Online Correspondence Education Testimony: Jill Martin’s Journey from Darkness to Purpose

In an age where digital access meets spiritual hunger, online correspondence education is transforming lives across the globe—especially for those who never imagined they’d pursue ministry. Christian Leaders Institute (CLI), a premier provider of free online correspondence courses in ministry and theology, offers a unique, donation-supported path to degrees and ministry credentials. These programs allow students to study at their own pace, wherever they are in the world—whether recovering from trauma, raising families, or serving in the field.

Jill Martin is one such student whose story powerfully showcases how CLI’s global, flexible, and Christ-centered model is a lifeline for leaders called by God. Jill is currently pursuing a Christian Leadership Degree with a Women’s Ministry concentration, equipping her to launch a ministry for women trapped in the commercial sex industry—the very places God rescued her from.

Here is Jill’s testimony, in her own words:

My name is Jill Martin, and I was born and raised in rural England before moving to South Florida as a teenager. I grew up in an atheist household, and although I attended a Catholic school, it was only because it offered the best education in our remote farming community—not because of any spiritual foundation. I never knew Jesus growing up, and I certainly didn’t understand who He was or why I needed Him.

Even as a child, though, I sensed there was something in me meant to make a difference—I thought it was through singing. Music became my passion as a teen, and I pursued it wholeheartedly. But what I didn’t realize was that the path I was chasing would lead me into darkness. Music introduced me to people involved in Satanic practices. As someone who didn’t believe in God or the spiritual realm, I naively thought it was all just theatrics. I couldn’t have been more wrong.

I began dating an older man who lived a life of drugs, occult rituals, and sexual exploitation. That relationship was my entry point into being trafficked. I was sold to thousands of men. My body was not my own. My soul was hollowed out. I lived as a shell of a person until one day, when he tried to sell me to another trafficker, something snapped. That was the first time I heard the voice of the Holy Spirit. It wasn’t my voice—it came from both inside and outside of me. It said, “Run, Jill, or you will die.” That voice broke the trance I had been in, and I ran. But even after that, I still denied my Savior.

With nowhere to go and addiction clouding my every step, I ended up in strip clubs—working and drinking daily to numb the pain. One day, as I was about to start a shift, I paused on the steps and looked around. I thought, “What has my life become? I hate this.” In desperation, I cried out to a God I didn’t even believe in and said, “If I’m not out of this club in two weeks, I’m going to end my life.” I didn’t know why I called on Him—but I did. And in two weeks, my family intervened and pulled me out. Still, I ran from Jesus.

For years, I tried to heal on my own. I searched for peace in every spiritual direction but Christ. I explored New Age practices, Buddhism, astrology, Reiki, tarot, psychics, and the law of attraction. I was always chasing peace and wholeness, but nothing truly filled me. I was starving for truth, but I refused to go to the One who is Truth.

Then one day, during a political conversation with a friend of my husband’s, he challenged me. He asked, “Do you even know why you believe what you believe?” I didn’t. That moment planted a seed. During the COVID lockdown, I had time to study, listen, and learn. Christianity kept showing up in unexpected places. I began to wonder why people believed Jesus was the Son of God—and I couldn’t shake the question.

God, in His mercy, patiently pursued me. Over time, my heart began to soften, and I came to believe. Today, I boldly confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, the Son of God, and that He died for my sins. My husband and I now attend Family Church Gardens, where we continue to grow in faith and walk in the light of our Savior each day. On April 14, 2024, I was baptized by my pastor on Juno Beach. In front of my church family, I publicly declared that I belong to Jesus.

I’ve also had to grieve the deep losses I carry—including the inability to have children due to what happened during my trafficking. But I know that my God still performs miracles. For a long time, I kept my past hidden. I was ashamed, afraid of what others would think. But not anymore. I now boldly share my testimony—because I’ve learned that what once made me feel disqualified is now what God uses most powerfully for His glory. I now work in the field of human trafficking, ministering to women on the streets and to women stuck in the commercial sex industry—the same places I once stood.

My spiritual dream is to build my own ministry that reaches women still stuck in the darkness of prostitution, strip clubs, and abusive situations. I want them to know they are not forgotten. I want to create Bible studies, books, and tools that point to freedom in Jesus Christ. I also want to help men who are stuck in the cycle of sex addiction and those who are buyers, because I know they are broken too and have strayed from God. I believe God will use my voice—not for music—but for His glory.

That’s why Christian Leaders Institute has been such a blessing. I could never afford formal Bible training, and scholarships like this are vital. I’m currently pursuing my Christian Leadership Degree with a Women’s Ministry concentration, and this training equips someone like me—who once believed she was too broken to be used by God—to serve with purpose.

Jill’s story is one of thousands. Through online correspondence education at Christian Leaders Institute, a global movement of Spirit-filled, servant-hearted leaders is rising—trained, transformed, and ready to multiply light in dark places.

Want to explore CLI’s free online courses or ministry degree programs?

Visit www.christianleadersinstitute.org (https://www.christianleadersinstitute.org/)