Issue 3 | 2023

REAL PEOPLE | REAL STORIES | REAL HOPE
DAR VUELTA
PARA VER
EN ESPAÑOL
GOD HEALS BROKEN THINGS
MIRACLES STILL HAPPEN
Unshakable
Faith in
Unthinkable
Circumstances
A magazine
on a mission:
see page 2
Issue 03 / 2023

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VICTORIOUS LIVING
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PHOTO BY EDOVO

ISSUE 3, JULY 2023
“I pondered the direction of my life, and I turned to follow your laws.
I will hurry, without delay, to obey your commands.” Psalm 119:59–60 NLT
Publisher & Executive Director
Kristi Overton Johnson
Editor
Rachel Overton
Editorial Team
Karissa Anderson
Kate Harrington
Kristi Overton Johnson
Rachel Overton
Carla Owens
Spanish Translation
Monica Colangelo
Ebert Morillo
Creative Designer
Lauren Jones
Creative Content Team
Deborah Griffin
Kristi Overton Johnson
Christina Kimbrel
Administrative Director
Carla Owens
Production Manager
Christina Kimbrel
Digital Content Managers
Sheridan Correa
Roman Randall
Director of Prison Correspondence
Lauren Everett
Assistant to Director of Correspondence
Simone Bryant
Director of Partner Care & Development
Pat Avery
Hispanic Outreach Director
Denise San Miguel
Story Contributors
John Alarid
Lisa Appelo
Sheridan Correa
Danny R. Cox
Nicole Dyson
Kristi Overton Johnson
Carol Kent
Christina Kimbrel
Amber Leason
Carla Owens
Josh Rogister
Dale White
Cover Photography
Andy Glogower Photography
Photography
Arizona Portraits Photography LLC
Mike Barber Ministries
Douglas Boyd
EDOVO
Andy Glogower Photography
Deborah Griffin Photography
Joey Meddock Photography
Liv Moore Media
Parker Overton Photography
Kourtney Robinson Photography
Tatyana Zadorin Photography
Artwork
Jared Emerson
Victorious Living magazine is a publication of Kristi Overton Johnson Ministries, a 501(c) (3)
organization. Copyright © 2023, Kristi Overton Johnson Ministries, all rights
reserved. For permission to reprint or copy any material contained herein, please
contact us at admin@vlmag.org.
DISCLAIMER: The articles featured in Victorious Living are designed to inspire and encourage
our readers by sharing powerful testimonies from people who, we believe, have been transformed
by God’s grace, love, and power. The articles are focused on each individual’s testimony.
Although we conduct some independent research, we rely heavily on the information provided
to us by those we interview. Our articles are not intended to be an endorsement of the views,
opinions, choices, or activities of the persons whose stories we feature. The statements, views,
and opinions of those persons whose stories we feature are purely their own, and we do not
control and are not responsible for any such statements, views, or opinions.
HOW TO REACH VICTORIOUS LIVING
General, Subscription, and Partnership Inquiries
• Victorious Living
PO Box 2801, Greenville, NC 27836
• 352-478-2098
• admin@vlmag.org
All Prison Inmate Correspondence
• Victorious Living Correspondence Outreach
PO Box 2751, Greenville, NC 27836
• hope@vlmag.org
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Scripture marked NIV is taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®, copyright
©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. | Scripture marked NLT is taken from the Holy Bible, New
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used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
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mundo.
VICTORIOUSLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM
Issue 03 / 2023
3

THE VICTORIOUS LIVING STORY
One visit with an incarcerated friend in 2013 opened the eyes
of Victorious Living founder, Kristi Overton Johnson, to the
hopelessness of life behind bars. It also birthed in her a desire to
deliver hope to the souls of incarcerated men and women.
Soon after, God opened doors for Victorious Living magazine to
be distributed in the prison system. He then led Kristi and the VL
team onto prison yards to share His message of hope in person and,
more recently, digitally through prison tablets.
Before that prison encounter, Kristi had
spent 35 years water-skiing competitively
worldwide, never considering those
who had lost their freedom. But God
had a plan for this world champion
water-skier to go behind bars to
encourage hearts with God’s love
and His message of redemption
and to equip people to get up and
experience victorious living for
themselves.
Since 2013, Victorious Living
magazine has impacted the lives of
over one million incarcerated souls...
and the story is still being written.
BE A PART OF THE
VL STORY
Victorious Living is a great
way to carry out God’s
command to remember the
prisoner (Matthew 25:34–40;
Hebrews 13:3). Here’s how
you can help us deliver hope
to the incarcerated.
SHARE
Share VL with your local church,
chaplain, jail, or prison. VL is a
great mission to support and a
good tool to use too!
SUPPORT
VL is partner supported. Your taxdeductible
gift sends copies of
VLMag into jails and prisons, where
it saves lives. And when you give,
we’ll send you a copy too.
SPONSOR
Sponsor jails and prisons to receive
quarterly cases of VL. It costs us
$500 to supply 1 case of VL to 1
facility, each quarter, for 1 year.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Visit our website and social media
platforms. Like. Follow. Share.
@victoriouslivingmag
PHOTO BY MIKE BARBER MINISTRIES PHOTO BY JOEY MEDDOCK PHOTOGRAPHY
VISIT VICTORIOUSLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM OR CALL 352-478-2098

ISSUE 3, JULY 2023
CONTENTS
8
9
STEPPING FORWARD
Don’t Let Fear Stop You
BY CARLA OWENS
Don’t Lose Heart
28
past, a long record of wrongdoing?
Give it to God. The clean slate He offers
opens new doors, brings new hope, and
guarantees new life.
Come Out of Hiding
14
There’s No Limiting God
THE STORY OF DALE WHITE
It doesn’t matter how old you are or
what you’ve done—when you give your
life to God, He will make your way new
and your life worth living.
13
17
BY LISA APPELO
Find True Love
BY DANNY R. COX
Something’s Rotten
BY KRISTI OVERTON JOHNSON
God uses the weak, the terrified, and
the oppressed to accomplish His work
because, in our weakness, we showcase
His power.
18
COVER STORY
Unshakable Faith in
Unthinkable Circumstances
THE STORY OF CAROL KENT
PHOTO BY ANDY GLOGOWER PHOTOGRAPHY
27
23
BY CHRISTINA KIMBREL
God Mends Broken Things
BY AMBER LEASON
TRANSFORMED
LIVES
Clean Slate
BY SHERIDAN CORREA
Are you dragging around a shameful
10
FEATURES
Join the Movement
THE STORY OF JOHN ALARID
The world might look dark right now,
but God is raising up the outcasts,
prodigals, ex-cons, and ex-junkies
whose lives He has restored. He’s
giving them new lives full of meaning
and purpose and using their
testimonies against the enemy.
ON THE COVER
When her son was
given a life sentence
for murder in the
first degree, Carol
Kent, a Christian
author and speaker,
had to trust God in
a profoundly new
way. She also had to
face harsh judgment
from others, but
doing so introduced
Carol and her family
to a new world of
ministry in providing
comfort for families
impacted by
incarceration.
24
30
With the arrest of their son for
first-degree murder, all that was
comfortable and familiar in Carol and
Gene Kent’s lives came crashing down.
Already ministry leaders, they quickly
discovered that, while God’s process
in “working things out for our good”
can be painful, He is always faithful to
keep His promise.
Becoming a Person of Victory
THE STORY OF NICOLE DYSON
Nicole was a spoiled brat who wanted
what she wanted with little consideration
for others. Imagine her surprise when
that self-absorption led her straight into
prison where everything she had meant
nothing at all—but then she met the God
who turns defeat into victory.
Miracles Still Happen
THE STORY OF JOSH ROGISTER
As a new believer, 15-year-old Josh
was diagnosed with a rare, treatmentresistant
illness. When he learned his
disease could lead to coma or even
death, Josh looked to the miracleworking
God of the Bible for hope and
deliverance. He was not disappointed.
IN EVERY ISSUE
6
Publisher’s Note
Let Go and Let God Lead
33
Want to Know Jesus?
I’m Saved...Now What?
34
Ministry Info/Resources
VICTORIOUSLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM
Issue 03 / 2023
5

PUBLISHER’S NOTE
Let Go and Let God Lead
Publisher Kristi Overton Johnson
received this beautiful portrait
from an incarcerated member of
our Victorious Living family. It
was created in appreciation of the
impact Victorious Living has on
the lives of incarcerated men and
women and their families.
Would you like to partner with
our magazine to deliver God’s
hope and to impact the lives of
incarcerated men and women?
Your gift enables us to send
this magazine into prisons
around the nation. Each
magazine impacts many lives
for years to come. To help, visit
victoriouslivingmagazine.com.
Before 2013, I would never have
imagined I’d be speaking in prisons
and jails or publishing a magazine
that delivers hope to the incarcerated.
Going into prisons was not on my radar.
Instead, I was busy sharing my faith with
kids. In the early 2000s, I launched In His
Wakes, a nonprofit water sports ministry, to
introduce people to the life-transforming
power of Jesus Christ. I’d been a professional
water-skier for decades, so this
ministry was a perfect fit.
Leading In His Wakes and sharing my
love of watersports and Jesus with at-risk
youth was so fulfilling. I also led church
services at professional water-ski events
for competitors, officials, and fans alike.
Many people came to the Lord through this
ministry, and they still do.
Committed to God’s cause, I worked
countless hours organizing events and
securing sponsorships. But I didn’t rely
on God for success as much as I did my
own efforts and the connections I had developed
over my 35-year career.
In my eagerness to do for God, I put both
my physical and mental health at risk, not
to mention some precious relationships
too. My way of doing ministry was not God’s
way, and it took Him removing me from In
His Wakes to save me from myself.
That happened in 2013, when I went to
visit my friend, Bill, in prison. While there,
God showed me that He wanted me to turn
over In His Wakes to a trusted leader and
become a vessel of hope to the incarcerated.
Me? Go to prison? Really, God?
It wasn’t that I was afraid; the whole idea
just didn’t make sense. I knew absolutely
nothing about the corrections world. Incarceration
had never touched my family,
nor had anyone in my family worked in
the system. I was as green as they came.
The only sure way I knew to get through
prison doors was to commit a crime, and I
was positive that was not what God wanted
me to do.
So, with no experience, connections,
knowledge, or opportunities before me, I
did the only thing I knew to do—I prayed
and trusted God for the results. And then,
when He swung open that first prison door,
I walked through in obedience.
Turns out that praying, trusting, and
obeying was all God ever wanted from me.
The Lord has never needed me to make
waves or drive a ministry to any particular
destination. Those were burdens I put on
myself. I’ve only needed to have a willing
heart and follow God wherever He leads.
What a relief it has been to take my
hands off the controls and go on a ride
with God. I can breathe knowing the victory
comes from Him. I’m not depending
on my connections or my name in a sport
to make things happen. God does it all. He’s
the only connection and the only name any
of us ever need. Jesus is the name above
all names (Philippians 2:9).
Are you tired of trying to make things
happen? I’m praying that the stories in this
issue will encourage you to give God the
controls of your life. Give Him your relationships.
Give Him your broken heart.
Give Him your fears and expectations. And
then climb aboard, follow His lead, and
watch as He does what only He can. In the
process, you’ll find freedom and rest. Even
better, you’ll accomplish more than you
can imagine.
Kristi Overton Johnson
Publisher & Executive Director
Our hearts are saddened by the sudden homegoing of our Spanish translator, Monica Colangelo,
on May 29, 2023. Monica joined our team in 2020, bringing much value and authenticity to
our Spanish publications. We at Victorious Living will be forever grateful for knowing her and
working with her to God’s glory.
6 Issue 03 / 2023 VICTORIOUSLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM

Through the stories of Victorious Living,
men and women behind bars
meet the God of another chance.
Testimony of Victorious Living
Impact: Roy A. Borges
PHOTO BY DOUGLAS BOYD
I’ll never forget the joy of being set free
after serving a majority of my 45-year
sentence in the Florida Department of
Corrections. With an expiration date of
2035, I didn’t think I’d live long enough to be
released—but anything is possible with God!
While in prison, Proverbs 3:5–6 was my
favorite scripture. It says, “Trust in the Lord
with all your heart; do not depend on your
own understanding. Seek his will in all you
do, and he will show you which path to
take” (NLT).
I learned to trust God in prison and to
seek His will. My time there wasn’t easy, but
God never failed me. He led me daily and
blessed me with the gift of writing. I wrote
over 300 short stories in prison. Many are
published in my book, 101 Stories from a
Prison Cell.
I’m also honored to contribute my stories
to Victorious Living. I have personally seen
how people are impacted by stories about
God’s goodness. God’s love, grace, and
goodness are for anyone who trusts Him,
and I’m hoping to accompany the VL team
into prison one day soon to share my story
that way.
Today, I work at Landmark Baptist Church
in Tampa, Florida, where God gave me the
greatest gift yet—my wife, Patricia. You
might have met her in the April 2023 issue of
VL. We have the joy of serving God together.
SPONSOR A PRISON IN
YOUR STATE AND IMPACT
LIVES TODAY.
Visit victoriouslivingmagazine.com.
VICTORIOUSLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM
Issue 03 / 2023
7

STEPPING FORWARD
DON’T LET FEAR STOP YOU
BY CARLA OWENS
SEVERAL YEARS AGO, I TAUGHT a
class at work. At the end of each session,
the participants completed a survey rating
the relevance of the class material as well
as my knowledge of the subject matter and
overall speaking ability.
They could rate my class as great, good,
or fair. Afterward, the surveys were shared
with the vice president of our department
and my manager, who then presented the
results to me.
I’d taught the class many times and had
received great and good ratings each time.
Those reports made me feel confident
about myself and my ability as a presenter.
But then it happened. I got a fair rating.
A fair! It shook me to the core.
It didn’t matter that I had received hundreds
of great and good ratings and only
one fair out of about 900 participants.
That single fair rating was all I could think
about, and it taunted me day and night.
Carla, you’re no good at public speaking. How
could you even think you could speak to others?
You’re stupid; no one wants to listen to you.
You don’t know anything!
I continued to obsess over that one negative
report, to the point that I completely
lost confidence in myself. I became so paralyzed
with fear about speaking in public
again that I went to the vice president and
tried to get out of teaching future classes.
It did not work.
Recognizing the fear fueling my request,
she refused to let me crawl under my desk.
Instead, she encouraged me and pointed
out the good in those surveys. And then
she told me I’d be teaching that class again
the next day.
I can’t say I was so happy then, but I’m
grateful now. Because of her, I continued
to teach the class to another 1,000 participants.
And although I received more
fair ratings, they no longer sent me into a
tailspin. This was a great learning experience
that helped me realize the power
fear can have over us.
It took me decades to realize that fear
is not of God. Second Timothy 1:7 says,
“The Spirit God gave us does not make us
timid, but gives us power, love and selfdiscipline”
(NIV).
The Bible teaches that fear is a spirit
that comes against God’s children. Satan
can take a single comment from a person,
even something as meaningless as a fair
rating, and make us feel like such failures
that we’re afraid to try ever again.
He blows up situations that are nonissues,
hoping we’ll be consumed by
self-defeating thoughts. He wants us to
forget how far we’ve come and how much
we’ve accomplished and instead believe
that we have nothing of value to say. Satan
sends fear to paralyze and silence us.
But as God’s children, we don’t have to
let him win. God wants to use us as His
hands and feet on earth. How can we do
that if we are hiding in fear?
Are you fighting fear right now? Search
God’s Word and let His Spirit encourage
you with the truth. God delights in every
detail of your life, even the things that send
you into a tailspin. Why? Because He uses
them to draw you closer. Let His love and
power help you overcome your fear today.
Psalm 37:23–24 states, “The Lord makes
firm the steps of the one who delights in
him; though he may stumble, he will not
fall, for the Lord upholds him with his
hand” (NIV).
See? God’s got you. Grab His hand. He’ll
strengthen you and enable you to face
whatever and whoever is before you. Even
if you’ve stumbled, God is still there, ready
to lead you. You only truly fail when you
don’t try again.
The next time Satan attacks you with a
spirit of fear, don’t take the bait. Don’t let
it lead you into self-isolation or keep you
from moving forward. Remember who you
are in Christ and face that scary situation
with Him.
With God, you can overcome any challenge
(Philippians 4:13).
CARLA OWENS loves the Lord and seeks to know
Him more intimately every day. She is Kristi Overton
Johnson’s executive assistant and the ad mini stra tive
director of Victorious Living.
8 Issue 03 / 2023 VICTORIOUSLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM

STEPPING FORWARD
Don’t Lose Heart
BY LISA APPELO
EVEN THOSE WITH THE STRONGEST FAITH get tired of
being strong. Even the longsuffering eventually grow weary
of suffering.
You’ve prayed all the prayers, you’ve surrendered your circumstances
to God, and now you’re trusting Him to do His part.
You fully believe that God will reward your faith in the wait.
So why does everyone else seem to be moving on with their
best life while yours feels like it’s on hold? You’ve done your best
to wait patiently—but change is nowhere in sight.
This place of threadbare hope is the enemy’s playground. His
whispers wedge between the truth you’re clinging to and the
circumstances that surround you. “It’s silly to keep hoping,” he
whispers. “You’re wasting time. What you’re asking for is too
hard. Your time is past. That dream’s not for you. Give it up.”
If you’re tempted to lose heart, let me tell you, you are not
alone. God’s Word speaks to this, showing us how to reset our
anchor when hope is wearing thin. Here are five truths to remember
when you are tempted to lose heart.
THERE’S ALWAYS A “BUT GOD.” Psalm 73:26 says, “My
flesh and my heart may fail; but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever” (NIV).
But God are two of the strongest words in scripture. They
signal His sovereignty over circumstances and the perfection
of His timing. God—not the situation—gets the last word. Even
when it looks like your prayers have fallen flat, you can trust
there’s a but God waiting in the wings.
TRUST GOD’S GOODNESS FOR YOU. The psalmist said,
“I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness while I am here
in the land of the living” (Psalm 27:13 NLT).
When your strength gives way, remember God’s goodness.
No matter the outcome, God’s goodness is for you. No matter
how long you wait, God’s goodness is with you. Even if change
never comes, God’s goodness will bring life to where you are.
DON’T STOP PRAYING. God isn’t surprised by our tendency
to lose heart during a long wait. That’s why, in Luke 18:1, Jesus
urged his disciples to “pray and never give up” (NLT).
He told them a story about an annoyingly persistent widow
who kept seeking justice from an uncaring judge. That man
ignored the widow for as long as he could, but she continued to
bother him until he finally gave her what she wanted.
Then Jesus pointed out that God—the Father who loves without
failing—is not like that unjust man. God delights in giving
justice to His people simply because they ask for it (Luke 18:7).
You can never pray too much to God. He won’t get tired of
you. Just keep praying and don’t lose heart.
GOD IS PREPARING YOU FOR ETERNITY. “Never give up.
Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed
every day. Our present troubles are small and won’t last very
long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them
and will last forever” (2 Corinthians 4:16–17 NLT).
While none of us wants suffering and we pray it away, God
uses it to prepare us for eternity. The Apostle Paul went through
intense persecution, but he knew God never wastes suffering.
He uses it to shape us for an eternity beyond compare.
Let the pain of longing draw you to God, knowing that eternity
with Him far surpasses any pain you will experience here.
FIX YOUR EYES ON JESUS. It’s easy to lose heart when you
hyperfocus on circumstances and people around you. The thing
is, you’re not running their race; you’re running yours. And you
have no idea what God has ahead for you in your lane.
Hebrews 12:1–3 says to run with endurance, fixing your eyes
on Jesus. Otherwise, you’ll grow weary and lose heart. Cling
to Jesus when you’ve waited long past your own timeline for
change. He doesn’t just give hope. He is hope.
No matter what you’re wrestling with, struggling against,
wading through, or waiting for, “Wait patiently for the Lord. Be
brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord” (Psalm
27:14 NLT).
LISA APPELO is a speaker, writer, and Bible teacher who inspires women
to deepen their faith in the midst of grief and find hope in the hard. Formerly
a litigating attorney, her days are now filled with parenting seven children,
ministering, writing, speaking, and running enough to justify lots of dark
chocolate. Find encouragement for faith, grief, and hope at LisaAppelo.com.
VICTORIOUSLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM
Issue 03 / 2023
9

Join the
Movement
THE STORY OF JOHN ALARID
I met God at Disneyland. Crazy, I know.
I was walking around the attractions
with my parents when an old-fashioned
saloon shooting gallery caught my eye.
I was four and loved pretending to be an
outlaw, shooting fake rifles, and knocking
over bottles, chairs, and dishes.
After a few rounds, my parents were
ready to move on, but I wasn’t. “We’re
going to leave you behind,” they said, but
I was stubborn and called their bluff. I
stayed glued to the game as they walked
away. I didn’t have any money, though,
and when that game ended, I was done. I
couldn’t play. So there I stood, a little bit
scared, waiting for my parents to come
back for me.
And that’s when I met Him. I was just a
little boy, and I didn’t know that the powerful
feeling I was experiencing was God’s
presence. Still, it compelled me to pray and
ask Jesus to come into my heart.
My father was a missionary, so I had
heard others say similar prayers, but this
one was personal to me. I couldn’t wait
to tell my parents that I’d asked Jesus
into my heart. I tried, but they were tired
from the day, and their response lacked
enthusiasm. They told me to go to bed. I
stood there in tears.
“But it’s for real, Dad,” I cried. “I asked
Jesus in my heart.” Realizing what I’d said,
my father called me over and we talked
about my experience. Over the next decade,
I continued to learn about God and
travel with my missionary parents. As a
teen, however, I began to test the waters
of rebellion.
And then, when my parents suddenly
divorced, everything I’d learned growing
up came into question. I began to wonder if
God was even real. Satan seized the chance
to gain a foothold in my already rebellious
life. I went off the rails fast.
When I wasn’t getting along with Dad,
I lived with Mom…and vice versa. I didn’t
prefer one over the other; I just stayed
with whoever would let me get away with
the most. By the time I was in high school,
skipping class, smoking weed, and drinking
were all I cared about. My fake ID said
I was over 21, so I was a big shot with my
friends.
My parents were concerned about my
behavior but to no avail. I got kicked out
of school for disrespecting a teacher and
then arrested for shoplifting at the store
where my mother worked. At that point,
my parents decided I needed a change of
scenery and sent me to the New Mexico
Military Institute (NMMI), a reputable
academy and prep school from which
many members of our family had already
graduated.
Cadet life at NMMI was strict and structured.
The environment worked well for
me for a while. I learned how to study
and maintained a 4.0 grade average. As
an upper classman, I considered attending
the Air Force Academy in Colorado
Springs, but I didn’t stay out of trouble
long enough to do so. My senior year, two
friends and I were suspended when the
police found guns in our car after a fight
PHOTO BY TATYANA ZADORIN PHOTOGRAPHY
10 Issue 03 / 2023 VICTORIOUSLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM

with some kids from the local high school.
The worst part was calling my dad to
break the news. I could hear him crying
through the phone. “Why do you keep
doing this?” he asked. I had no answer. I
could only apologize.
Dad had big dreams and wanted the
best for me. It bothered me that I had
disappointed him again, but not enough
to change my ways. Getting kicked out of
NMMI was the first of many failures for me.
I finished high school and was accepted
into the University of New Mexico
(UNM). I actually had a full scholarship,
but I threw it away by hooking up with the
wrong crowd.
I craved acceptance and respect, and
I loved to party. I supported my lifestyle
with a steady cash flow from dealing dope
on campus. I went from being at the top
of my class to being a hopeless junkie in
no time flat.
One night after partying, I gave God an
ultimatum. “If You show up right now, I’ll
believe in You. If not, I’m going my own
way. It’s up to You.”
Part of me was afraid He would show
up, and I’d have to give up all the fun I was
having, but the rest of me was serious. I
waited several minutes for an answer, but
there was only silence.
God hadn’t appeared, so I decided He
must not care about me. I punched the
wall repeatedly until my knuckles bled.
I felt utterly alone, and in that moment, I
walked away from my faith.
Like the Israelites in the Old Testament,
I wandered in unbelief and disobedience
(Joshua 5:6). I did whatever was right in my
own eyes, and I paid a heavy price for it too.
(See Judges 17:6; Proverbs 12:15; 26:16.)
In the drug-induced madness that my
life became, there were occasional moments
of clarity when I wondered where
God had gone. Why had He chosen not to
be active in my life?
Of course, the truth was that I had run
away from Him. By 1993, I was walking
around in a shell of who I used to be. And
then God intervened.
While under the influence of psychedelics,
I was busted for doing a drug deal. I
would have sensed the setup if I had been
in my right mind, but I believe the Lord
intended it to happen that way.
I had to call my dad again, this time from
a jail where I was being held for trafficking
cocaine. Dad supported me in the courtroom,
and his presence led the judge to
grant me a third-party release. Dad asked
me to come home, but I had business to
take care of back in the hood.
When Dad refused to take me there, I
asked him to pull over. I thanked him for
his help, exited the car, and walked right
back into the chaos.
I ended up getting probation instead
of prison for the trafficking charge, but
by this time, I was addicted to heroin. My
probation officer sent me to rehab, but I
didn’t stay long. Heroin had a death grip
on me, and the streets called my name.
After catching a new burglary charge
and stabbing a guy in the chest in a fight
outside a convenience store, I was on the
run. I drove to Phoenix, intending to head
for the Mexican border, but something
happened on the way.
God’s grace stepped into my madness
and led me to Victory Outreach, a Christian
rehab facility in Phoenix. I checked
in there under an alias. I didn’t plan to
stay long, but God had other plans. After
a few months there, I surrendered my life
to Jesus Christ.
Everything inside me changed. My addictions
subsided. I no longer wanted to
commit crimes or do drugs. I had internal
peace. It felt good, and I wanted more of it.
The closer I got to the Lord, the stronger
my desire to serve Him and others
became. I began attending
the Victory Outreach
School of Ministry in Los
Angeles. One night while
sharing the gospel on
the Santa Monica Pier, I
While confined, John
surrendered his life to Jesus
and vowed to serve Him. Not
long after, John was ordained
as an inmate pastor and led
prayer meetings behind bars.
How could I pour
out my life for God
if I was living a lie?
saw a little shooting gallery like the one
at Disney land when I was four. The Lord
spoke to my heart. Do you remember when
we first met? I was overcome.
God had remembered me even though
I had forsaken Him. He had pursued me
through the darkest times of my life, and
I was on fire for Him. But there was one
problem: I was still a fugitive.
How could I pour out my life for God if
I was living a lie?
The solution to my dilemma came swiftly.
In 2007, as I reentered the United States
from a mission trip to the Philippines,
customs officers were waiting to arrest
me for all those outstanding warrants. My
face was all over the evening news. I was
sentenced to eight years in prison—and
with that failure, I felt far from God again.
I was in solitary confinement for five
months, where I was allowed only a Bible
and letters. My dad sent me inspirational
letters about a young man, a former addict,
that God was using mightily. I felt the presence
of God in my dad’s letters. Mom, too,
was a prayer warrior for me, reminding
me often that I was a chosen child of God.
One day in my solitary cell, I fell to my
knees and cried out, “Lord Jesus, I need
You. If You are still there, would You please
VICTORIOUSLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM
Issue 03 / 2023
11

God had remembered
me even though I had
forsaken Him.
PHOTOS BY TATYANA ZADORIN PHOTOGRAPHY
Far Left: John and
Hannah were married in
2013. Today they, along
with their children, serve
their congregation and
community.
Left: John is the senior
pastor of Freedom City
Church, a community
that welcomes anyone
who feels overlooked by
society.
come back into my life and forgive me?”
I didn’t want Him to do anything for me.
I just wanted the peace and joy I had experienced
when He’d controlled my life
(Psalm 51:12).
God enveloped me with His presence.
I am so thankful for His quick response.
Repenting of my doubts, I returned to Him
with all my heart, mind, soul, and strength
(Matthew 22:37). I vowed to serve the Lord
not only for the rest of my time in prison,
but for the rest of my life. From that day
on, my prison felt like a palace.
When I was released from solitary, I
became an inmate pastor and led prayer
meetings. I took undergraduate correspondence
courses through the Global
University of the Assemblies of God, and
led the Scared Straight program for young
men who were on the wrong road.
In May 2010, I walked out of prison a
resurrected man, brought to life by the
redemptive power of Jesus Christ. Since
then, I have not put a single needle in my
arm, nor have I had a craving for any drug.
God healed me—mentally, emotionally,
and physically—in addition to forgiving
my sins and clothing me in a robe of righteousness.
(See Isaiah 61.)
I have graduated from seminary and am
now a pastor. God blessed me with the gift
of Hannah, my beautiful wife and closest
friend. I am also a proud father.
In 2015, we planted Freedom City
Church in Springfield, Missouri, and
opened men’s and women’s Hope Homes.
These residential discipleship homes provide
freedom and hope to those struggling
with life-controlling issues such as addiction,
homelessness, and reentry/reintegration
to free society.
At first, the surrounding community of
Springfield was skeptical of our mission,
but they have seen the fruits of our labor
in the changed lives of those who have experienced
the healing touch from Jesus.
We have received support and provision
from the hand of God through our local
community. Through donations, we have
been able to pay off the building where we
run all aspects of our ministry.
Every day, revival happens all around
us. A movement is taking place as God
raises up an army of outcasts, prodigals,
ex-cons, and ex-junkies whose lives He
has restored.
He is giving them new lives full of meaning
and purpose and putting them on the
front lines. He’s using their testimonies as
weapons against the enemy. He is redeeming
their lives, just like He did for me. You
can view our services on the Pando App
under “Freedom City Church.”
You can be a part of this movement too.
Give God control of your life. Let go, and
let Him change you from the inside out.
JOHN ALARID overcame his personal battles with
addiction and incarceration by God’s grace. He has
founded reentry and recovery homes (Straight Street
and Hope Homes of the Ozarks) to help returning
citizens become successful members of society. Visit
freedomcitychurch.org for more information.
12 Issue 03 / 2023 VICTORIOUSLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM

STEPPING FORWARD
Find True Love
BY DANNY R. COX
WHEN I WAS TEN, my mother called
my siblings and me into a room and told
us our dad had been killed in a car accident.
It was traumatic news, but it was even
worse because I had never heard my dad
tell me he loved me, not even once. And
now, I never would.
The absence of those words led me to
believe I wasn’t good enough to be loved.
I felt eternally rejected by my father.
Have you ever felt unlovable, unloved,
or rejected? It hurts, doesn’t it?
To ease the pain, I set out to find love
through people and possessions. I worked
hard and became a successful businessman.
I accumulated many things and surrounded
myself with many people.
Have you heard the old Mickey Gilley
song called “Looking for Love in All the
Wrong Places”? Well, that was me.
I reasoned that people would love me if I
had a lot of stuff to offer them. I was wrong.
When people didn’t fill the void, I began
looking for love in booze and drugs. Surely
those substances wouldn’t reject me. High
under their influence, I felt confident and
secure. But the high they offered always
let me down.
I’m reminded of a mission trip to China I
took not long ago. Before I returned home,
I had time to visit a shopping center in Beijing.
I found all sorts of amazing deals on
designer merchandise—things selling at a
fraction of what I’d pay back home. Excited,
I picked up four famous-maker jackets for
$15.00 each. What a deal!
Not really. Those coats turned out to be
knockoffs. Every item in that center was a
cheap copy of the real thing, just like the
relationships I’d built on stuff and the acceptance
I’d sought in booze and drugs.
They were cheap imitations of real love.
And the little they offered only brought
more pain and even led me to prison.
So let me tell you this: Drugs and alcohol
cannot love. A successful business can’t
love you, either. Nor can people who “love”
you solely for what you give them. Those
things and those people will only leave
you empty.
The Bible tells us that true and eternal
love is found in Christ alone. His love is
unconditional. You can’t earn or lose it.
God’s love is everlasting (Jeremiah 31:3;
John 3:16), and it’s all yours, just for the
asking.
That’s good news because even the
love of the best parent, spouse, child, or
friend will inevitably disappoint you. But
God never will (Romans 10:11). He can’t
because God is love (1 John 4:8).
Even more than that, when we accept
His love, He makes us His children forever.
“See how very much our Father loves us,
for he calls us his children, and that is what
we are!” (1 John 3:1 NLT).
Sadly, it took me 42 years to accept my
heavenly Father’s true, unconditional love.
And to think, I spent a fortune trying to
earn something from others that God was
ready to give to me freely.
How about you? Are you striving to prove
your worth through success? Are you trying
to earn the love of others through stuff?
Are you surrounding yourself with people
who don’t care about you, just so you won’t
be alone? That’s an exhausting, empty,
dead-end road.
You don’t need to look any longer. True
love can be yours today. Pray with me: Lord,
I want Your love. I’m tired of looking for love in
all the wrong places. Those things and people
have only let me down. Today, I receive Your
gift of love by accepting Your Son, Jesus, into
my life. Thank You for welcoming me into Your
family forever. Amen.
DANNY R. COX was called by God to be an
evangelist while serving time in prison. He is
now a credentialed evangelist and correctional
chaplain. Danny shares his story in churches and
prisons worldwide. His book, High on a Lie, may be
purchased on Amazon in English and Spanish. He is
the founder of Prison2Preacher Ministries.
VICTORIOUSLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM
Issue 03 / 2023
13

THERE’S NO
LIMITING GOD
THE STORY OF
DALE WHITE
T
here is neither limit nor
expiration date on what God
can do in a person’s life.
By the time I was 57, my love
for alcohol and myself had cost
me everything dear. But that
didn’t keep God from loving
me, choosing me, and putting
me in places where I could impact
people’s lives.
For 40 years, I lived in the
clutches of alcoholism and
drug abuse. Programs told
me I needed a higher power—
something that could help me
channel my thoughts and keep
me sober. So I set out to find
one. But each one I tried led to
deeper levels of shame.
At 38, I reached an all-time
low after my poor choices cost
me both my marriage and a
successful restaurant business.
Devastated, I took my dog—the
only friend I had left—and traveled
to a remote place to hide
from life.
I was a hopeless, pitiful sight
as I sat with my loyal friend,
Bailey, eating a bowl of Purina
Puppy Chow soaked in Jack
Daniels whiskey.
I had burned every bridge
and had put everyone I loved
through misery.
It all started when I was 14
and my parents delivered the
shocking news that they were
getting a divorce. We were a
tight-knit family who attended
church weekly. I’d never
even seen my folks disagree,
so I couldn’t understand why
they would divorce.
I didn’t welcome the changes.
Life wasn’t right without
Dad, and strange emotions
stirred in my heart. Mom
cried often, and my siblings
and I lived in painful confusion.
No matter how hard I
tried, I couldn’t get my footing.
Our family unit had been my
security and foundation.
I begged God to help me.
Every night, I curled up on
my bed, played “The Lord’s
Prayer” on my record player,
and prayed, “Please, God, put
my family back together.” But
He didn’t.
No matter how hard I prayed,
God remained silent. And that
angered me. I couldn’t understand
why He didn’t intervene
if He was so good and loving. I
don’t know if that’s when I consciously
wrote God off, but I do
know that I was no longer certain
what to think about Him.
So for the next 40 years, I lived
apart from Him.
It wasn’t long before my
parents each remarried. My
stepparents didn’t stand a
chance of gaining my acceptance.
It wasn’t that they were
unloving; they just didn’t fit
into the picture of what I wanted
my life to look like.
My parents’ divorce had
turned my world upside down.
I had no clue how to process
the pain or navigate my new
life. It didn’t help that my teenage
body was raging with hormones,
and I was experiencing
peer pressure for all sorts of
things. It was a perfect storm.
I sought out people and substances
to help me escape my
pain. Partying and surfing consumed
my life, and I basically
lived at the beach near our
South Florida home. My grades
reflected my new hobbies, and
I failed my first semester of
11th grade.
PHOTOS BY LIV MOORE MEDIA
14 Issue 03 / 2023 VICTORIOUSLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM

I LET GO OF LIFE’S CONTROLS
AND GAVE THE BROKEN PIECES
OF MY HEART TO JESUS.
dad’s noticed I had a knack for
the food service industry and
offered me work in his highend
Italian restaurant in Virginia.
I jumped at the chance
to move—what I’d call my first
geographic cure.
My stepfather, a retired lieutenant
colonel in the Air Force,
suggested military school, and
off I went. But nothing changed.
More than discipline, I needed
a new heart. Mine was in agony,
and all I knew to do was to keep
numbing it with substances.
Somehow, I made it through
to graduation. Mom told me
that if I wanted to continue living
at home, I’d better get my
act together. But I didn’t heed
her warning. I racked up two
DUI charges and, in separate
incidents, totaled two cars.
Then, I was arrested with the
intent to distribute drugs.
True to her word, Mom
kicked me out.
I moved into a camper van
and sought work at a local
restaurant. A friend of my
The restaurant world was
an ideal match for my love for
alcohol, drugs, and the party
life. During this time, I met a
beautiful young waitress, and
we got married. Life was good.
Many influential people,
including some related to organized
crime, ate the food I
served. I liked those guys and
their exciting life, and they
liked me. (It’s a good thing,
because I also witnessed what
happened to the people they
didn’t like.)
They sat around the table
laughing and carrying on their
business while I took it all in. It
wasn’t long before I was gambling
and helping the bookies
collect and pay out.
I discovered I enjoyed cooking
and, in 1982, decided to
attend chef school in France
for six months to develop
my skills. When I returned, I
worked at Maison Blanche in
DC, right across the street from
the White House. Soon, one of
the restaurant owners I had
worked for in Virginia suggested
we start a new restaurant.
He put up the money and I put
up the talent, but it wasn’t a
good partnership.
My wine distributor then
suggested I open my own
restaurant and backed me financially.
We called it Dale’s at
Right: It was difficult for
Dale, pictured here with
his younger siblings,
to face the impact his
parents’ divorce had on
their family.
Chick’s Beach, and it quickly
became the place to be. My wife
worked hard alongside me.
I wish I could say I acknowledged
and honored her
hard work, but I did not. My
addictions were completely
out of control by then, and
I was no longer able to balance
the party life with my
responsibilities at work.
There’s no need for me to
go through my “drunk log”
and re count all the horrible
things I did. I was an awful
husband with no respect for
my marriage vows and a terrible
businessman. When my
wife and financial backer had
had enough, they held an intervention.
They gave me a
choice: attend a treatment center
or lose my marriage and the
restaurant.
I agreed to their terms, but
I wasn’t ready to change. I was
only there to save my hide. I
even had an affair during my
30-day stay at the recovery
center. I was incapable of loving
anyone, including myself.
I managed to stay sober for
one month after treatment
before I reached for the bottle
again. That choice cost both my
marriage and my restaurant,
and led me to the pitiful scene
I described earlier with my dog.
Fortunately, some good did
come out of my eating that
Jack-soaked dog food—I finally
realized I had a problem. I
asked my parents for help,
and they came through. Mom
helped fund a stay at another
treatment program, while Dad
helped me find a job and some
wheels.
My sobriety was short-lived,
however, and I got into another
accident. This time, I hit someone
head-on and almost killed
them. I should have served
time, but the judge graciously
gave me five years’ probation
during which I began attending
Alcoholics Anonymous.
At these meetings, I learned
valuable coping tools and met
kind people who understood
my pain. I also met Roberta,
who was recovering from heroin
addiction. It was love at first
sight for me.
But a problem arose when I
made her my higher power and
VICTORIOUSLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM
Issue 03 / 2023
15

A local newspaper featured The Living Harvest, a thrift store founded by
Dale to benefit the transitional home bearing the same name. Pictured
with his mentor, Lonny Mayfield.
rested my entire well-being on
the health of our relationship.
Since neither one of us was
equipped to love the other, I
lived on an emotional rollercoaster.
Three days shy of my fifth
year of sobriety, Roberta broke
off our relationship. Devastated,
I reached for a six-pack of
beer. When that wasn’t enough,
I drove to the store to get
more. Wouldn’t you know it—I
rear-ended a police officer on
the way. Three hours of drinking
put me in the most serious
trouble I had ever seen.
On January 2, 1997, I entered
a courtroom filled with
representatives from Mothers
Against Drunk Driving
(MADD) and police officers,
all urging the judge to send a
message to the community regarding
drinking and driving.
He complied and sentenced me
to six-and-a-half years in the
Florida DOC.
I thought I’d gotten the raw
end of the deal, but I’m now
convinced that sentence saved
my life. It gave me time to realize
I was powerless to change
myself, and I remembered God.
During the three-and-a-half
years I served of my sentence,
I became deeply involved with
chapel services and started
reading my Bible. When I was
released from prison, I entered
a work-release program where
I worked for Publix Supermarkets.
The deli wasn’t my
high-end restaurant, but I was
grateful for the job.
I wanted to stay sober and
make good choices—I really guide you and you surrender
your life daily to Him and
did. But like a dog who returns
to his vomit (Proverbs 26:11), I serve others, God will bless
eventually returned to the bottle.
I just didn’t know what to do and proved him right. I’ll soon
you.” I took his words to heart
with the pain in my heart and celebrate 12 years of sobriety.
all those uncomfortable emotions,
so when they surfaced, amazing ways. He’s allowed me
God has used my past in
I reached for the bottle to take to set up and teach Celebrate
them away.
Recovery programs in prisons
Publix noticed my struggle and to establish a transitional
and sent me to an employee home for men called The Living
assistance program. There, I Harvest in Tallahassee, Florida.
discovered Celebrate Recovery
(CR). This 12-step program ex ecu tive leadership training
I’ve attended an exclusive
unashamedly points people to in New York City and criminal
justice reform meetings
Jesus Christ as the only higher
power that can save and transform
a life.
been recognized at the Flori-
at the White House. I’ve even
Through this program, I da Governor’s Mansion for my
realized that although I had public service. And all of that
professed to believe in Jesus happened before I could even
in prison, I hadn’t surrendered drive! Our inabilities and shortcomings
don’t hinder God.
my life to Him. I still doubted
His unconditional love for me, In March 2021, Prison Fellowship
hired me as a chaplain
and that made me unstable in
all my ways (James 1:6–8). resource liaison. In God’s perfect
timing, I was able to get
My faith took anchor, though,
after I met Lonny, my CR sponsor.
His faith in God was so real accept the position. After 21
my driver’s license so I could
and attractive. For years, we years of restrictions, I can now
met weekly at 7 a.m. on Sunday fly anywhere nationwide, rent
mornings at his home. It wasn’t a car, and drive myself to prisons
and meetings. To God be
convenient, especially with me
riding a bike, but it was necessary
if I wanted a different life. God truly does help those
the glory (Isaiah 26:12).
Slowly, I began to let go of who seek Him. No matter how
life’s controls and give the broken
pieces of my heart to Jesus. you’ve tried and failed or how
old you are or how many times
Through Him, I found the healing
I needed as He bound up can still make a way for you.
little or much you have, God
my wounds (Psalm 147:3) and It’s not too late.
gave me the power to change Grab hold of His hand, get
(Philippians 2:13; 4:13). up, and try again. God has not
Lonny told me early on, given up on you, so don’t give
“Dale, if you get up, dress up, up on yourself. Make Him your
show up, and do the next right higher power. With Him, there
thing, and if you ask God to are no limits (Matthew 19:26).
DALE WHITE is the founder of Living Harvest, a post-release residential Christian
Recovery organization. He also serves as a chaplain resource liaison for Prison
Fellowship, has served on an executive committee for the Florida Department of
Corrections, and is a Celebrate Recovery Inside State Representative for Florida.
16 Issue 03 / 2023 VICTORIOUSLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM

STEPPING FORWARD
Something’s
Rotten
BY CHRISTINA KIMBREL
“SOMETHING IS ROTTEN IN HERE,” my husband complained
as he held both refrigerator doors wide open. An awful
smell wafted through the air. He was right. Something had gone
bad somewhere in the depths of my fridge. I needed to find it
and throw it in the trash, but going through that fridge to hunt
down the source of the odor would take more time than I had to
spare. So I didn’t deal with it at first.
After a couple of days of being nearly knocked over every time
we opened the fridge, however, I could no longer put it off. I decided
to roll up my sleeves and investigate.
One by one, I removed containers and plastic bags full of leftovers
that someone had shelved away for later use. Most items
were only a few days old and easily passed the sniff test.
Eventually, I found the culprit. There, on the bottom shelf in the
farthest corner of the fridge, was a take-home container from a
Chinese restaurant. That week-old beef and broccoli practically
waved at me when I opened the container. I carried it
to the garbage, relieved to have found the source of the
stench but amazed at how badly one little container of
spoiled takeout could stink things up. I resolved to pay
closer attention to what I put in the fridge and to clean
things out more often.
As I put everything else back in place, I realized that
my heart is kind of like a refrigerator. It’s the home of all
my emotions, feelings, desires, and motives. Just like I
have to be mindful of the food that accumulates in my
fridge, I must be careful with what I allow to accumulate
in the compartments of my heart (Proverbs 4:23).
If I let the wrong things linger, my thoughts will spoil
just like those leftovers. Before long, the stench of sin
will permeate my life. People who care about me might
Ask the
Holy Spirit
to examine
your heart
and perform
regular,
thorough
cleanings.
What’s hiding in your heart that has the potential
to go rotten? What painful thing are you
avoiding? Maybe it’s something you meant to
address, but life got in the way and you forgot
about it.
Whatever it is—past trauma, unforgiveness,
anger—don’t avoid it any longer. Once that matter
of the heart starts to spoil, it’ll stink, just like that
week-old container of beef and broccoli.
If you’ve received Jesus Christ as your Savior,
then He has wiped your heart clean of your sinful
nature. Jesus did the hard work when He willingly
laid down His life to forgive your sins. All you have
to do is care for that heart by staying close to God
even point out that I am becoming unpleasant to be around. And and by seeking Him through His Word and prayer.
once it has been brought to my attention, I can’t ignore it, or I Invite the Holy Spirit to examine your heart. Ask Him to do
risk becoming offensive to God.
regular, thorough cleanings. Ask Him to eliminate the things that
“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit keep you from fulfilling God’s purpose for your life.
within me” (Psalm 51:10 NIV). I whisper these words to the Lord You will reflect Christ more clearly to those you encounter, and
in prayer almost daily. I ask Him to point out the areas of my heart you will carry the fragrant, pleasing aroma that God created you
that need His attention (Psalm 139:23–24). God is faithful and to carry (2 Corinthians 2:15).
always responds to me with grace, mercy, and gentle correction
CHRISTINA KIMBREL serves as VL’s production manager. Once incarcerated,
exactly where I need it (Proverbs 3:12). Repentance is soothing she now ministers hope to those held captive by their past and current
to a heart that needs a good cleaning.
circumstances while sharing the message of healing she found in Jesus.
VICTORIOUSLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM
Issue 03 / 2023
17

Unshakable Faith
in Unthinkable Circumstances
THE STORY OF CAROL KENT
The ringing of the telephone startled
me awake. It was 12:35 a.m. Who would
be calling at this hour? I squinted as my
husband turned on the light and reached
for the phone on the nightstand. The
pained look on Gene’s face made it clear
that he was receiving alarming news.
He pulled the phone from his ear and choked out,
“Jason has been arrested for the murder of his wife’s
first husband. He’s in the jail in Orlando.”
I tried to get out of bed, but my legs buckled. Nausea
swept over me. Everything felt as though it was moving
in slow motion. I had never been in shock before.
No strength. Dizziness. I had to remind myself to
breathe. Jumbled thoughts swirled through my head.
This has to be a mistake. A case of mistaken identity. Maybe
I’m dreaming. That’s it. This is just a horrific dream. Jason
isn’t capable of taking someone’s life, certainly not in a
premedi tated act of violence. My son is a dynamic Christian.
He’s a graduate of the United States Naval Academy.
He defends American citizens; he doesn’t destroy them. I’m
going back to sleep. When I wake up, everything will be fine.
18 Issue 03 / 2023 VICTORIOUSLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM

PHOTO BY ANDY GLOGOWER PHOTOGRAPHY
Still on the phone, Gene tried to calm our daughterin-law,
even while dealing with his own raw emotions.
So many questions raced through our heads. How? Why?
What happened? Was it an accident? Was it self-defense?
I stumbled to my office and called the local jail to
see if he had been brought to that facility. The woman
who answered the phone was rude: “Lady, we ain’t got
nobody by that name, Jason Kent, in here. Your son
ain’t here.”
For a few moments, hope returned. But within the
hour, another call confirmed our worst fears. Jason
Paul Kent, our only child, was locked up at the jail in
Orlando. He was being held without bond on the worst
felony charge possible—first-degree murder.
The next few hours were a blur of tears, panic, fear,
and erratic, meaningless activity. Gene and I held each
other and wept. We were parents caught in our worst
nightmare.
Jason had been a joy to raise, and we loved him deeply.
He was a focused, disciplined, compassionate, dynamic,
and encouraging young man who wanted to live
for things that mattered. He had dedicated himself to
serving his God and country through military service
in the US Navy.
When the unthinkable roared into our lives, our
dreams for our only child came crashing down in a
thousand broken pieces.
As the facts of the case unfolded, we learned that
Jason and his wife had been pursuing multiple allegations
of abuse against her first husband in regard
to their children. Jason’s stepdaughters currently had
supervised visits with their biological father, but he was
seeking unsupervised visits.
Jason and his wife had prepared extensive paperwork
on the abuse issues and taken it to an attorney, but they
were told that, on a scale of one to ten, they had only an
eight in provable abuse. Most likely, that would not be
enough to keep supervision intact. Our son unraveled
at the news until he did the unthinkable—he murdered
the man in question.
We grieved over what Jason had done and the impact
it would have on the deceased’s family. While we
were planning for a trial of first-degree murder, they
were planning a funeral. We were all experiencing
deep sadness—crime impacts many and has lifelong
repercussions.
Over the next several years, Gene and I found ourselves
emotionally, financially, and spiritually devastated.
We wanted to hide, but our friends stayed close. They
launched a monthly email update, listing our tangible
needs and prayer concerns. We became the recipients
of lavish love as this growing list of people acted as the
hands and feet of Jesus in our time of need. We had
never been so needy, yet we had never felt so loved.
Our friends helped us endure two-and-a-half years
and seven postponements of our son’s trial. When the
trial finally came, Jason was convicted of first-degree
murder and sentenced to life without the possibility
of parole. As of this writing, all attempts for appeals at
both the state and federal levels have been exhausted.
My son would tell you that he had made an idol out of
his ability to rescue his stepdaughters instead of teaching
them to dial 911, yell for help, and run away from
danger. As a result, Jason made the most devastating
choice he could have made, not only for his victim and
his family but for his own family as well.
But, no matter the wrong choice, God can redeem it.
No matter the wrong choice,
God can redeem it.
In His great salvage operation of redemption, He extracts
value from even the most putrid rubbish. That
is the promise of Romans 8:28: “We know that in all
things God works for the good of those who love him,
who have been called according to his purpose” (NIV).
Above: Gene, Carol, and their son, Jason, have visited
regularly since his conviction over 23 years ago.
VICTORIOUSLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM
Issue 03 / 2023
19

As ministry leaders, Gene and I knew this verse well.
Now we had to take God at His word.
We quickly discovered that God’s process of “working
things out for our good” hurts. There were moments
when we, as Paul says in 2 Corinthians 1:8, were under
pressure “far beyond our ability to endure” (NIV). It felt
like we were being crushed and wouldn’t live through it.
The enormity of our situation, however, like it did
with Paul, taught us to stop relying on ourselves and
to rely only on God. Every day, we had to fight the urge
to control the situation. Putting Jason at the Lord’s feet
was easy. Leaving him there was not.
Still, we knew only God could work out this mess.
We poured out our hearts to Him daily. I took comfort
in Psalm 38:9, which says, “All my longings lie open before
you, Lord; my sighing is not hidden from you” (NIV).
So many questions tumbled around in my spirit. Lord,
why didn’t You give Jason a flat tire before he got to that
parking lot and pulled that trigger? You know his heart was
centered on the protection of his stepdaughters.
Grief hung over us like a heavy cloud. Only our faith in
God, His grace, and the love of others kept us standing.
Many people who heard about Jason’s arrest sent
us cards. Most sent sympathy cards—the kind you get
when someone dies. They were looking for appropriate
words, but greeting card companies don’t sell cards for
parents whose children have been arrested for murder.
One of my friends surprised us with a humorous card.
It read, “Brain cells come, and brain cells go, but fat
cells live forever.” I was stunned when I heard myself
laughing out loud. I had thought I’d never laugh again.
But in that moment, I felt alive.
I realized if Gene and I didn’t look for occasional
splashes of joy in this journey, we’d be crushed beneath
the weight of it.
It felt odd at first to laugh, wrong even. But eventually,
we learned not to feel guilty about those lighter
moments. We remembered John 10:10 (NIV), where
Jesus says, “I have come that they may have life, and
have it to the full.”
We memorized this verse and reminded ourselves
daily that Jesus wanted us to choose life. God did not
intend for our son’s action to be the end of anyone’s
story. He still had a purpose for us all if we trusted Him.
Trusting Him, though, would require steps of faith that
made us vulnerable to the judgments of others.
At first, most of the people who knew our story lived
in Florida, where the crime had occurred. Gene and I
lived a thousand miles away in Michigan, and that provided
a temporary reprieve…but the news soon made
its way north.
Once the local paper made the connection, a shocking
headline informed the entire community of our
painful situation: “Jason Kent, son of Gene and Carol
Kent, arrested for murder.”
The timing couldn’t have been worse. I had a hair
appointment the next day. Every part of me wanted to
cancel and avoid the judgments of all those women in
the salon. But I knew if I was ever going to hold my head
up again, it had to be right then. Otherwise, I’d never
find the courage to face the world.
Conversation ceased the moment I walked through
those salon doors. I could almost hear the thoughts
swirling under those dryers: “Oh, no! There’s the mother
of the murderer.” “I can’t believe she’s in public. She
must be embarrassed!” “Should I make eye contact?”
It was an awkward moment for all.
I wanted to turn and run, but Azam, my Iranian friend
who worked there, came to my aid. Feeling my pain,
she took me by the hands and led me to a private room
in the back.
There, she put her arms around me and said, “I’m
so sorry about what’s happened. I am praying for you,
your husband, and your son.” Then she pointed at the
wall that separated us from the other women. “Don’t
worry about them,” she said. “They’ll find someone
else to talk about next week.” And they did.
Holding my head up after a devastating experience
wasn’t easy. I had to be strong and courageous and
trust that God was with me. (See Joshua 1:9; Proverbs
3:5–6.) I couldn’t allow feelings of embarrassment
and false shame over my son’s wrong choices keep
me from living.
Carol is the author
of bestselling books,
including When
I Lay My Isaac
Down and Between a
Rock and a Grace Place,
which includes letters
from her son who is
serving a life sentence.
20 Issue 03 / 2023 VICTORIOUSLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM

has brought us through it. I want to give people hope
like you’ve given me.” (See 2 Corinthians 1:3-7.)
As I wrote in my book, When I Lay My Isaac Down, “I
used to wonder how any good could come out of reviewing
the details and reliving the pain of an unwanted
experience. But I’ve discovered tremendous power is
released when we dare to speak up and communicate
our personal stories.
“What’s in a story? The opportunity to give hope to
somebody else. By doing so, we remind others that life
is an unpredictable journey for all of us.”
Through our experience, Gene and I have learned
about the needs of inmates and their families—a
popu lation we’d never considered before Jason’s arrest.
Now we are part of that world, and we’ve been able to
use our journey for God’s glory.
Since there are over 2.2 million incarcerated individuals
in America, Gene and I prayerfully brainstormed
practical ways to minister to people whose lives, like
ours, hadn’t turned out as expected. A year after Jason’s
trial, we launched Speak Up for Hope, a national
When we concentrate on the
needs of others, our problems
seem far less intense and
depression does not squeeze
the hope out of us.
Above Top: Carol and
her sister, Paula,
pictured with “Boxes
of Hope,” an outreach
of Speak Up for Hope.
Thousands of these
boxes are delivered to
mothers and wives of
inmates nationwide.
Above Bottom: Carol is
a well-respected and
sought-after Christian
speaker. Pictured here
at the Extraordinary
Women’s Conference.
Gene and I agreed we needed to be open and honest
about our family’s journey, even though that level
of authenticity would be difficult. Some people criticized
us for speaking out about our journey, but for
every critical person, there have been nine others
who have said, “Thank you for being the real deal
and sharing what’s happened.” Many then ask if
they can share their stories with us.
One woman told me her husband had been incarcerated
for 18 years and was being released in
a month. I asked her if he was coming home to live
with her. She said, “We’re going to try to make a
go of it.”
Then she stood up straight and said confidently,
“Today, you’ve given me the courage to tell my story.
I’m going to quit hiding in false shame, and I’m going
to tell people what’s happened to us and how God
nonprofit organization that provides hope to inmates
and their families through encouragement and resources.
This outreach has given Gene and me a meaningful
life during our challenge.
Choosing purposeful action in the middle of hopeless
circumstances was perhaps our most important step on
this journey. When we concentrate on the needs of others,
our problems seem far less intense and depression
does not squeeze the hope out of us. The more involved
we get in helping others, the greater joy we experience.
It’s been 23 years since Jason received his life
sentence. As the mom of a “lifer,” despite my deep
sorrow over my son’s crime and the resulting consequences,
I’m thankful that my son is living for the Lord
in an unlikely place.
Early on, Jason became aware of the unspeakably
harsh pain his actions had inflicted on his victim’s family
VICTORIOUSLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM
Issue 03 / 2023
21

Left: Carol and Gene remind themselves daily
that God wants them to experience joy, laughter,
and peace.
Ramsey’s Financial Peace University
course. He has mentored others, taught
reentry programs, and used his Christianity
and leadership skills to dispel tensions
and bring peace to situations that
only the Holy Spirit can provide.
I asked Jason how he keeps depression
from enveloping him. He said, “Mom, I
have a gratitude list. When I feel like I
PHOTO BY ANDY GLOGOWER PHOTOGRAPHY
Trusting God required steps of
faith that made us vulnerable
to the judgments of others.
and that the life he took could never be restored. He asked
God to forgive him for his sin of murder.
He also asked the father of his victim for forgiveness.
He’s never received a response—which has been
difficult but understandable. Thankfully, God’s grace
forgives even the most devastating choice (1 John 1:9).
It took time for Jason to fully embrace God’s forgiveness.
Only then could he experience the redemption
that is born out of deep sorrow for wrongdoing, total
brokenness, and a recognition of his inability to fix
anything apart from divine intervention. Jason knows
he can never make this right, but he has committed to
living the remainder of his life for the Lord.
God has used Jason mightily in the past two decades.
He’s led hundreds of inmates through Dave
can’t go on, I list everything I’m thankful
for, like having parents who are my
advocates and family members and
friends who put enough funds in my inmate
account that I can share with those
who have nothing.” Then he paused and
said, “And I’m grateful that I have ministry
opportunities every day on a compound
that houses up to sixteen hundred
inmates.”
Being grateful, laughing, living, serving, and being
willing to be vulnerable and authentic has kept our
family from being defeated by our circumstances. And
it’s given our pain purpose.
There can be purpose in your pain too. Choose to have
unshakable faith in your unthinkable circumstance. Life
isn’t over. There’s hope for you and your family. Christ
is your hope. And as Romans 5:5 promises, that hope
will never put you to shame.
CAROL KENT is the founder and executive director of Speak
Up Ministries, a multifaceted organization that teaches Christian
speakers, writers, and leaders to communicate well. Carol and her
husband, Gene, founded the nonprofit Speak Up for Hope to provide
resources to inmates and their families. For more information, visit
speakupministries.com and speakupforhope.org.
22 Issue 03 / 2023 VICTORIOUSLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM

TRANSFORMED LIVES
BY SHERIDAN CORREA
A COURTROOM CAN BE A SCARY
place. As an addict who repeatedly made
destructive choices, I know what it feels
like to stand before a judge with my fate
hanging in the balance. I experienced so
much anxiety, fear, and worry there.
I cycled in and out of jail for years, seeing
no need for God. In my mind, I was God.
I worked hard trying to control everything
and everyone. I judged harshly, and I loved
conditionally. You do for me, and I’ll do for
you. You love me, and I’ll love you. That’s
how I lived.
We’re all born with a sin nature that
can lead to pride and rebellion. Some
people, like me, cling to this sinful nature,
deliberately opposing God and any
form of authority. Still, it’s a costly choice
to become God’s enemy. The penalty for
sin is death—eternal separation from Him
(Romans 6:23).
But death doesn’t have to be our fate. It
is true that we are born into sin and have
a sinful nature. It’s also true that no matter
how hard we try, we can’t change that
fact. Only faith in Jesus Christ can change
our destiny.
Jesus gives us hope. Romans 4:25 says
Jesus was “handed over to die because of
our sins, and he was raised to life to make
us right with God” (NLT).
Romans 5:10 teaches us that while we
were His enemy, God reconciled us to Himself
through the death of His Son. God, in
His love, kindness, and compassion, made
a way out from the death sentence of sin.
Jesus willingly gave His life by taking our
place on the cross and canceling our sin
debt forever—past, present, and future.
I like to imagine it this way: You and I
are standing in a heavenly court with God
as our judge. We are guilty. We’re facing
the death penalty. But right before God
declares our fate, Jesus walks in and says
to the judge, “Let them go. I died in their
place.”
The heavenly gavel falls with a thunderous
sound as God accepts the sentence and
finalizes the ruling. “You are free to go,”
He says. “Jesus has taken your place and
wiped your record clean. You are hereby
declared innocent of all charges from this
day forward.”
Sound too good to be true? It’s not. This is
exactly what Jesus did for us (2 Corinthians
5:21). All you have to do to receive His gift
and escape sin’s death penalty is believe
and accept that Jesus paid the price for your
sins and made you clean (Romans 10:9).
Did you know that when Jesus died, He
gave you a new identity? You are not the
same person anymore.
As a new person, you’re given a clean
past. You are not what or who you used to
be. God doesn’t see that person anymore
(Psalm 32:1–2). Your past sin is no longer
an issue to Him.
Along with giving you a clean slate, Jesus
removes sin’s power over you. Because
of Him, you are free from the bondage and
slavery that were part of your past. Sin has
no hold on you anymore. God’s Spirit lives
inside you to give you victory over all those
past habits and vices. (See Romans 6–8.)
Understanding these truths is vital to
living a transformed life. Satan will still remind
you of your faults, flaws, and failures.
He will point out your weaknesses and
tell you how unworthy you are of Jesus’s
payment for your sin. But guess what. You
don’t have to listen! Don’t trade God’s truth
and love for Satan’s lies (Romans 1:25).
You were made right with God when
you placed your trust in Jesus (Romans
3:22). He did that for you, and nothing you
do will change that truth. Receive His gift
of forgiveness today. Tell Him, with deep
appreciation, “Thank You, Lord!”
And then go live a life that shows your
gratitude unto Him.
SHERIDAN CORREA is a biblical counselor
who is trained in trauma-informed care. She’s a
wife, mother of two teenage boys, singer, and avid
runner who has been radically changed by Jesus.
She joined the Victorious Living family in 2022 as
the digital content manager.
VICTORIOUSLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM
Issue 03 / 2023
23

Becoming
a Person of
Victory
THE STORY OF NICOLE DYSON
TO
say I was the apple of my parents’ and my
grandparents’ eyes would be an understatement.
They lavished me, their only
child, with love, attention, and encouragement.
They provided everything I needed
and gave me everything I wanted. I even
had a pony named Nicole’s Dream.
I wish I could say I took those blessings
and used them to change the world, but
I did not. I couldn’t see past my own desires
to care about what was happening
to anyone else.
I’m sure my parents hoped I’d grow out
of my selfish phase, but I didn’t. Everything
was about me. Always. And I continued my
selfish and careless ways well into adulthood.
As a result, I unintentionally hurt
many people.
I became a mom at 19. How my son and
I survived is beyond me—I was a big kid
caring for a child. I had no idea what I was
doing. Still, by the world’s standards, I was
doing well. I became financially successful
and provided a nice life for my son…for
a while.
On the weekends, I’d take a break from
all my hard work and ride motorcycles with
my boyfriend. I loved hitting the road with
my bleach-blond hair flying out from underneath
my helmet. The wind on my face
made me feel wild and fancy-free. I thought
I was living the dream.
But at age 30, I found myself in the middle
of a criminal investigation. My dream
had become my nightmare.
I’ve often pondered how a person with
such a great life could end up in prison.
My rebellious spirit is to blame. I wanted
what I wanted and never considered the
consequences. I was the queen of my life’s
throne, and building my kingdom was all
I cared about.
I never touched alcohol during the week;
I focused on work and my son. But when
the weekend came, I partied hard. Eventually,
my drinking led to hard drugs.
“It’s fine,” I convinced myself. “You’re just
a recreational user.” My head was buried
so far in the sand that I couldn’t see the
trouble that was headed my way.
It began when a local drug dealer gave up
the names of his associates, which somehow
included mine. Law enforcement
didn’t care that I was “only” an occasional
drug user and had never bought drugs directly
from this dealer. I was found guilty of
misprision—I had known of felony activity
and did not report it.
Just like that, life and all its comforts
were gone. Prison became my home for the
next thirteen months. Nothing could have
prepared this spoiled girl for the shock of
prison life. I had zero skills for survival or
coping. Grief, anger, confusion, and despair
suffocated me daily.
Nighttime was the worst. It was impossible
to sleep as muffled cries and whimpers
hung in the thick air of the shared
PHOTO BY KOURTNEY ROBINSON PHOTOGRAPHY
24 Issue 03 / 2023 VICTORIOUSLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM

unkroom. My thoughts ran wild, and any
sleep I did manage was full of nightmares.
Evil lurked in every shadow. Fear and
loneliness were my constant companions,
and sorrow and sadness hung over me like
a thick, black cloud of doom. Hope and
peace eluded me, and I shuffled aimlessly
toward my release date.
I served most of my sentence and then
transitioned to a halfway house. After four
months there, the feds freed me to go home
with a multiyear sentence of community
service and parole.
I had hoped going home would free me
from the tormenting thoughts that filled
my sleep-deprived mind, but the night
terrors continued. I woke up most nights,
drenched in sweat, mistaking my bed at
home for my bed in prison.
Desperate for rest, I started sleeping in
my car, locked in the garage. When I woke
up there, I immediately knew I was in my
car at home—not in prison.
When my old friends started coming
around, I realized I needed to make a
change, or I’d end up back in prison. I put
a for-sale sign in the yard, loaded up my
son and whatever we could fit into the car,
and left. I threw my cell phone with all my
contacts out the window along the highway
and never looked back.
My first stop was southwest Florida,
where I lived with my mom until I could
get on my feet. Not long after, a friend invited
me to church. Uh, no thanks! Growing
up, I had attended a religious school,
and I imagined God was some angry guy
dangling me over hell, just waiting for me
to mess up. I didn’t want any part of Him.
I don’t remember agreeing to go, but
somehow I found myself inside her church.
My resistant heart melted as I heard about
God’s promises and love for me and the
freedom I could have in Jesus. It’s true:
“Faith comes from hearing the message”
(Romans 10:17 NIV). In the presence of the
radiant power of Jesus Christ, I felt real
hope for the first time.
I kept going to church with my friend,
but it was six weeks before I could sit
through an entire sermon. Emotions would
overwhelm me, and I would rush out of the
service and go to the church bathroom or
parking lot to cry. I couldn’t figure out what
was wrong with me. I’d never been much of
a crier, but I was coming apart at the seams.
The day I finally made it to the end of a
sermon, I felt every word the pastor said. I
was under the conviction of the Holy Spirit
and knew those words were for me. God’s
goodness brought me to repentance (Acts
3:19; Romans 2:4), and I surrendered to
His love.
God’s love broke through my pride, anger,
resentment, shame, and traumatic memories
. Peace replaced fear, and community
Victory comes to
anyone who submits
and surrenders their
heart, mind, and
will to God.
pushed away the loneliness as I discovered
my identity as His daughter. He gave me
a new heart, too; one that was no longer
selfish (2 Corinthians 5:17; Ezekiel 36:26).
My ultimate desire was for the One
who chased me down while I was still a
hot mess. I had done things my way for
too long; it was time to get off the throne
and let God have His seat. I became sold
out for Jesus and couldn’t get enough of
God’s Word.
Once Jesus became the Lord
of my life, I became like a baby.
I had to learn to walk, speak,
and act differently. I had to
learn how to think and make
decisions with the mind of
Christ. It wasn’t easy.
Since 2007, my journey with
the Lord has been like Abraham’s.
In his story, God promised
abundant blessings, but
Right: Nicole received much love and
attention as a child. Pictured here with
her late grandmother and riding her
pony, Nicole’s Dream.
Abraham had to obey what God told him
to do and go where God told him to go. (See
Genesis 17:1–25:11.) God gave me the same
marching orders. Like Abraham, I had to
move forward obediently, not knowing
where He was leading me or why.
I don’t recall the Lord calling me to serve
in jail and prison ministry. It was more
like a shove from the Holy Spirit. The idea
hadn’t crossed my mind until I saw a flyer
at church asking for volunteers to visit the
local county jail on Christmas Day.
I was alone for the holidays and needed
something to do, so I volunteered. The next
thing I knew, I was walking through the
doors of Alachua County Jail in Gainesville,
Florida. I don’t remember anything
I said during the five minutes I shared my
testimony, but I will never forget what happened
next. All ten women who came to our
service that day gave their lives to the Lord.
“Is this something you’d be interested
in doing more often?” Another volunteer
asked me. “Absolutely not,” I responded.
And I thought I meant it. I imagine God got
a good chuckle at my response.
From that day forward, He made things
happen that aren’t possible for an exfelon
like me. The couple who had been
serving faithfully left to do ministry elsewhere,
and they handed the women’s ministry
at the Alachua County Jail over to me.
Jennifer, one of the women there, reminded
me of the need for services like
ours in prison. She was being transferred
to the Florida Women’s Reception Center
VICTORIOUSLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM
Issue 03 / 2023
25

Many people presume
prison is a wasteland,
but it isn’t. It’s a place
where God touches His
children who are sitting
in darkness and hurt.
(FWRC) and was concerned about finding
a Christian community there.
Fourteen years had passed since I’d been
in prison, and I was not interested in returning,
not even for a good reason like
this. Besides, I didn’t even know how to
start the process, so I passed on the idea.
Ignorance was bliss.
But then, I received a letter from Jennifer.
“Dear Miss Nicole,” she wrote. “I told
The Jesus Infusion Team ministers to over 3,000
incarcerated women in Florida annually. Nicole and
her husband, Randy (pictured below), treasure their
time with women like the ones in the above picture
from the Central Florida Women’s Reception
Center.
Ministry behind bars is fertile ground for the
Gospel, as evidenced by the over 500 baptisms
that have been done by The Jesus Infusion team
since 2015 (bottom).
the chaplain here about you, and he wants
you to call him immediately.”
I dialed the chaplain’s number, chuckling
at the thought of an ex-felon being
cleared to go into prison. But the hand of
God was working to put me on the mission
field that He had been preparing me for my
whole life. The doors to the prison system
opened shockingly fast.
From the moment I walked through the
doors of the FWRC, I felt at home. That’s
because I recognized my former self in the
faces of the people before me. Lonely. Hurt.
Lost. Humiliated. Broken.
These ladies desperately needed to
know the love of their heavenly Father.
They needed to know about Jesus, who
died for their sins so they could have eternal
life and find freedom from addictions,
past abuse, and other traumas. They also
needed to learn how to fight the spiritual
entities waging war against their souls. (See
2 Corinthians 10:4–5; Ephesians 6:10–17.)
The needs of these women quickly exceeded
my ability to handle them, and a
friend suggested I start a nonprofit organization.
The same favor from the Lord
that allowed me to preach the gospel in
prison came onto the scene, and I became
the founder of The Jesus Infusion.
Since its inception in 2015, The Jesus
Infusion has served thousands of women
in prison. We meet them where they are
in their walk with God and show them His
grace. Freedom and new perspectives on
life are discovered daily. The Holy Spirit
works through our volunteers to provide
chapel services, mentoring and discipling,
life-skills classes, and baptisms.
People presume that prison is a wasteland,
but it’s not. It’s a place where God
reaches out to His children who are sitting
in darkness and pain. He commands us
to go to them and infuse the light of Jesus
into their lives (Isaiah 6:8). Prisoners
everywhere need to know that there’s hope
and that change is possible.
I thought my life was over when I was
arrested and taken to prison—but look
at what my heavenly Father had in store.
God transformed this once selfish woman
into an obedient servant who cares for
the welfare of others. And to think, I could
have missed it all—including the incredible
blessing of finding my best friend, husband,
and ministry partner, Randy.
God has saved me from myself and made
me a person of victory. He brought me from
rebellion to redemption, from selfishness
to submission, and has placed me in the
land of victory.
You can live there too—victory comes to
anyone who submits and surrenders their
heart, mind, and will to God.
NICOLE DYSON knows firsthand the importance
of being loved and heard. She and her husband,
Randy, are invested in infusing the love of
Jesus into the lives of people on both sides of
prison walls. For more information, visit www.
thejesusinfusion.org.
PHOTO BY KOURTNEY ROBINSON PHOTOGRAPHY
26 Issue 03 / 2023 VICTORIOUSLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM

STEPPING FORWARD
God Mends
Broken
Things
BY AMBER LEASON
PHOTO BY ARIZONA PORTRAITS PHOTOGRAPHY LLC
SOMETIMES LIFE IS JUST HARD. We
all experience loss, hardship, and brokenness,
but this past year has been especially
difficult for my family.
For me, the words of a captured and despairing
King David soften the blows of the
pain. “You keep track of all my sorrows,”
David says. “You have collected all my tears
in your bottle. You have recorded each one
in your book” (Psalm 56:8 NLT).
Lately, my family has been caught in a
never-ending winter season. Sometimes it
seems that the mountain towering ahead of
us is frozen in time, and the pain will never
melt away. Maybe you can relate.
My dear grandmother has now buried all
three of her boys. Witnessing her shattered
heart breaks mine. And recently, another
loved one said her final goodbyes to her
children.
Grief keeps coming, hard and fast. It’s
unexpected and untimely. I keep reminding
myself that God is for me and nothing
can separate me from His love (Romans
8:31–38), but the difficult days are many.
Moreover, my destructive, drug-addicted
past is rearing its ugly head…again. Shame
and regret loom over me, adding more grief
to my already broken heart. This grief hits
me differently, though. Sometimes it causes
me to doubt God’s love, grace, and ability
to forgive.
How could a perfect God forgive a sinner
like me, a person whose chosen actions
have caused her loved ones so much pain?
Why would He forgive me? There are still
people in my life who haven’t been able to
forgive me. It’s been six years since God
gave me sobriety, and I’m still cut out of
their lives.
THESE TEARS ARE NOT MINE ALONE.
JESUS’S HEART BREAKS WITH MINE.
This rejection constantly reminds me of through the loss and pain, even though I
the awful things I’ve done, and if I’m not caused much of it.
careful, I will focus on my past sin instead Still, God beckons me to reject the grief
of God’s grace. I feel unworthy.
that the enemy intends for my harm (Genesis
Feeling unworthy of God’s love and
50:20) and to remember that His grace
forgiveness has been my most difficult is bigger than any sin. For a moment, I find
struggle as a Christ follower. I do believe peace.
Jesus died on the cross and that His blood But what about those who won’t forgive
washed away my sins. I know He paid a me? How can I get them to extend forgiveness
huge sacrifice for my sin (Matthew 26:28).
to me?
The sad thing is that I can’t seem to get I can’t. Only the One who reached down
the beliefs in my head to travel down and and lifted me out of the pit six years ago
settle into my heart.
can soften their hearts (Psalm 40:2). I must
Surely, this is the work of the enemy. trust His timing and love. The Bible tells me
Shame, guilt, and regret are all tools Satan
that my Lord Jesus is with the Father right
uses to get us to focus on our past and now interceding for me (Romans 8:34). And
doubt our worth. I pray, God, help me receive if you’re His child, He’s there interceding
Your forgiveness once and for all. Help me put for you too.
my past under Your blood and my broken relationships
What do you need to release into God’s
in Your capable hands.
care? Trust Him. Give Him your worries
I grieve those lost relationships. Lord and draw close so He can bind up your
knows, I’ve tried to make amends. But wounds (Psalm 147:3). “The Lord is close
my efforts have gotten me nowhere. The to the brokenhearted and saves those who
cloud of grief just keeps getting thicker and are crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18 NIV).
darker as more rejection, failure, and disappointment
set in.
Even now, tears drop onto my keyboard.
AMBER LEASON works in special needs
education and enjoys sharing the love of Jesus
But as I see them, I am reminded
with her students. She serves also with Thrive,
a women’s ministry that facilitates a space for
that these tears are not mine alone. Jesus’s women to connect with God and encourage each
heart breaks with mine. He weeps with me other in their faith.
VICTORIOUSLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM
Issue 03 / 2023
27

TRANSFORMED LIVES
Come Out
of Hiding
ARTWORK BY A VICTORIOUS LIVING FAMILY MEMBER
BY KRISTI OVERTON JOHNSON
READING THE BIBLE GIVES me so much encouragement.
In its pages I find truth, life, and power. Recently,
I read the story of Gideon in Judges 6.
The Israelites were God’s chosen people, but they
were in a terrible state because of their sin. The Bible
says they had done evil in the Lord’s sight by doing what
was right in their own eyes. As a result, God allowed
the Midianites, their harsh enemy, to ravage their land,
destroy their crops, and kill their livestock.
Their plight reminds us that living a life deliberately
contrary to God’s will and in pursuit of one’s own desires
will lead to hard, frightening, barren, and lonely places.
In Judges 6:11, we meet Gideon, who was threshing
wheat while hiding in a winepress. The fact that he was
threshing wheat in a deep hole where wine is usually
pressed shows just how afraid he was. He was hoping
his enemy wouldn’t see him and steal his grain.
Reportedly, the Midian army was so vast the Israelites
couldn’t even count their camels, much less the warriors
themselves. No wonder Gideon was hiding.
And yet, that place of fear, desperation, and isolation
was exactly where the angel of the Lord chose to appear
to Gideon. He greeted him and presented an incredible,
God-sized assignment: God wanted Gideon to deliver
the Israelites from the hand of their enemy.
I love the angel’s greeting for Gideon in Judges 6:12.
The NIV says: “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.”
The NLT says: “Mighty hero, the Lord is with you!”
28 Issue 03 / 2023 VICTORIOUSLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM

TRANSFORMED LIVES
Remember now, this “hero” was so frightened, he
was in hiding!
The angel’s greeting holds truths that can change
our lives. Notice how, before he said anything else, the
angel made sure that Gideon knew God was with Him.
But those words were hard for Gideon to receive.
Life was hard. Our man was hungry, afraid, and facing
an evil army. His response in Judges 6:13 shows
his doubts: “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied,
“but if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened
to us? Where are all his wonders that our ancestors
told us about?” (NIV).
Those were some brave questions to ask an angel—
but Gideon felt abandoned, even punished, by God. All
those miracles he’d heard about that God used to do for
the Israelites? Well, he hadn’t seen one. And now this
God wanted Gideon to do what?
Have you ever asked God questions like these? Maybe
you’ve said, “Pardon me, but where are You, God?
Where are the miracles I’ve heard about? Why haven’t
You rescued me and my family? Why do we have to
suffer so much?”
I wish I could answer your questions. I have my own.
Unfortunately, this passage shows us that we won’t
always get the answers we seek. Gideon didn’t.
The angel answered Gideon’s questions with this
command, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel
out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?” (v. 14 NIV).
My personal paraphrase of this verse is: “Gideon, you
don’t need to understand why. All you need to know
is that I am with you and I am sending you. Trust Me.
Trust that in Me you are strong enough. Come out of
the winepress, and you’ll see miracles like you’ve never
imagined. You will lead my people and defeat your
enemy. I will use you to change the world.”
At this point, Gideon had two options. He could stay
in the winepress, full of fear, doubt, confusion, and
maybe even anger toward God. Or he could come out of
the winepress and join God on an adventure. We have
these options too.
Please—don’t choose to stay in the winepress. Don’t
let your questions keep you from the answers you seek.
God is the answer. Don’t let your doubts keep you from
facing whatever lies before you. It’s when you step out
with God to face your enemy that amazing things start
to happen.
The angel of the Lord reminded Gideon that he
was not alone. He also reminded Gideon who he was in
God’s eyes. Gideon was God’s mighty hero. His warrior.
His champion.
Think about it—God called Gideon, a frightened man
hiding in a winepress, a mighty warrior!
God always sees us as we can be. He sees the champion
in each of us.
But Gideon didn’t feel like a champion; he felt like
a chump. “How can I save Israel?” he protested. “My
clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in
my family” (Judges 6:15 NIV).
Surely, our man thought God had the wrong guy—but
God had chosen exactly the man He wanted to use, and
through Gideon, God showed His glory to both Israel
and her enemy.
God loves to use people the
world says are useless, people
who are afraid and facing
tremendous odds (1 Corinthians
1:27). And He uses them
to change the world.
Gideon did choose to step
out and take God at His word,
but it wasn’t easy. In fact, right before he went into battle,
God stripped Gideon of everything he could have
relied on. He sent home most of the army, along with
their mighty weapons and clever military strategies.
Read Judges 7:17–25 to learn how the enemy was
defeated when God caused the Midianites to turn on
each other with their own swords while Gideon and
his 300 men blew trumpets, smashed pitchers, and
waved torches.
When God is on your side—when you’re on His side—
even if all odds are against you, you will not be defeated.
Even when you’ve lost everything the world says you
need to succeed, there’s still hope. Romans 8:31 NIV
says, “What, then, shall we say in response to these
things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” No one.
Nothing can separate you from His love or His power.
Nothing can stop God. There is no enemy too great for
Him. Read Romans 8:38–39. With God, you win!
Are you hiding in fear, feeling powerless and worthless?
Then you are exactly the one God wants to invite
on an adventure with Him. Maybe you feel like you have
nothing to give to God. That’s okay—He only needs you.
Do you feel weak and helpless? Go in the strength you
have. That’s all God needs. Does the enemy seem too
great? No worries. God is greater.
Step out in your weakness. God promises to meet
you with His strength (2 Corinthians 12:9–11). As you
live in faith, even if it’s as small as a mustard seed, God
will move the obstacles that are in your way (Matthew
17:20). He will fight your battles. And all the while, He’ll
be looking at you and saying, “You are My mighty, courageous
warrior.”
Receive this truth today. Come out of your hiding
place; victory is yours.
Even when all odds are
against you, with God
on your side, you will
never be defeated.
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 03 / 2023
29

MIR ACLE S
STILL
HAPPEN
THE STORY OF
JOSH ROGISTER
was a typical teen at
the beginning of my sophomore year. I
attended church with my family once or
twice a month, did well enough in school,
had close friends, and was active in sports.
By the start of the second semester, however,
I was anything but typical.
I fought hard to maintain a facade that
everything was okay, but my increasingly
bizarre symptoms and behaviors soon
made it impossible. My hands and feet
began to betray me, and my equilibrium
was becoming a problem. I lost my ability
to write legibly, and my teachers had to
assign a classmate to take notes for me.
It was difficult to explain to my basketball
coach why I could no longer handle
the ball or rebound properly. Frustrated,
I quit the team.
I began having tics and would unknowingly
clench my fist, skip, or make low-
pitched grunts. As you can imagine, my
peers took notice. But that wasn’t all.
Loud noises, only present to me, were
sounding in my head. I heard slamming
doors and distant, loud explosions.
I began experiencing great outbursts of
frustration and anger, especially at home.
My parents’ mild-mannered son was gone,
and they feverishly sought answers from
professionals. It was a confusing time for
all of us, including my siblings, who often
bore the brunt of my outbursts.
Pediatricians seemed untroubled at
first. They said I was a 15-year-old boy
and chalked it up to hormones. Tics, they
assured us, were common in adolescents;
I’d grow out of them.
Despite what the doctors said, I knew
something was wrong, especially once the
voices started. They were loud, angry, and
aggressive. I chose not to tell my already
alarmed parents or anyone else about my
new “friends.”
Weeks passed and these schizophrenic
hallucinations all but consumed me. I kept
numerous journals of dark conversations.
Those voices hounded me, telling me to
end my life and how best to do it.
Frightened, I finally confessed to my
mom what I was enduring. The doctors
told her to observe me closely in case I
acted on those suicidal suggestions.
Life at school grew more difficult. The
kids were sure I’d lost my mind; many
bullied me. They didn’t know what to do
with Josh-the-Psycho, who walked the
halls muttering to himself.
Months into this ordeal, Mom finally
found a doctor who cared enough to investigate
what was wrong. He suspected a new
but controversial disease called PANDAS
(Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric
PHOTO BY DEBORAH GRIFFIN PHOTOGRAPHY
30 Issue 03 / 2023 VICTORIOUSLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM

Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections)
was ravishing my brain and body.
He explained that the recent strep infection
I’d had had sparked an underlying infection
I’d probably had since I was a baby.
He went on to tell us that PANDAS is usually
curable after a couple months of basic
antibiotics. Our hopes soared, and I started
treatment immediately while the doctor
closely monitored my blood work.
After several rounds of different medications,
however, very little changed. The voices
in my head cruelly mocked my efforts to
regain my health. And then, the doctor told
us that in rare cases, PANDAS might not be
cured and over time could affect my organs
and even lead to coma or death.
Hearing this was terrifying. I might die?
“Yep, you will,” the voices gleefully confirmed.
I was already having trouble with my kidneys.
“Oh God,” I cried out. “Help me!” I might
have been young, but even I could see that
the doctors and medicine weren’t helping.
There was nothing left for me unless God did
something. He was my only hope.
I’d never really prayed before and had no
idea what I was doing. Yes, I had attended
church and I believed God existed, but that
was it. My family had never faced anything
we couldn’t overcome, and we were all on
our knees now, hoping to witness something
miraculous.
My friend who took notes for me in class
invited me to a Bible study he attended with a
few classmates. Unlike other kids who pushed
me away, these guys embraced me and helped
me navigate the disease and the bullying at
school. They also introduced me to the loving,
saving God of the Bible. I don’t know what I
would have done without them.
I went all-out crazy, learning about God and
faith. I studied the Bible, grasping at theology
and apologetics. I drank in biblical stories, all
of them, and wondered… Could the God who
performed those miracles back then perform a
miracle in my life now?
I wondered if God would ever release me
from the clutches of this terrible disease.
My circumstances weren’t pointing to better
days. But with the help of my friends and
God’s Word, I became confident that God
would do something for me (Psalm 27:13).
My junior year passed in a blur, but I
kept hoping against all odds that I would
be healed (Romans 4:18). Still, nothing
changed. And then, right before my senior
year, I attended a Christian camp in
the North Carolina mountains with my
sister, Bible study friends, and 500 other
teenagers. I had to laugh when I saw
a scheduled naptime. Teenagers taking
naps? Yeah, right.
On the second day of camp, July 5, 2017,
I got in my bunk for that required naptime,
but I couldn’t sleep. An urgency to pray
rose in my spirit, and I couldn’t be still; I
had to go outside.
I snuck out of the cabin and went to
the worship tent. As I entered that empty
space, the voices in my head grew louder
than ever. I felt like I was going insane.
Desperate for peace, I dropped to my
knees, closed my eyes, and prayed. A few
minutes later, I was startled by a deafening
silence. The raucous voices in my head had
ceased, as if someone had flipped a switch.
A beam of light pierced me and then
rose toward heaven. I panicked. And then
I heard a new voice. It was unwavering and
authoritative, yet kind.
“Son, I did not forget you. Get up and
never be the same.” The light beam suddenly
shifted and aimed at me again. A
sacred silence filled the space.
I jumped up, shaking.
MY CLASSMATES DIDN’T KNOW WHAT TO
DO WITH JOSH-THE-PSYCHO, WHO WALKED
THE HALLS MUTTERING TO HIMSELF.
Above Left: Josh and his family
witnessed a modern-day miracle
when he was healed by God in 2017.
What just happened? Whatever it was, I
was feeling weirdly good. I sprinted back to
the cabin to find my best friend, who knew
immediately that something was different.
My tics were gone and my balance restored.
I told him what had happened, and
he asked, “Is it possible you’re healed?”
I grabbed a pen and paper and began to
write. Every word was legible. Stunned, we
burst out in laughter. Had God healed me?
I was almost afraid to believe it.
That evening at chapel, my sister con-
Right: Josh, #32, had been an active
member of his high school basketball
team, but playing ball became impossible.
VICTORIOUSLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM
Issue 03 / 2023
31

Josh, featured with friends and
family outside Christ Hope Church,
reminds people daily of the miracleworking
power of Jesus in his
position of youth pastor.
PHOTO BY PARKER OVERTON PHOTOGRAPHY
firmed my healing. We hadn’t seen each that, yes, the God who performed miracles
other all day, so she had no reason to thousands of years ago is still performing
expect any change in me. When she saw miracles today.
me, though, she knew immediately that Not long after my healing, God revealed
something was different. I told her what to me in a dream that I would be in ministry
by the time I turned 18 and a pastor
happened, and then she shared what she
had experienced during naptime.
by 20. I’m 21 now, and both have come
YES—THE GOD WHO PERFORMED
MIRACLES THOUSANDS OF YEARS AGO
IS STILL PERFORMING MIRACLES TODAY!
While I was in the tent praying, God to pass. God has given me other dreams
had given my sister a dream where I was of future ministry that He has shown will
walking beside her, completely healed. unify churches. I’m excited to watch Him
We were ecstatic.
unfold my future. It must be good, or the
A camp leader gave my parents a headsup,
and when we got home, they couldn’t me out.
devil wouldn’t have tried so hard to take
believe their eyes. They were overjoyed. The Great Commission, found in Matthew
28:19, drives my zeal for God. I want
“I’m good,” I told them, grinning. “I’m
really good.” We hugged each other, celebrating
through tears.
Jesus Christ. I also want to rouse believ-
to go into the world and make disciples for
A visit with my doctor confirmed that ers to the reality that God is still a miracle
the infection was completely gone. He was worker. So many don’t believe He does that
baffled as he studied my blood work. anymore.
Since that moment, I have been determined
to testify to the miracle-working but God is the same yesterday, today, and
That’s a lie Satan wants us to accept,
power of God. I want everyone to know forever (Hebrews 13:8). He doesn’t change!
If you’re in the middle of something
painfully dark and confusing right now,
please don’t lose hope or faith in God. I
know it’s hard, but “hold tightly without
wavering…for God can be trusted to keep
his promise” (Hebrews 10:23 NLT). God
has not forgotten you.
Keep coming boldly but reverently to
His throne of grace. That’s where you’ll
find the help you need (Hebrews 4:16).
The Lord will strengthen you with His joy
and peace. Sometimes, we have to walk a
journey of pain to experience the beautiful
revelation of a miracle.
Don’t be afraid to admit to others that
you are struggling. Some things, like suicidal
thoughts, shouldn’t be dealt with
alone. Surround yourself with trusted
people. Be honest. The devil will taunt you
and tell you that you have no hope and that
death is the answer. Don’t listen. Combat
those lying voices with God’s truth. When
you resist the devil, he will flee (James 4:7).
In my senior year of high school, I
earned a new name: Jesus Boy. Some meant
it to poke fun, but that’s okay. I wear that
name like a badge of honor. There’s no one
I’d rather be.
JOSH ROGISTER is the youth pastor at Christ Hope
Church where he helps people of all ages develop
authentic relationships with Jesus.
32 Issue 03 / 2023 VICTORIOUSLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM

WANT TO KNOW JESUS?
“Come to me, all you who are
weary and burdened, and I will
give you rest.” —Matthew 11:28 NIV
Jared Emerson, Artist, jaredemerson.com
Do you need rest? Peace? Freedom? Forgiveness? Restoration?
Call out to Jesus, accept Him as your Savior, and be made whole.
Pray: “Jesus, I invite You into my life. I confess that I am a sinner in
need of a Savior. Thank You for saving me from my sins and making
me whole. Thank You for laying down Your life for me so that I can
have a new life in You. I receive, by faith, this forgiveness of sin. Take
my life—my past and my future. Guide my steps and speak to my
heart, Lord. Use me, God. Amen.”
Let us know of your decision so we can help you grow in your faith.
Write to: VL Correspondence, PO Box 2751, Greenville, NC 27836.
PERHAPS AFTER READING the stories in this magazine, you’ve surrendered your life to
Jesus. Congratulations—it’s the most important decision you will ever make! But you might
be wondering, now what? Here are five ways to ensure spiritual growth. Remember, the
Christian life is a journey that brings lifelong transformation.
1. PRAY. Talk to God about everything and listen for His response. You don’t need
fancy words, just a sincere heart.
2. STUDY THE BIBLE. God’s Word contains all the instructions we need for life. Get
into a Bible study and discover new revelations daily. Free resources are on page 34.
3. GET BAPTIZED. Although baptism is not a requirement of salvation, the Bible
clearly tells us that we are to be water baptized after salvation. Baptism symbolizes
our dying to sin and being raised to a new life in Christ Jesus (Romans 6:4). Prison
restrictions may make immersion by water difficult, so get creative and let the Holy
Spirit reveal how you can take this step of obedience until immersion is possible.
4. FIND CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY. Join a local congregation of Christ-followers. If
incarceration makes attending church difficult, fellowship with other believers the
best you can. They will help you stand strong and keep you accountable.
5. TELL SOMEONE. Share your decision to follow Christ and tell them what He has
done for you. And then, tell us! We’d love to hear from you.
WHAT NOW?
I’ve Accepted God’s Salvation.
Now What?
VICTORIOUSLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM
Issue 03 / 2023
33

MINISTRY INFO/RESOURCES
Victorious Living Prison
Outreach Information
• High transitional rates of inmates and DOC restrictions prevent
us from mailing individual subscriptions of VLMag to inmates.
However, bulk copies are provided free to prisons, jails, recovery,
and reentry programs, with or without staples, at the request of
chaplains and program directors. They may also inquire about our
national VL Prison Tour.
• We offer inmates discipleship materials on various prison tablet
systems. Search “Victorious Living” on the prison tablet to
discover MORE Victorious Living and STEPPING FORWARD with
Victorious Living broadcasts and VL podcasts. If we are not on
your tablet system, please write to us and let us know the name
of your tablet system.
• Family members of our incarcerated family and our ministry
partners can enjoy our free resources through pandoapp.tv
and VL’s online platforms like vlmag.org, Facebook, Instagram,
and YouTube. Our care team is available to pray with family
members of our inmate family by phone.
• We offer fellowship to inmates through correspondence.
Prison inmates can write to us at PO Box 2751, Greenville,
NC 27836, or email us through their tablet at hope@vlmag.
org. High transitional rates in jail often prevent us from
corresponding with inmates there. Please know, we read all
letters and pray over them.
• We cannot receive COD emails or phone calls, nor do we accept
unsolicited stories for publication or legal documents.
• We encourage believers everywhere to use our materials in their
ministry. VLMag makes an exceptional witnessing tool and can
be ordered in bulk copies for use in free society.
• Did you know that VLMag is available on both sides of prison
walls? It is a gift to our ministry partners and can be delivered to
anyone in free society. Call 352-478-2098 or visit vlmag.org and
click the “give now” tab. A gift of any amount is appreciated.
RESOURCES
Below are opportunities for free Christian-based
resources for both English- and Spanish-speaking
inmates and chaplains. When you contact the
addresses below, tell our partners VL referred you.
VICTORIOUS LIVING
Personal correspondence available in English and Spanish.
Bulk copies of VLMag are available for jail and prison libraries
at chaplain’s request.
PO Box 2751
Email: hope@vlmag.org
Greenville, NC 27836
2ND OPPORTUNITY
Reentry and
employmentreadiness
programming; job/
housing referrals
upon request.
PO Box 3411
Peachtree City, GA
30269
PRISON
ALLIANCE
Discipleship studies
by mail; free Christian
books and Bibles for
libraries at request of
authorized personnel.
PO Box 97095
Raleigh, NC 27624
RESCUED NOT
ARRESTED
Free NIV Bibles, Bible
study correspondence
course, and NIV Life
Application Study Bible
upon completion
of study.
PO Box 90606
Phoenix, AZ 85066
CROSSROADS PRISON
MINISTRIES
Correspondence
Bible studies and
mentoring letters with
completed lessons. Free
Bibles for CRM students
upon request.
PO Box 900
Grand Rapids, MI 49509
HOPE IS ALIVE
Nationally-based sober
living homes, faith-based
support groups, and grief
support groups for those
impacted by addiction.
14400 Bogert Parkway
Suite 200
Oklahoma City, OK
73134
34
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