Issue 2 | 2023

TRANSFORMED LIVES
Right: Leaving her supportive parents, Parker
and Becky Overton, and the comfort of her private
training facility in North Carolina to train in Florida
with professional skiers was a difficult decision.
But the move provided the training and coaching
Kristi needed to become a world record holder in
waterskiing for 18 years.
Far right: Careful choosing of her training partners
and practice location paid off. Pictured here with
the US team at the 1999 Pan Am Games.
You become what and who you hang
around with. First Corinthians 15:33 says,
“Bad company corrupts good character”
(NLT). If you hang around with chumps in
chumpy places (spiritually or physically
speaking), you will also become a chump.
But a chump is not who you were created
to become. You were made in the image
of Almighty God, and He doesn’t make
chumps. He makes champions, and it’s
never too late to become one.
Jeremiah 29:11 promises that God has
plans for victory for you, but whether you
experience them or not is determined in
part by your circle of influence.
King David, a shepherd boy who defeated
a giant and became a king, made
daily choices regarding his surroundings.
His choices led him to God’s winner circle.
Let’s read Psalm 101 (NLT).
I will sing of your love and justice, Lord. I
will praise you with songs. I will be careful
to live a blameless life—when will
you come to help me? I will lead a life of
integrity in my own home. I will refuse
to look at anything vile and vulgar. I
hate all who deal crookedly; I will have
nothing to do with them. I will reject
perverse ideas and stay away from every
evil. I will not tolerate people who
slander their neighbors. I will not endure
conceit and pride. I will search for
faithful people to be my companions.
Only those who are above reproach will
be allowed to serve me. I will not allow
deceivers to serve in my house, and liars
will not stay in my presence. My daily
task will be to ferret out the wicked and
free the city of the Lord from their grip.
In this psalm, we see David praising God,
but we also see the daily choices he made
to live a life worthy of a child of God. (See
also Philippians 1:27; 4:4–9.) While he was
not a perfect man, David was a champion
in both public and private places.
He made choices behind closed doors to
keep his heart and mind pure. He also protected
his eyes (the gateway to the soul) by
refusing to look at anything vile and vulgar.
(See also Matthew 6:22–24.) David ensured
his surroundings were conducive to a godly
lifestyle—the life of a true champion.
But also notice that David surrounded
himself with other champions. He
had nothing to do with people who dealt
crookedly with others, and he didn’t tolerate
prideful and hurtful people. Instead,
he found faithful people who were full of
integrity to be his companions and only
allowed people above reproach (those with
good reputations) to serve him.
David protected his surroundings and
kept himself away from liars and deceivers.
He exposed wicked people and pushed
them out of his presence and the city.
Like David, we must be proactive in how
we live and who we live among.
Of course, you could say, “But, Kristi, evil
people are around every corner. There’s
nothing I can do about that.”
I wouldn’t argue with you. Evil does surround
us. You might even be in prison or
a workplace where being a believer puts
you in the minority. That doesn’t mean you
should lose hope.
Ask the Lord to show you godly people
and new places you can go. Proverbs 3:6
says if you seek God’s will, He will show you
which path to take. God will show you what
to do and who to be around. He promises
He will help you.
Just as there are evil people, there are
godly people near you too who are determined
to live above reproach. They are full
of integrity and have a good reputation.
They are serious about changing and committed
to growing in faith. Search for them
and join them.
When you do, bring something to the
group. Don’t just be a taker; be a giver of
what you have. Bring enthusiasm, eagerness,
integrity, commitment, and faithfulness.
I’m sure that when I was training, my
desire to learn, my steady improvement,
and loyalty to my mentors pushed them to
new levels on the water too.
Take a moment to consider your peer
group. Is who you hang around with who
you want to become? If not, then it’s time
to make a change.
How about your surroundings? Will the
places you hang out and the people you
hang out with fuel the champion in you and
lead you to victory? Or will they cause you
to remain stagnant or pull you into defeat?
Your surroundings and your peer group
are vital for success, especially for those
reentering society. Victory never just happens;
you must plan for it. Take time to
consider where you should live and who
you should live among. Pray and ask God
to direct your steps.
With His help, the right environment,
and a good support system, victory will
be yours.
KRISTI OVERTON JOHNSON encourages and
equips people for victory through her writings,
speaking engagements, and prison ministry. To
learn more, go to kojministries.org.
VICTORIOUSLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM
Issue 02 / 2023
11