Answering the Call to be a Chaplain from Heaven’s Dispatch Center
Hello! My name is Joseph D’Amico, and I am from Wisconsin in the United States. I am called to be a chaplain in the fire service field. Free ministry and chaplain classes at CLI are what I need to answer this call.
I grew up Catholic, attended CFC classes to prepare for my First Communion, First Reconciliation, and Confirmation. Honestly, I hated going to these classes. As a child with ADD, it was difficult for me to have to go to classes after school once a week. All I wanted to do what play with my friends. As I grew older, I still attended these classes until I made my Confirmation.
During that time, I was struggling with Anxiety and Depression. Although I still didn’t particularly appreciate going to the classes, I found more meaning in them. I also began to open myself up more to God. It is where my relationship with Christ truly began. Up until this point, my parents told me I had to go to them. However, as a young adult making my Confirmation, I decided to give myself to Christ.
Struggles
Over time, my depression and anxiety worsened. Ultimately, it led to my hospitalization on three separate occasions, all within one year. It was a trying time as I was on the brink of giving up and not trying anymore. During one of my hospitalizations, I asked my doctor for my Rosary. He agreed to allow me to have it, and I began to pray as much as I could.
At the hospital, we also had group sessions that allowed us to speak about our experiences and do activities. I tried meditation and yoga, but they resulted in an anxiety attack. The only form of meditation that kept me grounded was praying that Rosary. It was God’s way of saying, “Come with me.” To this day, I struggle with my anxiety and depression, but having the Lord as a fantastic resource has gotten me through many difficult situations.
Called to Serve as a Chaplain
Many years after, I wanted to be an avenue of spiritual and emotional healing to my brothers and sister in the fire service by becoming a Chaplain. I served on a fire department previously for five and a half years. To this day, I can clearly remember some of the calls I answered. The mental and emotional stress of the job can take a significant toll on those called to respond in these situations. While I was not subject to a significant incident that left a long-lasting negative impression on me, there are many of my brothers and sister that have been. Many of them, which I know personally, have either sought help and were able to manage their struggles, or some have given in to theirs, ultimately taking their lives.
It is my goal and my passion to help those who are struggling to find the light to overcome and to show them their real strength found in Christ. The Christian Leaders Institute is the only place where I can take the courses needed to serve in that capacity comfortably. While I have only gone through a few introductory courses, I already feel that CLI is the perfect ministry school to train and educate me on effective ministry properly.
I am excited to be a student at CLI! I cannot wait to see what opportunities my CLI training will bring for me as I serve the Lord and people! God Bless!
Learn more about ordination at the Christian Leaders Alliance. Interested in a low-cost degree? Check out the CLI’s Leadership Excellence School.
Hi everyone, my name is Meschiel Lactayan Taquil, and I am thankful for the free ministry learning online at the Christian Leaders Institute. I was born and grew up in a remote place in the Philippines. Currently, I live and work in Muscat, Oman as an assistant school nurse. I grew up in a broken family. My parents separated when I was eight years old. I have four siblings and am the eldest.
My Childhood
When my parents separated, my siblings and I were separated from each other as well amongst my father’s relatives. My mom decided to work abroad and left us. My dad left us also to look for a job somewhere far from our hometown. When my dad returned after three years, he took me and my other siblings. Then we lived together with his new wife.
When I was 15 years old, I needed to leave because my dad could no longer support my studies. I needed to find ways to support my dreams in life as a working student. My uncle, the eldest brother of my mom and a soldier, helped me. I needed to work for them as a house helper while studying. My uncle provided everything I needed. He was good to me except for the other family members. I almost got raped by one of his wife’s relatives when we were staying together in the same house. They were extended family. His daughter, my cousin, treated me as if I did not belong to the family. She was mean to me. I considered her one of my biggest challenges in achieving my dream.
My Youth and College Experience
When I reached college, my uncle enrolled me in a private university, Catholic University School, in Butuan City, Philippines. In my first year, the first semester, I took up a Commerce Course major in Finance. However, in the second semester, my uncle told me to shift to the nursing course. During my college days, I encountered many trials in life. Filled with frustration, depression, and hardship, I almost gave up on my life. I felt alone and a loser and tried to end my life by attempting suicide.
Thankfully, I met some friends. Some are true to me to this day, some were fake. But that’s life, I suppose. I released my sadness, my disappointments, my brokenness by spending my free time in the clubs. Sometimes, I skipped classes to drink, and I learned how to smoke but never tried hard drugs. My true friends were my family. They were always with me when I needed comfort or someone with which to talk. Despite everything, God also never abandoned me. He helped me to get up and to continue my dreams. I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2010 and passed my license board examination in the same year.
My Spiritual Journey
Before I took the board examination, one of my friends invited me to go to church. She encouraged me to pray, to talk to God in a private place. At that moment, I felt the presence of the Holy Spirit in that place. I knew in my heart that He was there. I cried and told Him everything. Then, I confessed my sins and asked His forgiveness. Finally, I asked Him to help me pass the board examination. And God heard my prayers. He gave me my License. From then on, God changed my heart and my life. I decided to walk with Him, and there’s no turning back!
Soon, I got a job and helped my siblings. I supported their studies until they graduated from college. However, my youngest brother is still studying. Every time I feel tired, God is my strength. I keep on praying to Him to guide me in every way and hold me tight. I surrender my life to God, my future, my plans. I’ve read the Bible and understand His Word through the help of my Pastor. I meditate on His words.
Currently, I am part of the worship team as a worship leader in our local church. I am humbly committed to serving God using my voice that He has given. I am also serving as a deacon in our church. How blessed and grateful I am to be part of the ministry for God’s glory!
Free Ministry Learning Online at the Christian Leaders Institute
The Christian Leaders Institute is a great opportunity for me to understand more about my mission as a servant of Jesus Christ and to abide deeply in Him. It is a tool to enhance my skills, competence, and credibility. Then I can share the word of God, gain confidence in leading, and tell the world about the goodness of our Savior Jesus Christ. I am here at CLI because I want to embrace my calling. I am beyond blessed to have this free ministry learning online at CLI.
God Bless Us All!
Learn more about ordination at the Christian Leaders Alliance. Interested in a low-cost degree? Check out the CLI’s Leadership Excellence School.
Hello, everyone! My name is William Reed, and my struggle of choice was alcohol. Here is my story of recovery and restoration and then free ministry training at CLI. I grew up in a home where my mother was an alcoholic, and my father was codependent. Even though the opportunity to drink was there from a young age, I chose to stay away from it until I didn’t. When I was 17 years old, after several disappointments, I caved and ran to a bottle. I attended a party and started to drink. When the party was over, I was the last one standing. It turned into some badge of honor.
Down the Drinking Road
High School graduation came and went with many parties along the way. I ended up joining the military and served in the Marines. We lived up to the stereotype 100%. If I was able, I was drinking. In most cases, it was nightly. This behavior continued for 12 years.
Through those twelve years, I racked up four DUI charges, two convictions, one hit and run charge, one felony fleeing charge, three vehicle crashes, and thousands of drunken trips down the road. Zero relationships that lasted more than 15 minutes outside of the list of drinking buddies. My relationship with God only existed in the sense of I believed. His relationship with me did, however, exist.
Gave My Life to God But Then Struggled
As a small child around the age of three, my parents allowed me to go to church with some men from the local church. They picked me up and gave me piggyback rides to the yellow church bus. I was young and did not remember much more. However, the act of those men living out God’s call for them would forever make an impression on me.
In my early teenage years, I had a group of friends that attended a local church, and through that experience, I gave my life to God and truly felt called into ministry. Being young and immature, I couldn’t understand why I had this new passion and desire to do what was right. My family had zero support for me. I started planning to attend seminary, and I needed my father to sign a financial aid form to apply for grants, etc., but he refused.
During this same time, we conducted a few fundraisers to go on a short trip for the youth. My mother was very drunk when I came home from school that day and mean. I told her off, and when my father came home, he defended her, punished me, and took away the privilege of going on this trip. That was the trigger and the anger I used to start down my insane journey to darkness and despair. Even with the choices I made, I am blessed with the opportunity to be here still. I also have the ability of hindsight, which showed me that as I acted out, God showed up.
Recovery Journey
My first experience with recovery and restoration was while I was in the military. I was ordered to ten meetings in 30 days; however, that didn’t work. The second time was after my first DUI conviction. They ordered me to a year’s worth of counseling. I spent about a year alcohol-free. I attended church again and had a pretty intense repentance experience.
The incident that caused me to revert was pretty severe. I totaled my vehicle and the one the police officer was driving. I immediately walked away from the accident, not realizing at first. It was a police officer I had hit. As I approached the vehicle to see if they needed help, I met a large number of police officers with guns drawn. God alone saved me from getting shot and from being charged with the accident.
After about a year of sobriety, I had a couple of drinks here and there. Before long, I was back to the same level as before, if not worse. It continued for about another year and a half before I hit my final bottom.
Final Bottom
It was a sunny July day. I was drinking and doing yard work. A friend was helping me, and we decided to get some lunch with several more to many drinks. By the end of the evening, I ended up at a party on the other side of town. The police pulled me over on the way home. According to the report, I sped up in an attempt to flee but then pulled over. They took me into custody.
I was granted bail the next day, returned home, and was soon greeted by a new set of police officers. They said I was wanted for a minor hit and run that took place eight hours before the DUI arrest. I was only cited with a notice to appear in court. Then they received an emergency call and didn’t have the time to arrest me. I hired an attorney, and the initial plea offer was five years in prison, five years probation, etc. I lost my career, my home, and all of my possessions. It took more than a year, but we were able to get a much better offer.
During this time, I continued to drink. I figured I was going to prison anyway, so why not. I was broke and borderline homeless. However, to my surprise, I only received ten days in the county jail, five years license suspension, two years treatment, and some fines.
“God Must Have Better Plans” for Recovery and Restoration
I mentioned it to a good friend, and he said something that stuck. “God must have better plans for you than the court system did.” Shortly after, I moved away from Jacksonville to Orlando. I got to start fresh. I went to church with the woman who would become my wife. That church had a CR group, and I was able to use it for my mandatory treatment. By the end of the two years, I was offered the opportunity to step into a volunteer leadership role in the group. It led me to consider step 12, my favorite. “Having had a spiritual experience as the result of these steps, we try to carry this message to others and to practice these principles in all our affairs.”
My sponsor came alongside me on my recovery and restoration journey and walked me through the steps. He was firm but caring. As I became healthier, I began to make a transition from my past to my future. My walk with God increased, and I took the Great Commission seriously. However, before I went out to make disciples, I had to learn to be one. The more I learned, the more I sought direction. The more I found the word to be a place of both comfort and growth. I leaned on Ephesians 6:11, “Put on the full armor of God so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.”
Growth, Called to Serve, and Study at CLI
I am not perfect. If I suit up in God’s armor, I am protected. If I wake up each day and place God first, the probability that I am going to win that day is pretty high. It took a long time to be in a place where it isn’t about me. It is pretty great!
I have a wonderful wife, and she supports me completely. It is an honor to be the father of our five children. God has shown me how to love. I should not be here, but I am grateful to be. I am thankful that I still have an opportunity. Now I am excited to study at the Christian Leaders Institute for free ministry training. I want to help others to work and live for God and find recovery and restoration. I want others to lean on Jesus and know that they are not alone. No matter how dark the night looks, there is light. You can succeed in the Lord. If I can, anyone can.
To live a life with Jesus, and my family is a gift. To live today, sober has been a blessing. Tomorrow, Lord willing, I will suit up and do it again. Lastly, I encourage others on a recovery and restoration journey to get involved in a home church. Find a way to serve, find a Bible study to join, find a way to keep growing. This summer, I celebrate 12 years of sobriety. God bless you!
Learn more about ordination at the Christian Leaders Alliance. Interested in a low-cost degree? Check out the CLI’s Leadership Excellence School.