"Hit It!": From Water Ski Champion to Prison Ministry Calling ft. Kristi Overton Johnson

From Water Ski Champion to Prison Ministry Trailblazer (w/ Kristi Overton Johnson) 

What happens when God takes someone from a world stage… and calls them behind prison walls?

In this powerful episode, Omar sits down with Kristi Overton Johnson—former world-class water ski champion (80+ pro titles) and founder of Victorious Living Magazine / Victorious Living Ministries, to hear the God-story that changed everything.

Kristi shares about a supernatural moment of calling, the “HIT IT” message God gave her for men and women behind bars, and how simple obedience opened doors she could’ve never planned: from a magazine landing in the hands of the Florida Department of Corrections to being invited into prisons across the country.

Together, we talk about:

• Why prison ministry transforms both the inside and outside
• How trauma shapes lives - and how Jesus redeems what pain tried to ruin
• The importance of showing up consistently, listening, and loving people well
• Balancing passion for ministry with being present with Jesus 
• How Kristi connected with JC Almanza and why unity in ministry matters

We close with a strong word of hope and a prayer for anyone who feels like they’ve “missed it” - because in Christ, it’s not over.

Learn more / subscribe to the magazine: VLMIN.org (VictoriousLivingMinistries.org)
Tune in and be encouraged—your “yes” might be the key that opens the next door.

Transcript

Kristi: 0:00

it was such a supernatural encounter in that prison. It was such a voice. It was such a calling. When I got in the car, I wept like a baby and I said, God, I will go. I will go to prison. And at the time I had not just national and international water sports outreach, I had been doing that for over 10 years at that point. And I knew so clearly that God was calling me out of that and into prison. And all I could do was give him my yes. I didn't know what it looked like. And I told him, I said, God, I will go, but you have to open the doors. And what he did, within a week or two, he sent the magazine that I published, Victorious Living. And somehow, it ended up in the hands of the Florida Department of Corrections. Within about a week and a half of that visit, they called me and they said, we want that magazine in every prison in the state of Florida. I'm getting calls. We would like you to come speak in our prison. We hear you speak in prisons. I didn't speak in prisons. Like it was within weeks. And, it was just absolutely. Such a God thing.

1:35

From the city of Chicago, a city most recently known for its crime and violence. From this podcast, we will be sharing stories of redemption from individuals raised in the tough streets of Chicago and from around the country. Listen to my guests as they share their experiences, struggles, trauma, but also the strength, hope, faith, and perseverance these have developed in them to keep pushing and moving forward in life. Tune in to hear how their lives have gone from darkness to light and from wrong to.

Omar: 2:12

Hello everyone, and welcome to another, episode, uh, from Wrong to Strong. I'm your host. My name's Omar Calvillo. And, uh, after taking, uh, some time off, we're back. We're back with another, uh, in interview. And, and today I have a special guest. Uh, today's guest is a woman who knows what victory looks like both in sports and in the kingdom. She's a former world class water ski champion. With over 80 professional titles, and now she uses that same drive to bring hope to men and women behind bars. She's the founder of Victorious Living Magazine and the leader of Victorious Living Ministries, sharing Christ-centered encouragement with people who desperately need it. Family. Help me welcome to the podcast, uh, the Boss Lady, as JC calls her, uh, Christie Overton Johnson.

Kristi: 3:01

How you doing, Omar?

Omar: 3:02

I'm doing good. I I had to throw that one in there'cause I, I listened to the interview that you did with jc. He's like, even when I talked to him on the phone, she said, oh, that's the boss. That's the boss lady. So I had, I had to throw that one in there.

Kristi: 3:14

He's crazy. I, I love JC so much. And one day I asked him, I was like, why do you call me that? And he goes,'cause I take bullets for the boss. And I was like. Okay, you can call me boss.

Omar: 3:28

You know what, e eventually we will get into how you guys met and, and, and the work that you guys are doing together. Uh, but usually we like to start at the beginning. Uh, you, you know, can you tell us, uh, what, what, what part of the country you grew up in? And maybe if you could share with us how was, like those first, you know, the, the, the childhood years for you.

Kristi: 3:45

I'd love to. So as you can tell, I have an accent and it is southern. It is not a northern accent at all. Uh, I was born and raised in Greenville, North Carolina, and, uh, here on the east coast of North Carolina. When I was, uh, 18, I moved down to Florida and I spent the next 30 some years down there and then have made my way back recently back to Greenville. So, um, I'm a southern girl and absolutely, uh, love being back in North Carolina, being with my family. This is where, um, know all my family live and reside. And when I was a little girl, they, um, taught me how to water ski. So that was a huge part of my life and. Through those experiences, they took me all over the world. And that's why I ended up in Florida for so long is because Florida is where all the water skiers end up going from around the world. It's warmer there, obviously, and you can train year round and you can train with the best in the world. So when I was 18, I made that move and left here. An 18-year-old little girl came back, a 50-year-old, some woman. So, uh, time flies, that's for sure.

Omar: 5:00

Yeah. Yeah, it sure does. So, uh, what, what, um, is, is somebody in your family, did they, like WW water ski? How, how was that like big, like in your family that, that sport?

Kristi: 5:10

It, it wasn't big, it was just something my dad grew up. Um. Enjoying being on the water. And he was not a competitive skier, but he was a hotdogger, meaning he would go out trying to do tricks and he really thought he was something until one day a competitive skier rode past him in this fancy ski boat. And my dad actually drove his, his more speedboat to catch up with this guy to find out what kind of boat he had. What kind of tricks he was doing on those skis. And my dad, um, he was hooked after that. So our family did become very involved in the sport. I started skiing when I was four, started competing when I was five. My dad and mom competed a little bit, but more at a local and state level. And I quickly picked it up and by the eight years old was um, competing in nationals. Was the youngest to qualify for nationals at that point. Churn pro at 13. And it just went on and on. Um, but as I mentioned, skiing was the sport of water, sports, and water. Skin was really, um, an integral part of our life because my dad ended up. Selling water skis and things, anything to do with a boat, he would sell them. And it started with one couple of skis and vest in the back of his car at a ski tournament. Uh, he would carry some extra equipment there. And I can still remember men lined up at my back of my dad's car trying to buy his latest items and it became very popular. So he set up a ski shop in, in behind the meat counter at my granddaddy's grocery store, and he put a one 800 number in and it became the world's largest water sports and marine company and my dad. So all the time that I was skiing. His business was growing and uh, it really, we helped each other, you know, really because my skiing and winning championships and things brought attention to the Overton, um, sports Center and, um, the Mel Order catalog. And of course he would feature me on his catalog. So it was really a great, um, I don't even know what you say, connection.

Omar: 7:32

A partnership there. Like

Kristi: 7:33

partnership. Yeah.

Omar: 7:35

Yeah. I'm thinking people wanna buy the product when there's a, a, a winner behind it, you know? And if you're winning, you know, if you're like at the top of that game, they're like, definitely want to go with that brand.

Kristi: 7:46

And what I loved about my dad, it wasn't just me, he supported it was the sport. Like he just laid it all down for the sport. And my competitors even, he sponsored them and just everybody loved my dad and he's still alive. Um, I got a great father and mother, but they really poured into my life and when I was 11 years old, it's just a crazy story and I did not even realize how blessed I was at the time. Uh, but at 11 years old, they actually dug a lake in a, out in the field in the country here in Eastern North Carolina for me to train on. Because by that point I was almost turning professional and every day mom was having to pick me up from school and drive me, uh, by almost 45 minutes to an hour to the river where I would train. And then we'd get home really late at night, and there was salt water, there's a lot of boats, and the, the conditions were just terrible. So he knew to get me to the next level, he was going to have to have, um, a private facility and sounds super fancy, but basically bought a track of, um. Inexpensive farmland. Got a friend with a bulldozer and just dug out this 2000, um, foot long, really narrow. Some, some parts of lakes, maybe 150 feet wide and some at this biggest, maybe two to 300 feet wide. So it's, it's basically a, a glorified pond, but big enough for you to ski in for competitive skiing. And it was also a test facility for all the equipment that, um, he would sell in his catalog. They would do photo shoots out there. We would have ski tournaments out there. And over the years, it went from being a farmland to, um, every year he would add some grass, some Bermuda grass, some trees, uh, some rescue, some horses and put a horse stable over there. And you'd have all these dogs back in the back, you know, that he was rescuing. And it was just, it's been a beautiful place. We've had a lot of church events, ski events, cross country events. Um, lots of baptisms in those waters. A lot of ministry events out there. So, um, God has really blessed that land and something we thought was just gonna be a pond for me to train in has turned in to be, is just beautiful facility that the East Carolina University uses. Um, and like I said, we've had, we have a lot of community events out there.

Omar: 10:20

Right. So sounds like, uh, faith played like a big part in your family, like with your parents, like, like growing up. Yes. What was that big?

Kristi: 10:26

Yeah. I always say, you know, my, my parents, I didn't realize how, like I said, when you're young, you just, you know, your, your parents or your parents. But now that I've been in prison ministry and I hear so many of the stories like our friend jcs and. Uh, you know, and the neighborhoods people have had to grow up in. And, and that wasn't my story. And I was thank, always thankful, but I really hadn't been exposed to anything else. So I just didn't know and did not realize just how amazing it was to have both my parents and not just have them, but to have a family that I never heard my parents argue. They would come and my dad would kneel down by my bed each night and tell me stories about me being the best skier in the world and he'd pray over me and my mom, you know, just a godly servant of a woman, just a beautiful wife, and worked with my dad and served all of us. She was my coach and boat driver and, you know, I had a, a brother we fought, you know, and stuff, but they just. It was a beautiful childhood. That's not to say there wasn't pressures, and my pressures came inside here, and from the performance aspect of being a world class athlete, um, but it wasn't from my parents. And, um, today I know just, you know, looking back, I'm, I'm turning 56 soon and to just know the sacrifices they made for me and the life that they gave me, um, I am so grateful. And, you know, but more than what they gave me, it was what they showed me and the faith foundation that they laid for me. So my great-grandparents, um, on my mom's side were really strong. It's really interesting. They're strong, but in their faith. It's interesting. Recently I found an obituary of my great-grandfather and it said in there, um, you know, just how loved he was by the different communities, the black community, the white community, um, here in Eastern North Carolina in the forties and fifties. That really said something. Yeah. That was in his obituary and it, that just spoke volumes of the kind of person that he was. And then it said that he went on Sunday afternoons, um, to the local prisons and, and ministered through the fence. And my other great grandfather was a published, um, author for the, for the Baptist Chronicles, Southern Baptist Chronicles and stuff. So just looking in that history, I could see, I've never even really shared this, but I've, I can see like this legacy of ministers of prison ministry, of loving people who aren't looking just like you or with the same backgrounds that you have. Um, that means a lot to me. And then to, um, you know, see that the writing and the telling of stories, I've got some of my great-grandfather's writings. It's just, it's just a beautiful foundation that I just never want to take for granted.

Omar: 13:43

Yeah. That, that, that, that's big. Like when, when you, when you look back and see like the generations, the faith, almost like the, I'm thinking about, I think Hebrews, uh, uh, uh, chapter 11 where it talks about like, um, I forget the heroes. I think we call'em Yeah. The

Kristi: 13:57

heroes of faith. Yeah.

Omar: 13:58

When you look back and like following in their footsteps. So, okay, so you grew up, you're, you're, you're competing. I believe you were like, uh, you had a record. I think, uh, uh, I, I, I watched a few of your, uh, uh, podcast interviews that you did, and I believe, uh, you had a record that lasted almost like 20 years. So you were like, uh, uh, I guess on top of that, yeah. I, I held

Kristi: 14:17

the world record and women's slalom for 18 years and was a world champion masters, eight time masters champion, I don't know, four times us open, lots and lots of, um, victories, but you know, more than the victories, I had that many or more falls. It was just like any sport and it was those falls and those failures that. Really taught me, um, how to get up in life and taught me just so many wonderful life lessons that now I get to share in my writings. But also when I get to go behind bars and minister the gospel, whether it's through our magazine or the broadcast that we do, or, um, getting to go behind bars physically and speak to people. I, I never dreamed how God would use all those lessons to help people get up in life. And it's the story of God. God calls it the story of hit It. And that was what he called me to go behind bars and share. Back in 2013, I was sitting with a friend of mine who was incarcerated. He had been there seven years at that point, and I'd never thought about him one day. And he reached out to me and God just moved in my heart and in led me to go visit him. And while I was there, the Lord showed me very vividly that this was a demographic group that he had not forgotten about, that he loved, that he cared about, and that he wanted me to go to him and share the story of hit it and hi. It's what I used to say to the boat driver when I was ready to go. You know, my dad taught me that. He goes, when you're ready to go, you don't say Go, because go sounds like no. So if you were in trouble and you yelled, no, they might go. So you always picked a phrase that was very unique. And most water skiers use the phrase, hit it. And so HIIT stands for. When you really apply it, not I mean to life, but even to skiing, it is that decision to get up, to move past your pain, your fear of failure, your fear of what's gonna come. It's you saying, I'm gonna face the obstacles, I'm gonna face the hardships, um, the possibility that I might crash. And you put all of that aside and you commit to go. The, the phrase hit it is about your decision to connect to a power source and get up out of the waters and move forward. It is a decision to not quit it. You're gonna hit it, you're not gonna quit it. And so that's why God was wanting me to go and carry that message that God, like the boat is right there. He's a power source that doesn't fail, but he is waiting for, he's a gentleman and he won't go until you give him the command. But he's cranked. He's thrown out his lifeline, his rope of hope. Jesus Christ, if you grab it by faith, he will take you somewhere. So he wanted me to go and he wanted me to tell the men and women behind bars that he had not forgotten him, that he was there, he was cranked, he was ready to go and all they had to do was grab hold by faith and say, hid it. God. If they had fallen, it didn't matter. The message of hi, it is that for 35 years I competed all over the world, but every single day I fell even in the tournaments. I fell like the, the winner was the person who fell at the furthest part of the course. And so it's not about perfection, it's about perseverance. And so I tell men and women all the time, I and children, I said, you know, for 35 years, I skied. 35 years I fell. But in the midst of falls and failures, I still became a world champion. Why? Because I kept saying, hit it and refuse to quit it. I chose to listen to my coaches. I chose to do it a different way. I chose to keep trying when it hurt, when I was cold, when everything was falling apart, is this spirit of perseverance. And so that is what water skiing taught me, and it is the highest privilege to get to take it to an audience that God chose. For me and me for them, I and them, for me. Like it is the highest privilege that I have and been the most fulfilling work. And I have met the most wonderful, wonderful people in this journey. God gave me a new family, like my family were water skiers and we were tight. Now I'm like riding through the desert with, with JC Amanza, wrong to strong and, and meeting you and getting to tell your story in our magazine and things like that.

Omar: 19:30

Amen. How, now, when, when did you know, I know you, you felt like God calling you to, to go to prison. How, how long did it take you? Were you like nervous in the beginning or like, uh, like, um, how long was it before you knew this is where I need to be? It's not just like a one time, uh, deal, you know, like I gotta keep Yeah, it

Kristi: 19:47

was actually, so this is a God story for sure. So it was such a supernatural encounter in that prison. It was such a voice. It was such a calling. When I got in the car, I wept like a baby and I said, God, I will go. I will go to prison. And at the time I had a national, not just national and international water sports outreach, we were sharing the gospel all over through water sports. It was very successful. I had been doing that for over 10 years at that point. And I knew so clearly that God was calling me out of that and into prison. And all I could do was give him my yes. I didn't know what it looked like. And I told him, I said, God, I will go, but you have to open the doors. And what he did, Omar, was within a week or two, I was about a week and a half or so, he had, he sent the magazine that I published, Victorious Living. And somehow,'cause I didn't tell anybody, somehow it ended up in the hands of the Florida Department of of Corrections. Within about a week and a half of that visit, they called me and they said, we want that in ev, that magazine in every prison in the state of Florida. And about two weeks later after that, I'm getting calls. Hey Ms. Johnson, we would like you to come speak in our prison. We hear you, you speak in prisons. I didn't speak in prisons. People in in Texas are calling, Hey, we'd like you to be one of our platform speakers. Murph the Surf, Jack Murphy, who they make documentaries. He pulled off the largest jewel heist in American history. All of a sudden he's my mentor. Like it was within weeks. And, um, it, it was just absolutely. Such a God thing. And years ago I asked the Lord, I was, I was like, okay, I love what I'm doing, but I loved being in water sports too. And I was like, Lord, why prison? And um, what I heard was to save you from yourself. He said, I had to take you out of a field that you knew and where you were known and where you had a name because you were doing everything in your strength. And he was right. I was chronically sick. I was having surgery after surgery. I was working so hard for God. And that's a tendency of mine. And, and we were talking a little bit about that before we started, like. I put the pedal down, and it's hard for me to let up because I just got such a passion and I love what I do, and I, that's how I was within his wakes. So God sent me to a world that I had no family connection to. I had no name. I had no know how. I didn't know the difference between a jail or a prison. I thought a roach was something that crawled, not like, you know, something to do with marijuana. I didn't know anything, anything. You know, even like the first time I go in prison, I'm talking like, all right, look, y'all ready to hit it. It's like I'm talking about turning tricks on my trick ski and things like that. Getting paid to turn tricks, and it's like there's a, a whole language that I'm using that means something completely different. I'm talking about. Saying hit it to a boat and turning tricks on a water ski. And it was like, but it was humorous.'cause as I would slip up and I would say things, the guys and the ladies in the audience would just burst out laughing'cause they knew I was a fish out of water. And so God has just had his hand on me and this ministry since day one. It was not something I would have ordinarily chosen for myself, but I cannot imagine doing anything else. It is, I love what I do, Omar, I I have to put the brakes on them to take January off.'cause I, you know, the last few months I've been to St. Kansas, uh, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Florida, um, goodness, Arizona, it's like. I just would go constantly. But you know, you just, you gotta be balanced. Um,

Omar: 24:26

okay. Yeah, for sure.'cause uh, we were talking, I think before we started recording about, uh, Martha and Mary and Martha, you know, with the busyness. And Mary's, uh, uh, went, uh, by Jesus feed and was just listening. And, uh, uh, one thing recently, uh, as, as I was studying that is, uh, uh, I would stop, sit and listen. Sometimes we, we, we need to do that.'cause what I was learning is, uh, sometimes the ones that are the busiest for Jesus or, uh, find it the hardest to spend time with'em. And we gotta be like intentional, like, like to schedule it. I know JC big on that as far as like having a schedule, like very, uh, uh, uh, disciplined life. And, and, and that's one, one thing that I know I need to do as well.'cause I'm, I'm on the go, go, go. You know, we gotta slow down sometimes.

Kristi: 25:09

Yeah. And we love the Lord. Um, and we get excited. About what he's doing and, and wanting to serve'em. But it is very hard. I mean, I've, this word has not been open today except for I was writing some articles and needed to find some scripture and, uh, had a little devotion this morning, you know, with our team. But it's, um, yeah, it's, it's a hard balance and you can get so busy doing for God sometimes that you miss being with him. And there's nothing that can substitute for that. I, I, you know, the things that you create and, um, in the flesh, you have to maintain'em. The things that are created in the spirit, God maintains them. The things that he has, you know, I, it ultimately, he's the only one that can sustain this ministry and me. Um. So I'm in a, in a balancing act right now and, and I can feel myself even slipping back like I was back when I had the water sports ministry. It's a tendency that I have and God knows it yet, he still, still is patient with me.

Omar: 26:23

Yeah, but you know what, I believe it's like, it's almost like a double-edged sword in a sense.'cause it's, it's, it's needed.

Kristi: 26:30

Yeah. Like

Omar: 26:31

that, that, uh, that grit, that determination, that, that, like you said, hit it like being on the go. And sometimes when God gives you a vision, you just like wanna run with it. Like,'cause you, you, you see what he's doing because, and you know, it's him doing it through you, but you just wanna keep going and Yeah. But sometimes we do, we do gotta slow down and, uh, that, that, that's awesome that you're gonna take that month off, you know.

Kristi: 26:55

Yeah, well, a month off from traveling. We'll see, my goal is to listen. To listen and, and you know, it's not just taking off, but being, we can get so busy and like the ministry will grow so fast and all these cool things are happening, but then it's like you just keep going to the next thing and the next thing. And that's how I lived my life.'cause it was event to event. And then as soon as, you know, I might would win the worlds, well, the next week I'm at another competition, so party's over. I had to move on to this. Or even if I crashed and burned, I had to suck it up buttercup and go. So I lived my life or, and I'm just realizing, you know, doing a lot of reflection that, you know, I've lived my life from event to event and really not, I don't take the time to celebrate and I'm, and I'm being very conscious even to remind our team, we gotta stop. And we gotta celebrate the victories because we can get drowning in the work. And also just, yeah, that happened. Now let's go do more. Let's, you know, go expand here. And we just go from thing to thing. So I'm in a season, especially like in December, I try to like stop and write down things and just basic things. Like I looked at my car, it's getting ready to roll over to a hundred thousand miles and I thought, you know, Lord, that's a hundred thousand miles of driving up down the highway from ministry and prisons and things, and hundreds of thousands of miles flying through the air. And I'm alive and I'm safe. Thank you. And just little things like that. It's not a little thing, but it's things we don't even think about that behind the scenes. He's given us a very breath. Um, the time, the opportunity, and. You know, to be a part of what is going on behind bars right now, it's huge. God is raising up an army behind those walls, and he's, he's raising up soldiers like yourself and myself and JC and so many others that, um, are just tenacious for God and for his people and for souls. Amen. So it's, it is exciting to be a part and in partnership with you and with him and all of us.

Omar: 29:26

Oh yeah. What, what, what would you say to somebody who's like, when they think about prison, maybe even the prisoners, they're like, man, there's no way I will go in there. Maybe they're fearful, like they don't know what to expect. Like, WW what would you say to somebody that has that, that mindset or There's some, some people like, uh, uh, I was talking, uh, Jim Kirkland, he, he's the one that, uh, le uh, leads Christian chaplains and coaching, and he said when he got saved. You know, serving the Lord and somebody told him, you know, about going to prison. He is like, man. And his mindset back then was, uh, man, I'm not gonna go in there like, man. Uh, when he thought about prisoners, like, man, uh, what do he say? Uh, uh, uh, lock him up and throw away the key. Mm-hmm. Like that, that was the mindset, like, you know, maybe they did something that they serve to be in there. And he said that it took a while, he prayed about it, uh, and decided to go in there. And he said that first time going in there, like it impacted him, impacted him in such a way that it changed his heart. He said he experienced, uh, the presence and the power of God behind bars. Like he hadn't experienced, like out here. And years later, he's the one that founded this ministry where he's ordained, I believe, over 300 chaplains now that go into prisons, that go into hospice, hospitals, uh, military, all, all, all type of platforms. So, uh, that that's the reason that that comes to my mind. So what would you say to somebody that might have that similar mindset?

Kristi: 30:47

Yeah, so my mindset was not like, throw away the key. I just, I kind of forgot about'em, but my thought was, you know, they've done something wrong. Learn a lesson and get out and do better serve your time. But I didn't realize the ins and outs of the system, the injustice of the system. Um, just, just so much stuff. And anyway, I just, you know, but once I got in, I realized the people behind bars are just that, they're people, they're human beings, they're fathers, they're mothers. When you go in with that, you realize these are people that God loves. And yes, there are, there's a, there is evil in there, but a majority of the people are, I mean, they're great people. They're gifted people, you know, maybe. I think of jcs story with just the trauma he went through, but for that trauma, I mean, he, he's a big teddy bear for goodness sakes. I mean, it's, he's fun. He's, he's kind, that's who he wanted to be. But the traumas of this world and the pain and the hurt that was dealt, he that was given to him, um, you know, people don't realize that these are people who've been hurt in the most unimaginable ways, and they need to be loved so that they can heal and getting to go in and be the hands and feet of Jesus. And see that love break through to someone's heart. It is amazing. But more than that, what you'll find when you go in is you'll see God move, like you just mentioned, in ways that you cannot imagine. You go sit in a church service inside prison. I was just in one last week in, in Kansas, and these different places that I get to go in, in, um, Florida, it's off the chain. It is. God is moving. People are worshiping. Nobody cares. You know, if you raise your hand or if you, it's, it is so much more alive. Some than most of the churches I've been to free society. But it's not. I mean, have I been in some situations when I've gone in and. Maybe I was uncomfortable. There's been a few, but, um, they, someone going in would probably not be put in the situation as a main speaker left in a room with three or 400 men. Um, you know, there's some moments where they were wanting some autographs and I was like, pinned against the wall. It was like, what is happening right now? And it wasn't, I was really afraid for me as there was no supervision and it was a maximum security place and it was just, I couldn't, oh, sorry. I don't know. I just kicked that off. Can you still see me?

Omar: 34:08

Yeah, yeah.

Kristi: 34:10

Hang on.

Omar: 34:10

Go ahead. No, that's fine. We could always, uh, edit, you know,

Kristi: 34:15

uh, my foot hit the,

Omar: 34:17

at the light.

Kristi: 34:18

Yep. Coming back. Woo. So, uh, yeah, it's, um, it's not scary. It's, it's just beautiful. It's absolutely beautiful. I don't even know if I answered that right.

Omar: 34:35

Oh, yeah. No, no. Yeah. I mean that, that, that's your experience with what you've seen. Yeah. And, uh, I, I, I've experienced the same thing like, uh, ever since I, I reconnected with jc like, to be honest, like prison ministry was like, no, it wasn't even on, on, on my, uh, radar, to be honest, as far as ministry. And then, uh, when we reconnected, it's like, uh, he's the one that challenged me to start this podcast. And from there, it's just been like one connection after another that eventually led me back into a, a prison. Uh, so for the last two years I've been going into a Cook County jail and, and I be telling my wife, like, it's like I go in there and I see like, younger me and, and I go in there. Uh, I, I with hope because I know like what God could did in my life. I know he could do it in the life of these men.

Kristi: 35:20

Uh,

Omar: 35:21

for two years, you, I mean, and, uh, um, I would say like a percentage of these men been there for the two years. So they, sometimes they come, they move'em to a different deck and then they find their, their their way back. And you build like a relationship with these guys. And the same thing. And ever since I've, I've been doing this podcast and I have, uh, like, uh, different men here, I realize like the trauma from the childhood, like you, you could see why they ended up doing the things that they ended up, uh, doing or the lifestyle that they lived. And it's, it's unfortunate, but yeah, a lot of times it's their childhood things that were done to them and that things that didn't have no control over, uh, but God could redeem it and God could, could turn their, their lives around even despite all these bad things that happened to them.

Kristi: 36:08

And a lot of people would think, well, if I went in, what would I say? Or maybe I won't know what to say. And 90% of it is just showing up. Being consistent, not going in and making all these promises or, you know, trying to be something just to be your authentic self and to be there and listen, um, to be there and encourage. And it's the showing up, like you said, week after week. I mean, one of the highlights of my week on Thursdays, I go sit with five guys in, um, the, this pro recovery program in the local jail here in North Carolina. And it's my favorite hour of the week. And I just, we go in there and we sit and we just talk and we just bring out the word of God and I study it with them. And Thanksgiving, just go in and play some cards with them and it's just showing up and they begin to trust you and want to share. And they be an opening up and every week you can see just, um, just a, a little more of the guard down and a little more laughter. And that laughter heals. Yeah. I mean, having conversation heals and it's, it's, I even see their conversation heal, bringing healing to the volunteers that I bring in. Yeah. And we're just in there as people just hanging out. And there's one thing I really love and the incarcerated don't, probably doesn't love this, but for me, I check my phone. You, you can't hear your phone in. It's just me being present where I am with the people that are in front of me. And in the free world. I don't have that, that opportunity because there's so many things. I mean, even right now, it's like, you know when you clicked on'em, I'm on this phone over here and there's just stuff coming up on the computers and things like that. Every information and people clawing at you. When I go in there, it's like me and God and the person right there in front of me, which is how it should be. Out here, but it just, it settles my spirit and I abso so it is really a lot of selfish reasons I go in.'cause I just, I love it so much. I, I get ministered to and I don't have fear, I guess because I know without a doubt I didn't put myself here. I didn't dream up one day. Well I'm just gonna go do that'cause so-and-so's doing it. It was God saying, go. So the first time I went in, in a Florida prison, I'd never been in, I'm handed this little panic button thing that I didn't even know what it was. They said, put this on your hip. And they just pointed the way and off I went across a compound by myself not knowing, looking for a chapel. And I'm like, I am walking through a prison by myself. And I go into the chapel and. The chaplain, he was overworked. So he is like, you know, the guys will be in a minute. If you need anything, I'll be back there in my office. And it was my first time. And so it was me and it was God. And about, I don't know, 150, 200 guys sitting there and the spirit of God fell and, and he's like, God, you sent me here. You're walking across this compound with me. I'm not afraid. And I'm con like, it's almost this conce that comes up in me because I know that, I know that I'm where I'm supposed to be. And when you're walking with the Lord in that purpose, whatever it is in your life, even when things are coming at you, it's like you can have peace and confidence.'cause you know the God who put you there as the God who's fighting for you. Yes. When the bills are coming. I know, God, I did not drum up this magazine. I did not make this up in my head. I, I fought this for years and you said, write a magazine, tell people stories in first person. Do it with excellence. Make it bilingual, give it away. And it makes no sense because the world's going digital publishes and give it away. I mean, it's a spend countless hours on this for the last 12 years and just, uh, more than that 14 years. But God is faithful. And when you are walking with him and you know you're walking in his will, you, you can, even though it's scary, you can walk it afraid because you could walk that yard, as JC says, yeah, you can do it. Afraid for. Um, set that fear aside. I think you can just step off and keep saying, hit it and keep moving forward because you know he's with you. Yeah. And, um, I trust him.

Omar: 41:12

Right, man. You said, uh, 14 years right? Of doing that,

Kristi: 41:16

of the magazine. Yes. Yeah. It's been 12 years of going into prisons and the magazine going in. And that's what's interesting. It's like when God told me to do this, I could have had a lot of ex excuses. God, I'm not a publisher. Um, I have no experience with, with this at all. I'm a water skier. Um, I wasn't an English major. I wasn't a journalist major. Um, I was a marketing major and, but God just, it would not go away. It was to do a magazine. But here's the thing, he didn't tell me who it was for. I had no details. It was just do the magazine. And give it away. And so I printed like 3000 issues the first time and just put it at local barbecue joints. I didn't even know who to give it to. And what he was doing was he was preparing the tool for the audience of prisoners. This is what he used for me to enter into prison. He sent this and so he sent this to DOC in Florida. So I tell people when God is telling you to do something, even if you don't understand, do it because that step of obedience will play into the next step of obedience and open the next door. Like everything you know, hinges on you obeying the first thing and you won't know everything. Like if the Lord had told me, write a magazine for, and it's gonna be for the incarcerated, I wouldn't have known what to do. I would've like, first of all, disqualified myself and said, who's gonna listen to me? Why would anybody listen to me when I haven't had their experiences? I would've thought, you know, oh. Or I would've judged and said, well, they need to hear this. You know, God knew I didn't need that detail because I would've messed it all up. He just said, right. And it's exactly what he like when he called Abraham out, he's like, go, Abraham. Go to the land. I will show you. Yeah. He didn't have all the answers. I mean, God protects us by not giving us all the answers. Right? And so that was really interesting that, um, and I really thought about it. He didn't tell me who it was for.'cause I, he probably either knew I wouldn't do it or I would do it wrong. Um. But he's not looking, as I said earlier, for us to have all the know-how, have all the education have anything. He's just looking for our faith and our yes. Trust him and say, yes, get off the dock, the dock's what I had to get off of and jump in the water and say, hit it God.'cause victory will never happen if you don't get off the dock.

Omar: 44:14

Amen. Amen. Um, quick question. Uh, how many prisons are you in now? And I, and I heard a interview, I don't know how, how long ago where you were actually looking into maybe, um, doing the print printing in prison. I don't know if that's happened yet.

Kristi: 44:29

We looked into that, but even in prison, um, with their discounts, it was, couldn't even touch. The, the pricing that we get in the free world was a little bit difficult. I mean, if it had been close, I would've switched it for sure. But, um, we have a lot of favor with this printing company and, um, but uh, yeah, so we are in, I was trying to think what you asked. We are in. We directly ship cases of the magazine into 500 facilities. We have partners, partnerships where we send pallet loads to, uh, library providers and, um, chaplain book providers that they go into another like 1500 facilities. So we estimate we're in about 2000 facilities, um, that have a presence. And also with the prison tablets, um, it's about that same, so I think it's like 1.5 PRIs million prison tablets that we're on with the magazine can be viewed. But we also have Bible studies and we put like, hopefully you'll let me put this one on. Amen. Oh yeah, for sure. Platform. Yeah. And that way, um, you know, people can hear, uh, hear this and, um. Yeah. So it's, um, been a journey, you know, and it all started with, with a yes. From someone who knew nothing.

Omar: 45:57

Yeah. And still, still learning, still growing,

Kristi: 45:59

still learning. Still feels like I don't know what I'm doing majority of the time.

Omar: 46:04

Oh yeah, no, same here. I I, I I love what you said about, uh, Abram. cause that's actually the, uh, the scripture, um, that prompted me to start this podcast. Mm-hmm. It was Hebrews 11, eight, uh, where it says it was by faith that Abraham obeyed, where God called him to leave home and go to another land that he will give him as an inheritance. And the key part was he went without knowing where he was going. And that part there, like, when I was debating, man, I, I don't know anything about podcasting. And he went without knowing where he was going. And it was that, that walking, just walking with no direction. I mean, not, not, not in my own like sense, but just like I tell people, like, I didn't know where I was going. But I knew he, who was the one calling me to go. So that's, that's all I needed. And it, it's been a wonderful journey. Now I wanna go back. I know in the beginning I mentioned how, how did you connect with jc? How, how did that come about? Yeah. And then if you could share, um, some of the work that you guys have done.

Kristi: 47:01

Yeah. So, JC Amanza, am I saying that right?

Omar: 47:04

Yes.

Kristi: 47:07

C or something? He just goes on and on.

Omar: 47:10

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Kristi: 47:11

I met him from, uh, bill Faye, William Faye. Bill Faye, who I think you might have had on.

Omar: 47:18

Yeah. He, he actually connected me with, with, with the, with the guys that, that you're gonna have on the magazine on the cover. Yes. So that, that's how got a hold of them. Yes,

Kristi: 47:26

yes. So, um, yeah, so Bill's like you, you gotta meet this guy, you gotta meet this guy. So I go to jcs gym about three years ago in Phoenix. And um, he was pretty new in his walk. But, um, there was something just that really resonated in my spirit and God even had me speak over him, almost prophetically, but, you know, just saying that God was really gonna use him, but he, the thing to be careful over would be there would be so many people wanting him. And I've seen that played out so many people wanting him to be a part of what they're doing. Um, I mean, I knew that God was just gonna open doors for him and I saw soldier that day for God. I didn't, I mean, I had no idea the depth of his traumas and things I just saw. I just saw a man that loved the Lord and. There was just an immediate love in my heart for him. Um, not in some crazy sexual way, but you know what I mean, as Yeah. As a brother in Christ. Yes. Um, I could see he was new in his walk, but I could also see there was a hunger to learn. And that's the one thing, and, and he even told me at that moment, he is like, you know, he had some things going in his life and he was upfront. He goes, you may not want want me in your magazine. I was like, you know, the fact that you even told me, shows me that you were listening to the Lord, you were striving. Um, it's the hit story. Like JC was the hit it story. It was, he had fallen, he was getting up and he was following God. He was saying, hit it to God. And, and that's just learning. You know, a toddler or baby when they're learning to walk, walks a few steps, falls, walks a few steps, falls, and then, you know, they go from on their belly to crawling, to walking, stumbling, and then running. And so. It's, I just loved what I saw. It was the hunger that I saw in him. So, you know, we ended up doing his story and I didn't realize, he told me just recently how much that did for him because it showed that someone believed in him and, um, gave him the confidence to step into other places that maybe he hadn't felt equipped to do. And I believe, I mean, he would have to come on and, and, you know, share his side of it, but I believe it's been a wonderful partnership. Um, I've gotten to meet Bethany, his wife, and I just think she is just beautiful and they have a beautiful love story. It hasn't been easy, but um, they have fought for one another and, um, what the enemy has tried to destroy God is just, just build a beautiful, beautiful. Story there. And, um, we've been able to go into prisons together. We've been able to do podcasts together when going into the prisons. Really interesting because we've been on a couple of like five day trips together and, um. You know, he doesn't like to be away from home, so you gotta babysit him a little bit. I'm just kidding. But, you know, we're different. Like, I, I can go and, but he's ready to get home to Bethany, like after about the first day. And, but he gets in those prisons and he can connect man, he can connect with those guys to watch him tell a little bit more of a story each time.'cause God's revealing the Holy Spirit's, like peeling these layers. That's been real exciting. We learned from each other. Like, he's watching me serve people. And you know, the last time we were together, he was bringing me this hot tea, like, I thought it was coffee. And then he goes, no, it's hot tea. And he had watched and he knew that's what I liked and he knew that I needed it and he was serving me. And he told me later, he goes, I learned that from you. Wow. And um, and then I'm learning things from him and we're, we're pushing one another. You know, he's calling, he's speaking in my life. And, and then I don't know if he told you, but a few weeks ago, the last three times we've gone into prisons and spoke, he's like, God has told me, God has told me I'm to do an invitation and invite people to accept the Lord. And when I do, all these men are gonna get saved. Well, he didn't do it the first event and he didn't do it the second event, so this last time. But I mean, he still poured out. He did fantastic. But you know, I know it's hard unless you're Bill Faye who just loves evangelism and like, you know, just, and, and Steve Watt that you've had on, I mean, he lives and breathes like we all do to tell people about Jesus. But for me to go out and just stand on a corner and go talk to strangers, that's hard for me. Really hard. And so I understood the battle that he was going through, like God was, was pushing him a little bit. So the last event. He told me, you know, I'm supposed to do this, I'm gonna do it. And after he finished speaking, he sat down. So after I finished speaking, I called him back up and, uh, because, not because I wanted to, because I knew that he needed the push, and he looked at me, I said, jc, can you come up? He goes, I know what you're doing. I know what you're doing. And, and I just, but I told the guys out there, there's a couple hundred guys. I said, listen. And I told him, you know, I'm, I'm fortunate. Probably JC didn't deck me, punch me in the chest, he says, but he's standing there and he is looking at me like, I'm gonna kill you. But I said, we've all been asked to do things. It's hard. But right now I'm gonna give you another chance. God's gonna give you another chance to do what he's asked you to do. And I'm gonna stand here with you and we can do it together. But then the Lord started speaking through me. He's like, JC, it doesn't matter what you say.'cause a lot of times we're gonna op, feel like we're gonna open our mouth and say the wrong thing. He goes, just open your mouth and I will speak through you. And he, it was so cute.'cause he's at first, he's like, can I do a couple pushups? Like he drops down in front of 200 guys. But what they got to see is a grown man, a man of God being obedient. It was uncomfortable. It was embarrassing. Not embarrassing, but I mean it, it was being called out. Yeah. And, but he did what he had to do to get off the dock and he did exactly what I would've done on the water ski dock. I would've dropped down and done pushups. I would've jogged in place. I would've, you know, got myself ready and he dropped down. He did about 10 pushups, grabbed the mic, he said, he said a few words. And then he just said, who will take a knee and surrender their life to Christ with me? And he turned around, handed Mr. Pat who's on our ministry team, the microphone to finish it off. And JC Knelt and men came. And I'll send you a picture of this and maybe you can stick it on this. Yeah, I'll

Omar: 55:07

definitely.

Kristi: 55:08

And those men came and knelt beside him and gave their life to the Lord. JC afterwards was just all smiles and just thumbs up. And it was beautiful. But the men got to see like. Even when you are following after the Lord, obedience is hard. Yes. And it's uncomfortable. And they got to see the struggle. They got to see the obedience, and they gotta see the fruit of obedience and it was beautiful. And so, um, you know, being in his presence and being a part of his story is one of the highlights of my life. Um, I don't think he realizes how much he's loved by so many people, especially on our team and, uh, how grateful we are that God has allowed us. Um, you know, I, I not chased after JC to get him in victorious living as much as I wanted to because I remember the Lord saying. So many people are gonna be after him that I didn't wanna be one of those. Yeah. Was trying to pull him from what God wanted him to do. But I do believe JC and I feel very strongly after all these years that God has called us to do a mighty work together. Amen. And he has called me, you know, to work alongside some pretty amazing prison ministries.'cause it's not about Victoria slipping, it's not about from wrong to strong or wrong to strong. It's about us coming together. You know, we each got our fields that we're working on and sometimes we come in there and you're watering and I'm plowing or whatever. Or JC might get to harvest it up and, and it is all important, but so many prison ministries, like they're not just prison ministries, ministry in general. It's just, it's like everybody gets territorial about the dollar, about the, the people, about the way you do something. And it's just really. Ashamed. So when you can find somebody that you can push and be pushed by and have fun and laugh, like we just, we laugh, we've cried. Um, we've gotten angry. I mean, it's, uh, it's been a really neat experience.

Omar: 57:35

Uh, no, no, you know what? That, uh, uh, uh, thank you for sh uh, sharing all that. cause you know, I'm, I'm over here in Chicago, jcs out there, and it, and it is good, you know, for people to hear, uh, uh, what, what God is doing in and through his life. I know he's been a, like a huge part of my life. I remember, uh, before we re reconnected,'cause we had, man, I lost contact with him for like 15 years. And, uh, my wife in, during that season, my wife was praying, uh, God sent some men in into my husband's life.'cause I, I was, uh, I've been serving the Lord since 2004. You know, like, but I, during that season, I was kind of like, just. Like, what, what would you call that? Uh, cruise control in my faith. Yeah. Kind of just going through the motions and my wife was praying like God sent some men, like, you know, to encourage my, my husband. And, uh, little did she knew that it would, it would be guys from my past, you know? Oh, yeah. Guys from my, from like, I guess like you could say like the street life that he was, had you served

Kristi: 58:31

with jc

Omar: 58:32

Uh, uh, uh, served in, uh, whatwe

Kristi: 58:35

in Tom with JC or no?

Omar: 58:36

Yeah, so that's actually how, uh, how we met. We met in prison.

Kristi: 58:40

Okay. Okay.

Omar: 58:40

So we met back in 1998. Uh, yeah, it was in 98. So we were together like from 98 to 99. And then, uh, I got out in 2000 and he got out shortly after, after me, and we reconnected in the streets. Uh, and then maybe the club a couple times. Uh, but, but the amazing thing is that, uh, just I think it was a year ago, a year and a half ago, uh, we got to go back into the prison where we met. Uh mm-hmm. So he flew out here and we went into E East Moline. And, uh, we had an opportunity to go in there. And, uh, as we were walking in there, we, we stopped at the handball court, which is where we spend a, a lot of our time. And he, he asked the, uh, the counselor, uh, Sarah, uh, Hartman, she's the one that got us in there. It's, it's a long story of how even that connection came about. Uh, but, uh, jcs asked her, could you mind if we pray in the handball court? So we went on the handball court, we had an opportunity to pray, and then we went in there and, and, and talked to the man, shared our testimony, shared, shared our faith. And, uh, what was amazing that as I was in there, there was two guys from my, uh, from the neighborhood where I grew up in, and there was one guy in particular that was there since 2005. I got saved in 2004. So he's been in there almost gonna be 20 years, a little bit under 20 years. Uh, when, when, when I seen him and, uh, after we did our testimony, shared our word, he comes up to me and he's like, man, Omar, I should've listened to you. And he said that he would run from me when he would see me.'cause that's after I got saved. So after I got saved, I went back to my neighborhood. I just started evangelizing, telling, and obviously, you know, like the Bible says, what fellowship can the light have with darkness? So they knew like, oh man, this guy's coming to talk to me about the Bible. So he told me, he's like, he's like, man, I will see you and I will run. Yeah. And that was, that. That was, uh, um, right before, you know, he, um, he did whatever that landed him in prison. Uh, but he's like, man, Omar, I used to run for me. He's like, and I told him, man, you should have listened, man. You should have listened to me. So, uh, he'll be out, I think in five years. So he's gonna end up doing about 25 years. But, uh, I, I just see God's hand, like even in, uh, us, me and JC having the opportunity to almost 25 years later, go back to the place where we met. Mm-hmm. And it's almost like you see, like, there was nothing by coincidence. It was not a coincidence that we met back then. And, uh, God's doing something amazing. That's why I'm blessed. Uh, to reconnect with'em. And he, he's the one that actually, that got used to like, reignite my faith.

Kristi: 1:01:14

Yeah.

Omar: 1:01:15

And I, I'm in a place now where I, I'm, I'm just the same way you are. I, I have a love, uh, for these guys that are in there and, um, I, I know we were talking about like, to encourage people like to go in there. A a lot of times we thi I, I think or we think that we're gonna go in there and bless these guys and we, we get more blessed from, from them, you know?'cause they have a hunger and a fire for the Lord. That man that encourages me as I go in there.

Kristi: 1:01:40

Yeah. Well, I hope I get to come up and go in with you one day.

Omar: 1:01:42

Yeah. I mean, I'm out here in Chicago. I I'm gonna go, uh, God willing in March. Okay. I'm gonna go Phoenix. Uh, so I told jc so I think it's gonna be like March, around March 6th, somewhere around there. Okay. So I'm gonna try to go out there for about five days and maybe be, I'll

Kristi: 1:01:56

be out there in February. Oh yeah.

Omar: 1:01:58

Okay.

Kristi: 1:02:00

Cool.

Omar: 1:02:01

Oh yeah. Yeah. So it's, it's amazing what God's doing. But, uh, and, and real quick, I, I'm grateful for you as well. I know you, you're gonna be able to, to share my, not only my story, but, but my wife in this coming, uh, issue I think. And, uh, you mentioned January 20. Yep.

Kristi: 1:02:15

January, 2026. Yep. So it'll go out, it'll be on the prison tablets. We'll also have a podcast if it hasn't happened already, an interview with you on our channel and, um, go a little deeper in your story. And so your, your story's going to, I mean, I'm sure it already has, but it's gonna touch. A hundred thousand plus lives. I mean, it's really gonna reach a lot of people. And um, you know, I was, when you were talking about your friend who said, I should have listened. There's maybe someone right now that's thinking, I, I should have listened. I should listened to grandma, I should listen to mom. And they found themself because they didn't listen. It'd been in, in this consequence for many years and this place where they wished they hadn't been. I just want that person to know that God doesn't waste a thing. He doesn't waste a day, he doesn't waste a tear, he doesn't waste a pain. Um, and it's not over. I mean, that's why he sent me to prison ministry, into prison ministry was to say it's not over. So even those 25 years for your friend will not, if I was, he was standing right here, I'll say God will not waste one day of them. And the only way it's wasted is if we live in that regret. Always looking back and wishing we had done it differently. We've just got to embrace where we are. We've got to learn from our mistakes and then move forward. And God can use those experiences, um, in ways that you never dreamed, just like he's using your experiences and jcs and mine. That's why I love going in with JC because when he shares his story, you know, his is completely different than mine. Um, you know, having the trauma inflicted on him by family members as opposed to me having family members who bent over backwards to love me and sacrifice and push me forward. You know, it's just unbelievable and I don't understand why life happens like that. Um. It just seems wrong. It seems unfair. I, I don't understand. But here's what I know. Even with what he went through and my life, we both came to a place in our life of emptiness. We both came to a place in our life where, you know, whether it was being the top of this gang or top of this cartel, or me at the top of a sport, um, there was pain and there was emptiness. And it was Jesus who healed us. And it is Jesus who crossed our path. So when we go in and you've got the extreme of his story and my story, you're gonna find yourself between one of them. You're either gonna identify with mine or, or his, or somewhere in between. And the reality is, no matter what you've been through, no matter what you've done, or no matter how good you may have had it, if you don't have Christ, you have no hope. And so, um, I think that's really one of the reasons it's so powerful when we go in there because there is such an extreme and our voices are so different and our stories are so different. But yet the answer for our life is the same, right? And we have found purpose. We have found sanity of mind. We have found our health and wholeness and family and acceptance and worth. Not in cartels, not in drugs or alcohol or performance. It's been in Christ and it's set all of our lives on a course that is exciting. It's hard, it's exhausting, but it is the most fulfilling, wonderful journey you could ever have. And again, I would say to someone who feels like they've missed it, they haven't, it is never too late. God is the God of not just second and third chances, but of another and another and another chance. And that doesn't mean we set out to go just sin and mess up. It just means we're human. And there's going to be times where we fail. And God would say, get up. I love that song. It says, get up, get up, get up. Get up outta that grave. Yeah, we gotta get up and we gotta come out. And then we gotta take the grave clothes off just like Lazarus. He says, come out. And then, you know, he says, Lazarus couldn't take the grave clothes off. God told the disciples, go take his grave clothes off. And there, that's us. That's what we get to do. You know, personally, we have to come out of the grave. Then we've all got some gray clothes on that we need some help getting off. And that's where, you know, getting into counseling, talking with your pastor, talking with trusted people who are on a journey that you would like to be on, that you could trust. It's being vulnerable. It's prayer, it's getting in the word, it's renewing your mind with the truth. That's how the grave clothes come off. Otherwise, we're walking through this life blind, we're walking through it, deaf, um, and unable to move. You know, we're look walking around like a mummy. And so, um, anyway, got a little rambling there, but it's, it's not over. Come out and get those grave clothes off. God has got something for you to do and something that will fulfill your life like you'd never dreamed.

Omar: 1:08:11

Amen. It starts with Jesus.

Kristi: 1:08:13

Amen.

Omar: 1:08:13

Amen. You know what, I'm already, uh, we're close to that time. I know I asked you before we started, you know, uh, so usually I ask our guests, uh, you, you know, any final words and then if you could close us out in a, in, in a, a prayer.

Kristi: 1:08:25

Yeah. No, I just wanna say thank you to you and, and Ann for your, um, love for people and each other. You have a beautiful love story. I can't wait for people to read it in the magazine, but thank you for your faithfulness and for having me on. And, um, father God, I just, uh, we thank you for this time together. Father, we thank you for your word. We thank you the God that it never fails us. We thank you that it is true. And of all the things in this world, um, you, God, are the one thing that can, we can trust. You are not like a shifting shadow. You are one that is fixed. You are solid, and if we build our lives on you, father, you are the rock. We become solid and our lives are built on something that the reigns of this world and the wa reigns of life cannot destroy. Father, I thank you that you are a firm foundation. Thank you that you are our wisdom. You are our hope. You our salvation. God, you, you're our purpose. And I just pray for those right now who feel like they have no purpose. Father, you would say to them that it's not over. You would say that you are chosen, you are loved, you are accepted in the beloved. That God loves you and Father, you were calling out people right now out of their, um, out of their graves where there might be hiding or where they might have been buried by someone else and left for dead. God, maybe our shame has got us hiding, kind of like Adam and Eve, our fear. Father, just help us to step out and to face you a God of love. God, you're not there to judge us. You're there to love us and to heal us and to set us free. And so Father, may you just go to work in our lives today as we bow our knee to you and our hearts, and our minds to you, and we surrender our lives to you. God, we can trust you. Thank you Lord for what you've done in j C's life and in my life and in Omar and Anne's life, how you saved us all God, for such a time as this. I just pray that someone listening today will know, um, that now today is the day of salvation to quit putting it off because God loves you and you don't wanna waste another day. You don't wanna waste another day. You don't wanna live without hope. Another day come to him, all who are weary and heavy laden, and God says He will give you rest. He will give you everything that you've ever been looking for, and he will give you a father. He will give you a family. He will give you a sound mind. He will give you a purpose, and he will give you a future. Father, we love you and we thank you for dying for us. Thank you for the gift of salvation. In Jesus' name, amen.

Omar: 1:11:30

Amen. Amen. Thank you very much for, for your time, for, for sharing your story. For, for the prayer, you know? Thank you very much. You know what, before we sign off, can you share how could people hear more about, uh, Victor's living, um, uh, ministries? And I know there's a, a magazine, I know it goes into the prisons, but, but, but people out here, they have the ability to, to to, to get the, the same, um,

Kristi: 1:11:54

yeah, like a subscription. Yeah. Yeah. So,

Omar: 1:11:56

yeah. Yeah. If you could share, what could people, uh, hear more about the ministry and where can they go to, to sign up?

Kristi: 1:12:01

Yeah, so it's Vic Victorious living ministries.org. And if you don't wanna write all that out, you can do VLMI n.org. And, um, if you go on there, uh, you can see all of our digital versions. Um, at the header it says Magazine, and you can click on that to read past issues, but you can also, um, give a donation to the ministry. And, um, your story actually is coming out in January of 2026. So if in the next, I don't know when this podcast is gonna be shown, but people would need to sign up before the end of the year, um, and they just sign up simply by going on, given a donation of$25 or more. Um, and that gives you a year subscription, which are three issues of life transforming, life giving stories. So just go to vl MI n.org and hit the donate now button. And, uh, we would love to put your name on our mailing list and subscription list. It's just a free gift that we give, um, to any of our donors.

Omar: 1:13:11

Hey, amen. Amen. And for sure, and, and when I release this, I'll probably release it like within the week. I, I usually release it on Monday, so God willing, by next Monday I'll try to have it out and I'll definitely, I'll put links to the, to the website and yeah, if you guys are like on social media anywhere, I'll put links to that as well. That, that way people could make, uh, could find it easy to, to, to, to reach you guys.

Kristi: 1:13:30

We'll get all that information to you,

Omar: 1:13:32

man. Okay. All right. Well, thank you very much for your time. With that, we're gonna give rid the, uh, to, to sign off. Uh, okay. Uh, Matthew four 16 reads,"The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned." Alongside my guest, Christie Ammo, Omar Calvio, and we are wrong. Too strong.