Choosing Victory When Life Changes in an Instant, with Victoria Burmeister

Life can change in a moment-but God remains faithful.

In this episode of Living Testimonies, Victoria Burmeister shares how faith, perseverance, and trust in God carried her through life-altering circumstances. through seasons of uncertainty, waiting, and growth, her story points back to the faithfulness of God and the power of choosing victory over fear.

This conversation is an encouragement for anyone walking through hardship, navigating unexpected change, or learning to trust God's timing. It's a reminder that we are not defined by what happens to us, but by the God who walks before us and sustains us through every season.

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Links to connect with Victoria Burmeister:

TicTok - @lady_vick5
Instagram - @life_ positively _rolls_on
Facebook - Victoria Burmeister
Snapchat - ladyv0513

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Transcript

Israel Caminero 0:05

Before we jump into today's episode, I just want to take a moment to thank all of you who've been listening, sharing, and supporting the Living Testimonies Podcast. Your love, your prayers, and your encouragement truly keep this ministry moving forward. If you haven't already, make sure you like, share, and subscribe so you don't miss any of the powerful stories God is using to touch lives. And if the podcast has blessed you, I want to encourage you this year to share it with just one person who might need hope or encouragement. You never know how God could use that simple step to change a life. My goal for 2026 is simple: to reach hearts and places we haven't reached yet. New communities, new listeners, and people who desperately need to hear that God is still moving. With your help and with every care, we can grow this ministry far beyond what any of us could imagine. Before we begin, I want to speak a quick blessing over you, which is found in Philippians chapter 4, verse 7. May the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, guard your heart and your mind in Christ Jesus. I pray this episode brings you hope, strength, and a fresh reminder of God's faithfulness. Now, with hearts open and expectations high, let's step into today's story. Welcome to Living Testimonies. I'm your host, Israel Caminero, and I hope everyone that's listening is blessed and doing well. Here at Living Testimonies, we believe your story is his glory. My guest today is Victoria Burmeister. And I'm going to have her briefly introduce herself. Then I'll open us up in prayer before we dive into her testimony. Victoria, welcome. Go ahead and tell our listeners a little bit about who you are.

Victoria Burmeister 2:03

Thank you, Israel. Well, my name is Victoria. I am a mom, advocate, entrepreneur, and newly published author. I just have a passion for inspiring, empowering, and motivating individuals to fulfill their purpose and reach their destiny.

Israel Caminero 2:28

Amen. Amen. And she, as always, is here to share her testimony with everybody. But before we do that, I'd like to open up in prayer and say, Father God, we thank you for this moment and for bringing us together today. Lord, we invite your presence into this conversation. We ask that you speak through Victoria, that every word shared would bring hope, encouragement, and truth to those listening. You know every heart tuning in. Those who are hurting, those who are questioning, and those who need reassurance that you will still be with them. Use this testimony for your glory. Let lives be touched by faith and purpose be awakened. We give you all the honor and praise in Jesus' name. Amen.

Victoria Burmeister 3:10

Amen.

Israel Caminero 3:11

Okay, Victoria, take us back to the beginning. Can you share a little bit about yourself growing up?

Victoria Burmeister 3:18

Well, when my mom and stepdad uh were married, I was 10 years old, and he adopted us, and he was my dad in every sense of the word, a strong Christian man, a good father, a loving husband, and he raised me with a good work ethic. So my, and I emphasize my plans um after I graduated was to go to college, which I did, and I finished my freshman year, and then I had the accident. So I didn't get to take over the business and continue my dad's legacy. But God had different plans for me, very different than I had planned or even thought of for my life. He just changed my mindset during the three months I was in rehab. It wasn't easy, but it's a way of life now, and it's the only way by which I live my life.

Israel Caminero 4:25

Can you share about the accident and how you saw God's hand at work right from the onset, especially in ways doctors didn't expect?

Victoria Burmeister 4:33

This happened on October 17th, 1987, and I was driving an 81 citation X11. I was going into a 25 mile an hour corner, and I went to downshift and it wouldn't take second gear. So I tried again, no luck. I tried third and it was like stuck in neutral. I ended up hitting gravel on the side of the road. Then I hit a tree and the whiplash motion broke my neck. The third vertebrae slid over the fourth, taking the spinal cord with it. Now, the higher you damage your spinal cord, the more damage that's done to the body. And doctors had told my family that I would be nothing more than a head attached to a body, not able to move or feel below the level of injury. Well, by the grace of God, I far surpassed that. But what I noticed at the very beginning, I guess I wasn't sure what God's hand was at that time. I oh I was under the impression that maybe God had caused the accident because I was backslidden. And I was backslidden for a couple of years and I knew better. I mean, I it wasn't my first rodeo with being baptized and born again. I noticed little things, but it's like my spirit didn't stop. And even though my whole body felt like it was asleep, you know how when your leg falls asleep and it's that tingly feeling?

Israel Caminero 6:20

Yeah.

Victoria Burmeister 6:21

That's how my entire body felt from my neck down. And he asked me, Can you feel me holding your hand? And I looked at him and said, No. And the paramedic and the officer were like, oh no, because back then they didn't put the Philly collars on right away. And so he ran into the back of the ambulance and grabbed a neck brace and put that on. But um I didn't know at that point if it was permanent or if after I stabilized an ICU for a week and had the surgery to fuse my neck from C3 to C5 to, you know, to make sure that there wasn't any more damage to the spinal cord. I thought I was going to be fine after the surgery. Nobody told me that I was never gonna walk again. And I kind of had to figure that out on my own. So God just gave me peace about it, and I didn't freak out. I think my friends and my family were kind of afraid or a little nervous to tell me that, um, you know, Vic, you're never gonna walk again. Because I'd look at them and tell them, yeah, you're wrong. You know, why are you lying? But God gave me peace to figure it out, and I was like, hmm, this was not what I had anticipated, it wasn't what I had planned, right? But it wasn't my plan, it was God's, and that's what I had to realize, and I was okay with that because being raised in the church ever since my parents, you know, met and were married, I knew. So I think the month that I stayed in the hospital and I was feeling below the level of injury, I felt below or behind my ankle when they were giving me a bed bath. And Richard started working with my right hand to hold it and tell me, I'm gonna let it go. So if you don't hold it, it's gonna drop. And I was looking at him like, what are you gonna do that for? How mean! But I understood what he was trying to do. So during that month that I was in there, the doctor saw progress, and that was totally God, because he made it so that the spinal cord injury was not a complete severage, it's incomplete. So my classification is C3, C4, incomplete quadriplegic. So the spinal cord is not completely damaged or severed. I have use of my arms, biceps, triceps are weak, no fingers. But I have feeling and sensation all the way down to my toes. So doctors kind of scratch their heads when they see me because they're like, I thought you were a quad. And I said, I am, you know, and sometimes they've said I'm a medical mystery because for as high as the level of injury, I didn't have problems with my breathing. I didn't have to be put on machines or um continue problems with uh issues that could come up. And I, you know, I was very blessed. So during that three months, it was an awakening as I was coming out of spinal shock and as I was hearing God's voice.

Israel Caminero 10:24

Amen. Wow, you have an interesting story. You know, you mentioned that many spinal cord injuries like yours often results in dependence on a ventilator, right? Yep. Yeah, that wasn't your story. How did that make your faith even stronger during those early months while in rehab and stuff?

Victoria Burmeister 10:43

Oh, I knew and the fact that not then I didn't have feeling and sensation that came after I was home and started working, but the fact that I could move my arms the way that I could, and I worked out, I worked out every day, even though they told me not to do it. I I was like, uh-uh, I've got control on this one and I'm gonna do it every single day. And it made me feel good. I felt like I was accomplishing something, plus learning how to write again and feed myself. I mean, you would think that it would be an easy task, but if you have an injury like that, it knocks you down to your core. You literally have to start all over again. I mean, I was so weak, I could not even move a sheet off of me when I was laying in bed.

Israel Caminero 11:42

Wow.

Victoria Burmeister 11:43

And I'm like, this is ridiculous. I cannot live life this way. This isn't how it's supposed to be. And even now, you know, I can handle so much weight, and then when it gets too much, I can only move it so far. So it's just things that I have to be aware of. And if I don't want to find myself in a situation where I'm feeling claustrophobic, I need to make sure that when my caregiver leaves at night, I am totally comfortable in any situation that comes my way. So it was just a work in progress well, I was a work in progress. We all are actually.

Israel Caminero 12:25

Right.

Victoria Burmeister 12:25

And it was just like, okay, God, whatever you give me back, I will receive it gladly. Prove the doctors wrong because you were my physician and healer, not them.

Israel Caminero 12:40

Amen. You'll mention that you had to teach yourself how to feed yourself and write again, which is very difficult. Yep. How did God teach you, or what did God teach you about perseverance and gratitude during that season? Because I'm sure it was very frustrating.

Victoria Burmeister 12:57

Oh gosh, uh, extremely. And I'll tell you right now, anyone that knows me knows that I have patience, but it is not a virtue of mine at all. And God keeps putting me in these situations where I have to be patient with myself. And I'm like, I oh, sometimes I get so annoyed and irritated. It's like all I hear is slow down, slow down. This is gonna be a recurring lesson until you get it, and I'm like, mmm, okay. And God told me I needed patience 15 years ago, and I'm still working on it, so it it was hard because I knew how I wrote before, and that was my goal to get back to, and I didn't want to feel like I was chasing my food on a fork or a spoon because just the weight of that adaptive fork or spoon, I had to have a wrist brace at the very beginning to help me hold that up. That's how weak I was. And when you add food to the fork, it's like you feel like you're chasing it. And even now, sometimes it's like if I get too much on the fork or spoon, I'm like, okay, this isn't gonna work because I'm gonna be chasing it and make a mess. You learn a lot about yourself during that time, what's important, what's not, but I think the one thing that I learned, especially in rehab, is I have the right to have things the way that I like them, and that makes me comfortable because I can't do it myself, so whomever is helping me, they have to understand that and obviously be okay with it. Like I remember we were training a caregiver, and we were talking about no cricket crotches, and she goes, Well, I don't understand what the big deal is. And so my caregiver walked over to her and she put her hand on her hips and shifted the seam, and she goes, How does that feel? And the the gal was like, Oh, I get it, you know, no more questions after that point. It was just like people don't think about the little things because it's something they can easily adjust or fix their clothes, right? And I'm very, I'm very picky about the way I look, the way I'm dressed, and the way my hair is, because I don't ever want to be in a situation where I get sad or depressed, and I look in the mirror and I look like crud. My clothes are disheveled, you know, my hair's a mess, I don't have any makeup on. But if I'm put together and I look in the mirror and I'm like, you don't look as bad as you feel, snap out of it. That's all I need. It may seem silly to some people, but it's what works for me. Even when I'm in the hospital, the doctors will come in, my caregiver's there, and she's doing my makeup and fixing my hair. And he's like, Well, I did not expect to see this. And I said, just because I'm in the hospital doesn't mean I have to look like I am.

Israel Caminero 16:46

Right.

Victoria Burmeister 16:47

It's like that's a very good point. I like that attitude because I wish more of my patients had that attitude. And I said, It's all about the positive mindset. You have to focus on it because there is something positive in every situation. It may not be what you you know, what you want, but it's what you need, it's not permanent, it's just temporary. It's just to get you to the next level. And once I uh figured that out and became okay with it, uh things got easier, if that makes sense.

Israel Caminero 17:27

It does. It does. Now, during this time, you mentioned the boyfriend before. Was he still around?

Victoria Burmeister 17:35

Richard and I were together for four months when I had the accident. He stayed with me for a total of three years. Uh, the three months that I went to rehab, he came up every Friday night and left every Sunday night for work. He was my hero. If it hadn't been for him being so persistent and consistent in what he said he was going to do, not tell me, oh, I'm gonna come up and then say, oh no, sorry, she, you know, plans changed, then I probably wouldn't have been so driven. But because he scathed that way and kept encouraging me, and you know, you give up when the day that that comes is the day I walk away. Well, it didn't happen that way. I thought we had a great relationship, things went back to the way that they were, doing the same thing, four-wheeling, going to the races, spending time at home or at friends or you know, taking a day trip, whatever it was, we were still doing it. And, you know, for whatever reason, which I never got the real reason why he broke up with me, but I'll never fault him for anything because he, even in the memoir that I wrote, I have a chapter dedicated to him because he was with me 24-7. You know, I had friends that were very close and influential, but Richard was the one that was there when I got home from work. We chatted, we spent time together, we were building something, but all it takes is someone to interject something that makes somebody think something else, and they go down a different path. And um I uh was single for two years, then met and married my first mistake. We were married for three years, and he had a nine-year-old son when we met. Then I met my second uh ex-husband. He's the father of my two children who are now almost 30 and 28.

Israel Caminero 20:09

Okay.

Victoria Burmeister 20:10

They're the best part of him in those two. I'm so proud of them. After 15 years, when the money ran out, he left because I had won some money from the lawsuit, and that's what was paying the bills. It was only meant to do medical, but people get comfortable and they kind of expect things, and I did it to make it for what I couldn't do, if that makes sense.

Israel Caminero 20:37

It does, I understand.

Victoria Burmeister 20:39

After Scott and I got divorced, I think I was single for like twelve years. And um I met the person I'm getting divorced from now, and I didn't realize the demons in the closet, the narcissism, the alcoholism, and those do not go well together. So, you know, it was just something that we were together for eight and a half years, married for five and a half years. His son was nine when I met them, also. So his son and I are very close, and maybe part of the reason why I stayed was for him, but he's about to be eighteen and he doesn't need to be marcomanaged anymore, and we still talk, and I'm really grateful for that. But God just opened the door for me to leave and it just came at the right time, and in a matter of three hours, I was from my house to renting a room from a friend of a friend that was literally down the street and around the corner.

Israel Caminero 21:58

Wow. You know, you walk through very difficult marriages, but the way I see it, God's protection was definitely there even during unhealthy and painful situations. And also, you mentioned children. I don't know when your divorce was or anything like that, but raising children from a wheelchair is challenging on its own. But doing it as a single parent adds another layer.

Victoria Burmeister 22:25

Yeah.

Israel Caminero 22:26

You know, how did God say that?

Victoria Burmeister 22:27

Because my children only know mom in a chair.

Israel Caminero 22:33

Right.

Victoria Burmeister 22:33

I mean, I don't the any pictures that I had taken when I was pregnant with them, I think got lost at sea from moving from Maui back to the mainland. I I'm sad about that because I think I have a little bit of my son, but not any of my daughters. So she always teases me and says that she was adopted. And but you know, God blessed me with a boy and a girl. Thank God my daughter's pregnancy was the second one because if it would have been the first, I couldn't have had another child. I was in the hospital every month with kidney infections, and God brought me through it and kept me well. And they hadn't seen a quad give birth naturally. So I was very grateful and thankful that I didn't have to be cut open for a C-section. Another miracle of God.

Israel Caminero 23:31

Amen. Yeah, that's gotta be tough. You know, it's tough raising children when you're not in a wheelchair, and I can only imagine.

Victoria Burmeister 23:42

So yeah, because those little stinkers, when their dad walked out, Daniel was 12 and Sarah was 10. So what did they do? They gained up on me. I'm like, hey, I'm the only mom you have, so go easy on me. And you know, they they were hurting, Daniel was hurting, he was very close to his dad. Um, my daughter, not so much. It just it was challenging, but God put people in my life to help me, whether it was friends from church or my former brother and sister-in-law, uh, because we stayed very close even after the divorce, until they moved back to Maui. And we're we're still close, but it's you know, it's a little different, you know. Even the law enforcement, I could call 911 and say, um, and they'd be hi miss Allen. I'm like, oh boy, they remember my number. And how can we help you? And I'm like, well, it's my son or it's my daughter, it's both. But God would send the right officer to deal with whatever was going on in that moment, and people would just shake their heads. You actually called the police, and I'm like, Yeah, that's what they're there for. I needed help.

Israel Caminero 25:13

Right.

Victoria Burmeister 25:13

You weren't afraid they were gonna take your kids. I said they weren't gonna take my kids, they were gonna put the fear of God in my kids, but they weren't gonna take them. That's my responsibility to raise them. And the police even told me that they can take them for respite, they can take them for the day, put them in the back of the patrol car and let them ride along for the most part. But no, I mean, God blessed me with those babies, and that was my responsibility to raise them. So I fought for my children hard and made sure that there wasn't any way that they could be taken from me. They had everything that they needed, not always what they wanted, but what they needed, and raised them the same way my dad raised me with a good work ethic and how to appreciate the little things.

Israel Caminero 26:07

That's right. And you say advocacy became a part of your calling, right? Yep. And God used your mobility, resources, and the life that you experienced to open doors for you to help others. Can you share a little bit about that?

Victoria Burmeister 26:24

Well, I had a vehicle back then that was wheelchair accessible that I drove from from the chair. So I could go to these places. I was involved with Johnny and Friends. They're out in Phoenix, and I used to go out there at least once a month, or anytime they had an event going. I even implemented a program from Johnny and Friends into the church to teach people and to open their minds about, and I don't like to use the word disability because it sets a negative connotation to the conversation or the person's mindset. So I say situation. We all have different situations. I have a Facebook group, we all have a different walk, because we do, whether it's a wheelchair, walker, scooter, cane, whatever it is, but we all have a story. Our situations do not define who we are, it's just the method by which we get around these days. So teaching this class and Pastor Brad allowing me to do that, it really opened a lot of people's minds. And I said, I'm not just advocating for myself, I'm advocating for anyone that's in a situation that they need help. You don't run up to them and grab their arm and say, I can help you. You ask them, Do you mind if I help you? Because we work hard to get to where we can do things for ourselves. And when somebody runs up and wants to do it, sometimes people will take it as they're taking that away. It's a the way that they perceive it. I don't perceive it that way. I'm grateful for any help somebody wants to give me. It's like, sure, because I use it for a testimony as a chance to witness to them. So I always welcome help. It's such a passion for mine to be a voice for those that have spoken and it's fallen on deaf ears. So I don't just single individuals out, I kind of group us together and say, you know, people, uh, patients that are in nursing homes or pace, you know, whatever the case is, the hospital, because I was a mentor there too. I went up to St. Joe's and would talk to the patients on the neuro rehab floor every Sunday after church, drop my family off and head to Phoenix. And I loved it. Sometimes I didn't even want to come home. Like I I tell everyone, it's my passion to inspire, empower, and motivate. And if I can do that to at least just one person, then you know, I've done my job because things can turn on a dime and just live each day with no regrets, live it to the fullest, so that when you lay down and close your eyes, you can smile and feel good about you as a person and what you did that day. Because we're not promised tomorrow. I know that for a fact. I walked out of my apartment and I never walked back in, never saw it again after that day.

Israel Caminero 29:58

Wow.

Victoria Burmeister 29:58

Never ever too late. I mean, I'm 57 years young. I'll be 58 in May. And this last year, I was probably a guest speaker on 17, 20 different podcasts. I collaborated with other authors on a book that's out on Amazon called Still Rise. Very powerful book with different situations that individuals have written on because they have experience in it and they can share with others that can learn and apply it to themselves. It's not just a book for individuals in different situations, it's a book everyone can learn from. So I did that, and I'm just like, okay, God, what's next? And I'm ready. You know, I'm already starting to book more podcasts, so that's exciting. Whatever God wants me to do from this chair for his glory, I'm in 110%.

Israel Caminero 31:04

Amen.

Victoria Burmeister 31:04

Because as long as it glorifies him, that's what matters.

Israel Caminero 31:09

That's right. You know, like like I said in the beginning, it's your story, but it's for his glory. And he definitely has divine timing for everything. And I love how you speak a lot about keeping a positive, faith-filled mindset. It's so critical, especially like you said, when life can change in an instant.

Victoria Burmeister 31:31

If it wasn't for my faith and relationship with God, I wouldn't be where I am today. I know that for a fact because I am stubborn, I am strong-willed, and I don't like to be told what I can and cannot do. Because I will try to prove them wrong every single time. But when God tells me to do something, I'm like, oh I might argue with him a little bit, but you know, ultimately he wins anyway, so it's like, why waste the time and just get it done?

Israel Caminero 32:07

Right.

Victoria Burmeister 32:08

He has really grown me in that because we used to go back and forth for days. And when I would finally say, Okay, he's like, Finally, you could have done this three days ago. I'm like, Yeah, but I'm doing it now. You know, you just grow and you get molded into the person that God wants you to be, because you are speaking his words from your mouth to whomever you come into contact with, because that's what they need to hear. You don't know that, but their spirit receives it, and God's already prepared them. He wants the forest, nothing's a surprise to him, right? So a lot of the times I don't even remember half the stuff that I've said because it was the Holy Spirit speaking through me.

Israel Caminero 32:59

That's right.

Victoria Burmeister 33:00

I'm like, praise God for that one.

Israel Caminero 33:02

That's right. Amen. Praise God. I love when the Holy Spirit does that, takes over.

Victoria Burmeister 33:09

It's pretty awesome.

Israel Caminero 33:10

It is, definitely. I love that.

Victoria Burmeister 33:13

Because people won't say, How did you know? I didn't, but the Holy Spirit knew.

Israel Caminero 33:19

Amen.

Victoria Burmeister 33:19

And they're like, Oh wow. Mm-hmm. I said, So if you have a problem with it, take it, take it up with the man upstairs. Not me, I'm just a messenger. And they're usually at peace with it, and they thank me for sharing or the word of knowledge or wisdom. And for me, I know when my toes tingle, it's the Holy Spirit 100%. Because you know how sometimes people get the hair on their arms that stand up or on the back of their neck, and they know that that's the Holy Spirit. Well, mine are my toes, and I think the importance of that is because it is below the level of injury, and I feel it.

Israel Caminero 34:02

That's good.

Victoria Burmeister 34:03

Kind of feels like you're walking on air.

Israel Caminero 34:05

Yeah. So your name, Victoria, it carries a deep meaning for you. Can you share what it means to choose being victorious rather than living as a victim?

Victoria Burmeister 34:19

You know, I I've always fought with having the name Victoria. I didn't like it. I always went by Vicky when I was in school, and I was watching Joe Olstein when I was in a skilled nursing facility after his surgery, and he was talking about his friend Abraham and his wife not being able to say conceived, but she always has a miscarriage. She had like six of them. Well, he was going by the name Abe. While the Holy Spirit came upon him and told him, go back to Abraham, claim the meaning of your name. As soon as that was said, I heard in my spirit, you're not Vicky anymore. You are Victoria. You are victorious over this and just went on. I was like, so here my pastor and his wife pull into the parking lot. They come into the building and they look down the hallway. And Pastor Tom tells me there was like a glow coming out of your room because I had a private room. As they got closer to it, you know, it got brighter and bigger. And when they walked into the room, they could see the glory of God upon me. I told them what I was told. I said, I'm not a victim to this situation. I am victorious over it. That is the reason why I was given my name, and that is why I need to go by Victoria. I mean, I asked God if it was okay because some people have a hard time letting go of Vic. And I kind of like Vic. So I asked God if it was okay to be called V, like on TikTok. Some people call me V because I'm Lady V there or um Vic. And God says, every time you hear those, you're just you're Victoria. And it's weird because every time I hear them say that, it's Victoria that comes through. Even though I know what they said, I hear Victoria. So it's pretty awesome. I just tell people, you know, I have to live up to my name. So are you gonna be a victim or are you gonna be victorious over your situation? You know, ultimately it's up to you because you're the one that's gotta do the work, but you've gotta allow God to guide you through it because you're not alone. I mean, people feel like they are, but if you can't reach out and touch someone, but God fills me with peace. And sometimes when I talk, I'm like, am I really saying that? And they're gonna buy that, and God just keeps me talking. Oh okay, I guess so. And it it just is all remember you're victorious, and the words that come out of your mouth. Don't question them, just let it flow. Let the fire burn. Whoo, my toes are tingling.

Israel Caminero 37:19

Amen. God definitely gives us that supernatural peace when we're going through hardships or crisis. I can attest to that. It's it's great. I'd rather walk in peace with him when I'm going through something than without him. I say that all the time.

Victoria Burmeister 37:36

I want to say Well, you know that old saying, if he brings you to it, he'll bring you through it.

Israel Caminero 37:41

Amen.

Victoria Burmeister 37:42

That's definitely and you're stronger when you come through the other side.

Israel Caminero 37:46

That's right.

Victoria Burmeister 37:47

And it adds to your testimony. You know, people are like, well, it's because six years ago I had a hemorrhagic stroke, and I lost all use of my left side. It was a little weak anyway because of the spinal cord injury, but at least I could use my arm, you know, move it, and I I could smile and have a complete smile and not half of a grin. And I was in the hospital four days, and I told the doctor, I I've got the spinal cord injury business that's with me right now, but this stroke business has got to go. And he said he knew at that point that I was gonna be okay. So on the fourth day, I went home, and four months later, by the grace of God, I fully recovered. Facial droop was gone, speech impediment, I can feel both sides of my my bottom because I couldn't feel the right side, which was interesting. I had to hold on for dear life because I felt like I was gonna fall over all the time. If I hadn't gone through that, I would not be able to relate to individuals that have had a stroke and what they've gone through.

Israel Caminero 38:57

Well, only God can work wonders like that.

Victoria Burmeister 39:02

Yes, he can.

Israel Caminero 39:03

So but I just want to say thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to be here and sharing your powerful testimony. Um, but before we close, I have a few questions that I ask all my guests. Uh and my first one is Do you have a favorite scripture or life verse that has anchored you through these seasons? Like when you're having a bad day, or not even having a bad day, just a scripture that you can always read and go back to, and what that scripture is and what it means to you.

Victoria Burmeister 39:38

Uh easily. Philippians 4 13. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. That scripture, every time I'm in a situation where I may not have a caregiver, or I'm looking for this or that resource, you know, and I get tired and I feel like I'm being defeated, it pops into my head every single time. And I'm like, Yep, that's right. All right, let's get back to it. I'm not tired anymore, you know. And it's not physically tired, it's sometimes a mental because I feel like I've resourced everything, but when I go back to it, it's like, aha, there it is. So I just needed to take a break. But Philippians 4 13, I would say ever since I was in a nursing facility, that became a verse that empowered me all the time.

Israel Caminero 40:40

Amen. You know, someone that was on the podcast recently said that was their life verse too. And really, yes, and the reason I like that verse too, and the reason why I which I said it then and I'll say it again is because the thing that I like about it is that he says all things. Not some things, but all things. Yep. So but now we're going to my back to the past section of the podcast. And what my back to the past section is, if Victoria can go back in time and speak to the younger Victoria, knowing what you know now, what would you tell her?

Victoria Burmeister 41:27

That's a good question. To stay faithful, don't question God because he's got this. You may not feel that he does, but he's already walked it out before you. And I would tell her to be open to that and to run towards it and don't stop.

Israel Caminero 42:35

Amen. Amen. Thank you for that, and thank you for being here once again. Before we close, Victoria, do you think you could pray us out?

Victoria Burmeister 42:45

Absolutely. Father God, we just come before you right now. You know, your word says, where two or more are gathered, there I am in the midst. And Father, you are so amazing in the things that you do for your children, how you guide us, how you develop us, how you grow us to be the sons and daughters that you created us to be. May not always be the way that we thought was possible, but as long as it's glory to you, Father God, then it's all good. And Father, I just pray that you will bless everyone that has listened to this podcast, that there will have been a part of it, the entire thing, that touched them or was what they needed to hear. I thank you for Israel, and I appreciate his works and his wonderful podcast, and I know he is reaching many nations, and he is ministering and sharing amazing testimonies and giving all the Glory to God, because it could be so much worse. And I just praise you and thank you for what you've done, what you're doing, what you're about to do in all of our lives. In Jesus' name, amen.

Israel Caminero 44:20

Amen. Amen. Thank you for that prayer. And Victoria, thank you so much for sharing your heart and your testimony.

Victoria Burmeister 44:28

Oh, you're welcome. Thank you for having me.

Israel Caminero 44:31

Hey, it was a great your story's such a powerful reminder that God is present in every season. That it's never too late, and that victory is a choice rooted in faith.

Victoria Burmeister 44:42

Amen.

Israel Caminero 44:44

To all the listeners, remember this life can change in a moment, but God never does. Don't take today for granted. Live with purpose, walk in faith, and choose victory. If this episode encouraged you, please share it with someone who needs hope today. Until next time, this is Living Testimonies, your story, his glory. God bless you.