VL - Issue 6 - November 2012

VictoriousLivingIssueNovember12F_VLmagazine 11/5/12 1:32 PM Page 1 

REAL PEOPLE | REAL STORIES | REAL HOPE 

Fall 2012 

Peace 

That Passes Understanding 

Dis-Ease 

of the Heart 

Seeking God 

A Change 

Of Seasons 

Plus… 

Breaking The Budget Barrier • In His Wakes Update • Champion’s Heart News


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FROM THE PUBLISHER 

On A Quest! 

Is it just me or are our 

lives moving at an incredible 

pace? It seems that no 

matter how hard I try, I 

can’t quite catch up, much 

less get ahead of life’s 

demands. Even now, I sit 

here in total disbelief that it is already time for 

another issue of Victorious Living! 

If this is your first exposure to our quarterly 

magazine, WELCOME! I pray the stories within these 

pages encourage your heart and spur you on in your 

life journey. If you are returning to Victorious Living, I 

want to personally thank you for your support. Your 

prayers, financial partnership, and testimonies of how 

God is using Victorious Living to strengthen your faith 

spur us on! 

This issue is particularly dear to my heart, as it 

deals with a subject that I have struggled with for 

many years. It’s the subject of maintaining peace, joy, 

and rest in the midst of this crazy thing called life! 

I don’t know about you, but as a wife and mother 

of three and as a woman who deals with chronic 

illnesses, as well as leads a multi-faceted ministry, 

I often get overwhelmed, anxious, and just plain 

exhausted. It’s all I can do to get through some days, 

much less get through them filled with joy and 

peace! And rest? What is that? 

As I’ve studied the life of Jesus, I can’t help but 

notice the drastic difference between his life and 

mine. Jesus knew His purpose in life. He also knew 

that His time to fulfill this purpose was short. But 

even with this knowledge, He was never in a hurry. 

He always had time for people… little children, 

His friends, followers, even people the world found 

annoying and unworthy of time. Furthermore, He had 

time for God and for Himself. 

What I find incredibly fascinating is how much 

Jesus enjoyed life, even though He knew what was to 

come… the cross. Nothing and no one ever robbed 

“My purpose is to 

give them a rich 

and satisfying life.” 

John 10:10 (NLT) 

Jesus of His joy and peace. He walked purposefully 

and patiently, enjoying every step. 

Like Jesus, I know my purpose in life. He has made 

that quite clear. But in the midst of carrying out my 

purpose, I haven’t always had time for people, much 

less myself. And to be completely transparent, I 

haven’t always had time for God either, even in the 

midst of ministry. Amazing isn’t it, that I could get so 

busy “doing” for God that I could miss Him and the 

precious people He has put in my path? No, my heart 

doesn’t always burst with joy, my mind doesn’t 

always flow with peace, and my soul usually fights 

the notion of rest. 

Unfortunately, I don’t think I’m alone. In my life 

journey, I’ve met many Christians who suffer with this 

same disease… or should I say, DIS-EASE of the 

heart. It’s ironic that the very things that Jesus came 

to give us, so that we can enjoy life are the very 

things we forfeit on a daily basis. What are these 

things? Joy, peace, and rest. 

Over the past few years, I’ve been on a purposeful 

quest to take back these precious gifts that I have 

so freely given away. I’ve also sought to learn how 

to maintain joy, peace, and rest on a daily basis, 

regardless of what is going on around me. I’m 

realizing that people (and their expectations), 

circumstances, finances, and my health do not have 

to affect my emotions, which ultimately affects my 

level of joy, peace, and rest. By trusting in the Lord 

and resting on His promises, I can enjoy every day, no 

matter what it brings. 

I can’t say that I’ve mastered the art of maintaining 

a restful spirit, but I can say with the help of the Lord 

and some amazing people, I am getting a little closer 

every day. These articles have been a great reminder 

of how important rediscovering these gifts are to my 

personal victory. I pray they will encourage your heart 

and equip you for the battle as well! 

God bless, 

Publisher/Editor 

Kristi Overton Johnson 

Assistant Editor 

Melinda Rodgers 

Publication Advisors 

Sandy Burdick 

Maureen Lendzion 

Contributors 

Minta Bennett 

Amanda Combass 

Karen Dougherty 

Bonnie Hagemann 

Donna Hannah 

Stephanie Hoffman 

Maureen Lendzion 


Carter McCain 

Ivy Miller 

Nate Miller 

Carey Morford 

Rob Morford 

Melinda Rodgers 

Amber Sapp 

Angie Sapp 

Barbara Chism Sullivan 

Margaret Turner 

Creative Director/Graphic Design 

Amy Zackowski • amy@whisperingdog.com 

Advertising 

advertise@championsheart.net 

Victorious Living 

205 Magnolia Ave. • Keystone Hts, FL 32656 

352.478.2098 • fax 888.837.9153 

Victorious Living is published quarterly in Keystone Heights, 

Florida. ©2012, all rights reserved by Victorious Living. 

Contents may not be reproduced in any form without the 

written consent of the publisher. The publisher reserves the right 

to refuse advertising. The publisher accepts no responsibility 

for advertsiting errors beyond the cost of the advertisement 

itself. The publisher accepts no responsibility for submitted 

materials. All submitted materials subject to editing. 

Victorious Living’s 

MISSION 

The mission of Victorious Living is to 

provide hope for the heart and help for life 

through the inspirational stories of people 

just like you. We commit to provide REAL 

STORIES by REAL PEOPLE so you can 

experience REAL HOPE! 

Victorious Living’s 

SUBMISSIONS 

Do you have a story of victory? Share it with 

us! Your life story can change the life of 

another. Submissions should be a maximum 

400 to 600 words and are subject to editing. 

To send your article submissions, go to 

www.Championsheart.org and visit the 

Victorious Living Magazine page. 



REFRESH YOUR SOUL 

By Kristi Overton Johnson 

DIS-ease 

of the Heart 

“Rest!” 

I cannot tell you how irritated I get when I hear this word. For years, people 

have been telling me, “Kristi, you need to rest, you need to slow down.” Even 

during my prayer times, I sense God inviting me to “rest in Him.” 

In my heart of hearts, I know I need to rest — mentally, physically, and 

spiritually — but for the life of me, I haven’t been able to figure out how. I’ve 

even studied “rest” from a Biblical perspective, but I have trouble transferring this 

knowledge to life. 

Recently, due to some unpleasant surgeries, I found myself in a situation where 

I had to slow down and rest physically. For a type A person, I gave physical rest 

my best shot. But during my “rest” attempts, I realized that physical rest isn’t 

necessarily what the Great Physician has ordered. 

Prior to my surgeries, I had booked a trip to the West Coast, so that my son 

could attend a two-week acting camp. Many people questioned the wisdom of 

taking such a long trip so close to my surgeries, but as a mom, I knew this was 

something I needed to do. I also knew that it would be an opportunity to get the 

physical rest my body needed, as I would have absolutely nothing to do in Los 

Angeles, except chill out at the apartment while my son was at camp. 

The funny thing is that even in a small apartment, even with no responsibilities, 

even with no interruptions, I had found it very difficult to rest. Don’t get me wrong, 

I laid low, I chilled out on the couch, I sat by the pool, I took slow walks, I even 

took naps. But as I was lying around, my mind was still hard at work creating 

things for me to do from the couch. 

After a couple of days, I came to the conclusion that I have a disease… an 

“I can’t rest” disease. As I jokingly confessed this to a friend, I realized that I truly 

do have a disease; it is called DIS-EASE. I have “dis”-ease in my heart and in my 

mind. Although I was lying around physically, I still had not found that place of rest 

mentally and emotionally. 

During my first day in California, I decided to take a walk while I listened to 

some music and prayed. As I prayed, I felt the Lord saying, “I brought you out 

here to be alone with Me, so that I could teach you to rest.” Crazy isn’t it? God 

had to bring me all the way across the country, away from my husband, other 

children, home, friends, and ministry, to teach me to rest. Maybe next year He can 

take me to Hawaii, (just kidding). 

I wish that I could say I mastered the art of rest, but I didn’t. I do feel I was a 

good student, however. During my siesta, I learned a few things about myself. 

First of all, I realized how hard it is for me to give myself permission to rest. Even 

when I headed to the couch to rest my body, I found that I always made sure that 

my mind had something to do like read my Bible, work on a project, 

answer an email, or return a phone call. I also realized that even in my time of 

physical rest, I still placed myself under some “law” that I needed to be doing 

something constructive (and spiritual). 

To be embarrassingly honest, I have always viewed people who do nothing as 

being lazy. Something has to be wrong with someone who chooses to sit and do 

nothing when they could be productive, right? As I Christian, I think I even 

subconsciously view “vegging out” as a sin. Surely we are called to constantly 

improve ourselves or “do” spiritual things like read our Bible, watch Christian 

television, or pray. 

But throughout the week, I realized that even in the midst of sitting still 

physically and filling my mind with good things, I still wasn’t rested; I wasn’t 

refreshed. I hadn’t found that place of rest God invites me to enter into in Hebrews 

4. Why? I hadn’t found myself in Christ. Yes, I was spending time with Him in His 

Word and in prayer, but I still hadn’t let go of my agenda, I still had not accepted 

His call to “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). 

A couple of days into my trip, God revealed something else to me. After 

dropping my son off at camp, I made my way to a local bakery. As I walked up to 

the bakery door, a handsome, young African-American man greeted me. He had 

squeezed himself and his belongings between two newspaper stands. From this 

tight position, he smiled brightly, as he greeted those who passed him by. 

After indulging myself, I made my way back to my car. Once again, I encountered 

the man by the newspaper stands. Amazingly, he was just as full of joy as he was 

an hour before. I stopped and we spoke briefly. Based on his countenance, I asked 

him if he was a believer. That question sparked something within him that he 

couldn’t contain, as he unashamedly began to talk about his Lord right there on 

the curb with an excitement and passion that is rare. This man radiated Christ. 

For days, I thought about this man. I don’t know his story, 

I don’t even know if he was homeless. Maybe he was an 

actor just chillin’ out between the newspaper stands, I 

don’t know. The point of this story isn’t to make judgments 

on his life; it is to reveal something that I learned 

about myself through my encounter with him. 

continued on page 7 



After meeting him, I kept asking myself the following questions: Why in the world 

was he just sitting down between two newspaper stands? Why wasn’t he “doing” 

something? It bugged me! He had so much potential. He had good looks, he was smart, 

well spoken, young, strong, and charismatic… I didn’t get it. 

As I reflected on this man during my prayer time the next day, a revelation hit me like 

a ton of bricks. In the midst of this man’s “doing nothing” (as I would describe it), he possessed 

the very things that I had been trying to attain in my “acts of service” for the Lord. 

“Where’s MY joy? Where’s MY peace?” are questions I continually asked God. “How 

can this man who seemingly has so little, be so full of joy and peace; when I, who as the 

world would say, have so much, feel overwhelmed, exhausted, and never quite enough? 

We both know you Lord, as our Savior. What’s up?” 

God, in His grace, showed me that the answer lies in my willingness to cast my cares 

on Him. Joy and peace could be found only when I became willing to rest at His feet. Kind 

of sounds like the Mary and Martha scenario from Luke 10:38-42, huh? 

Upon studying the word “rest,” I found two interesting facts. First of all, “rest” 

in Greek, is a verb, it is an action we consciously choose to do. Secondly, “rest” can be 

defined as a decision to “take my ease.” Who’s ease? God’s ease. 

“Give me Your ease, Lord, so that I can move away from my DIS-EASE of not being able 

to find rest!” That’s the prayer of my heart. 

What does it mean to take His ease? I believe it’s coming to a place where we, as 

another definition says, are “absent of our own efforts,” both mental and physical. It’s 

coming to a place where we cast our cares (our worries, fears, troubles, agendas) on Him, 

where we truly put our life in His hands, rather than trying to control it with our own. 

How do we do this? It starts with realizing this vital truth: God loves us simply because 

we are His children. When we realize God’s love for us isn’t dependent on what we “do” 

or what we “become,” a burden is lifted and we are able to find rest. 

The Bible says before the foundation of the world was laid, He knew us and He loved 

us (Ephesians 1:4). Isn’t it amazing that God loved us before we ever did one thing in this 

world? It isn’t our perfect attendance at church, reading our Bible every day of the year, 

or abstaining from watching anything other than Christian television that makes God 

love us. He can’t love us any more or any less than He already does. It isn’t our actions 

that put a smile on God’s face; it is our faith, our trust in Him (Hebrews 11:6). When we 

understand His love and trust it, we find rest. 

I believe that this man had found such rest. He knew God’s love and trusted His 

provision and in that place; he found joy, peace, and purpose. It was there that he was 

able to reflect the glory of God from between two newspapers stands on the corner of a 

bakery shop. What greater thing can we “do” than that? v 

Kristi Overton Johnson is the founder of Champion’s Heart and 

In His Wakes, divisions of KOJ Ministries. Kristi currently resides in the 

Lake Area Region with her husband, Tim, and three children. 

Table of Contents Fall 2012 

Raising up champions across the globe 

through the ministries of Champion’s Heart! 

6 DIS-ease of the Heart Kristi Overton Johnson 

8 Super Whatever Carey Morford 

9 Peace That Passes Understanding 

Stephanie Hoffman 

10 This Is The Day That The Lord Has Made! 

Barbara Chism Sullivan 

11 Hey Sourpuss! Rob Morford 

12 Open The Gift! Kristi Overton Johnson 

14 All Things Minta Bennett 

15 In Daddy’s Lap Amanda Combass 

16 Seeking His Face Carter McCain 

18 A Change Of Seasons Melinda Rodgers 

19 Worth Fighting For Margaret Turner 

20 Ministry News 

21 The Name Above All Names Nate Miller 

22 More Than Enough Karen Dougherty 

23 The Most Important Thing Bonnie Hagemann 

24 A Bright Star In A Dark World 

Champion’s Heart Award 

Jacob Jefferson 

26 Because of The Anointing 

Angie Sapp 

read more on page 204 

27 Are You A Fish Out Of Water? Ivy Miller 

28 We Need To Budget? Amber Sapp 

29 Aydin’s Joy Donna Hannah 

29 Are You Enjoying The Ride? 


30 No Bumps, Miss Kristi! 


31 He Has Overcome Maureen Lendzion 



FRESH PERSPECTIVE 

Super Whatever 

by Carey Morford 

Have we made work (cleaning 

our home, finishing that last 

project at work, appearing like 

we are the indispensable person 

in our workplace, running the 

kids from here to there, or even 

singing in the choir or serving 

the poor) our idol? Have we 

"carved it in" our lives and then 

bowed down to worship it? 

Do we think it will save us? 

My amazing sister-in-law, who travels the world, 

told me that we Americans are the only people on 

the planet that work non-stop. Some countries take 

two-plus-hour lunches in the middle of the workday 

and some countries take a nap in the middle of their 

day. I hear that there are a few companies (read 

Google) in the US that offer benefits like this, but as 

a whole… we are a non-stop-working people. It is a 

trait in which many of us take great pride, and it may 

very well be the thing that has kept our country 

going. I'm in no way trying to make a political or 

nationalistic statement, but I wonder if this very ethic 

that keeps our country moving, isn't the thing that 

will kill us in the end. 

We all know that in our culture hard work is 

valued. We know this because we feel the pressure. 

We feel the pressure to keep up with everything 

and everyone. We think our homes should be 

clean, dinner should be healthy, every one of 

our family’s needs must be well-attended, and we 

should be working 8-10 hours at a good paying job 

that makes us feel fulfilled and joyous. We think that 

if we just work harder, longer, smarter; then we'll 

be able to accomplish all of this. 

As a follower 

of Jesus though, 

I know that the 

best way to live 

includes rest. I'm 

not a machine. 

I'm a human, made 

in the image of God 

who rested after creating the 

heavens and the earth. I follow the One 

True God who said: 

“Don’t make idols for yourselves; don’t 

set up an image or a sacred pillar for yourselves, 

and don’t place a carved stone in 

your land that you can bow down to 

in worship. I am God, your God. 

Keep my Sabbaths; treat my Sanctuary 

with reverence. I am God. If 

you live by my decrees and obediently 

keep my commandments, I will 

send the rains in their seasons, the ground 

will yield its crops and the trees of the field their 

fruit. You will thresh until the grape harvest and the 

grape harvest will continue until planting time; you’ll 

have more than enough to eat and will live safe and 

secure in your land.” (Leviticus 26) 

Have we made work (cleaning our home, finishing 

that last project at work, appearing like we are the 

indispensable person in our workplace, running the 

kids from here to there, or even singing in the choir 

or serving the poor) our idol? Have we “carved it in” 

our lives and then bowed down to worship it? Do 

we think it will save us? Isn’t it interesting that in 

our cultural context, the commandment immediately 

following the one about idols is about the Sabbath? 

The Sabbath- a time to rest, a time to remember we 

were created, a time to remember we are not God, 

but created in the image of Him. 

Rob Bell, the author of Velvet Elvis, wrote an excellent 

chapter about rest and soul care. He explains 

that we often think of the Sabbath as a day of the 

week, but it is really about how we live. Before he 

describes living in the Sabbath, he talks about idols: 

"I meet so many people who have 

super-whatever rattling around in their head. 

They have this person they are convinced 

they are supposed to be, and their 

super-whatever is killing them. They have 

this image they picked up over the years of 

how they are supposed to look and act and 

work and play and talk, and it's like a voice 

that never stops shouting in their ear. 

And the only way to not be killed by 

it is to shoot first. 

Yes, that is what I meant to write. 

You have to kill your super-whatever. 

And you have to do it right now. 

Because your super-whatever will rob you 

of today and tomorrow and the next day 

until you take it out back and end its life.” 

It can be a little scary to kill our super-whatever, to 

knock down our idols; but read the verses again. If 

we live His way, we will “have more than enough to 

eat and we will live safe and secure in our land.” v 

Carey Morford is the Media Specialist at Keystone Elementary and President of Seeds of Grace, Inc. 

Visit their site at Seedsofgrace-highridge.blogspot.com. She is married to her very best friend Isaac 

Morford, and they have two daughters, Layla and Rigby. 



Peace 

That Passes Understanding 

by Stephanie Hoffman 

I did not know what this meant until I was alone 

in my room one day. I was watching a popular Christian 

program when the host spoke words that greatly 

impacted my life. 

He said, “There is someone listening to the program 

that has a lot of fear in their heart. God is 

releasing you from these chains right now. In Jesus’ 

name, Amen.” 

After his prayer, I made some tea and sat on the 

porch. All of a sudden, a wave of overwhelming peace 

came over me. It was like a warmth. I felt as though 

God Himself was wrapping His arms around me. 

Suddenly, I had the urge to do something for my 

parents, so I got up and mowed the lawn. While 

mowing, I felt a text come through the phone in my 

pocket. I ignored it and continued to praise God while 

mowing the grass. I decided that whoever it was, they 

could wait. I was enjoying my time with God. 

After mowing the grass, I went inside to cool 

down. I remembered the text and took my phone out 

to read it. It was a text from someone from my past, 

someone who would normally cause me to go into 

great panic. But instead of panicking and becoming 

fearful, I unexpectedly tossed my phone aside. For 

the first time in my life, I didn’t feel afraid. In fact, I 

ended up having a great time with my family (who 

were excited I had cut the grass)! 

As a young child, I went through some tough situations. 

As I’ve grown into a woman, I haven’t been 

able to grow out of the fears that were birthed in my 

heart as a child. They often paralyze me, causing me 

to panic and often make irrational decisions. 

Fear has held me captive for so long. It’s like I am 

its prisoner. Because I’ve lived under fear’s control for 

most of my life, I’ve never really known any other way. 

Until that day when that man prayed for my freedom! 

For the first time in my life I experienced peace 

that passes all understanding, peace promised to me 

in Philippians 4:6-8. I finally felt what it was like to 

be free. It was an incredible moment. 

I realize now that I don’t have to live in fear. It’s 

not where God wants me to live. Isaiah 43:1-4 

instructs me to lay aside my fears: 

“Don't be afraid, I've redeemed you. 

I've called your name. You're mine. 

When you're in over your head, I'll be there with you. 

When you're in rough waters, you will not go down. 

When you're between a rock and a hard place, 

it won't be a dead end— 

Because I am God, your personal God, 

The Holy of Israel, your Savior. 

I paid a huge price for you: 

all of Egypt, with rich Cush and Seba thrown in! 

That's how much you mean to me! 

That's how much I love you! 

I'd sell off the whole world to get you back, 

trade the creation just for you.” 

I realize now that because I am a child of God, 

I don’t have to live under fear’s control. I’ve been 

redeemed from it! Through His Son, Jesus, God paid 

the price for my freedom… freedom from sin and 

from fear. I’m so thankful my eyes were opened to a 

new way of living. 

Through my experience, I realize that God has my 

back and that He cares about me. He even cares 

about my emotions. I also learned the importance of 

keeping my thoughts on Him. As I kept worshiping 

God, I was given peace. And as I chose to keep my 

eyes on Him rather than focus on what could cause 

me fear (the text and person behind the text), I remained 

in that place of peace. What a wonderful 

place to be! v 

Stephanie Hoffman grew up in the 

Lake Area Region, and is studying 

journalism at Santa Fe College. She 

dreams of missionary work and helping 

people to overcome hardships. 

LOST: 

peace • joy • rest 

We asked our readers to share the 

things that cause them to lose 

their joy, peace, and rest. 

Here are a few of the responses we received: 

Kenny from Texas: Fear causes me to 

lose my joy and peace. 

a 

Anonymous from Florida: I lose my 

joy, peace, and sense of rest when I do 

not spend time with God. I need to get 

up early and read my Bible. I need to 

spend time hearing what God wants 

to say to me. To keep my peace and joy 

through the day, I praise Him. I look 

for what He is doing around me. This is 

not done legalistically, but with joy. I 

constantly humble myself before God 

and ask Him to show me where I lack 

humility. Without this there is no joy, 

peace, or sense of rest. 

a 

K.C. from Florida: I lose my joy, 

peace, and sense of rest when I start 

to worry about outcomes and results. 

My mind then becomes focused on 

what could go wrong or what others 

might think. As a result, I lose all hope 

in what could have been. 

a 

Margaret from North Carolina: I 

have two teenage boys. I often lose 

my joy and peace because of my anxious 

thoughts about their life. I want 

so much for them to love God and to 

choose what's right over what’s 

wrong. I want them to do well in 

school and sports. I pray about these 

things daily and lay them down before 

the Lord, only to pick them right back 

up again! It is a daily struggle for me 

to put my son’s lives in God’s hands. 

a 

Milissa from Caliornia: There is a 

marked difference in my overall attitude 

when I do not meet with God 

regularly. I begin to doubt and lose 

confidence in His plan for my life. The 

longer I allow time to pass without 

intimacy with Him, the more unsettled 

and discontentment creeps in. 

It is God’s desire that I be free from all 

anxiety and distressing care.” 1 Corinthians 7:32 



THIS IS THE DAY THE 

LORD HAS MADE! 

by Barbara Chism Sullivan 

“Don’t you know how bad things are?” people 

often ask. 

Yes, I do. I don’t deny that terrible things are happening 

every day. But regardless of what I see with 

my natural eyes or hear with my natural ears, I know 

God is good and I know He loves me. That makes all 

the difference in the world. 

I don’t need things to be perfect to have a smile 

on my face and joy in my heart. Why? Well, because 

there is a difference between joy and happiness. 

Happiness is dependent on circumstances and what 

goes on around me. Joy is in my spirit. Joy is a gift 

from God that I chose to receive. It is a gift available 

to any believer who will embrace it and walk in it. 

I was not born with joy. It is not a part of my personality. 

Living in joy was a choice I made when I accepted 

Jesus as my Savior. When I made this decision 

in 1973, I remember asking the Lord to let me make 

a difference in this world. I wanted people to look at 

my life and see a real Jesus. I wanted them to experience 

His love through me. I knew that as a Christian 

I needed to live a life that shined for Him, a life that 

looked different than the world’s. Otherwise, why 

would the world be drawn to Him? 

Upon my asking, the Lord gave me His love for 

those around me. He also gave me His joy to be a 

witness through every circumstance of life. The really 

cool part is that as I’ve been willing, Jesus has 

touched many lives. He has done all the work. I just 

flow with Him. 

In 1973, I didn’t know all the problems I would 

face, but the Lord did. His love and His joy have enabled 

me to have victory over incredible circumstances, 

circumstances meant to destroy me. 

In 2004, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I 

went through surgery as well as chemotherapy and 

radiation treatments. Now that wouldn’t make anyone 

happy, would it? Of course not, it didn’t make 

me happy either. 

But even in the midst of some dark days, I still had 

joy because I still had God. I knew He was by my side 

and I knew He would never fail me. This fact alone 

Circumstances will 

come and go, but the 

joy of the Lord is forever. 

May you experience this 

same peace and joy as 

you experience a life 

with Him. 

gave me joy. This joy encouraged my heart and carried 

me through. The Lord’s joy also gave me strength 

to face each day with purpose and hope. 

Not only was my faith in God’s character, a source 

of joy, but God’s Word brought joy as well. I clung to 

His Word. I chose to believe it over my circumstances 

and feelings. Psalms 118:17 was a verse that particularly 

spoke to my heart, “I shall not die, but live and 

testify to the Glory of the Lord forever.” 

I shared this verse with many people during my 

treatments. In fact, I backed up the blood draw room 

one day because I was sharing it with other patients. 

When I apologized to the doctor, he told me to back 

it up anytime because people needed to hear what I 

had to share. He knew they needed hope and joy. 

Later in 2007, I was diagnosed with cancer in my 

jaw. As I prayed before the surgery, the Lord gave me 

Habakkuk 3:17-19, “Although the fig tree shall not 

blossom… and there shall be no herd in the stalls, 

yet will I rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of 

my salvation.” 

The jaw surgery made my breast cancer experience 

seem like a headache. I found myself on a feeding 

tube, hooked up to IV’s, and in a nursing home 

for rehabilitation for two months. 

One day I was in my room feeling down and the 

Lord said, “I gave you my joy and there are people 

here who need it.” That was enough to get me up 

and moving! I made the decision to go down the hall 

and visit other patients. Psalms 118:24 became our 

theme verse, “This is the day the Lord has made, [we] 

will rejoice and be glad in it.” 

What a difference this decision made for myself 

and for those around me! As I took my eyes off my 

circumstances and put them on God and others, my 

joy returned in full measure. As it swelled within me, 

it spilled out on others and strengthened them in 

their journey as well. It also caused them to see Jesus 

at work in me. Wasn’t this the very thing I had asked 

God for years before? A life that pointed people to 

Him? A life of love? A life that made a difference? 

I have no idea what the future holds. I really don’t 

need to know. All I need to know is that my Lord is 

faithful and He is right here with me every step of 

the way. And when my steps on earth finally come to 

an end, I know my God will be waiting for me with 

arms open wide. 

Circumstances will come and go, but the joy of 

the Lord is forever. May you experience this same 

peace and joy as you experience a life with Him. v 

The joy of the Lord 

is my strength! 

Nehemiah 8:10 

Barbara Sullivan has lived in Keystone 

Heights, FL., for over 40 years. She is a 

retired school teacher who now spends 

her time volunteering at Community 

Church and other ministries, including 

Champion's Heart. 



Hey Sourpuss! 

by Rob Morford 

Just one look at television and it’s easy to become 

overwhelmed by the news. Elections, wars, unemployment 

rates, gas prices, injustices, among other 

negative things, make the headlines every day. 

Negativity is all around us and this negativity is 

infecting the church. I am hearing as much grumbling 

and complaining coming out of the mouths of 

Christians as I do non-Christians. It ought naught be 

so! An “ain’t it awful” attitude has infected the 

church and sourpuss Christians are everywhere! 

The world is in the “pursuit of happiness” and as 

the author of Ecclesiastes wrote, they find “life is 

vanity and vexation of spirit.” Many people bring this 

same pursuit of happiness into Christianity and end 

up with the same disappointing result. 

The confusion comes from the interchange of two 

words: happiness and joy. They are not the same. 

Happiness is the world’s counterfeit for joy. 

Happiness is an outward feeling of pleasure or the 

contentment of doing well or getting what you 

wanted. Happiness is totally driven by circumstances 

and so can be associated with good luck or good 

fortune. It is a feeling, which makes it flesh-driven 

rather than spirit-driven. The world gives happiness, 

and the world can take it away. 

Joy, on the other hand, is not the world’s and it 

cannot be taken away. God supernaturally places joy 

on the inside of every believer, and it flows outwardly. 

D.L. Moody wrote, “Happiness is caused by things 

that happen around me, and circumstances will mar 

it; but joy flows on through trouble; joy flows on 

through the dark; joy flows in the night, as well as 

in the day; joy flows through persecution and 

opposition. The Lord gives His people perpetual joy 

when they walk in obedience to Him.” 

Last year I had the privilege of going on a mission’s 

trip to Haiti and witnessing this perpetual joy. When 

I got off the plane, I was shocked to witness the 

poverty and devastation surrounding these people’s 

lives. I witnessed the 

same when I visited 

the jungles 

of Guyana and 

built churches 

for people who 

lived in stick 

houses with 

no electricity 

or running 

water. 

Circumstances and good fortune had skipped over 

these countries. Yet in every church and every 

orphanage I visited (where Jesus had truly been 

accepted), I witnessed a joy and a peace that was 

greater than anything I’ve ever seen here in America. 

Their joy had a voice and it came out in praise and 

worship. If there are people who should have a right 

to grumble and complain, it was these people. 

How sad that in a land with so much, we have 

such little joy. C.S. Lewis once wrote, “I sometimes 

wonder whether all pleasures are substitutes for joy.” 

In America, the pleasures of life and the offerings 

of the world have become a substitute for joy. We 

depend on things, people, and circumstances to make 

us feel good and happy. When things don’t go our 

way, we complain, we worry, and we grow frustrated. 

In doing these things, we miss the one thing that will 

give us victory in life… joy. 

God has given us the gift of joy to help us 

overcome the trials of life. That is why we are told 

over and over again in the Bible to rejoice. From 

a prison cell, Paul wrote to the Philippians and 

commanded them to “Rejoice in the Lord always.” 

Paul knew that joy was the doorway to victory. 

The ability to make it through any circumstance 

is on the inside of every Christian. Nothing we 

experience in life ever catches God by surprise. God’s 

joy and His peace can see us through anything. We 

can find joy in the midst of our messes! Helen Keller 

once said, “You will find joy in overcoming obstacles.” 

But we must choose joy. We must choose peace. 

How? By choosing to trust God. 

There comes a time in every believer’s life where 

we must decide whether or not we are going to trust 

God. We must decide whether or not we believe our 

life is truly in His hands. If we trust Him, then we can 

live in perpetual joy. 

Philippians 4:4-7 says, “The Lord is at hand. Be 

anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and 

supplication, with thanksgiving let your requests be 

made known to God, and the peace of God which 

surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts 

and minds through Christ Jesus.” 

As we take Paul’s advice and trust that the Lord 

is at hand, we will experience joy. And when we 

experience joy, we will experience victory. And most 

importantly our sourpuss lives will be transformed into 

an incredible witness to this lost and dying world. v 

Rob Morford is pastor of Community 

Church of Keystone Heights. He and 

his wife, Dotty have three children and 

two grandchildren. 

LOST: 

peace • joy • rest 

We asked our readers to share the 

things that cause them to lose 

their joy, peace, and rest. 

Here are a few of the responses we received: 

Paul from Tennessee: My busy life 

always makes me feel like I've missed 

completing a task. I don’t get the rest 

I need because my mind isn’t at ease. 

a 

Barbara from Texas: When I focus on 

the problems, and not the Problem 

Solver. 

a 

Doug from Indiana: Worry about our 

leaders, country, fuel prices, changing 

government, current events, and notso-nice-to-me 

people at work. 

a 

Kevin from Arkansas: I lose my joy 

and peace when I take my eyes off 

Jesus… when my heart and mind is not 

focused on Him, what He's done for 

me, and what He calls me to do. Significant 

trials in life whether death, loss of 

job, drop in income, family relationships, 

etc. can cause my vision to get 

fuzzy. Eventually, when I'm at my wit's 

end and can't see any other option, I'm 

reminded to leave those struggles at 

the Cross. At the other extreme, seasons 

of good tidings can also cause my 

vision to get fuzzy. It's easy to take 

things for granted and forget I need 

God. The fall is soon to come when the 

heart and mind think that way. 

a 

Kandace from Florida: Unfortunately 

I allow other people to steal my joy, 

which can lead to unrest and lack of 

peace. People can be so disheartening 

- even those we call friends. It's hard 

when people disappoint you with their 

words or actions. For me it takes spending 

quiet time with God to find that 

peace and joy again. He reminds me 

that we are all a work in progress and 

we all have flaws. Praying for them 

(and myself!) brings peace in knowing 

that God can restore all things. 

a 

Anonymous: People who don’t plan 

ahead and expect me to jump through 

hoops to clean up their mistakes. 



Open The Gift! 

by 

I enjoy getting gifts. I also enjoy giving them. I love 

watching someone’s face light up when they open a 

package and receive something needed or perhaps 

unexpected. 

I imagine God loves to give gifts, too. I bet His 

heart grows warm when His children accept His gifts 

and enjoy them on a daily basis. Don’t you get 

excited when you see someone enjoying a gift you 

have given them? I believe God is no different. 

Did you know that joy is a gift from God? It’s 

a supernatural gift. Joy isn’t something we can 

drum up on our own accord. “God gives wisdom, 

knowledge, and joy to those who please Him” (Eccl 

2:26). The Bible tells us that we please God through 

our faith (Heb 11:6), so if we have faith in Him, we 

can have joy! 

So why is it that so many Christians seem to be 

missing this incredible gift? If joy is ours for the 

taking, why do so many of us have hearts of anxiety, 

fear, doubt, or shame? Why are so many of us 

running around like chickens with our heads cut off 

(sorry, I’m a southern girl) looking confused, tired, 

and exhausted? Could it be that we have failed 

to open this gift, or perhaps substituted something in 

its place? 

Lately I’ve spent time studying the gift of joy. I’m 

on a quest to discover it, live in it, and ultimately 

share it with others. Here’s what I’ve learned so far: 

“You make me to be blessed and make me 

exceedingly glad with the joy of Your presence” 

(Psalms 21:6). 

Joy is a natural by-product of a right relationship 

with the Lord. When we spend time in the presence 

of God through prayer, worship, and meditating on 

His Word, joy will naturally bubble up within us and 

overflow into the lives of others. 

Just like an orange tree naturally produces 

oranges, Christians should naturally produce joy. Joy 

is a fruit of the Spirit. As God’s Spirit is allowed to 

rule and reign in our lives, joy and other great gifts 

are produced. “The Holy Spirit produces this kind of 

fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, 

goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” 

(Gal. 5:22-23). 

As we get rooted in God’s Word and walk in 

obedience to it, our lives will bear much fruit 

(John 10). I’ve come to realize that my 

level of joy is in direct proportion 

to the amount of God’s 

Word I have stored 

in my heart. “The 

commands of the 

Lord are right, 


Shout with joy to the Lord, 

all the earth! Worship the Lord 

with gladness. Come before 

Him, singing with joy! 

Psalms 100:1-2 

bringing joy to the heart” (Psalms 19:8). The 

more time I spend in the Word, meditating on it and 

walking in its truths, the more joy I have. 

When we get away from the Word and the will of 

God, we lose our joy. Take David for example; 

because of his sin with Bathsheba, he had lost his 

joy. We can see from Psalms 51 that he desperately 

wanted it back. “Purify me from my sins, and I will be 

clean. Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Oh 

give me back my joy again!” David knew the only 

way back to joy was to get back in the will of God. 

These verses opened my eyes to some incredible 

truths. If I’m failing to produce joy (and the other 

gifts in my life), then something is wrong. Perhaps 

I’m not securely rooted in Christ. Perhaps I’m moving 

forth in my own reasoning’s and efforts, rather than 

trusting the Lord. Perhaps I’m allowing the things of 

the world to replace the truth of the Word. Ouch! 

Joy is a free gift, but I’m learning that we have to 

make some choices if we want to live in it. First of all, 

we have to choose God. We have to choose to walk 

in His ways and in obedience to His Holy Word. And 

when we stray, like David, we must repent; we must 

ask God for forgiveness and return to Him. 

We must also make a choice to rejoice! Our words 

have incredible power. “A man hath joy by the 

answer of His mouth” (Proverbs 15:23). 

How do we answer the situations of life? Do we 

speak negative words? Do we complain? Do we tell 

the whole world about all the terrible things that are 

going on? Ouch, again! 

continued on page 13 



In Psalms 9:1-2, David says: “I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of 

all the marvelous things You have done. I will be filled with joy because of you. I will 

sing praises to your name, O Most High.” 

David made a choice to praise God and tell of His marvelous works regardless of 

all the incredible circumstances surrounding him. Because of his choice, he was filled 

with joy rather than despair. 

Right now you may be saying, “But Kristi, you don’t know all the things that are 

going on in my life! There’s no way you can expect me to have joy!” 

David lived in a cave, hiding from large armies seeking to take his life. His own 

son tried to kill him. His spouse mocked him. He lost a child. He killed a man and 

committed adultery. David had numerous reasons to wallow in pity and shame. But 

nevertheless, he chose joy. And because he chose joy, he was able to rise up and move 

forward time and time again. 

We can all find something to praise God for. If nothing else, we can praise Him for 

saving us! “I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God! For He has dressed me 

with the clothing of salvation…” (Isaiah 61:10). 

Our circumstances don’t dictate our level of joy! We do. God has already given it 

to us, it’s up to us to have it, or not. 

I pray we choose joy. Lord knows we need it. As believers, joy is our key to victory. 

It is what will help us through this incredible journey called life! It’s our strength 

(Nehemiah 8:10). 

I know it’s tempting to worry. I know it’s easy to get down. Every day we are 

presented with opportunities to just plain freak out! Every day, things and people 

come at us, seemingly knocking our feet right out from underneath us. 

But life’s surprises don’t have to rule over us. As we praise God in spite of our 

circumstances, we will be strengthened for the journey, able to stand, and able to 

tread upon the heights (Habakkuk 3:17-19)! 

The key to our victory is found in Philippians 4:4-8. If we choose to rejoice instead 

of worrying and complaining, if we choose to go to God in prayer with an attitude 

of thanksgiving, we will experience incredible peace. And where there’s peace, there’s 

power to move forward! “For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace…” 

(Isaiah 55:12). 

If you’re like me, you may not always FEEL like praising God. You may not always 

feel like following Him. But it’s time we set our feelings aside. Our victory depends 

on it! As we make the choice to rejoice, something inside us will change! Our mourning 

will be turned into joyful dancing (Psalms 30:11). I’m ready to dance, aren’t you? 

“Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth! Worship the Lord with gladness. Come 

before Him, singing with joy” (Psalms 100:1-2). 

Joy is an inward emotion so powerful that it expresses itself outwardly through our 

words, songs, instruments, and yes, even dancing. Even the earth shouts for joy 

(Psalms 96:12). When we are filled with joy, others will take note because they will 

hear our notes of praise (Nehemiah 12:43, Psalms 100). 

So how about that gift of joy? Have you received it? Are you living in it every day 

of your life? Or does life have you by the reigns? 

It’s time to open up God’s precious gift and put it to use! As we do, our lives will 

never be the same. It truly is the gift that will keep on giving… for generations 

to come. v 

DON’T GIVE 

GOD’S GIFT 

OF JOY AWAY! 

John 10:10 says that Satan comes to steal, kill, and 

destroy the abundant life Christ died to give us. More 

than anything, Satan wants to steal your joy and your 

peace! He knows joy is your strength and peace is your 

power. He knows these gifts are what will keep 

you moving forward in life. He knows they are your 

witness to the world for Christ. 

The awesome thing is Satan has no right to your 

gifts. God’s gifts are yours to keep. He gave them to 

you for your victory here on earth. The only way Satan 

can take your joy and peace is if you give them away. 

So what are the things that Satan uses to rob us of 

our peace? What are the things we encounter in life 

that tend to steal our joy? Here’s a small list: 

• Fear, guilt, shame, pride and other emotions 

• Expectations that we place on ourselves 

• Expectations that others place on us 

• Commitments and “busyness” 

• Conflict between others and ourselves 

• Conflict between people around us 

• People’s comments and actions 

• Being over-extended financially 

• Trying circumstances 

It’s time for us to get alert and realize the traps Satan 

sets before us. It’s also time to realize our own tendency 

to overextend ourselves and put ourselves into 

situations that tend to steal our joy. As we become alert 

and make changes to our lives, victory will be ours. 

“Stay alert! Watch out for 

your great enemy, the devil. He 

prowls around like a roaring lion, 

looking for someone to devour.” 

(I Peter 5:8) 



AllThings 

by Minta Bennett 

“Oh no, not this again!” That’s all I could say as I 

was being hoisted into the ambulance. My beloved 

husband stood over me, assuring me that I was all 

right and that everything would be okay. When I 

asked what had happened, I was told that I had 

a seizure. Tears streamed down my face as the 

ambulance rushed me to the hospital. 

Once again, the smells of the hospital, the polite 

hurriedness of the hospital staff, and an overwhelming 

feeling of sorrow, embarrassment, humiliation, 

and fear were all scenes so familiar to me. 

As time passed, my memory started to come back 

to me. After what seemed an eternity, my family 

finally came into the room. My son and daughter 

looked so sad. I could tell that my daughter had been 

crying. My husband, Jason, came in behind them. 

He had a strength about him, a confidence that reassured 

me that everything was going to be all right. 

In my heart I kept asking God, “Why?” 

Hadn’t I been through enough? Where was my 

protection? Why now, when I was finally feeling like 

my old self again? 

Three years ago, I almost 

died. I became deathly ill with 

a “condition” most doctors 

had never heard of. The treatment 

took away my hair and 

Minta is married 

and the mother of 

two teenagers. Her 

passion is helping 

people walk in victory 

through mentoring 

and tutoring. 

my strength. Most days I was 

so weak and sick that I could 

barely get out of bed. My 

family traveled this journey 

with me. They were with me 

when I was throwing up so 

violently that I could not even 

raise my head. For nine months 

I was in this condition. It was a 

daily battle just to survive. It has 

taken me years to recover from the 

effects of that “condition” and treatment, 

and now this! 

I felt forsaken. I was angry that I had trusted 

the Lord. I was angry that I thought I was better, only 

to be right back in the hospital again. Sometimes I 

feel as though every time I rise up and take a step 

forward, I get knocked back down again. 

Believe it or not, I am 

truly grateful for all that has 

happened to me for through 

my trials, I have come to know 

God in an incredible way. 

I’ve realized that whether 

or not I can see or feel God, 

He is with me… Always! 

In the days that followed, I had many doctor 

appointments and all kinds of tests. With every 

appointment, I grew increasingly hurt over the 

feeling that God was nowhere to be found. On one 

particular afternoon, I had to go through an EEG 

(Electroencephalography). I was so frustrated 

and angry about having to go through this neurological 

test. 

As my anger grew, so did the weight on my chest. 

I felt like I was carrying a hundred pound weight 

around with me. I knew deep down in my heart that 

I had to let the anger go. I could not continue 

feeling this way. 

As the electrodes were being placed on my head, 

I started to pray (even though nothing in me wanted 

to). I began to remind myself that God had created 

me and that He knew I would be going through 

these trials. I began to find comfort that none of this 

was taking Him by surprise. 

During the entire test, I thanked God. I repented 

for being so angry with Him. I also began to praise 

Him for anything I could think of. 

When the test was over and I got up from the 

table, the weight was gone. All of the feelings of 

anger, bitterness, and confusion were gone. My spirit 

was renewed! God had lifted every burden from my 

heart. I suddenly knew that I would be all right and 

that the Lord was indeed right there with me. 

My attitude has changed so much since the day of 

my seizure. Believe it or not, I am truly grateful for 

all that has happened to me for through my trials, I 

have come to know God in an incredible way. I’ve 

realized that whether or not I can see or feel God, 

He is with me… Always! 

Recently while I was reading my Bible, I felt God 

leading me to Romans 8:28: 

“And we know that in all things God works for 

the good of those who love Him, who have been 

called according to His purpose.” 

I had read these words so many times before. 

“Really God, THIS is what you want me to read?” 

I questioned. 

He spoke to my heart, “Read it again.” 

As I did, I stopped at these two words… 

“ALL THINGS.” 

It was like a switch had been turned on. I suddenly 

realized that all the things of the last three years… 

all the pain, all the sickness, all the experiences… 

were being worked together for good in my life. Even 

this! These things were perfecting me and making 

me more like Him. These things had purpose. 

A peace ran over me like never before. 

Since that day, my prayer has been for God to make 

all things, whatever they are, to work together for my 

good, but most importantly, to work together for His 

glory. I know that if I let Him, He can use my trials to 

make me into a better person and equip me for all He 

has for me to do. In the meantime, I’ll continue to 

thank Him for every day and everything. v 



In Daddy’s Lap 

by Amanda Combass 

A verse was brought up during church one Sunday that stuck in my head for weeks to follow. It comes 

from Deuteronomy 33:12 and says, "Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in Him, for He shields him 

all day long, and the one the Lord loves rests between His shoulders." 

Rest is not something that is easy for most people, and most certainly not easy for me. I like 

to have goals and to constantly strive to accomplish that next thing on my list. Too often I feel 

useless and insufficient when I do not have something to work on. 

For example, my training in the Air Force is on hold until January due to my missing class 

start dates because of an unexpected surgery. Do I still go to work every day? Of course. 

But is there anything for me to do? Not really. Rather than appreciating the time to 

get caught up on college classes and required tests for the military, I have been 

driving myself crazy! I keep giving myself a hard time for not being in training, 

something I can’t even control. 

Why is this? Why is there such an issue when it comes to rest? I don't just 

mean physically either, I mean in our relationships with Jesus. Why do we, 

why do I, struggle so much with the concept of resting secure in Him? 

For me, I think it is that I feel I have something to prove, that I have to 

validate myself. I lose sight of the truth that I have nothing to prove! Jesus 

took me when I was at my worst, looked past all the dirt in my life, and 

chose me to be His beloved. He wants me to stop fighting and to allow Him 

to be my validation. Not an easy task, or an overnight one either. 

Oh what a beautiful picture… that God wants us to rest securely between 

His shoulders and allow Him to be our shield. That's where I want to be. All 

this working and running around trying to show that I'm strong enough or 

good enough is getting me nowhere. It’s time to climb up in my Daddy's lap and 

rest between His shoulders. Will you join me? v 

Amanda Combass, a native of 

Keystone Heights, Fl., is currently living 

in Tucson, AZ, while serving as an 

active duty member of the Air Force. 

You can follow Amanda on your blog at 

www.chosenbytheone.wordpress.com 



Seeking 

His Face 

by Carter McCain 

“Lord, to whom shall we go? 

You have the words of eternal life.” 

Novelist Bruce Marshall once wrote, “The young 

man who rings the bell at the brothel is unconsciously 

looking for God.” That should shake us, because 

on first appearance that young man is certainly 

looking for something, but it sure isn’t God! And yet 

when we look at our own lives, perhaps it makes a 

little more sense. What crazy, harmful things have we 

done to try and meet our needs? How have we responded 

to a lack of love, intimacy, security, importance, 

or meaning? How many times have we done 

the same crazy, harmful things despite the fact that 

they never quite met the need that we were trying to 

meet? Proverbs 26:11 put it gently: “As a dog returns 

to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly.” 

I have been, and in various ways still am, a fool. 

There are things (the Bible calls them the world and 

the devil) that make promises that they can’t possibly 

deliver, and part of me (the Bible calls this the 

flesh) believes them… over and over. There’s no 

shortage of things clamoring to “help” us: pornography, 

alcohol, drugs, affairs. If that list doesn’t fit 

you, here’s another that’s more subtle and socially 

acceptable, but just as deadly: gluttony, workaholism, 

excessive shopping, horoscopes, TV addiction, dead 

religion, spouse worship. And these things aren’t 

content simply to be used; they demand to be 

needed, longed for, worshipped. And unlike God, 

who as we worship Him blesses us more and more, 

these things, these idols, deliver less and less. They 

use us… until there isn’t anything left to use. 

C.S. Lewis writes, “If I find in myself a desire which 

no experience in this world can satisfy, the most 

probable explanation is that I was made for another 

world.” We were made for another world. This is why 

idolatry – putting something or someone in the position 

in which only God belongs – is not simply a 

sin against Him, but against ourselves. If we were 

created such that He and only He can meet the deepest 

cries of our heart, we die when we settle – and 

it is settling, whether we know it or not – for anything 

else. We die, just as truly as if we were breathing 

water, rather than air. 

David writes in Psalm 27:8, “You have said, ‘Seek my 

face.’ My heart says to you, ‘Your face, Lord, do I seek.’” 

What a gracious God to command the very thing our 

heart longs for, even if sometimes we don’t realize it! 

So, how do we seek Him? How do we get past 

the clamor and clutter of false promises and lying 

voices to the thing – to the One – we’re created for? 

Any answer one might give to this question is bound 

to be too simple, but here’s a start: prayer, worship, 

Scripture, and Christian community. 

Prayer is an interaction and encounter with God. 

In the same way that my relationship with my wife 

would be virtually non-existent if we never spoke, so 

our relationship with God suffers when we do not 

make time regularly for prayer. And it isn’t enough 

simply to speak to God, telling Him what we need 

and thanking Him. We have to make time to listen, 

to allow Him to speak to us. It’s in this process that 

we learn more about Him (just like listening to our 

spouse) and can hear Him tell us if something we’re 

doing is unhealthy or displeasing to Him. Listening 

prayer is part of how God frees us from our idols and 

draws us closer to Him. 

Worship is taking time, publicly and privately, to 

thank God for who He is and for what He’s done for 

us. We are commanded over and over to be thankful 

because we have an amazing tendency to forget the 

blessings and dwell on the obstacles. Psalm 22:3 says 

that God is “enthroned on the praises of Israel.” 

What this means is that worship is not simply 

our response to the awesomeness of God: it 

is another way in, which God is revealed and 

made clear to us. In the act of “lifting up” 

God, our eyes are anointed to see Him better, 

we are brought closer to Him and further 

from those things that want to take His place. 

The Bible is the authoritative revelation of 

who God is and how He interacts with His people. 

Luke 24 makes it clear that all of the Scriptures 

(speaking of the Old Testament, but applying to the 

New as well) are about Jesus, and since Jesus is the 

Image of the Invisible God (Colossians 1:15), they 

reveal God to us. Here is the best source for exposing 

our own prejudices, biases, and self-deceptions. 

The Scriptures, if approached with care, diligence, 

and openness to their message, will lead us to the 

One True God. They will, as Hebrews 4 says, judge 

the thoughts and attitudes of our hearts. 

The Church is the Body of Christ living and active 

in this world. It makes sense then, that the Church 

would be a huge part of how we learn more about 

and experience Jesus. And yet this is the piece many 

miss, perhaps because it is difficult to be in intimate, 

familial relationships with those who, despite their 

strengths, aren’t perfect. It’s tough to trust others to 

reveal Jesus to us who won’t do it perfectly. However, 

we desperately need this “communion of 

saints.” We need human beings in our lives that 

know the Lord and us well enough to encourage us 

when we need encouraging and correct us when we 

need correcting. We encounter God in the faces, 

words, and actions of those sitting in the pews with 

us. Faith is something that is lived out – incarnated 

– in community. We cannot love God without loving 

our brothers and sisters. 

And so, if you wish to seek God – and you do – 

you must seek Him where He is to be found. You 

must seek Him where He has promised to be: in the 

prayer closet, in the lifting of holy hands, in the Word 

written, and in the People of 

God. How we live our lives reveals 

both our extreme need 

and our extreme ignorance of 

how to meet those needs. 

Saint Peter speaks truly of 

Christ in John 6 when he says, 

“Lord, to whom shall we go? 

You have the words of eternal 

life.” May our voices resonate 

with His and may we never 

seek elsewhere. v 

Carter pastors 

Immanuel Anglican 

Church in Keystone 

Heights. He and his 

wife, Karen, have 

twin sons and 

are expecting 

their third child in 

November. 


VictoriousLivingIssueNovember12F_VLmagazine 11/5/12 1:34 PM Page 17


To every thing there 

is a season, and a time 

to every purpose under 

the heaven. 

Ecclesiastes 3:1 

A Change 

Of Seasons 

by Melinda Rodgers 

Do you ever sit and wonder where the time has 

gone? Lately I’ve been struck by the realization that 

I am the mother of a senior in high school! Not only 

am I wondering where the time has gone, I’m wondering 

where my little boy has gone. 

I know as a parent we are to “train up a child in 

the way he should go” (Proverbs 22:6), but I am 

having a real problem with the last word… “go!” 

It seems the only time that I ever see this senior anymore 

is “going!” He’s “going” out of the driveway 

and “going” to yet another school event, friend’s 

house, church activity, volunteer fireman function, 

work, etc. 

I get so excited when he comes home from school. 

I find myself waiting at the door with all sorts of 

wonderful conversations laid out in my mind, only 

for him to do a quick clothes change, grab a snack, 

and jump back into his truck to “go” yet again. 

Doesn’t he know how eager I am to hear about his 

day and how desperately I am trying to stay connected 

to him in some way? 

I have enjoyed each and every day with my son 

for the last 17-½ years. He is a respectful, wellrounded 

young man with a variety of friendships. 

He’s secure in himself and extends love to others. He 

truly sees the good in people. I am so proud of his 

work ethic, both in school and in his after school 

jobs. He also has incredible values that have become 

interwoven into who he has become. 

But even with all of this, I can’t help but feel a bit 

of sadness, as I see him less and less. It is the same 

feeling that I experience with the changing of the seasons. 

A melancholy comes over me as fall turns into 

winter. I’ve never been a “winter” person. I usually 

find myself bundled in layers and cooped up indoors. 

I experience this same feeling when I watch my 

teenager driving out of the driveway, waving goodbye 

with an outstretched arm. It’s a changing of the 

seasons and I desperately want to bring him back indoors, 

to keep things the way they’ve always been, 

to keep him safe and warm. But I can’t. 

The reality is that my time with Austin being at 

home is coming to a close. In just a few short months, 

he will be heading off to college. Whether I am 

comfortable with it or not, he’s headed to adulthood. 

I can’t stop it. But if I could, would I really want to? 

I know that as Austin “goes” he is going to 

experience life. Yes, there will be mistakes, there will 

be pain, but how incredible it will be to watch him 

overcome obstacles, learn from his mistakes and the 

mistakes of others, and ultimately experience victory 

as an adult. How amazing it will be to watch him 

grow as he “goes!” 

In the midst of my fears and insecurities, I remind 

myself that God is with us. When the time comes for 

Austin to “go,” he will not be alone, nor will I. God 

will be with us every step of the way, in every new 

season. I also remind myself of the promise found 

in Proverbs 22:6, if I’ve trained up my child in the 

way he should go (in the ways of the Lord), he will 

not depart from it. 

To the best of our ability (and with God’s guidance), 

my husband and I have trained Austin in the way he 

should go. With this foundation of faith, I confidently 

trust that my son will always find his way back home 

to the Lord and to us. The doors will always be open. 

No matter what the season, he will always be 

welcomed, for he will always be my little boy. v 

Melinda Rodgers and her husband, 

Jeff, live in Ninety Six, SC., with their 

son, Austin. Melinda is the assistant 

editor for Victorious Living. She and 

her family have also served as hosts 

for several In His Wakes events. 

Something to Think About 

by Melinda Rodgers 

As I was writing “A Change Of Seasons” and 

expressing my desire to have meaningful 

conversation with my son, I couldn’t help but 

wonder if this is how my Heavenly Father feels 

as I rush about my day, often too distracted 

and busy to whisper even a quick, “Hi God! 

How are you doing?” 

Isn’t it amazing to think that God, the 

creator of the world, is patiently waiting at the 

door of our hearts longing for communication 

with us? Two-way communication at that! 

What a privilege we have been given as 

children of God to share our hearts and minds 

with Him, not to mention the awesome 

privilege of hearing the deep treasures on His 

own heart. Do we dare stop for a moment and 

accept His invitation of intimacy with Him? 

In all your ways acknowledge 

Him, and He will make your 

paths straight. 

Proverbs 3:6 



Worth Fighting For 

by Margaret Turner 

Eighteen years ago, we said, “I do” and just like 

most folks, we were full of love and excitement for 

our lives ahead. We were kind of like “city meets 

country” with the typical “opposites attract” mentality 

that a lot of us share. One of us was raised in 

the country with fishing and riding dirt bikes and the 

other one, in the city seeing theatre and traveling to 

big cities for vacations. 

However, we were two Christians, set on the 

same course. I mean we were “Bible-believing, 

church-going, Jesus-seeking Christians.” We certainly 

had the advantage of truly knowing Jesus. We had 

both been saved in college and we both were walking 

with Him. We had our hearts set on having a 

wonderful Christian marriage and hopefully raising 

an amazing Christian family. 

We were blessed with two awesome boys! And 

oh, we were living the life we always wanted—a 

nice house, a good job, a great church, and I got to 

be a stay-at-home mom. We had it made in the 

world’s eyes, and to a certain extent, in our own 

eyes! Then, we got really comfortable… and 

comfortable can be a dangerous place. 

One day, like a lot of people, we realized that real 

life had set in, and our happy marriage wasn’t so 

happy anymore. We weren’t very focused on “working 

on our marriage.” Jobs, church activities, the 

boys’ sporting activities, and honestly, some baggage 

and habits from each of our pasts had taken over. 

That “picture perfect” marriage was so far in the past 

… and it was never intentional. 

We had done all the seemingly “right” things: attended 

church together, taught marriage classes, 

read our Bibles, and prayed. But truthfully, our individual 

habits and unhealthy behaviors were rearing 

their ugly heads in our peaceful house. And boy, did 

it get ugly! Our hearts needed some healing. 

One of us wanted to avoid conflict, so always just 

smiled politely and said whatever was required to 

keep peace. And the other one wanted to hit all the 

issues head on, to talk and resolve issues no matter 

what the cost. 

We had to walk through some real heartbreak. 

Unhealthy relationships had developed 

outside of our marriage. Unhealthy 

behaviors led to outward conflict on a 

daily basis. And there was no peace. 

It took one of us to initially 

humble ourselves and seek counsel. 

And what a difference humility and 

repentance can make! The other 

soon followed suit. The counsel 

we sought wasn’t “pat you on 

the back, it’ll be okay, ya’ll are 

good people” kind of counsel. 

Instead, it was “wise, godly, 

truth speaking, hurt your 

prideful feelings” kind of counsel. 

We were met with unconditional love through the 

entire process. We had the support of our pastors 

and the love of family and close friends. We kept the 

knowledge of our struggles limited to very few people. 

Not people who would “talk about us”, but only 

those that would come alongside of us, pray for us, 

and help to hold us each accountable. We learned 

how to set boundaries and how to resolve conflict in 

a healthy way. After months of individual and couples 

counseling, and an entire week away to get healing 

from past wounds and work on our restoration, we 

finally both made a renewed commitment to our 

marriage. And man, did it take work! 

We renewed our vows on our 15th anniversary. 

It was like starting all over again with a renewed 

excitement and a lot more “tools” in our toolbox 

for doing the work! We are still working on healing 

and seeking Him, but there are many things we now 

know for sure… 

The devil hates Christian marriages and families 

and will stop at nothing to destroy them both. 

You have to “work” on your 

marriage all the time. Being 

“comfortable” is your enemy. 

There is no such thing as 

“cruise control” in the 

marriage car. 

It takes regular 

repentance, a humble 

spirit, and a renewed 

commitment on a 

daily basis. 

And most importantly, 

it is worth the fight! 

Today, we are far from 

perfect and deal with 

daily struggles like 

everyone else. Sometimes 

those old habits 

start to reappear, but we 

recognize them much 

more quickly and we 

now know how to deal 

with them in a healthy 

way. When things seem a 

John and Margaret 

Turner live in Winterville, 

NC, with their two sons, 

Nate (16) and Sam (13). 

They attend Open Door 

Ministries in Winterville, 

NC and enjoy exercising 

together, spending time 

in the outdoors, and 

watching college sports. 

They also volunteer with 

In His Wakes. 

little bigger than we are capable of, we call for help. 

Fortunately, we have an incredible support system 

in our pastors, friends, and family who keep us accountable 

and help keep us on the right track. Because 

our commitment to our marriage is 

unwavering, peace has returned. 

Marriage is a lot like training for a sport. You know 

what it takes to be victorious, but are you willing to 

do the work that will get you there? No one can do 

it for you. In marriage, making the decision to do 

whatever it takes to have victory will lead you into a 

place you never could have imagined. A place of rest, 

peace, contentment, and joy! v 



MINISTRY NEWS 

I am constantly amazed at all the ways God allows us 

to minister to His people! Please join me in prayer over 

each division of Champion’s Heart Ministries and 

celebrate with us as we strive to bring more 

champions into His kingdom! For more news 

and updates, be sure to check our website often 

and sign up for our email newsletters 

at www.championsheart.org. 

In His Wakes Update 

On October 1-2, In His Wakes finished our 2012 

“A Day to Remember” Tour and brought our 10th 

season to a close as we ministered to nearly 200 

cadets at a local military base in North Florida. Once 

again, God showed up at our events in a most powerful 

way, melting away years of hurt, anger, regret, 

guilt, and unforgivingness from the hearts of 

teenagers as only He can do. One by one, these young 

men and women gave their lives to Christ, making a 

life decision to hook up to the only Power Source that 

will never fail them. Oh how I wish you could have 

been on the shores with us as these cadets yelled in 

unison with all their might, “Hit it, God!” Thus signifying 

their desire to follow Him. 

What an incredible year it has been! Over the last 

6 months, our In His Wakes team has had the privilege 

of joining God in His amazing work of reconciling 

hearts to His own. Praise God, in this season 

alone, we were blessed to minister to 1400 youth, as 

well as hundreds of volunteers on our D2R tour, 

which consisted of 55 national events and 4 events in 

The Czech Republic. 

In addition to these incredible water sports events, 

we were able to touch the lives of our participants 

and volunteers in a deeper way through our other 

Champion’s Heart Ministries. For example, we were 

able to build people’s faith through incredible life stories 

and most importantly, 

through the 

Word of God in our 

Our ministry boats [including the newly donated Ski Nautique 200 (far left)] make a great backdrop as Nate and a D2R 

participant demonstrate what happens when you grab onto God’s handle and follow Him. 

Victorious Living Magazine, as well as through our 

video teachings and written devotions found on our 

website, championsheart.org. We were also able to 

provide additional support to our participants through 

financial scholarships and through our Champion’s 

Heart Life Resource Center. 

It has been awesome to watch God take what we 

once thought were separate, stand-alone ministries 

and merge them together, enabling us to touch lives in 

a more powerful way. I couldn’t help but smile as the 

cadets drove away on the bus reading the powerful 

testimonies found in the pages of Victorious Living. I 

know that these young men and women now have 

tangible tools from our ministry to grow in their faith. 

I also found comfort in the fact that these teens can 

receive much needed relational and resource support 

at our Champion’s Heart Life Center, a mere 25 miles 

away, upon their graduation from this military program. 

God is good and I know He has a plan for all the 

Champion’s Heart Ministries: In His Wakes, Champion’s 

Heart Life Centers, Victorious Living, as well as 

our REFRESH! Teaching Ministry. I ask you to pray 

for these ministries and our team. Satan has 

thrown many obstacles in our path to hinder our 

moving forward with God. But he has failed. 

God’s grace and His Spirit have sustained, empowered, 

carried, encouraged, strengthened, covered, 

and protected us every step of the way. He has expanded 

our territory, fought every battle and fulfilled 

every promise. With God’s help and yours, we will continue 

to move forward with Him for many years to 

come! Thank you for joining us on the journey! 

Nautiques, DIM and Overton’s 

Help In His Wakes 

Thank you to Nautiques for blessing our ministry 

with an upgraded boat… a Ski Nautique 200! With 

our new tower and open bow boat, we can now 

minister to more children at our “A Day to Remember” 

events! Thank you also to Discount Inboard Marine 

(DIM) who help keep our boats running with 

quality parts and Overton’s who continually outfit us 

with the best water sports equipment! 

In His Wakes 2013 Schedule 

Our director, Nate Miller is hard at work finalizing 

the 2013 “A Day to Remember” Tour. If you are 

interested in hosting an event, please let Nate 

know immediately. Call 352-745-0283 or email 

nate@inhiswakes.com 

more news on page 30 



The Name 

Above All Names 

by Nate Miller, 

In His Wakes Director 

“Jesus. Jesus. Jesus.” These were the words a 

young boy kept repeating over and over again, as 

he and his family huddled in the basement of their 

Alabama home. 

We arrived in Tuscaloosa, Alabama just two days 

after the devastating and destructive tornados of April 

2011. We were there to hold an In His Wakes, “A Day 

to Remember” event with local kids. As we passed 

through the city on our way to the site of our event, 

we were at a loss for words. The storms had left mass 

destruction in their wake. The fact that anyone in the 

path of these tornados survived was a miracle. 

Over the course of the next couple of days we 

heard many incredible survival stories, including the 

one shared by the mother of the young boy mentioned 

above. She shared with us how they had all 

fled to the basement as the storm quickly approached. 

She shared how they huddled together for 

safety as the house began to strain under the pressure 

of the storm. 

As the sounds of the destruction grew more intense, 

her youngest son began calling out the name 

of Jesus, again and again, more than a hundred 

times. In the midst of his cries, the mother said something 

incredible began to happen. She said a Peace 

and a Power greater than any storm began to fill the 

basement. It overshadowed them. 

Psalms 91:1-2 (NLT) says, “Those who live in the 

shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow 

of the Almighty. This I declare about the Lord. He 

alone is my refuge, my place of safety; He is my God, 

and I trust Him.” In verse 15 God says, “When they 

call on Me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. 

I will rescue and honor them.” 

When I heard this story, these verses came to 

mind. Our Heavenly Father promises that in the midst 

of life’s storms, we can have peace, comfort, and protection! 

It’s found in Him. 

We will all face times of chaos in areas that range 

from our personal lives to global unrest. There will 

be times when huge storms rage around us, both 

physical and emotional. What are we to do? We are 

to do what this young man did… call upon the name 

of Jesus. He hears our cries, He knows our situations, 

and He has an answer. There is POWER in the name 

of Jesus, greater power than anything we will ever 

encounter in the weather or in life! 

When the storm passed and this 

Tuscaloosa family emerged from their 

basement, the power of this little 

boy’s words, the power of 

the name of Jesus, was blatantly 

clear. There before 

them was a wide path 

of destruction leading 

straight to their home. 

But at the last moment 

possible, the tornado 

had taken a sharp 

turn, sparing their 

home and their 

lives. As they 

stood and looked 

around, their 

home was the 

only thing 

standing. 

We had the privilege of sharing “A Day to 

Remember” with this little boy and his family. We 

were able to encourage their hearts through the love 

of God and through an incredible day on the water. 

God was able to refresh their spirits, ease their minds, 

and remind them that there is still much joy to be 

had in life. Our hearts were encouraged as well, as 

we were reminded of the precious gift of life, and the 

precious love of our Savior. v 

Dear Nate and In His Wakes Team, 

I wanted to report to you about how the mothers of the children who participated in the 

“Day to Remember” event at Lake Swan have been thanking me for giving their child such a 

wonderful day. When the kids from the Women and Children's Center arrived back at the center 

in Jacksonville, they ran to their mothers and all started talking at once about everything 

they had experienced. One mother told me that she had a two hour conversation about the day’s 

activities with her son. 

I returned to the classes to give a report of the event. One of those classes was the 

Single Parents Class. There were two mothers in that class that had children who had 

attended the In His Wakes event. After I finished my presentation, one of the mothers said 

that her two children (son and daughter) had gotten saved at the event. I asked if she has 

seen a difference in the children and she said that her son is definitely acting differently 

now. He has even been sharing Bible verses with his friends. With tears in her eyes, she 

said that they were the only two people in her family who hadn’t been saved yet. Her son was 

one of the boys who had hit two other boys on the bus ride to the event. On the way back, 

he asked to be moved to the front of the bus so that he could stay out of trouble! It’s 

amazing how God can work so quickly in changing some things in our life. 

I’ve already given out all the copies of Victorious Living that I took home from the event! 

Nate Miller is the director of In His 

Wakes. He lives in Bend, OR, with 

his wife, Ivy. If you are interested in 

learning more about In His Wakes, 

contact Nate at nate@inhiswakes.com. 

God bless you, 

Sylvia 

Jacksonville, Florida 



MORE 

Than Enough! 

by Karen Dougherty 

And God is able 

to bless you 

abundantly, so 

that in all things 

at all times, 

having all that 

you need, you 

will abound in 

every good work. 

2 Corinthians 9:8 

Karen Dougherty is a 

long time supporter 

of In His Wakes 

Ministries. Karen is CEO 

of Discount Inboard 

Marine, LLC, an 

internationally known 

distributor of inboard 

ski boat engine and 

drive train parts specializing 

in adding power 

to lives through 

premium products and 

through the glorious 

gospel of Jesus Christ. 

When we started our company, Discount Inboard 

Marine, 21 years ago, we were working out of a single 

car garage with $1,500 worth of inventory, capital we 

had borrowed to get started. Eventually, my husband 

and I secured a home with a double car garage. That 

was a miracle in itself, as we had no income to report. 

After nine years, we finally built an office and 

warehouse. We inscribed these words in the concrete: 

"The only solid foundation is the living Word of God. " 

Overnight success… no way. Delayed gratification 

for His glory, absolutely! 

Never in a million years could we have envisioned 

what the Lord had in store for DIM. He coupled our 

passion for water skiing and serving customers worldwide 

with the opportunity to support Kristi Overton 

Johnson’s ministries, in particular In His Wakes and 

Victorious Living. Boy has God blessed this partnership! 

We’ve witnessed her ministry grow in incredible ways 

and touch more and more people for Christ each year. 

And we’ve grown ourselves… especially in our faith. 

Through our financial partnership, we’ve had the 

opportunity to exercise our faith through some hard 

economic times. We’ve learned to completely trust His 

provision. God has proven time and again to be… 

More Than Enough! 

For 21 years now, we have trusted God at 

SKIDIM.COM to sustain our business throughout the 

“off-season,” the harsh winter months in the marine 

industry. We consistently take our stand of faith on Jeremiah 

17:7-8 which says… "Blessed is the man that 

trusts the Lord, in whose hope the Lord is. For he shall 

be as a tree planted by the water, that spreads out her 

roots by the river, and shall not see when the heat 

comes, but her leaf shall be green, and shall not be full 

of care in the season of drought, neither shall they cease 

from yielding fruit." 

We have seen the crash of the stock market in 2008 

and the toll it took on manufacturing in the marine 

industry. And yet, God had us perfectly positioned to 

help keep older boats running and families on the 

water. He also positioned us to help further the Lord’s 

work through our partnership with In His Wakes. Glory 

to God! He has creatively and consistently met all of 

our needs and more! 

As economic times have grown tough, we have 

continued to tithe and to support our commitment to 

In His Wakes, trusting that God would always keep us 

in his wake of protection and provision. God has been 

faithful. He is a God of more than enough. We’ve found 

that it is impossible to out-give God! 

As we encounter yet another “off-season” for our 

company, we once again lean on the precious words of 

our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. We put them in our 

hearts and minds, we speak them out of our mouths, 

and we hold fast to the promises of God. We know 

that He is able to supply all of our needs according to 

His Riches in Glory through Jesus Christ (Phil 4:19). 

We know that He is able to make ALL grace abound 

toward us at ALL times, in ALL things, having ALL that 

we need so that… we can abound in EVERY good 

work (2 Cor 9:8). 

May God continue to bless Kristi Overton Johnson, 

her family, and the entire In His Wakes and Champion's 

Heart staff as they share the love of God and the truth 

that… God is More Than Enough! v 



INSPIRING LEADERSHIP 

The Most Important Thing by Bonnie Hagemann 

I love mornings! Not because I’m a morning person 

(although I am) and not because I get to be with 

my family (which I love), but because mornings are 

when I set aside significant time to spend with God. 

I go for a run – with God. 

I read my Bible – with God. 

I read through old prayer journals – with God. 

Between spending time with God and getting our 

kids off to school, my mornings are full but they are 

not stressful. I love them! 

Reading this, you may be thinking, “Well, that’s 

easy for you. You probably don’t have to work and 

have nothing else to do!” I would love to not work, 

but that’s not my reality. In fact, I own and run a consulting 

firm with operations staff and consultants to 

manage. I also have an affiliate office in Singapore. 

My company serves mostly demanding Fortune 500 

companies. I personally provide coaching for their senior 

leaders. If that weren’t enough, my husband also 

owns a business with 40+ employees and we are 

launching a new technology business this fall. To add 

to this, I have a high-energy teenager who needs to be 

driven somewhere every night and a 10-year-old soccer 

player. 

As you can see, it’s not that I don’t have anything 

else to do. It’s just that I’ve learned over the years that 

spending my mornings with God is the most important 

thing that I do all day. And when I don’t do it, my 

mornings and ultimately my day, become stressful and, 

well… a chore! 

On the other hand, when I do discipline myself to 

start my day off in the enjoyable, peaceful place with 

God and with my family, the rest of the day almost 

always goes better. During my time talking to God, 

almost all of my problems get worked out. If I have a 

work problem, God may highlight a scripture for me 

that shows me a path through the problem. If I’ve had 

an argument with my husband or teenage daughter, 

God will speak to my heart and help me understand 

how to bring the relationship back to its fullness. Honestly, 

EVERYTHING gets worked out in prayer and 

through the Word. 

Over the years, I’ve rearranged my life so that I set 

aside specific time to meet with God. My workday 

starts at 10:00am. This ensures that I am able to protect 

my time with God. I can’t afford to live any other 

way. It’s must have time! 

I have to admit, it took me awhile to get my life 

arranged in this way, but because of it, I’ve been able 

to maintain a level of peace that many do not experience. 

I spend a lot of time coaching people towards a 

life that includes this same peaceful, enjoyable and exciting 

start to each day. I’ve discovered that more people 

don’t follow after this peaceful pattern because: 

1. They can’t figure out how to get their work 

arranged so that they have the time; 

2. They have a sense of false pride (If I don’t get to 

work, it won’t get done); or 

3. They are not disciplined to set apart time for God. 

I’ve personally experienced all three of these reasons 

and had to overcome my own stagnate thinking 

to break through them. 

It starts with a dream. Dream of what your mornings 

will be like when you have created space for God. 

Write it down and then think about what you need to 

change in order to make it happen. You may have to 

get a new job or inform your staff or work with your 

boss. Whatever it is you have to do to design a peaceful 

life, you can do it. 

I know it sounds like you will be doing less. It may 

even feel a little bit lazy, but God’s yoke is easy and His 

burden is light (Matthew 11:30). When you put Him 

first, the rest begins to fall into place. It will take a lot of 

discipline to keep your life organized in a way that saves 

significant time for God, but I know that if you do it, 

you will find it’s the most important thing you do too. v 

Bonnie Hagemann is a member of the 

Board of Directors for Champion’s 

Heart Life Centers. Bonnie is the CEO 

of Executive Development Associates, 

a 28-year-old internationally known 

boutique consulting firm that specializes in executive 

development, executive coaching, and high potential 

development. To date, Bonnie has 11 published works. 

Making Time 

For God 

After reading Bonnie’s article, “The Most 

Important Thing,” you may be thinking to 

yourself, “Yeah, right! I wish I could start 

my day at 10 — must be nice!” 

Your job may not allow you the flexibility 

to start later in the day, but don’t let that 

stop you from finding time for what is truly 

most important… time for God and for 

yourself! There are many things you can do 

to refresh your mind, body, and spirit 

throughout the day, everyday! 

We asked our readers to share how they 

find time for the most important thing; here 

are some the ways they stay connected to 

God in this busy life. 

• At least once a week, I go somewhere 

quiet and just sit before God with a 

notepad, hymnal, and my Bible. It may 

be the lake, a park, the beach, or the 

woods. I’ve even been known to lock 

myself in my bathroom! I just sit before 

Him, praise Him, and lay my concerns 

before Him. I sit with my notepad and 

write whatever comes up in my heart. 

God has never failed to meet me. 

• I get up earlier than everyone else 

(which is really early!) to have a Bible 

reading and devotion time. I also have 

30 minutes per day of driving time 

alone in my car where I listen to CD's 

of messages from my Pastor - that is a 

great way to have an inspirational 

word each day! 

• Because I enjoy exercising, some of my 

best prayer time comes when I am running 

or walking by myself. I can listen 

to my music and just begin to pray 

about things that come to my mind. I 

also do this when I am traveling for 

work in my car. 

• I choose to spend time with God during 

my lunch break rather than going out 

with friends. 

• In addition to my daily morning Bible 

time, I have Bible apps on my phone I 

can instantly tap into if I need a pick me 

up. I subscribe to daily Scripture texts, 

listen to podcasts at work, and watch 

online messages while on the treadmill. 

• I listen to Christian music, talk radio, and 

sermons while getting ready for work. 

more on page 25 



CHAMPION’S HEART AWARD 

A Bright Star in a Dark World 

by Kristi Overton Johnson 

Have you ever met someone that stands out from the 

crowd? Someone like Caleb, in the Old Testament, who 

has a different attitude and a different spirit? (Num. 14:24) 

In a world filled with prideful, selfish, harsh, and 

anxious people, it’s refreshing to come across someone 

who has a different spirit… a spirit filled with joy, faith, 

humility, gentleness, and love. People with this type of 

spirit shine like stars in a dark world. 

Over the past eight years, I’ve watched such a star rise 

high in the sky and shine ever so brightly for all the world 

to see. His name is Jacob Jefferson. 

When I first met Jake, I couldn’t help but fall in love 

with him. His big brown eyes, hearty laugh, and huge hugs 

melted my heart instantly. They continue to melt my heart 

even though Jake has now entered the teenage years. In a 

sea of kids where most are being tossed about by the 

waves and temptations of life, Jake remains unchanged. 

He remains refreshingly different. 

On Sunday mornings, my eyes sting with tears as I 

witness this young man being led by the Lord time and time 

again. Without fail, God’s Spirit moves Jake out of his pew 

and leads him to someone in our congregation that needs 

a touch from the Lord. How incredible it is to watch this 

young man lay hands on the 

“But My servant 

Caleb has a different 

attitude than the 

others have. He has 

remained loyal to 

me, so I will bring 

him into the land 

he explored. His 

descendants will 

possess their full 

share of that land.” 

Numbers 14:24 NLT 

hurting, mostly adults, at the Lord’s prompting, so that God 

can bring His healing power into their lives. 

When most people, including myself, sit in their pew unable 

to move because of fear of what others may think or 

say, Jake moves out. He lives for an audience of One… God. 

Jake, I have a word of encouragement for your young 

heart (and for the heart’s of our readers). Continue to live 

your life for an audience of One. Seek to please only 

the Lord. Don’t allow the voices of the world to change 

you or to keep you in your “seat.” You are God’s chosen 

vessel and He has incredible plans for your life. 

When you are tempted to give in to the majority, 

remember the story of Caleb. In a mass of millions of 

people, Caleb caught the eye of God because he was 

different. He was blessed because he refused to join in 

the crowd, he refused to think and act like the majority. 

Jake, God uses different. 

It won’t always be easy to stand apart from the world 

and stand up for God. It may even be lonely at times. 

But God sees your stand, God sees your heart and it 

pleases Him. As you remain loyal to the Lord, He will bless 

your life, now and for all eternity. Like Caleb, God will lead 

you into a land of blessings and your life will cause 

generations to be blessed. 

Congratulations on being the recipient of the Champion’s 

Heart Award, Jake! May God continue to lead you 

down His path of blessings and may you continue to shine 

brightly for Him. This dark world needs a light like yours. 

“Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining 

like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse 

people.” Philippians 2:15 v 

Forever Changing… 

…Yet Always the Same 

by Amy Zackowski 

I chuckle each time someone sees Jacob 

after being away from him for awhile. He 

seems to physically grow at a rate that 

shocks everyone. Maybe it’s just his size, but 

I tend to believe, as his mom, that it’s 

his presence that really affects people. 

Normally before the sentence “He is getting 

so big” parts their lips, he has barreled 

through the crowd to give them a hug, and 

my common phrase of “but he’s STILL Jake” 

rings through the air. I usually get an eye roll 

from him at that point, but aside from those 

subtle signs of an emerging teen, he really 

is STILL JAKE. And at times it seems he’s 

larger than life. 

Time and time again, I am blown away 

with his ability to shrug off the worries of the 

world and enjoy the moment. I am amazed 

at his tenacity to try and try again when 

he wants to take on a physical challenge 

or needs to understand something he is 

struggling with at school. His flexible attitude 

and willingness to go along for the ride 

with our all-too-busy schedule is like none 

other I’ve ever seen; and his kind, but firm, 

statements of the obvious strike a chord in 

me that cannot be forgotten. 

A year ago, we felt God leading us 

to take Jacob out of the private school 

environment he’s known his entire life and 

introduce him to the “real world” at the 

local high school. While he has been excited 

about the change, I have spent the last year 

struggling with fear and doubt over the 

decision to remove him from our safe little 

“bubble.” I have worried about what he will 

be exposed to. I have worried about bullies. 

I have worried about academic changes. But 

most of all, I have worried he would change. 

Well into the school year, I now breathe 

a sigh of relief as I have watched him be 

exposed; roll his eyes at bullies; and skate 

through academic transitions. The thing that 

makes me proudest though, is that nothing 

has touched the joy, love and compassion 

that has always radiated from him. Jacob is 

STILL Jacob and that makes me love him 

even more. 

photo: Kaylee Labor Photography • www.kayleelabor.com 



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from page 23 

Making Time 

For God 

photo: Kaylee Labor Photography • www.kayleelabor.com 

• I just get up early, every day. Something 

happens in the early hours that is different. 

Soldiers who get prepared before the enemy 

attacks, have an edge. 

• Sometimes I just stand in my house and say, 

“Jesus, I just love you, love you, love you!” 

This is done with an intense love similar to 

how I feel to my husband or children. I have 

seen this have immense power against the 

enemy. He just can't stand to be around 

wild praise to God. 

• I talk to God throughout the day about 

everything. I try to listen, too! 

• I sing and listen to music that honors God. 

One of our readers sums it up with these 

words… “It is really crazy to think that God 

actually wants to spend time with us and that 

He has chosen to move in the Earth through us. 

We are so clumsy, flawed, and unfaithful. But for 

some reason He loves us, and I'm glad He does.” 



Because of the 

by Angie Sapp 

Anointing 

“And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden 

shall be taken away from off your shoulder, and 

his yoke from off your neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed 

because of the anointing” (Isaiah 10:27 KJV). 

What does this mean? It means that it’s time to 

“throw off everything that hinders and the sin that 

so easily entangles” (Hebrews 12:1) and run the race 

God has set before you. It’s time to be free from every 

burden, yoke, hindrance, bondage, oppression, infirmity, 

depression, and addiction. It’s time to be free 

from anything that has enslaved you, and EVERY 

stronghold. 

How do you get free? You get free by the anointing! 

What is the anointing? The anointing is the power 

and presence of God at work in the earth today 

through the Holy Spirit. The anointing is the same resurrection 

power that raised Jesus Christ from the 

dead. It brings resurrection and life to anything it 

touches. It is what made the Apostle Peter’s shadow 

bring healing to anyone it fell on as he walked by 

(Acts 5:15). It was the anointing that caused the dead 

man to come back to life when his body was thrown 

into Elisha’s tomb and touched Elisha’s bones (2 

Kings 13:21). And it is the only thing that will set you 

completely free! 

I know this to be true because it is the anointing 

of God that set me free and removed every “burden 

from off my shoulder and destroyed every yoke from 

off my neck” (Isaiah 10:27). Satan tried his best to 

“kill, steal, and destroy” my life (John 10:10). I’m sure 

he thought he had won when I was hospitalized, put 

in the psychiatric unit, and told that I would have to 

receive psychotherapy and take medication for the 

rest of my life. 

But the devil is a liar and a defeated foe! I determined 

in my spirit that I would live the life that Jesus 

Christ died for me to have. Praise God, His anointing 

Most people avoid this process 

because it is painful. Instead, they 

“choose” to live with the yoke 

around their neck. They “manage” 

their burdens by using several 

alternative methods such as staying 

busy, getting professional help, 

medications, drugs, alcohol, 

relationships, work, achievements, 

success, and many other things. 

Some of these things are good, 

but they are not the cure. 

ONLY the anointing will destroy 

the yoke of bondage. 

set me free and delivered me from every affliction. 

Is something holding you captive? Is there something 

you have struggled with your whole life? Let 

His anointing set you free! All you have to do is seek 

God and believe for the anointing of the Holy Spirit to 

begin working with you and in you to bring about the 

healing and deliverance that already belongs to you. 

This process won’t be easy. In order to overcome 

and conquer, you must first confront these things 

head on. You must identify the source of the issue. 

You must get to the root so that it can be pulled up 

and uprooted from your life. To get to the root, you 

have to face the truth. We’ve all heard the saying “the 

truth hurts,” and it’s true. But you cannot change 

what you don’t acknowledge. 

Most people avoid this process because it is 

painful. Instead, they “choose” to live with the yoke 

around their neck. They “manage” their burdens by 

using several alternative methods such as staying 

busy, getting professional help, medications, drugs, 

alcohol, relationships, work, achievements, success, 

and many other things. Some of these things are 

good, but they are not the cure. ONLY the anointing 

will destroy the yoke of bondage. 

You wouldn’t put a band-aid on a broken arm, 

would you? It would never heal. The bone has to be 

re-set; sometimes it even needs to be re-broken in 

order to heal correctly. This is a painful process but has 

to be done. And so it is with the issues of life. Healing 

often involves pain and hurt, but it is worth it! 

Yes, the truth hurts, but it is only the truth that will 

set you free (John 8:32). And when you are free, 

whole (nothing missing, nothing broken), and complete, 

God is able to use you in an incredible way! 

How can the blind lead the blind (Luke 6:39)? How 

can you teach deliverance when you are held captive? 

It’s time to let God’s anointing set you free! Jesus 

has already provided a way for your freedom. Upon 

the cross, He took every mental disorder, addiction, 

weakness, physical infirmity, and every sin upon Himself. 

He became a man of sorrows by taking your 

emotional and physical pain (Isaiah 53), so that you 

can be free of these things. And He who the Son sets 

free is free indeed! v 

Angie Sapp lives in Melrose, FL with her 

husband and daughter. She received an 

AA from Santa Fe College, BA in 

Theology from Life Christian University, 

and is pursuing her BA in Psychology. 

Angie is the Life Resource Director at 

Champion’s Heart. 

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the 

sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Hebrews 12:1 



Are You A Fish 

Out Of Water? by 

Genesis 1 gives us the beautiful account of 

creation. With just a Word, God spoke day and 

night, the heavens and earth, seas and creatures, 

as well as man into existence. “And God said… 

and that is what happened!” Each element of 

creation was created majestically in its own perfect 

environment where it was designed to thrive 

and multiply. When removed from their environments; 

however, death and destruction comes. 

For example, a falling star burns up as it falls to 

earth. A land animal eventually drowns when 

thrown into the sea. A fish can only flop but so 

long before it grows still. 

Similarly, when man is removed from its environment, 

he dies. This is true whether we are talking 

about our physical or spiritual environments. 

Physically, I think its safe to say we wouldn’t fare 

well under water or out in space. But it’s our spiritual 

environment I’d like to focus on. 

When man was created in the garden, he was 

created in the image of God as a spiritual being. 

“Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in our image, 

according to our likeness’” (Genesis 1:26). He was 

also designed to dwell in the presence of God. 

God and man walked and talked together 

intimately in the garden. 

Once sin came into the world, man (a spiritual 

being) was removed from the place where he was 

designed to live. His spirit was separated from 

God and he was removed from a place of great 

intimacy with God. But praise the Lord, God made 

a way back home! He knew that just like a fish 

needs to get back in the water to survive, man 

needed a way back to Him so that he could not 

only survive in this world, but also thrive in it! 

Through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus, on the 

cross of Calvary, God made a way for man’s Spirit 

to be born again, to be brought back home. 

He made a way for us to return to that place of 

intimacy with Him, a place of worship, a place of 

direction, revelation, protection, and provision. 

A place where we can experience the abundant 

life that God intended for us to live (John 10:10), 

which is a life of inner peace, joy, and rest. 

Accepting Jesus’ sacrifice rather than trusting 

in our own good works, we are united with 

God. The Word tells us that His Spirit, the Holy 

Spirit, actually takes up residence within us! His 

Spirit connects with ours and quickens us to a 

spiritual life that is greater than anything we can 

experience in this world. What a place to be! v 

Ivy Miller 

Ivy Miller, and 

her husband 

Nate, have been 

the directors of 

In His Wakes 

since 2007. They 

live in Bend, OR 

when they are 

not traveling the 

world for In His 

Wakes events. 

Kristi Overton Johnson’s 

Champion’s Heart Events 

Our facility is available for rent! Here are a few ongoing activities taking place at Champion’s Heart: 

Zumba Monday, Wednesday & Friday 6 pm 

SonShine Bible Club Jan 28-April 15 3:15 pm 

New Year Celebration by Gary Fuss Monday, December 31, 8 pm 

Saturday Night Wonders by Gary Fuss Saturdays, beginning Jan 5, 7 pm 

Immanuel Anglican Church 

Every Sunday: Adult Sunday School 9 am • Worship Service 10 am 

Birth &Beyond 

Grandin Family Practice 

Now serving Men, Women & Children 

1326 SR 100 Grandin, Fl 32138 

386-659-2104 • birth.beyond@hotmail.com 



We Need To Budget? 

The Phrase No One Wants To Hear 

by Amber Sapp 

After three years of marriage, spending more than we make, not holding one another 

accountable, and keeping up with the Jones’, we found ourselves in debt! 

Credit card debt totaling $9,000 to be exact! 

Proverbs 27:32 says, “Know well the condition of your flocks, and pay attention to 

your herds.” We had no idea the condition of our “flocks,” nor were we paying 

attention to our “herds.” We were completely in the dark when it came to our finances. 

Larry Burkett once said, “Breaking even is not a living point, but a deciding 

point.” My husband and I decided we were not going to live this way anymore. 

The first thing we did as a couple was admit there was a problem. Secondly, we repented 

of the decisions that had gotten us in this mess. Next, we asked God for His 

help. Another thing that helped us in our journey to financial freedom was my husband’s 

decision to step up as the head of our home and take responsibility for the 

debt (even though I was the one who had done all the charging). 

During those days, I didn’t know how we would ever survive. But we trusted 

the Lord to show us the way and bring us out of this pit. And He did. 

God taught us many things when we came to Him. He taught us how to communicate 

with one another about money and spending. Something we had never 

done before. He also taught us the difference between a need and a want. A need 

includes things like food, clothing, transportation, and housing. Wants include 

dining out, shopping in department stores, driving an SUV, and living in a $200,000 

home. Next, God taught us how to know the condition of our “flocks and herds” 

by taking notice of the condition of our finances down to the penny. We knew the 

amount going out had to be less than the amount coming in, NO MATTER WHAT! 

To help us in this process, we made a list of our monthly income, our fixed expenses, 

and our debt. We then formulated a plan to pay off the debt. We knew the 

debt wouldn’t disappear overnight. Typically it takes a family two to three years to 

pay off credit card debt. So we made a commitment to this long journey to do 

whatever it took to be free of debt. 

After much prayer, we began to make changes in our spending. Drastic changes. 

Dave Ramsey says, “Live like no one else now, so that later you can live like no 

one else.” Over the next few years, we would live like no one else! In the first 

seventeen months, our monthly grocery budget was $100. We set our heat on 60 

degrees in the winter and 80 degrees in the summer. Rather than use electricity to 

dry our clothes, I started hanging clothes on a clothesline. We made adjustments 

on our car and home insurances and we got rid of one of our cell phones. We cut 

everything we could; except for one thing… we kept tithing. We chose to give to 

the Lord at the first of every month. 

During this time, we also set aside funds for life’s emergencies. Sometimes all we 

could put in that “emergency fund” envelope was ten dollars. It was humbling. We 

were broke. But if there was one thing we learned, it was that we were NOT poor. 

Broke is a temporary place of living. Poor is a mindset not easily changed. God was 

changing us and He was leading us out of this temporary place. 

I Timothy 6:6 states, “Godliness with contentment is great gain.” Through 

our financial experiences, we embarked on a journey to understanding Godly 

contentment. We began to see firsthand what He could do through us when we 

become good stewards of those things He has blessed us with. 

Four years later, by the grace of God and serious commitment on our part, we are 

completely debt free (with the exception of our mortgage which is less than $100,000). 

Because of his commitment to the Lord and our marriage, God has blessed my 

husband Brian with two job promotions and three raises. He has also blessed our 

marriage. It is stronger than ever. How amazing that the very thing that had the 

potential to destroy “us” turned out to be the very thing that strengthened “us”! 

Being financially free is an exciting place to live. It’s exciting to be in a position 

to pay cash for the things we need (and even want), including vehicles. But most 

importantly, it’s exciting to give to the Lord more than ever before. Because of our new 

financial position, Brian has even been able to travel on two overseas mission trips. 

Another great outcome of our journey is that we are now in a position to help 

others who have found themselves over their heads financially. As we walked 

through our financial journey, God gave us an eight-week budgeting curriculum 

that we teach in our church. We have seen many couples and singles get out of 

debt, create emergency funds, save for retirement or college, and provide not only 

for their needs, but their wants. 

I say the above not to bring glory to us, but to the Lord. He is the One who saw 

us through our mess. He is the One who gave us the strength, creativity, and 

wisdom to get out of it! He is the One who has taught us how to live in true 

contentment. And out of this contentment, came great gain! 

To learn more about Brian and Amber’s budget, take their class, or schedule a 

free session to create or evaluate your finances, please contact the Church at 

Orange Heights at 352-468-2752. v 

Amber Sapp is a full-time wife and mother. She lives in Lawtey, Florida 

with her husband Brian, and their two sons, Luke and Eli. Her passion 

is helping people in their walk with Christ. She is also an independent 

director with 31 Gifts. 



Aydin’s Joy by 

Donna Hannah 

My youngest son Aydin is five years old. He’s the “baby” in our family. 

Two years ago, Aydin was diagnosed with autism. We often worry that 

he will not be able to take care of himself when he grows up, yet every 

day he proves us wrong by showing his incredible clarity and maturity. 

It’s his ability to surprise us with his unique, and often unusually clear 

insights that we love the most. Every morning Aydin wakes up with 

a smile on his face, ready to play, and ready to learn. It never fails that 

when I least expect it and need it the most, he shows me how much he 

loves me in the most unique way. He is a happy and sweet soul with a 

laugh that comes from his heart. I love hearing his sweet voice as he 

learns to speak. 

Being autistic, to me, means a lot of different things. Being a parent 

of an autistic child means different things as well. Of course there are 

challenges, but there is also so much joy. One of the best things is 

watching Aydin’s ability to be so happy, so enraptured about things that 

no one else understands. He becomes so wrapped up in his own joy and 

could really care less that no one else shares it. His joy is contagious. 

Aydin has opened so many eyes and hearts with his quick smile. He has 

taught us about love, joy, happiness, and the meaning of family. Aydin 

sees the world through different eyes and he’s helped me see the world 

in a different way too. I’m a better mother because of it! Amazement fills 

my world every day. 

“Normal” everyday things most parents take for granted are the highlights 

of my life. Aydin makes me realize the joy in every single moment, 

in every action of his life, and mine. 

Many people don’t understand our joy. Many people judge us in harsh 

ways because of his reactions to things that excite him. Some 

people even try to eliminate these interests 

from his life, saying they aren’t appropriate 

for his age. Other people have even punished 

him for his differences. 

I long for the day when people realize his 

value and also experience the depth of joy that 

my son possesses. I pray his joy will be valued, 

pursued, shared, and seen as a necessary and 

beautiful part of his disability. v 

Donna and her 

husband, Jason, 

live in Keystone 

Heights, FL. They 

have two sons, 

Kevin and Aydin. 

Donna joined our 

Champion's Heart 

Life Resource 

Center ministry 

team in October. 

Her husband 

currently serves in 

the military. 

Are You Enjoying The Ride? 


As I look back over my 30-year career as a professional water skier, I can’t always 

say that I enjoyed the “ride”. So often I became so focused on the end result… 

being a champion… that I missed the beauty of the journey. 

I know other athletes have shared this regret. I received a letter once from a 

competitor who apologized for not building a relationship with me along the 

way. She admitted being so focused on winning that she missed out on the opportunities 

of friendships. She's not alone. Many athletes fail to enjoy the ride. They fail to enjoy the 

places they travel, the people they meet, and the pure beauty that surrounds them. Why? Because they are always 

looking ahead, seeking to accomplish the next goal, rather than enjoying the moment. 

I have to admit that just as I struggled with enjoying my ski “ride,” I often struggle with enjoying the “ride” of life. I have a tendency 

to focus so intently on the goal or constantly look ahead to the next thing on my to-do list that I fail to enjoy the beauty of the 

journey… the people, my surroundings, and my life! 

Christ wants us to enjoy our “ride,” our life’s journey. He wants us to be filled with excitement and joy. He wants us to be passionate about life so 

that our lives shine brightly for Him, for all the world to see. Who will want to follow Christ if we don't reflect the joy of a journey with Him? 

Unfortunately, many Christians don’t always shine brightly for Christ. Why? Because we aren’t enjoying our “ride.” We are so focused on the world, so 

focused on our agendas, and so focused on our circumstances that we miss the blessing of the journey. Rather than being people of joy, love, passion, and 

excitement, we are people who are frustrated, angry, discouraged, anxious, depressed, and too busy for anyone or anything that aren’t on our list. 

I ask you some simple questions today: ARE YOU ENJOYING YOUR RIDE? Are you enjoying your life? When’s the last time you laughed? When’s the last 

time joy bubbled up within you and exploded out loud? When’s the last time you took a moment to enjoy the people around you and God’s incredible 

world? Enjoying our “ride” is crucial, not just for our victory, but for the victory of others. v 



No Bumps, 

Miss Kristi! 

As I was driving the boat for a group of young 

girls participating in our In His Wakes event, I was 

given clear instructions from one tube rider, "NO 

BUMPS, MISS KRISTI!" 

I smiled at her and replied, "I can't promise you 

that, sweetie." As I looked around at the other boats 

on the water and the wind, I knew in my heart that 

bumps were inevitable. 

As I thought about her command, I began to 

chuckle inside. Isn't this statement the desire of our 

hearts? Don't we often wake up and head out on 

the waters of life and say, "No Bumps, God." Our 

flesh wants smooth waters, no obstacles, and no 

challenges. 

I think God's response to our command is similar 

to my response to the young girl on the tube. With a 

smile on His face and love in His heart, I believe God 

looks at us and says, "I can't promise you that, my 

child." 

Just as bumps on the water are an inevitable part 

of the young tube rider's experience, bumps on the 

waters of life are an inevitable part of our life journey. 

John 16:33 guarantees "bumps" when it says, 

"In this world, there will be trials and tribulations." 

When you 

pass through 

the waters, I will be 

with you; and when you 

pass through the rivers, 

they will not sweep over 

you. When you walk 

through the fire, you will 

not be burned; the flames 

will not set you ablaze. 


Just as I can't promise our participants a 

bump-free journey on the lake, God doesn't promise 

us smooth waters in life. But don't let this discourage 

you! You don't need bump-free waters to have an 

incredible journey. In fact, it is victory over the bumps 

that makes life worth living! 

When I reflect back on my professional water ski 

career, never once did I go to the boat driver and ask 

him to remove the buoys so that I could just ski down 

the lake without a challenge. No, it was the buoys 

(the obstacles) that made slalom skiing worthwhile. 

Nor did I stay on the dock refusing to take to the 

water because of the conditions or the competition. 

It was the victory through the rough conditions, triumph 

over tough competitors, and rounding hard to 

reach buoys that made the journey on the water so 

awesome! My most memorable victories were the 

ones with the greatest obstacles. 

Yes, there will be bumps along your journey of life. 

There will often be HUGE obstacles that you must go 

through. Sometimes the bumps will be caused by 

other people, by the winds of life, or perhaps by your 

own choices. But no matter what the cause of the 

bumps, be encouraged that as you pass through the 

deep waters, God will be with you. When you go 

through rivers of difficulty, they will not overtake you 

(Isaiah 43:2). 

God, as your Power Source, will plow through the 

waves, creating a path of victory for you (Jeremiah 

29:11). Just as I knew the path to take for this young 

girl to have a safe and victorious ride over the bumps, 

God knows the way for you too. He will uphold you 

and help you. 

As long as you are in the safety of His wakes, 

focused on Him and standing on His promises, there 

are no waves of life that can knock you down 

(Matthew 7:24). 

Don't let the bumps of life steal your joy and your 

peace. Your Power Source will never fail you. He will 

get you to the other side and one day soon, you will 

be able to look back over those waters and say, "Oh, 

how sweet the victory!” v 

Kristi Overton Johnson is the 

founder of Champion’s Heart and 

In His Wakes, divisions of KOJ 

Ministries. Kristi currently resides in 

the Lake Area Region with her 

husband, Tim, and three children. 

MINISTRY NEWS 

continued from page 20 

New Products Available 

Your spirit can be refreshed whether 

at home or on the go with new products from 

Champion’s Heart founder, Kristi Overton 

Johnson. Visit our website to purchase the 

“On the Go with Kristi” CD or Living Victoriously 

Devotional Booklet. 

SonShine Club Update 

Over 50 children attend The SonShine Club at 

Champion’s Heart each week! Praise God for 

these precious hearts and for the volunteers who 

run this amazing program. The SonShine Club is 

an exciting place for children to learn more about 

the Lord, grow in their faith, and grow in the 

Word. Many children have already accepted 

Christ as their Lord and Savior this fall. For more 

information, contact Dennis Barnhardt at 352- 

473-5100. Fall session ends Nov 26. Spring session 

runs from January 28-April 15. 

Champion’s Heart Life 

Center Partnerships 

The Champion’s Heart Life Center currently has 

on-site partnerships at our Nightingale Street 

office with Clay Behavioral, Answers Resource 

Facility for Women and Families, and Florida 

Access. In 2013, Quigley House (a domestic violence 

and sexual assault center) will also join 

Champion’s Heart as they open a satellite office on 

our property. CH is constantly building relationships 

with help agencies to further aid our clients and to 

bring more agencies to the Lake Area Region. 

Champion’s Heart Resource 

Center Hours 

Our director, Angie Sapp, is available for 

private consultation and resource support by 

appointment. Our Magnolia Avenue office is 

open on Tuesday-Thursday from 10-3. For more 

information or to make an appointment, contact 

Angie at 352-478-8076. v 

Did you know you can view 

past issues of Victorious 

Living at any time? Just visit 

www.championsheart.org! 

Isaiah 43:2 



He Has 

Overcome! 

by Maureen Lendzion 

Imagine my excitement when I learned the theme 

of this issue of Victorious Living is maintaining your 

peace. Why the excitement? Well, because my own 

pastor had just completed a series on this very topic. 

Actually, she may not have (yet) finished the series. 

In fact I think her exact words were, "I'm going to 

keep preachin' it until you've got it!" Well, Pastor Simone, 

I've been listening and I think I've got it! 

You'd think it wouldn't be so difficult to "get" that 

God wants us to be at peace. After all, Jesus sacrificed 

his very life so we could live in peace knowing that 

grace is ours. There's no cost. It's a gift believers are 

freely given. We don't need to stress about it; we don't 

have to strive for it; we simply need to have faith and 

be open to receiving it. Amazing! 

There is absolutely nothing we have written or can 

write on the chalkboard of life that Jesus' sacrifice on 

our behalf can't erase. Jesus' promise to be with us 

always is our cue to "chill out." It's not a promise life 

will be easy. It’s not a vow that we won't encounter 

suffering or grief. It's His guarantee to be with us 

through all of it, without fail. It's the assurance that, no 

matter what route our lives take, our ultimate destination 

eternal life--is more than worth the journey. 

In John 16:33 (NIV), Jesus is speaking to the disciples, 

says, "I have told you these things, so that in me 

you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. 

But take heart! I have overcome the world." 

What does that mean? It means that the world's 

problems are temporary while the peace Jesus offers 

is forever. Faith is all we need to maintain our peace! 

If you haven't experienced the peace that faith in 

Jesus offers, simply ask Him into your heart today. Tell 

Him you need Him, love Him, and believe He died for 

your sins. Ask for forgiveness for your sins. Tell Him 

you're ready to accept the gift of peace. 

Then open your heart and hands and accept God's 

grace and the peace that comes with it! v 

Compassionate, Professional Pet Care 

We offer: 

• Customized visits for pets of 

all shapes and sizes 

• Visits scheduled according to 

your pet’s individual needs 

• Dog walking, personal 

attention and play time 

• Pet taxi service 

• Farm animal care 

• Home care tasks 

Serving Earleton, Melrose, 

Keystone Heights, 

Hawthorne, Starke, Waldo 

& surrounding areas. 

For more information, contact Bill and Deborah Coleman at 352-234-5760, 

352-246-6025, or by email at Info@lovinghandspets.com. 

Maureen Lendzion is enjoying selfemployment 

as a special projects 

writer. She and her husband Dennis 

have been married 36 years and live in 

Orange Park, Florida. 

707 NW 13th Street • 352.372.8551 • Fax 352.338.1965 

www.TheTrophyShop.com 



Have You Enjoyed Victorious Living? 

You can help us continue this great project by: 

• Sending a tax-deductible donation of any amount 

to help support the ministry, or by simply 

• Signing-up on the website to confirm your interest. 

Be sure and share with us how this magazine 

has touched your life! 

www.Championsheart.org 

If you are already a supporter of Champion's Heart or it's various ministries, you 

will automatically be kept on the mailing list with our heartfelt thanks. 

Victorious Living 

205 Magnolia Avenue 

Keystone Heights, FL 32656 

Non Profit Org 

US Postage 

PAID 

Permit No. 610 

Jacksonville, FL 

International 

Ministry 

Individual 

Impact 

Champion’s Heart 

It’s Time! 

Check out our website to find out more about 

each aspect of our ministry, including speaking 

engagements with Kristi Overton Johnson. 

205 Magnolia Ave. • Keystone Heights, Florida 

352.478.2098 • www.championsheart.org 

Great New Products 

Available Now! 

Order from our website at www.championsheart.org 

3 In His Wakes Shirts 

Support your favorite water 

sports ministry! Find shirts, 

books and more on our 

website store at 

www.championsheart.org. 

3 Life Lessons for 

Living Victoriously 

If you've ever felt 

inadequate, frustrated, 

overwhelmed, or simply 

wondered where God 

is in your life, you'll 

enjoy this collection 

of short stories by 

Kristi Overton Johnson. 

On The Go with Kristi5 

a God-inspired devotional CD with 

over 80 minutes of audio devotionals 

told in everyday life analogies that 

bring our 24-7 God to you— no 

matter how busy your day may be!

VL - Issue 6 - November 2012

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