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Dear Victorious Living Prison Team, Thank you for everything this ministry does to bring encouragement, hope, and love to all of us struggling in the prison system. When I found that scrap of paper that was a piece of your ministry’s monthly devotional, I had no idea that Jesus was holding out His hand to lift me up. Once I’d read Kristi’s inspirational words, I felt a flood of emotion that I now know was the Holy Spirit of our Savior, opening my heart to the wonderful truth of Christ. Even so, without your fellowship and the love and encouragement contained in the letters I received from Mrs. Linda and other correspondence team members, I would have slid right back into my old self. Since then, God has shown His love for my family and me in so many ways. I have been transferred to a therapeutic treatment center, and I am moving over to work release next week. My family and I have been able to rebuild our relationships, and my ex-wife and I have even become friends. I now have a cell phone and can communicate with loved ones daily. All this has been a blessing and has shown my children that through faith and love in Jesus, everything will be all right. I have been sharing your monthly devotional and Victorious Living with all the men here in the treatment center. I hope the words and encouragement found in your magazine will continue. Again, thank you for everything. Your loving brother in Christ, James H. Dear Victorious Living Prison Team, I thank God every day for bringing your ministry into my life. I love reading the magazine, letters, and devotions. What an awesome God we serve. Every time I get a letter or postcard from your team, I am overwhelmed with joy. Because of your monthly devotions, I understand so much better now about how forgiving and praying for my enemies can release me from a lot of pain. I learned I had to give them to God. He used your monthly devotion to tell me what I had to do, and the Holy Spirit began to convict me of people I needed to forgive. I started by admitting that I had been harboring bitterness and resentment in my heart. I confessed my sin, repented of it, and then trusted that God had forgiven me. I received His forgiveness and then began to forgive others so that I could be set free. As I did, I felt a burden lift off me. I asked myself why I had not let go of my past pain, given it to God, and trusted Him to take care of it before now. I must now close my letter, but not my heart to a family that has shared the love of God to inmates. I continue to keep this ministry in prayer, asking God to prosper it. May you continue to reach those who are lost. Sincerely, James F. “So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11 Carry It Out. Shine Bright & Write! Inform your church about our prison ministry and consider hosting a Shine Bright and Write Event. This outreach helps the church carry out Jesus’ mandate to visit prisoners by: ����training the church to effectively minister to inmates through correspondence; ����providing a proven, safe outreach tool and method to reach lost souls; ����giving adults of all ages the opportunity to bring healing to the brokenhearted; and ����encouraging a connection between the church and a local inmate for future mentorship upon release. This connection brings help and restoration to an inmate, thereby reducing the rate of recidivism. From Our Readers Every day, our Victorious Living Correspondence Team receives letters from inmates who love the Lord and who desire to encourage us in our faith journey. These letters lift our spirits, strengthen our faith, and spur us on to continue the work the Lord has put before us. We hope these letters will encourage your heart as well. The Process Are you an inmate in need of encouragement? Our Victorious Living Correspondence Outreach Team is here for you. Here’s what you can expect: Send a letter to us at: Victorious Living Correspondence Outreach PO Box 328 Starke, FL 32091 You’ll receive: ����Welcome letter from founder, Kristi Overton Johnson ����Timely, handwritten responses from our Correspondence Team ����Monthly devotionals from Kristi Overton Johnson ����Personal subscription to Victorious Living magazine ����Prayer support from our Victorious Living Correspondence Team PLEASE NOTE: Due to the volume of inmate correspondence, we are unable to assign specific writers to individual inmates. Nor can we guarantee continued correspondence with one writer. What we can guarantee, is an opportunity for you to correspond with a team of writers who love the Lord and who are committed to encouraging you in your life journey. We are also unable to handle legal cases, contact people on your behalf, or disperse items such as money or stamps. Thank you for understanding. IF YOU HAVE BEEN TRANSFERRED TO A NEW FACILITY, PLEASE NOTIFY US IMMEDIATELY. PLEASE WRITE ADDRESS AND DOC # NEATLY. kojministries.org Issue 3 2017 27


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