Ministry Calling Is Not To Be Denied
Hello, my name is Bill Lloyd. I reside in Colorado with my wonderful wife of 31 years, Janna. We have four incredible children. Recently, my daughter and her fiance asked me to officiate their wedding. Therefore, I am becoming a licensed wedding officiant through training at the Christian Leaders Institute.
My Calling Journey
I grew up in NE Pennsylvania. Baptized as an infant in the Catholic church, I attended 12 years of Catholic grade school and high school. I knew who Jesus was, His birth, life, miracles, death, and resurrection. However, I never spent my time in the Word, nor did I have a personal relationship with Jesus. I went on to obtain my engineering degree and quit attending church, though I know now that God wasn’t through with me.
Fast forward to 1992, I am 33 years old, recently married, and my wife is pregnant with our first child. At 26 weeks, she suddenly went into preterm labor. It became so severe they admitted her to the hospital on complete bed rest and constant injections of terbutaline to stop the contractions. Blood work confirmed our baby’s lung development was not sufficient.
God at Work
After six weeks of battling contractions, injections, and our baby’s insistence on making an early entrance, I found myself at the door of the hospital chapel. I knew we needed divine intervention. So, on my knees, I made a promise to God. I said, “Lord, if you let us have this baby, I promise to return him as an angel to you.” That might seem like a somewhat silly prayer. However, God heard my sincere plea for His gracious intervention. Our healthy son, Conner, entered the world two days later, but God wasn’t done.
Six months later, I took a job for a friend of mine in Montana. I didn’t know he and his family were Christians at the time. Since my family and home were still in Colorado, he invited me to stay with them while we looked for our new house. With that came prayer at meals and attending church. Most importantly, there were late-night talks about God and Jesus and Bible readings. These ultimately led me to accept Christ as my Lord and Savior and have a new life in Him. Janna grew up in a Christian home. Therefore, we began our “newness” in Christ with our family.
God’s Calling
Fast forward to 2023. Now retired, and several things recently made me realize that God is calling me to glorify Him in other ways. I had been asked to read scripture in church temporarily at first. However, recently, they asked me to take over that ministry.
Then, after church one Sunday, a sister in Christ asked if I would officiate her father-in-law’s funeral. My spontaneous response was, “Oh, no, Sally. I’ve never done that before and don’t feel remotely qualified to do that.” She was disappointed. Then, as she continued to talk with Janna, I heard clearly from God, “Yes, you will, Bill. You will use this to bring glory to my name and tell others about Me.” She burst into tears when I abruptly told Sally I would do it. It was exciting and honoring to bring glory to Jesus and hope to a large group of hurting people.
Becoming a Licensed Wedding Officiant
Shortly after that, my daughter and her fiancé said they wanted to be married in Mexico. I had spent 27 years dreading how much I would lose my composure when my daughter married. However, at that point, God once again spoke to me. He told me I was to officiate her wedding to bring Him glory and to ensure they were married in His sight. What a blessing! We are all so excited for this. I’m pretty sure He’ll help me hold it together!
We often hear that God works in mysterious ways. However, if we are obedient and join Him in the work He calls us to, it may be mysterious, but it sure is exciting! For this reason, I am studying at the Christian Leaders Institute. I am becoming a Licensed Christian wedding officiant through the ministry training course at CLI. Who knows where else God will lead this obedient servant?!
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.
