Substance Abuse Ministry Call
My name is Brandon, and I have a substance abuse ministry call. I was born in a small town in Kentucky in 1986. Growing up, I had opportunities to attend my grandparents’ church, but I was not a fan of it. For some reason, I had an unhealthy fear of God. This fear made me want nothing to do with Him or the church. I thought if I were to pretend He didn’t exist, then everything would be okay.
My Early Struggles
I was raised by a single mother who had to work a lot to support us. While growing up, I felt like I was different from other people. I felt alone and like I didn’t fit in. I wanted to, but I didn’t know how to do it. On the outside, I looked like any other kid, but on the inside, I was an emotional basket case.
The dark period of my life started pretty early on. At twelve years old, I experimented with alcohol for the first time. My life would never be the same. When I took my first drink, I felt something that I had never felt before, relief. For the first time in my life, all my feelings of inadequacy and pain went away. I thought that I had found my solution.
Once discovering that with just a little alcohol, I could face the world, my life took a drastic change. Throughout my teenage life, I used alcohol and marijuana daily. To fund my habits, I began selling small amounts of both. I used the money to keep me and everyone around me in a constant fog.
Arrested
March 30, 2015, was a day that would change my life forever. Looking back on this day, I now know that it was the day that God stepped in. However, I was too dumb to realize it. At the time, I would have considered myself an agnostic. I didn’t want to believe in God because if He were real, then He would want nothing to do with me and rightfully so.
My drug use at this time had steadily evolved into a several hundred dollars a day methamphetamine habit. I was selling drugs twenty-four hours a day with people in and out regularly. That day around 2:15 p.m., the local drug task force kicked in my door and charged me with manufacturing methamphetamine. This time was not my first run-in with the law, and unfortunately, it would not be my last.
I went to jail, and when I got inside, I felt a slight sense of relief. I was exhausted and had a nasty infection in my stomach. They sent me directly to the nurse after booking. I went into a segregated medical holding cell for the medical safety of other inmates. When the nurse weighed me, I was only 98.5 lbs. At the time, I wanted to die and was not far from it.
God Saves
I was in jail for 16 days before I could make the bond. During that time, one of the guards asked me if I wanted to go to church. I said yes immediately. I just wanted to get out of my cell for a while. During the service, I felt something on the inside of me. It felt like a knot in my chest and an extreme and overwhelming emotional tugging at me.
After the service was over, I returned to my cell and, once again, was alone. That feeling that would not go away, and I began to cry. I went into the shower and completely broke down. I fell to my knees in that disgusting shower stall and begged God for forgiveness and asked Him to help me. When I had finished with my “break down,” I stood up and felt like the weight of the world had been lifted off my shoulders.
For the first six months of my new life, things went great. I got involved with a local church and became very close with the head pastor. I did little odd jobs and kept busy to keep my mind off of the world around me and the fact that I was facing a 25-year prison sentence. One day out of the blue, I made a mistake and used drugs. I can’t say why I did.
Back to My Old Ways
Once I slipped, I fell back down hard. Confused, I thought that since I had messed up, God would no longer want anything to do with me. I felt like I was separated from the source. Once this happened, I went right back into the same thing I had been doing before.
This time things got a lot worse. I started injecting drugs and became wild and reckless. I was in and out of treatment programs and halfway houses for the next several years. For a while, I lived in my car until the motor blew on it. Once that happened, I was living on the streets. On the run from the police in my town, I slept on a bench in the city over. I wanted to die.
God Intervened
January 2, 2018, was the day that God intervened. I was five months out of my latest round of treatment and back to the same old song and dance. That morning, I got a call from probation and parole telling me to come into their office. I knew that when I went in, they would test me. Something different happened this time; I didn’t run. So, I went to the office and told the woman I had been using. I was tired.
When I got to jail, I was relieved. The first time, I was terrified. But this time, I felt peace and safety for the first time in a very long time. After a month, the judge agreed to send me to long-term treatment. I wondered why he gave me another opportunity for treatment. I had failed so many times. Now I know that it was God’s mercy and His favor.
God Always Loves Me
February 6, 2018, was the day I went to treatment. When I went in this time, I wanted things to be different. I knew I wanted more. My previous round of long- term treatment did not go well. It took me ten months to complete a six-month program. Two days after arriving at the facility, I was in my bunk, and for some reason, I started to pray. I had not prayed in a long time.
I told God that I had messed up, that I didn’t want this life anymore and asked Him to please help me. If He did, I would spend the rest of my life telling everyone how it happened. I had already messed up one opportunity and understood if He did not love me anymore. In my head, I heard a voice say, “I love you so much that I died for you.” After praying that prayer, I felt whole.
Bible Study
Suddenly, I felt that I wanted to read. I was not a big reader and knew it would be difficult to do so in a room with 60 other people, but I decided to give it a shot. There was a small library, so I went down to see what they had. I was drawn to a section where the religious books were, picked up one of the Bibles and took it back to my rack.
I opened it up and started reading out of the Gospel of Matthew. One of the guys that had arrived at the same time as I looked up and said, “Hey, man. If you got any questions about anything, let me know. I am a follower of Jesus Christ, too, and would love to read with you.” Richard Brown was fresh out of prison, and we did not know each other. I was reluctant at first but remembered my prayer and agreed to start doing a Bible study with him in the mornings.
What started with Rich and me reading the Bible together in the mornings grew into a group of 20-25 men spending an hour a day reading. We read the Jesus Calling devotional, a section of the Bible, and prayed. We were there for one another throughout our time at the center. It was not a faith-based program that allows this type of gathering, but with some reluctance, we had access to one of the classrooms to hold our study each day.
My Substance Abuse Ministry Call and Finding CLI
While I was in treatment, I found my substance abuse ministry call. I loved working with the guys and, for the first time in my life, felt fulfilled. Every night, I had guys stop by my room and talk with me. I spent hours listening to them, praying with them, and sharing any experience I had with their situations. The facility had a firm rule against clients being in another client’s room. However, they seemed to overlook people coming into mine. That was the favor of God again. Therefore, I realized my calling to work with individuals that have substance abuse issues. God allows us to go through situations to equip us with the tools that we need to follow our calling.
I found Christian Leaders Institute one day while researching Bible study courses. Immediately, I enrolled in classes. However, I did not sign on again for almost six months. I knew I was called, but I was afraid. I tried to put off what I knew I should do. The funny thing is, no matter how fast or far I tried to run from my substance abuse ministry call, it did not seem to matter. I re-enrolled into courses and am happy to report that I am now on my way to becoming what God wants me to be!
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Ministry Calling Free Bible Training
Hello, My name is Anadelia Yamilex Jerez, and I finally found my passion. My family is from the Dominican Republic but I was born in New York. Growing up I felt like the ugly duckling of the family. Everyone would bully me and call me names. Also, nobody was nice to me. My mom was always working and was never really there for me. We were always moving around to different cities/states.
Materialistic Left a Void
Nice houses and materialistic things still left me with this void. All I yearned for was my mother’s love and time. I had to learn things on my own and act as a mother to my younger siblings. My dad got deported back to the Dominican Republic when I was young, he was never in my life. My grandma would always go to church and take me with her when I was a little girl. But my grandma and my family were the types of people they preach against in a church. They were corrupted people who only cared about the money and were always cursing. As I grew, I grew confused, with a lot of anger and always thought negative. At the same time, I grew strong and brave and I was very smart.
New Dreams
I remember growing up my dream was to be a lawyer if anybody would ask me, that was what I wanted to be. In conclusion, I wanted to help keep people out of jail because people were always getting into trouble in my family. My older brother until this day keeps going in and out of jail. As I completed my first year of college I realized that is who I do not want to be. I didn’t feel passionate or saw myself being a lawyer anymore. After finishing that school year off I didn’t go back to school. By then I was 19 with no sense of direction of what I wanted to do with my life. I always had many jobs but I would always leave them because I didn’t like working for other people. I always wanted to be my own boss.
Running from God
In July, the summer of 2017 was when I started to run away from God, instead of running towards him. I met my soulmate that year. When we met we were both lost and so far away from the Lord. In August he got shot, the bullet went in through his back and came out through his chest. As you can see he wasn’t supposed to be alive but the Lord works in mysterious ways. After that, we tried to get closer to the lord. We would go to church every Sunday and I even got my first Bible and that made me feel closer to the Lord. For the first time in my life I was genuinely happy.
Two years pass by and my life goes downhill again. We lost our Apartment and in the midst of it all I find out I’m pregnant. We moved in with my aunt. My relationship takes a turn for the worst. We still decide to work through it. I was having a boy plus we named him Adonis. We decided to move to California with my mom. Two months later I find a job and after three months I ended up leaving my job. My relationship with the people around me got worse because I was angry all the time. I started spending money until I didn’t have any. Therefore, I was broke, angry and miserable. The major problem this time was that I only looked for the Lord when I was down. Never said, “Hey Father Thank You for everything you have done for me.” As for that major reason, I believe now the Lord kept me down time after time, so I can remember to always praise him high up.
New Awakenings Begin
In essence, nobody taught me the right way of loving the Lord. Nobody sat me down and told me to read the bible. Nobody told me that the power of the Lord is amazing and what he can do for us, nobody else can. I knew there was a God but I didn’t know anything about my father.
The moment I analyzed my life and realized I didn’t want to live like that anymore, things started to change. I desired to do the right thing and to find the Lord. I longed for the Holy Spirit. I wanted to find my passion. However, I was good at many things yet nothing fulfilled me. To help people is all I ever wanted to do. I vowed to become a better me, a new mind I thought. As a result, I started listening to motivational videos. I decided I was going to read the bible from start to finish.
Called to Serve
People were always drawn to me throughout my life. Back then I was clueless but now I saw clearly. They were always seeking for help. My gift is to help. I can help others through the Lord. God is my only escape. He is my father. Every time I speak about the Lord my heart races with excitement. I feel a fire in me I just want to tell everyone about the Lord and what he can do for us. I found my passion. My only mission in life is to serve the Lord. To become a deacon to help others. Additionally, I yearned to learn more but I didn’t have the funds. Initially, this led me to Christian Leaders Institute. What I’ve learned here taught me things nobody has ever taught me. Peace is within me since I have embarked on this new journey. I’m going after what has always been mine.
Learn about ordination at Christian Leaders Alliance.
Children’s and Women’s Ministry Journey
My name is April Van Buul, from Alberta, Canada. My husband, Jonathan, and I have seven amazing children and two grandchildren. The oldest of four siblings, I was born and raised in Alberta, Canada. I have known my children’s and women’s ministry calling for a long time.
Currently, I teach children’s Sunday group at the local church as well as the children’s Community group every month. I serve the community through food drives and clothing drives/sales. Also, I work with local families for the Homeschool gathering and swap as well. I desire to guide the new generation to the Lord. Maintaining the Lambs that are already there, I hope to encourage those that are stumbling. I am working on becoming an officiant here for weddings and funerals and looking at working with the local senior’s homes and hospitals as well.
Early Struggles
Time and time again, my calling was pushed aside as I thought I was not worthy. That was wrong and based on false guilt. My childhood was broken and full of trials. The Lord called me since childhood at six. Through the years, I have been through temptations, sickness, and challenges.
I received Christ in 2011 and sought to follow God’s path since then. Though the trials have held me back, I have not turned away. Instead, the tests made me try to follow where the Lord leads me.
Nothing came easy in a broken home. My parents divorced when I was two. I was abused, misunderstood, and in foster care by age 11. I have suffered from PTSD and Depression. From ages 16-24, I struggled. I had two children too young. Single and alone, frightened, injured from an accident, and desperate to provide for my children.
College
Later, I picked myself up and went to college. Global INC trained me for Travel and Tourism. Knowing what I was taking was not what I wanted, I was unsure as to what exactly I was searching for or how to get there. I continued to struggle with my health. The Lord said, “Come.” I worked hard and studied both my main classes as well as the Bible on my own. The Bible brought me closer to God and Christ, more and more.
Marriage and Family Health Challenges
Then, I met my husband and settled down. He is a believer also and just the support I needed. We had a family. I started to prepare to study for the ministry. When our daughter was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma Cancer and OMAS (an immune disease) in 2011, I was brought up close and personal with a trial no person wants. Again, my studies were on hold. Her care was the priority, and she started to heal. The calling came back. Then my husband was the one in hospital.
Again, trials and delays followed the calling. Yet the Lord held our hands through it all. Carried us during the worst and taught me so much more. Again, sickness. This time me. I had a parasite due to contaminated water. I was thought not to have much time, and still, the Lord held our hands. He has more excellent plans for me.
Now, today, gratitude is unwavering. Our daughter is still with us as well as Jon and me, bringing me closer to Christ as ever. Then last year, our youngest child was diagnosed with a hole in her heart. She is on the waiting list for open-heart surgery. I hope it happens in the spring. Last month, our second-youngest was diagnosed with Absence Seizures.
Children’s and Women’s Ministry Study at CLI
My marriage is difficult more due to differences in upbringing than anything. My husband is an old fashioned man that loves me for my love of the Lord but does not believe in a female minister. This issue is still a thorn for us. We are working towards an understanding. May this be accomplished through patience and teaching by the Lord. So far, he has agreed to support me in ministry training.
Today, the need will no longer be ignored. So here I am at your door, Christian Leaders Institute. Thank the Lord and you for opening it. I know that these trials are only to make me who I am today. Strong and mighty in the Lord, with empathy and understanding for others. May the Lord guide me to use what I have learned and will learn to work well for the Name and Word of the Lord.
My Scripture Verses and My Goal
Matthew 5:12 “Rejoice, and be exceeding glad; for great is your reward in heaven; for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.”
Revelations 21: 4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
My goal is to become an Ordained Minister, focusing on Children’s and Women’s ministry. From there, well, the Lord knows. Bless you, all.
Learn about ordination at Christian Leader Alliance.