Mitchell County, NC
Tiffany Johnson, founder of Be An Overcomer Ministries, brought a powerful and inspiring message of faith and surrender to Grassy Creek Baptist Church in Spruce Pine on March 8, 2026, for a special Baptist Women’s Day service. We were glad to welcome her back, because by now she’s come to feel a little like part of the community. This wasn’t her first visit to our mountain town. She first came to Spruce Pine for the Grateful Girl Conference in 2023, and in 2025 she spoke at the Never2Scarred Annual Luncheon, helping raise money for the Hope House—a refuge that gives women a second chance at life as they work to overcome addiction.
What makes Tiffany’s story inspiring isn’t just what she says—it’s what she’s lived through. In June 2017, while on a vacation with her husband in the Bahamas, Tiffany went out snorkeling in clear, calm water. It was supposed to be just a peaceful day, the kind you look forward to. But in a moment, everything changed when she felt a bump on her arm. She turned to look within three to four inches, face to face with a shark who had her entire arm in its mouth. In the blink of an eye, she lost most of her right arm.
Most people would say a moment like that is the end of the story, but for Tiffany, it was just the beginning of something God was going to use in a mighty way.
After the attack, she screamed for Jesus to help her and somehow stayed conscious. With strength that can only come from the Lord, she swam back to the boat. They got her in the boat and immediately tried to stop the bleeding with nothing but a beach towel. Even in this chaos, Tiffany had peace. They rushed to Paradise Island, only to find out there was no hospital. From there, they had to continue by boat to the main island, another twenty minutes away. There was no way to call ahead for an ambulance, even though every second mattered. Tiffany remembers praying specifically to prepare her family in case she passed, for her medical team, and that somehow, this tragedy would not be wasted in God’s hands.
When they finally arrived, she was rushed to emergency surgery just to stop the bleeding, in a hospital not equipped for this type of trauma. The doctors told her that they did the best they could. After surgery and despite numerous challenges, she was finally flown back to the United States for additional surgeries. Doctors can’t explain how, but have told her that she should have bled out in the first 30 minutes, the same amount of time the boat ride to the mainland took. And yet, she didn’t even lose enough blood to require a blood transfusion. Looking back, Tiffany credits God’s hand over her and knows He saved her against all the odds and for a purpose.
Coming home to mend and learning how to live after her tragedy took more perseverance than most of us can imagine. There was pain, healing, and a whole new way of doing everyday things since she lost her dominant hand. On top of that, Tiffany and her husband had three small children to take care of. But instead of letting bitterness and depression take root, Tiffany leaned on her faith. She chose joy and to trust in God, even when life didn’t make sense. And out of that hard place, something beautiful grew.
God answered her prayers and has used her experience far greater than she could have ever expected. From her surgeon in the Bahamas through present day, she is still telling people about the Lord. That’s how Be An Overcomer Ministries was created. Its mission is simple, “To equip others to be overcomers through the power of God’s Word.” Tiffany travels sharing her testimony to churches, events, and even schools. She reminds people that even when life seems impossible, God can still bring you through it. Everyone endures hard times; we’ve all seen our share of struggles. That’s why her message hits home. It is about how the Lord carried her through her darkest valley and gave her a purpose she never expected.
When she came back to Spruce Pine for the Never2Scarred Annual Luncheon in 2025, Tiffany’s journey lined right up with that mission, showing that no one is too far gone for God to reach—nothing is impossible for Him. Ladies from Grassy Creek Baptist Church heard her message and immediately knew they wanted her to come back to speak the following year.
So on Baptist Women’s Day at Grassy Creek Baptist Church, she stood once again and shared her story; simple, honest, and full of hope. She focused on the message of changing your mindset by focusing on Jesus and laying your life down to him. James 1:2–4 (KJV) says, “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”
Tiffany was doing all the things most Christians do. She was attending church, leading small group, and was an active part of the worship team, but her relationship with Jesus was dry. She was not making time for Him. The entire week before the cruise, she was awakened every morning around 5 a.m. by a tugging at her heart to spend time with Jesus. This continued even while she was on the cruise. She had no idea what was about to happen, but God did. God was preparing her through this quiet time with Him. He was pouring into the empty places of her heart that He knew she would need when the storm came.
“He knew I needed more of Him. What a good Father to see the lack in me but yet say, ‘Ok Tiffany. You’re gonna need me.’ He was persistent to chase me down even though I was so complacent; satisfied where I was. Yet He was so persistent to say, ‘You need Me.’ He was depositing these extra pieces in me because He knew I would need every single one of them.”
2 Timothy 3:16–17 (KJV) says, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”
She explained that you don’t get to choose your circumstances, but you have the gift to choose how you react. And how can you react differently? You pour Jesus into every aspect of your life. Spend time with Him, praise Him through music, and read His word, because what we put in will eventually come out. Our relationship with Him and the scripture we hide in our heart will help us through the challenges we face.
Tiffany Johnson’s life is a reminder that miracles are not only found in the moment of survival, but in everything God does after. In the healing, in the rebuilding, and in the way He turns a story of pain into a testimony of purpose. Her faith held out through her storm and became something stronger on the other side.
As she continues to share her story, one thing is evident, Tiffany Johnson is an overcomer through Christ.
“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
— John 16:33 (KJV)
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Mandi Polly is a lifelong resident of Mitchell County. She is a wife, mom to two daughters and a “Grandi ” to two of the sweetest grandkids. She and her family are members of Grassy Creek Baptist Church in Spruce Pine. She loves music and being creative. You can read more by Mandi here.
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