VL - Issue 42 - January 2022

TRANSFORMED LIVES
heart to Him and shared things I didn’t talk about with anyone the volunteers for their part in making sure that the body of
else. I also confessed things to Him that no one else knew.
Christ did not forget about people like me in jails and prisons.
Communicating with God through writing made me feel like
As I walked off the stage and made my way to the food table,
I had a voice. I always had my Bible open during these times of I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around to see a face I didn’t
prayer and journaling, and the Lord poured His healing into recognize. “Hi,” the woman said. “My name is Kristi. I would love
every broken and wounded place in my soul.
to hear more of your story.” She pulled out a copy of Victorious
The more I read God’s Word, the more I heard His voice. God Living magazine and quickly wrote down her email address
reminded me that He had created me with intent and purpose. and a phone number to one of her ministry directors. “If you
And despite my many failures in life, He still loved me and had submit your story to Pat Avery, he will make sure I receive it.”
a plan. It wasn’t too late for Him to take my messed-up life and
I procrastinated for three weeks as I wrestled with doubt and
use it for something good (Romans 8:28).
other negative thoughts. Yet, I couldn’t shake the feeling that
Soon after my release in 2017, I contacted Roger Munchian, submitting my testimony would be pleasing to God, so I finally
the founder of RNA. I shared my testimony with him and did it. The very next day, I received a call from Pat. “Kristi loved
thanked him for the Bible that had helped build my relationship
with the Lord. Then, I traveled to meet Roger and to pick with Roger Munchian’s testimony.” I couldn’t believe my ears.
your story! She wants to include it in the upcoming issue along
up some Bibles for my roommates back at the halfway house. I A few days later, I received an email from Kristi that said,
didn’t know it then, but the Lord was positioning me to answer “Thank you for sharing your story with us. It will undoubtedly
the call He had on my life.
touch thousands of lives through this magazine. By the way,
“You have an amazing testimony, Christina,” Roger told me you are an amazing writer!” She extended an open invitation
during our first meeting. “It was very well written. Do you like for me to continue writing for the magazine if I was interested.
to write?” I told him that I had
If I was interested? Are you
always wanted to be a writer,
but my life had taken a different
turn. Roger encouraged me
not to underestimate what God
might still do in and through
my life.
It wasn’t long before Roger
IT WASN’T TOO LATE FOR HIM TO
TAKE MY MESSED-UP LIFE AND
USE IT FOR SOMETHING GOOD
serious, God?!
As I tried to absorb what
was happening, I couldn’t
help but remember Edie’s
words from my childhood.
God had used her all those
years before to plant a seed
invited me to serve as part of the correspondence ministry team in my heart about His plan for my life (Jeremiah 29:11). And
at RNA. For two years, I read mail, processed Bible requests, now, even after all I had done wrong, it was coming to pass.
and responded to letters from inmates all over the country. I God was fulfilling His plan for me, and He would use everything
used writing to encourage others and point them toward God’s Satan had meant to harm me to benefit others (Genesis 50:20).
Word as a source of comfort during their dark times.
My story, “Beauty for Ashes,” was published in Issue 2, 2020.
In February 2020, Rescued Not Arrested hosted a volunteer Since then, I have shared other stories of hope in Victorious
appreciation dinner where I shared my testimony. I thanked Living. Then, in July 2021, I accepted Kristi’s offer to become
the production manager for the magazine. Now I help others
share their God stories!
Incredibly, God has restored my life to His original purpose.
Not only that, He has entrusted me to represent Him through
the words I write. It is still so hard for me to fathom the depth
of God’s incredible love and grace. I could never have imagined
this for myself. God truly is our Redeemer when we trust Him.
He can redeem your life, too. If you make Jesus the Lord of
your life, He will bring you into His good plan. He will weave
every detail of your story together into a beautiful masterpiece
for His purpose and glory, and it will exceed anything you could
have asked or thought of for yourself (Ephesians 3:20). And
that is a promise.
As a fifth-grader (left), Christina dreamed of becoming a writer, but life led
her down a different path. Not long after the above mug shot, God reached
into the darkness of jail and began to restore everything Christina thought
was lost. Now, she’s part of the Victorious Living team (2nd from left,
opposite page), and her dreams are coming true.
CHRISTINA KIMBREL serves as VL’s production manager. Once incarcerated,
she now ministers hope to those held captive by their past and current
circumstances while sharing the message of healing she found in Jesus.
VICTORIOUSLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM
Issue 01 / 2022
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