VL - Issue 2 - November 2011

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Volume I • Issue 2 • November 2011
Help For
Your Life!
Hope For
Your Heart!
Health For
Your Body, Mind
and Spirit!
Real People • Real Stories • Real Hope

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Love Is The Key!
A Publication of Champion’s Heart…
Bringing Out the Champion in You!
About a year ago,
I was driving down
the road asking
God to show me
how to meet
the vast needs of
people coming to our ministry. Just as
quickly as I asked, He answered with the
words, "Love them. Love is the key." Just then,
a drawing from my daughter (shown at right)
flashed into my mind. I saw the heart, the door and
the key. Suddenly I understood the meaning of what
she had drawn just days before… Love is the key that
God uses to bring hope, healing and restoration into the
lives of His people.
I thought to myself, “Can it be this simple? Can love
really be all that is required?” Over the course of the
last year I have uncovered the answer to my own
question: Yes, love is indeed the answer. God’s love, a
love which is unconditional, is exactly what the world
and our community needs. I have seen it give hope to
the hopeless, hope that enables a person to face
another day. I have seen it carry the grieving and broken
hearted through incredibly tough times. I have seen
it break down barriers created by cultural and
socio-economic differences and build a bridge for unity
and relationship.
Love IS the answer, but it’s an answer that isn’t
always popular because love isn't easy. In fact, it is
down right hard. You see, love isn’t a gushy feeling; it’s
not an emotion. God’s love is an action. God’s love
requires you to get in the trenches with people. It
requires sacrifice. It requires perseverance and patience.
It requires forgiveness and putting other people above
yourself. But oh is love worth it! Giving love has been the
most rewarding experience of my life.
In this issue of Victorious Living, we are going to
explore the topic of “love.” It is our prayer that as you
read the ‘love’ stories contained in the following pages,
stories from people just like you, that you will be
encouraged by God’s love and also challenged to both
give love and accept it. I believe that as we all begin to
walk in love, our families, communities and world will
be changed one person at a time.
God bless,
Kristi Overton Johnson
Picture by
Ivy Johnson
Publisher/Editor
Kristi Overton Johnson
Publication Advisor
Karen Lake
Contributors
Minta Bennett
Barbara Collins
Bonnie Hagemann
Kristi Overton Johnson
Lisa Johnson
Karen Lake
Carey Morford
Pastor Rob Morford
Margarita Oganisyan
VeRonica Owens
Jeannie Hodges Peoples
Anna Purkey
Lisa Rund
Paulette Sikes
John Whitfield
Creative Director/Graphic Design
Amy Zackowski
amy@whisperingdog.com
Advertising
Ron Lilly
ron@kojministries.org
Victorious Living
205 Magnolia Avenue
Keystone Heights, FL 32656
352.478.2098
fax 888.837.9153
Table of Contents
What Is Love? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Love’s Unexpected Blessings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
The Death and Life of Emily Rund. . . . . . . . . . . . 6
The Emily Rund Champion’s Heart Scholarship . . 7
Want to Move Forward? Forgive. . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Back To Russia… Armed With Love . . . . . . . . . . 8
What If? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Melodious Love . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Unconditional Love . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Me?Worthy? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Love Heals All Wounds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
For The Love Of A Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
He’s Been Faithful . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Love At Work. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
No Laughing Matter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Love Bombers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Unique Outreaches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Community Interest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Mama Lisa’s Holiday Pecans. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Calendar of Events. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Ongoing Events and Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Ripple Effect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Want to ensure that you receive upcoming life-changing issues of Victorious Living?
For a suggested ministry donation of $ 25.00, we will mail the 2012 issues of
Victorious Living (4 issues) to your home address. Contact Ron at 352-478-2098
or register online at www.championsheart.net.
Victorious Living is published quarterly in Keystone Heights,
Florida. ©2011, 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!
Do you have a story of victory? Share it with us!
Your life story can change the life of another.
Please send all submissions to be included in
Victorious Living to PO Box 968, Keystone
Heights, Florida 32656. You may send inspiring
stories, information on your organization's event
and resources, as well as recommendations for
individuals to be recognized for having a "Heart
of a Champion”.
www.championsheart.net 3

What Is Love?
by Carey Morford
Love is…
Adam might tell you love is giving up your rib.
Romeo might tell you love is death. Sampson might
tell you love means giving up your strength. Titanic,
the movie, tells us love is standing at the edge of a
boat with your arms out like wings. John Lennon
might tell you that love means giving up the Beatles.
Cupid would say love is an arrow. A Red Sox fan
would tell you love is witnessing “the curse” being
broken after gutting it out through a lifetime of heartwrenching
defeats. Jacob might tell you love is 14
years of hard labor.
So, what is love? Love is patient, as Eugene
Peterson translated the phrase, “Love never gives up,”
which doesn’t mean that you are obnoxious as you
wait, just that you are willing to wait through anything.
Love is kind. Love says, “Is there anything I can get
you, dear?” Love rejoices with the truth. If Truth were
running a race, Love would be standing, whooping and
hollering, as Truth crossed the finish line. Love always
protects. Love is like the mother hen who keeps
the chicks right under her wing, keeping them out of
trouble. Love always trusts. Love always gives the
benefit of the doubt, always thinks with grace in
mind, and above all trusts in the Lord. Love always
perseveres. Love is tough; it always gives its all.
Love does not envy. When at a restaurant, Love
does not look at what the other person ordered and
say, “Oh, I really want that!” Love does not boast. It
does not strut its stuff for all to “ooh” and “ah.” Love
is not proud. Love’s head is a nice proportioned shape,
not so big that it can’t fit through a doorway. Love is
not rude. Love does not change the channel while
someone else is watching TV. Love is not self-seeking.
Love does not always try to be the first in the buffet
line or first to the only bathroom when you have both
been waiting for the last four hours of the trip. Love
is not easily angered. Love does not start a screaming
match over some socks left on the floor.
Love keeps no record of wrongs. Love may carry
around a lot of sentimental notes and pictures and
cards, but it doesn’t carry around the last mean thing
that was said, or the last time he didn’t offer to clean
the kitchen, or the last time she turned away instead
of kissing him. Love does not delight in evil. Love does
not curl up in evil’s lap like a cat on its owner’s lap.
Finally, love never fails. Love is like the 90 year old
couple who can still be
caught kissing in their
room at the nursing
home. It never
ends.
Why should we
love? It’s true that
sometimes love
hurts. It’s true that
love isn’t always easy.
So, why risk it? Because
love is the most excellent
way. Think, for a minute, about
a wedding ceremony. Think of the
bride and groom, with their two smiling,
shiny, tearful faces. They are an example of love
being the most excellent way, but in ten years when
they’ve been through some valleys and pits together
and are still looking at each other with smiling, shiny,
tearful faces; they will be an even better example of
love being the most excellent way. Christ Himself is an
example — He gave himself up, that we might live.
He is the ultimate example of love being the most
excellent way. The playwright, Sir James M. Barrie, said,
“If you have love, you don’t need anything else, and if
you don’t have it, it doesn’t much matter what else
you have.” Paul in his letter to the Corinthians says
that love is better than any of the gifts of the Spirit.
Not only is love better than any of the gifts of the
Spirit, and not only is it better to have love than
anything else; but also it is better to love than to do
anything else. Suppose a girl is given 16 roses and a
beautiful diamond ring on her sixteenth birthday.
Other than a car, a sixteen year old girl, might think it
was the most wonderful gift she could receive on her
birthday. But, if it were given to her by a father who
hadn’t spoken to her in almost two years, it wouldn’t
really be that great of a gift, would it? Because that
father wouldn’t know who she was, and that
daughter would not know that her father loved her;
the gifts would be meaningless.
We are all guilty of that sometimes. We offer a gift,
but we don’t send love with it. We do something for
a loved one, or even a stranger, because we feel like
we have to, and they sense it. We give a gift to make
ourselves feel better, and it comes off as arrogance.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., said, “Without love,
benevolence becomes egotism.”
Jesus said, “Greater
love has no one than
this; that he lay down his
life for his friends.” Doing
the things of I Corinthians
13 is a way we can lay down
our lives on a daily basis. We
can lay down our lives in our
marriages, in our churches, in
our world. I pray that we do,
because
love
NEVER
fails.
Love is patient,
love is kind. It does
not envy, it does not
boast, it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is
not self-seeking, it
is not easily
angered, it keeps
no record of
wrongs. Love
does not delight
in evil but
rejoices with
the truth. It
always protects,
always trusts,
always hopes,
always perseveres.
Love never fails.
I Corinthians 13:4-7
Carey Morford was raised in
Keystone Heights by Chuck and
Suzie Head. After attending college
in South Carolina, Carey returned
to Keystone Heights where she
currently resides with her husband,
Isaac and their two daughters,
Layla and Rigby. Carey and Isaac
both work at Keystone Elementary
and Keystone Jr./Sr. High School.
4 www.championsheart.net

Love is the Key!
Love’s Unexpected Blessings
by Barbara Collins
My dad lost his battle with emphysema in
December 2008, leaving the responsibility of caring
for my mom who has Alzheimer’s to my sister and me.
This road has often been tough and overwhelming,
but along the way, I have found many unexpected
blessings. Let me share…
A few months ago I stumbled into a Bible Study
that was being led at my mother’s new ‘home’ by a
resident named James. James was very knowledgeable
of the Word. When I commented to a caregiver about
how much I had enjoyed listening to him, she shared
that James was having to cut the Bible study to
one day a week. She asked if I would help her find
someone to teach the study the second day.
Through this experience,
I have come to realize that
God does not always choose
the most qualified,
the best spoken,
or the most knowledgeable
to accomplish His work.
He is just looking for
someone willing to step out
in faith and remain
faithful to the task.
I immediately asked my church home group, but no
one could take on the task. Several members
suggested I do the Bible study. I was shocked
and alarmed. I told them I was not qualified or
knowledgeable enough to do such a class. You see,
I had been to church all my life and had attended
many Bible studies, but I had always depended on
others to do the studying and to teach ME. I just could
not see myself doing it.
Time went on and James reduced the Bible study to
one day a week. As I would walk by the room, I would
hear God say, “You do it”. I literally said to God,
“There is no way. James will be in there. He knows a
lot about the Bible and he will know that I don’t!”
But God kept laying it on my heart. Finally I said,
“Fine, but I will look like an idiot!”
I went to the Christian book store and bought a
book entitled ‘Spiritual Warfare’ by John Franklin &
Chuck Lawless. Being an elementary teacher for 33
years, I put my notes on a big notepad. But when I
presented the material, I finished in ten minutes! To
my horror, one of the residents asked, “Is it over?”
After she pointed out that we had more time, I suggested
to the group we finish our class with some exercises...and
we did!
I was so embarrassed but they were so kind, loving
and appreciative. They told me I did a great job. The
next week, I studied even harder. I could not believe
how much I was learning. This time when I presented
the lesson, it lasted twenty minutes! As the weeks
progressed, I became more and more comfortable and
the residents began to participate more.
Through this experience, I have come to
realize that God does not always choose the
most qualified, the best spoken, or the most
knowledgeable to accomplish His work. He
is just looking for someone willing to step
out in faith and remain faithful to the task.
Over the last months, I have learned so
much about the Word of God. My faith
has grown and so has my relationship
with God. The residents have become like
family. During our lessons, I have the
opportunity to hear their stories as they
share about their lives. I never cease to be
captivated. They have such wisdom, peace
and understanding. They still want to
enjoy each day laughing and loving deeply.
One day as I was hurriedly trying to leave
the facility and run some personal errands,
one of the residents stopped me and asked me to sit
down. Immediately I thought, “Oh no, he’s got a story
to tell and I have to get to the grocery store!”
But what this man said to me touched my life
forever. He said, “I want to thank you.”
“For what?” I asked.
He said, “For loving us!”
Tears ran down my face. All I could think was,
“No, thank you for loving me.”
As I leave my mom each day I still feel a sense of
loss and sadness, but at the same time, I am filled
with joy knowing that God, in His infinite wisdom, has
begun to heal my heart through these precious
people. God knew the grief I’ve carried over losing my
dad and the continual loss of my mom. He has given
me the love and comfort I so miss. I now have many
mothers and fathers to love on me, and I have the
privilege to love them back. Who would have thought
I would have received so many blessings by stepping
out of my comfort zone to teach a Bible study?
Imagine the blessings waiting for you.
Barbara Collins and her husband,
Dean, have been life-long friends
of Kristi Overton Johnson and
faithful supporters of Johnson’s
ministries. Barbara has a BA &
Masters Degree from Clemson
University in Elementary
Education. Now retired from
teaching, she lives with her husband in Anderson, SC.
They have 2 children. Barbara’s passions are painting,
reading, & spending time on the water.
www.championsheart.net 5

The Death and Life of Emily Rund
I Am Not Abandoned
A different
kind of title, but
a story of a victorious
woman who
by Lisa Rund
did more in her 23
years than most do in a
lifetime. Life is short, a journey
which starts from birth until death. Death can be seen
one of two ways...you either believe in eternal life or
you simply doubt there is such a thing. For our family:
“To live is Christ, to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21).
As a wife and mother, God gave me an incredible
husband and five amazing children. Things were going
pretty smooth until our world came crashing down on
April 19, 2007.
That day over four years ago was a very dark time in
our lives. Where is God when tragedy strikes? Why do
we have to endure such emotional pain? And how do
we get through? Those questions were repeated over
and over with seemingly little answers at the time.
It was a different kind of morning as Emily filled her
SUV with her belongings preparing to surprise her
fiancé. She was so excited to start this new chapter in
her life before her July wedding. Emily and I spent the
morning talking, laughing, making wedding plans and
running errands. We got lunch and went to see her
siblings at school. I took photos of the kids together
and as always when when they are traveling, we pray
together, asking God for protection.
Those close to Emily knew she was a radiant
Christian who loved Jesus with all her heart. She
enjoyed photography, music, dancing and everyone she
met. Emily smiled infectiously and truly laughed out
loud. As one person put it, “She was the Alka
Seltzer in the water.”
Like all young people, Em had her
share of struggles growing up, but she
was an overcomer. She persevered in
her dreams and life goals by touching
lives, especially children. Emily invested
heavily in people locally and around the
world through missions.
After leaving Keystone, Emily visited her dad
at work and then headed north on I-95. As she drove
through Savannah, her tire tread separated, throwing
her into the guardrail. Her SUV landed on the other side
of the railing. Emily was
pronounced dead at the scene
of the accident; however, when
rescue came, she was put on life
support. God sustained our
daughter for a little while longer.
As a parent,
you usually fix
most things for
your kids as well
as give wisdom
and instructions to
guide them. You fix
their toys, bandage
up a wound…
anything to make
their lives better. But
we couldn’t fix this
situation. We were
struggling and helpless.
Though we didn’t
see it then, we know that
God had His hand on Em. For example, we were
able to see Emily before she left, taking our last photos
of her. There was no one else in her vehicle, nor did she
hit anyone when the accident happened. Through life
support, Emily was able to “hang on” until Nathan and
I, and her fiance, Andrew, were able to arrive at the
hospital. God knew how much we needed to say
“goodbye.” He blessed us with that time. A few
minutes past midnight on April 20th, Emily Kiersten
Rund went home to be with Jesus (II Corinthians 5:6).
Intense pain from head-to-toe shocks your system
when you lose a child. People often say, “Our kids are
God’s children.” But in reality, Emily was our child and we
didn’t want to let her go. As a Christian, I was amazed
at the emotions that rose within me… hurt, anger, pain
and despair. But God understood. He listened to our
cries and lovingly put His arms around us.
The last few years have been extremely difficult as
many things still don't make sense. We are real people
with real hurts. We shed tears and experience real pain.
But through God’s Word, His love, and the love and
prayers of His people, we have endured. We remain
focused on what we know… Emily is alive and well
and we will see her again!
(L to R) Four of the five Rund siblings… Julie, Wes, Emily and Laura
bottom photo: Emily and Andrew, her fiancé
Emily’s last journal entry was 2 Corinthians
4:16-18, “Therefore we do not lose heart.
Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet
inwardly we are being renewed day by
day. For our light and momentary troubles
are achieving for us an eternal
glory that far outweighs
them all. So we fix our
eyes not on what is
seen, but on what is
unseen, since what is
seen is temporary, but
what is unseen is eternal.”
Life is not easy. It seems
unending with grief at times.
The pain hasn’t gone away, nor do
I believe we will ever get over it.
But, with the Lord’s help, through
His peace and comfort, we will get
through it.
In her journal, Emily wrote the
words “I am not abandoned.” These
words have meant so much to our
family as we have realized that God has
not abandoned us during our darkest
moments. He is with us, giving us peace and
comfort to keep moving forward.
Em’s life left a legacy… a testimony to share. We
have become strong in weakness. We long for
Heaven where we will be with our loved ones
and see Jesus face to face! But for now, God
has us here on earth and like our daughter Emily,
our life goal is to love others and invest in people.
One day we look forward to seeing her and hearing
the words "well done!" (Matthew 25:21)
Lisa Rund, a mother of 5, has resided in Keystone Heights for many years. Lisa is currently living in the
United Kingdom where her husband, Nathan, is employed with the Department of Defense.
6 www.championsheart.net

Love is the Key!
Want to Move Forward? Forgive.
by Kristi Overton Johnson
Love. Forgiveness.
When we have learned to live in a flow of forgiveness,
we will be living in freedom.”
These words can stir up various emotions. What if
I told you the two are one in the same. You can’t love
someone without forgiving them for “love keeps no
record of being wronged.”
As I look at my own circle of family and friends I see
many people with great reasons to be offended. I
myself have had many occasions to be upset, angered
or hurt by people. It is often a tall order to extend
forgiveness to someone who has hurt you.
How does one forgive? How do you forgive
someone who has abandoned you? How do you
forgive a group of people who have maliciously
attacked you with lies and schemes designed to
destroy your life? How do you forgive someone who says
you will never amount to anything? How do you forgive
a spouse who has chosen to spend life without you?
Not only how, but why? Why should we want to extend
forgiveness to someone who has hurt us so deeply?
Forgiveness is difficult. In fact, it is only possible
through the help of God. But forgiveness is something
we desperately need to extend.
Brother Yun, a heavily persecuted Chinese Christian
wrote, “FORGIVENESS is a great gift that God has
given us so we can survive in an evil world where
people hurt us, betray us and do terrible things to us.
What we have to realize is that forgiveness is not
for the offender, it is for us! Forgiveness is an opportunity
to find release and restoration in our own lives.
Study the life of Joseph. His forgiving heart towards his
family and those in authority over him kept Joseph in
the protection, provision and presence of God. Because
Joseph continually focused on God rather than the
offense and offender, God was able to bring Joseph out
of the pit and place him in the palace!
Forgiveness isn’t the same thing as reconciliation.
Reconciliation requires two parties to come together
and sort out their differences. Forgiveness requires only
one… YOU.
In addition to the fact that forgiveness is
commanded by God (Luke 6:32-36), protects us from
Satan’s attacks (Eph. 4:25-27), and the fact that our
forgiveness from God is tied to our forgiving others
(Matt 6:14-15), there are many other reasons to
consider forgiveness.
First of all, it will release you from the offender’s
control over your life. It will release you from the past,
free up precious space in your mind and enable you to
move forward in life. It will also protect you from the
consequences that stem from a bitter, angry heart.
Things such as sickness, depression, and a ping-pong
game of retaliatory acts. It will also release the offender
to God so that God can deal with the person or
Forgiveness
requires
only one…
YOU.
situation (Rom. 12:18-20). God will not deal with the
person while we are dealing with them. Furthermore,
forgiveness will keep our light shining bright for others
to see Christ in us (Phil 2:14-16).
If you are offended today, I encourage you to go to
God and present the person or offense to God. Ask God
to give you His perspective on the situation. Realize
that hurting people hurt people. This will give you a
grace perspective towards the person. Then as God
directs, communicate with the person. Often times, the
offender never intended the offense the way it was
received. Communication and openness can heal many
broken bridges in a relationship. Remember to pray for
the offender and remember that you too are capable of
sin. Ask God to forgive, tell God you forgive, and then
ask God to help you move forward one step at a time.
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.
The Emily Rund Champion’s Heart Scholarship
Champion’s Heart Life Center Announces The Emily Rund Scholarship…
Emily Rund, a 2002 graduate of Keystone Heights High School, exemplified a
Champion’s Heart and lived out her passions on a daily basis. Her compassion
for the needy and less fortunate and her desire to reach out and serve others
impacted not only people residing in Keystone Heights, but also around the world.
Kristi Overton Johnson
presenting 2010 Emily Rund
Scholarship Award
The Emily Rund Champion’s Heart Scholarship honors 2 students who possess the
heart of a champion, a heart filled with passion, perseverance, integrity,
purpose, and hope. Although academic history is included in the evaluation, it is not
the primary criteria of the scholarship. The weight of the evaluation is the heart and
passions of the individual students.
To apply, students are required to complete an application and return it to Champion’s
Heart Life Center by April 27, 2012. Applications are available at Keystone Heights High
School and Champion’s Heart.
Both recipients of the scholarship will receive a check for $1,000.00 to be used to help
the student meet expenses associated with furthering their education or following a
passion that will impact the community.
Nathan and Lisa Rund with Scholarship Award
www.championsheart.net 7

Love is the Key!
BACK TO RUSSIA… Armed With Love
by Margarita ‘Rita’ Oganisyan
In 2005, my husband and I adopted two precious children from Russia. Through our adoption, God opened the door
for an incredible connection with a Russian family. Months ago I received a request from my friend, Svetlana, asking
if her daughter could come spend three months with us through a cultural exchange program. “Love” prompted us
to open our hearts and home to Rita and “love” forever changed us all. Below is Rita’s testimony of how the love of
God shown through the words, smiles and actions of those she met while in the United States has impacted her life.
~Kristi Overton Johnson
Everything was against my coming to the
United States right from the beginning. My
University did not want me to go because
I would miss classes. I had difficulty finding a job here
in America that was accepted by the organization
sponsoring my trip. The American Embassy toughened
visa requirements for students like me. Even my friends
discouraged me with their words. They told me how
difficult it would be to adapt to life in the USA. They
said that everything would be completely different.
Nevertheless, I had a strong
belief that I must visit America.
Only now, after being here for
awhile, can I understand that
my time here was more than
just a trip abroad. It was part of
God’s plan for me.
My trip was exactly what I expected in some ways.
I experienced different foods, different jokes, and a new
way of life. I struggled a bit with the English language
and communicating clearly with people. What I didn’t
expect though was the differences I found in people.
From the first hours of my stay I noticed this
difference. People were smiling at me. To receive a
smile from an unknown person in Russia is rare. Here
almost everyone I had eye contact with smiled, greeted
me and even sometimes waved to me. I've never heard
so many compliments in my life, from people I didn’t
even know. I've never seen so much kindness,
happiness and sympathy in EVERYONE! I always had
one question running in my head, “Why?” Why are
people here so nice, open-hearted and kind to people
they don't even know? Why, why, why…?
The second difference I noticed immediately was
how many people live with a strong belief in God.
I felt this love for God everywhere… at the church,
in every house, in every family, in every person and in
every heart.
During my stay, I was given a Bible from my
American family. Once when I was reading my Bible,
I came across Colossians 3:12. It says, "Since God
chose you to be the holy people He loves, you must
clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness,
humility, gentleness and patience.” As I read this verse
it was a like a lightbulb went off in my head. That's
the exact answer to my question!
The people I met were treating me with kindness,
patience, humility and gentleness because they were
clothed in God’s virtues. They were smiling at me and
encouraging me with kind words because they were
being obedient to God’s command to love people.
I am so thankful for those people who clothed
themselves in God’s virtues, for, through them I was
able to see God. For many people, these virtues may
seem so simple, so ordinary, because perhaps they are
just a way of life. But for me, it is different. It’s not what
I am accustomed to in my native country of Russia.
Unfortunately, the majority of people in Russia
don't trust in God. Some of them have never even
heard about Him. Because their hearts are not opened
to God's love they have difficulty expressing this love
towards others.
But it used to be different. Russia used to be a very
religious country. The people lived in the name of God,
their life was inseparably connected with God.
But nearly one century ago, a radical change came
over the life of Russians.
The Revolution came and destroyed the Tsarist
autocracy. With the Tsar deposed, the Soviet Union
was formed and a Communist government emerged
who’s policy was to make people forget about God
and the Bible.
Communists spoke strongly against religion
saying, "Communism is incompatible with religious
Rita with the Johnson Family
faith." During Communist reign, millions of believers
were killed, imprisoned and deported. Thousands of
priests were humiliated and humbled. A lot of ancient
temples and churches were destroyed. All in all, the
Soviet Union became an atheist state, in which religion
was largely discouraged and heavily persecuted.
In the early 1990’s, the Soviet Union was dissolved
and the Communist government was deposed. In our
new Constitution, freedom of
religion was proclaimed. But
the damage from the
previous century had
been done. Nowadays,
the majority
of Russians
don't trust in
God. They have
grown up in an
era where the
government
told them that
there is no God.
Because of this,
continued on next page
Photo Credits: In HIS Image Photography
8 www.championsheart.net

Love is the Key!
As I dress myself
in God’s virtues,
the people I encounter
in my life will be
changed by the love
of God, just as my
life has been
forever changed.
many of the Russian people have never even heard of Him.
When I think about the history of my nation, I feel unbearable
pain for my native country and for the people living there. If only it
had been different, if only people had known about a loving God.
I can’t change the past, but I can change the future by strengthening
the faith of the Russian people. How? By living out Colossians
3:12. As I dress myself in God’s virtues, the people I encounter in
my life will be changed by the love of God, just as my life has been
forever changed.
I am so thankful to God for making a way for me to come to
America and to witness His love in action. I thank Him for all the
wonderful people I've met here who became examples for the rest
of my life. I thank Him for showing me how one’s faith should
impact personalities and form life principles.
I thank Him for giving me support for
my faith and for revealing the Bible
to me as it has shown me
answers to many of life’s
questions. Finally, I thank Him
for the opportunity to realize the
main things in life: to love Him and
to love the people around me.
Rita Oganisyan, a third year
law student in Moscow,
Russia, visited the Lake
Area Region on a
cultural exchange
program in 2011.
During her time
here, Rita worked
for the local
ministries of
Champion’s Heart
and In His Wakes.
What If?
by Kristi Overton Johnson
One day when my husband and I were eating lunch at Cracker
Barrel, I noticed a young family. When they were leaving, one of
the couple’s children, a girl about 5 years old, was given a walker
to support her as she walked. As she struggled to walk out of the
dining room, I noticed the mother patiently encouraging her
daughter as she moved forward.
Why did I have to get
up and go over to
them in the middle of a
restaurant? What if
they didn’t want
prayer? What if they
thought I was crazy?
What if people looked
at me and became uncomfortable?
What if,
what if, what if…
As I sat there and watched this interchange, I was moved
with an overwhelming sense of compassion. As I envisioned
what this family’s life must be like on a daily basis, my heart
cried out to God, “Oh Lord, heal that little girl. Help that
family.” I then silently vowed to pray for them. As I made
my promise to pray, a thought quickly entered my mind
that said, “Go pray for them right now.”
Immediately my internal battle over whether to obey
what I knew the Holy Spirit was directing me to do began.
“Lord,” I argued, “Why can’t I just pray from a distance?”
Wouldn’t He move in this family’s life regardless of
whether or not I audibly prayed for this couple in their
presence? Why did I have to get up and go over to them
in the middle of a restaurant? What if they didn’t want
prayer? What if they thought I was crazy? What if people
looked at me and became uncomfortable? What
if, what if, what if…
As I flooded my mind with negative “what if”
scenarios, a new thought pattern began to fight for
attention. What if what God was leading me to do
would somehow affect the life of this family now
or for eternity? What if God touched this little girl
physically because of my obedience? What if, through
a simple prayer of faith and a simple act of love, this family
was encouraged to carry on for one more day?
What if this family needed to know that someone in
the world noticed their life?
Why would I not want to be a part of that?
Why would I want to let my fear and pride
stand in the way of what God may be ready
to do? As I weighed the two “what if” arguments,
I realized that I really didn’t care
what people thought. For the sake of that little
girl and her family, I had to get out of my seat
and tangibly show them the love of Christ no matter
the cost and no matter the result.
I looked at my husband, Tim, and said with all
seriousness, “I have to go pray with that family.
Don’t let the waitress take my salad!”
continued on page 13
www.championsheart.net 9

Melodious Love
by Anna Purkey
There is a sermon that I constantly remember when
faced with a simple “yes or no” situation. It was a discussion
regarding the Holy Family, and most poignantly
the fact that Joseph does not say a word nor is he ever
quoted biblically. The point of the sermon was to show
that obedience is a result of love and Joseph, being the
head of his family, needed only to say “yes” to love.
As a waiting foster parent, I received a telephone
call last fall that presented me
with an opportunity to reply “yes”
to love. According to the person
on the phone, there was a hospitalized
little girl who
needed to be released to a
home without other children
and to someone able
to provide very specific
medical care. As a single
mom with no children and
a background in medicine,
I fit the profile. My only
thought was “God expects
me to either say ‘yes or no’
right now;” and thus began
my journey with Melody.
I am convinced that opening
ourselves to a child expands
our love connection with
God. Melody and I
stepped out of the
hospital 4 days shy of
her 10 month birthday
and she felt,
heard, tasted,
breathed and enjoyed
nature for
the very first time.
I remember feeling
overwhelmed
with knowing that
God was entrusting
His child to my care.
Tears fell down my
cheeks as I whispered,
“Am I worthy?”
It would have been easy to be overly gentle, protective,
and reclusive, using the excuse that Melody was
fragile; instead, I chose to listen to love and we
bounced, tickled, laid in the grass and went to the
beach – we socialized with neighbors and Melody
enjoys a life not much different from any other infant.
Although I have been a nurse for 25 years, Melody
introduced me to life within the medical system and to
weeks “vacationing” in a hospital room. At first, we
“camped” and watched lots of movies as our bond became
unbreakable. Then I learned humility, patience, and
finally what it means to “lay down your life for another,”
as I experienced loss personally and professionally.
As many before me have said, “I would not trade a
day…” My experiences and lessons are countless and
love is the prevailing thread. Melody forgives easily and
readily although she has been put through countless
painful procedures. At a year old, she knew how to
“muster a smile” when medical staff walked into the
room and could perform even when her strength was
waning. I have seen her look rather puny but when the
doctor came to discharge her, she would jump up with
remarkable energy.
Melody continues to thrive surprising her entire
medical team. We were told that her prognosis was
poor, that she was in “failure,” that she “wouldn’t”…
“couldn’t”…
Every day God shows us His strength. Because of
the gift of Melody, I now view things differently, even
scriptures. Recently, I heard the story of the blind man
who had been blind since birth. The disciples asked
Jesus who carried the sin of his illness – the man or his
parents – Jesus replied that the blind man existed so
others could witness God’s awesome power, at which
time, Jesus healed the man.
Like the blind man, Melody’s life reveals the awesome
power of God. Her life touches so many people. On many
occasions, I have seen her reach out her hand to strangers
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 Melody Purkey
with The Champion’s Heart Award. Baby
Melody has touched more lives in her
mere 2 years than many do in a lifetime.
Thank you Melody for inspiring us to
enjoy each day and to never give up!
Melody’s story is submitted to us by
her mother, Anna Purkey.
or smile at someone who was frowning. Melody is always
faithful and always kind. She never gives up, never loses
faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every
circumstance. To know Melody is to know love. To know
Melody is to witness the Living Word.
I have always had a sense that through God’s gift of
free will, it is expected of us to create heaven on earth
beginning with the simplicity of our daily choices. We
have the ability to do this by making the choice to say
“yes” when presented with the opportunity to love. The
result is often an unexpected journey of sharing that
love exponentially.
Anna Purkey grew up on a dairy
farm in southern Ohio with a large
extended family. Following her
grandmother and mother, Anna
became a nurse in 1990. After
becoming a nurse practitioner in
2007, Anna moved to Florida
where she currently works for the Bradford/ Union
County Health Department. In 2007, Anna received
her license to be a foster home to children in need.
She currently resides in the Lake Area Region with her
daughter, Melody, who she adopted in June, 2011.
Do you know someone with a Champion’s Heart? Write to us and let us know!
We’d like to recognize champions in our upcoming issues.
Send nominations to “Champion’s Heart,” PO Box 968, Keystone Heights, FL 32656.
10 www.championsheart.net

Love is the Key!
Unconditional Love
by Paulette Sikes
Everyone in a family has a perceived role. A failure
to fulfill that role can result in disappointment to the
other members of the family. When dealing with a
loved one with addictions, disappointment can be
even greater. For many years I have been disappointed,
angry, saddened and even scared for my
brother’s safety. To be honest, at times I have been
just plain disgusted with his addictive patterns.
I’ve watched him disappoint my parents, his
wife, his children and me. My common thought was
how dare him waste our time to satisfy his own
selfish desires.
We all have emotional investments in the ones we
love and I was not getting a return on my investment
in my brother. I ended up avoiding him as much as
possible thinking he was just a lost cause. All the years
of my “Conditional Love” had been constant for my
brother, but not fruitful.
Recently I got a call from my niece who shared a
conversation she had had with my brother. He claimed
he deserved the hardships and physical ailments he
has suffered in his life. He felt no worth because of
his inability to overcome his addictions. Suddenly, I realized
that my brother, the ‘addict,’ suffers more from
his own disappointment in himself than the disappointment
of the ones who love him. I was moved
with compassion and saw him with new eyes.
I’ve always loved my brother, just not unconditionally.
Unconditional love is a love without strings. It’s
a love that seeks nothing in return. It’s a love demonstrated
to me by God on a daily basis, a love filled
with patience and forgiveness, a love that is there for
me despite my sinful nature. Don’t I owe my brother
the same love that Christ has so freely given me?
What I finally realized is that Christ not only died
for me, but He also died for my brother. When God
looks down at my brother and me, He sees us both
with the same eyes of love. He doesn’t divide us into
categories according to our past or our addictions
(thank goodness as I think we’d all fall into some category
or another!). No, God sees us for who we can
become in Him and it is that person that He faithfully
pursues with His great love.
While it is not for me to condone the actions of my
brother, nor enable them, I do want to be there for
him as the Lord leads. Will unconditional love change
my brother? God’s unconditional love has changed
my life. By sharing this same love, I can only hope that
perhaps my brother will find forgiveness towards
himself, new hope and a better way… a way to true
freedom in Christ.
Paulette Sikes lives in Starke with
her husband, Dan, and her two
teenage daughters. She works
with her husband in their private
law practice. Paulette’s passion
is encouraging people to press
forward in life victoriously.
www.championsheart.net 11

Me? Worthy?
Finding Forgiveness
for Yourself
If you were to look at a family picture from my
childhood, you would say, “What a nice looking
family.” We were picture perfect. I grew up in the
country in a large home built by my father, a
“self-made man” who started his own company that
grew to great financial success. My mother, a beautiful
woman, worked in marketing, taught Sunday
school, and was involved in school activities. She even
taught aerobics on the side. We were a busy and
“successful” family. It was in the midst of this
busyness that my world began to privately crumble.
As a young child, we often had babysitters. One
babysitter, a high schooler, would often take us over
to her boyfriend’s house while she was caring for us.
It was there that I was first exposed to pornographic
videos. I was 10.
Not too long after, friends of the boyfriend began to
commit acts against me. They would physically hurt me
or threaten me if I resisted. At that age, I wasn’t able
to comprehend what was happening. All I knew was
that I had a terrible secret and I began to hate myself.
The abuse continued as I moved into junior high.
It expanded from the friends of my babysitter’s
boyfriend to the boys in the neighborhood. I then
began to enter into controlling relationships.
I remember one in particular.
“You were dead
because of your
sins and because of
your sinful nature…”
When I was 15, I met a boy in
high school who was older than
me. He preyed on controlling
others and I willingly came under
his mental, emotional and physical
control with little resistance.
If I spoke to another boy in the
hallway, he would come beside
and hold my hand. What
others could not see is that he
would squeeze my hand until
I wanted to drop to my knees in pain.
My boyfriend had a friend, Jason, and the three of
us did a lot together. Jason was very nice to me, he
was kind and non-threatening. When my boyfriend
saw that Jason and I were friends, he told me that I
couldn’t hang around with Jason anymore. I obeyed
and ended the friendship.
One night a couple of weeks later, my friend Jason
drove to my house in tears. He was armed with a
bottle of Tequila and a loaded 22 caliber hand gun. He
said that he wanted to kill himself and could not
understand why I stopped being his friend. We talked
for two hours and mended our friendship. During our
conversation, I asked him to unload the gun and he
did. By the time we were finished talking we were
both smiling and we hugged. I gave him back the
bullets as there didn’t seem to be a threat
anymore… another secret I hid from my family.
The next day I learned Jason was dead. After Jason
left my house his car slid off the icy country road and
got stuck. According to police, he tried to dislodge
his car from the icy hole with some boards,
but was unsuccessful. He sat back down in
the driver’s seat, reloaded the gun and
shot himself in the head. I was the last
person to see him alive. Since I had
given him the bullets, I naturally
blamed myself. I was 16 and now
another negative emotion was
added to my life… GUILT.
From that point forward
I stopped actively living life in a
healthy way. I got pregnant,
suffered a miscarriage and
barely graduated high school.
I surrounded myself with abusive
relationships familiar to what I had
experienced in the past. Distrust for
Then God made you aliv
with Christ, for He forgave
all our sins. He canceled
the record of the charges
against us and took it away by
nailing it to the cross.”
people grew
and I began to view myself as
“damaged goods” with no value to anyone. I turned
to alcohol as it helped block out the voices in my mind
that screamed, “You aren’t good enough, pretty
enough, or smart enough.”
These voices continued into my early twenties
when I finally hit rock bottom. I suffered a rape from
my boss, a trusted authority figure. Not knowing how
to deal with it, I began to think of ways to end my
life. To make it worse, his wife was like a mother to
me. Now, I had yet another secret from another
woman I cared about.
One night I drank as much wine as I could stand,
drove myself to a quiet, out of the way area and put
my plan of suicide into action. I carefully tucked rags
around the tailpipe of my car and inserted a garden
hose. Next, I placed the other end of the hose in the
driver’s side window of my car, carefully wrapping it
with towels. As I sat in the car and sobbed, I begged
God to end my pain and all the suffering, guilt and
shame I had carried throughout my childhood. I was
tired of living everyday feeling like an unworthy,
unlovable, ugly person.
I cried and breathed in deeply, but nothing
happened. Frustrated, I got out of my car to see the
poisonous fumes escaping into the cold, night air
through thousands of tiny holes in the hose. It turns
out that the hose I used was a porous water hose that
would not allow the poison to enter my car. I believe
God divinely intervened and saved my life.
That night in my desperation, God began to reveal
Himself to me. I sensed great peace as He showed me
that my life had a bigger purpose than just dealing
with my own pain. He had a plan where my life would
actually be a light for other’s who were struggling
with deep hurts.
12 www.championsheart.net

e
From that point, I began to seek God and He met me with open arms. He
granted me forgiveness from past decisions and He gave me grace to move
forward. No, my pain from the past didn’t magically disappear, but God began
to heal me one wound at a time. It wasn’t long before I was blessed with an
incredible husband and 2 beautiful children. My life became filled with good
things. However, a part of me remained tied to the past.
As I grew in my relationship with the Lord, He began to show me that my tie
to the past was because of un-forgiveness towards myself. You see, I had forgiven
God as I realized that He hadn’t done those things to me; rather, it was people
who were acting under their own freewill. I had even forgiven the many people
who had hurt me. I knew the Word of God said to forgive those who have offended
and hurt you. But there was a third person I had not forgiven… ME.
Because of this un-forgiveness towards myself, I continually carried a load of guilt,
shame, self-hate, and a sense of unworthiness. I wasn’t able to move forward in life
and help others move forward because I was weighted down by these emotions.
I didn’t realize that every time I clung to my guilt and reminded myself of how
unworthy I was for anything good in life it was like I was saying “No thanks” to the
love of God, a love full of forgiveness and redemption. It was like I was receiving the
cross as a mere splinter!
Colossians 2:13-14 says, “You were dead because of your sins and because of
your sinful nature ... Then God made you alive with Christ, for He forgave all our
sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it
to the cross.” What I realize now is that the moment I asked Christ to be the Lord of
my life, He made me alive in Him by forgiving my sins and canceling the charges
against me. WOW! Everything I had done in my past, all the poor decisions I had
made, were forgiven and nailed to the cross over two thousand years ago.
Let me ask you something. If God has forgiven me and you, isn’t it time we
forgive ourselves? Why do we constantly remind ourselves of our shortcomings when
God has already forgotten them? Psalms 103 says He has removed our sin as far
as the east is from the west and He remembers them no more! If God doesn’t
condemn our past, then why should we?
Will you join me and toss aside the weighted rope of un-forgiveness so that we can
run the race of life victoriously and discover God’s peace and forgiveness? Ask God
to reveal any areas of bitterness, anger, guilt, shame or hatred that are weighing you
down and then FORGIVE. Forgive your parents, spouse, boss, friend, a stranger,
co-worker, sibling, child or Pastor. Most of all, forgive yourself. Jesus already has.
In God’s eyes, it’s time to realize YOU are worthy. Yes… you! Not because of
anything you have done or not done but because God says so. He says you are worth
it all. Think about it...before a day of your life ever came to be, God, knowing every
decision you would ever make, knowing everything that would ever happen, still
saw value in your life and allowed your life to be. And then, in the gift of His Son,
Jesus, who laid down His life FOR YOU, God said, “You are worth everything to me.”
Allow God to heal your innermost wounds, unleash the weights and ropes that are
binding you up, and choose today to move forward with a new view of yourself…
worthy of love, worthy of joy, worthy of healing, and worthy to be used by God.
God is waiting for you to agree with Him so that He can use you to touch the world.
The above story was submitted by a Keystone Heights resident who has asked to remain
anonymous. If you have a story similar to the one above and need help finding forgiveness
for yourself or for your abusers, visit Champion’s Heart Resource Center for support.
What If?
by Kristi Overton Johnson
continued from page 9
I got up and found the family in the merchandise section
of the store. I walked over to the mother and said, “Hi. I
know this may sound crazy, but I feel the Lord wants me to pray
for your little girl.”
I waited for the lady to grab her daughter and run or yell an insult back at
me, but instead she smiled and said, “I don’t think that sounds crazy at all.” She
asked my name and introduced me to her daughter, Sophia Rose. Then, right
there in the middle of Cracker Barrel, I knelt down, laid my hands on this little
girl’s legs, and prayed. When I finished, I rose up and faced the parents. The
mother had tears streaming down her face, as did I. Through tears, we hugged
and I left promising the family that I would continue to pray for them.
As I reflect back on the above story, I honestly don’t know all that God was
doing in this interchange. This young girl didn’t suddenly shed her walker and
run through the store. Lightening bolts didn’t pop down from heaven giving us
a “sign” that God was moving in some miraculous way. But you know what…
I really don’t need a sign. I know it was God who prompted my heart to get up
and pray for this family and I trust Him. It certainly wasn’t my flesh directing me
to do this because my flesh would have preferred to stay in my chair and continue
eating my salad! I know from scripture and from experience that when
God places a burden on the hearts of His people and they obey, God is moving.
He is doing something whether we “see” anything or not.
Yes, God could’ve touched this family whether or not I got up out of my chair.
God is God. He can do anything. But for reasons I cannot explain, God has chosen
you and me to be His vessels in which He demonstrates His love, power, provision
and presence to the world. Through OUR prayers of faith and simple acts
of kindness, hope is carried to people and mountains are moved in their lives.
We have to remember that we are God’s hands and feet on this earth. Our purpose
on earth is to show His love to others whether or not it is convenient or comfortable.
How will they know His love, how will they know He cares, otherwise?
Please don’t get me wrong. I am not saying there is anything wrong with
praying for others from afar or saying, “I will pray for you.” But how often do
we actually remember to pray? If you are like me, life somehow has a way of
erasing our promise to pray from our minds and we never end up praying at all.
What if we actually stop, rise up, and out of our compassion, move out of
our comfort zones and pray a simple prayer of faith with someone today?
I believe people will be healed, hearts will be encouraged, and circumstances will
be changed.
So what are waiting for? Let’s lay aside our fears, pride and “what if”
scenarios, get out of our seats, and risk something for the sake of another.
“What if” God is ready to use us today to change the life of another? It’s a
chance worth taking.
The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great
power and produces wonderful results. James 5:16
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.net 13

Love is the Key!
Love Heals All Wounds
by Minta Bennett
When I was a child there was a family member in
my life who verbally abused me. This person was so
hateful to me. He never missed an opportunity to
remind me how stupid I was and he made sure I felt
as worthless as possible by constantly reminding me of
everything that was wrong with me.
I was very young, not even in school yet. At that age
you tend to believe the adults in your life. So naturally,
I began to believe every horrible thing he said about
me and I began to ‘see’ myself according to his
hateful words.
As I grew older, I made it a point to stay out of his
way. Fortunately, he didn’t live near our family so I
didn’t have to be around him daily, but boy did he
make up for it when he was in town. I never told my
mom and dad about what was going on. I also never
told her how I felt about him. She was always so happy
when he came home to visit and I didn’t want to ruin
that for her.
After years of verbal abuse at his hand I learned to
hate him. At the time, I didn’t have the ability to
understand that hurting people hurt people. It was
much easier for me to just hate him back. I spent a
great amount of time thinking how awful he was, and
somehow that made me feel better about myself.
During my teenage years he was not around at all,
but that didn’t stop me from allowing all of that anger
and hate to grow secretly inside of me. I used to dream
of how someday I would get back at him and cause
him to hurt like he hurt me. I wanted him to feel as
helpless and scared as he had made me feel.
While all of this anger was growing inside of me,
I developed an extremely painful back problem.
The pain in my lower back grew to the point
that I couldn’t stand up for more than a
couple of minutes at a time.
One day my Uncle Steven was
visiting and he prayed for me.
He looked at me and asked
pointedly, “Who do you
hate?” My immediate
response,
“No one.” At
this point I
hadn’t
told
anyone about what that person had done to me, and
I sure didn’t tell anyone about how much I hated him.
Suddenly, it all came back to me, it was like a video
of all the wrongs suffered at his hands began to play in
my mind. All my childhood emotions emerged as
I remembered how he made me feel like the worst person
on earth. I just sat there thinking he deserved to be
hated. Why should I be the one who has to forgive him?
Then I realized I had a decision to make: Do I forgive
him or do I continue to hate him?
Forgiveness empowered me to
live my life as God intended me to
live. I was no longer a victim.
I decided to make the choice to forgive. I decided it
was time to let go of my past and refuse to give this
person any power over me anymore. I cried out to God
and asked Him to help me forgive, and He did. He took
away my hurt and anger and with it, He lifted what
seemed to be a hundred pound weight off my
shoulders. All of a sudden I didn’t feel like a victim
anymore. I didn’t feel helpless anymore. And you know
what else? My back pain began to get better.
Now I realize that my anger had kept me tied to
this person. It had caused me to remain a victim every
time I thought of what he had done to me. For years,
my anger had caused me to feel powerless and afraid
over and over again. And, my anger had caused me
physical pain.
Forgiveness empowered me to live my life as God
intended me to live. I was no longer a victim. Yes, the
memories are still there; however, they don’t cause me
pain anymore. Forgiveness healed my hurts.
God is so awesome. Not only did He give me my
life back, but he also brought restoration in my
relationship with this person. How amazing that the
person who had been so hateful and mean to me is
now a wonderful part of my life. How could this
happen? Prayer! After I forgave him, I prayed for him
constantly. For years there was no contact, but I kept
praying for him. Now, I see him frequently and I am so
thankful. God turned that relationship around because
I chose to love him in spite of what he did to me.
The Greatest Commandments in the
Bible ... “Love the Lord God with all
your heart, soul, strength and mind…
love others as yourself.”
We often remember to love God and others but
do we remember to love ourselves? We have to
realize it’s often hard to extend God’s love to others
if we fail to take care of ourselves emotionally,
physically and spiritually.
Here are a few ways you can
“love yourself”…
…Protect Your Health…
Eat Right and Exercise!
…Get Some Rest
…Enjoy Those God Has Put In Your Life
…Forgive Yourself For Not Being Perfect
…Forgive Others
…Stop Being So Critical Towards Yourself
…Speak Positive Words Over Your life
…Get Alone
…Ask For Help
…Enjoy A Hobby
…Laugh More
…See Yourself As God Sees You…
His Treasure!
God says in 1 John 4:20, “If someone says, ‘I love
God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who
does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can
he love God whom he has not seen?” I remember one
night arguing with God about my right to be angry
with this person but God kept leading me back to this
verse. After reading it three times I finally understood
what He was saying… If we love God, we will love
others and part of love is forgiveness. It’s not an
option, it’s a requirement. But the beautiful thing is
that as we free others with our forgiveness, God will
free us, heal us and empower us to walk in victory.
Beloved if God so loved us, we also ought to
love one another. 1 John 4:11
Minta Bennett is the former
director of the Champion’s Heart
Resource Center. She is married
and is the mother of two
teenagers. Her passion is helping
people walk in victory through
mentoring and tutoring.
14 www.championsheart.net

Love is the Key!
For the Love of a Community
by Karen Lake
Whether you believe in Hillary Rodham Clinton’s
politics or not, I think she got it right when she coined
the phrase, “It takes a whole village to raise a child.”
Generations ago, in villages across the world, the
predominant social denominator amongst small
living communities were that people shared day-today
responsibilities with one another. Extended
families lived together, children cared for smaller
children, and communal cooking was common.
Much has changed.
Here we are in the 21st century and looking at our
community, there is much to like about the way we’re
living. But with the changes in our lifestyles, one can’t
deny that problems have arisen. We face many
challenges. Even our small community is not immune to
the issues families face living in larger cities. I, personally,
do not want to be an adult in my community that
denies the existence of these problems. Denying them,
won’t make them go away. But I also know – and have
witnessed – the very best we have to offer, too.
Case in point: several weeks ago, the Community
Church of Keystone held its annual back-to-school
event which helped families get their children ready
for the first day of school. This is a big deal for a child
and thankfully, this church membership and other
community members recognized the need, and
worked tirelessly to fill the need.
Each family was assigned a personal shopper to
help them pick out five outfits and a pair of shoes.
I was helping out in the shoe room when a personal
shopper brought in a young man who looked to be
11 or 12 years old, the same age as my youngest son.
When he found a pair of shoes he liked, he sat in a
chair to put them on with his personal shopper by his
side. They were lace-up shoes. After he had them on
his feet, he looked at his personal shopper and said,
“I’m sorry. I don’t know how to tie my shoes. Can you
help me?”
It was, as they say, a teaching moment.
His personal shopper could have reacted in a
number of ways. She could have negatively judged
the young man for being an older child and not
knowing how to tie his shoes. He, most likely, would
have felt her condemnation. She could have found it
funny, laughed at him and made him feel badly
because he didn’t know how to tie his shoes.
Instead, she responded, “That’s OK. I’ll help
you. Let me show you how to tie your shoes.”
That was the loving response.
A younger child came into the shoe
room. She was probably five years old. As
I knelt down on the floor to help her put
on her shoes and tie them, she said quite
adamantly, “I can do it for myself.”
“Of course you can,” I said. “I’m
really proud of you that you can do that for
yourself.”
As both a witness and a participant, they were
divine moments for me. Love was present from adult
to a child. If Love is present, there too, is God.
I really love and am proud to be a part of this
community. I admire and care for the people who help
me raise my son because there are many and our lives
are much richer for it. In return, I’ll do my part and help
raise yours. After all, it takes a village to raise a child.
Karen Lake and her children have
lived in the Lake Region for over
ten years. She was the former
editor of the Lake Region Monitor
and presently works at Sante Fe
College’s Watson Center. Over
the years, she has advocated for
many local causes and organizations. She is a member
of the Keystone Rotary Club, executive director of
the Florida Youth Challenge Academy Foundation
and works for her local schools. She is acting as a
publication advisor for Victorious LIving.
Remains to Be Seen
ESTATE APPRAISALS & LIQUIDATIONS
Lynne E. Keyes
Licensed & Bonded Auctioneer
and Estate Appraiser
Referrals Paid • References Available
352.475.3981
www.treasuresinwriting.com
Licenses AB816 • AU1163
www.championsheart.net 15

He’s Been Faithful
by Jeannie Hodges Peoples
I never expected the news I got that day in the
summer of 1999. It was what was supposed to be an
exciting doctor’s appointment for us. I, along with my
husband, James, our daughter, Emily, and other family
members piled into a little ultrasound room to find out
the sex of our precious unborn baby. As we watched
with anticipation, the ultrasound tech finally said,
“It’s a girl!” We were elated to know we were having
another girl and thankful for the opportunity to see her
on that small screen.
As we exited the room, the nurse pulled me aside
and informed me that a blood test I had taken several
weeks before had come back abnormal. It showed a
possibility that our little girl could have Down
Syndrome. She explained that often this particular
test can come back with a false positive result and
suggested I repeat the test.
The next few weeks of testing and waiting proved to
be very grueling. We fervently prayed that whatever the
results, that God would guide and direct us and give
us the strength to care for our baby’s needs. After
weeks of waiting, we got the phone call that will
forever be etched in our hearts and minds. It was
confirmed, our little angel had Down Syndrome.
“For I know the plans
I have for you, declares
the Lord, plans to
prosper you
and not to harm
you, plans to give you
a future and a hope.”
Jeremiah 29:11
As we heard those words, James and I both felt a
sea of emotions rush over us. We were so afraid. Would
she be alright? Would we be everything she needed as
parents?
It’s so hard to explain, but even in the midst of
our questions and doubts, we were filled with an
overwhelming peace… peace that can only come from
the Lord.
The days and weeks ahead held many ups and
downs. Praise the Lord, Dana was born a healthy
little girl on February 24, 2000. Did she have Down
Syndrome? Yes! Was she “fearfully and wonderfully
made” by God? Absolutely, YES!
The path we have travelled and are
traveling is challenging each and every day.
But who of us doesn’t face challenges?
They may be different in nature, but they
are challenges nonetheless. Those we
face with Dana have actually become
more difficult in recent years.
Several years ago, Dana received a
diagnosis of Autism that in many ways
has proven to be even harder than Down
Syndrome. Along with this diagnoses
came a whole new set of ever increasing
challenges for Dana and for us.
How thankful we are for the love,
peace and strength of God. This journey
is one our family could never travel
alone. Without Him upholding us, we
would have drowned years ago. In our
darkest hours of struggle, God’s love
has consistently enveloped us so tightly and constantly
reminded us that we are not alone.
Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for
you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to
harm you, plans to give you a future and a hope.”
There is no doubt in my mind that Dana was exactly
what God had planned for our family, the same way
He planned for our other precious child, Emily.
Nothing we have experienced has come as a surprise
to Him. Both of our girls were a part of God’s plan
for our lives all along. He created them and then
blessed us with the awesome privilege of parenting and
loving them both.
Over the years so many people have felt sorry for us,
and quite frankly, many people view a child like our
Dana as nothing more than a burden. In fact, the
percentage of people who terminate their pregnancies
when their baby is diagnosed with Down Syndrome is
staggering, approximately 90%!
What people don’t realize is that those situations
we may be tempted to view as a burden can be the
biggest blessing in our lives if only we embrace them
and face them with God. Dana has brought us so much
joy in the midst of the challenges, and in the process,
she has blessed the lives of others. God is faithful and
because of Dana, we have been able to see Him prove
His love and faithfulness to us time and time again.
Jeannie Hodges Peoples was
born and raised in Jacksonville,
FL by Gene and
Leanne Hodges. She attended
Liberty University in
Lynchburg, VA where she
met her husband James Peoples.
James, Jeannie and
their two daughters, Emily
and Dana reside in Keystone
Heights, FL where James has
pastored Trinity Baptist
Church for the past 17 years.
Photo Credits: Pam Saxon
16 www.championsheart.net

Love is the Key!
Love At Work
by Bonnie Hagemann
Love at Work? Love and workplace are rarely used
in the same sentence and when they are, it is typically
not a good thing. However, love can be a powerful
force in the workplace. You may be wondering how
we can show “love” at work. Is it even possible? It’s
not only possible, but it makes the workplace better
for everyone.
Love is an action; so in the workplace, we show
love with our actions. Two actions that demonstrate
love at work are mercy and patience.
In the book Nuts! Southwest Airlines' Crazy Recipe
for Business and Personal Success, the authors tell a
story about Herb Kelleher, the CEO at the time, and
one of his line leaders. The line leader made a verbal
decision with an airport in another city that turned
out to be a very expensive one for Southwest.
Remember, in the workplace,
a little patience goes a long way.
Patience enables us to maintain
our peace, make wise decisions,
and it reduces the amount of
pressure we put on people
and situations.
When Herb analyzed the decision, he concluded it
was not the right decision for Southwest Airlines at
the time. Herb went to the line leader and asked if he
had signed a contract. The line leader said, no, but
that he had verbally agreed to it. Herb decided to back
the verbal decision of this line leader.
A year or more later, the line leader was sitting next
to Herb on an airplane. He thanked Herb for backing
his decision and shared how it had been a learning
experience for him.
Herb showed the line leader mercy. Some companies
would have fired the line leader. Few companies
would have backed his verbal
commitment to a bad decision
and even fewer
would have allowed the
line leader to learn, grow
and eventually be promoted
after such a major
judgment blunder. In the
end, Southwest Airlines
survived and made the
best of the situation; the
line leader learned a lesson, and Herb gained an
eternally grateful and committed leader.
Another way love plays out in the workplace is
through patience. It’s often easy for leaders and
employees to get angry and demanding at work. As
pressure builds, the atmosphere can become tense.
When this happens, the first and biggest mistake is
that people lose their patience. They want what they
want, when they want it. ‘Wants’ can range from
more resources to another sale, a raise, a new work
location, new job, or anything else that will make
one’s work or life better.
Remember, in the workplace, a little patience goes
a long way. Patience enables us to maintain our
peace, make wise decisions, and it reduces the
amount of pressure we put on people and situations.
It also keeps us from acting rashly and making
matters worse.
Mercy and Patience - make them a part of your job
description today. Then watch as your workplace becomes
more productive and a more pleasant place to be.
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.
No Laughing Matter!
By VeRonica Owens
An elderly patient required a heart transplant and met with his doctor to discuss
possible donors. The doctor told the patient that he had three choices: a talented
high school athlete, a brilliant school teacher, or a lawyer. The patient immediately
chose the lawyer’s heart. After the transplant, the doctor asked the patient the
reason for his decision. “It was simple,” the patient replied, “I wanted a heart that
hadn’t been used.”
When I tell people that I decided to become a lawyer because I wanted to help
people in my community, that’s usually the sort of cynical response I receive.
For some reason, it is often difficult for people to see our Christian life shine
through our calling. Lawyer and Christian? Can the two truly commingle? If we
profess to truly know Christ, we cannot stop showing His love to others once we
step foot in our workplace. Our office, our desk, our cash register should be a place
of refuge to our coworkers and clients.
difficult situation and truly need someone to take time with them; to listen to their
heart’s cry, not just their words; to try to understand what they are facing, and
offer a hug or a word of kindness. If we profess to truly know Christ, we are
required to show His love to those in need. And when we choose to show the love
of Christ in this manner, the Bible says, the God of all healing counsel comes
alongside. (2 Cor. 1:3-4; MSG).
God uses our love for others to share His heart with the hurting. After all,
nothing in this world heals, mends, strengthens, and fulfills like the love of Christ.
It rekindles burned-out lives with fresh hope, restores dignity and brings back
respect. Mother Teresa said, “Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever
come to you without leaving happier.” The Bible tells us to do good, to be rich in
helping others, to be extravagantly generous, so that we’ll build a lasting treasury,
gaining a life that is truly life (I Tim. 6:18-19; MSG). That’s no laughing matter.
VeRonica Owens' Law Practice is located in Keystone Heights, FL.
She is dedicated to helping people walk in victory.
Time after time, people visit my office seeking something more significant than
advice on a particular matter or legal representation. They find themselves in a
www.championsheart.net 17

Love is the Key!
Love Bombers
by Pastor Rob Morford
In 1924 Community Church began as
the lake area’s first attempt to breakdown
denominational barriers. A group of
believers decided to focus on what they
had in common instead of their differences.
They agreed Jesus was the only
way to salvation, and you must be born
again to enter the kingdom of God. Out
of this the Community Church was birthed.
I came to Community
Church in 1976 as an unbeliever. My
wife, Dotty, had come to the saving
knowledge of Jesus right after the birth
of our daughter, Bandi. For two years
I watched Dotty to see if this Jesus was real
and permanent. During that time, Dotty asked
people in the church to pray for me. For two
years I was bombed with love and prayer.
Up until this point in my life
I had felt condemnation. Now, for
the first time, I began to feel
unconditional love. In November of
1978 I made Jesus the Lord of my life.
Shortly after this I was filled with the Holy Spirit
and that love I had felt suddenly enveloped me.
Over the next three years our family grew as Zac and
Isaac were born. I was growing also in this new found love.
I volunteered at Community Church. I worked with the youth, started a
men’s fellowship and began teaching an adult Sunday School class. The more
I learned, the more I discovered how unfathomable this love is.
In 1981, with a call on my life, Dotty and I packed up our three children and
moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma to attend Rhema Bible College. Community Church
supported us both financially and with the same love that had changed my
eternity. After graduating in 1983, we packed up and moved back to
Keystone Heights. The church hired me as the assistant pastor and
youth pastor. I tell people the best job on the planet is to find
someone to pay you to do what you love to do. In fact,
I started doing it for free, because it is a calling and not a job.
The church changed my position to co-pastor in 1990
and then I became the senior pastor in 1999. My love for
the people in this community continually grows. I have been
involved in everything from KRA to Rotary. My passion is
teaching the Word of God. I am an expository style teacher that
teaches “line upon line and precept upon precept.”
The vision of Community Church is to know Jesus and to make Him known.
Every ministry in our church centers around this thought.
…love bombing is the
deliberate show of
affection or friendship
by an individual or group
of people toward
another individual.
… God is the author of
true love. In fact,
He purposely
bombed us with
His love.
One of the many outreaches of our church is
Community Christian School. This ministry started
in 1987 to help parents. Our primary directive is to
“train up our children in the way they should go.”
Once again our goal is not just to provide a great
education, but to teach them to know love and to
show love.
Our youth pastor saw a phrase in his psychology book at
Sante Fe College called “love bombing.” It was coined by
psychologist Margaret Singer in a negative context.
Wikipedia says love bombing is the deliberate show of
affection or friendship by an individual or group of people
toward another individual. Critics have asserted that this
action may be motivated in part by the desire to recruit,
convert or otherwise influence. It is sad to me to see this used in
the negative since God is the author of true love. In fact, He
purposely bombed us with His love.
Recently, our youth made “LOVE BOMBER” tee shirts.
We gave these out to all of our workers at the Back 2 School
Outreach (B2SO) as a reminder of our mission… to bomb people
with God’s love. B2SO gave more than clothes, shoes, haircuts and
food to over 250 children in our community, it gave families love.
I once was lost but now I am saved because of a bunch of love bombers.
If I were to describe Community Church, I would say, “We are a bunch of sinners
saved by grace… grace that continually changes us and leads us to be love
bombers to those God brings in our path.”
18

Love is the Key!
Unique Outreaches
Love in the Great Outdoors By John Whitfield
Do what you love. Love what you do.
This simple formula is the basis for a “platform”
ministry—doing what you love and having it count
for a higher purpose. For Tim Tebow, it was football.
For Pat Boone, it was singing. For Kristi Overton
Johnson, it was water sports. For me and many
others, it’s the great outdoors.
As far back as I can remember, I have wanted to
be outside. As a child, I would spend all day in the
woods building forts and traps, shooting targets,
making homemade slingshots, and of course, hunting.
Love the outdoors? You bet! I lived it, dreamed it,
desired it and wanted it. I loved it!
When you love something, you pursue it. Literally,
you chase it. I have chased the outdoors my whole life
and I am still chasing it but now with a new purpose…
I have joined in the greatest chase, or hunt, of all time.
I seek men.
In the Spring of 2010, Morry Cravey and I were led to
join our passions for the Great Outdoors with God’s (and
our) passion for people, the result...Crosshorn Ministries.
Crosshorn ministers to outdoorsmen through a shared,
mutual interest of outdoor activities such as hunting,
fishing, trapping, camping, hiking, learning about
survival skills, archery, fire, making primitive weapons…
just about anything in the woods or on the water.
If you want to expand and better experience your love
for the outdoors, we invite you to join Team Crosshorn.
It’s all FREE. You will learn much about the outdoors,
make many friends, and deepen your spiritual walk with
the One who created the very things we seek to enjoy.
John Whitfield is the co-founder of Crosshorn Ministries.
John is an avid sportsman with a passion for people,
God and the great outdoors. For more information
about Crosshorn’s monthly meetings in Starke and
the new Crosshorn Training Center in Ft. McCoy, visit
www.crosshornministries.org, email
huntfishwriter@aol.com or call John at 352-475-1904.
In His Wakes - The International Language of Love
Whether a hardened teen, discouraged adult, mentally challenged person, or
one of another culture, In His Wakes has found the secret of transforming lives.
It’s a simple word called love.
Since its inception in 2003, In His Wakes has traveled across the United States
and even to foreign waters in countries such as Austria, Canada, Costa Rica and
most recently, the Czech Republic, showing the love of God through water
sports. The result? Thousands of people have found purpose, hope and the
opportunity for victory in their lives.
Founder Kristi Overton Johnson has seen the language of love break down barriers of distrust, fear,
pride and hopelessness and establish a connection where hearts are radically changed.
In His Wakes specializes in using water sports to shower people with
the love of God through its “A Day to Remember” program. The D2R
program provides an opportunity of a lifetime for predominately at-risk
youth by giving them an unforgettable day on the water. Participants
engage in various water sports activities such as swimming, boat
riding, knee boarding and water skiing. Throughout the day, analogies
are made between water sports, faith and life. In 2011, In His Wakes
hosted 60 events locally, nationally and internationally.
“Our ministry specializes in youth who have faced unimaginable hurts
and disappointments,” explains Johnson. “Most come to the lake broken, hurt and angry. You can sense
their distrust and fear. But after a day on the water, after a day of being loved unconditionally, healing
literally takes place at the water’s edge.”
“Because most of our participants have little experience in the water, the activities present an
opportunity for our team to bond quickly with the participants. The activities also provide a setting to teach
life lessons. Our participants learn there are people in the world that care for them, who will help them
move forward and who can be trusted. They also learn very quickly that if one lays aside whatever it is
that is keeping them on the ‘dock’, whether in
life or on the water, they will have victory.”
“I am continually humbled and amazed
at how God is able to take something so
simple — water sports — and literally bring
healing, hope and restoration into people’s
lives. How thankful I am for the opportunity to
be a part of this ministry and watch firsthand
the international language of love speak hope
and life to the nations!”
Visit inhiswakes.com.
Park Of The Palms
A generation exists that is known as the “sandwich”
generation. A generation exists that is known as “The
Sandwich Generation”. It is a generation of people who
care for their aging parents while supporting their own
children. According to the Pew Research Center, just over
1 out of every 8 Americans aged 40-60, is raising both a
child and caring for a parent.
Park of the Palms, Inc. a local Christian Retirement
Community, recognizes the tough life that anyone in the
Sandwich Generation experiences and that is why they
have initiated their Adult Day Services. This service allows
your Mom, Dad, Brother, Sister, Grandma, Grandpa, or
whomever in your care, to remain at The Robert J. Willey
Assisted Living Facility during the day while you are at
work or are running your errands… just as you did for the
kids when they were too little to go to school.
Day service can help ease your life while giving your
loved one the care they need. You can have peace of
mind throughout the day knowing they are being loved,
watched and fed.
Participants of this service have remarked that “life
isn’t as lonely as they thought.” During the day, they are
now surrounded by new friends with whom they are able
to discuss mutual interests and discover common
backgrounds like previous military service.
In addition to the Adult Day Service, The PARK also offers
Respite Care Services which allows temporary overnight
residence. There are often times when the family needs to
travel on a trip not suitable for their loved one in their care.
The Park of the Palmsʼ Respite Services can be the perfect
answer for those times. Grandpa feels like he is on a cruise
with great food (for those of you familiar with Keystone
Heightsʼ history: Robert Sabo is our Food Service Manager),
fun and friends and you get a vacation.
Call Denise at 352-473-6100 extension 304 today to
set up a family tour!
www.championsheart.net 19

Love is the Key!
Community Interest
All Together Worship
Champion’s Heart has opened it’s Chapel
doors to the public to provide the residents of
the Lake Area region a place to pray, receive
prayer, have quiet time with God, and also be
encouraged by other believers.
According to Kristi Johnson, founder of
Champion’s Heart the “ALL Together” worship
and prayer time has provided an opportunity for
their ministry to see God touch the hearts of
people in incredible ways. “God is moving in our
midst during the noon-time prayer and worship
hour. God laid on my heart to open the chapel as
a place for the community to all come together and worship God, to lay their
burdens down at His feet and to lift up praises to His name. It has been amazing
to watch people walk into the chapel completely broken and filled with despair, and
then leave totally transformed, filled with peace, hope and joy. The anointing of
God and the encouragement of His people enable people to look past their
circumstances and be filled with hope to face another day.”
The Champion’s Heart Chapel is open Monday through Friday from 9 to 3.
Corporate prayer and live worship is at noon Monday through Friday.
New City Manager
On September 26th, Keystone Heights
gained a new City Manager, Terry Suggs.
When asked about his new position,
Suggs replied, “I am excited about my
position as city manager and look forward
to meeting as many residents as possible
by maintaining an open door at city hall
and working closely with staff and local
civic groups in a team effort to enhance
the community of Keystone Heights. I truly
believe we have a great city. I hope
to provide efficient and effective government
services that meet the needs of our
community while providing a business
climate and strategy to encourage
growth. We may have a small workforce
but I assure you it will be a strong one.”
Mama Lisa’s
Holiday Pecans
From the kitchen of Lisa Johnson
For generations food has been a way to express love one to another. This
recipe has been my family favorite ‘love gift’ for years. Around the holidays,
everyone knows they can expect some pecans on my party table or coming
their way as a gift.
Over the years, I have been updating my recipes to reflect a healthier
lifestyle especially since my son Carter was diagnosed as a Type II Diabetic
three months before he turned 21. Now THAT required a lifestyle change!
These pecans are a loving gift for everyone including the Diabetic in your
life. Just remind them to resist the temptation to eat the whole recipe at one
time, and that goes for YOU too!
Ingredients:
2 Egg Whites ¼ tsp Salt
1 ½ tsp Cinnamon 1 ½ pound Pecan Halves, toasted
1 tsp Vanilla Extract 1/2 cup Sugar
(not imitation)
(or 1/2 cup Truvia for a Diabetic version)
Directions:
• Preheat oven to 225º
• Beat egg whites with the vanilla extract until it forms soft peaks.
• Add remaining ingredients except the pecans
• Stir to blend. Now add toasted pecans. Toss to coat.
• Spray cookie sheet with Pam. Bake 1 hour at 225º
• Remove from the oven. Break apart if needed.
• Cool completely. Store in airtight container.
More ideas:
★ For a holiday gift, put in a festive container and tie with ribbons. If container is
not airtight and pecans will not be eaten for awhile, place pecans in a zip lock
baggie before wrapping.
★ Eat plain or use as a topping for ice cream. Don’t forget to drizzle your favorite
caramel or chocolate sauce on top.
★ Toss spinach leaves with balsamic dressing and put leaves on plates. Top plated
portions with sliced shallots, sliced strawberries or halved red grapes, a sprinkle
of goat or blue cheese and of course, chopped pecans.
Lisa and her husband, Vic Johnson, now live in the Lake
Area Region. They have created six of the most popular
personal development sites on the Internet. One of them,
AsAManThinketh.net, has given away over 400,000
copies of James Allen’s classic book.
20 www.championsheart.net

Calendar of Events
Champion’s Heart First
Anniversary Celebration
& Pancake Breakfast
November 19 • 8 am – 1 pm
205 Magnolia Avenue, KH
Fundraiser activities:Pancake Breakfast,
Classic Car Show, Food, Inflatables, Arts &
Crafts Vendors, Live Music
Interested vendors, contact Ron
at 352-478-2098
Rummage Sale
December 2 • 9 am – 4 pm
December 3 • 9 am – Noon, $1/bag
Community Church of Keystone Heights
345 Palmetto Avenue, KH
“A Walk Through Bethlehem”
December 9-11 • 6:30 pm – 9:30 pm
First Baptist Church of KH
550 East Walker Drive, KH
Highridge Book Bus
December 10 & January 14, 2012
Book bus makes 30 minute stops at
Dennison, Skidmore, Purdue and Yale.
Look for signs in Highridge for exact
time and location.
Christmas Parade
December 10 • 6 pm
Main St., Keystone Heights
Sponsored by Kiwanis Club
Christmas Musical
December 11 • 10 am
Freedom Baptist Church
7207 State Road 21, Keystone Heights
The Compassionate Friends
Worldwide Candle
Lighting Ceremony
December 11 • 6 pm program,
7 pm lighting ceremony
Champion’s Heart Education Center
205 Magnolia Ave, Keystone Heights
Contact Alice Watts (352) 473-7261
Cookies, Cocoa and Caroling
with Live Performance
by Lights of Evening
December 16 • 7 pm - 10 pm
Champion’s Heart Chapel and
Education Center
205 Magnolia Ave, Keystone Heights
Join us for a night of live music, warm
food & fellowship, community caroling.
Bring your favorite cookies to share and
don’t forget to bring a copy of your
recipe!
Crosshorn Ministry
Fellowship
for Outdoorsmen
November 17, December 15
January 26, 2012
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Starke Golf & Country Club
15501 N.E. 14th Ave, Starke
Contact John Whitfield (352) 475-1904
huntfishwriter@aol.com
Champion’s Heart
Leadership Luncheons
12:00 – 1:00 pm
Thursdays, January 5, 12, 19, 26
Champion’s Heart Education Center
205 Magnolia Ave, Keystone Heights
Special speakers including Pro Athletes,
Military Leaders & National Motivational
Speakers. Requires Registration, $20.00
per luncheon, or $60 for all 4 sessions.
Call Ron (352) 478-2098
“TREASURED”
Banquet/Conference
February 10 - 11
Champion’s Heart Education Center
205 Magnolia Ave, Keystone Heights
Special speakers, formal banquet to encourage
the hearts of young women
Call Reneé (352) 478-2098
Bridal Show
February 18 • 1 pm – 4 pm
Champion’s Heart Education Center
205 Magnolia Ave, Keystone Heights
Interested vendors, contact Renee’ at
352-478-2098
Looking For Freedom from Your
Hurts,Hang-ups and Habits? Looking
for a place to be Loved, Accepted
and Encouraged?
Celebrate Recovery is for you!
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
Licensed & Insured
We Love Referrals!
Cool Beans Accounting Inc.
Lex Green, CPA
“The Bean Man”
904-364-8026
greenbooks@embarqmail.com • coolbeansaccounting.com
120 East Call Street • Starke, FL 32091
352.473.0680 • 877.379.6217
Fax 352.473.0687
www.almostfamily.com
105 Commercial Drive • Keystone Heights, FL 32656
Accredited by JCAHO
LAW OFFICES OF
Charles Daniel Sikes, P.A.
Attorney at Law
Criminal, Civil and Administrative
Litigation and Appeals
904.964.2020
daniel_sikes@yahoo.com • Fax 904.964.9400
817 MacMahon Street • Starke, FL 32091
www.championsheart.net 21

Ongoing Events and Activities continued from page 21
Thank
YOU!
In addition to our partners who have
placed ads in our publication, we'd like
to extend a special thank you to those
who have made monetary donations to
the Victorious Living Project. If you would
like to help cover the cost of designing
and printing this beautiful magazine, we
would like to invite you to support this
project with a special financial donation.
Contact Ron at 352-478-2098 for more
information or sign up online by going
to www.championsheart.net.
Our Current
Supporters:
Dean & Barbara Collins
Jeff & Jane Clark
Cross Horn Ministries
Jerry & Jaq Frasco
Parker & Becky Overton
Dan & Sue Plaster
Kyle & Hope Tate
JM West
ALL Together Worship/Prayer
Monday-Friday
The chapel is open from 9 am - 3 pm for
private prayer. At Noon, there is corporate
prayer and live worship music.
Champion’s Heart Chapel
205 Magnolia Avenue, KH
Everyone welcome! Come pray, receive prayer and be
encouraged!
Celebrate Recovery
Every Thursday • 7 pm
Champion’s Heart Education Center
205 Magnolia Ave, Keystone Heights
Support to overcome hurts, habits
and hang-ups
Call Michelle Lawson (904) 449-4200
Soup & Sandwich Lunch
Every Saturday • 11am – 1 pm
The Soup Kitchen
The Keystone Senior Center,
120 NE Commercial Circle, KH
Every Saturday, all ages welcomed
Expression Session! Art
Classes for Youth
Each Friday* • 3:30 pm -5 pm
Champion’s Heart Resource Center Seminar Room,
160 Nightingale St., KH
*varies with holidays
Call Donna (352) 235-6256
Bible Club
Each Monday* • 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Champion’s Heart Education Center
205 Magnolia Ave, KH
For Children 1st - 6th Grade
*current classes will run through
Nov. 14, starting again in 2012
Contact Dennis Barnhardt
(352) 473-5100
The Compassionate Friends
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
2nd Monday of every month
Trinity Baptist Church
3716 SE State Road 21, KH
Meets in The Potter’s House
For parents who have lost children
Contact Alice Watts (352) 473-7261
www.freewebs.com/tclakearea
Time to be free…
Time to be healthy & whole…
Time to get out of your rut…
Time to step into your purpose…
It's time to be VICTORIOUS!
…Overwhelming victory is ours through
Christ, who loves us. Romans 8:37
Champion’s Heart Resource Center
160 Nightingale St. • KH • Mon. - Thurs. 9am-1pm
(352) 478-8076 • championsheart.net
Lake Area Caregiver Support
6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Second Tuesday Night of Each Month
Senior Healthcare Center at Melrose
5818 Centre Street, Melrose
Free & Confidential
All caregivers welcomed
Call Deborah (352) 475-3792
WWII War Brides Association
Noon – 2:30 pm
Third Saturday of Each Month
Cedar River Restaurant
Middleburg, FL
Group of foreign-born brides/grooms from all parts of
the world ranging from 80-98 years of age.
Bride’s/groom’s children and grandchildren invited.
Contact Joan at 352-473-5450
Farmer’s Market
Every Saturday • 9 am – 1 pm
In park directly across from KH City Hall
BEAUTIFUL!
Come view our beautiful “Tuscany
Themed” Chapel. It is perfect for small
weddings. The chapel is connected to our
newly renovated Education Center that can
up to hold up to 140 people. The education
center also makes a wonderful setting for
business conferences and personal events.
We are equipped with projection screens,
seminar tables, kitchen and other necessary
equipment to make your event a success.
We also have a small seminar room available
for events under 25 people.
Call us for availability and pricing at
352-478-2098 or email renee@kojministries.org
www.championsheart.net
22 www.championsheart.net

A Note From Kristi… THE RIPPLE EFFECT OF VICTORIOUS LIVING
While praying over this publication, I felt the Lord directing me to expand
the outreach of Victorious Living from a local resource guide to a national
publication. Why? So that the stories contained in this magazine, your stories,
can touch lives beyond our local borders.
Your story of victory has amazing power! Now, with the expansion of our
reader base, your life story will be able to impart hope into the lives of people
in the Lake Area Region and beyond.
Your story needs to be shared! People need to know that there are others
who have lived through similar situations and emerged on the other side
of their trial victoriously. For many, your story will be a matter of life or
death — the difference between victory or defeat. As we unite our faith
through the expression of our stories in this powerful publication, I believe God
will cause His story of victory in our lives to have a powerful impact in the lives
of people world-wide. ~Kristi Overton Johnson
P.S. We invite all our readers to share their life stories.
Perhaps you are thinking, “I can’t write!” It doesn’t
matter! We aren’t looking for professional writers,
we are simply looking for real stories, from real
people like YOU, so that we can bring real hope
to the hurting. See our editorial page or visit
championsheart.net for more information on how
to submit your stories and to view VL online.
For more information about
the ministries of In His Wakes
or Champion’s Heart,
visit inhiswakes.com and
championsheart.net.
Both ministries specialize
in encouraging and equipping
people to live victorious lives.
Volunteers and financial support
are always appreciated and
needed. Both ministries are a
501c3, non-profit organization.
Donations are tax-deductible.
In addition to the above
ministries, Kristi Overton Johnson
is also dedicated to encouraging
people of all walks of life to step
out onto the waters of life with
God through her writing, singing
and speaking ministry. To have
her speak at your church, youth
or business event, contact her
assistant, Reneé Harp at
352-478-2098, or email
renee@championsheart.net.
www.championsheart.net 23

Assisted Living in the Willey Manor
The Manor can house 40
residents in bright and
cheerful accommodations
with 24/7 assistance from
nurses and care givers for
activities of daily living with
a personal touch.
The beautifully appointed
Weir Dining Room and
common lounge provide a
family atmosphere that encourages
interaction and companionship.
Each resident is encouraged to
personalize their accommodations
with their own favorite furniture.
Special menu arrangements are
made for dietary considerations.
As Ambassadors of Christ and to the Glory of God,
we will strive to maintain our properties to the highest
standards. We will provide factual reporting to
residents, tenants, contractors, employees, regulatory
bodies; and we will respect the privacy of resident’s
personal information. Recognizing that technologies
are constantly changing, we will create an atmosphere
in which we will upgrade and refurbish appropriate
components to maintain the highest possible
standards in all aspects of our service.
Special Features:
• Staff assistance available around the clock
• Emergency call system in all rooms
• Medication Assistance/ In-house Pharmacy
• Daily Housekeeping and Laundry
• Therapy Program
• Individually-controlled HVAC units
• Outdoor Garden Activities
• Weekly Community Activities
• On-campus transportation system
• Extended Congregate Care (ECC)-when needed
• Hospice Care seeks to enable patients to continue
an alert, pain-free life, to manage symptoms so
that their last days may be spent with dignity and
quality surrounded by their loved ones
Our highest purpose is serving our residents.
Christian Assisted Living • Adult Day Care • Respite Services
352.473.6100 • www.parkofthepalms.org
ALF/ECC FL License #5265