PUBLISHER’S NOTE Get of e Dock “WHEN YOU GO THROUGH DEEP WATERS, I WILL BE WITH YOU. WHEN YOU GO THROUGH RIVERS OF DIFFICULTY, YOU WILL NOT DROWN. WHEN YOU WALK THROUGH THE FIRE OF OPPRESSION, YOU WILL NOT BE BURNED UP; THE FLAMES WILL NOT CONSUME YOU.” ISAIAH 43:2 Welcome to Victorious Living. This special spring edition is one of my favorites, as it contains stories from my friends in the water sports community. I’ve been a part of this amazing community since I was four years old. I am who I am because of the people I met, the experiences I had, and the lessons I learned on the waters of the world. If you are a water sports enthusiast who’s just happened upon our magazine, I’m glad you found us. And if you’re one of the thousands of inmates receiving Victorious Living behind bars, welcome back! You are the motivation behind this magazine. No matter who you are, one thing is for sure: you are about to be inspired…and challenged. This issue is full of stories of people who, with determined spirit, renewed mind, and steadfast faith, met death, pain, addictions, paralyzing emotions, and disappointments head on. And despite the circumstances, they overcame every opponent and were victorious. In the following pages, every excuse you or I have ever made for not facing the hard things in life will be challenged and hopefully thrown right out the window! These life testimonies are incredible. They offer hope and practical steps to moving forward through tough times. If taken to heart, they will powerfully change your life. Life is tough. Every day presents challenges that can make you want to stay in bed or maybe even quit on life. Let these testimonies remind you of the truth that no matter how hard life gets, no matter how despairing the news, there is always hope. And there is life still to be lived. Hope and life…they are yours for the taking! But you have to want them; you must be willing to keep pressing forward, to keep facing the uncomfortable and the unknown. Only then does victory come. I learned this truth on the dock years ago at water-ski events. My legs would be quaking as the boat came around to pick me up for my turn. But no matter how frightened I was, no matter how rough the conditions, no matter how tough the opponent or how much my body hurt, I always got off the dock. Why? Because victory only comes when you get off the dock. And that is true whether you are in a water-ski tournament or facing a challenge in life. I know. I know. The dock is comfortable. It’s safe. You don’t have to subject yourself to a lot of pain or risk falling on the dock. But you know what else you won’t find on the dock? Victory. Life. Purpose. Those things are only found out on the water, out in the deep, away from the dock. These pages are full of stories of people who “got off the dock” in the biggest way. When they made the decision to push past their pain, insecurity, or fear; when they decided to step out of their comfort zones to face what was hard, God met them right where they were. He gave them the strength, power, provision, and peace to not only survive but thrive on the rivers of difficulty. My friends emerged through their trials stronger and better than before. Did you catch that? When you and I step off the dock—when we’re willing to face what is hard—God Himself meets us there. He infuses us with His strength and gives us everything we need. That, to me, is perhaps the greatest blessing about being a Christian. We don’t have to face life’s pain and disappointments alone! Look at Isaiah 43:2: “When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.” I don’t know what you face today, but I do know this. You aren’t alone in your pain. God is with you. You will not be overcome by your trial. Keep pushing, my friend. Keep fighting and keep hoping against all hope. It’s not over! Continue getting off the dock of life every day. Grab God’s rope of hope. Put your faith in Him, do what you can do, and nothing will be able to stop you. Kristi Publisher Kristi Overton Johnson remembers getting off the dock as she looks over Lake Kristi, the lake her parents designed and built in 1982 to help her become a world champion water-skier. Now Kristi helps people get off the dock of life to experience victory with God. 6 kojministries.org Issue 2 2017 photo courtesy of The Daily Reflector
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