My name is Annabelle. My story started about 100 years ago. God has been in my family for over 100 years. I am thankful to be part of a one hundred year ministry legacy. I am also studying at the Christian Leaders Institute (Learn more about free online Biblical classes, Click Here).
GREAT-GREAT-GRANDFATHER JOAQUIM CARDOSO
My great-great-grandfather Joaquim was born in Portugal in the late 1800s into a non-Christian family. His country was going through some political turmoil when their King Carlos the first and his eldest son Filipe were assassinated by revolutionaries when riding in an open carriage. So at the age of 33, my great-great-grandfather decided to move to another country with his young wife Rosaria hoping for a fresh start.
They arrived in Brazil in 1910. Little did he know that God really had the exact same plan for him: a fresh start. He was a Portuguese immigrant in Brazil, but God had a great plan for his life. He met Jesus for the first time in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and became an active Christian in his community. That was the start of our one hundred year ministry legacy. Also, he had a son who he named Alvaro. A few years later, my great-great-grandfather became one of the deacons at his church. His desire was to spread the gospel so his pastor asked him to lead a new group of Christians on a Brazilian island about one hour away from the main church. It was only accessible by boat at that time, and he became their new pastor in 1939.
Great-Great Grandfather’s Vision
Upon arrival, he was excited to see a few small groups of believers already meeting in different homes on a weekly basis. But they didn’t have a home church. So he started a fundraiser to purchase a large double lot to build an ambitiously large church. Even though this was a small group of Christians, he believed God would make it grow.
A few years later, after the fundraiser started, this small group of Christians was finally able to purchase the two lots they had been faithfully praying about. Eager to start on the building project, all the churchmen gathered to clear off the land, which was full of debris and trees. My great-great-grandfather, at the age of 73, and his son Alvaro were also there helping out at every step of the way and working way too hard. Unfortunately, this job was too heavy for a man his age. He passed away only three days after the lot was purchased while preaching a message to his church members. That was the last message he preached, but the message of the Gospel in that town had just begun to spread.
GREAT-GRANDFATHER ALVARO CARDOSO
His son Alvaro was then nominated the pastor of this young church. They faced many financial challenges. Some people believed they should dream of a big church, while others thought my great-grandfather was out of his mind. It was hard to see their vision. There was no access to the island, except by boat. No large businesses were there, only small homes and lots of undeveloped land.
Five years later, God confirmed their great vision because the city authorized the construction of a road that would allow easier access to the island. The island population increased little by little after the road was inaugurated. With easier access, more people moved to the island and became believers. More people donated to the church building. Around 1950, they built an airport on the island, and the church attendance exploded. God confirmed the vision.
Great-Grandfather’s Dream
During the construction phase, my great-grandfather was overwhelmed with the number of attendees. So, he had to start new church campuses and several church ministries around the island to accommodate the large number of people who were converting to Jesus while the main church was still being built. He also made sure that enough rooms were built into the building. He dreamed of having a Christian school on the main church campus one day, where children could learn the Truth.
On November 22, 1964, 14 years after the lot was purchased, the church finally started to meet on the 1st floor of the new building. When the second floor was built, the church sign was installed, and the inauguration date was set. Unfortunately, my great-grandfather passed away at the age of 59, from a stroke. It was just a few days before the main building’s inauguration day. His children were still teenagers, so they hired a new pastor to lead this church. Under the new leadership of Pastor Gomes, thousands of people came to know the Lord. His first message was based on 1 Corinthians 3:6 “I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow.”
Fast-forwarding to today, this church is a megachurch in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It has a weekly attendance of 15,000 people on many campuses throughout the city, with mission churches around Brazil, and in other countries. There is also a Christian K-6 school operating daily in the building, which was another one of my great-grandfather’s dreams.
GRANDMOTHER IVONE CARDOSO
My grandmother Ivone inherited her father’s leadership skills. Throughout her life, she led many ministries in their church, including the Women’s Ministry, the Couples’ Ministry, Benevolence Ministry, Church Retreats, Youth and Marriage Conferences, and too many more to list. She also made sure all her children learned the Lord’s commands by attending church regularly and serving the church with their talents. She just passed away in 2020. I had the honor of being by her side in her last weeks.
MOM JOYCE CARDOSO
My mom Joyce grew up in a Christian home. She was very active in the youth ministry in her megachurch in Brazil. At the age of 13, she decided to have a personal relationship with Jesus. It was not because her parents were Christians, but because she realized she loved Him with all her heart. Later on, she moved to Florida and started a Christian family of her own. My mom has led some church ministries, such as a dance ministry and a youth ministry with my dad, and small groups. She has also supported many ministries in our church, such as the children’s ministry, outreach, women’s ministry, and many others. She also worked at Calvary Christian Academy for four years when I was younger. Her passion is to share the love of Christ, encourage brothers and sisters in the faith, and pray for the salvation of many.
ME: Taking Biblical Classes at CLI
I feel extremely blessed to have met the Lord at a young age. Although I’m still 15 years old, I know God has a special plan for my life. I love volunteering at my local church in Florida. I read my Bible daily, and we do devotions as a family after dinner. Also, I have a fun job and enjoy hanging out with my church friends.
Last year, Florida International University accepted me as a dual-enrolled student. Even though this is definitely a good school with challenging courses, it lacks the biblical classes that CLI offers, which is why God led me here. I would like to be better equipped for the work of the Lord as I carry on our one hundred year ministry legacy.
In conclusion, I’m the 5th generation of Christians in my family. Jesus has been present with each generation in a very remarkable way. I pray I’ll also leave a legacy of faith for my children, their children, and their children’s children for His glory.
Steps to Sign Up At Christian Leaders Institute
Step 1 – Register for a free study account that automatically enrolls you in the Christian Leaders Getting Started Course Part 1 &2.
After you register, you will automatically be enrolled in the “getting started” course. You will locate the course at your “home” button when logged in. Scroll down to find the Christian Leaders Getting Started Course Part 1 &2 Link. Click the link and open the course.
Step 2 – Complete Part 1 of this course, and then you are allowed to enroll in mini-courses or regular courses.
The Christian Leaders Getting Started Class Part 1 shows you how to enroll in courses and mini-courses. Part 2 of the course connects your calling into ministry with programs offered through Christian Leaders Institute. Part 2 will offer some ministry training and introduce you to the other programs offered through Christian Leaders Institute.
Learn more about ordination at the Christian Leaders Alliance. Interested in a low-cost college degree? Check out the CLI’s Leadership Excellence School.
I was born in the United States and have lived here all my life. God called me to a restorative justice ministry and I am studying at the Christian Leaders Institute for further ministry and Bible training (Learn more about free online Bible courses, Click Here).
My Journey
I was born out of wedlock in St Paul, MN, at the Catholic unwed mothers’ home. I was supposed to be adopted out. However, my mother changed her mind. I was adopted by a man my mother met when I was a year old. He became my earthly father. I have two siblings from my parents. I grew up in the Catholic faith until about 8 years old when my parents divorced. The experience I had during this time in my life formed my religious beliefs. I did not understand religion, and my view of the subject was of disdain.
My life became filled with self-serving pursuits of pleasure. And with that life came spiritual destruction. Through my own marriage and the births of my daughters, I remained selfish, self-centered, and served only myself. I had no moral compass or direction in life. I became an addict to alcohol and drugs and anger. According to my beliefs, I was a victim, and everyone owed me. I knew not the Love God has for me. I did not understand what had been done for me. The truth of His light started to be revealed to me through his Word as I was seeking a way to ease the pain I felt. I later learned that the pain is called the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Praise be to Him!
Finding Jesus
I became sober in 2010 and was introduced to the Lord Jesus Christ thru a recovery ministry called the Way Out. This time is when I was called to work. In 2012, I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. My faith was tested at this time. God revealed himself in my life at that time through other members of the body. I had no option but to follow whatever his plan was for me, and I recovered.
Struggles
I remained in the ministry until 2015. At that time, I chose to leave it to pursue a secular career and a domestic life as I was engaged to a woman. I realized my falling away at this time in my life. I no longer put God as the center of my life and went back to being miserable and dying spiritually.
In Nov of 2017, I was struck by a car while going to work. Both my legs were broken requiring surgery and months of recovery. During this time, I was in a spiritual battle where once again God revealed himself. I was given the time to reconnect with Him, and I refused to believe I could be worthy of His love for me.
I continued to live this way until February of 2021 when the pain of the piercing of my heart became unbearable, and I turned back to Him. Deuteronomy 8:2-3 “And you shall remember that the LORD your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD.”
Called to Restorative Justice Ministry
I then went to a men’s restoration ministry. There, I spent several months in intensive study and prayer and fellowship with other men seeking the Lord. I accepted His love and accepted what has been done for me despite my brokenness and rebelliousness. I am loved and wanted the revelation I was given. Now, I share this testimony with other men on a daily basis as part of my vocation. I am amazed at the Lord’s patience and love for me.
In September of 2021, I was placed in the position of director of a men’s recovery program. The classes I have taken at the Christian Leaders Institute are the foundation of my education. The Restorative Justice Ministry Program has been invaluable to the work I am involved in here. I plan to continue my education with CLI. Perhaps at some point, I will join CLI’s Leadership Excellence School and earn a degree.
Steps to Sign Up At Christian Leaders Institute
Step 1 – Register for a free study account that automatically enrolls you in the Christian Leaders Getting Started Course Part 1 &2.
After you register, you will automatically be enrolled in the “getting started” course. You will locate the course at your “home” button when logged in. Scroll down to find the Christian Leaders Getting Started Course Part 1 &2 Link. Click the link and open the course.
Step 2 – Complete Part 1 of this course, and then you are allowed to enroll in mini-courses or regular courses.
The Christian Leaders Getting Started Class Part 1 shows you how to enroll in courses and mini-courses. Part 2 of the course connects your calling into ministry with programs offered through Christian Leaders Institute. Part 2 will offer some ministry training and introduce you to the other programs offered through Christian Leaders Institute.
Learn more about ordination at the Christian Leaders Alliance. Interested in a low-cost college degree? Check out the CLI’s Leadership Excellence School.
To Minister Hope in Jesus Name
My name is Connie Morris. I am blessed to be studying at the Christian Leaders Institute for online study of God’s word and ministry training (Learn more about free online Bible courses, Click Here).
I grew up in South Texas during the 1970s and ’80s. My upbringing was tumultuous from the beginning. My father and mother married at the tender ages of 20 and 16. They both came from poor, rural families and life was hard. Alcohol was a staple in the refrigerator for as long as I can remember. As with most alcoholics, physical and emotional violence was a regular occurrence in the home. I was the eldest of four children and remember well the abuse we received at the hands of our parents. My mother suffered from depression, and the isolation of never having a place to call home only worsened it.
My Journey
Around the age of 12-years old, an aunt introduced me to Jesus. It was during the brief time my parents allowed me to attend church with her. I have precious memories of that time as God began His work in my heart. It was the first time I experienced such peace and love during an otherwise unstable childhood. I made Jesus my Savior and received baptism at that time. However, I did not experience Jesus as Lord until I was in my early twenties. This revelation of Jesus as Lord over my mind and emotions changed my life. It was a slow process, but the work that God began so long ago in a hurting girl began to take root in a young mother in her early twenties.
When my children were young, the Lord led us to a small church in south Texas. The Lord started to teach me how to pray effectively during that time. During an intense time of prayer and fasting, the Spirit of God led me in praying for a dying uncle and for a family pet that had only hours to live. God not only healed both the uncle and the dog, but He also healed me from a lifelong and crippling struggle with depression.
Online Study of God’s Word at CLI
The Lord has placed the desire in my heart to see people set free from physical and spiritual illness. I want to see them walking firmly in their faith. Therefore, I want to learn how to share God’s Word in a more relatable way and serve my local church and community effectively as the Lord leads me.
Today, my husband and I have been married for 35 years. We have three grown children and four grandchildren. I desire to see them all secure in their faith and to grow in their walk with the Lord. The Lord has opened a door by way of Christian Leaders Institute for online study of God’s Word so I grow in the calling God has placed on my life. I trust the Lord to use me as He sees fit and develop the gifts He has placed within me.
Steps to Sign Up At Christian Leaders Institute
Step 1 – Register for a free study account that automatically enrolls you in the Christian Leaders Getting Started Course Part 1 &2.
After you register, you will automatically be enrolled in the “getting started” course. You will locate the course at your “home” button when logged in. Scroll down to find the Christian Leaders Getting Started Course Part 1 &2 Link. Click the link and open the course.
Step 2 – Complete Part 1 of this course, and then you are allowed to enroll in mini-courses or regular courses.
The Christian Leaders Getting Started Class Part 1 shows you how to enroll in courses and mini-courses. Part 2 of the course connects your calling into ministry with programs offered through Christian Leaders Institute. Part 2 will offer some ministry training and introduce you to the other programs offered through Christian Leaders Institute.
Learn more about ordination at the Christian Leaders Alliance. Interested in a low-cost college degree? Check out the CLI’s Leadership Excellence School.