was exposed and a right decision was made. God then took me back to my decision of whether or not to let my business be acquired by a larger company. I realized that I had to silence all of the competing voices. I also had the revelation that money has a voice. In my prayer time I saw it. I saw money personified, and it was yelling in my face. As I mentally dropped the curtain and shut out money’s voice, I began to see clearly. I saw that in this situation, selling my company would bring negative results. I would be trading my LIFE for money, especially my time. I would lose time with my family, time to do the things I love, and most importantly, I would lose my time with God. In this quiet place I found my answer, and in this answer, I found peace. I gently backed away from the deal. If there is one thing I have learned in my decisionmaking processes, it is that learning to hear God’s voice is more important than taking classes and reading books on how to make a good decision. It’s more important than the latest financial peace course or diet or exercise phenomenon. I have found that all of my personal and business problems get worked out if I spend enough time with God through prayer and through the study of His Word. He always has the answer to my every question, my task is to get still before Him, quiet the voices that call out to me, and listen. Jeremiah 33:3 “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” NIV v Bonnie Hagemann is a member of the Board of Directors for Champion’s Heart Life Centers. Bonnie is the CEO of Executive Development Associates, a 28-year-old internationally known boutique consulting firm that specializes in executive development, executive coaching, and high potential development. To date, Bonnie has 11 published works.
Need wisdom for a business decision? Visit Bonnie’s blog at https://bonniehagemann.wordpress.com or use your smart phone to scan the QR code. www.championsheart.org
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CHAMPIONS HEART AWARD
Quiting Is Not An Option
by Kristi Overton Johnson
What is a champion? Or better yet, who is a champion. One popular definition of a champion is “a person who has defeated or surpassed all rivals.” The world celebrates champions in various areas such as sports, business, and the media. According to this definition, I’ve met a lot of “champions” in my life. From professional athletes, famous actors and top business executives, to military and political leaders, I’ve been blessed to meet the cream of the crop in various fields. If I were to line up the world’s “champions” and examine their lives, I would find common traits of perseverance, excellence, and discipline. I would find a teachable heart and a mind willing to listen to others. I would find a tenacious spirit, a “never give up in the face of adversity” attitude. In my life, the people who have impacted me the most aren’t the “champions” that I’ve met in athletics or in the corporate world, although they do inspire me. The “champions” who have touched my life the most are ordinary people who live out the above mentioned qualities in their daily lives… people such as Dan and Sue Plaster. I met this amazing couple when Tim and I moved to Keystone Heights, Florida in the mid 1990’s. One of the first times that I met Sue, she came right over to me, gave me a big hug and then surprisingly planted a sweet kiss on my forehead. She then invited me to lunch, where we shared our hearts and our struggles and learned that other than the 40 year age difference, we had much in common. Over the years, Sue’s faithfulness to her husband, family, and community has inspired me to live life to the fullest. Now in her 80’s, Sue continues to work in the real estate industry, as well as serve faithfully in her church and local ministries. You can always find Sue promoting worthy events and even organizing them, such as our community’s recent, “Pray for Rain” gathering. Dan, like Sue, has a spirit that both encourages and challenges anyone to greatness. From the first time I met Dan, I witnessed his heart of perseverance and from that day, he has reminded me, just by watching him live, to never, ever give up.
One of the first times I encountered Dan was at church. Tim and I were sitting behind him and Sue when the pastor asked us to turn to a certain scripture. Tim and I, as well as Sue, quickly turned to the scripture and followed along with the reading. But I couldn’t help but notice that Dan was having a bit of trouble. Over and over again, he would grab the page of the Bible only to have it slip from his hands. I didn’t realize at the time, but Dan has a condition that results in hand tremors when he engages his hand muscles. This condition Dan and Sue celebrate their receipt of the Champion’s Heart Award with their makes daily tasks like eating, family in Christ: Tim and Kristi Johnson; combing your hair, brushing your Terry and Reneé Harp; Buck and LeaNan teeth, or Dan’s favorite… teeing Burney; and Anna and Melodie Purkey. up a golf ball…very difficult. Over and over again, Dan attempted to turn the page of the Bible. I was sure he would give up when the pastor moved on to other scriptures, but Dan kept When I asked Sue to share the source behind their on grabbing at the corner of that page, unaffected by strength, she replied, “Quitting is not in our the fact that we had moved on. All I could think was, vocabulary. When Dan was diagnosed with cancer, he “Wow! This man is something!” I was blown away by just looked at me and said, ‘I don’t know how to quit! his refusal to quit. I was also blessed by his patience. I I refuse to give up.’” continue to be blown away by Dan’s persevering spirit When I asked Dan how he faces his challenges with as I’ve witnessed him face not only the daily challenges such patience and perseverance, he simply replied, “I of his tremors, but also continuing treatments for have so many things to be thankful for, I just focus on myeloma cancer and painful back spasms, all with joy. those!” Both agree that their faith in God is the true One of the greatest blessings to me has been to witsource of their strength. It is what enables them to keep ness Dan and Sue as a couple. They have an incredible going in the face of adversity. relationship that continues to grow even after 60 years! Thank you, Dan and Sue, for touching my life and I am amazed by the respect and faithfulness they have the lives of many by choosing never to quit. As you towards one another. I remember waiting for Sue to turn push forward daily with joy in your heart, you encourthe page for Dan at church, but she didn’t. She knew age, inspire, and challenge the hearts of many! Connot to step in at that moment. But there have been gratulations on being recipients of this issue’s other times when I’ve watched her quietly come to his “Champion’s Heart Award.” It is well deserved, as you side and help where needed. They have learned to face both have the hearts of champions! life’s daily challenges together, in a manner that builds We love you! v each other up and gives each other value.
Champion’s Heart Life Center would like to recognize individuals who exhibit the heart of a champion…
a heart of love, integrity, patience, and perseverance. In this issue of Victorious Living, Champion's Heart would like to present The Champion's Heart Award to Dan & Sue Plaster. Dan and Sue exemplify the heart of a champion... a heart of integrity, generosity, love, and kindness. Their servants’ hearts have made it possible for many to achieve their dreams. Ultimately, because of the foundation that they have provided, many lives have been forever changed.
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www.championsheart.org
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We asked our readers to share what they have done to find worth and acceptance in the eyes of others…
One of the craziest things that I ever did was join in a group’s plan to ostracize a girl based on something we had “heard” about her. We all ignored this girl and shut her out of our lives completely. We treated her terribly. After several weeks of ignoring her, we found out that the group’s ringleader had made up the story about this girl and told it to us as “truth” because she was extremely jealous of her. We were HORRIFIED at the way we had treated her but more importantly - we were horrified at how gullible we had been. We went to the person, explained the situation, and asked her forgiveness. She took the high road and forgave us, BUT we could tell we had hurt her to the core. Although this happened 30 years ago, I have never forgotten it. Because of this experience, I’ve learned to pray for a discerning spirit and to seek God's guidance when it comes to man's opinions. I listen to what people say - but I judge what I believe by trusting God to always show me ~Vanessa truth.
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What IS Champion’s Heart? Champion’s Heart helps people of all ages, genders and socio-economic status break free, move forward, and soar to victory! Thousands of people are being touched through our local, national and international ministries daily. Here is a quick look at our outreach programs:
When I was 17, I did a “flying dock start” bare footing off the Brooklyn Bridge. I tore up my knee and couldn't ski for 2 months. All for ~Dana some dumb boy!
Champion’s Heart “In His Wakes” Sports Outreach encourages at-risk youth to “GET OFF THE DOCK!” of life through our “A Day to Remember” program. Through an incredible day on the water, warm hospitality from our team, and a message of God’s love, our participants grab hold of the truth: they are loved, there is hope, and their lives have purpose! IHW also ministers “On the Shores” at amateur and professional water ski events sharing the love of Jesus Christ through worship services and by mentoring junior competitors to be champions for Christ.
The craziest thing that I ever did to impress someone was riding a mechanical bull shortly after having hamstring surgery! What was I ~ Christine thinking?
Champion’s Heart Kids Outreach builds leaders through local Bible Clubs, academic scholarships, and special events. Sports clinics, arts and crafts, dance lessons, and more allow Champion’s Heart to build mentoring relationships with children to develop hearts of character… hearts of champions!
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As a teenager, I wanted to “breathe fire” like Gene Simmons from KISS. The trick went well most of the time, until the time my face caught on fire!
~Anonymous
Champion’s Heart Victorious Living helps people soar to victory through our quarterly magazine, faith-based motivational writings, audio and video messages, and motivational seminars.
Champion’s Heart Life Resource Center provides on-site resource assistance and referral service (food, housing, furniture, basic needs) as well as relational and recovery support.
www.championsheart.org www.championsheart.org
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e d i s t u O g n i r o Col s e n i L The by Bandi Morford
My name is Bandi. I am a single, 36 year old woman who has never been married. I have no kids, nor do I have a career. I am overweight and out-of-shape. I have no medical insurance, 401K, or retirement plan. I don’t have a house; in fact, I don’t even own a TV.
Four years ago, I quit my job and decided to live a more simple life. This is not the story of how or why; rather, this is the story of how I live with my decision. After college, I moved to South Florida, where I held the positions of teacher and athletic coach for ten years. As a single career woman, I bought a big house and filled it full of stuff! Eventually the stuff began to own me, so I decided it was time to simplify and change gears. I ended up selling nearly all of my possessions and moving to Hawaii. After a year in Hawaii, I moved to South Korea to teach English. During my stay in Korea, my eyes were opened to a new world of people and their culture. To say the travel bug bit me would be an understatement. My backpack and I have made our way through 20 countries throughout the world. I’ve met the most amazing people in my travels that always seem to want to take me back to their homeland to show me their way of life. My next adventure is to join my new Russian friends who will guide me through their homeland, as well as the Ukraine. Only God knows where I’ll end up after that. From the outside looking in, some people may think I have the perfect life. Some may say I have nothing. But can we ever truly understand how another lives, until we have walked in their shoes? My prayer is that I can truly understand my God and myself. I have moments where I struggle, as I compare myself to those around me. I begin to feel lonely, unaccepted, and not good enough. When this happens, I feel myself slip-
Bandi Morford is a world traveler and a native of Melrose, FL.
ping into a deep hole of depression. My mind becomes filled with negative thoughts that convince me that everyone sees me as a failure in life. In the end, these thoughts transfer to how I see myself. My biggest struggle has been over my decision to remain career-less. At home in the US, I feel it is not acceptable to live without a “real” job, a home, and a family. As humans, we are constantly looking at each other to see if we have life figured out and under control as much as the next person. It is a battle for one not to drown in it all! At times, I’ve grown angry with God for not making me “fit in”, for not making me like other people. Sometimes I feel as if He left me out to dry with no real passion for the things that make me acceptable in this society. I blame Him for not revealing a definite “plan” for my life. Recently, I attended a conference about creating your own “life story.” This conference helped change my perspective and helped me find the peace and confidence to move forward in my life. At this conference, I learned something incredible. It is this: I am different; I am unique; I am weird; and I do not fit within the American lifestyle stereotype. BUT, none of this means my story is not loved and accepted by my Father God. 4
ra, India
Ag Taj Mahal,
hailand
Mai, T g n a i h C
Makin Phnom Pegn friends in h, Cambod ia 26
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India
3Donald Miller gave this example: He said to imagine God as just a normal Dad sitting on the floor with you, His child. He pulls out a big sheet of butcher paper and a box of crayons and says, “Let’s color together! Draw whatever you want.” You begin to draw with your Father, the best you know how. Like any parent, no matter what you draw, no matter how out of the lines you may go, no matter what color you use, your Father thinks it’s gorgeous. He even hangs your picture on his fridge for the world to see!
like. He isn’t concerned with where I live, how I look, how much money I make, or what I do for a living - NO! God does not see size, or color, or race, or gender, or profession…He sees hearts. He isn’t looking for someone who colors within the lines; He is simply looking for a heart willing to live out loud for Him. God’s greatest desire is for the two of us to do this thing called life - TOGETHER! God does not need for me to have a career to be a success to Him. He doesn’t need for me to be a size 6 to fit into the life He wants for
on the i, India g n i w o s R , Varana r e v i R anges
G
In this example, God is our Father and our life is the butcher paper and crayons. The drawing we color may not be the same as everyone else’s, but Father God still loves it. He is proud of it. This brings me such hope, as I realize that He loves my “life picture” even though it may be different than other peoples, even though it may not be colored in the “normal” way. I’ve also found peace in the realization that God isn’t focused on what my “picture” looks
me. I do not need a 401K or a retirement plan to get into heaven. His desire is for me to love Him, to love myself, and to love others, whether at home or abroad. That is my goal. I pray I will no longer listen to the lies of this world that scream I am not good enough because I do not fit the “mold.” In my heart of hearts, I know that I am making a masterpiece with my Father, as we travel through life together. v
Being in the
right place…
Right With God! How many stories have we heard about someone being in the right place at the right time? Well, what if it’s not necessarily where you are, but rather where you are with God that matters? If you are open to allowing God’s love to shine through you, it really doesn’t matter where you are located physically. God is at work everywhere! So whether you find yourself working out at the gym, cleaning your house, working at the office, serving in full-time ministry, or, like Bandi, traveling the world; by being willing to see the world with God’s eyes and touch people with His heart of love, the world around you can be forever changed! You don’t have to leave your zip code to impact the world, you can make a world of difference every single day, right where you are, as long as your heart, mind, and soul are in the right place… in line with the heart of God!
As a matter of fact, do everything that way, heartily and freely to God's glory. ~1 Corinthians 10:31 (MSG)
Delivering books to kids who’ve never had one, Luang Prabang, Laos
www.championsheart.org
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A Look in the r o r r i M by Jean Roach
I
was sitting at the kitchen table looking at myself in my hand mirror when my Dad walked in. I let him know by my expression that I considered his presence an intrusion, that I wanted to be left alone, and that I wasn’t in the mood to hear anything he had to say. “What are you doing?” I thought it was obvious what I was doing, but to cut the conversation short, I answered him tersely, “Looking at myself in the mirror.” After a few silent seconds, I asked what every teenage girl wants to know, “Daddy, am I pretty?” “You’re beautiful!” He responded without hesitation. I put the mirror down and let him know in no uncertain terms that I knew exactly what he was doing. “Daddy, you have to say I’m beautiful! You’re my father. That’s your job!” My father laughed. “It’s not my job! I don't have to say anything. You are Beautiful! Why did you ask me if you don’t believe me?” “It is your job!” I argued with him. “That’s the job God gives all fathers. Fathers have to tell their daughters they are beautiful. I just wanted to see if you do your job and tell the truth.” My father continued to laugh. He could be so irritating. How dare he call me beautiful and expect me to believe it! Everybody told me that I looked just like him and he certainly was not my idea of beautiful. Besides, I had the mirror; I could see my blemishes. The only thing that bothered me was that I could also see my father’s eyes. I could tell by the way that he looked at me that he really believed that I was beau-
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tiful. I wasn’t sure which to believe -- my mirror or my father’s eyes. It would not be until years later when my own children were born that I would understand that both my father and I had been right. I was beautiful and it was his job to tell me. Parents see a beauty beyond the senses, a beauty called into being by the one who recognizes it. We parents believe in our heart that our child will make a difference in this world. God the Father is the same. He tells us in the Book of Isaiah,“… You are precious… in my sight.” (Isaiah 43:4) NIV Some of us hold God the Father at arm’s length and argue with Him in our hearts because we see only our blemishes of sin and failure and weakness, and we believe we could not possibly be precious. When the Father looks at us, He sees only what He created us to be. He sees the beauty of our gifts and talents, kindness, generosity, humility and justice, and He constantly calls that beauty into being. He believes in His heart, that His children will make a difference in this world. Each of us has to decide which to believe, the voice of deception or the voice of the One Who created us. Let us allow the beauty within us to come forth so that, as we grow, we look more and more like our heavenly Father. Let us ask for the grace to believe as the Psalmist: “…You have created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful…” (Psalm 139: 1314) NIV v
We asked our readers to share what they have done to find worth and acceptance in the eyes of others…
I have done many stupid things to be accepted. None of them ever worked & most backfired on me. I've cheated, lied, & stolen… only the Lord knows what else! Once in the sixth grade, I voted for myself twice in a contest. I got caught because I had folded the two pieces of paper together. I had to confess to the teacher what I had done. I praise God that I don’t have to do anything for Him to accept me. I thank Him that old things have ~Jessie passed away!
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It was "Amateur Night" at the Ft. Worth Texas Rodeo. I had a date and decided to ride a bull in the arena, as I was aiming to "impress" my lady. Impress her I did. I rode the bull, a big white Brahma, for eight seconds--- then leapt off and ran as fast as I could for the stands, where I dove in head first--- just ahead of ~John W. the bull.
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I tried to be trim and healthy to make my husband and others proud.
You are
precious
…in my sigh
t.”
Isaiah 43:4 N
IV
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~Anonymous
When I was in college, I took a fire truck for a joy ride through the campus. My buddy and I were driving around with the siren and lights on trying to impress the ladies. We even called out to them on the PA system. In the end, we got the fire truck stuck in a ditch and landed in a whole lot of trouble! No, I was not chemically impaired; this was my ~Nate “normal” behavior!
Jean Roach resides in Gainesville, FL. She has led an intercessory prayer for more than 35 years and helps people know the love of God through her publications. Jean has five grandchildren.
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Popular It was 1977. I was a fifth grader and a pretty good athlete. Baseball was my favorite sport; in fact, I had made all-stars every year since five pitch. By accident, I discovered that I was good at track too. The junior high school track coach came over to the elementary school one day looking for two kids to run on the jr. high track team. The whole school ran 100-yard dashes to determine who would run with the older kids. By the end of the week, I found myself on the jr. high track team. All of a sudden, I went from just another kid in school, to a kid almost everyone knew about. Even the junior high kids knew that I was fast. Talk about a confidence boost! Over the next two years, I grew in popularity. I was in the “in crowd” and sitting at the “who’s who” table with all of the other popular kids. But then came puberty. It happened in the eighth grade. It seemed everyone in school hit their growth spurt except for me. All around me, voices deepened and facial hair sprouted, but I stayed a child. In the ninth grade, I measured a whopping 4 foot 10 inches tall. All of a sudden, these “men” Kenny Vaughan is Founder of Athletes for Christ and creator of Shields of Strength. shieldsofstrength.com
www.championsheart.org
by Kenny Vaughan
didn’t want the little boy around. My friends who normally saved me a seat at lunch were now sending me away with the excuse, "Someone is sitting there". I started eating alone to avoid the embarrassment of having them send me away, only to pull up an extra chair for someone else. As I look back, I don’t think that they were trying to be mean; they were just trying to protect their image. To top off this rejection, my small frame hindered me from excelling in the sports that I had always loved and dominated. Imagine going from the best kid in the league, to a kid who didn’t even make the baseball team in ninth grade. I was pretty heart broken. One day as I sat alone, I began to notice something that I had never noticed before… other kids were sitting alone at lunch too. Rather than sit by myself, I began to join them and I realized they were really nice kids. What shocked me the most was how they viewed my old friends. They saw the popular kids as confident, strong, and courageous. If only they knew the “real” kids behind the masks. What bothered me the most was how I had ignored these kids for years out of selfishness; I had never thought about them because I was too busy thinking about myself. I also struggled with realizing how much value I had placed on myself because of my performance. Well by eleventh grade I finally grew (not much as I'm still only 5' 5"), but I was finally taller than the shortest girl in school! I was also beginning to excel in water skiing, which of course got me an invitation back to the “cool” table. Only thing was… I really didn't want to sit there anymore. I had made new friends, friends who had accepted me for me, not because of my performances.
I learned so much in high school, probably the most valuable life lessons I could have ever learned. I learned that everyone has value and that value isn’t based on his or her performances. I also learned how important it is to make sure people know that they have value. Coach Lewis taught me this lesson. Everyday when I walked past his room, he would call out my name. To this day I don’t know why, but boy did it make me feel good to be acknowledged. Sometimes, I would walk all the way around the school just to pass his room before going to my next class, which was right next-door! He encouraged me every single day through a simple greeting. I’ve always tried to do the same. I do my best to listen as intently to a guy living on the street, as I do a General Officer at the Pentagon. Acts 10:34 says that God does not show favoritism; He isn’t a respecter of persons. He loves us all the same, whether we sit at the popular table or not. We all have value to Him, so much so that He sent His most precious possession (His Son) to die for us all. He allowed Himself to be nailed to a cross for you and for me based on His love for us, not our performances. Get that truth in your heart and it will change everything! Jesus is the perfect example for us to follow in all areas of our lives, but especially in relationships with people. He gave His all for us, regardless of who they were and what they had done. We often hold back because of fear; fear of what other’s may think and fear of what it may cost us. Perfect love casts out all fear (I John 4:18). Lay those fears aside and believe enough in your own value to make a sacrifice for someone else no matter how much it cost. In that place of sacrifice, you will truly find life, joy, peace, and worth. v
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OHoHw H!e LOVES us!
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by Brad Williams
He is jealous for me… Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree, bending beneath the weight of His wind and mercy. When all of a sudden, I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory and I realize just how beautiful You are and how great Your affections are for me!
And OH…
How He loves us so!
McMillan, John Mark. “How He Loves.” Lyrics. The Song Inside the Sounds of Breaking Down. Integrity Media, 2010.
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“I just love that outfit.” “Oh, I love this recipe.” The examples are many. We use the word love in so many different ways and contexts, it seems as if we have forgotten exactly what it means, or even what it implies. Even when it comes to the love of God, we tend to speak of it the way we do most anything else: tritely and overwhelmingly shallow. While we may acknowledge God’s love as something that is real and perhaps present, why does it often seem to move us so little? One of the most profound truths found in the Bible is that God loved us enough to give Himself for us. One verse in the Bible sums up the gospel truth of God’s love like no other verse in all of Scripture: John 3:16. This verse is widely known and often quoted, yet it seems as if we have missed what God’s Word is saying to us. Most people know this verse by heart, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” Many Christians quote it, and many preachers preach it, but the question is ... Do we really understand what John is saying? Having a proper understanding of John 3:16 will shape how we understand the ministry of Christ, the love of the Father, and the power of the gospel. For many, when they read John 3:16, they focus on whom God loves. Now, no doubt God’s love does reach the world-- which I certainly think is a point to be made here--but that is not the main point. The primary purpose in John 3:16 is to tell how God loves. The word “so” is a Greek word that is more appropriately translated, thus or in this way. So, when we look at the verse we should actually read it as follows: “For God loved the world in this way: He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” As we see, John’s focus is not just to show the width of God’s love--to whom it is extended. Rather, John is showing us the unfathomable depth of God’s love. The gospel is not merely a call to faith; it is a call to live in the reality of the deep, rich love of God. We must understand that God did not merely say I love you, He demonstrated His love by giving His perfect Son as a sacrifice to atone for our sin.
Humanity was separated from God by the curse of sin, and God restored our relationship by giving us Jesus. Both the faith and the life that flow through the power of the cross are the result of God’s love. Why do we trust God? Because He showed us His love and trustworthiness through the cross, that is why. Why do we enjoy eternal life? God’s love for us through the cross has given us new life in Christ. What John gives us here is “love in action.” That is, God has not only confessed to love us, He has proven how much He loves us by giving His Son as a ransom for the souls of His people. This is the vertical side of the equation-the aspect dealing specifically with our relationship with God. There is, however, a horizontal aspect as well-how God’s gift of love effects how God’s people reflect that love to others.
God’s sacrificial love must be the pattern for how we love others.
Jesus makes that clear in John 15:13, when He says, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay his life down for his friends.” What makes this statement so remarkable is that Jesus was about to lay His life down for His people, as His own expression of love. Naturally, we will never make the same sacrifice Jesus did because His was redemptive and unique. We are, however, called to show love primarily in sacrificing for the good of others. God the Father laid down the life of God the Son that He might redeem us and call us His friends. Why do we serve or sacrifice? Will it merit God’s love? Will it make us more appealing to God? Absolutely not! We serve and sacrifice; we love because we are the recipients of the richest, purest, most effectual love of all. To lay down our lives for the good of others is to humbly serve them before we serve ourselves. It is to shoulder their burdens and enter into their struggles with no thought of being repaid. Why is the church called upon to love in this way? Simple… it is the example that has been set before us. The sacrifice of God is the seal of His deep love for His church. Likewise, the church shows that she is God’s by seeking to reflect His love to all people. The gospel is the message of hope and redemption. It is the Good News that sin and death have been crushed by the power of the cross. The foundation upon which the gospel is built is the deep love of God. His love saves us, His love empowers us to trust, and His love liberates us to serve and love others. 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. www.championsheart.org
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Compassionate, Professional Pet Care We offer: • Customized visits for pets of all shapes and sizes We asked our readers to share what they have done to find worth and acceptance in the eyes of others… When I was a college student in Boone, NC, some friends and I jumped off a dam that was 40 feet above a rushing river. One of the guys bet no one would dive into the water. I took the challenge, but I ended up hitting the rush of water that was coming up from the bottom. I blacked out and floated faceup 50 yards down stream. I am thankful to be alive! ~George W.
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I started smoking to impress my ex-husband. Finally, 20 years later, I quit to make my son proud of me.
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~Julie D.
I once created a “Phantom of the Opera” costume and walked into a restaurant dressed as the Phantom to deliver my husband a dozen yellow roses along with two tickets to front row seats to see the “Phantom of the Opera on Broadway.” He was not only impressed, ~Deborah but also surprised.
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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While in jr. and sr. high school, I faked my belief in Jesus. This pleased my parents and school authorities. But in the end, it didn’t satisfy me. My conclusion - you can't fake your belief. It is binary either you believe in Jesus Christ or you don’t. You can't have it both ways. You have to get off the fence.
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~Roger
To be like my friend who was a bird breeder, I bought two exotic birds without thinking about how long they lived or how much I traveled. I ended up with a pierced lip, lots of poop to clean up, and a loud house! I learned a great lesson about taking on other people’s hobbies!
~Kristi O.J. 707 NW 13th Street • 352.372.8551 • Fax 352.338.1965
www.TheTrophyShop.com www.championsheart.org
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