VL - Issue 43- April 22

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“Lord,” I prayed, “I know my life is in Your hands. I am giving this situation to You and letting go” (Psalm 31:14). I felt His presence distinctly in that moment, and it comforted me. With fresh confidence that nothing was going to touch my life that did not first pass through His hands, I rested in Him and His promise that I would be okay (Isaiah 43:1–2). I was safe in His arms. My job was to fix my eyes on Him and keep pressing forward. And as I did, peace came to my dark valley. The day I’d been hoping and praying for finally came. On November 18, 2020, they opened the prison gates for me, and I ran outside and into the arms of my dad and sister. God had shown up and worked in Godly friends are what will keep you standing when the way gets tough. my situation in a way that brought Him glory. No, the road getting to this moment was not pleasant. Still, the destination was pure joy as I reunited with my family. I struggle to describe how surreal and wonderful it felt to hug and hold them. I didn’t have to let them go for the first time in ten years. We stood outside the prison gates, holding each other, crying together, and embracing this God-given moment with our whole hearts. Then I remembered where I was, and I turned to my family and said, “C’mon y’all, let’s get in this car and get out of here before somebody changes their mind!” My dad and sister laughed, but I was serious. I could not get out of that parking lot and away from that prison fast enough. Once we were safely on the interstate, the first thing I did was call my son. “Can we do a video call?” he asked. “I just have to see your face, so I know that this is real.” That moment with my son was among God’s most precious gifts to me as a mother. It took time for me to believe that my freedom was true. It was so surreal. Unexpected realities of life in the free world soon set in. After a decade of imprisonment, I was in for a rude awakening as new challenges hit me head-on. It started with the ankle monitor they attached to me when I got to the halfway house. I knew it was coming, but wearing it brought a significant degree of discomfort and constant shame. I had just walked out into a world that was anything but ordinary. Nothing was familiar. I was starting life completely over, and I often felt like an alien who had just arrived on earth. Everything from my family to technology had changed. And in case these issues weren’t enough, the pandemic added extra layers of anxiety. Social distancing, face masks, restrictions on gathering in places that I had looked so forward to attending—there were so many changes. The worst thing was not being able to go to church because of COVID-19. Still, God had gone ahead and prepared the way for me. He knew I’d need structure and counseling after years of incarceration. He provided the right amount of both through the Dismas Charities halfway house. I called it home for over a year. They truly set me up for success. I have been out for just over a year now, and adapting to my new normals hasn’t been easy. Relying on the essential disciplines I developed during my time in prison has helped me stay focused and encouraged. Maintaining my daily devotions with God has been my top priority. Spending time in God’s Word and in His presence keeps me in peace and enables me to move forward. I cannot overemphasize the importance of studying and applying God’s Word to your life. Seeking out and walking with other Christ-followers is also essential. Godly friends are what will keep you standing when the way gets tough. God has graciously kept me connected to my church, which has been there for me every step of the way. When I was a teenager making mistakes, they loved me. When I was arrested and attempted to take my life, my pastor was right there by my side. During my prison sentence, they loved me through thick and thin, never once considering me a lost cause. Their love has modeled the unconditional, everlasting love of Jesus, and God used them to draw me to Himself (Jeremiah 31:3). Their seeds of faith and teaching, sown into my life before, during, and after incarceration, have kept me standing. My pastor, Bishop Richard Peoples Sr., has constantly reminded me, “Don’t let what you’re walking through cause you to get ABOVE: Melisha celebrating being reunited with her father outside the prison gates after being released in November 2020. LEFT: Melisha’s visits with her son were special days. PHOTO BY ASHCROFT STUDIO PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEVE ROOS 22 Issue 02 / 2022 VICTORIOUSLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM
stuck, Melisha!” His words helped me press on through dark valleys. My pastor’s letters and teaching CDs, sent to me in prison, strengthened my faith and enabled me to help others along the way. When I needed someone to speak the truth in love or to hold me accountable, the Lord used him and my church family. They sharpened me like iron sharpens iron (Proverbs 27:17). And when I walked out of prison, their arms were open wide. I fell right into them. They have helped me navigate this new life that is so very different from anything I have known before. God has given me opportunities to pour into others too. It’s important to give back and not just seek support from others. My Aunt Carrie hosts a daily conference call to uplift and encourage others. It helps people start their day off on a positive note with God. I joined her group immediately after my release. Since then, I’ve had opportunities to cohost and share my testimony with the group. I never thought my story could Bishop Richard and Dr. Janice Peoples of Faith Outreach Christian Life Center provided Melisha with faithful support. help folks in the free world, but many have told me how my willingness to be honest and vulnerable has inspired them. It gives them the courage to lean into the Lord for strength as they face their own valleys. Nothing about my journey has been easy. I get tired. The many restrictions that still govern my life are overwhelming at times. But the Bible says that the testing of our faith helps us grow in endurance and character (James 1:3). God patiently continues to mold and shape me into who He needs me to be, so He can complete the plan He has for my life (Jeremiah 29:11). I’ve learned valuable lessons as I’ve pressed on through this valley with the Lord. There is purpose in everything, including my incarceration and the challenges I face now. God has used everything I’ve been through to prepare me to answer the call He has had on my life all along. My past has equipped me to do what I desire to do today. I want to advocate for the incarcerated and those recently released. I want to help churches understand the importance of consistency in a person’s life. We can’t just tell people about Jesus and then leave them to figure out life on their own. We must model His love and teach them how to have a relationship with Him. We must stand by people, even the difficult ones. They need the love of Christ demonstrated in tangible ways. Recently released from home confinement, I can now see the light at the end of the tunnel. I am excited to step into this new adventure of ministry with God, knowing that the Lord will be with me as He always has been. He is going before me, preparing the way. Each day, I thank God for my freedom as I seek Him with all my heart (Jeremiah 29:13). Because of His great love for me, I want to be obedient to Him—and it feels like I’m finally making progress. I hold on to the truth that the same God who carried me through ten years in prison will be with me as I walk through every valley ahead. I know that the best years of my life are yet to come. Whatever you are praying for today, believe that the Lord will answer you (Psalm 66:19). He will! You might not get exactly what you think you want or when you want it, but don’t lose hope. Circumstances often don’t make sense or look like they’ll turn out in your favor. Give Jesus your circumstances anyway and believe that He will perfect all that concerns you according to His will. He has your ultimate good in mind (Psalm 138:8). God has started His work in you, and just like He did in me, He will carry it on to completion through whatever trials you face (Philippians 1:6). In the meantime, do what I am still doing today. Fix your eyes on the Lord and keep pressing on. There is a glorious victory for you ahead. God will help you every step of the way. MELISHA JOHNSON walked out of federal prison a woman on a mission. No longer an inmate, she is a voice for those she left behind. Working with churches and prison ministries, she shares her experience to help them better understand the needs of the incarcerated. VICTORIOUSLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM Issue 02 / 2022 23
Page 1 and 2: REAL PEOPLE | REAL STORIES | REAL H
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Page 7 and 8: Through the stories of Victorious L
Page 9 and 10: TRANSFORMED LIVES God’s Faithfuln
Page 11 and 12: PHOTOS COURTESY OF MYPILLOW I had a
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VL - Issue 43- April 22

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