Ministry Schooling Dream
My name is Ashley and I have a ministry schooling dream. I live in southeastern Wisconsin in the United States. I live on a small hobby farm with my husband, two children and one more on the way. I was born and raised in a Catholic family and had what I considered a very strong faith until I miscarried our first child. My life was shattered and I traveled down a dark path for a long time.
Fast forward several years when I was brought to my knees facing losing my family, and the Lord moved. He reached out and saved my life. I was a police officer and had been for over a decade but now had a strong calling to leave my position and stay at home with my children. After several years of praying and searching for the right time and opportunity, God literally dropped His plan for our lives in my lap. I was hired to be the part-time director of a pregnancy resource center.
This was huge, I walked away from a significant salary and stepped into the unknown. That is when I found Christian Leaders Institute. God led me to this opportunity, period. Being in full-time ministry, staying home with my children, reaching out to women in crisis pregnancies, and sharing my faith through my newly started Christian Blog, I knew I was going to need to deepen my own walk with God.
The fact that this ministry training program is being offered free of charge was an amazing blessing that I honestly had a hard time believing until I dove in. I am looking forward to the challenges ahead and am so grateful for this opportunity! Studying at CLI will allow me to reach other women right where they are, strengthen my marriage, and help me to raise up my own children in the faith.
Learn about minister ordination at Christian Leaders Alliance.
Ministry Spiritual Dream
My name is Elliott S. Parks and I have a ministry spiritual dream. I currently live in Fort Collins, Colorado, where I co-manage a Self Storage facility with my beautiful wife Kisha Parks. I am also the owner and PIC (Pilot In Command) of Fly’n High Colorado an Aerial Photography Company. I take pictures and videos with my drones.
When I think of my “early life”, Proverbs 22:6 come to mind:”Train up a child in the way he should go. And when he is old, he will not depart from it.” I’m the second oldest child of four. My mother planted the faith seed in me at a very young age. I remember as a kid living in Hawaii going to Sunday School, hearing church sermons and singing “I’m in the Lord’s Army” on the church bus. My Grandma would always talk about God’s Love, God’s Grace, God’s Mercy and God’s purpose for my life. When I was 8 years old, I gave my heart to Jesus.
In my teenage years, my faith was tested through worldly tragedies. My father became an abusive alcoholic, which led my parents to get a divorce. My dad left and my mom fell into a dark place of depression and turned to drugs and alcohol. She eventually abandoned me when I was 14 years old. This led to a life of trials and tribulations, several failed relationships, and a failed marriage. It wasn’t until 2001 when God sent me an “angel”. She taught me a new way of a life and I was renewed in Christ. At first, it was difficult for me to let go of my worldly ways, but God was persistent and changed me from the inside out.
I’ve always said, “I’ve been on my own since I was 14 years old.” But looking back on all those years, God was always there and calling. He always placed spiritual people in my life to remind me of that, some who even prevented my death.
In 2007, I was blessed to return home to Hawaii. My family immediately noticed the changes and asked, “What happened to you?” I replied, “God happened!” My Grandma was so relieved to see all her prayers for me were answered. It was thanks to her prayers that I was covered by God’s grace, I was restored. My family got to meet my “angel” and we got married on the beach I grew up on. My Kisha, she has really made a difference in my life. She’s the reason I’m typing this. Ever since my renewed walk with the Lord, I have felt the pull on my heart to minister. So we did some research and she emailed the Christian Leaders Institute link. I’m not perfect or have ever claimed to be. I’m no better than anyone else and my sin is no different. I fall but get back up. I start my morning with “The Lord’s Prayer” and end my night with it. I notice all my blessings and take the time to look up and say: “Thank you, Father!”
The introductory video in the getting started class at Christian Leaders Institute asked: “Why are You here?” My answer is my ministry spiritual dream: “We live in a world that is fallen into darkness. More and more GOD is being removed from the equation. I am here to equip myself with the knowledge and tools to be a ‘Lamp of GOD’ in these dark days. May His Light shine through me! Amen!”
Learn about minister ordination at Christian Leaders Alliance.
Youth Ministry Journey
Hello. My name is Martha Berge and I am on a youth ministry journey. I live in a small town called Beacon Falls in the USA. I am the eldest of two children and the fourth of eleven grandchildren. I grew up in a home with three Christian women in the form of my mother, aunt, and grandmother and an alcoholic father. My entire life I went to church and sang in the junior choir and dance ministry.
I gave my life to the Lord at a very young age. When I was a senior in high school, I started teaching Sunday School. Growing up, my mother supported every decision I made regarding ministry and church. At one point, I switched from a congregational church (that my ancestors helped to found) to a Southern Baptist church. I taught Sunday School and sang in the choir there as well. I went back to the church I grew up in when a ministry opportunity arose three years ago and have been teaching there ever since. I now teach fourth through sixth grades. This is an important class since our fifth graders make their first communion. Apparently, I’m the one teacher who knows the Bible the best, though I’m not that comfortable with my Bible knowledge.
That is why I enrolled at Christian Leaders Institute. A friend got his online ordination without the education, and that made me think about my ministry. I went online and found CLI.
I am an EMT in my town and love serving God and my community in that way as well. It’s hard to not stray when you’re surrounded by people who don’t have that foundation. I have experienced so much spiritual warfare and need to ask God constantly for help in my fight with Satan. I praise God every day for getting me through those tough times.
Growing up, I went through some very difficult times. In the second grade, I was diagnosed with ADD and arthritis. That’s when I started dancing in church. This also presented some hurdles in my education and future as a youth. In high school, I wanted to join the Air Force but couldn’t because of my physical limitations. I eventually received my Associates in Human Services twelve years after graduating high school. I then struggled when I went on for my bachelor’s degree.
Because of my disabilities, I now have Social Security and so don’t have the resources to go to a formal seminary. CLI makes it so easy for me to further my education and advance in ministry. I can get a free education and go on to youth ministry. I look forward to the way God will use me in my home church or where ever He decides He needs me on this youth ministry journey.
In my community, one challenge we face is that everyone is big in sports. Most of the children are on one team or another, and they all have either practice or games on Sundays. Because of this, our Sunday School attendance is dwindling. People seem to have stopped making God a priority. I pray I can help to change that ideology.
Thank you to CLI for this opportunity to be able to serve and get to know Him and grow as a Christian. I can’t wait to see what God has in store for my future on this earth.
Learn about minister ordination at Christian Leaders Alliance.