Kentucky Free Biblical Training
CLI Student, Carla Knowlton, is a talented writer who has a passion for men, women, and child ministry she is receiving Kentucky free biblical training at Christian Leaders Institute.
Read about how she is receiving Kentucky free biblical training at CLI below:
My name is Carla Knowlton. I live in Kentucky in the United States. I have been married for 22 years, and we have two adult children. My husband has been ordained as a minister, and we prayerfully wait for the Lord to open doors of opportunity for him.
I was raised in an environment where Christianity was the right thing to do, although it was only occasionally practiced. As a young adult, I followed the same pattern – I believed in God and wanted to live for Him. I would attend church for a time and strive to do good, then fall away and end up in the “world”, living only for myself. In time I began to believe that Christianity wasn’t for me – that I couldn’t do it. I always failed. I always disappointed God. I then determined to never have anything to do with Him again. It wasn’t worth it. After a couple of years, I had an experience in which God absolutely invaded my heart. He broke down in a moment every wall I had built and filled me with such a love that I had never thought possible. In time, as I grew in the Lord, I came to understand that my past “failures” was because I had been trying to live according to “works”. When I messed up, I allowed myself to believe that I was failing God and that He couldn’t/wouldn’t love me anymore, because I was too messed up.
It has been 10 years since that day that the Spirit of God invaded my life, and although I am far from perfect and sometimes still struggle to see myself as He does rather than by my “merit”, He has been faithful to keep me all these years. He has never let go, even when I have been too weak to hold onto Him.
During the years, I have been used in many varied ways. I do not know exactly where the Lord will lead me, or what “title” one could give to the ministry that He has called me to. He speaks to me of so many things – writing books (I do have one published); writing songs; praise & worship service; I hear sermons in my mind; I have so many ideas for men’s ministries, women’s ministries, youth ministries… My former pastor said that the Lord speaks to me as He does a pastor’s wife, as the pastors must have a hand in every part of the church. I have laid up his council in my heart, while I wait for the Lord to confirm or deny and to lead as He desires. I only know that the greatest passions of my heart are (1) being a pillar – a strong, upholding support – for pastors, for they are the servants of the entire congregation and are often without encouragement or support, and (2) writing for the glory of God.
For many years, I have desired a higher education in my spiritual walk. I have researched colleges, seminaries, etc. too many times to count. My husband is on disability due to a back injury, my adult son has autism and lives at home, and I am a homemaker. We could not afford the cost of a quality education when my husband and I both worked; now with one small income, it is completely impossible. But with God, all things are possible! While doing yet another internet search, I came across Christian Leaders Institute. I am pleasantly surprised with the quality of education provided by CLI, and the availability to those who cannot afford it but who still feel the call of God on their lives astounds me. I am so thrilled and thankful to God for providing this opportunity to me, and to all involved with CLI for allowing God to use them in this manner and for following this call on their own lives. I believe that my education at Christian Leaders Institute will strengthen my own walk with the Lord, enable me to effectively speak to others about Christ and His Gospel, and equip me to be a viable leader in whatever capacity He chooses to place me in.
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