Ministry Study Program at CLI
Hello, my name is Tim Garber, and I am taking the ministry study program for free at CLI. I live in Carson City, NV. I am happily married to my wife Brittany, and we have four children. Our oldest is from a previous relationship of mine, but you would never know it if you asked my wife. I knew about God at the age of 5. I attended a Christian school from kindergarten to second grade, but I gained little knowledge of Christ. Moving around a lot as a child, I never had any consistency in church.
My Early Years
At the age of 16, I started attending youth groups and church, mostly for a particular girl that I liked. But the Lord had other plans for my life. I was baptized and surrendered my life to God, or so I thought. The little information I had didn’t keep me close to Him for very long. No one told me about the trials and tribulations that would come with my salvation. The only thing I knew was if I didn’t want to go to hell, I had to say the sinner’s prayer. Seemed magical. Almost too good to be true.
I spent the rest of my teens and all of my twenties upset with God. Why were these things happening to me and why wasn’t He doing anything about it? I found solace in the bottom of a bottle, drugs, and promiscuity. At this time, I met and married my wife. It wasn’t until she stopped asking me to go to church that God dealt with me. I remember one night in drunken anger crying out to God, “If I don’t look after myself, no one else will.” To my surprise, God responded, “You take care of your family, and I’ll take care of you.”
Getting My Attention
I started attending church, but old habits die hard. Seven years into my marriage, my wife asked for a divorce. She said she couldn’t sit by and watch me kill myself. She couldn’t bear to receive a call saying something had happened to me. I told her that I would do whatever it took to change. I started attending a recovery program at a local church. Then we started attending the very same church.
It wasn’t until I had to do some self-reflecting that I realized why I was the way I was. It wasn’t until then that I realized God had been with me all along. There was no other way to explain why I was still alive. Just because I wasn’t listening for or to God, didn’t mean He wasn’t there.
Called by God and Ministry Study Program at CLI
At the time of this submission, I am five years sober, my marriage is intact, and God has called me to preach His Word. I don’t know where God is going to take me, but I know He has a plan for my family and me.
I’m thankful for the Christian Leaders Institute for making available this ministry study program that works around my schedule and my wallet. Therefore, I can receive ministry training to fulfill God’s purpose for my life.
Learn about ordination with the Christian Leaders Alliance. Learn about degree programs with the CLI’s Leadership Excellence School.
Free Online Courses in Ministry Training
Hello, my name is Mary Barrera, and I am taking free online courses at Christian Leaders Institute. I have five children and nine grandchildren. From my youth, I had a speech problem that I still have today. However, God helps me through the Holy Spirit with that difficulty. So, I don’t have to worry about that anymore.
Early Years
I was born in Galveston, Texas, to Just and Dovie Jane Alfaro. I am the baby out of twelve children. In my young life, I experienced things that no child should have to endure. A family member molested me from the time I was five years old until the time I was 12 years old. When I was 12 years old, a tree fell on me. I almost died, but thanks to God, that didn’t happen. Then, when I was 14 years old, I gave my life to Jesus. It was a long road, but God got me through every step of the way as I grew up.
Mid-life Struggles
When I was 41 years old, my husband, a street minister, passed away with sugar diabetes and one lung. While he was on peritoneal dialysis, the doctors told him that he wouldn’t make it three years. But he made it for over three years. Then, in his last year, he had bone marrow cancer and died in 2016. I was his caregiver, but God made a way, and my church was there for me. After he died, I didn’t have anything, but God took care of that because we were obedient to his word. God takes care of his faithful followers.
New Beginnings
Last year I met my fiance, and we set our wedding date for April 11, 2020. It’s so precious because God sent me him on my walk with God. He also sent my fiance to help my family because part of my family is unsaved. So we have a long journey ahead of us.
I wanted to tell my story as I’ve been through a lot in my life. However, without God, I’m nothing. The joy of the Lord is my strength. I have a ministry on Facebook called Gym Outreach, where I do a nightly reading. Furthermore, I have a women’s ministry. It is where 30 women of faith from all over the world come together daily. We encourage each other, we pray for each other, and we are there for each other.
God is good! Now, He has brought me to the Christian Leaders Institute for free online courses for ministry training. Let the journey begin!
Learn about ordination opportunities at the Christian Leaders Alliance. Learn about degree options at CLI’s Leadership Excellence School.
Free Online Minister Education at CLI
My name is Annelize van Tonder, and I am receiving a free online minister education at CLI. I was born in Pretoria, South Africa, in 1975, and I studied human resource management. I have been going to church all my life and walked with God. However, I came from an abusive home and then, at a very young age, went on into an abusive marriage.
In 2015, God showed me a dream. In this dream, God led me up a mountain. Then out of a cloud, a pair of hands handed me a book and a sword. I went through a lot of healing in and through the Holy Spirit, who cleansed me from corruption. God filled me with His love and forgiveness.
Divorce and Serving in God’s Kingdom
In 2019, my husband told me that he met another younger woman, and we divorced. God made the way for me, and I ended up in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. I got actively involved with a local house church. Currently, at this church, I am called by the Holy Spirit to go out and minister and pray for people in and through the Holy Spirit. I am also involved in women’s ministry. I serve as a woman’s camp group leader with Word In Action and a marriage camp group leader. Furthermore, I also serve in children’s ministry.
My Spiritual Dream and Free Online Minister Education at CLI
I met my new husband in our cell group, and we are both working in the ministry. In and through the power of the Holy Spirit with God, our Father, as our core and foundation, we will go wherever He calls us to go. Therefore, spreading the love of Jesus and the healing power of the Holy Spirit is my spiritual dream.
Currently, I am devoting my life to do God’s work with very little income. I want to study here at Christian Leaders Institute and receive my credentials to be able to become a full-time minister. This free online minister education at CLI is truly a blessing!
Learn about ordination at the Christian Leaders Alliance and degree programs with the CLI’s Leadership Excellence School.