My name is Michael Angelo Jimeno, and I’m from the Philippines. Wanting a firm foundation in Christ for my life, marriage, family, and church, I study at the Christian Leaders Institute with its tuition-free ministry, leadership, and Bible courses.
My Testimony for God’s Glory
As the saying goes, “Tough times don’t last; tough people do.” So, I absorbed that belief in my life and told myself, “I am a hardworking person, I am smart, I earn a 6-digit income abroad, and I am a leader, and I am the boss.” What could possibly go wrong if I did this, and my family followed and obeyed my lead?
Because of this view, I became legalistic, critical, judgmental, always right, controlling, and sadly, spoke harsh words to my wife and kids, especially when I was drunk. Please note: I was already reading the Bible, part of a small group, and attending a couple’s retreat. Unfortunately, this only fed my expectation that everyone in my family should submit to me since I knew more about God, and they needed to rely on my leading or else they would not obey God.
As I continued this attitude, I noticed that things never went well. Rather, they spiraled down. My wife, Allain, began to resent me and, most of the time, didn’t care about me. Whenever we fought, she left our house and returned in the evening. My kids became afraid of me.
Time for a Change
I reached rock bottom when my wife said that she was convinced and resolved that it was time to part ways. That really hit me hard. I prayed to God, “Lord, if you’re willing, please have mercy and give me one more chance to make this right.” God worked in my heart and life to become the godly husband Allain deserved in Christ.
In Ezekiel 36:25-27 the Lord said, “Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.”
Indeed by God’s grace, I became new! The healing process began in my family with a lifestyle of forgiveness and humility towards my family. I consistently did my personal quiet time and intentionally discipled my wife and kids.
Ministry Leadership and Bible Courses at CLI
When my attitude was fixed and our family recharged for God, God called us to reach out to more families and athletes out there. Our mission statement is “To honor God and empower others to have a lifestyle of balancing the 4Fs: Faith, Family, Finance, and Fitness.” We also share our tagline, “Go for God!”
Furthermore, we started our house church with the loving support of our discipleship group. We do this with joy and trust God along the way. Last August 20, 2022, we had our first fellowship in a small tent. Then, the Lord provided a bigger place. We celebrated our first Christmas party at the back of our house.
I also wanted more training as a Christian leader and minister. That is when I found the Christian Leaders Institute online. It’s tuition-free ministry leadership and Bible courses are a gift from God.
To God be the Glory
As I end, let me rephrase what I said: ” Tough times don’t last, but humble people who trust God do.” Thank you for reading my story. My encouragement: If God can change a super messy me, God can also do that for you. When He does, or He already did, may you first be intentional about having your family draw near to Him and then be part of a Christian fellowship.
So, my name is Michael Angelo Jimeno. Once having a heart of stone, I am now, by the grace of our all-powerful God, a humble messenger with a heart of flesh and a loving servant of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! To God be all the glory! Let’s go for God!
Register a Study Account
Register for a free study account, automatically enrolling you in the Getting Started Class at the Christian Leaders Learning Platform. The Getting Started class will take you less than an hour to complete.
When you log in to the Learning Platform, you will notice that the Getting Started Class automatically appears on your dashboard.
The Getting Started Class will orientate you to the Christian Leaders Learning Platform and the Programs offered, including:
- Ministry Awards, Certificates, Diplomas, and Degrees with the Christian Leaders Institute.
- Minister Credentialling (Ordination) with the Christian Leaders Alliance, including local Soul Center registration possibilities.
Note: You can enroll in tuition-free courses or mini-courses immediately without finishing the getting started class.
Find out more about women in ministry here.
