VL - Issue 15 - February 2015

REAL PEOPLE | REAL STORIES | REAL HOPE 

Quarterly Publication | Issue 2 2015 

A Publication of 

Kristi Overton Johnson Ministries 

Asking 

Why 

GOD Used It 

for Good 

The Matt Manzari Story 

The Importance 

of Perspective

I WAS IN 

PRISON 

And You Visited Me. 

Matthew 25:36 

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FROM THE PUBLISHER 

A Simple Visit 

It started as a simple visit. 

My friends, Dan and Tracy Stewart, had become 

grandparents a few weeks earlier. They beamed from 

head to toe as they told me about their beautiful 

grandson, Justice. I asked if I could drop by the young 

couple’s apartment to deliver some gifts. Matt and 

Bobbye Jean, the proud new parents, had been through 

many trials of late, and I felt compelled to meet them 

and to bless them in some small way. 

“Could they use a meal?” I asked. 

Tracy smiled. “That would be great.” Tears welled 

up as she added, “I’ve been asking the Lord to provide 

some meals for them. I only had two more nights 

covered. Thank you for listening to the Lord.” 

A few days later, feeling a bit like Little Red Riding 

Hood—minus the hood—I packed my basket with 

delicious foods and made my way to Matt and Bobbye’s 

home. When I arrived, Matt was outside tinkering 

around in his fishing boat. He welcomed me with a huge 

smile and a cheerful hello. I gathered up my goodies 

and followed him into the house to meet Bobbye and 

Justice. 

For the next hour and a half, this precious couple 

shared their inspiring yet challenging story of faith, 

hope, and love. Never before had I met anyone with such 

perseverance, passion, and determination to use their 

experiences to help others. And they were so young! I 

felt honored and humbled to be in their presence. 

Before I left, I asked Matt and Bobbye if they would 

share their story in Victorious Living. Without hesitation 

they replied, “If you think our story will encourage your 

readers to move forward despite their hardships, then 

we’d love to.” 

I thought about them the rest of the day, and my 

heart ached for these two who were young enough to 

be my own kids. I knew that as I drifted comfortably 

off to sleep, Matt would be tossing about in his bed in 

severe nerve pain. The amount of pain Matt faces daily 

is more than anyone should have to bear. 

I woke several 

times that night, 

thinking of Matt and 

Bobbye and those 

around them. I began 

to wonder how Matt’s 

dad, Darren, and 

Bobbye’s dad, Dan, were 

handling not being able 

to fix their kids’ situation. 

Fathers are natural 

protectors and providers, 

yet they could not change 

these circumstances. 

And how about Nancy and Tracy, Matt and Bobbye’s 

moms? How does a mother’s heart bear the pain 

of seeing her children go through such hardship and 

disappointment? And their siblings? And of course, I 

thought of Bobbye Jean. How does a young woman 

adjust when her dreams are shattered? How does she 

find the strength to care for both her newborn son and 

her husband’s daily needs? 

Then I thought of Reed Hansen, Matt’s best friend 

and training partner. They’d traveled the world together, 

competing on the professional wakeskating tour. Had 

Reed adjusted to not having his companion on tour? 

Has he ever felt guilty, continuing life as usual while his 

best friend continues to suffer so? 

All these stories within Matt’s story—I felt the Lord 

urging me to discover the answers to these questions 

and share them with you. I envisioned this entire issue, 

centered on Matt’s life. It was an exciting thought, but 

way out of the box. 

“But God,” I argued. “This isn’t a book; it’s a 

magazine. Magazines highlight different stories, not the 

story of one person.” Perhaps God had forgotten. 

As the publisher and editor of Victorious Living, I’m 

always thinking about the content and layout of this 

magazine. I’d already had a good idea of the stories I’d 

use in this issue. But then I met Matt and Bobbye, and 

the Lord began radically changing my plans. 

I could feel the excitement building inside me as I 

considered God’s new blueprint. It was different, yes; far 

different than anything I had done before. And it would 

require a lot of work. But in the end, I knew it would 

be worth it. The stories surrounding Matt Manzari’s life 

would resonate with so many people. They provide a 

powerful illustration of moving forward in life, victorious, 

despite desperate circumstances. I can’t help but feel 

that God has chosen Matt’s story specifically to speak 

to the hearts of our readers. 

So with the surrendering of my plans to God’s, 

I present to you The Matt Manzari Story, told from 

Matt’s perspective and by many others who love 

him. Thank you, Matt, family, and friends for 

sharing your hearts, your struggles, and your 

victories with us. Thank you also to the various 

professional photographers who shared their 

images with us. 

Regardless of who or where you are at 

this moment, I believe the stories that fill this 

issue will inspire you, give you hope, and 

provide answers to questions that have been 

lingering in your heart. Matt’s story reminds 

us that God can bring incredible beauty even 

from the greatest of pain. V 

Publisher/Editor 

Kristi Overton Johnson 

Editor 

Rachel F. Overton 

Contributors 

Lester Alevedo-Cruz 

Isaiah C. Cain 

Linda Cubbedge 

Reed Hansen 


Briana Kuykendall 

Bobbye Stewart Manzari 

Matt Manzari 

Darren Manzari, Sr. 

Nancy Manzari 

Darren Manzari, Jr. 

Nate Miller 

Jay Quam 

Dan Stewart 

Tracy Stewart 

Steel Stewart 

Creative Director/Graphic Design 

Whispering Dog Design, Inc. 

Amy Zackowski 

amy@whisperingdog.com 

Partnership Support 

victoriousliving@kojministries.org 

Cover Photography 

Garrett Cortese 

alliancewake.com 

Photography 

Michael Cairns 

Lisa Lotter 

Joey Meddock 

Handsel Reid 

Tracy Stewart 

Victorious Living 

PO Box 120951 

Clermont, FL 34712-0951 

352.478.2098 • fax 888.837.9153 

Victorious Living Prison Outreach 

All Inmate Correspondence 

PO Box 968 

Keystone Heights, FL 32656 

Victorious Living is a free quarterly publication distributed to 

KOJ Ministries partners, at various distribution locations, and 

within correctional institutions. Copyright ©2015. All rights 

reserved by Victorious Living. Contents may not be reproduced 

in any form without the written consent of the publisher. 

The publisher reserves the right to refuse any submission 

and accepts no responsibility for submitted materials. All 

submitted materials subject to editing. 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are 

taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 

©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. 

Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol 

Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Scripture marked 

NIV is taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version ® , 

NIV ® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ® 

Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Scripture 

marked NKJV is taken from the New King James Version ® . 

Copyright ©1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. 

All rights reserved. 

www.kojministries.org 4

Table of Contents 

Issue 2 2015 

4 A Simple Visit Kristi Overton Johnson 

4 Who’s Who in the Matt Manzari Story 

8 God Used It for Good Matt Manzari 

11 Surrounded Kristi Overton Johnson 

Are you experiencing victorious living? 

Is your life filled with 

purpose, love, 

joy, and peace? 

12 One Bound-Up Mess Kristi Overton Johnson 

13 The Importance of Perspective Bobbye Jean Manzari 

15 Dear Matt and Bobbye Steel Stewart 

15 Standing on the Promises Tracy Graham Stewart 

16 Unshakeable Faith Dan Stewart 

17 Asking Why Darren Manzari, Sr. 

Do you have hope for your future? 

Forgiveness for your past? 

Strength for your tomorrow? 

Right now you might be thinking, “Are you kidding me? Joy, peace, 

purpose? Worth, strength, forgiveness? I’ll never have those things! Look 

at where I am! Look at what I’ve been through. Look at what I’ve done. 

Look at what has been done to me.” 

Friend, right now, no matter what your past 

or present, all of these things can be 

yours. You can have peace that passes all understanding, joy in the 

midst of hardship, love and acceptance despite your failures, forgiveness, 

and a fresh start. Your life can have purpose. 

It doesn’t matter if you are sitting in a mansion or in a jail cell or 

somewhere in between, a victorious life can be 

yours TodaY! 

How? Through a relationship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ. 

If you do not currently have a relationship with God, begin one right 

now. Romans 10:8–10 nkjv explains how: “The word is near you, in your 

mouth and in your heart…that if you confess with your mouth the Lord 

Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, 

you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and 

with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” 

As you accept what Christ has done for you and put your 

faith in Him alone for salvation, you are then 

free to have a relationship with God and experience His peace, power, 

presence, and love. You don’t have to do anything to earn God’s love and 

forgiveness. It’s yours for the asking! 

After you’ve received this free gift of salvation, guess what? You are 

then able to step into the life of victory Christ died to give you—an 

abundant life of peace, joy, worth, love, and purpose. As you grow in your 

relationship with Him through studying and applying the Word of God 

and by trusting Him, these things are released in your daily life. 

Will you pray with me right now and 

receive all that God intends for you? 

Dear Lord, 

I confess that I am a sinner in need of salvation. I thank You for 

sending Your Son, Jesus, to save me from my sins. Thank You that 

He laid down His life for me so that I could have a new life in Him. I 

receive, by faith, this forgiveness of sin. I now give my life, my past, 

and my future to You. Guide my steps and speak to my heart, Lord. 

Amen 

18 The Lord’s Goodness Nancy Manzari 

22 Riding Strong Reed Hansen 

23 A Light for My Path Kristi Overton Johnson 

24 How Much Do You Want? Nate Miller 

25 A Champion in His Eyes Briana Kuykendall 

26 It’s a Jungle Out There Linda Cubbedge 

27 From Our Readers 

28 Lose the Weight Kristi Overton Johnson 

29 The Importance of Family Darren Manzari, Jr. 

30 The Story Behind Victorious Living Kristi Overton Johnson 

31 Why I Care Testimony Jay Quam 

Share Your Story! 

Do you have a story of victory? Share it with our readers! 

Your story has the power to transform lives and bring much 

needed hope. Here are the guidelines: 

• Submissions are not guaranteed to be included in the magazine. 

• Submission is acknowledgment of your granting KOJM and 

Victorious Living publication rights to produce your submission in this 

magazine and other ministry publications. 

• Photos submitted must have photographer’s and each photographed 

subjects’ consent of use. 

• Photographer’s name must be included. Hard copies of 

photographs will not be returned. 

• Victorious Living does not pay for submissions. 

• Submissions should be a maximum of 800 words and are 

subject to editing. 

• Mail submissions to: Victorious Living, PO Box 120951, Clermont, FL 

34712-0951; or submit online at kojministries.org. 

• Victorious Living is a free quarterly publication distributed to KOJ 

Ministries partners, at various distribution locations, and within the 

prison system. 


MISSION 

The purpose of Victorious Living is to declare freedom for the captive through true 

testimonials of God’s grace, love, and power in the lives of everyday people. A captive 

is anyone enslaved to their circumstances, relationships, thought patterns, habits, or 

emotions. A captive can be incarcerated or living in a free society. They can be of any 

age, gender, race, and socio-economic background. 


W ho’s 

ho In The 

M att 

anzari Story 

MATT MANZARI 

This professional wakeskater was a trendsetter in his sport. A graduate of Southern 

University, Matt faced two horrific life-or-death accidents that forever changed the lives 

of many. Although still in the midst of recovery, Matt is committed to spurring people 

on through the sharing of his testimony. If you are interested in having Matt speak at a 

future event, contact Matt Manzari Ministries at admin@mmm.life or call 920-storymm 

(920-786-7966). 

Michael Cairns 

BOBBYE JEAN STEWART MANZARI 

Matt’s wife 

Bobbye has been married to her high-school 

sweetheart, Matt, for five years. They just 

welcomed their first son, Justice, in January. 

Currently, she is serving as executive assistant 

within KOJ Ministries’ administration, helping 

her husband recover from his injuries, and 

enjoying motherhood. 

Garret Cortese / alliancewake.com 

6 www.kojministries.org

DARREN AND NANCY MANZARI 

Matt’s parents 

When Matt was just a small boy, his parents, Darren and Nancy Manzari, introduced him 

to the world of water sports. 

Darren is self-employed, working as an efficiency consultant to businesses in 20 countries. 

He is passionate about helping people identify, develop, and achieve their goals. 

As a mother of two sons, Matt and Darren Jr., Nancy devoted much of her time to raising 

men of character and educating them within their home. She remains passionately devoted 

to her family. Darren and Nancy have been married for 28 years and praise God for the 

achievements and character of both their sons. 

DARREN MANZARI JR. 

Matt’s brother 

Darren grew up loving action sports alongside Matt. 

Today, he lives in New Orleans and works in the 

film industry on television shows and movies. He 

loves spending time with his dog, Kody, his loving 

girlfriend, Maureen, and her dog, Tank. 

STEEL STEWART 

Matt’s brother-in-law 

Steel is Bobbye Jean’s brother. Growing 

up the siblings were very close and spent 

lots of time together on the water. Steel is 

married to Lorin. They enjoy encouraging 

youth to stay strong in their faith. 

REED HANSEN 

Matt’s best friend and former wakeskating training partner 

Born into a wakeboarding family, Reed Hansen quickly became 

acquainted with the sensation of water passing beneath his feet, 

first as a competitive wakeboarder, then as a wakeskater. Reed 

and Matt met as teenagers when Matt came to the Hansen 

World Wakeboard Center to hone his skills. They quickly became 

friends, training partners, travel companions, and spiritual 

accountability partners. Reed is married to Michelle. They live 

in Florida where Reed continues to train and compete as a 

professional wakeskater. 

DAN AND TRACY STEWART 

Matt’s mother- and father-in-law 

Dan and Tracy, residents of Florida, 

have been married for 26 years and 

are the proud parents of two adult 

children, Bobbye Jean and Steel. 

Dan is a former professional waterskier 

at Sea World and currently 

the director of human resources 

and safety for World Entertainment 

Services. Tracy is a homemaker who 

homeschooled their two children 

from pre-k through high school. She 

currently enjoys training dogs and 

helping Dan remodel homes. 


GOD 

Used It for 

Good 

by Matt Manzari with Kristi Overton Johnson 

ASPIRATIONS 

I was living the dream. A professional wakeskater, I was at 

the top of my sport, traveling the world, and under contract 

with manufacturers like Nike, Arnette Sunglasses, Sea Doo, 

and CWB Board Company. I was married to my high school 

sweetheart and about to graduate from Southern University in 

Tennessee with a major in theology. Bobbye Jean and I had big 

dreams for our future, as I planned to go full-time into ministry. 

We both loved the Lord and couldn’t wait to serve Him. 

LEARNING TO TRUST HIM 

Our dreams, however, came crashing down on us in 2012. I 

was three days from graduating and entering full-time ministry 

when I decided to compete in a wakeskate pro tour event. As I 

approached a narrow spot in the lake, I hit the rocky shoreline 

at over 30 mph. The last thing I remember is cutting toward 

the wake…and waking up to a team of doctors telling me 

not to move. 

I lay in that hospital bed with a shattered face, but I 

remember being thankful to be alive. According to all the 

experts, I shouldn’t have been. There was simply no explanation 

as to why the impact hadn’t killed me—everything around my 

temple was crushed, including my eye socket. 

I was so grateful for God’s hand of protection, even in the 

midst of my pain. I knew it was only by His grace I was alive. 

Yet even with a thankful heart, the reality of my situation sank 

in. This accident had turned my life completely upside down. 

I had just lost a semester 

of school. Where in the world 

would I get the money to pay for 

another semester? My parents 

had graciously supported me 

through college, I wasn’t 

about to ask them to help 

me again. Bobbye and I had 

an apartment full of stuff to 

move out of Tennessee. In 

fact, our lease was set to 

expire the very next week. 

How could I possibly pull 

Matt miraculously survived 

crashing into the rocky shoreline 

during a pro tour event in 2012. 

off moving out of state 

from a hospital bed? 

Joey Meddock Photography 


Handsel Reid 

Michael Cains Photography 

At the top of his game, 

Matt was under contract with 

manufacturers like Nike, Arnette 

Sunglasses, Sea Doo, and CWB 

Board Company. 

He was married to his high 

school sweetheart, Bobbye, and 

about to graduate with a degree in 

theology from Southern University 

when Matt found himself sidelined 

from life. 

Furthermore, I had a commitment to preach in 

Guyana in two weeks—a trip I’d had planned for a 

year. So many people would be let down. 

Not to mention my body was totally wrecked! 

Life had suddenly become one big mess. It was 

at this weak point, however, that I learned an 

invaluable lesson. I had always viewed God as a 

big-picture God; He was mostly concerned with my 

eternal destiny. Through this crisis, God showed me 

that He isn’t just a big-picture God; He cares about 

every issue of my life—including exams, apartments, 

and commitments. One by one, He worked out every 

detail of my life while I lay in the hospital, unable 

to do a thing. 

First, the head of my department in school 

called to say that he and the other professors had 

all agreed to let my final grades stand so that I 

could graduate on time. This was a highly unusual 

arrangement. This surprise was followed by a call 

from a friend who offered to buy a plane ticket to 

Guyana to preach the material I had prepared. Next, 

my wife’s family drove to Tennessee and moved 

everything out of the apartment before our lease 

expired. To top it off, my parents graciously opened 

their home and allowed Bobbye and me to live with 

them rent free for the next year while I recovered. 

Every concern that I had—taken care of. It was 

like God was saying, “I’ve got it, Matt. Don’t worry 

about a thing. I’m watching over you and Bobbye; 

just trust Me.” 

I wouldn’t trade going through that accident for 

anything. Bobbye and I learned so much about God’s 

love and provision, and we grew so much spiritually. 

Without a doubt, this experience prepared us for 

what lay ahead. 

Eight months after the wakeskate accident, I was 

back on the water, competing. The doctors had done 

an incredible job putting my face back together and 

mending the other parts of my body that had been 

affected by the impact. Amazingly, I didn’t have any 

pain. 

Life was back on track, and Bobbye and I began 

chasing our dreams once again. First on the list? 

Having a baby. We’d been married for several years 

and felt it was time to start a family of our own. 

We were a little worried when Bobbye didn’t get 

pregnant right away, but five months later, we 

were relieved and overjoyed to discover we were 

expecting. 

Bobbye was eleven weeks pregnant when our 

dreams were once again shattered. Suddenly, we 

were living a nightmare. 

EVEN IN THE VALLEY 

It all began on a normal, hot, summer day. I was 

trimming trees at a local church in a high-reach 

bucket. Suddenly and unexpectedly, power from 

nearby utility lines arched over to the steel bucket 

I was standing in, with my hands on the controls. In 

an instant, 14,000 volts of electricity surged through 

my right hand and circuited through my chest to my 

left hand. Back and forth it flowed before exiting my 

skull in two places. 

Bobbye Jean was working inside the church at 

the time and rushed to my side. I am told that when 

she arrived, I was thrashing around in the bucket, 

screaming in pain. Due to the high voltage, I had 

received fourth- and fifth-degree burns. Much of 

my skin was burned away, exposing my bones and 

muscles. My wife witnessed this horrifying scene. 

Because of the nature of my injuries, I was 

placed in a medical coma for three days at Orlando 

Regional Medical Center (ORMC). During that time, 

doctors operated to remove the skin and muscles 

affected by the voltage. My dad tells me that when 

I finally woke up, they gave me an alphabet board 

to communicate. I couldn’t speak because I was 

intubated. He says it took about ten minutes for 

me to spell these words: God is going to use this for 

good. 

I don’t remember spelling those words. I can only 

imagine they rose up instinctively from a foundation 

of faith that had recently been strengthened 

through my previous accident. 

For the next 81 days, I lived a dream I longed to 

wake up from—as did my loved ones. The physical 

pain of skin grafts, wound-dressing changes, nerve 

damage, and other things was excruciating. The 

emotional pain of not knowing my future was 

equally difficult. Though my surgeries were deemed 

successful, we were constantly reminded that I 

“wasn’t out of the woods yet.” Since a large portion 

of my body was completely exposed, I was given 

less than a 50 percent chance of survival. Until the 

skin grafts took, my risk of infection was through 

the roof. 

The doctors didn’t tell me these things to 

scare me but basically to prepare me. If there 

was anything I wanted to say to my loved ones, I 

needed to say it. Hope for the best but prepare for 

the worst, they said. This seemed logical, as every 

day I watched people around me, with injuries far 

less severe than mine, die. Seven other people were 

admitted to the intensive care unit the same day I 

was. Only two of us made it out alive. When you are 

in that environment, you’re like, “Okay, that guy just 

died, and that guy just died…. Am I next?” Each 

day when my number wasn’t called, I was filled with 

gratitude. 

Chaos and uncertainty surrounded me. Yet in 

the midst of it all, I experienced unexplainable 

peace. Just as Philippians 4:7 promised, that peace 

guarded my heart and mind in Christ Jesus; it kept 

my mind from growing anxious and overwhelmed 

by my circumstances. I found rest in the arms of 

God. 

continued on page 10 


GOOD continued from page 9 

I trusted that if I stayed here on the earth, God 

would see me through. I had already seen His hand 

at work so evidently in my previous accident. But 

if God decided this was my last day here, then I 

trusted He would take care of those I left behind. 

I was still alive, however, and I was committed 

to making the most of the life I had. I wasn’t 

guaranteed tomorrow, but I had today. I was 

determined to use whatever time God gave me, to 

reach people for Him. I had no agenda other than 

to love people and to build relationships with those 

around me. There were people all around who 

needed encouragement—family members, friends, 

doctors, nurses, and other patients. If I could be just 

a little bit of light to them, then what I was going 

through was worth it. 

I am amazed at how God used my situation to 

touch others. One nurse told me she had grown up 

in a Christian home but had wandered from her 

relationship with God during college. Going through 

nursing school and seeing all the pain in the world, 

she had come to the conclusion that there simply 

couldn’t be a God. If He was real, why was there so 

much suffering? 

My miraculous recovery and the depth of our 

family’s faith convinced her otherwise, and she gave 

her life back to God. I would go through all this pain 

again for that alone. Hearing her profession of faith 

was an incredible experience. I mean, who am I to 

be used for such a wonderful thing? 

This nurse isn’t the only person who has seen 

bad things and concluded that God must not exist. 

Many believe there is no God. Or they believe that 

if He does exist, then He must be angry or unjust 

because He allows such pain. How, they ask, could 

a good God let such awful things happen to good 

people? And they blame Him for their circumstances. 

Many people have a hard time coming to grips with 

the fact that I was injured while trimming trees for 

the church. They cannot understand why God would 

allow such pain for someone who loves Him and 

serves Him. 

In all of my pain, I’ve not asked why. But if I 

were to ask some “why” questions, they would be, 

“God, why have You spared my life? Why have You 

protected me? Why are You so good to me?” 

God has blessed me with so much. I have so 

many things to be thankful for. By focusing on what 

I have instead of what I’ve lost, I’m able to move 

forward and not fall into a sea of hopelessness. 

I don’t know why this happened to me. But I 

do know that God has used every moment, every 

ounce, of my pain for good. Nothing has been 

wasted. 

LESSONS LEARNED 

I’ve heard people say, “God did this for a reason. 

It was His will.” This is such a common phrase, 

especially among Christians. I think we should 

be very careful before we throw this statement 

around. Ultimately, we are blaming God for our 

circumstances. 

Think about it: if I went to the roof of my 

apartment and jumped off, I’d most likely break 

my legs. Did God break them? No. Like an idiot, 

I jumped off the roof and broke my own legs. My 

decision caused the result. Kind of like my first 

accident. God didn’t crash me into the rocks; the 

driver and I misjudged the lake length. I chose to 

compete at the last minute against my parents’ 

wishes. That was my doing, not God’s. 

But the cool thing about God is that even in 

my mess-ups, He is still at work. He can take my 

mistakes and the mistakes of others that have 

caused me harm—and He can take the attacks of 

Satan against me—and miraculously use them all 

for good. No matter what happens to us, God can 

transform any situation into something beautiful. 

One beautiful miracle was the birth of my son, 

Justice. Already, I’ve learned so much from this little 

guy. First of all, I’ve learned to trust the timing of 

God. Had Bobbye conceived on our timetable, she 

would have been giving birth to Justice at the time 

of my accident. That would have been incredibly 

difficult for everyone. 

I’ve also learned the importance of having goals. 

The thought of holding Justice motivated me to 

push through my pain during therapy. What an 

incredible moment holding Justice was for all of us! 

There wasn’t a dry eye in the room. 

I’ve learned, too, the importance of seeing things 

from my heavenly Father’s perspective. I’ve seen 

how quickly Justice’s world turns upside down when 

his binky slips from his mouth. He wails like crazy. 

I’m like, “Calm down, buddy. It’s all right. Here you 

go. We can overcome this binky issue easily.” From 

my fatherly perspective, I can see that his situation 

isn’t too big to overcome. 

As people, we’re guaranteed to face binky issues 

at some time or another. Perhaps you’re a teenager 

Garret Cortese / alliancewake.com Lisa Lotter Photography 


with a broken heart who thinks he’ll never find love 

again, or an executive who’s lost her job. Maybe 

you’re a parent with a wayward child, or a spouse 

who is suddenly alone. 

Through Justice, I can now imagine our heavenly 

Father looking down at us as we flail about in our 

crisis. His voice is kind, His touch gentle, as He says, 

“Calm down, My child. It’s all right. I overcame your 

binky issue a long time ago. Remember the cross? 

That’s where I conquered every issue you’ll ever 

face—sin, sickness, loss, poverty, rejection, death, 

whatever. Take heart in the midst of your trial; I’ve 

overcome it all! Everything is under control.” 

From His perfect perspective, God can see a way 

out when we think we’ve lost our way. He knows 

that our circumstances don’t control our destiny— 

He does. As we remember to look past our binky 

issues and fix our eyes on Him, the author and 

finisher of our faith, we can overcome. Despite 

all the things we encounter, we are more than 

conquerors in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:37). 

Looking at life in light of the cross has enabled 

me to keep moving forward. This body I’m living in 

and these circumstances I’m going through aren’t 

the end. They’re temporary. I have to constantly 

remind myself of this truth, especially when life gets 

hard—which is just about daily. 


SURROUNDED 

by Kristi Overton Johnson 

Without a doubt, faith, family, and friends 

are what enable the Manzari and Stewart 

families to continually press on through their 

difficult journey. Every step of the way, from 

the initial calls reporting Matt’s accident 

until now, God has used people to bring 

timely words of encouragement, a listening 

ear, a helping hand, and a shoulder to cry on. 

To all of you who have stood by their sides, 

the Manzari and Stewart families say thank 

you! Your love expressed in various acts of 

kindness is forever embedded in their hearts. 

Matt’s story reminds me of the importance 

of developing strong relationships. The truth 

is, we were designed to do life together—to 

help and spur one another on to victory. Yet, 

in the busyness of life and in our quest for 

personal success, relationships are often the 

first thing to go. This is unfortunate, because 

when all is said and done, relationships are 

really all that matter. 

Here’s the thing. We need one another. I 

need you, and you need me. Each one of us 

brings something of value to the table that 

can help ease the burden of another. No 

one was designed to do this thing called 

life alone. Sometimes it’s hard to admit 

we need someone or to accept a helping 

hand. That was me until the day I realized 

that my not allowing others to help me 

was actually robbing them of a blessing 

and preventing them from being a 

part of my life. And I discovered I was 

robbing myself of a blessing as well! 

How are your relationships? 

Are you surrounding yourself with 

faithful people who will be by 

your side through thick and thin? 

Are you being a faithful friend 

yourself? 


One Bound-Up Mess 


In life we suffer 

many wounds. Some 

are physical, like Matt’s. 

Others are emotional, like 

his family’s. 

Wounds, if we aren’t 

careful, can cause longterm 

harm. One issue 

Matt has encountered as 

a result of his accident is the 

tremendous amount of scar tissue 

that has formed throughout his 

body. Some of this scar tissue has been 

beneficial, as it has helped new skin bond 

to the old. Excessive scar tissue, however, 

has caused Matt tremendous pain, restricted 

his movement, and has even broken bones. 

I haven’t been through Matt’s traumatic 

experience, but I do know a bit about scar tissue. 

Due to several routine stomach surgeries, my body 

has produced long, rubber-band-like strands of scar 

tissue throughout my intestines. They have adhered to 

my bowels and caused much stomach pain over the 

years, resulting in four bowel-obstruction surgeries. 

On one occasion, my bowels were so strangulated, I 

was nearly to the point of death. 

Emotional wounds create scars too. These wounds 

come from many places. People wound us with 

their words. They inflict pain both with action and 

failure to act. Circumstances and tragedy also create 

emotional wounds. 

Emotional wounds, unlike physical wounds, often 

go unidentified or are ignored. We become experts 

at pushing through our pain and putting on a facade 

that says everything is okay. 

I’m sure none of us have to look too deep to 

discover a wound or two. We’ve all experienced 

disappointment and pain—both physically and 

emotionally. We’ve all been treated unjustly or been 

judged, criticized, rejected, abandoned, or betrayed. 

We’ve all experienced loss and broken dreams to the 

point we felt our hearts were being ripped out of our 

chests. 

Naturally, we feel pain; our hearts are wounded. 

Thoughts and emotions surface, and we desperately 

search for answers. If answers don’t come, we begin 

to question God and people. We cast blame; we might 

head down a road of regret and guilt. Sometimes we 

look for activities, substances, relationships, money, 

or careers to soothe our pain. And our scars grow. 

To avoid physical scars on vital organs and 

bones, doctors often instruct patients to massage 

the wound area to break up the scar tissue and keep 

it pliable. This is often painful, but it’s necessary. 

Emotionally speaking, we must allow God to 

massage our hearts to prevent our emotions from 

settling in and scarring over. 

We can’t ignore emotional wounds. If we aren’t 

careful, emotions like anger, blame, regret, fear, 

bitterness, hate, guilt, and unforgiveness will form 

thick, rubber-band-like scar tissue around our hearts, 

causing them to calcify and grow hard. Like the scar 

tissue that strangulated my bowels and blocked lifesustaining 

nutrients, these emotions will block out 

people who love us. Even more, they will block out a 

God who more than anything wants to wrap His arms 

around us, heal us, and lead us through our pain. 

Uncared for, scarred-over wounds can strangulate 

the very life out of us. 

My friend, I don’t know the specific wound you 

have experienced, but God does. And He cares. Never 

doubt that. Give your wounds—every single one of 

them—to Him, so He can heal your heart and set 

your mind and body free. 

Sometimes we don’t know how to bring our 

wounds to God, or we think we shouldn’t bother 

Him with them. I just experienced this myself while 

at the dentist’s office. I was reclined in the chair, and 

Dr. Smith was drilling away at my tooth. My jaws 

began to ache. I was growing more anxious by the 

minute, and I asked God to help me. The words were 

barely formed when I thought about Matt. At that 

very moment, he was going through an excruciating 

therapy session of having his skin stretched. 

“Suck it up, Kristi.” I told myself. “If Matt can go 

through that, surely you can handle having your tooth 

worked on!” 

I felt guilty and foolish bringing God my little 

concern when Matt was dealing with such a big one. 

But the Lord lovingly reminded me of 1 Peter 5:7. 

“Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares 

about you.” It was like God was saying: “Kristi, I care 

just as much about your tooth as I do about Matt’s 

physical injuries. Bring it to Me. Bring all your cares 

to Me.” 

Let’s take a closer look at this powerful verse. 

A care is anything that causes concern, anxiety, 

frustration, difficulty, misfortune, or pain. We should 

give anything that causes us to worry to God, 

regardless of what or why it happened. Many Bible 

translations say we are to “cast” these cares to God. 

To cast means to throw an excess weight aside. We 

are literally to throw our concerns over to God. Why? 

First, because He cares for us. God is truly interested 

in every detail of our lives. If it concerns us, it concerns 

Him. Secondly, we aren’t designed to carry cares. 

Cares bind us up, load us down, and eventually wear 

us out. 

Friend, it doesn’t matter if you’ve been electrocuted 

or insulted—God cares. It doesn’t matter if you’re a 

murderer or a helper of the poor and needy—God 

loves you just the same. 

One of the reasons I believe the Lord directed 

me to focus this issue of Victorious Living on Matt 

and his family is to show you that regardless of who 

you are—mother, father, sibling, child, friend—and 

what you are going through—guilt, physical pain, 

fear, anger, frustration, loneliness, confusion—the 

answer to finding healing for your wounds is the 

same. It’s Jesus. 

Cast your cares—the big and the small—on God. 

You can trust Him with your life. He may be the last 

person you want to speak to right now, but He is the 

only One who knows the depth of your pain; the only 

One who can help you overcome. 

Talk to Him; get real with Him. For goodness 

sakes—if you have to, yell it out to Him! Just tell 

God how you feel. Talk to Him as you would a friend. 

The truth is, He is your friend (John 15:15). God isn’t 

looking for impressive, refined words. His only desire is 

to fellowship with our hearts. Lay aside any notion of 

your words having to be perfect and just talk to Him. 

I know the phrase “cast your cares on Jesus” can 

sound clichéd or naively religious, but after decades of 

experiencing my own emotional wounds and, at times, 

my own hard heart, I know how freeing casting my 

cares on God can be. If it weren’t for the healing touch 

of my heavenly Father, I’d be one bound-up mess! 

Allowing God access to your heart and casting 

your cares on Him is your key to victory. With the 

Lord’s help, you can emerge from every wound 

stronger, wiser, and better than ever. You can be made 

completely whole and find joy and freedom, even in 

the most difficult of places. V 

Kristi Overton Johnson, former 

world champion water-skier, is the 

founder of In His Wakes Ministry, KOJ 

Ministries, and publisher of Victorious 

Living magazine. She resides in Florida 

with her husband, Tim, and their 

three children. 


photo courtesy of Tracy Stewart 

PERSPECTIVE 

the importance of 

PER 

SPEC 

TIVE 

by Bobbye Jean Manzari 

PERSPECTIVE. Google defines this word 

as a particular attitude toward or way of 

regarding something; a point of view. Never 

could I have imagined the importance of this 

little word. 

Everyone faces struggles in life. My biggest 

life struggle began on a normal June day, just a 

year ago. Since then, I have learned a valuable 

lesson about perspective. 

My husband, Matt, was trimming trees for a 

local church when the electricity from a nearby 

power line arched over and electrocuted 

him. I was also at the church, so I saw Matt 

immediately after the accident occurred. 

Nobody should ever have to witness their 

loved one physically torn to pieces and on the 

brink of death, but there I was—three months 

pregnant and looking at my husband ravaged 

by electrical burns. All around me, people 

warned me to stay back because the scene 

was too horrific to witness. 

I felt like I was in the middle of a nightmare. 

Surely I was going to wake up. No way was this 

actually happening in front of me…but it was. 

We had just gotten our lives back to normal 

after Matt’s last accident. I couldn’t believe we 

were in yet another life-or-death situation that 

could take Matt away from me. 

I forced the EMT to let me into the 

ambulance. I prayed the whole way as I rode to 

the hospital with Matt. In the emergency room, 

they wheeled him away as I yelled, “I love you, 

Matt!” I knew it was quite possible that those 

were the last words I’d speak to him, and it 

broke me to pieces. 

We spent the next six hours waiting while 

Matt was in surgery. No one knew if he would 

make it or not. I felt as helpless as any one 

person can be. Nothing was certain, except 

God. I knew He was with me, our unborn baby, 

and Matt, no matter the outcome. I clung to 

the knowledge that we were all in His hands. 

It seemed like an eternity, but eventually 

we were told Matt was still alive, though his 

prognosis was grim. I was overwhelmed with 

gratitude. The simple fact that he was alive was 

a miracle after what I had seen. The doctors 

didn’t make any promises that he would 

survive, and they couldn’t say what his brain 

capabilities would be if he did. We prayed 

along with thousands of others, and God 

miraculously interceded to keep Matt alive and 

to keep his mind working. 

We spent the next three months at the 

hospital. It was the most trying time Matt and 

I ever have and probably ever will experience. 

Burns cause severely excruciating pain; I 

have witnessed this truth throughout Matt’s 



PERSPECTIVE continued from page 13 

recovery. Every day was torture for him, and though I was not feeling his exact 

physical pain, I felt the devastation of wishing I could change it for him. 

Watching the love of your life scream and weep in pain is nothing short of 

horrendous. Though the circumstances were dreadful, however, somehow we 

both felt God’s love and care throughout. He revealed His presence to us through 

answered prayers for Matt’s healing, through encouraging words from others 

that came at the exact moment we needed them, and through the peace that He 

provided us. 

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in 

spirit. The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from 

them all” (Psalm 34:18–19 NIV). 

Brokenhearted is exactly how I felt, and troubles certainly abounded. Yet just as 

this verse promised, God was close to me and kept me from being crushed by the 

weight of this trial. I clung to the hope that Matt was going to be delivered from 

every trouble he faced. 

God was the only One who gave me a different viewpoint on our circumstances. 

His perspective helped me stand against the emotions that could have easily swirled 

me into a tornado of despair. When I did allow myself to focus on the horrific 

realities we were facing, I found myself slipping into a very dark place of sadness. 

But when I pressed into God and focused on the blessings He was bringing amidst 

the suffering, I was able to find hope and strength to get through that day. 

God offers us an eternity with Him that is free of suffering, but never did He say 

that life on earth would be painless. The world we know is filled with hardship, but 

God comes alongside of us, lovingly cares for us in the trials, and promises that our 

sufferings are not forever. 

“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that 

far outweighs them all” (2 Corinthians 4:17 NIV). 

At first, this verse can seem offensive. It calls our troubles “light” and 

“momentary,” but they can sure seem more like “grave” and “prolonged.” However, 

when I focus on the reality that life on earth is short, I realize the perspective this 

verse brings. Compared to the glory of heaven, our troubles are, in fact, light. 

Compared to eternity, our troubles are, in fact, momentary. God offered Matt and 

me a way to get through this hardship without being overtaken—He offered us a 

new perspective, a fresh viewpoint of hope and encouragement. 

Some days are harder than others. At times, we still experience pain and sadness, 

but we choose to look at our pain through an eternal perspective, and that helps us 

conquer the despair that would otherwise cripple us. V 

Just eight 

months after the 

accident, Matt and 

Bobbye hold their 

son, Justice, on a 

family camping trip. 

Bobbye, by 

Matt’s side. 

Bobbye spent the 

second trimester of 

her pregnancy in the 

hospital with Matt. 

Handsel Reid 


Dear Matt and Bobbye, 

I’ve struggled to find the right words to start this letter delicately, but 

figured the best thing is just to be straightforward. It’s been an amazing 

year for you two. I know that might sound morbid, but you’ve both 

survived the worst the enemy could throw at you, and now you are ready 

to initiate God’s plan. I believe God has a plan for everyone who breathes 

on this earth—if He didn’t, they wouldn’t be here. 

Matt, every breath you take declares that God has something big 

planned for you because of your amazing faith. I know we’ve not always 

had the relationship you desired, and I’m sorry about that. I want you to 

know, no matter what else happens, I will always love and respect you. 

Three reasons why: One, you truly love God with all your heart. Two, you 

never give up, no matter what. Three, you love and treat my sister better 

than anyone else in this world, and that probably means the most to me. I 

know I don’t say it enough, but I’m glad you’re part of our family. 

Bobbye, I love you. That’s a phrase people use way too often, but when 

I say it to you, I truly mean it. It’s a little crazy to think of all 

the times we really only had each other growing up. 

I remember my joy when you let me play in your 

home movies and monkey weddings and with 

your dolls…and I remember my anger when your 

friends didn’t treat you right. I don’t always show 

these emotions for your life now, but I still feel them. 

Sometimes, I think I put distance between us because 

of how much I care. It sounds dumb, but Bobbye, 

you’ve gone through so much, and when a man cares 

like I care and can do so little to help, it makes him 

want to run and cry. 

I look at you two now, and you’re both so incredibly 

strong—it’s almost intimidating. I remember walking in 

the day of Matt’s second accident, Bobbye, and finding 

you in complete shambles. But you grabbed me, squeezed 

me tight, and between the crying repeated, “Matt will 

survive this.” I remember us sitting there, repeating those 

words with all of our will, proclaiming them to God. 

I still look at that day as the time when I felt the most 

helpless in my life. Matt, you are the only person I know 

who could have survived your accident the way you did, and 

it’s because your faith is so strong. 

So yeah, I want to say I love you, and I promise—even 

though I am scared and don’t have much to offer—I will 

always be there for you. 

Your brother through thick and thin, 

Steel 

Standing on the Promises Excerpts from Tracy Graham Stewart’s Journal 

WEDNESDAY JUNE 25, 2014 

I just received a phone call. Many lives will be changed. 

We will all know God more. 

Today Matt was electrocuted. I heard the words “high reach” and “live 

wire.” It happened around 2 p.m. Matt was trimming trees at the church. 

He was in a cherry picker. We don’t know the details. 

Bobbye Jean was there. She saw too much. She broke away from those 

holding her back, determined to be with Matt—to help him. She rode up 

front in the ambulance. She was alone…waiting…hysterical. 

Words are inadequate to describe what we see and feel right now. Matt is 

hurt badly, and we are all suffering for him. We love Matt. We are begging 

God for Matt’s life. Nonstop prayer. We have to pray for Matt. Please God, 

don’t take him from us. We need Matt. 

THURSDAY, JUNE 26 

STANDING 

On The Promises 

Most of the stories you are reading here were 

written in hindsight—a recap of events that, 

with God’s help, have been survived. Throughout 

this issue, you can read how the faith foundation 

of the Manzari and Stewart families supported 

them in troubled times. The letter on this page 

from Bobbye’s brother, Steel, and the journal 

excerpts from their mother, Tracy, below and on 

the following pages, are great examples of how 

a firm foundation not only helps you see God’s 

plan after you’ve walked through a trial, but how 

you can see it in action in the midst of turmoil. 

Matt made it through the night. So far his kidneys and heart are keeping 

up. He will go into surgery soon. People come and go while we wait. 

He’s out! The report is good, considering the severity of his situation, 

but there is so much ahead. Lots of muscle and tissue were taken. 

Especially on his arms and chest. He is very swollen. The visual is very 

difficult to take in. 

We visited Matt, and I prayed over him. We are only allowed to touch 

his feet. Many prayers are sent through Matt’s feet. 

In the morning, when we showed up, Darren was with Matt. When 

Matt heard Darren’s voice, he opened one eye and peered at his 

dad. He tried to get up. We all celebrated—we could see Matt! 

Under all the visual mess, we see Matt. 

Matt’s whole group of friends showed up. Lots of love and 

laughter. We wish Matt could be in here with us. Deborah 

brought us lunch. In the evening, Reed brought us a platter of 

Chick-Fil-A nuggets. Jenny brought several snacks and water. In 

the evening, another family showed up. They too have a trauma 

to deal with. Bobbye was sympathetic. She wanted to give up 

our room to them. It took a few minutes to get 25 people and 

all our stuff out so they could have a private place to gather. 

Bobbye left the peanut butter, jelly, and bread for them. They 

were so thankful. 

www.kojministries.org 15

Unshakeable Faith by 

Dan Stewart 

“Dan, it’s bad. It’s bad!” My wife Tracy could 

hardly speak as she tried to explain what she had 

just heard from a broken Bobbye Jean. There was 

little information, just that Matt, Bobbye’s husband, 

was severely injured. Tracy, in no shape to drive, was 

waiting for her friend, Jenny, to come take her to 

the hospital. 

I was two hours away, working in Sarasota. 

(Coincidently, I was also in Sarasota when I received 

the call about Matt’s first accident a couple of years 

earlier.) 

I jumped in the car and headed to the hospital. I 

immediately called Bobbye Jean. She couldn’t talk. 

She simply wept on the phone. Desperate to get 

information, I became stern with her and demanded 

that she pull herself together and give me the 

details. She could not. 

Just then, her pastor arrived and took the phone. 

He’d been one of the first people to respond at the 

accident. Pastor Jeff gave me a general description 

of Matt’s injuries. I thanked him for taking care of 

Bobbye and hung up the phone. 

I caught myself driving faster and faster. Knowing 

driving recklessly would not likely end well, I set the 

cruise control to the legal limit and forced myself 

to take a deep breath. And I prayed. I arrived at the 

hospital in time for the family’s meeting with the 

doctor. He didn’t paint a bright picture, but he did 

give some information that sparked hope. 

The next day, Matt had his first surgery. It took 

longer than expected. Finally, the doctor appeared 

and told us he thought Matt was going to make it. 

He said a lot of other things…like the possibility 

of infection, Matt’s arms being removed, brain 

damage… 

None of that mattered much to Bobbye Jean. 

All she heard was Matt was going to make it. She 

would have her husband and best friend back. They 

would still have a life together, some day. No one 

could predict what that life would look like, but from 

that moment on, her faith became an example for 

us all. 

We received news that the electricity had 

not harmed Matt’s heart. To Bobbye, this was 

confirmation that if God had protected Matt’s heart 

despite the incredibly high voltage that had passed 

through his chest, then God must have a plan. He 

must have protected Matt for a reason. She clung to 

that hope, no matter what news came her way. She 

was steadfast in her faith. 

As a father, I watched in amazement as my 

daughter lived out her faith at an incredible level. 

This wasn’t a faith borrowed from her parents. This 

was Bobbye’s faith, being tested by events beyond 

what we could have imagined. It was a faith that 

she and Matt had developed in their life together as 

young adults through studying God’s Word, prayer, 

and fellowshipping with other believers. 

When tragedy strikes, it’s difficult to drum up 

faith. Nor is there time to develop it. I witnessed 

the importance of having a storehouse of God’s 

promises to stand on in times of despair. Because 

my daughter had built her faith daily, she had a 

foundation on which to stand though her world had 

crumbled around her. Bobbye didn’t have to search 

for faith, nor did Matt; it was already in them both. 

Bobbye’s faith carried her through the next 90 

days in the hospital. It enabled her to somehow 

finish her college degree and graduate, as well as go 

through her entire second trimester of pregnancy— 

these concerns were all a distant second in anyone’s 

mind. Nothing was about Bobbye anymore; that 

was hard for me, as her parent, to witness. Yet this 

fact never fazed her. She persevered, focusing not 

on herself but on Matt and Christ. 

It was painful to watch my daughter and sonin-law 

go through so many heart-wrenching trials. 

But even in our sorrow, I felt unexplainable joy and 

gratitude for Matt’s life. I was proud, as only a father 

can be, as I watched my daughter and son-and-law 

reach for the Lord and point others to Him. V 

Standing on the Promises Excerpts from Tracy Graham Stewart’s journal 

FRIDAY, JUNE 27 

Bobbye saw a picture of Matt during breakfast. She cried. She has good moments 

and lots of bad ones. We prayed for God to give us new encouragement for this 

new day. About three minutes later, Bobbye got a text from Darren. Matt was 

verbally responding. We are encouraged. Thank you, God. 

SATURDAY, JUNE 28 

We arrived at the hospital at 6:30 a.m. I want to be tenacious in my faith today. 

Pastor Andy complimented Bobbye and Matt—called them extraordinary. Christ 

can be seen in them. It is evident to all. They are tenacious in their faith. 

Bobbye spoke to the chaplain alone. She needs counseling. She continues to have 

haunting flashbacks of the accident. He recommended the scripture 2 Corinthians 

10:5. He told Bobbye to take every thought captive. He told her to replace each 

bad memory with a good one. Bobbye likes to think of Matt singing different 

made-up songs while he shaves. That makes her smile. 

Matt is very active today. They have to medicate him to keep him down. 

Movement is very dangerous to his bandages and dressings and also his tubes. 

He is still intubated. Darren is reading Matt’s favorite scripture to him. What a 

beautiful picture—a father reading scripture over his son. 

Matt’s group of friends is here again. Kelly is in town. She is believing God for a 

miracle. God told her that He would prosper Matt and Bobbye. I hold onto Godgiven 

words from people who have solid faith. Darren’s friend, Lynvall, said Matt is 

going to be okay, too. The Spirit of God told him Matt is going to be beautiful. 

Kelly described our faith journey as this: we have faith, but our five senses get in 

the way. So true. So profound. I like it. What we hear and see is hard to take in. 

It’s hard to make sense of; it’s hard to see past. We must stay focused on God. We 

have to if we are going to make it through this. 

Bobbye keeps mentioning Jesus’s many references to feet in the Bible. We have 

full access to Matt’s feet right now. That’s our focus. We start at his feet. One 

day, we will move up. 


Asking Why by 

Darren Manzari Sr. 

A million questions; a flood of overwhelming 

emotions. 

I was in Jamaica on business. Nancy and I 

had already spoken on the phone that morning. 

She’d been up doing her morning devotions. She’d 

expressed how happy she was. We had a good life 

together, and everything was going well. Neither 

of us could have known how much our world was 

about to change. 

The phone rang later that morning. It was my 

friend, Pastor Jeff. My son had been in an accident. 

While this was disturbing, it wasn’t unusual. Matt 

was a professional athlete; he’d been in many 

accidents. It wasn’t until Jeff told me I needed to 

get home as quickly as possible that I began to 

realize the severity of this one. 

I flew home, arriving at the hospital that 

evening. Matt was still unconscious; his condition 

was worse than I had imagined. From past 

experience, however, I was confident it would just 

be a short time until he returned home and life 

continued as usual. 

It wasn’t until we met with Dr. Smith that I 

began to understand this time was different. As 

the doctor detailed a list of Matt’s injuries, he was 

clear in his statement that this was going to be a 

“life-altering experience” for all of us. From this 

point forward, life would never be the same. 

I guess that’s when I began questioning God 

as to why something like this could happen. Matt 

was a young man who had given up his career as 

a professional athlete to work in ministry. There he 

was, doing something good for the church, when 

this accident took place. 

“How could You have allowed this to happen?” 

I asked God. “Why didn’t You prevent this? Why 

didn’t You protect my son?” These and a million 

other questions raced through my mind as my son 

lay there, fighting for his life. 

I was angry and overwhelmed with helplessness. 

I’ve always been the person who fixes things, who 

solves the family’s problems. Well, I couldn’t fix 

this one. There was nothing I could do…but pray. 

I was at Matt’s side when he first opened his 

eyes. He couldn’t talk and there was no emotion 

on his face, but looking into his eyes, I could 

clearly see that Matt was still with us. A father 

knows his son, and somehow that day, I was able 

to see Matt just by looking into his eyes. It was 

the first of many signs God gave me that things 

would be okay. 

Over the next several days, Matt grew more 

aware of his surroundings. He progressed to the 

point where he could move his arm a few inches. 

He seemed to be asking me where he was and 

what had happened, so I briefly explained why 

he was in the hospital. Matt communicated by 

blinking his eyes in response to questions. This 

conversation, although very brief, was the next 

sign from God that let me know Matt’s mind was 

still intact. 

We were on an emotional roller coaster at this 

point. We were happy to know that his mind was 

intact, but then Dr. Smith warned us he might 

have to amputate both of Matt’s arms. I was not 

ready to face that, and I sternly told Dr. Smith 

that he should do whatever was necessary to 

save Matt’s arms. Amputation was not an option. 

Of course, not being a doctor, I had nothing to 

medically back up that declaration. I did, however, 

have a clear vision of Matt someday holding his 

child, and I was not ready to let go of that. 

I remember sitting in the chapel, just being 

angry with God. How could amputation even be 

an option? Matt had been working as a preschool 

teacher; he loved getting on his knees, opening 

his arms, and holding those children. Where was 

the logic in all of this? How could any of this make 

sense, even to God? 

As I sat there crying, the chaplain came in. 

We talked, and he told me that while he didn’t 

have all the answers, he could take me around 

the hospital and show me a thousand people 

who would quickly change places with me if they 

could. He showed me that I needed to be happy 

with each step forward, no matter how small. 


Standing on the Promises Excerpts from Tracy Graham Stewart’s journal 

SUNDAY, JUNE 29 

Matt has a sense of where he is now. He knows Bobbye is 

here, so he’s okay. Slowly we will help him understand what 

is happening. Bobbye told him a funny story. He made what 

seemed to be a spontaneous laugh. We love Matt so much. 

Thank you, Lord, for his life. 

So many people are praying and coming together; stepping up 

to help us. Thank you, friends. Yesterday’s prayer at Matt’s church 

ended with the topic of bringing people together. That’s what Matt 

is best at. Even in the hardest times—especially in the hardest times— 

Matt brings people together. 

Somehow in the midst of this trial, we find laughter. One after another, 

people tell stories. We laugh. Somehow, there is always laughter. 

“Rejoice,” God says, “when you face trials of many kinds.” Well…this is 

certainly a trial. I wish to rejoice completely someday. I am working on it. 

Matt has another surgery tonight. God is with him. God is for Matt. God is 

going to prosper Matt and Bobbye. 


MONDAY JUNE 30 

Waiting for Matt’s surgery to end. I ran errands this morning. So much 

to do. We have been making friends in the waiting room. Last night a 

gentleman was overwhelmed while sitting with his friend in ICU, so he 

went over and sat with his new buddy Matt. How sweet. 

Matt, you touch a lot of people. People really love and respect you, even 

the nurses. 


The Lord’s Goodness by 

Nancy Manzari 

“Nancy,” my husband said. My heart 

dropped. The tone of his voice and the 

way he said my name told me something 

was very wrong. 

“It’s Matthew; there’s been an accident.” 

His voice was shaky as he told me Matthew 

had been electrocuted while cutting trees. 

“Is he okay? Is he alive?” I asked. 

I never expected Darren to say Matthew 

might not make it. Those words turned my knees 

to noodles. I couldn’t even walk as the tears 

flowed from my eyes. 

Darren tried to soothe me. “You have to calm 

down and get to the hospital. I will be there as 

soon as I can get a plane home.” He was out of the 

country on business. 

I grabbed my shoes and looked for my car 

keys, thinking to myself that this couldn’t be 

happening again. It had only been two years since a 

wakeskating accident had almost taken Matthew’s 

life. I felt physically ill and like I was having an outof-body 

experience, but somehow I managed to get 

into my car. 

I wanted to pray, but God knows I couldn’t. I just 

didn’t know what to pray for. I could barely figure out 

how to drive and get to the hospital, much less form 

coherent words. Thank goodness for the navigation 

system in my car! I just kept begging God, pleading 

with Him to keep my son alive, reminding Him how 

young Matthew was and how much he had left to 

do for God. Then Psalm 27 came to mind. I began to 

recite it over and over again: 

The Lord is my light and my salvation— 

so why should I be afraid? 

The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from 

danger, so why should I tremble?… 

Though a mighty army surrounds me, 

my heart will not be afraid. 

Even if I am attacked, 

I will remain confident.… 

For he will conceal me there when troubles 

come; he will hide me in his sanctuary. He 

will place me out of reach on a high rock. 

Then I will hold my head high 

above my enemies who surround me. 

At his sanctuary I will offer sacrifices with shouts 

of joy, singing and praising the Lord with 

music. 

Hear me as I pray, O Lord. 

Be merciful and answer me! 

My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk 

with me.” And my heart responds, “Lord, I 

am coming.”… You have always been my 

helper. 

Don’t leave me now; don’t abandon me, 

O God of my salvation! … 

Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness 

while I am here in the land of the living. 

Wait patiently for the Lord. 

Be brave and courageous. 

Yes, wait patiently for the Lord. 

These verses gave me the strength to keep driving. 

They also protected my mind as it raced wildly with 

anxious thoughts. Anyone who is a parent can 

imagine the fears that were going through my mind. I 

was desperate to see my baby. I needed to hold him 

and hug him and tell him how much I loved him. 

I arrived at the hospital feeling completely sick. Not 

knowing where to go or how to find him just added 

to the helplessness I was already feeling. God, in His 

grace, met me in my time of need and put someone 

directly in my path who could lead me to Matthew. 

When I arrived at the ICU, they allowed me to see 

Matthew. It was the scariest moment of my life. My 

child was almost unrecognizable. His head was so 

incredibly swollen and deformed, it literally looked 

like a giant square sitting on top of his shoulders. And 

the machines—they were everywhere. Tubes were 

running to and fro between Matthew’s body and 

those machines. He lay so still. 

Could this be my son? 

But then I saw his feet, those unmistakable feet. I 

smiled, and I touched them. They were his, and they 

were unhurt. Matt was alive. This was my first answer 

to prayer. 

I quickly realized I had a very difficult phone call 

to make to Matthew’s brother, Darren Jr., who lives 

in Louisiana. My sons are very close. This news would 

surely bring much pain. Matthew and Darren Jr. had 

been homeschooled for most of their lives, and they 

had been best friends growing up. If you saw 

one, you saw the other. People didn’t even 

know they were brothers because they didn’t 

fight like most siblings, and they had all of the 

same interests. 

When Darren Jr. arrived and saw Matthew, 

he immediately said, “I know my brother. 

He wants to hear music.” He took his 

phone out of his pocket and put on a song 

he knew Mathew would want to hear. 

Matthew began blinking as if to say yes. 

With those blinks, we knew Matthew 

was in there, somewhere, underneath 

all the wires and bandages. 

In a situation like this, I found 

myself praying for everything—from Matthew 

waking up, to moving a finger, to recognizing 

someone’s voice. Praise God, with each passing day, 

those things slowly began to happen. We could see 

God’s hand of mercy and grace at work all around us. 

The victories we experienced, however, were often 

challenged by negative reports. Our experience in 

the hospital was like a roller coaster ride. There were 

so many ups and downs! One moment we’d be 

celebrating Matthew overcoming a milestone, and 

then the very next second, we’d find ourselves on our 

knees in inconsolable pain. In one breath we were 

told Matthew was going to live, but with the very 

next breath, we learned it would be weeks before 

he was out of the woods. We’d hear Matthew’s vital 

organs were functioning perfectly, followed by the 

statement that his arms might have to be amputated. 

In a moment’s notice, it seemed the world could start 

spinning out of control! 

When the doctor told us about Matthew’s possible 

amputation, I wanted to scream at the top of my 

lungs, “Take those words back!” All I could think 

about was Matthew and Bobbye Jean’s unborn baby. 

Matthew had to be able to hold his baby. It was all I 

could do not to say to the doctors, “God will have the 

last word in this matter!” And God did. I could give so 

many examples of Matthew overcoming the odds— 

only because of the gracious hand of God. 

During Matthew’s recovery, I realized how 

important it was for me to remember to thank God 

for the many miracles I had witnessed since day 

one of the accident—for the beating heart, moving 

finger, blinking eye, spoken word.… So often after 

a prayer would be answered, I would quickly move 

on to praying for the next miracle. I needed to praise 

God for all of the things that He’d already done for 

Matthew’s healing. Not only am I sure this pleased 

God, but it also helped me remember how far we 

had come. And in my remembrance, my faith was 

strengthened so that I could face the next challenge. 


I don’t know how people who don’t know God make it through 

life, much less through times of tragedy. For the next three months, 

our lives were completely turned upside down as we basically lived at 

the hospital and in a small rented home next to it. The world outside 

meant nothing to us. Without the Lord and the many people who 

surrounded Matthew’s bed day and night, and those from around the 

world who sent cards and made phone calls, there’s no way I could 

have made it through this ordeal. Their kind acts, prayers, and words 

of encouragement brought much needed comfort, always in perfect 

timing. This experience made me realize how important people are to 

one another, and how God uses people to help us in our journey of life. 

The Lord and His people helped me get through hours of waiting and 

heart-wrenching experiences. The most difficult times were Matthew’s 

twice-a-day bandage changes. With every scream, my heart was ripped 

apart. There are no words to describe what we saw. Even with all of 

today’s modern medicine and pain killers, Matt was in agony. Those 

scenes are forever etched in my mind as it was like watching my son be 

crucified. There was nothing I could do but pray. And pray I did. 

Matthew would pray, too. He prayed out loud before each and 

every bandage change. He would pray for the people in the room, for 

the nurses and doctors…and then He would praise God. It was an 

incredible thing to witness. That, too, will be forever etched in my mind. 

My son, praying for others and praising God, in the midst of his pain. 

Matthew is now out of the hospital and going to physical therapy. 

He still has many challenges ahead of him and faces intense pain 

every day, but he meets every single obstacle with a good attitude 

and a heart of gratitude. As a mother, I am so proud of my son and so 

thankful for his life. Every time I pick up the phone to call Matthew and 

hear his voice; every time I wrap my arms around him and give him 

a hug, I praise God for Psalm 27:13, for I have truly seen the Lord’s 

goodness in the land of the living. V 

WHY continued from page 17 

I shouldn’t look at what Matt would be lacking; instead, I should praise God for what 

Matt still had, no matter what the outcome would be. Somehow these words came 

at just the right time, were delivered through just the right person, and were able to 

change my perspective. 

Shortly after that, Matt began to speak again. I clearly remember one of the first 

things Matt said to me. He told me that even though Satan meant this for evil, God 

was going to use it for good. 

What a stark contrast to my perspective. I was focused on why God had allowed 

this to happen. Matt was focused on how God would use it for good. I couldn’t 

comprehend how someone in his condition could have this point of view, but I was in 

awe of my son and his perspective on the situation. 

Matt’s condition continued to improve, and he was moved from ICU to a trauma 

step-down unit. We saw this as being one step closer to Matt’s coming home. We did 

not realize we still had a very long road ahead. 

The next few weeks began a series of surgeries, as well as dressing changes. 

Dressing changes to a burn victim are a good picture of what torture might look 

like. During these twice-a-day changes that could take up to two hours each, Matt 

screamed in agony. 

Finally, I’d found something I could do. I requested to be present during the 

dressing changes in an effort to comfort Matt. I would stand behind Matthew, gently 

holding his head while offering words of inspiration and telling him how much God 

loved him. Often we would play praise music during the procedure, mouthing the 

words between his screams. At the end of these sessions, I was emotionally broken, 

but I knew that I was helping my son, even if I was only there as comforter. 

The weeks passed, and Matt continued to grow stronger each day. He began a 

ritual of opening each dressing change and each surgery in prayer with the doctors 

and nurses. I think what touched most of the people involved with this was that Matt 

was not praying for himself. He prayed for those around him. He prayed for what they 

would go through and for God to work in their lives and through them. 

I remember when he first gained enough strength to walk. We took a few steps 

together into the hallway. There he ran into another patient that we, as a family, had 

been talking with. Matt had not yet met him. His injuries were not nearly as severe as 

Matt’s, yet the first thing Matt did was ask if he could pray for him. As Matt prayed for 

him, tears ran down the man’s face, as they did mine. Despite the condition and pain 

Matt was in, all he wanted to do was to bring hope and peace to others. 

A little more than three months after the accident, Matt walked out of the hospital, 

months ahead of schedule. Matt continues to grow stronger every day, looking 

forward to helping other people. 

Many children look to their father as their hero, but I look to my son as mine. 

Through this ordeal, he continues to teach me that God has a much bigger plan for 

our lives than we can imagine. He illustrates that if we focus only on this life, the 

situations we face look big; but if we focus on eternity and our eternal lives, this is 

just a moment in time. 

I’ve learned that I need to stop looking for the Matthew I remember and start 

embracing the Matthew he has become. He has become so much stronger and wiser, 

and he is determined to bring a message of hope and triumph to anyone who is 

suffering. 

I continue to learn from Matt every day, and while I still do have moments of 

weakness where I question God, my anger toward Him has subsided. I’m looking 

forward to a day when I can fully thank God for this journey. I’m already seeing how 

many lives have been impacted by it. 

If you are questioning the logic and sense of a situation in your life, pause for a 

moment and ask God to give you another perspective. It’s not easy; I still fail with 

this many days. But over time, I’m finding that other perspective more often, and I’m 

realizing that God does have a bigger plan than I’m seeing right now. V 


GOD 

Used It for 

Good 

continued from page 11 

MOVING FORWARD 

There’s no sugarcoating it—every day I face excruciating pain and the harsh reality that the life I once 

knew is gone. While I rejoice in all the things I can still do—more than anyone ever thought possible— 

there’s still great loss. My once strong body is now weak. My athletic career is gone. I can’t wakeskate 

anymore or hang out in the sun or splash around in the lake. The risk of infection and damage to my skin 

is too great. Even taking a shower is torturous as the water hits my tender skin. 

Only in the strength of God am I able to keep moving forward. The Bible promises that God gives us 

grace sufficient for each day. I trust fully in this promise. I can’t look past today and worry about tomorrow; 

I just have to trust that when tomorrow comes, God will meet me there and help me overcome. He has 

faithfully proven time and time again that when I am at my weakest, His strength will see me through. 

If you are facing hurdles that seem too enormous or painful to overcome, I encourage you to take one 

day at a time. Sometimes, you might even have to take one hour or one minute at a time. That’s the only 

way I survived my recovery process. Simply changing my bandages was like stepping onto 

a battlefield. 

Handsel Reid 


TUESDAY, JULY 1 

Arrived at 7 a.m. Waiting to see Matt. Drawing from God’s Word at every turn. 

Bobbye loves Matt so much. She loves him completely, and that is so beautiful. 

Her thoughts of him when spoken are so touching. She worries about him and 

not herself. She misses Matt and mourns for the body pieces that are missing and 

those that will be replaced. She wants Matt to hold their baby. She doesn’t care 

about vanity. She wants Matt to be whole. 

Wholeness, Lord. For this we pray. Wholeness we proclaim; therefore, we have 

peace. You, Lord, are all we are. You, Lord, are everything. We are nothing 

without You. 

See Matt, Lord. See Matt. 

Guess what? Matt is speaking! Thank you, Jesus. 

Matt was with Bobbye this morning. She said he was frustrated, crying, feeling 

trapped. Understandable. Who wouldn’t be? 

Matt’s brother was talking about Matt in the room. The nurse interrupted him and 

asked if Matt was a Christian. She said she was assigned to Matt after she prayed 

for God to put her where He wanted her most today. She laid hands on Matt and 

immediately, the monitors lined up to the exact place in order for his tubes to be 

removed. No one on the floor could explain this miracle. Nor can they explain 

Matt’s timeline of recovery. Everyone is talking about it. God will get the glory. 

Darren asked to pray. Matt’s eyes grew big. His prayer spoke of Satan’s 

attempt to destroy Matt. But Satan failed. Doesn’t Satan know he only made 

it worse for himself? Matt’s testimony is going to be huge now. Matt’s story 

is going to spread like wildfire. It is going to encourage the hearts of those 

who are praying. It will infuse more prayer into the atmosphere. More 

miracles will happen. So many people will be impacted. You lost, Satan. 

Bobbye just spoke to Matt’s nurse. The nurse said, “Something is going 

on here with God today. Matt was not supposed to be extubated, and I 

was not supposed to be in this room. God put me with you today. He is 

at work.” 

That nurse works for God. 

Ashley pointed out the rainbow outside Matt’s window. 

Promises…God’s promises. We will focus on God’s promises. No 

weapon formed against you will prosper, Matt. 

We are doing cartwheels for Matt today. Well, Dan and I are. 

We did our first cartwheel. I need practice! 

Standing on the Promises Excerpts from Tracy Graham Stewart’s Journ 

WEDNESDAY, JULY 2 

Matt is sitting up! Another milestone. Bobbye just showed me Matt’s 

notes in his Bible. He wrote them after his first accident. Genesis 

50:20–21 was highlighted: “You intended to harm me, but God 

intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving 

of many lives. So then, don’t be afraid” (NIV). 

God will use this for good. 

Praying for Matt’s arms. Lord, make them whole, restore them. Nothing 

useless, nothing missing. 

Bobbye just came out from seeing Matt. There were tears. I don’t know if 

they were tears of sadness or tears of jubilation…. 

Yes! It was elation! Matt is moving to a step-down unit TODAY! Matt is on 

God’s timeline of recovery. God-speed equals Matt-speed. It’s hard to keep 

up with God/Matt-speed. As Bobbye puts it, we are pitiful with excitement. 

THURSDAY, JULY 3 

Handsel Reid 

Matt is in surgery. He should have been out by now. We were told it wouldn’t 

take long. The waiting is hard. Lord, please do miraculous things with Matt. 

Especially his arms. Help him to not be afraid. 

Buddy wrote this: “Your faith is not at risk because you have questions; it is 

strengthened because you don’t have answers.” We don’t have answers. We 

must have faith. 


al 

To this day—months removed from my hospital 

experience—I can’t walk into ORMC without crying. 

It’s not because I’m angry or questioning God; it’s 

just that when I step back into that environment, 

the reality of the pain I experienced becomes so 

real. I still have nightmares about dressing changes. 

I remember the nurses pouring gallons of saline 

on my skin as I slowly removed the dressings that 

were stuck to me like papier-mâché. I wouldn’t let 

anyone else do it; it was just too painful. It felt like 

my insides were being ripped out. After an hour of 

excruciating pain, I would finish 

one thigh, only to realize that I 

had another whole leg to go. No 

human should have to go through 

that kind of pain. I honestly felt 

like people were trying to kill me, 

even though I knew they were 

only trying to help. 

Every day I was pushed beyond 

my limits. When I’d wake up, the 

nurses and doctors would give 

me a rundown of what was 

going to happen that day. It was 

too much to take in. I learned if 

I was going to survive, I would 

have to face each moment in 

the Lord’s strength. On many 

occasions I prayed, “Okay, God—I’m 

not strong enough to get through this day, much less 

this procedure. I need You to help me. Please help me 

make it through the next hour.” 

I literally set goals by the hour. I still do. The 

thought of taking on the whole day was too hard 


FRIDAY, JULY 4 

Matt has physical therapy on his hands and arms today. So painful for him. It is 

difficult to exercise on pain meds. Matt amazes everyone. 

I am amazed at Matt’s inner and outer strength. Blown away by it. He keeps 

talking about how he can help others with this experience. Amazing. 

Matt wants to know more. His dad explained what happened, what is happening 

today, and what will happen in the near future. It is a lot to take in. We must 

remember: God is with us; God is for us. 

SATURDAY, JULY 5 

Matt just had his first iced tea and Gatorade 

today. He also had chicken with BBQ sauce. 

Ten days ago we were destitute. Today, Matt 

eats! Thank You, Lord. 

Psalm 33:18–19: “But the eyes of the Lord 

are on those who fear him, on those 

whose hope is in His unfailing love, to 

deliver them from death and keep them 

alive in famine” (NIV). 

to bear. Instead, I would look only at what was 

ahead for the hour, and it seemed more possible 

to get through. The excruciating pain of my whole 

day was not something I could motivate myself to 

push through, but if I said to myself, “Just make 

it through this procedure,” I was able to make it. 

My family and I lived like this for a long time. By 

taking each day moment by moment, we found the 

courage to move forward. 

Did it take the pain away? No. Not even a little 

bit. But it gave me the courage and strength to face 

my pain. 

As believers, we often have the misconception 

that we shouldn’t have to experience pain. But 

God doesn’t promise a pain-free life. Instead, He 

promises to be with us through the trials, so that 

we emerge from them victoriously. 

Because of my faith in God, my obstacles have not 

overtaken me. And yours don’t have to overtake you. 

VICTORY AWAITS 

I know real pain. I know disappointment and 

loss. I understand completely how it feels 

to have dreams shatter around me. I know 

how humbling it is to go from being my 

wife’s protector to not being able to open 

a water bottle without her help. But I also 

know victory. I know what it feels like 

to overcome the odds; to experience 

firsthand God turning something so 

awful completely around. 

It breaks my heart when people 

allow their emotions or physical 

circumstances to overtake them. 

My physical therapist sees so many people who have 

just given up on life. They have no interest in getting 

better because the pain of getting better seems 

too great. Ultimately, they end up stuck––stuck in 

bitterness, anger, hopelessness, and unforgiveness. 

Their decision also impacts their loved ones. Had I 

given up or lashed out, so many people would have 

been affected negatively—especially Bobbye. 

Holding my son was worth the pain of physical 

therapy. Sleeping next to my wife again was worth 

the pain. Hearing my parents’ voices and hanging 

out with my friends—it was all worth the pain of 

pushing through. Victory waits on the other side of 

pain. 

Sometimes it’s hard to see that victory when 

trials are piled high around us and our binkies are 

lying on the floor. But it’s there, I promise you. No 

matter where you are, no matter what you have 

faced, no matter what is coming your way, there 

is a victorious life waiting for you. I am living proof 

that God can make something beautiful from the 

pieces of any shattered dream. He did it for me, and 

He’ll do the same for you. V 

Standing on the Promises Excerpts from Tracy Graham Stew 

SUNDAY, JULY 6 

Rough night for Matt. Rough morning, too. His dressings 

were changed—extremely painful. He screams. 

Matt walked from his room and went down the hall and 

back today! He was so happy, but extremely exhausted. He 

continues to amaze us with endurance and determination 

despite his pain. He has pain that I cannot even describe. 

God, please cover him with Your power. Help him to not feel 

so much pain. How can a person endure so much? Please, 

Lord, show Matt mercy. 

Bobbye misses Matt. I miss Matt. We all miss Matt. What words 

can explain why and how much we miss him? We will all be here 

to help him become new and whole. 

MONDAY, JULY 7 

Another surgery today, fifth one for Matt. More to come. He is 

resting. 

TUESDAY, JULY 8 

It’s been almost two weeks now since that phone call. I can’t believe 

how much emotion can be crammed into such a physically short 

amount of time. Life got real, really fast. In times like these, the things 

that are important stand up, and the reality of the situation takes center 

stage. Everything that was important two weeks ago has faded away. It 

sits and glimmers in the background. We tend to the embers when we 

are able; sometimes responsibility forces our attention. Animals must be 

fed. We have to eat, too, and rest. We have to take care of ourselves in 

order to be here for Matt. No time to pity our own pain. We must push it 

aside for now and move on. 

Matt will survive. God has saved him for a purpose. This is our daily kick in 

the rear. It is our motivation for tomorrow. One day at a time. We must do 

what we can today and do it with excellence. Tomorrow will come. When it 

does, God will be with us. V 


Riding Strong by 

Reed Hansen 

I first met Matt in 2003 when he came to my 

parents’ wakeboard camp in Clermont, Florida, for 

a week of training. He and I were both about 13 

years old and avid wakeboarders. Usually the people 

I met at our camp would just come and go, but for 

some reason, Matt and I became fast friends. We 

exchanged numbers and stayed in touch. 

Matt and his family soon moved from upstate 

New York to Tavares, a short distance from our home. 

I guess you could say we’ve pretty much hung out 

every day since. He’s been my best friend and training 

partner on the water. When he first moved here, I 

introduced him to my good friend, Bobbye Jean. They 

soon fell madly in love…and the rest is history. 

Early in our friendship, Matt and I were aspiring 

professional wakeboarders. Living at a wakeboard 

camp, I was basically born into it, and Matt had been 

working at it for several years. Then, and I am not 

sure why, we both lost interest in wakeboarding. It 

just wasn’t fun anymore. Wakeskating, on the other 

hand, was nothing but fun! Switching sports was an 

easy choice for us. We hung up our straps and started 

wakeskating every chance we got. 

Soon we were riding on the pro tour with the 

best wakeskaters in the world. All those guys we had 

watched in videos and tried to emulate on the water, 

we were now going against in heats at the tour. It 

was intimidating at first, but it brought about some 

great memories. 

Matt was incredible on the water. He was so 

original, always creating new tricks, doing things no 

one else had done before. Before long, he was setting 

trends for the rest of us. Wakeskating began to grow 

and soon launched its own tour. It was at the first 

stop on the 2012 Wake Skate Toe Jam Tour, that Matt 

suffered a horrible injury. 

Matt was in his senior year in college in Tennessee, 

preparing to take his final exams. He wasn’t planning 

to compete in this particular stop; he was focusing 

on his studies. Knowing how awesome he was at 

wakeskating, though, I encouraged him to fly down 

to Orlando, compete, and then fly back to take his 

exams. Seemed like a good idea at the time. 

He’d be able to take his exams and 

still accumulate points on tour, 

keeping himself in good 

standing on the tour’s 

rankings list. 

I’ll never forget 

watching as Matt cut 

in for his last trick. He soared high through the air— 

and then crashed into the rock-covered shoreline at 

over 30 mph. I jumped in my truck and sped over to 

where Matt was lying. One look at him, and I knew 

it was bad. He was unconscious; his face smashed 

in. Even his eye socket had collapsed. I just held him, 

certain he was going to die in my arms. 

I had encouraged Matt to ride. His parents had 

urged him to stay back in Tennessee, but I had 

selfishly persuaded him to compete. And now this. I 

felt so guilty. 

I followed helplessly as they drove Matt and 

Bobbye away in the ambulance. We soon learned that 

Matt was going to make it. It was a miracle that he 

was alive, but he had a long road of recovery ahead 

of him. At the time, this event seemed so incredibly 

trying. Looking back, however, that experience was 

nothing compared to what was about to come. 

In June 2014, Matt was electrocuted. In that 

moment and in the months following, we all 

discovered new levels of pain we never knew existed. 

For me, the hardest part of Matt’s accident was how 

lonely I felt. For years, Matt had been my training 

and traveling partner. He had also been the biggest 

spiritual influence in my life. He was the one who 

helped me stand strong in my faith, especially on a 

tour where the Christian lifestyle is rare. Now, Matt 

was gone, and I was alone. It was hard. It’s still hard. 

On tour, I had to learn to look to God to keep 

me strong spiritually, where perhaps before I would 

have looked to Matt. Now when I’m laughed at and 

mocked for my faith, I have to find God’s strength 

within me. I have to admit, I still text Matt for 

encouragement! 

It’s so easy to be inspired by Matt. I mean, the first 

words that come out of this guy’s mouth when he 

wakes up from tragedy is, “Praise God, I’m alive.” No 

matter how bad it is, Matt’s faith stays strong. And 

that helps me stand strong. 

It’s hard to wrap my mind around the fact that 

my biggest struggle in life is landing a new trick 

on my wakeskate, while my best friend struggles to 

sleep, eat, or even open a water bottle. Knowing this 

keeps me humble and reminds me to thank God for 

everything, big and small. Before this accident, I took 

so many things for granted. 

Although Matt’s situation is hard for many, we are 

all closer to God because of it. We see Him at work all 

around us. Knowing God is in the midst of our lives 

keeps me strong and determined to continue to ride 

for Him—and for Matt. V 

Whether they are 

standing on a dock at 

a pro event, attending 

a friend’s wedding, or 

just goofing off, Reed 

and Matt are always 

at each other’s side. 

22 www.kojministries.org 

Garret Cortese / alliancewake.com

A LIGHT 

For My 

PATH 


Life can be overwhelming. Whether we’re in 

the middle of a life-altering experience like Matt 

and his family or simply facing the day-to-day 

responsibilities of life, cares can pile up in our hearts 

and minds that make moving forward difficult. 

To keep my feet moving forward in victory, I have 

had to learn the discipline of taking my concerns 

to God. I do this every morning as I take my dog, 

Mater, for his walk. As we walk along, I lay my 

various concerns and needs before the Lord while 

I pump my arms and lengthen my stride. Recently, 

I found myself with so many things on my mind 

and so many activities on my plate that I knew, if 

I wasn’t careful, they would weigh me down and 

take my focus off what’s truly important. To avoid 

that pitfall of anxiety, I began to tell the Lord what 

was on my heart. Just as Philippians 4:6–8 instructs, 

I laid my requests before Him. 

Lost in my thoughts and prayers, I was surprised 

when the floodlights of a nearby house suddenly 

clicked on. Evidently, I was walking close enough 

to the house to trigger the light’s sensor. I couldn’t 

help but notice that my once dark path was now 

bright, and I could see things that had been hidden 

only moments before. 

Immediately, I sensed the Lord saying to my heart: 

“Just as those floodlights clicked on to light your 

path, I too will light your path. I will give you the 

answers you need. Walk close to Me, trust Me, and I 

will show you the way to go. I will reveal things that 

were once hidden. I will make them known.” 

These words gave me wonderful assurance and 

provided a great reminder of something I have 

known for years but often forget in the craziness 

of life. It’s easy to get overwhelmed and to become 

so narrowly focused on seeking the answers to my 

issues that I forget to seek the true Answer—Jesus. 

I realized something else interesting about that 

floodlight. As I passed closely by the house, the 

light switched on without my doing a thing. It was 

the automatic function of that floodlight. What an 

amazing phenomenon—get close to the sensor, 

and voilà, there’s light! Suddenly the darkness is 

banished. 

Likewise, as we walk in close fellowship with 

the Lord, answers automatically light up around us. 

What was once hidden and seemed impossible to 

find becomes clear. And guess what? Just like the 

floodlight, we don’t have to do anything to activate 

that illumination. We only have to be in close 

proximity to the source of light—God. 

Life isn’t about seeking answers to our problems. 

It’s about seeking God through a relationship with 

His Son, Jesus. As we seek Him, we find Him. This is 

important because Jesus is the Light; He is the Truth; 

He is the Way. He is the One who lights up our path. 

The One who gives us a clear, truthful view and then 

reveals the way to go. 

Although finding life’s answers may seem difficult 

at times, it’s really quite simple: if we get into 

God’s presence, we’ll find all we need. Sometimes 

Christians feel that God plays some kind of hide and 

seek game with us, where He hides the answers and 

we seek for what seems an eternity to find them. 

That’s a false view of God. 

God doesn’t hide answers from us. Quite the 

opposite. He is always willing to give us direction 

and to reveal His heart in a matter. In fact, He longs 

Walk close to Me, trust 

Me, and I will show you 

the way to go. I will 

reveal things that 

were once hidden. I will 

make them known. 

for this type of fellowship with us. He’s just waiting 

for us to come close. When we do, He will click on 

His floodlight through the working of His Holy Spirit 

and reveal everything we need to know at that 

moment. 

Within days of my floodlight encounter, I found 

many of the answers I’d been seeking. Incredibly, I 

didn’t have to do anything to find them. Not a single 

thing. Instead, I focused on staying close to the Lord 

through praise and prayer and reading His Word. 

Then, all of sudden, there they were—beautiful 

answers straight from heaven, given in His perfect 

timing. V 

Kristi Overton Johnson, former 

world champion water-skier, is the 

founder of In His Wakes Ministry, KOJ 

Ministries, and publisher of Victorious 

Living magazine. She resides in 

Florida with her husband, Tim, and 

their three children. 


Nate Miller is the director of In His 

Wakes. He lives in Bend, Oregon, with 

his wife, Ivy. If you are interested in 

learning more about In His Wakes, visit 

www.inhiswakes.com. 

by Nate Miller 

“God has not 

given us a spirit 

of fear and 

timidity, but 

of power.” 

2 Timothy 1:7 

Oftentimes I have asked the Lord to give me all 

He has for me. I am increasingly aware, however, 

that I may not fully understand what I’m asking. 

Do I really want all the Lord has for me? All of 

His power? Do I even understand what that means 

and how it could radically change my life? If God 

gave me all, could I handle it? Am I willing to take 

the risk? 

I was considering this question recently, when 

the Lord reminded me of a surfing experience I’d 

once had. God knew He could get my attention 

through this extreme sport, and He brought to light 

a lesson in terms I could understand. 

As a young adult, I led an interesting lifestyle. 

I switched back and forth several times between 

attending college and living the life of a surf and 

ski bum in Southern California. I am part of an elite 

group with bragging rights of snow skiing, water 

skiing, and surfing, all in one 24-hour period. (I use 

the term “elite” very loosely.) This lifestyle is why it 

took me eight years to finish four years of college! 

One morning I heard that a large swell was 

approaching the shore at a favorite surfing spot. 

Without delay, I grabbed my board and made my 

way to the beach. As I arrived, I could hear the 

roar of huge waves off in the distance. Although I 

couldn’t see the waves yet, there was no question 

this experience was going to be incredible. After a 

quarter-mile walk to the beach, my expectations 

were confirmed. 

I stood on the sand and surveyed the area, 

taking note of the wide range of people groups 

present that morning. There were those who were 

completely satisfied with sitting on the shore, 

sunning themselves, and watching the action from a 

distance. There were some who had waded out into 

the water, venturing a small distance from shore. 

They stayed close enough, however, to keep their 

feet securely on the ground. Others had paddled 

their boards out into the water and were catching a 

few small waves. 

And then there was the final group—the one I 

wanted to be a part of. These maniacs had thrown 

caution to the wind and headed out into the deep 

where the waves swelled. For this group, it was 

all or nothing. They were willing to take risks to 

experience all they could, doing the very thing they 

loved. 

When I entered the water, I would have some 

decisions to make. How much of those waves did 

I want? How deep was I willing to go? How much 

risk was I willing to take? 

My answer, I thought to myself, was to go big, but 

not go all big. I know that sounds weird, but here’s 

what I meant. I wanted to experience the power of 

those waves, but I still wanted to remain in control. 

I guess you could say I wanted to stay…well…safe. 

Going all big would require me to give it all up and 

step into a realm of the unknown. 

I grabbed my board and propelled myself toward 

the waves. It wasn’t long before I found myself in 

a precarious position. It was quite obvious that 

putting myself in the midst of the big waves had 

brought risk. That control I’d hoped to maintain? 

Well, it was gone with the first wave! 

Waves come in sets, and each wave in a set 

varies in size, power, and frequency. While surfing 

a large surf, the one thing a person doesn’t want 

to do is get “caught inside.” Being caught inside 

means that the surfer finds himself within a wave 

set where subsequent waves, often much larger 

than the previous waves, can break on top of him. 

Now don’t think for one minute that water is soft 

and painless. Those huge waves contain such power 

and force that they have the potential to break not 

only the surfer’s board, but the surfer as well. Not to 

mention, they can take him straight to the bottom 

of the ocean! 

Although I’d tried hard not to go all big, I found 

myself facing a wave set no doubt full of risk. 

Knowing those waves had the potential to crush 

me, I began to paddle to deeper water as fast as I 

could, so that the waves wouldn’t break on the surf 

and on top of me. 

With arms on fire, I punched through the crest of 

a wave just as it broke over top of me. I wiped the 

water from my eyes and breathed a sigh of relief, 

only to face a second, larger wave. I cleared it— 

barely—only to be swallowed up by a third wave. 

I bounced off the bottom of the ocean a few times, 

and I remember feeling a bit lonely. There weren’t 

many people around me. Either they had been taken 

out by the previous waves and were headed back to 

shore, totally defeated by a wave monster, or they 

had positioned themselves perfectly and ridden the 

powerful wave. 

My loneliness was quickly interrupted as I stared 

into the largest wave I had ever seen. I had to make 

a quick decision. Should I ride this incredible wave 

and work with the amazing power in it? Or should 

I play it safe and let it roll right under me? After it 

broke, I could paddle closer to shore and ride some 

safer, smaller waves; waves with less power and 

fewer risks. 

Well, for me, the choice was a no-brainer. It 

was time to go big, to throw caution to the wind. 

I paddled as hard as I could and jumped to my feet. 

Suddenly, I was up—riding the largest wave of 

my life. My heart pounded hard within my chest as 

I experienced the exhilaration of flowing with that 

much power. Being able to maneuver within that 

power was amazing, like a supernatural experience. 

I could hear the whistles and hoots from all the other 

groups—the small-wave riders, the wave jumpers, 

and even the beach dwellers. It was incredible. 

As God reminded me of this experience, He 

showed me that a wide range of groups exist in the 

Christian community too. Some are content to stay 

on the beach. They watch from a distance, unwilling 

to get wet. They are comfortable and quite often 

the very group that sits judging and criticizing those 

who are tossing about in the water. Unfortunately, 

the body of Christ is filled with people on the beach. 

The beach is a very crowded place. 

Then there are those who have stepped out into 

the water, but they have stopped just a few feet 

from shore. They’re wet, but they have kept their 

feet securely rooted in the sand to ensure they 

won’t look foolish being knocked over by a wave. 

Some of the church ventures out a bit further 

than that previous group. They realize there is more 

to experience, and they begin to test the waters and 

ride some waves. But they don’t go out far enough 

to risk losing control. They fear what might happen if 

they move past what they can see with their natural 

eyes and understand with their natural minds. 



A Champion 

in His Eyes 

by Briana Kuykendall 

Briana Kuykendall 

loves Jesus and 

sharing what God has 

done in her life. She 

is currently serving 

the Lord through 

prison ministry. Briana 

lives in Texas and 

will be attending 

university in the fall. 

Thank you, In His Wakes, for helping to expose 

something that I had buried deep inside my heart. 

While a resident at Mercy Ministries, a faith-based 

residential program for women with life-controlling 

issues, I was privileged to attend one of your A 

Day to Remember events. My experience with your 

ministry was life changing. The way you merged 

sports and the gospel brought tremendous healing 

to this former athlete. 

I come from a loving, Christian family. I grew up 

in church, sincerely loved God, and wanted to serve 

Him with my life. Unfortunately I never truly believed 

that my identity, value, and self-worth were found 

in Christ alone. As a result, I looked everywhere 

else for fulfillment. I did not understand that my 

value was separate from what I did or what people 

thought of me. 

As a child, I was the subject of severe bullying 

and peer rejection. Eventually I began to falsely 

believe that if I could be perfect, then I would 

never be rejected again. My desire for acceptance 

and approval from others launched me deep into 

a chase for the perfect image. By the age of nine, 

I had developed an eating disorder. This pursuit of 

perfection would leave me drained and burned out 

within a decade, for it was the equivalent of chasing 

a mirage in the desert. 

Desperate for acceptance and identity, I began 

running cross country and track in middle school. By 

high school, I lived, breathed, ate, and slept running. 

My life revolved around cross country and track. My 

identity and sense of value and worth were based in 

my performance and my body image. The problem 

with building self-image on these things is that they 

are unstable. The Bible says to build a foundation 

upon the solid rock who is Jesus, because He is 

unchanging. Everything else in this world is shifting, 

sinking sand. 

Image and performance remained my foundation 

in college where I ran NCAA cross country on a 

scholarship. Before long, my years of an exercise 

and eating disorder caught up to me. I suffered an 

injury, and my health began to fail. I could no longer 

run. With my foundation ripped out from under me, 

my life spiraled out of control. My eating disorder 

became unmanageable. I was forced to leave 

school. After another year of deep struggle, I came 

to the realization that the road I was on would lead 

only to death if I didn’t get help. I reached out of 

the pit of despair that I was in and found Mercy 

Ministries. 

I arrived at Mercy believing I could never be 

an athlete again. The pain that brought made me 

cynical and hateful toward all sports in general. I 

alleviated my pain by deducing that competing 

athletically was selfish, worthless, and purposeless, 

because it did not further the kingdom of God. 

After two months at Mercy, I attended A Day to 

Remember. That day, through your program, the 

Lord used a simple medal to dig up all that I had 

tried so hard to bury. 

At the end of the event, each participant was 

called up to receive a medal that read “Champion 

in His Eyes” on one side and Jeremiah 29:11 on the 

other. As I received mine, I began to weep. I was no 

stranger to having medals placed around my neck, 

but this was different. This medal broke through to a 

place that nothing else had. 

The words “Champion in His Eyes” spoke to 

my heart the truth of who I am. The truth that— 

regardless whether I win or lose or compete at all; 

whether the world considers me a champion or 

calls me a failure—my God sees me at my worst 

and calls me a champion. And that’s not because 

of anything I have done, but because of the love 

and grace that Jesus Christ lavished on me when He 

died in my place. 

Jeremiah 29:11 promised that something 

beautiful could come out of the mess that I made of 

my life. This medal began a revealing of the recesses 

of my heart and soul, and a recovering of lost hopes 

and dreams that took months to wade through with 

God and the Mercy Ministries staff. The program at 

Mercy allots time for fitness and exercise, and I’ve 

been able to work out my fears and anxieties with 

hands-on activities. This has brought remarkable 

healing to my life. 

I now see athletic abilities as meaningful, 

purposeful gifts bestowed by God that can indeed 

be used to further the kingdom of God. In high 

school, people urged me to glorify God in my 

running. I never quite understood what that meant, 

even though I desired to do it. One day, the Lord 

helped me understand through this revelation: “You 

can’t glorify God with something you have made 

your god.” 

I realized that in my pursuit to be a dedicated, 

driven, and goal-oriented athlete, I had put my 

athletics before my God. I served my sport with 

everything I had; there was very little left over for 

God. Jesus says that the greatest commandment is 

to love God with all of my heart, soul, mind, and 

strength. I could not love God with all of my heart, 

soul, mind, or strength, because I loved running and 

the recognition it won me more than I loved Him. I 

loved the praise of other people. Running did not 

serve me; I served it. In effect, I could not bring glory 

to Him with something that I was using to bring 

glory to myself. 

Your program has shown me that an athlete can 

love God first, and still use sports as a platform 

to share the love of Christ. The In His Wakes staff 

and volunteers, Kristi Overton Johnson, and all the 

athletes who were in and a part of The Purpose Film 

have shown me what it means to be an athlete for 

the glory of God. I now see my love for running as a 

gift that will provide me with a platform where I can 

talk about the hope, healing, and freedom found in 

Christ. I look forward to running again collegiately. 

I’ve graduated from Mercy Ministries. My life 

now is built securely on the rock-solid foundation 

of Jesus Christ, and I plan to take back everything 

that the devil has stolen. I never thought that 

I could run again in a healthy way. Many secular 

psychiatrists and psychologists told me that my days 

of competing were over. I am eager to go back to 

this sport riddled with eating and exercise disorders 

to tell the world that it is possible to be healed and 

freed by Christ. Thank you, In His Wakes, for the part 

you played in helping rebuild my shattered life. V 


It’s a Jungle Out There 

by Linda Cubbedge 

It’s a jungle out 

there. Yes, sometimes 

as we go through 

life, that’s exactly how 

it seems. Life can be so 

full of disorder and chaos, 

that it’s hard to imagine 

there’s anyone in control, 

much less anyone who 

cares. 

Well, friend, let me 

assure you that there 

is Someone who is in 

control; Someone who 

cares about everything 

in your life––and His 

name is Jesus. Jesus is 

ready to bring order to 

your disorder and sense 

to your confusion. He 

is ready to lead you 

through the jungle and 

into a place of peace, 

power, and provision. 

I heard a story of a man who was deep in the 

jungle on an African safari. The guide had a machete 

and was whacking away at the tall weeds and thick 

underbrush. The traveler, weary and hot, asked in 

frustration, “Where are we? Do you even know 

where you’re taking us? Do you even know where 

the path is located?” 

The seasoned guide stopped, looked back at the 

man, and replied, “I am the path.” 

This was the guide’s way of saying, “Stay close to 

me. I know the way, and I am creating a path for you 

through this jungle.” In the Bible, Jesus Christ boldly 

proclaims a similar thing when He says: “I am the 

Way” (John 14:6). 

So many times like this traveler, we feel as though 

we’re trapped in a jungle. We’re desperate to find a 

path—any path—just some way out of our current 

situation. 

“I am the Way,” Jesus reminds us. “Stay close 

to Me and focus on Me; I will lead you through 

whatever jungle you are in.” 

None of us knows what tomorrow holds. But you 

know what? That’s okay. We don’t need to know all 

the answers when we’re close to our Guide. We only 

need to follow Him and stay focused on Him. As we 

do, He will whack away at the thick underbrush that 

has entangled our feet and strangled our hope and 

vision. With each step in His presence, we will find 

ourselves in a place of peace and rest—even while 

we are still in the jungle. We will find clarity of mind 

and direction and protection, too. 

We have an enemy whose main goal, on a daily 

basis, is to destroy us. His name is Satan, and he is 

real. He lurks like a jungle beast, waiting to attack 

our bodies and our minds. He does everything in 

his power to rob us of hope. But Jesus, the Prince 

of Peace, knows very well the tactics of Satan, the 

Prince of Darkness. When we stay close to Jesus, 

Satan is unable to destroy us. 

Throughout history, many have fallen prey 

to Satan’s tactics and have given up on life. 

Even Christians—children of God, people worth 

everything to Him, people who actually have God 

living on the inside of them—have lost hope. How? 

Because they lost sight of their Guide and allowed 

the uncertainty of their jungle to overtake them. 

Satan uses our circumstances to convince us 

there is no way out, and therefore, we have no hope. 

He tempts us to question God’s love and convinces 

us to find our own way. Satan doesn’t want us to 

follow Jesus. He wants us to wander around the 

jungle, overwhelmed, lost, confused, angry, and 

completely hopeless. 

Do any of these words describe you? Have you 

lost your way? Have your circumstances blocked 

your view of the One who can lead you through? 

Has life become one big routine? Then come to the 

Way. Come to the One who is able to lift you up and 

move you forward to victory. V 

Linda Cubbedge is the director of 

KOJM’s Prison Correspondence 

Outreach. She is passionate about the 

Lord and leading others to Him. Linda 

has four children, nine grandchildren, 

and one great grandson. 

continued from page 24 

Finally, there are those who are ready to risk it 

all. They desire all of God and are willing to go deep 

so they can go big with Him…no matter what the 

cost. Being comfortable or in control is no longer 

on their priority list. They don’t care anymore how 

they might look or whether they might fall. Their 

only concern is being in the midst of the power of 

God so they can experience everything He has to 

offer them. 

It’s less crowded out there. Moving out into 

the deep takes more risk and trust than many are 

willing to give. 

Being involved with In His Wakes water sports 

ministry has given me many opportunities to go 

deep and big with God. Since my very first event 

in 2007, God has extended many invitations for me 

to trust Him and move beyond my comfort zone so 

that I can experience the power of His Holy Spirit 

working in me, through me, and around me. 

On many occasions, I have accepted God’s 

invitation and moved away from the safety of 

the shore. In that place of total trust, I have been 

swept away by His power and overwhelmed by His 

grace. I’ve ridden waves of glory I never dreamed 

of. Nothing compares, not even surfing that massive 

wave. 

Yet there have been times when I played it safe. 

I look back now with disappointment, knowing that 

my decision to stay on the shore brought with it a 

cost. How much of God did I miss out on because I 

was unwilling to move out into the unknown? How 

did my decision affect others? 

God is calling us out into the deep. He beckons us 

to come. Will we accept His call? 

We don’t have to be afraid of the deep. God’s 

Holy Spirit is there, ready to empower, teach, guide, 

and equip us with all we need. The Lord will never 

leave us helpless, defenseless, or unprepared. He 

has already given us all that we need. The question 

is, how much do we want? V 

www.inhiswakes.com 


Victorious Living Is Saving Lives! 

Dear Mrs. Johnson, 

Thank you for responding to my cry for help. For 

so long, my cries have been unheard. Your response 

to my letter brought joy and peace like I have not 

felt in a long time. It also brought inspiration and 

reminded me that God loves me and even though 

I’m in prison, I have not left the palm of His hand or 

the safety of His wings. 

They say that God is always on time; well, I believe 

that is true. The night I wrote my first letter to you, 

I was planning to end my life. I have lived in such 

darkness and despair for so long, I thought there 

was no escape. I felt as though I was struggling just 

to keep my head above water as anger, bitterness, 

and sadness tried to drown me. 

Because of my situation, I felt that God had 

left me to my own devices and self-destruction. I 

no longer felt worthy of His calling and purpose. 

I began to believe the lies that Satan had woven 

deep into my mind. I believed that I was nothing; 

mere trash to be disposed of. I remember someone 

telling me once that God doesn’t make trash, but I 

couldn’t believe them. If I was anything more than 

trash, then why was I continually discarded by those 

I thought loved me? 

With every hurt and pain, I could feel my heart 

turning to stone. I was at the point where even 

the great Creator of this universe could not chisel 

through the hardness—or so I thought. 

It’s funny that you mentioned my writing skills 

in your letter. As a teen, I always had a pencil and 

pad of paper in my hands. Writing was a place of 

refuge. With my words, I had the power to create 

and destroy. My pain and suffering was fuel for my 

writing, but everything I wrote about was the exact 

opposite of who I was becoming and what my life 

had come to be. I wrote about love and hope, but 

they didn’t exist in my world. I was writing lies. 

Satan told me time after time that the things I wrote 

about could never be attained. He killed my dreams 

of becoming a writer. 

He killed all my dreams. It was like he was laying 

claim to me, waiting around every corner. For a 

while, I resisted; then I began to believe his lies. 

He told me God didn’t love me or care whether I 

lived or died; he told me God didn’t care about the 

abuse I’d encountered. With time, I began to hate 

God. Interesting that I began to hate the only One 

who could actually understand what I was going 

through. 

Eventually I became so hardhearted that I 

couldn’t hear or see God anymore. My life headed 

straight down a path of destruction, culminating in 

a forty-year prison sentence. Finding myself in this 

place felt like Satan had won. I had been cast away 

to the ends of the earth. 

I was lost in this dark sea of despair when I 

wrote to you. I cried, even as I prepared to take 

my own life. And then, of all things I could possibly 

think about before killing myself, I thought of your 

magazine, Victorious Living (“Just One,” Issue 3, 

2014). I had recently changed cells and found it in 

my locker there. I suddenly remembered the story 

of the little boy saving the starfish stranded on the 

beach. I thought about that boy’s determination to 

save the starfish, and God reminded me of His love 

and how He would do anything to save me. At that 

moment, I didn’t want to live in darkness anymore. I 

surrendered my life to God. 

Thank you for reminding me that God has a 

purpose for me. Your letter gave me so much peace 

and ignited a small glimmer of hope. It also inspired 

me to write this poem, “The Nature of His Love.” It 

reflects the beauty of God and all that He created. 

It reminds me that God doesn’t make trash. I hope 

you like it and pray that it will bring peace to many. 

Sincerely, 

Isaiah C. Cain 

FROM OUR READERS 

The Nature of His Love 

by Isaiah Cassius Cain 

The breeze blows, causing the trees to sway in an 

entrancing dance. 

Roses in bloom release their aromatic scent, filling 

the air with their sweetness. 

As the sun shines, lizards lie upon rocks, basking in 

the sun’s warming heat. 

Butterflies of many intricate patterns take flight, 

landing upon daffodils the color of rich wheat. 

Lily pads in a nearby pond float downstream, while 

frogs perched upon them croak their soulful 

songs. 

And in the vast evergreen fields, One sits, His 

countenance that of the brightest sun. 

Children gather around Him, listening to His stories 

of love for mankind and creation. 

His laugh is a deep baritone, the sound of many 

rushing waters. And His eyes are filled with 

laughter. 

On His hands and feet, He bears the holes of His 

sacrifice as a reminder of His love. 

Such pain and suffering His feet have trod, giving 

eternal life to us all. 

Be still and know that I am God. V 

poem and illustration by Lester Alevedo-Cruz 

How often the storms of unrest rage 

all about us on the sea of life. 

Causing waves of doubt to o’ertake us 

til we sink in turmoil and strife. 

The darkness swirls around as we cry out in 

the storm, 

“Where is the lighthouse to show the way 

from a life all battered and torn?” 

You can be that lighthouse 

To the neighbor across the way. 

Become a friend with deeds of love; 

let them know for each you pray. 

Keep the beacon ever shining 

every day of every year; 

A light for those who seek safe harbor… 

In God’s port, no more need fear. 


Lose the Weight 


photo courtesy of Correct Craft 

“Hit it!” 

At the age of four, I made the choice to yell these 

two powerful words to a boat driver. At my command 

the throttle was engaged, and my little frame rose 

up out of the water of the Pamlico River in Bath, 

North Carolina. From that very first experience, I was 

hooked, and “Hit it!” became my phrase of choice 

for the next 30 years. Because of my commitment 

to say these words even when I didn’t feel like it, I 

became a world champion water-skier. 

For years I have had the privilege of sharing the 

message of “Hit it!” to thousands. It’s the powerful 

truth that falls are not a hindrance to victory; rather, 

what we do in the midst of the fall can determine 

how far we will go in life. Every day we have two 

choices: we can say “hit it” and try again, or we can 

stay in the water and give up. 

I was sharing this message with inmates in a 

Florida prison recently when I suddenly remembered 

a scene from my childhood that adds yet another 

powerful truth to the message of “hit it.” There I 

was, about 13 years old, in the waters of Lake 

Kristi. My father had invited friends from our church 

to come out and watch me practice. I remember 

looking up at all those people on the deck of our 

lake house and hoping it didn’t fall into the water. 

Nervousness zipped through my veins as the 

onlookers cheered. Nonetheless, I looked at the boat 

driver and said, “Hit it!” as I had done a thousand 

times before. But just when I should have popped 

up out of the water, something began to pull me 

back in. To my horror, I fell. 

The crowd cheered me on. “You can do it!” they 

said in unison. 

I wanted to sink under the water at the sound 

of their voices. I was so humiliated. Here I was, a 

professional water-skier, unable to get up out of the 

water. 

The boat came back to get me, and despite my 

embarrassing failure, I determined to say “hit it!” 

once again. The boat took off, and there it was again, 

an incredible force pulling me back into the water. 

“Oh no, not again!” I thought. 

With everything I had in me, I held onto the 

handle and managed to rise up out of the water. 

Once I regained my composure, I realized what had 

happened. Because I was wearing a short-length 

wetsuit that was too big for my frame, water had 

been able to shoot into my thigh area and fill my 

wetsuit with pounds of water. This had created such 

a force of drag that it had pulled me right back into 

the lake. As I looked behind me, my once thin rearend 

was now jiggling with a load of water. It wasn’t 

a pretty sight! 

Knowing there was no way I would be able 

to successfully run the course with all that water 

sloshing about, I quickly grabbed hold of the bottom 

of my wetsuit and pulled it away from my skin. 

Water began to flow down my leg. I was free! With 

the burden gone, I was now able to perform to the 

best of my ability. 

I shared that scene with the inmates, pointing 

out the fresh insight I had just gained. Even I, a 

determined, accomplished water-ski champion 

couldn’t get out of the water carrying the extra 

burden of water weight. Despite my awesome and 

cutting-edge equipment, despite how powerful my 

boat, despite my knowledge and expertise, despite 

my determination to “hit it!” and my desire to get 

up—I simply couldn’t do it. 

The same is true in life. We can be ever so 

committed to say “hit it” to God. We can desire 

more than anything to live a victorious life. But if we 

are weighted down, we aren’t going to get very far 

into our course. 

This issue of Victorious Living is full of stories 

from people who were greatly impacted by Matt 

Manzari’s accident, including Matt’s own account. 

Given their circumstances, they could have easily 

been overtaken by anger, bitterness, and despair. 

But they weren’t. 

Why? Because they were willing to open their 

hearts to God and allow the excess weights of 

anger, fear, doubt, confusion, guilt, bitterness, selfpity, 

and pride to flow out from their lives. That gave 

them freedom to move forward in life despite their 

uncertainties and pain. 

Hebrews 12:1–3 says to “strip off every weight 

that slows us down,” so that we can run the race 

God has set before us. That’s our key to victory; the 

key to moving forward in life. Negative thoughts 

and emotions, unhealthy habits and choices, and 

even certain people can weigh us down and prevent 

our victory. 

What has you burdened and weighted down 

today? What are you holding onto that is keeping 

you from victory? Are you angry, bitter, or jealous? 

How about fearful, guilt-ridden, or ashamed? How 

are your relationships? It’s time to grab the bottom 

of your wetsuit and let the water flow. It’s time to 

lose the weight and become free! V 

HIT IT 


HIT IT 

“HIT IT!” 

is a true, exciting, detailed 

story of the rise, fall, and 

resurrection of a real sports 

champion… 

Kristi Overton Johnson. 

Get ready to be challenged, 

encouraged, and motivated! 

KRISTI OVERTON JOHNSON 

Your Victory May Just Be 

One “Hit it” Away! 

Purchase your copy at kojministries.org for $12.00 plus shipping 

and handling or visit amazon.com 


The Importance of Family 

by Darren A. Manzari Jr. 

Action sports played a huge role in our lives. My brother Matthew and I lived and breathed wakeboarding, 

skateboarding, and snowboarding. A lot of our passion came from the support we received on the home 

front. Our father made sure we had the best equipment and locations to thrive in our sports. He even took 

a year off to travel on tour with Matt when he was young. Dad gave his everything to fuel our passions. 

On the other side of the equation was our mother. She gave us her life. Every day after teaching us at 

home, she would load us up and take us to the skate park where she would watch us crash like rag dolls 

into the concrete. 

When we weren’t risking our lives on boards, we were jumping off the roof or looking for gators in 

the lake. Poor Mom never had a second of peace. We were reckless, at best, but what both of our parents 

gave us was unconditional support and love. They gave us the confidence to take on the world and the 

strength to get through anything. 

Our strong family ties have kept us going all through 

our trials. When I heard Matt had been electrocuted, 

I felt helpless living so far away. But I found comfort in 

knowing my parents were giving their everything to care 

for him, just as they had given their everything to fuel our 

passion for action sports. When I did come home, I found 

my parents living at the hospital. My mother would not 

leave Matt’s side, day or night. She said the only way she 

was leaving the hospital was with Matthew. Through their 

love for Matt, they showed me the true meaning of family. 

We had to be strong for each other so that we could be 

the best support system for Matt. We may not know why 

bad things happen, but I do know that for us, it brought 

our family together. Today we stand strong and are, in fact, 

blessed—blessed to have a complete and amazing family. V 


MINISTRY UPDATE 

Update from Linda Cubbedge, 

Prison Correspondence Director 

The Story Behind Victorious Living… 

Piercing the Hearts of Captives 

For 18 years, I was a world champion waterskier 

and world record holder, but who could have 

imagined the plan God was orchestrating for my life? 

God had given me an international platform, and I 

knew I had a responsibility to use my talents for His 

glory and to share His love. 

It only seemed natural to launch out into the deep 

with God and start a water-sports ministry called In 

His Wakes. The mission of IHW is to introduce people 

to the life-changing power of Jesus Christ through 

water sports. Since 2003, IHW has touched the lives 

of thousands of at-risk youth. You can learn more 

about this exciting nonprofit organization and how 

you can become a partner at www.inhiswakes.com. 

You can also hear from the heart of the IHW Director, 

Nate Miller, on page 24. 

And then, in August 2013, God opened new doors 

for me to walk through—the doors of a prison. Going 

to prison was most certainly not on my agenda; in fact, 

it wasn’t even on my radar. God, however, had other 

plans, and He used a former professional boat driver 

who is doing time in the Miami Federal Prison to draw 

me into a world that would soon rock my own. 

During a visit with my friend, Bill Doyle, God began 

to reveal to me His heart for the incarcerated. In that 

revelation, He broke me. He opened my eyes to see 

what He sees and tenderized my heart to feel what 

He feels. 

To God, the men in that prison weren’t murderers, 

rapist, thieves, sexual offenders, abusers, or drug 

dealers. They were people. They were fathers and 

sons and husbands. They were people with great 

talents who once had great dreams but had lost their 

way. They were more than mere numbers in bland 

jumpsuits—they were lives worth the very life of 

the King. And more than anything, God wanted to 

redeem their lives and use them for His glory. 

When I left, I wept. “Okay, God, I see. Now what 

do You want me do?” 

He began to answer this prayer. Within months, 

unsought invitations began arriving for me to speak 

as a platform guest with top national prison ministries. 

Behind the wire, I received the warmest welcome 

from inmates whose hearts were obviously tender 

and ready to receive God’s message of love and hope. 

Then, the heads of the chaplaincy department of the 

Florida Correctional System requested copies of this 

magazine, Victorious Living, to be distributed within 

every Florida prison. 

The distribution of Victorious Living into the prison 

system almost immediately spawned a flood of 

letters, which led to the development of our prison 

correspondence ministry headed by Linda Cubbedge. 

(See her story here and on page 26.) This ministry 

is currently discipling hundreds of inmates through 

personal letters from our writing team, monthly 

devotionals, and this quarterly publication. Every 

day we receive powerful testimonies of how God is 

using Victorious Living to literally save and transform 

lives. Many inmates are fasting and praying, and even 

financially supporting this outreach! 

The mission of Victorious Living is to pierce the 

hearts of captives in every prison in America. With 

your partnership, this goal is possible. And you 

know what is interesting? A little Victorious Living 

goes a long way! We estimate the readership of the 

magazine to be between seven and ten inmates per 

issue. This issue alone has the potential to reach over 

100,000 inmates. 

Will you help us extend our reach? Your 

donation of $20 or more will enable us 

to send an inmate on our list a personal 

subscription to Victorious Living for one 

year. As a gift, you will receive your 

own subscription as well. Furthermore, 

your donation will help us send extra 

copies to the chaplaincy department 

to be distributed to inmates in solitary 

confinement. 

Lives will be changed! The prison system is fertile 

ground for God’s love to take root and transform 

minds. I’m so very honored to be a part of what God 

is doing. Consider partnering with us today and help 

an inmate find Victorious Living. 

Thank you! 


The Lord has provided three more godly 

individuals to join our Prison Correspondence 

Outreach Team. We now have 10 faithful 

members writing on a weekly basis. In just this 

month alone, they have responded to over 200 

letters! 

Our team receives so much encouragement 

from the inmates’ letters. Many have a strong 

faith in Jesus Christ, and they love sharing 

what He has done for them. Many are praying, 

and some even fast for us! 

The top prayer request of the inmates is 

for salvation, healing, and provision for their 

family members. Some ask for prayer on behalf 

of other inmates who are struggling with 

depression or anger. I am amazed at the tender 

hearts many have for their fellow prisoners and 

correctional officers. 

We as a team are very excited about what 

the Spirit of God is doing behind prison walls 

and in our hearts as well. Please pray for our 

writing ministry. We are averaging about 10 

new inmates a week. Upon receipt of their 

letters, we reply with a welcome letter from 

Kristi, an inspiring bookmark, and Kristi’s most 

recent monthly devotion. Their names are 

then given to our correspondence team, who 

diligently prays for the inmates and responds 

to their letters under the leading of the Holy 

Spirit. Currently, nearly 400 inmates are 

being discipled on a consistent basis. And this 

number is growing daily! V 

Kristi (center) meets with the Florida KOJM 

Prison Correspondence Team. Thank you, ladies, 

for your faithful service to the Lord and His 

people. Thank you also to our Georgia Prison 

Correspondence Team. Please pray for our 

writers and for the inmates to whom they write. 


Thank you to the following organizations who faithfully support Victorious Living with annual gifts in excess of $ 500. 

When asked why they give, they respond, “Because we care!” 

They care about people, and they desire to help many discover true victory. 

WHY 

I CARE 

CWB, the wakeboard division 

of Connelly Skis, is pleased to 

support this issue of Victorious 

Living and Matt Manzari. Matt 

joined CWB in 2009, and rode for 

us for four years. His pro model 

skate, the Onset, was designed 

with his expertise. Watching him 

ride a skate left me awestruck! 

Matt, it took meeting you once to 

realize your genuineness. You are 

an incredible person and athlete. 

We appreciate all you did for 

CWB and are proud that you are 

associated with our company. We 

are grateful for the opportunity 

to support you in your efforts. 

Jay Quam, 

VP Sales and Marketing 

There is room for 

your name on this list! 

Thank you, as well, to the 

individuals and foundations 

who have supported 

this outreach. 

American Solutions for Business 

cstallings@americanbus.com 

Captain’s Party Rentals 

captainspartyrentals.com 

Clean Cut Lawns 

danielmelton.cleancut@yahoo.com 

Community Church of Keystone Heights 

communitychurchofkeystoneheights.org 

CWB Wakeboards 

ridecwb.com 

Davis Gas 

davisgas.com 

Discount Inboard Marine 

skidim.com 

First Baptist of Starke 

fbcstarke.org 

Keystone Plumbing 

keystoneplumbinginc@yahoo.com 

Loving Hands Pet Sitting 

lovinghandspets.com 

Nautique Boat Company 

nautique.com 

Saturday Night Wonders 

ephesians-4-prayer-fellowship.com 

The Clipping Corner 

Melrose, FL 

The Trophy Shop 

thetrophyshop.com 


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VL - Issue 15 - February 2015

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