Victorious Living Magazine Issue 3

REAL PEOPLE | REAL STORIES | REAL HOPE

DAR VUELTA

PARA VER

EN ESPAÑOL

YOU ARE LOVED

GOD STILL HAS A PLAN

A magazine

on a mission:

see page 2

A RECKLESS

REBEL FINDS

REDEMPTION

THE STORY OF

ZACH WILLIAMS

Issue 03 / 2025

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.

Soon after, this former world champion water skier

traded in her water ski career to serve the corrections

community. Over the years, God has blessed

Kristi with an incredible team and opened many

doors of opportunity.

What started in 2013 with the first delivery of

Victorious Living Magazine into Florida prisons has

now expanded to a comprehensive, international,

bilingual outreach to both the incarcerated and

those working in corrections.

Through our now many ministry outreaches, millions

of people are discovering the transforming and

empowering hope of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

VICTORIOUS LIVING

Delivers Hope to

the Corrections Community

Victorious Living Magazine provides testimonies of

the transforming power of Jesus Christ, available

digitally and in print.

Care Team provides prayer support to currently and

formerly incarcerated people and their families, as

well as correctional staff.

Correspondence Team provides relational support

and Christian discipleship through correspondence,

as well as connection to biblical study resources and

reentry support.

National Facility Tours and Wellness Programs

provide encouragement and life-skill tools to

correctional leaders and incarcerated persons

through on-site events.

Bilingual broadcasts on correction-issued tablets

provide mental health support and addiction

recovery tools, trauma-informed care, and

Christian discipleship.

INCARCERATED

AND NEED

ENCOURAGEMENT?

Write to us and join our

Victorious Living Family

today.

VL Correspondence

PO Box 2751

Greenville, NC 27836

TABLET PHOTO: S.H.A.R.P. TOP PHOTOS: GERI SIMPKINS PHOTOGRAPHY

PCDC PHOTO: GERI SIMPKINS PHOTOGRAPHY

ISSUE 3,OCTOBER 2025

“I was imprisoned…but you, O Lord my God, snatched me from the jaws of death!” Jonah 2:6 NLT

Publisher & Executive Director

Kristi Overton Johnson

Editor

Rachel Overton

Spanish Translator

Ebert Morillo

Editorial Team

Karissa Anderson


Rachel Overton

Carla Owens

Creative Designer

Lauren Jones

Creative Content Team

Tonya Edwards


Christina Kimbrel

Administrative Director

Carla Owens

Digital Content Management

BJ Emerson

Prison Correspondence

Lauren Everett

Pastoral Care/Correctional Liaison

Pat Avery

Wellness Program Director

Sheridan Correa

Partner Relations

Ashley Smith

Hispanic Outreach Team

Denise San Miguel

Miguel Nunez

Mayra Ramos Olivo

Story Contributors

JC Almanza

Sheridan Correa

Michael Dixon

Kory Gordon


Christina Kimbrel

Janice Marie Meidel

Rob Whitner

Featured Persons

Bruce Ketola

Kim Ketola

Margaret Mangum

Varrone White

Zach Williams

Cover Photography

Courtesy of Zach Williams

Photography

Alamy

Arizona Portraits

Edovo

Geri Simpkins Photography

Laura Farr/AdMedia via Zuma Wire

Parker Overton Photography

S.H.A.R.P.

Zach Williams (Courtesy of)

Artwork

Alberto Henriquez

Jason Payne

Victorious Living Magazine is a publication of Kristi Overton Johnson Ministries, a 501(c) (3)

organization. Copyright © 2025, Kristi Overton Johnson Ministries, all rights

reserved. For permission to reprint or copy any material contained herein, please

contact us at admin@vlmin.org.

DISCLAIMER: The articles featured in Victorious Living Magazine 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 Ministries

PO Box 2801, Greenville, NC 27836

• 352-478-2098

All Prison Correspondence

• admin@vlmin.org

• Victorious Living Correspondence Outreach

PO Box 2751, Greenville, NC 27836

Scripture Permissions

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

Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. | All Scripture is

used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Las escrituras con la abreviatura NVI se toman de la Santa Biblia, NUEVA VERSIÓN

INTERNACIONAL® NVI® © 1999, 2015, 2022 por Biblica, Inc.®, Inc.® Usado con permiso

de Biblica, Inc.® Reservados todos los derechos en todo el mundo. Las escrituras con

la abreviatura NTV se toman de La Santa Biblia, Nueva Traducción Viviente, © Tyndale

House Foundation, 2010. Todos los derechos reservados.

VICTORIOUSLIVINGMINISTRIES.ORG

Issue 03 / 2025

3

Victorious Living

and You!

Victorious Living resources are

designed to encourage, equip, and

empower you in your faith and

provide you with tools to do the

same for others. Whether you are

incarcerated, working in corrections,

or living in free

society, you can use

our ministry tools in

your daily ministry

efforts. Here are a

few suggestions.

DISTRIBUTE

VLMAG

CREATE A VICTORIOUS LIVING

SMALL GROUP

BECOME A VL SMALL

GROUP LEADER

Order VLMag in bulk and

share it as God leads.

Our magazine provides

an effective and easy

way for you to share the

life-transforming power

of God with strangers

and loved ones. Also,

consider sponsoring

a prison to receive

quarterly shipments of

our magazine.

VL Small Groups are simple—you need a Bible, paper, pen,

VL Magazine or video, facilitator, friends, and a heart to

learn. As you look up scriptures and dive into the following

questions together, you will discover deep spiritual truths.

• What is the theme of the story or video?

• Have I had a similar experience?

• What lessons did the story/video present, and

how can I apply them?

• How is God speaking to me through the story/

video and the referenced verses?

• What have I learned about God’s character,

and how does that impact me?

• How can I share what I’ve learned with others?

Small groups led by trusted

facilitators build community and

provide accountability and a safe

place for deeper study of God’s

Word. Write to us at PO Box 2751,

Greenville, NC 27836, and request

the VL Small Group Leader’s Guide.

Also check out our videos, Tips

for a Successful Small Group and

Leading a Small Group Behind the

Wire, on PANDO, Edovo, Paytel,

Westpond, ATG, ICS, Tech Friends,

ViaPath, Homewav, Turnkey,

Securus, Smart Comm, and iT1.

BOTTOM PHOTO: GERI SIMPKINS PHOTOGRAPHY / TOP PHOTO: EDOVO

SUPPORT VICTORIOUS LIVING MINISTRIES

Financially supporting our ministry is one way to carry out God’s command to remember the prisoner

(Hebrews 13:3). Share our ministry with your church for consideration as a supported mission

outreach. Volunteer opportunities are also available.

VISIT VICTORIOUSLIVINGMINISTRIES.ORG OR CALL 352-478-2098

ISSUE 3, OCTOBER 2025

CONTENTS

8

9

STEPPING FORWARD

You Are Somebody to God

BY MICHAEL DIXON

God’s Love Won’t Fail

BY JC ALMANZA

WITH KRISTI OVERTON JOHNSON

30

God Will Supply Your Need

BY KRISTI OVERTON JOHNSON

Sometimes we get so used to repeating the

promises of God to others that we forget

to slow down and believe them ourselves.

We forget to give God room to work His

miracles in His time.

18

it better for him as an adult. Despite his

many mistakes, however, nothing was able

to derail God’s plan.

COVER STORY

A Reckless Rebel Finds

Redemption

THE STORY OF ZACH WILLIAMS

13

29

17

Embrace God’s Plan

BY CHRISTINA KIMBREL

Never Discarded

BY JANICE MARIE MEIDEL

TRANSFORMED

LIVES

When Shortcomings Become

Long Goings

BY SHERIDAN CORREA

Have you been wandering in circles, going

nowhere? Have your choices made what

should have been a short journey long and

twisted? Let God make your paths straight.

10

14

FEATURES

The Faithful Goodness of God

THE STORY OF MARGARET MANGUM

Her whole life, Margaret felt like she

was out of place, never enough, and an

all-around failure. She couldn’t imagine

how God would ever want someone like

her. But He did and He does, and today,

Margaret serves Him with a surrendered,

happy heart.

God Still Has a Plan

THE STORY OF VARRONE WHITE

A suicide attempt at 9, in a gang by 12, in

and out of juvie for years… Varrone didn’t

start life easy, and his choices didn’t make

23

Rock-and-roll fans might recognize Zach’s

name from his early 2000s stint with the

band Zach Williams and the Reformations.

Others will recognize him as a

current, leading Contemporary Christian

Music artist. But God recognizes Zach

as His son, redeemed from a life of wild

rebellion to a new life serving his Savior,

who has been his “pain taker,” his “way

maker,” and certainly his “chain breaker.”

You Are Loved,

No Matter What

THE STORY OF KIM KETOLA

Kim’s life was all about earning recognition

and acceptance—but that quest

took her to difficult places. Her perceived

failures, including an abortion, caused

her to give up. And then a friend told her

about God’s unconditional love and forgiveness,

and she dared to hope again.

COVER PHOTO COURTESY OF ZACH WILLIAMS

ON THE COVER

From prominent

stages like the Grand

Ole Opry to prison

yards, multiple

Grammy and Dove

Award winner,

Zach Williams, seeks

to proclaim the

unconditional love of

God and encourage

lost, hurting, and

rebellious sons and

daughters of God to

come home to their

heavenly Father.

26

6

The Meaning of Grace

THE STORY OF BRUCE KETOLA

Bruce grew up in church, but after his

confirmation at 14, he figured he’d

checked all the boxes and had done all

he had to do to get to heaven. Bruce

became a prodigal son, living the “good

life” until a third DUI and a faithful

friend reminded him that God’s grace

was his for the asking.

IN EVERY ISSUE

Publisher’s Note

Meet the God of Another Chance

32

Behind the Wire

The Power of Forgiveness

33

I’ve Accepted God’s

Salvation...Now What?

34

Resources/Ministry Info


Issue 03 / 2025

5

PUBLISHER’S NOTE

Meet the God

of Another Chance

Publisher Kristi Overton Johnson and

her husband, Tim, connected with our

cover feature, Zach Williams, at one of

his concerts.

VLMag is primarily circulated

in the corrections community.

However, it is available in free

society to our ministry partners

for a suggested gift of at least

$25.00. Visit vlmin.org and

click the “donate” tab. Every

dollar you give sends one copy

of VLMag into a corrections

facility, where it will deliver

hope to many people for years

to come.

n this issue, you’ll read the redemption

story of Zach Williams,

a self-described reckless rebel with

a wandering soul. Zach’s story is just one

of many that testifies to God’s goodness,

His patience, and His ability to reach into

any person’s life and rescue them from the

clutches of darkness.

As I prepared for my interview with

Zach, I came across Psalm 107. It’s a beautiful

passage describing how God responds

to a person’s heartfelt cries, regardless of

who they are or how they found themselves

in their situation.

Just look at the state of the people God

rescued in this chapter. Some of those rescued

were wandering in the wilderness,

lost and homeless. Some were hungry and

thirsty, knocking on death’s door. Others

were sitting in darkness and deepest gloom,

imprisoned in iron chains of misery. And

finally, some were at their wits’ end, reeling

and staggering through brutal storms.

Can you relate? If so, I’ve got good news.

If you follow the example of those in Psalm

107 and those featured in our magazine,

the God of another chance will initiate your

rescue story.

It starts with two heartfelt words: “Lord,

help!” (See Psalm 107:6, 13, 19, 28.)

The moment you come to the end of

yourself and genuinely cry out to the

Lord, God Himself thunders down from

heaven, reaches into your darkness, and

rescues you.

Look at David’s words in Psalm 18: “In my

distress I cried out to the Lord; yes, I prayed

to my God for help. He heard me from his

sanctuary; my cry to him reached his ears.

… He reached down from heaven and rescued

me; he drew me out of deep waters.

He rescued me from my powerful enemies,

from those who hated me and were too

strong for me” (Psalm 18:6; 16–18 NLT).

He will do the same for you. Why?

Because He loves you and delights in you

(Psalm 18:19). It’s hard to comprehend, I

know. But it’s true.

Friend, God loves you no matter who you

are. He loves you no matter how many times

you have wandered away from Him. His

love for you is everlasting, and it is deep

enough and wide enough to reach you, no

matter where you are (Ephesians 3:18).

God’s love will extend another chance

to any person, no matter how they got in

trouble, whether they wandered off, ran

off, or flat-out rebelled. God is never put off

by the why behind our what. He is always

ready to reach into our mess and help us.

Romans 8:26 teaches that God partners

with us by stepping into our pain, brokenness,

or weakness. All we have to do is ask.

And when we do, God brings us to safety

and satisfies our hunger and thirst

with good things. He snaps the chains of

our misery and breaks down our prison

gates. He sends out His Word and heals

us, snatching us from death’s door. God

calms our storms to a whisper, and what a

blessing that stillness is! (See Psalm 107:7,

9, 14, 20, 29.)

If you haven’t already, call out to the

God of another chance right now. Humble

yourself and speak those two life-changing

words: “Lord, help!”

The moment you do that, everything will

begin to change.


Publisher & Executive Director

6 Issue 03 / 2025 VICTORIOUSLIVINGMINISTRIES.ORG

TESTIMONIES

ARTWORK BY JASON PAYNE

Victorious Living

Testimonies

Through the stories of Victorious Living Magazine, men

and women behind bars meet the God of another chance.

“YOUR TEAM CAME TO SEE

US GUYS AT THE FEDERAL

PENITENTIARY TODAY, AND

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A LONG

TIME, I FELT LIKE SOMEBODY

CARED ABOUT ME.

I recently started to watch Kristi’s MORE

Victorious Living broadcast called “Free for Life,

For Real.” It was simple yet profound. When she

speaks, I feel like my mom is lovingly feeding me

the Word of God. Thank you all for what you do.”

RICHARD

South Central Correctional Center,

Michigan

“THE LOYALTY

VICTORIOUS LIVING

MINISTRIES HAS

SHOWN ME OVER

THE YEARS IS

STRONGER THAN

ANY STREET

OR PRISON

RELATIONSHIP I’VE

EVER HAD.”

STEPHEN

Wakulla CI, Florida

“As a volunteer with the

correspondence outreach,

I share the hope of Jesus

with those who feel alone

and forgotten, living in

the darkness of prison

and jail. I experience joy

in telling others about

Christ’s love and how

important they are to

Him. Everyone should

have an opportunity to

know Him.”

MITZI

North Carolina

ROSSAHN

USP I Coleman, Florida

“I received a wonderful, encouraging letter

from one of your team members. In it, she

prayed for the restoration of my family.

My wife had initiated a divorce, but soon

after your team member prayed, my wife

put the divorce on hold. Thank you for

your prayers of faith. God does hear our

prayers. Your letter meant so much.”

JESSE

Yakima County Jail, Washington

I just read your article about

Darryl Strawberry entitled

“Look in the Mirror” [VL 2022-04]. It

touched my soul and inspired me

to take inventory of my life. It also

helped reestablish my relationship

with God.”

RICKEY

EC Brooks Correctional, Michigan


Issue 03 / 2025

7

STEPPING FORWARD

You Are

Somebody

to God

finally discover the One who truly accepted

me and could lead me to a better life.

I received Jesus as my Savior at the age

of 27, and immediately, I was all in for Him.

I held nothing back, living as hard for Him

as I had for drugs all those years before.

It’s about our “being,” not our “doing.” In

Ephesians 1, God says that once we place

our faith in His Son, we are blessed, chosen,

predestined, redeemed, forgiven, and

sealed. We are also included. Ephesians

1:13 says you “were included in Christ

My recovery was miraculous, but I con-

when you heard the message of truth, the

BY MICHAEL DIXON

tinued to struggle with my identity, as I

still equated my concept of self-worth with

gospel of your salvation” (NIV).

Did you hear that? You are included.

performance. I was desperate for people

So, in a world where you don’t fit in, look

“I JUST DON’T FIT IN!”

to accept me, but I didn’t know how to win

to God for your worth and acceptance. He

I repeated that line for most of my young

their approval.

accepts you because of who you are. You’re

life. As far back as I can remember, I strug-

I began serving as a pastor in 1991,

His if you have put your faith in His Son

gled with my self-worth, never feeling like

carry ing with me that same need. I was

for salvation.

I measured up to those around me.

No matter how hard I tried, I consistently

failed. It didn’t help that I had a terrible

speech impediment. My speech was so

bad that my grandmother could not understand

me. The kids at school teased

and laughed. I felt broken beyond repair.

I attended speech therapy in the first grade.

Ironic, isn’t it, that God would eventually

call me to preach?

My feelings of inadequacy increased at

so afraid of failing to meet the expectations

of those I was leading that I made

myself sick.

I quickly learned that I could not please

everyone, but instead of giving my efforts

to God, I just kept working harder. The

result wasn’t a pleased congregation—it

was personal exhaustion, complete with

headaches, stomach disorders, poor concentration,

and worry. I lost important

relationships as I attempted to earn the

Receive that truth, and you will experience

the full life only God can provide.

MICHAEL DIXON surrendered to God after

childhood trauma and addiction nearly destroyed

him. Today, Michael is a pastor, author, licensed

addiction specialist, and director of L.I.F.E.

Ministries. His curriculum, L.I.F.E. Ministries, helps

others find wholeness and freedom in Christ Jesus.

It can be purchased on Amazon and can be viewed

by the incarcerated on Edovo and through VL’s

platform on Pando.

PHOTO BY PARKER OVERTON PHOTOGRAPHY

age nine when I was molested. I wrestled

approval of people I’d never please.

constantly with overwhelming pain and

Finally, I realized Jesus didn’t

confusion, not understanding why such

want me to live that way. He want-

things were happening to me.

ed me to experience a whole and

IN A WORLD WHERE YOU DON’T FIT IN, LOOK

TO GOD FOR YOUR WORTH AND ACCEPTANCE.

By the time I was a teen, I’d given up trying

to earn approval. Instead I went into

full-blown rebellion. I withdrew from the

world—it didn’t want me anyway.

I turned to drugs and alcohol as an escape,

attempting to dull my inner pain and

the memories. My drug use increased as

I pushed the limits for a bigger buzz and

a higher high. There was not a drug I

wouldn’t use if given the opportunity.

My drug buddies liked to twist an old

Life cereal commercial, saying, “Give it

to Mikey. He’ll try it. He’ll try anything.”

I didn’t care—at least this group of fellow

drug users accepted me.

It would take much hardship and loss to

abundant life (John 10:10). He

wants that for all of us, no matter

who or where we are.

A common obstacle to living out

the full life God intends for us is

the false belief that our value originates

from what we do. We end

up working ourselves to death trying

to become who we think we’re

“supposed” to be.

If that’s you, let me share the

good news that finally set me free:

Our value isn’t in what we do but in

who we are, especially as believers.

Our value is realized in our relationship

with God.


STEPPING FORWARD

PHOTO BY ARIZONA PORTRAITS

MY CHILDHOOD WAS DARK. But with

God, I’m returning to painful moments and

finding healing.

One such memory takes me back to our

community pool in Sacramento. I can still

hear my uncle calling me down to the deep

end. I knew what would happen before I put

my toes on the pool’s edge.

“Jump!” he’d say. “I’ll catch you.” I knew

better. I also knew I didn’t have a choice.

Paralyzed by fear, I’d pee myself as I looked

around, waiting for someone to help me.

People were all around, but no one ever

stepped in.

The look in my uncle’s eyes warned me not

to scream or run. It also gave me a glimpse

of what would be waiting for me at home if

I didn’t jump. So I jumped—not because I

trusted him, not because it was fun, but because

it was what I had to do.

My uncle never caught me. He found joy in

watching me struggle beneath the surface.

When he couldn’t get away with it any longer,

he’d pull me up, laughing like it was a game.

But it wasn’t a game to me.

GOD’S LOVE

WON’T FAIL

Looking back, I see it for what it was.

Moments like that were part of my uncle’s

BY JC ALMANZA

WITH KRISTI OVERTON JOHNSON

Abuse came early

for JC, clouding his

understanding of

love and leading him

to a life of survival.

sick pattern to scare, confuse, and hurt me.

Afterward, he’d take me out for pizza. That,

too, was a game—feed me after breaking me.

I was only five, but I took it like a grown-up.

Some part of me imagined that my uncle’s

actions were a form of love. I also thought

obedience was what I had to do to be cared

for. My uncle always made sure my mom,

sisters, and I knew that if it weren’t for him,

we’d be homeless. We were a burden to him

with a price tag.

I loved my mom and sisters, so I did whatever

my uncle asked of me. I jumped so we

could survive.

Encounters like this one, and worse, took

a toll on my mental health and led me down

dark paths. I thought my life was hopeless

until I met the love of God.

God’s love changed everything. It taught

me what love should look like so that I could

receive it and give it.

So what does love look like? Love is

kind and patient; it’s never rude or demanding.

Love gives, heals, and helps; it

never takes, hurts, or disappoints. Love

strengthens, catches, and carries; it never

fails, drops, or abandons. (See Deuteronomy

1:31; Joshua 1:9; John 3:16; Romans

5:8, 10:11; 1 Corinthians 13:4–7; Philippians

4:13; and 2 Peter 3:9.)

God and Jesus have demonstrated this

type of love throughout history.

My walk with God has often led me to what

feels like the deep end of a pool. And His love

has asked me to leap by

faith into waters too deep

for me. At times, I’ve stood

on the edge, paralyzed

by fear. But somehow, I

keep finding the courage

to leap. In some strange

way, what I experienced

as a little boy developed a

resiliency to jump and to

keep jumping.

But you know what?

Unlike my uncle, my

heavenly Father has

never asked me to jump

so that He can hurt me.

He’s never let me sink, nor does He find joy

in my struggle. God—because He is love—has

always caught me. He is with me and for me,

and nothing can separate me from His love.

(See Isaiah 43:2; Romans 8:38; 1 John 4:8.)

Perhaps past experiences have led you to

a warped view of love. Maybe, like me, you

didn’t have good examples of love, and as a

result, you found yourself in painful places

of survival.

There is hope in God. You can trust Him.

God the Father is not like the people who

have hurt you in the past. He won’t fail you.

He can’t, because in Him, there is no darkness

(1 John 1:5).

JC ALMANZA is on a journey of learning and

growing, experiencing mental, emotional, and

physical healing along the way. He is committed

to helping others find the peace and joy that has

transformed his life. For more information, go to

Wrong2Strong.com.


Issue 03 / 2025

9

THE

FAITHFUL

GOODNESS

OF GOD

THE STORY OF

MARGARET MANGUM

If you had told me years ago that I would

be ministering to people, I wouldn’t have

believed you.

I used to think I wasn’t good enough for

God to use, let alone qualified to speak on

His behalf. But I’ve learned that God isn’t

looking for perfect people to use for His

glory, and He doesn’t need or expect us

to have it all together. He meets us in the

middle of our mess and makes something

beautiful from our brokenness.

I grew up in church, attending at least

twice a week. But I don’t remember

feeling God’s love there. The messages

I recall were filled with hellfire and

damnation. They made me fear constantly

that I didn’t measure up.

I walked to the altar more Sundays

than I could count to make sure God and

I were good. But by Monday morning, I

already felt like a failure.

Seeds of guilt, fear, and shame had

taken root deep within me, and I was

convinced that I had failed God.

It didn’t help that I had undiagnosed

ADHD. At school, I couldn’t keep my desk

clean, I turned in messy, unfinished

work, and was often paddled in front of

the class for talking too much. A spanking

at school meant another one at home.

Outside of school, I had few friends.

I was rarely invited back to sleepovers.

One girl told me it was because I got on

her mother’s nerves. I felt out of place

everywhere.

When I was 15, I was chosen for a traveling

singing group from my church. I

was excited, and for the first time, I felt

hopeful that maybe I was “good enough.”

But then I confided in a friend about experimenting

with marijuana, and she told

a leader. I was kicked out of the group.

Our family left the church shortly after.

That moment of honesty became a

defining moment. It confirmed what

I feared most: I didn’t belong—not in

church, and certainly not with God.

That same year, my mom left my father.

We moved into low-income housing, and

I began working full-time at a grocery

store to help Mom make ends meet.

At 17, I became pregnant. Terrified and

ashamed, I made the devastating decision

to have an abortion. The hardest part

was telling my mom—my only consistent

source of human love.



I expected judgment, maybe even rejection,

but instead, Mom wrapped me

in her arms and cried with me. She extended

undeserved mercy and grace like

I’d never known. But I couldn’t accept

either for myself, nor could I imagine

that God would offer the same. I know

now that the grace flowing through her

came from Jesus.

When I was 18, my mom met and

quickly married a man who turned out to

be abusive. Two years later, at 40, she became

pregnant and was then diagnosed

with aggressive breast cancer. Doctors

recommended an abortion to save her

life, but she chose to trust God and carry

the baby. Watching her fight for her baby’s

life reminded me of what I had taken

from my own. I felt so ashamed.

In due time, she gave birth to a healthy

daughter and began chemotherapy. My

stepfather, who often used religion as

a weapon, told me that if I had enough

faith, God would heal my mother. But

three years later, she passed.

Her death dug a deeper hole in my

guilt-filled heart. If I’d only had more

faith, Mom would still be alive, I told myself.

I was sure her death was my fault.

I got married just before my mother

passed. My husband and I had two

beautiful daughters and began attending

church, hoping to instill moral values.

But the church was more of a social club,

and many leaders lived double lives. I

grew bitter toward religion and began to

question if God even existed at all.

Later, my husband’s promotion took

us to a new city. I worked long hours as

a nurse, desperately trying to keep it

together, and became quite homesick.

Things changed when a coworker invited

me to church, and despite my previous

experiences, I decided to go.

The moment I walked into her church,

something stirred in my soul. The worship

was unlike anything I’d ever experienced

before. I could feel God’s presence

and love.

One Sunday, a year later, the pastor

preached on Ephesians 6:4: “[Parents]

do not exasperate your children...by the

way you treat them” (NLT). The scripture

convicted me, as I knew I’d been

provoking my daughters, pressuring

them to become the perfect girls I’d

never been.

That day, I surrendered everything

to God—marriage, career, children, and

my quest for perfection. Lying face down

on the floor, I begged Jesus to show me

who He really was. Suddenly, I recalled

my mother. I saw her with arms opened

wide, full of love, grace, and acceptance.

I joined a women’s Bible study and

dove into God’s Word. I journaled and

listened for His voice. His Word came

alive within me, and my heart revived as

I learned about His goodness and faithfulness.

For the first time, I saw that God

was not frustrated with me or judging

me as a failure. He loved me and longed

to free me from the many lies I believed

about Him and myself.

As I matured, I was invited to teach.

One class led to another, and soon I had

a small group of women regularly attending

my studies. But over time, my identity

became wrapped up in teaching, and I

became prideful. A wise pastor encouraged

me to step back. Though it was hard,

I listened.

Two months later, social services asked

my husband and me to take temporary

custody of two children from someone

we dearly loved. One was a toddler, the

other a baby. Our lives changed overnight.

That season was extremely difficult

for us and pushed my husband and me

to the edge. The children had significant

GOD ISN’T

LOOKING FOR

PERFECT PEOPLE

TO USE FOR HIS

GLORY. HE MEETS

US IN OUR MESS.

emotional and developmental needs, and

we were in our fifties. I worked full time

while trying to care for them. Challenging

though it was, we were eventually granted

permanent custody.

We each coped in different ways. My

biggest coping mechanism was control. I

tried desperately to fix situations and to

protect those I loved. I also tried to make

everyone turn to the Lord for help. But in

doing so, I pushed my loved ones

away from both me and God.

One child’s needs became so

intense that we were told they

might never function in a traditional

school setting. I switched

my job to part time, and began

homeschooling and searching

for answers. Then one day,

someone mentioned a specialized

school that offered the

Just as Margaret and her

husband, Conley, entered

their golden years, they

unexpectedly returned to

parenthood.


Issue 03 / 2025

11

PHOTO TO LEFT BY S.H.A.R.P.; PHOTO RIGHT BY GERI SIMPKINS PHOTOGRAPHY

Above: Margaret’s heart for Christ delivers

hope to the incarcerated at her local jail.

Right: Those who attended last year‘s

Revival of Hope got to meet Margaret and

hear her heartfelt testimony.

exact support we needed. God whispered,

“I see you. I’ve got this situation.”

But still, my marriage suffered under

the weight of it all. When our youngest

turned 18, I decided the most loving thing

I could do was leave my husband. So, after

44 years of marriage, I put that relationship

in God’s hands and walked away. It

was the wake-up call we both needed.

Three months later, with counseling and

surrender and a lot of hard work, we reunited.

Today, because of God’s goodness,

our marriage is stronger than ever. We are

retired, enjoying each other’s presence, and

serving and worshipping the Lord together.

God restored what I thought was lost.

Life was finally going along smoothly,

until about three years ago, when I was

diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment.

I was crushed and cried out to God,

“Why?” But then I heard CeCe Winans sing

“The Goodness of God.”

YOU ARE NOT YOUR

WORST MISTAKE.

YOU ARE NOT

DAMAGED GOODS.

GOD LOVES YOU

JUST AS YOU ARE.

The lyrics reached deep into my soul,

reminding me that all my life, despite

my choices, God had been faithful to me.

I wept as memories of His faithfulness

washed over me. At a conference soon

after, I saw a pillow with the same words.

I felt like God kissed me through that moment.

He hadn’t left me—He was right

there, reminding me, whispering, “I have

always been with you, Margaret.” (See

Isaiah 41:10; Matthew 28:20.)

I don’t know what my future holds. It

is becoming more difficult to think, plan,

and remember. But with each challenge,

I am becoming more dependent on God

and more determined to declare His

faithfulness. As long as I have breath, I

want to tell people everywhere how good

God is, and that He is still there, loving

and caring for them and desiring to know

and use them.

I hope you know that this good news

includes you. You are not your worst

mistake. You are not damaged goods.

As you’ve seen, I’m not perfect, but

Jesus still chose me—not because I

was good, but because He is good.

Romans 5:8 reveals an amazing

truth. It says, “God showed his great

love for us by sending Christ to die

for us while we were still sinners”

(NLT). God sent His Son, Jesus, to die

for us before we ever got one thing

right. His love runs that deep! He

never gives up on us—not even when we

give up on Him.

If you don’t know personally how faithful

and good God is, I hope that today

you will open your heart to receive Him.

Just ask: “Jesus, show me who You are.”

He will.

Don’t worry, you don’t have to clean up

first. Come just as you are. He’s already

made a way for you to be clean, and He

will accept you. He is ready to rewrite

your story like He did mine.

God turned this broken, insecure,

legalistic, shame-filled woman into a

living testament of His grace. He can do

that for you, too.

MARGARET MANGUM serves at her local

church and volunteers with Victorious Living,

writing letters to the incarcerated and sharing

her story in jail and prison. She’s a wife, mother,

grandmother, and great-grandmother who makes

the goodness of God known to all.


STEPPING FORWARD

GOD IS GOOD, AND SO IS HIS

PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE, THOUGH IT

OFTEN LOOKS VERY DIFFERENT

THAN WHAT WE ENVISION.

Embrace

God’s Plan

IN FEBRUARY 2020, I MET KRISTI, the founder of Victorious

Living Ministries, at a Rescued Not Arrested (RNA) volunteer banquet.

Our lives had taken very different paths before that night, but we

would soon learn that God was connecting us for a special purpose.

That evening, I shared how Jesus Christ had changed my life in

prison after I received a copy of His Word from RNA volunteers. As I

stepped off the stage, Kristi approached me, handed me a Victorious

Living magazine, and asked me to consider sharing my story.

I hesitated for a couple of weeks before I finally hammered out my

testimony and sent it to her. I didn’t really expect a response, but the

next day, I learned my story would be published in VL’s April 2020

issue, alongside RNA’s founder, Roger Munchian.

“You’re an incredible writer, Christina!” Kristi said, encouraging me

to submit more articles. She didn’t know about my almost-forgotten

childhood dream of being a writer. Likewise, I didn’t know Kristi had

prayed for help with the magazine. God brought us together at just

the right time to join forces in writing stories for His glory.

In July 2021, I officially joined the Victorious Living Ministries team.

Kristi and I joyfully collaborated on the magazine’s production for the

next several years, hopefully frustrating Satan with every testimony

written (Revelation 12:11).

However, over time, our working relationship encountered some

challenges. In my role as production manager, I struggled to meet

writing deadlines and keep up with the growing needs of the ministry.

Something had to change.

After prayer and some difficult, honest conversations, we both

agreed that it was time to redefine my role. I was taken aback by

the unexpected waves of grief. Losing something important to us

always hurts.

BY CHRISTINA KIMBREL

Negative thoughts and feelings of shame and failure

arose, and I had to remind myself that my worth

and value aren’t tied to a title or role but to God’s

unchanging love and the unique gifts He’s given me

to do His work.

King David faced a similar situation. He decided to

build a temple for God, where the Ark of the Covenant

could rest and people could worship the Lord. But

God wanted the temple to be built by someone with

peacekeeping qualities that David, a warrior, didn’t

possess. Imagine the king’s disappointment when

he learned that God had chosen Solomon, his son, to do the

job instead of David (2 Samuel 7:1–17).

God wasn’t obligated to explain His decision. Still, He took

the time to remind David of His faithfulness and made important

promises regarding his throne and family.

David praised the Lord and put his heart into the work

God assigned to him (2 Samuel 7:18–28). From his royal

position, the king rallied the people’s support and served

his son by gathering materials and making other necessary

preparations. He set Solomon up for success in building the

temple and encouraged his son to “be strong and courageous,

and do the work” (1 Chronicles 28:20 NIV).

David’s response has helped me navigate this transition. I

don’t need to know what the next season holds because God

has already prepared my path (Proverbs 16:9; 19:21). I am

grateful for His call to serve Him and to Kristi for supporting

my growth as a writer and member of the Victorious Living

writing team. I am committed to doing whatever God asks

with integrity and excellence, just like David did.

Friend, are you disappointed over something that didn’t

turn out as you hoped? Please remember that feelings

aren’t facts. God is good, and so is His plan for your life, even

though it often looks very different than what we envision

(Isaiah 55:8–9).

Take a moment to reflect on God’s faithfulness in your life.

Keep your focus on Him and continue to move forward. And

in difficult times, be grateful that He has chosen you and

saved you for eternity.

Embracing His plan will bring you peace and fulfillment,

even when things don’t go as expected.

CHRISTINA KIMBREL develops content for use on VL’s many platforms.

Once incarcerated, she now ministers hope to those held captive by their

past and current circumstances by sharing the message of healing she

found in Jesus.


Issue 03 / 2025

13

God Still Has a Plan

THE STORY OF VARRONE WHITE

My life was almost over

before I’d even learned to

walk and talk. By the age of

two, I had nearly died from

eating poisonous berries,

was traumatized by a big

dog, and was revived by CPR

when I drowned in a local

pool. I’m sure my parents

were relieved to send me off

to daycare where I’d be less

likely to fall into danger.

But they quickly had new concerns. I

threw fits, bit my teachers, hit my classmates,

and destroyed my toys. No one could

calm me down.

My parents tried everything they could

think of to straighten me out, but their punishment,

born out of frustration, quickly

escalated into verbal and physical abuse.

The beatings were terrible, but my mother’s

exasperated words hurt worse.

“You’re not normal,” she said. “Something

is wrong with you.” To me, this translated

to, “You are defective, flawed, and

unlovable.”

When I was nine, my parents announced

they were divorcing. The news was crippling,

and I imagined I was to blame. Certain

that my family would be better off without

me, I attempted suicide. That landed me in

a mental institution, but I left there in worse

shape than before.

I returned to public school, but it wasn’t

long before I was kicked out and placed in a

special school for emotionally handicapped

kids. I hated being labeled as different.

It only confirmed what I already knew—

something was wrong with me.

I carried around a great boulder of anger

for many years.



Local gang members noticed me when

my hot temper led me into numerous fights.

I’d looked up to them for years, and now

they were cheering me on. I became addicted

to their applause; I craved it like a

junkie craves drugs.

I joined the gang at 12. I fought and

robbed anyone to prove myself and keep

the applause coming. Man’s praise turned

me into a brutal monster. The more recognition

I received, the more ruthless I

became. My insecurity and pride turned

me into the devil’s pawn. I was willing to

do his dirty work—anything—to get those

guys’ approval.

But while I was doing my dirt on the

street, God kept sending people to point

me to Him. I wasn’t raised in a Christian

home, but I believed God existed. Strangers

of all sorts, even little old ladies, would stop

to tell me about Him. My mom had grown

close to God by this time, and she also urged

me to seek Him. She took me to church,

prayed for me, and repeatedly warned me

to change my ways.

During one of my trips to juvie, Mom encouraged

me to read the Bible. “Just ask God

what He wants you to read, son. He’ll answer

you,” she assured me. I tried reading, but

nothing made sense at first. I decided to do

as Mom said.

“Okay, God, what do You want me to

read?” I asked. Immediately, the word

Matthew flashed across my mind. I opened

my Bible to the Gospel of Matthew and there,

I met God for the first time. It felt like He

was sitting in my cell with me.

Jesus’s words in His Sermon on the

Mount cut especially deep (Matthew 5–7).

God’s Holy Spirit dealt directly with me

about my life, convicting me of my sin. For

the first time, I realized how spiritually poor

I was—separated from God and in desperate

need of a Savior.

With my Bible still open, I considered following

Jesus. But then I thought about all

the fun I still wanted to have—I was only 15!

Maybe I should wait. I had barely completed

that thought when my eyes fell on Jesus’s

words at the end of Matthew 7.

“Everyone who hears these words of mine

and doesn’t put them into practice is like a

foolish man who built his house on sand”

(v. 26 NIV). That freaked me out. I didn’t

want to be like that foolish dude whose

whole life came crumbling down when a

storm came (v. 27).

Not long after, I heard the gospel

preached during a church service, and I

decided I wanted Jesus’s forgiveness. I confessed

my faith in Jesus and was born again

(John 3:3; 1 Peter 1:23), right there in juvie.

I didn’t feel much different afterward, but

my mom immediately noticed something

had changed. She watched me walk across

the visitation room to hug her and, fighting

back tears, she said, “I see Jesus in you!“

After my release, I struggled to stay on

track, but I was way too casual about Christ’s

place in my life. I still wanted to do things

my way. It wasn’t long before my old self

and my bad habits crept back in.

violence, I jumped back into the gang, rebelling

against God and His call on my life.

I acted like I’d never known Him.

But as I ran from God, homicide detectives

were running after me. I was the prime

suspect in two separate murder cases, and

those officers left no stone unturned in their

hunt for me.

God even attempted to reach me through

a total stranger. The woman looked directly

into my eyes as I robbed her family at gunpoint

and said, “God still loves you. He still

has a plan for you.“ The Holy Spirit spoke

to me through that lady and shook me to

the core.

In His grace, God was so patient with me.

His love and goodness followed me (Psalm

23:6), and there was nowhere I could hide

(Psalm 139:7–10). There was nowhere I

could hide from the police either.

I was ready to stop seeking approval

from people and start living for something

of eternal value—Jesus Christ.

I’m done wasting my loyalty, Lord.

I’m all in, I prayed.

With one foot in church and the other in

the world, I fell. Every time I landed in jail,

I’d pick up God’s Word again and start reading.

My relationship with Him grew while I

was inside, but as soon as I was released, I’d

return to my mess (Proverbs 26:11).

One of my aunts told me to ask God what

His calling was for my life. I felt the Lord

calling me to minister to troubled youth. I

found that ironic, considering my situation.

Things got a little better after my 18th

birthday. I dated a good Christian girl, got

a great job, and attended church regularly.

But it didn’t last. I was stuck in a cycle I

didn’t know how to break.

After I verbally abused and cheated on

my girl, she broke up with me. I felt rejected,

even though I knew it was my fault.

Driven by anger and a renewed thirst for

My reign of terror ended three days after

that lady spoke to me. A swarm of police and

a S.W.A.T. team took me down and booked

me into Maricopa County Jail in Phoenix

for first-degree murder and two aggravated

assault charges.

A few days later, God woke me around

3:00 a.m. to ask me a question. “Can you hear

Me now?“ His question reminded me of those

old cell phone commercials.

“Yes, Lord, I hear You.“

His next question caught me off guard.

“Who are you?“

“Umm, I don’t know?” That was true, but

I had never admitted it to anyone before,

not even myself.

“It’s time to let Me show you who you really

are.” And on that hot August day in 2001,

from my top bunk in an Arizona jail cell,


Issue 03 / 2025

15

It felt good not to run from things anymore

but instead to trust God with the outcome.

I finally surrendered my life to the God who

had relentlessly pursued me.

The Lord began peeling back the layers of

my false identity, revealing that I had been

living a lie since I was 12. I’d wasted precious

time and caused unspeakable harm to

others. I was ready to stop seeking approval

from people and start living for something

of eternal value—Jesus Christ. After all, He

died for me. How could I not live for Him?

I’m done wasting my loyalty, Lord. I’m all in,

I prayed.

Miraculously, the murder charge was

dropped, and I was able to spend some time

with my family before going to prison for

10 years for the assault charges in 2002.

While in prison, I kept my eyes fixed on

the Lord and grew stronger in my walk. I

had served four years when I was charged

with second-degree murder in an unrelated

case. I went back to court and took

responsibility for my actions. I ended up

with additional time, but it felt good not to

run from things anymore but instead trust

God with the outcome.

As I faced my victim’s family in court for

the first time, the Lord revealed the deep pain

my actions had caused. A mother, father,

and daughter sat silently staring at me—the

Varrone is grateful for mentors such as Chaplain

Samuel Lee (top) and Pastor Chuck Foreman

(bottom), who poured into his life on both sides

of prison walls. Pictured (bottom) co-leading a

service at First Christian Church in Phoenix.

man who had taken their loved one away. I

left the courtroom overwhelmed with grief

and the sorrowful repentance I had read

about in the Bible (2 Corinthians 7:10).

I spent the next two decades in prison

while the Lord transformed me from a monster

into the solid man of God I am today.

It was a painful and complex process, but I

had nothing to lose and everything to gain

(Philippians 3:8–10).

I avoided prison politics carefully, but

there were other tests and distractions. I

had to be vigilant not to let the enemy gain

any ground (Ephesians 4:27; 1 Peter 5:8).

My mother and grandmother died six

weeks apart, and I grieved hard. My world

was shaking, but I had a firm foundation

(Psalm 16:8). Jesus was my rock and my

source of support as I struggled with the

depression and grief that followed.

I lost my father in 2017, right before I

was transferred to ASPC Florence North

Unit. But God had an assignment waiting

for me there that kept me from slipping

into despair. I leaned on Him for strength

and forged forward.

At my new location, I worked for Chaplain

Samuel Lee, and he became my mentor.

With his support, my discipleship training

advanced quickly. I also connected with

other brothers in Christ who encouraged

me to embrace God’s gifts and stay focused

on His mission after my release. Men like

Chaplain Lee and Richard Moore, another

mentor for over 20 years, strengthened my

faith as my time in prison came to an end.

In 2022, I emerged from prison a free

man, not because the gates had finally

swung open to let me out, but because

Christ had already set me free on the inside

from anger, approval-addiction, and many

other things (John 8:32, 36).

I was released into the Men’s Discipleship

Training program at Along Side Ministries,

where a whole community embraced me

with Christ’s love. I felt an incredible sense

of belonging.

The Lord has blessed me in ways I never

imagined, bringing a strong woman of God

into my life who encourages me daily. I have

a supportive church family and a career

mentoring the incarcerated. I’m also working

with Chaplain Lee at a release center in

Phoenix called New Freedom.

I help others, just as God said I would!

Despite my many mistakes, Satan was

unable to derail God’s plan for me. If you’re

wondering if it’s too late for you, I can tell

you, it’s not. God still loves you, and He still

has a plan.

VARRONE WHITE was an enemy of God and a

slave bound to the devil before Jesus broke every

chain. Today, Varrone tells others about Jesus, the

Savior who died so that we can live. He uses his

past experiences to help the incarcerated and returning

citizens find hope in their circumstances as

a leader at Along Side Ministries and New Freedom

in Phoenix.


TRANSFORMED LIVES

BY SHERIDAN CORREA

When Shortcomings Become

Long Goings

I DIDN’T SET OUT TO WANDER IN CIRCLES. No one does.

But I’d left some shortcomings unchecked, and they became “long

goings.” They took me farther than I wanted to go, kept me longer

than I wanted to stay, and cost me more than I ever intended to pay.

We all have shortcomings. Whether it’s pride, people-pleasing,

addiction, avoidance, anger, or something else, we all have character

flaws and unhealthy patterns that for us feel comfortably familiar.

But don’t be fooled. Those comfortable things are not friendly

tour guides. They lead us on long goings—painful detours that cause

us to wander in the wilderness of disconnection and destruction.

And those detours take us far from the promised land of freedom,

purpose, and peace—the life God designed for us to live.

We can learn from the Israelites’ long going in Exodus. Millions of

God’s people wandered around the wilderness for nearly 40 years

because of their rebellion and unbelief. And as they wandered,

they played the blame game and justified their actions. We do the

same. We overcomplicate what God makes simple.

Scripture often describes God’s way as “straight.” Proverbs 3:6

tells us that He makes our paths straight when we trust Him. Isaiah

40:3 says that God even straightens out our crooked paths.

For years, I was on a crooked path due to my disobedience, rebellion,

and pride. I resisted the hard work of honesty and healing,

feared vulnerability, clung to control, and chased things that were

never satisfied.

I said things like, “It’s not that bad,” and “I’ll stop tomorrow” as

I wandered around the dryest of lands. I even convinced myself

that God understood. And He did. But understanding isn’t the

same as endorsing.

Fortunately, God loves us too much to let us settle in cycles of

self-destruction. He knows the longer we stay there, the deeper

we will fall into unhealthy behaviors, misbeliefs, and shame. We’ll

become disconnected from God, distanced from others, too far

gone, and oh, so lost.

I still deal every day with the damage my long goings caused.

Healing takes time and hard work. But that’s where the miracle

of grace comes in. Even if we’ve taken the long road, it’s never too

late to turn around. The minute we ask for help, God meets us

right where we are, points, and says, “This is the way; walk in it”

(Isaiah 30:21 NIV).

God doesn’t shame us for our detours. Every time we admit and

surrender a shortcoming, He reorders our steps and restores the

years the locusts have eaten (Joel 2:25–27). Our God can even make

a way where there is no way (Isaiah 43:16, 19).

These days, I’m learning to take the quicker path by trusting

God and obeying Him. His way truly is better and helps me avoid

painful paths. I no longer want to argue with Him—that only stalls

and sabotages my progress.

When I feel tempted to retreat into old mindsets or behaviors,

I ask myself: Will this choice lead me toward connection or away

from it? Toward healing or deeper into hurt? Toward God or away

from Him? These questions help me avoid unnecessary, painful

journeys.

Perhaps you’re on a journey like that now. Let me offer you some

hope. You don’t have to earn your way back to God’s straight path.

You need only to take honest steps in His direction, surrendering

your life, shortcomings and all, to Him. In that place of surrender,

you’ll find love, acceptance, and help to walk a new, better path.

You’ll still face resistance. As you go, old patterns will call to you,

but they don’t get the final word. Jesus does! He says, “My grace is

sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness”

(2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV).

God is still in the business of turning even the longest, ugliest,

most shameful long going into a beautiful testimony of transformation.

My life is proof.

His love always knows the way.

SHERIDAN CORREA is a trauma-informed biblical counselor who serves as

the wellness program director for Victorious Living. A wife and mother of two

teenage boys, Sheridan has been radically changed by Jesus.


Issue 03 / 2025

17

A

RECKLESS

REBEL FINDS

REDEMPTION

THE STORY OF ZACH WILLIAMS

I’d been reckless for years, rebelling

against everything my parents taught me. I

got away with it, too, because they believed

every lie I told them.

My wild ways caught up with me in my

senior year of high school when a teammate

ratted on me and the rest of the team

for smoking weed on school property after

hours. Ultimately, my two best friends and

I were kicked off the basketball team and

expelled from school.

Overnight, I became like a modern-day

leper. Friends deserted me, my girlfriend

dumped me…well, her dad banned her

from seeing me anymore and she complied.

The Division 1 scholarships I’d been offered

were withdrawn, crushing my dreams of

playing in both college and the NBA.

It felt like my life was over.

My actions also impacted my family.

My parents were godly people who always

extended God’s love and grace, no matter

how far I went. They didn’t deserve the embarrassment

I caused them and the rejection

of so-called friends, many of whom

attended the church where Dad served as

a worship leader.

They fought a very public battle for me,

getting school board officials to let me back

in after a 10-day suspension. But there’d

be no more basketball.

Angry and hurt over what I considered

unfair treatment, I refused to return to

school. With my parents’ blessing, I took

the necessary tests, received my GED, and

went to work for my father at his construction

business, hanging drywall.

I was given a second chance to play college

basketball when a man saw me playing

in a local adult league. He was impressed

by my skills and said he would call a local

junior college on my behalf if I thought I

could keep myself out of trouble. I promised

to be on my best behavior.

This man was true to his word and got

me a tryout. A few weeks later, the school

offered a full-ride scholarship. My family

and I were thankful for the opportunity.

I settled quickly into college life, especially

the party scene. With more

time on my hands and living apart from

the watchful eyes of my parents, I took

my party game to a whole new level. My

coach warned me to get myself under control,

but I didn’t. And before long, I was

sidelined.

It wasn’t something I did that ended my

basketball career, however. It was something

I didn’t do. It happened during a

walk-through practice the day before our

first game. Knowing we’d be slow-moving,

I didn’t bother to lace my shoes. It wouldn’t

have been a big deal except that I dunked

the ball, came down on another guy’s foot,

and tore all the ligaments in my ankle.

That careless choice sidelined me for

the entire season. I felt so stupid. During

this frustrating time, though, I discovered

what eventually led me to my God-given

purpose—the guitar.

I first picked up my roommate’s acoustic

guitar out of sheer boredom. The team

was away on a road trip, and I needed a

distraction. The minute I held it, it felt like

I’d met an old friend. I knew we’d always

be together.

Eager to learn, I bought a beginner’s

guitar manual at the local music store.

My first song was Bob Dylan’s “Knockin’

on Heaven’s Door.”

The next time I visited home, I asked Dad

if I could take his 12-string Epiphone guitar

back to school with me. He said yes, but not

before chuckling at my confidence. I guess

most people don’t pick up a 12-string guitar

and teach themselves to play. We were

yet unaware of the gift God had given me.

I returned to the basketball court after

I healed to maintain my scholarship. It

seemed the right thing to do, but by then,

my love for music overshadowed my love

for basketball.

I practiced the guitar with the same intensity

I had once played ball, and it paid

off. Soon, invitations came to play in bars,

garages, and parties. I quickly took on what

I considered the persona of a rock star, and

my drinking, drugging, and womanizing

moved to a whole new level.

Despite all my extracurricular activities,

I managed to graduate with an associate’s

degree in commercial art, then continued

PHOTO COURTESY OF ZACH WILLIAMS



on to Arkansas State to study graphic design.

I moved back in with my folks during

that time and worked with Dad.

It wasn’t easy hiding my rock star lifestyle

from my folks, especially on the

worksite. I showed up to work high as a

kite on a daily basis. I didn’t think anything

of it, though. To me, if I could get up, go to

work, and do my job, then my drug and

alcohol use wasn’t a problem. It was one

of many lies I told myself.

One night, I went to hear a band play at a

local bar. During their break, I talked with

the bass player and shared my love of music.

To my surprise, he invited me on stage

that night to sing. The other band members

were so impressed with my performance

that they asked me to join their band. They

even changed their name to Zach Williams

and the Reformations. That was in 2007; I

was 29 years old.

Not only did my music career take off,

but my personal life also improved significantly

when I spotted a beautiful girl in the

crowd. Crystal was in a relationship with a

band photographer when I first introduced

myself. But it wasn’t long before she gave

way to my bold, persistent, and admittedly

obnoxious advances.

I eventually moved in with her and her

two kids. I wish I could say I cleaned up

my act and supported them, but I didn’t.

I exercised no regard for how my actions

impacted anyone.

Crystal was about to kick me out of the

house when we discovered she was pregnant

with our little boy. This was just the news I

needed to get my act together, and I promised

her I’d change. I doubt she believed me,

but she agreed to marry me anyway.

Like many who promise to change, I

continued doing what I’d always done. If

Crystal said something about my behavior,

I reminded her that she knew what she was

getting when she married me. My parents

had no idea about the hell I was putting

their daughter-in-law and grandchildren

through. Crystal carried those burdens

alone.

Our band grew in popularity, and we

went on a month-long European tour

where we were treated like real rock stars.

Crystal knew all too well what was happening

on the road. She could hear it in my

slurred, often angry and abusive words

when I’d call home. As always, I’d apologize

when I sobered up and promise to improve.

Better behavior looked promising after

one of the guitarists from our band invited

me to attend church with him. Tired of

the rock and roll life, Robby had recently

started attending church and even joined

the worship band.


Issue 03 / 2025

19


I was sick of who I was. I was tired of

hurting and disappointing my family

and myself. I wasn’t sure if there was

anything usable in me, but if there

was, God could have it.

I was shocked initially, but unlike other

band members, I didn’t poke fun at it. I

thought it was cool and surprised us both

when I accepted his invitation to attend

church with him.

To this day, I’m not sure what made me

say yes. It must have been a God thing. Ever

since my youth, I’d had such a bad taste in

my mouth for churchgoers, always feeling

judged and rejected. Crystal had never been

a churchgoer, but she was ready to give anything

a try. We went the very next Sunday.

I couldn’t believe how welcoming the

people were to us. Not only that, but the

pastor’s messages drew me in. I imagined

I could experience a different life and felt

an odd sense that I was finally home.

For the first time in our marriage, I abstained

from drugs and alcohol. Perfect

timing too, as we’d recently discovered

Crystal was pregnant with our daughter.

But then came another month-long

European tour. Crystal begged me not

to go, but I couldn’t let the band down. I

promised her I’d go on tour, do my job, and

come home—and there’d be no partying. I

was sure I was strong enough to withstand

any temptation. But I soon understood that

even though my spirit was willing, my flesh

was weak (Matthew 26:41).

I wasn’t in Europe long before I was guzzling

the alcohol. I called home in an angry,

drunken stupor one night and lit into

Crystal. Devastated, she put me on speaker

phone so that my mother, who just happened

to be at our house for an in-home

party selling beauty products, could hear

her belligerent son. My mother finally saw

the extent of my brokenness and the pain

I was putting my family through.

I realized what I’d done when I woke up

the next morning. I felt lower than low, especially

after listening to Mom’s voice message.

She made her disappointment in me

and her alliance with Crystal quite clear. I

could have drowned in my guilt and shame.

I’d blown it again. I’d let everyone down,

including God. Fear and regret told me I

wasn’t worthy of anyone’s love.

Later, in my hotel room, I cried out, “God,

if You’re real…if You’re who You say You

are…if You can show me that You’re there,

then I’ll be done with this life. I’ll walk away

from it all and never look back.”

The next day, I climbed on the tour bus

and settled in for an 8-hour drive through

Spain. A few hours in, I removed my headphones,

put down the book I was reading,

and looked out the window. Our bus driver

started scanning the radio stations and

stopped on a song that caught my attention.

The words were unlike the songs I

listened to. They described my current

condition—bound up, unworthy, full of


FAR RIGHT CREDIT IMAGE: © LAURA FARR/ADMEDIA VIA ZUMA WIRE PHOTO CREDIT ALAMY

shame and regret. But they also promised

freedom and said that I didn’t have to be

who I used to be. It was like the artist had

written that song about me and for me.

That night, I looked up the song; it was

Big Daddy Weave’s, “Redeemed.” I listened

to it repeatedly, knowing without a doubt

God was revealing Himself to me through

the words of that song. I called my wife and

told her I would quit the band and come

home. The band didn’t share her excitement.

From that moment forward, I didn’t

look back.

The first thing I did when I returned

home was ask my family for forgiveness.

I’d hurt them in so many ways. A few days

later, I knelt in my closet and surrendered

my life to God.

I had no idea what words to pray, but I

offered all I had, which was an honest cry

for help. I was sick of who I was. I was tired

of hurting and disappointing my family

and myself. I wasn’t sure if there was anything

usable in me, but if there was, God

could have it.

As I prayed, a weight lifted, and I finally

felt as though I could breathe. It was June

10, 2012. I was 33 years old.

For the next six months, I focused on my

relationship with God and my family. My

goal was to be a better husband, father, and

son. I discovered a new passion for writing

faith-based music, but I wasn’t performing

my music for anyone.

Crystal encouraged me to go to a local

prison with her to share my new songs

and our story with incarcerated women.

I declined, but she wasn’t taking no for an

answer. The next time she went, she signed

me up and told me I was going. I dragged

Robby, the guitarist who had led me back

to church, to that prison with me.

Standing before those ladies, I was scared

to death as I sang my song, “Washed Clean.”

I felt as though I had nothing of value to

offer them. But I quickly learned it wasn’t

about what I had to offer, but what God

would do through me. All He needed was

my willingness to stand up and be used.

At the end of my song and testimony, I

prayed for those ladies, and when I opened

my eyes, I was shocked to see 35 of them on

their knees, giving their lives to the Lord.

Robby and I were in tears.

That was one incredibly redemptive moment

for me. After all I’d done, I could have

Left: Zach and his wife, Crystal, attending the

2020 Grammy Awards held at Staples Center in

Los Angeles, California.

Below: Zach and Dolly Parton performing their

Grammy award winning song, “There Was

Jesus,” at the 51st Annual CMA Awards in 2019.

It wasn’t about what

I had to offer, but

what God would

do through me. All

He needed was my

willingness to stand

up and be used.

easily been serving time in prison myself.

While there, I heard God speak clearly

for the first time, saying, “These are

the songs, these are the people, these are the

places, this is the music I have for you to write.”

Since then, I have embraced this calling,

writing songs of God’s redemptive love. He

has opened doors and used my life and

music in ways I never could have dreamed

(Ephesians 3:20).

As I sing for God and fulfill my calling,

whatever that may be, I feel comfortable

in my skin. I no longer feel like I must be

that guy—a basketball star or rock legend.

I can be who I was made to be, a voice for

people to know about the goodness of God.

There is nothing more freeing.

For a person like me who has made

many mistakes and continues to make

them, it is refreshing to know that God’s

chances are never used up. For years, I beat

myself up every time I made a mistake,

wrongly believing that God expected me

to be perfect.


Issue 03 / 2025

21

Zach’s rescue story was made possible

by the unconditional love of God and

his parents.

The truth is that God and His Son, Jesus,

are the only perfect ones. God knew

we would all need help getting it right on

this earth. That’s why He sent His Son to

die for us (John 3:16). God isn’t seeking

perfectionists; He desires people who will

passionately pursue Him.

These days, I’m learning to be a little

more gracious with myself. Don’t get me

wrong; I don’t set out to mess up, but I inevitably

do. The apostle Paul had this same

problem. (See Romans 7:15–25.)

I used to stay down and berate myself

for hours, sometimes days, when this happened.

But that’s not what God desires. He

paid too high a price for me to let me wallow

in shame and pity. What He wants is

for me to get up and run back home to Him

where I can receive His gift of forgiveness

and another chance.

People often delay receiving God’s gift of

forgiveness because they think they are too

far gone. Some believe they have to have

it all together before He will accept them.

But that’s not how God works. He welcomes

us just as we are, messes and all. God will

reveal Himself to anyone who dares to seek

Him. (See Matthew 7:7–8; James 4:8.)

If you’re someone who repeatedly misses

the mark, don’t lose hope. God isn’t

sitting on His throne in heaven with His

arms folded, totally disgusted with you. He

doesn’t regret going to the cross for you.

God pursues His children, no matter how

far or how fast we run. He doesn’t give up

on us. He never will.

I ran like the prodigal son for 15 years,

wasting everything my family and God

had given me. (See Luke 15:11–32.) But

all along, God had a plan for this reckless

rebel to be redeemed, and with His love,

He chased me down.

From the very beginning, God saw something

in me that I couldn’t see. Even when

I didn’t know it, He was there leading and

guiding me. Because of Him, I can now

stand on the other side of all my mess and

smile. God has taken all the broken pieces

of my life and made something beautiful

out of them for His glory.

He will do the same for you.

No matter what you’ve done, no matter

how many chances you’ve blown, no matter

how fast and far you’ve run…it’s not over.

God isn’t through with you. He is the God

of another chance, and right now, He’s extending

His hand to you. Grab it. I am proof

that God will welcome any rebel home.


God knew we would all need

help getting it right on this

earth. That’s why He sent His

Son to die for us.

ZACH WILLIAMS is a husband, father, and one

of contemporary Christian music’s leading artists,

having won two Grammy Awards. Through his music,

Zach helps people discover the love and grace of God.

His book, Rescue Story, reveals his journey home to

his heavenly Father and can be purchased wherever

books are sold. Visit zachwilliamsmusic.com.

22 Issue 03 / 2025


You are Loved,

No Matter What

THE STORY OF

KIM KETOLA

My mother always and openly

preferred my sister to me. I never

resented my sister, though. I loved

her, and as an adult, eventually saved

her life. As for my dad, I knew he

loved me, but he was seldom home,

and his work-related absence walled

off the warmth of his affection.


I didn’t resent my mother for her favoritism and rejection

either, though I did grieve her love. Somewhere

in my young heart, I agreed with what I imagined she

felt—I was insignificant, unattractive, and unacceptable.

I didn’t belong in the circle of her love.

I learned to put on a mask, hoping to win favor. I became

quite the little performer. I sang my first solo of

“Silent Night” in Spanish at my kindergarten graduation

without an ounce of stage fright. The attention and

applause fueled my desire to be seen and accepted—

to be loved.

Gaining esteem outside the home gave me some

standing with my mom, and I could see she was proud

of me as I advanced in theater and public speaking. I

was accepted at a top university in theater.

People said I was gifted, but on the day of my first

college audition, I froze. Negative thoughts assaulted

my mind. You don’t belong here. You’ll never be accepted.

They don’t need you. You don’t know anything.

I listened to those voices and left the auditorium

without trying out for a single play. Defeated, I began

smoking weed and going through the motions in my

classes. I became promiscuous, too. I was so eager for

attention that I gave away my body for nothing.

I quit college two years

later when a guy asked me

to move in with him. Imagine

my father’s hurt when

he learned how I’d squandered

my inheritance, myself,

and the opportunities

afforded to me. But just like

the father of another foolish

young soul in God’s Word

(Luke 15:11–32), my dad had only love for me.

At 20, I finally left that guy. I got a waitressing job and

moved to a studio apartment downtown. Dad was relieved.

One day, he suggested, “Why don’t you try radio?

There’s a vocational program here in town that I did at

Kim spent her early

years performing

for the attention of

her family.


Issue 03 / 2025

23

THE ATTENTION AND APPLAUSE FUELED MY DESIRE

TO BE SEEN AND ACCEPTED—TO BE LOVED.

Kim and her

mother on her

wedding day,

celebrating God’s

gift of restoration.

your age. I even got on the air

in Paducah, Kentucky. You’ve

got such a great voice—you’ll

be fantastic!”

I was working toward this

goal when I met a young man

at the restaurant where I

worked. He lavished me with

poetry and flowers, telling

me he loved me and that

we’d marry. I loved him, too.

We stayed together as

I completed my studies. I

landed a radio gig in a nearby

town and commuted

home to him on weekends

for a year. And then I got

a break—I was hired in the Twin Cities, a major market,

and at 23, my relaunch felt complete.

Three months later, I got pregnant. I wasn’t too concerned

at first; surely, we’d get married. But then my

fiancé announced matter-of-factly, “The timing is off.

Get an abortion, and we’ll try again later.”

Others affirmed that his decision would be best. I

never even asked myself what I wanted. Just like at

that audition, I froze, imagining the shame of being

unmarried and pregnant. But by now, I knew how to

play the part and go along with the script.

I checked out mentally and emotionally on that tragic

day, moving through the drama as if it were happening

to someone else. I was doing fine until an attendant

took my hand as the procedure was about to begin, and

asked if I was all right. Her small gesture woke me up,

and I knew that what was about to happen was wrong.

Picturing my fiancé in the waiting room, I felt nothing

but hatred. But then I imagined keeping this child and

being a single working mother. Impossible.

Feeling utterly alone and abandoned to this undesired

fate, I nodded at the lady and said, “I’m fine.”

Taking the life of my child took only a moment, but

I have lived with that moment ever since. Later that

night, I held my own hand, desperately trying to recall

the only kindness I’d felt that day. I found no comfort.

Desperate for approval and purpose, I turned to radio

as an escape and a source of redemption. I threw

myself into the job, which I loved, and proceeded up

the ranks, all the while unchaste in my lifestyle.

At 28, I experienced an urgent desire to

become a mother. I met a man and married

him nine months later. We were nominal

Christians who didn’t understand Jesus’s

love or the cross. We didn’t understand

each other either, nor did we have the faith to work

through our marital problems.

Despite our shortcomings, God granted us two beautiful

children, but after eight long and challenging

years, we divorced. His issues and my codependency

left us both without hope.

The weight of that failure drove me to a support

group, where I met a friend who told me about God’s

unconditional love and gift of forgiveness. She informed

me that, even though Jesus had seen every detail of my

life, He’d loved me through every minute of it and had

made a way for forgiveness and healing (Romans 5:8).

She showed me 1 John 1:9: “If we confess our sins to

him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to

cleanse us from all wickedness” (NLT). And then she

said that God loved me so much that He would’ve sent

Jesus to die for me…even if I were the only one who

needed saving (Luke 15:4).

I was captivated by the idea of a love like that. Could

it be true? What must this Jesus be like?

I pondered those questions for weeks until one day,

I finally let go and believed what my friend insisted:

Jesus loves me because that is who He is—He is love.

In faith, I received His gift of love and forgiveness.

I found comfort in knowing that God was mine, and

I was His. I belonged to Him (John 1:12; 1 John 3:1).

Soon after that, I met my husband Bruce, who was

also recently divorced. (You can read his story on page

26). We attended his church, where I was discipled

in my newfound faith. There, I discovered the truth

and beauty of God’s Word, and it became alive in me

(Hebrews 4:12).

But for the first 10 years after my faith became real

and more than 20 years after the abortion, I kept that

dark secret to myself. I couldn’t imagine that my new

friends, who seemed so godly and upright, would accept

me if they knew my past.

I was trapped in worldly sorrow—a dead end of regret

and grief. What I needed was godly sorrow that

would bring me to repentance (2 Corinthians 7:10). I

discovered this sorrow at a discipleship retreat in 2001,

where I was challenged to imagine myself at Jesus’s

crucifixion and ask myself, who there best represented

the state of my heart? Was it the weeping women? The

angry mob? Pilate? Pilate’s wife? (See Matthew 26–27;

Mark 15; Luke 23; and John 18–19.) I decided I was most

like the guards gambling for Jesus’s cloak.



I coveted His cloak for my purposes—to increase my

worth and value in the eyes of others. The full weight of

my selfish heart drove me to my knees, crying, “I have

crucified You, Jesus, and I am so sorry. I don’t want You

to suffer for my wrongs.”

My heart broke as I thought about Jesus’s bravery

to give His life for us. It gave me the courage to step

across a line and plead guilty to it all. I waited a long

moment, expecting judgment, but instead, I heard the

Lord whisper in my innermost being, “Now tell others

that I love them.”

“But Lord,” I argued. “After all that I’ve done?” I was

unworthy to tell others about Him!

“Yes,” He affirmed. “You understand the depth of my

love. Go. Tell them I love them.”

For the first time, I realized my worth in God’s eyes.

All my life, I’d felt unloved. But now I saw it: I was worthy

to tell others about the love of Jesus Christ, a love of

such great worth, because I’d experienced it.

SELF-PUNISHMENT IS NOT GOD’S

PLAN FOR ANY OF US. HE TOOK THE

PUNISHMENT FOR ALL OUR SINS.

The next day, a woman shared with me that she’d

lost a child to abortion. No longer ashamed, I told her

that I’d had an abortion too. We wept together as the

miracle of grace washed over us, assuring us that Jesus

was holding our children in heaven.

Since then, God has allowed me to share His love in

many places and with many people, including at weekend

prison retreats through Kairos Prison Ministry.

Over the years, the Lord has continued to heal the

wounds of my past, including my relationship with my

mother. God gave me the gift of being her caregiver at

the end of her life, during which time she disclosed

how she’d been forced to abort when she was only 17.

The trauma of burying her son, alone and afraid, was

still fresh and deep 60 years later.

Much later, God revealed how her rejection of me

may have reflected her deep disappointment that she’d

not been given a son to replace the one she’d lost as

a frightened and desperate teenager. Flooded with

compassion, I forgave her completely. Today, I look

forward to our blessed reunion in heaven.

Not long after Mom died, I became a living kidney

donor to my sister. Through that act, my story changed

from being a person who took a life to one who gave

a life-saving gift.

Many women and men have confessed their part in

abortions, especially in jails and prisons. They long for

God’s grace, forgiveness, and healing, yet they struggle

to receive it because they cling to their pain and shame

as a way of holding on to the little life gone too soon. It’s

all they have. Others think holding on to shame honors

the child they’ve harmed.

But this is not God’s will. Doing these things causes

us to reject God’s grace and mercy and keeps us in a

constant cycle of self-punishment. Self-punishment is

not God’s plan for any of us. He took the punishment

for all our sins—even abortion—on the cross (Romans

3:21–31). He also made a way for us to see our children

again in heaven. If we are believers in Jesus Christ, we

have the gift of eternity with our little ones. We can

grieve with hope.

If you’ve been carrying the weight of shame, regret,

and grief for an abortion—or any action—I encourage

you to release it, once and for all, to God’s care. Receive

His gift of mercy and grace.

You are loved and forgiven. No matter what!

KIM KETOLA, a chaplain and pro-life advocate, is an award-winning writer and broadcaster

whose life experience ministers to those hurt by abortion. The second edition of her

book, Cradle My Heart, Finding God’s Love After Abortion, is available on Amazon. Learn more

at cradlemyheart.org.

Kim and Bruce

found comfort

in shared

experiences and

set out together on

a journey of faith

and healing.


Issue 03 / 2025

25

The Meaning

of Grace

THE STORY OF

BRUCE KETOLA

“If you want to break

up with me, I will

understand,” I said,

watching her face

for any sign that she

wanted out.

Kim didn’t deserve to have to deal with

my problems. She’d already been through

a difficult marriage and divorce. Now, here

I was, adding to her pain.

“I crashed my car last night after I had

too much to drink.” Surprisingly, she didn’t

yell at me or run. Instead, she leaned in to

listen, extending grace instead of abandoning

me.

Grace has been defined as getting something

good that you don’t deserve. It’s a

complex concept to understand and a difficult

gift to receive at times. I will for ever

be grateful to Kim for offering me that

undeserved gift of love, forgiveness, and

acceptance after I failed.

It wasn’t the first or even the second time

I’d escaped the consequences of drunk

driving. Thankfully, it would be the last.

The first accident happened during my

senior year of high school after I’d partied

with some older guys. The second crash, in

my mid-20s, followed a day of drinking at

a company picnic. And this latest rollover

occurred after an evening of drinks with

a friend.

If you knew me, you would never have

guessed I struggled with alcohol. None

of the above incidents had ever led to an

arrest or a DUI, so no one was the wiser. I

played well the part of a churchgoing, hardworking,

good guy who was a responsible,

capable, firstborn son.

I knew what I should do because I’d witnessed

it growing up. I had loving parents

who took my brothers and me to church every

week. They also modeled an excellent

work ethic. Mom was busy at home, caring

for us kids, while Dad worked long, hard

hours, providing financially for his family.

After church, however, we often visited

our many aunts and uncles. There, I saw

something else modeled as the men gathered

to drink beer and get drunk. To my

little mind, I understood that drinking and

getting drunk must be what a man does.

Things changed for my brother, Mike, and

me when our brother, Brian, was born with

Down syndrome. Now, don’t get me wrong. I

loved my brother and learned from him the



value of every life. But at the same time, it

felt like we’d lost our mom. I was ten.

Mom had her hands full, so I learned to

deny my emotions. As a teen, I discovered

that drinking helped me escape my negative

feelings. It also made me feel like I

belonged. My parents had no idea.

After I was confirmed in the church at

the age of 14, I stopped attending regularly.

And when I got my license, I took a

job working on Sundays to avoid church

altogether.

What did it matter? To me, I’d already

checked the faith boxes required for me

to get to heaven. I had no idea what the

Bible said about being a Christian—a follower

of Jesus—or how to have eternal life. I

didn’t understand God’s gift of grace, what

it meant to have a relationship with Jesus,

or why I should want or need one.

Years later, in college, I met and married

my first wife. She was studying to become

a physician. We wanted kids but knew her

job would make that difficult. When our

son came, I agreed to stay home to care

for him. When we had our daughter, our

family seemed complete.

I loved being a hands-on father, but I

was oblivious to some important issues

in my life. For starters, even after two car

crashes, it hadn’t occurred to me that I had

a drinking problem. I didn’t realize I had a

marriage problem either.

In 1988, a couple years after our daughter

was born, my wife and I divorced. I was

in my late 30s, starting over, and navigating

a shared custody settlement. Our new situation

took a toll on our family. But through

the difficulties, I began to realize the sacredness

of marriage and my need for God

and a Christian partner.

When the kids were seven and five, they

attended a Vacation Bible School (VBS).

They loved VBS—playing games, creating

crafts, and learning about God. They came

home wanting to be baptized.

I hadn’t been to church in years, and only

then for a wedding or funeral, but I agreed

to their request. The following week, the

kids were baptized at the church where my

daughter attended preschool. We began

attending church together.

At a Christmas party in 1991, mutual

friends introduced me to a lady named

Kim. We connected over shared experiences

and helped each other recover from

our respective divorces, parent our four

kids, and pursue our shared faith. Not long

after, we were married.

We raised our kids in church and served

in various capacities there. But neither of

us had a personal relationship with God.

Sure, we had both professed Jesus to be our

Savior, but we didn’t know Him as Lord of

our lives. To me, faith still meant obeying

rules and being a good person. God had

not yet changed my heart.

A second marriage is complicated, even

with all the love in the world. Parenting

a blended family, working dual careers,

and dealing with the unfinished business

of former marriages create tension

that can threaten even the strongest of

bonds.

We’d been married around eight years

when Kim and I were invited to a retreat

at our church. During the weekend, our

faith suddenly became real and personal.

We finally understood that our right

my prodigal past and my check-the-box

approach to faith. I also shared my three

rollover crashes due to drinking, careful

to point out how I’m not an alcoholic or

anything.

A team member pulled me aside quietly

and said, “Bruce, you have a problem. Even

one alcohol-related crash is a huge red flag.

Please don’t risk that happening again.”

God used his words to convict me and

convince me to stop drinking. But it wasn’t

easy. My corporate job offered copious

amounts of alcohol, cigars, and strip clubs.

Didn’t some of my success in my career rest

on my ability to hold my own with the boys?

I remembered a boss, years earlier,

pointing out a coworker and telling me he

was a Christian. And I remembered that

fellow didn’t drink or participate in the

extracurricular activities. I determined if

that man could withstand the pressure, I

could at least try.

I started studying the Bible more intently.

Instead of reading a short devotion,

closing the book, and going on my way,

I dove into the scriptures, seeking, with

God’s help, their meaning.

WE FINALLY UNDERSTOOD THAT OUR RIGHT

STANDING WITH GOD WASN’T DEPENDENT ON

OUR GOOD WORKS,

SERVICE, OR CHURCH

ATTENDANCE.

standing with God wasn’t dependent on

our good works, service, or church attendance.

It was only possible because of what

Jesus had done for us (Ephesians 2:8–9).

Through the Holy Spirit, God helped us

discover the truth of His grace and freed

us from various emotions that were preventing

us from moving forward with Him.

For me, it was pride and anger. Kim

found freedom from the guilt of an abortion

she’d had before we met. (You can read

her story on page 23.)

Not long after, we were invited to serve

with Kairos Prison Ministry. The leaders

asked me to share with the incarcerated

what it meant to be a Christian. I told of

Bruce and Kim met at a Christmas party in 1991.

Blended families and pains of the past brought

challenges, but with God, they overcame.


Issue 03 / 2025

27

Above: Bruce and Kim enjoy golf and

spending time with their furry friend.

Right: Bruce is the State Chair of Kairos

Prison Ministry of Arizona.

I AM NO DIFFERENT

FROM THE PEOPLE

SERVING TIME

FOR SERIOUS

OFFENSES—I

JUST DIDN’T GET

CAUGHT. I DON’T

GO TO PRISON TO

PREACH; I’M

THERE TO LISTEN

AND LOVE.

When I read the wisdom

of Ephesians 5:18, I took it

to heart. It says, “Don’t be

drunk with wine, because

that will ruin your life.

Instead, be filled with the

Holy Spirit” (NLT). I quit

drinking altogether.

I also quit going to strip

clubs for work gatherings

and avoided R-rated movies

after reading Matthew

6:22–23. It revealed how

the eye is the lamp of the

body, meaning that what I

gaze upon impacts my life.

Setting those new boundaries kept me

in the light of God’s love and out of the

darkness. I moved closer to God and further

away from my old self as I aligned my

life with His Word. Kim was experiencing

the same growth, and our marriage soon

changed for the better.

The Holy Spirit brought us both into

a place of freedom. (See John 8:36; 2

Corinthians 3:17.) For example, God removed

my lifelong anxiety over money

as I trusted Him to supply my daily bread

(Matthew 6:11).

He also freed me from my guilt as I

asked for forgiveness over my part in two

abortions in previous relationships. God

revealed, through fasting and prayer, that

those precious children are with Him. I

named them to give honor and dignity to

their memory.

It’s been 32 years since I confessed that

car crash to Kim. Today, our marriage is

stronger than ever. We are both passionate

about serving the Lord and His people, as

well as loving our nine grandchildren.

For the last 20 years, prison ministry has

been my primary purpose, after faith and

family. As the State Chair of Kairos Prison

Ministry of Arizona, I am blessed to serve

God’s treasured possessions behind bars

and to help other people do the same.

I am no different from the people serving

time for serious offenses—I just didn’t get

caught. I don’t go to prison to preach; I’m

there to listen and love.

One of the pillars of Kairos ministry is

that Christ is counting on us. He’s the only

One who can change a heart, and when He

does, we owe it to Him to show our love as

we serve others. We are to sacrifice for the

sake of others and God (Romans 12:1). That

means we put away the lust of flesh and

eyes and the pride of life (1 John 2:15–16).

God will help us put away even the hardest

of things.

With time, God even gave me a servant’s

heart toward my father. I became his caregiver

after he overdosed on cocaine and

alcohol. He suffered from alcohol dementia

and early Alzheimer’s. I realized that

without God I could have ended up there

as well.

I had to draw firm boundaries with Dad,

and doing so taught me that grace requires

truth too. With God’s help, we had several

good years of sobriety together before his

passing.

God’s grace is amazing. It gives us so

many wonderful things we don’t deserve—

eternal life and a full life on earth. God’s

grace for the prodigal, the box-checker,

the addict, and the saint runs deep. And He

calls us to share that grace with the world.

BRUCE KETOLA serves as State Chair of Kairos

Prison Ministry of Arizona. Bruce and his wife Kim

have four children and nine grandchildren. His

greatest joy and deepest prayer is for others to

have a personal relationship with Jesus. Learn

more at kairosofaz.org.



STEPPING FORWARD

Never Discarded

BY JANICE MARIE MEIDEL

I AWOKE TO A MISTY MORNING sandwiched between winter and spring. Rain

visited the emerging plants, leaving droplets of water clinging to bright green leaves.

Buds of new life on otherwise stark, bare trees reminded me of God’s faithfulness

to revive His creation. Inside me, though, the stubborn barrenness of winter still

prevailed. With a sigh, I prayed that He would revive me.

Consumed with sadness and worry, I was caught in the web of my husband’s

growing drinking problem. Its sticky strands of deception and manipulation

wrapped me in an immobilizing grip of fear. Still, I kept it all inside.

One day, however, at a women’s Bible study, I could hold it in no longer. I didn’t

want to be that person who overshared, but I had to give voice to the storm that had

long churned within me. As I finished, I expected warm, fuzzy words or at least a

few awkward hugs.

Instead, a woman blurted, “Do you really think you should be working with

impressionable teenagers?” Apparently, I seemed unstable and my family far too

messy for the time I spent volunteering at the local high school. The woman indicated

I should step down from my leadership role in the students’ devotional Bible

study. I was stunned and discouraged to be considered disqualified.

Have you ever been disqualified or discarded as unfit? It hurts!

The thought of not measuring up left me frustrated and battling feelings of rejection.

But then I remembered that the Lord Himself says, “My grace is all you need.

My power works best in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9 NLT).

The Bible gives many examples of God using those whom the world disqualifies

(1 Corinthians 1:27). I think of Rahab, who believed in God, though her life did not

reflect it. Her previous failures did not exclude her from furthering God’s plan when

the Israelites came to Jericho. In fact, God honored her by including her in the

genealogy of Jesus (Joshua 2:1–22; Matthew 1:5). I think, too, of Peter, who denied

he even knew Christ, yet later preached to multitudes who received salvation (Mark

14:66–72; Acts 2:14–41).

I am grateful that God uses individuals despite their doubts, weaknesses, past fail-

ures, and troubling circumstances—because I

am one of those people.

Chaos surrounding the alcohol abuse grew

worse, and I often felt shaken and alone. Occasionally,

I caught myself thinking of unhealthy

ways to regain a sense of belonging or simply

to cope, but I clung to scripture that reminded

me of who I was.

God’s Word says I am chosen (John 15:16),

and He delights in me (Psalm 18:19). I am

His masterpiece (Ephesians 2:10), and He

has designed me to live abundantly in His

might (John 10:10; Ephesians 3:20). I chose

to believe God’s Word over my most negative

thoughts and compelling feelings.

God knows how easy it is for us to mess

up our lives, but that doesn’t keep Him from

taking our past, present, and future sins and

giving us His righteousness (2 Corinthians

5:21). He makes us right with Him through

the cross.

He takes our worries, flaws, and fears as

well, and exchanges them for His redeeming

purposes. We may not have this purpose all

figured out, but He does. That’s why staying

close to Him is crucial.

In God’s strength, I continued to work

with youth in various capacities. The inner

strength and peace that gradually developed

anchored me in a sense of worth that could

never be attained on my own or given by

another. I learned that my worth is not dependent

on how others value me. It is constant

because of what Christ has done for me.

When you know Christ as your Savior, your

worth is constant too. No matter who you are

or what you’ve done, God still pursues you and

wants to use you. Your actions have not disqualified

you from His love and forgiveness.

His death and resurrection long ago settled

the debt incurred by your sin.

By receiving His sacrifice as your very own,

you become fully pleasing and accepted by

God. Then, even in the messiness, He qualifies

you to share this great hope with others.

JANICE MARIE MEIDEL is a wife, mother,

grandmother, and children’s book author. She has worked

with Youth for Christ in mentoring teen girls. She is

currently a contributing writer for various magazines and

seeks to encourage others through God’s Word.


Issue 03 / 2025

29

TRANSFORMED LIVES

God Will Supply Your Need

BY KRISTI OVERTON JOHNSON

EVERY WEEK, MY ASSISTANT, CARLA, AND I HAVE THE

privilege of spending time with incarcerated men at our local

detention center and encouraging them with the Word of God.

I’m always amazed at how the men shut off the TV, put away

their tablets, grab their Bibles and a chair, and circle up to hear

about God’s goodness when we enter the room, regardless of

their faith level or religious affiliation.

We also inform those attending our study of available resources

through our partners, like Hope is Alive (HIA), a national residential

addiction recovery program.

One of the men we visited decided to apply to HIA and was

accepted. He was excited about the opportunity but only had

$250 of the $750 needed to enter the program. Carla and I prayed

for Dyrique, reminding him that God provides for His children.

A few weeks later, Dyrique prayed to receive Jesus as His Lord

and Savior during our weekly visit. I was elated and assured him

that God would supply the remaining $500 he needed.

I based my promise on Philippians 4:19, which says, “This

same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from

his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus”

(NLT). I shared other scriptures too, like Psalm 37:25, Matthew

6:25–33, and Romans 8:28.

I must admit, though, that I was secretly devising ways to help

God. I didn’t want Him to look bad. Oh, me of little faith! I sensed

God telling me to hold off, and I am so glad I did. The next day,

God provided for Dyrique and proved to me that He didn’t need

my help to prove His faithfulness.

When the jail’s program director told Dyrique that funds had

been given toward his HIA program fee, he couldn’t believe it.

He even admitted that he’d been about to ask her to retract his

application. He hadn’t believed God would meet his needs.

His doubts were understandable because this young man

lived in jail. He had no outside financial support and couldn’t

make anything happen.

I’m grateful God showed up for Dyrique and that he can attend

such an excellent recovery program. I’m glad that God provided

the finances just before he pulled his application. Otherwise, he

would’ve missed God’s provision.

I’m also glad God provided the finances before I set my plans

in motion. I’ve often gotten ahead of God with good intentions.

Through this experience, God reminded me that what I preach

in jails and prisons, both in person and on corrections tablets,

is true. I know it in my heart, but sometimes fear leads to doubt.

God’s provision for Dyrique reminded me that no one and nothing

is out of reach for my Lord (Luke 1:37).

His promise to not disappoint is for everyone (Romans 10:11).

God meets all of our needs (Philippians 4:19), goes above and

beyond what we imagine (Ephesians 3:20), and will give us the

desires of our heart (Psalm 37:4).

Now, I can’t promise that He will act as quickly as He did for


TRANSFORMED LIVES

Dyrique or that He will always answer the way you want Him

to, but I will assure you that He is always working things out for

your good (Romans 8:28).

Maybe you’re having a hard time staying in faith or believing

for a better future. It’s not easy, I know. I’ve been walking with

the Lord for decades, and as you can see, I still doubt. And that’s

not good because a person who doubts receives nothing from

God (James 1:6–8). Unbelief prevents Him from working in our

lives (Matthew 13:58; Mark 6:5–6).

If there was ever someone who could have doubted God, it was

Abraham. The man and his wife were as old as dirt when God

told them they would have a son and birth a nation through that

child. But Abraham didn’t doubt.

Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham

kept hoping, believing that he would become the

father of many nations. For God had said to him,

“That’s how many descendants you will have!”

And Abraham’s faith did not weaken, even though,

at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as

good as dead—and so was Sarah’s womb.

Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In

fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought

glory to God. He was fully convinced that God is able

to do whatever he promises. (Romans 4:18–24 NLT)

Dyrique has continually witnessed God’s faithfulness since his

release. Pictured here being baptized by Kristi, May 2025.

Romans 4:17 (NLT) says: “Abraham believed in the God who

brings the dead back to life and who creates new things out of

nothing.” Abraham focused on the power and character of God,

not his circumstances, naysayers, or feelings.

Abraham didn’t waver in believing God’s promises. To believe

God’s promise means you cling to it. You hold fast to it. You

refuse to give up on Him, and you don’t grab hold of anything else.

As a result, Abraham experienced God’s promises. Hebrews

11:12 (NLT) says: “A whole nation came from this one man who

was as good as dead—a nation with so many people that, like

the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore, there is no

way to count them.”

Did you hear that? A whole nation came from one man who

was as good as dead!

How many miracles have we forfeited because we failed to

believe God? How many God-answers were at our front door when

we gave up or jumped ahead of Him? Let’s learn from Abraham

(using Romans 4) to receive God’s provision, bring glory to Him,

and positively impact our world.

Abraham kept hoping even when there was no reason

to hope. A biblical hope isn’t wishy-washy. It’s knowing with

certainty that God will make good on His promises, no matter

what. It’s a hope that says, “God said it, I believe it, and that

settles it for me.”

This kind of faith comes only as we get to know Him through

His Word and by stepping out in trust and obedience. Faith is

like a muscle—the more you use it, the stronger it gets.

Abraham refused to allow his circumstances to weaken

his faith. He could have looked at his and Sarah’s age and said,

“We’re as good as dead! There is no way we can have a child.”

And in the natural, he’d have been right. But Abraham knew that

God isn’t bound by the natural.

FAITH IS LIKE A MUSCLE—THE MORE

YOU USE IT, THE STRONGER IT GETS.

I don’t know what you need today, but God does. Keep praying

(1 Thessalonians 5:17), surround yourself with faith-filled

people, and dive into God’s Word. In it, you will find a treasure

trove of promises.

Memorize those promises and speak them over your situation.

This will strengthen your faith and help you remain thoroughly

convinced that God will do whatever He promised.

Friend, God’s got you! He’s got a plan (Jeremiah 29:11), and

He knows exactly when to execute it. Don’t give up. He will meet

your needs.

Let’s pray: God, help me be fully convinced that You will do whatever

You promise. Give me the strength and courage to keep hoping

when there is no reason to hope. Help me cling to Your truth and not

be swayed by circumstances, the voices in my head, or my feelings. I

don’t want to rush ahead—I know that will make a mess. I don’t want

to give up either. I want to see Your faithfulness. Amen.

KRISTI OVERTON JOHNSON encourages and equips people for victory

through her writings, speaking engagements, and prison ministry. To learn

more, go to kojministries.org.


Issue 03 / 2025

31

BEHIND THE WIRE

The Power of Forgiveness

Recently, the VL correspondence team received a powerful testimony

from John, a man who has been incarcerated in the Florida

DOC for over 20 years.

In it, John admitted that for years, he had wanted nothing to do

with God, and he’d blamed Him for all the mess he’d been through.

John’s accusations didn’t put God off, though, and when he least

expected it, God orchestrated an incredible redemption story.

It happened after John had been in medical confinement for a

lengthy time. Desperate to get out of his cell, he asked the guard

to take him to the prison’s weekend church service. God used this

opportunity to reach one of His lost and hurting sons. Listen as

John tells the story:

While at the service, the preacher invited anyone

to speak. Suddenly, the man in the pew behind me

stood up and said, “Preacher, something has been

weighing on me for 22 years, and I need to get it out.

I shot a man and nearly killed him, and for years,

I’ve prayed that God would let me see him again so I

could ask for forgiveness. That man is in this service

right now.”

I turned around and saw the man who had shot

me seven times at point-blank range. Tears were

running down his face as he asked me to forgive him.

I’d always said if I ever saw him again, I’d kill him.

But instead, tears flowed down my cheeks too,

and the next thing I knew, this man and I were

hugging. The pastor came over and prayed with us,

and then I told the man I forgave him.

I am proud to say from that moment on, I’ve been

a changed man. I now preach to 500 men in prison,

transforming young and old into soldiers for Jesus. I

thank Him every day for using confinement to make

me want to get out of that cell so badly that I would

go to church. I feel so much better now that I don’t

hate anymore.

Thank you, John, for sharing your story. It reveals how forgiveness

can bring us into a place of freedom. Below, several of

our formerly incarcerated team members share how God’s gift

of forgiveness transformed their lives.

KORY GORDON

As a child, I was hurt by people who should have

protected me. Their actions propelled my life down

a path of destruction. Without forgiving them, I

would’ve never found healing.

Withholding forgiveness is like drinking poison

and waiting for the other person to die. It takes

humility to forgive. Pride holds on to another’s

wrongs. We must realize we’ve all fallen short of

the glory of God.

Jesus came to save us. Yet man rejected Him,

falsely accused Him, and eventually murdered

Him. But Jesus forgave them. May we all extend

forgiveness, like Jesus, for other’s wrongs. It’s the

only way for us to live.

SHERIDAN CORREA

Forgiveness saved my life. After years of addiction,

broken relationships, and incarceration, I

received God’s forgiveness for my sins and failures,

which set me free from fear and shame.

Receiving His grace gave me the courage to

forgive others and myself. It broke the cycles of

bitterness and mental illness and opened the door

to healing and purpose. Today, I walk in freedom,

helping others discover the same.

Forgiveness isn’t a one-time event but a lifestyle

that continually transforms my heart and relationships.

It’s one way I live victoriously.

ROBERT WHITNER

“He should die, your Honor,” said a family

member of the victim of my capital crime. I stood

alone and ashamed before the judge, under a

crushing weight of guilt. At that point, the only

redeemable thing I had done was confess to my

crime, which had brought a measure of relief.

But it wasn’t until years later, when I met the

Lord and received His forgiveness, that I found true

freedom. Understanding that God sent His Son to

die for my sins so that I didn’t have to die changed

everything. And if He can forgive me for what I did,

then how much more should I forgive others.


WANT TO KNOW JESUS?

“Come to me, all you who are

weary and burdened, and I will

give you rest.” —Matthew 11:28 NIV

Do you need rest? Peace? Freedom? Forgiveness? Restoration?

Call out to Jesus, accept Him as your Savior, and be made whole.

ARTWORKS BY ALBERTO HENRIQUEZ

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.

WHAT NOW?

I’ve Accepted God’s Salvation.

Now What?

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 six 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 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.

6. SERVE. Look for opportunities for God to use you to give others hope.


Issue 03 / 2025

33

RESOURCES

Below are opportunities for free Christian-based resources for

both English- and Spanish-speaking persons 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 Greenville, NC 27836

PHOTO BY GERI SIMPKINS PHOTOGRAPHY

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

Victorious Living Prison Outreach Information

• We do not mail individual subscriptions of VLMag to incarcerated

persons. 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 discipleship materials on various prison tablet systems.

Search “Victorious Living” to discover MORE Victorious Living

and STEPPING FORWARD with Victorious Living broadcasts and

VL podcasts.

ViaPath, Homewav, Turnkey, Securus, Smart Comm, and iTi.

• Family members of our incarcerated family and our ministry

partners can enjoy our free resources through pandoapp.tv

and VL’s online platforms like vlmin.org, Facebook, Instagram,

and YouTube. Our care team is available to pray with family

members of our incarcerated family by phone.

• We offer fellowship through correspondence to those who are

incarcerated. Write to us at PO Box 2751, Greenville, NC 27836.

• Currently we are on the following platforms:

PANDO, Edovo, Paytel, Westpond, ATG, ICS, Tech Friends,

• We cannot receive COD emails or phone calls, nor do we accept

legal documents or unsolicited stories for publication.

34


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