Calling Later in Life

Calling Later in Life Leads to Study at CLI

My name is Brenda Iverson, and I received a calling later in life from God. I live in the USA and have lived here all of my life. I am 47 years old, with three children (23, 20, and 15). Until the age of around 11, I attended a Baptist church with my grandmother. Then we moved, and I began going to a local Methodist church, which was within walking distance from my home. I enjoyed church and still have the first Bible I received. It was given to me by my Sunday school teacher in 1985. As the years progressed, I began focusing on “life” and being a teenager. I graduated high school in 1991 and attended a two-year community college where I graduated in 1993. After I obtained my first full-time job, I thought I had it all.

Struggles

I married my high school sweetheart in 1995, but the marriage didn’t end very sweetly. I left that marriage in 2012, after many years of abuse. My husband was a deputy sheriff for our local department, which didn’t make my life any easier. During that time of turmoil, I was attending a local Baptist church where I thought the children and I were welcomed and respected. I even began the Children’s Church there and was in charge of the annual Vacation Bible School. The congregation consisted of much older parishioners who did not like change. I was the youngest adult, and my children were usually the only ones on most Sunday’s.

When my husband finally moved out, there were a few members of that church who assisted him in taking almost all of our things from our home, including the car. I felt betrayed and abandoned. Let me make a note that my husband NEVER attended church. I later found out that one of the women who came to help him was actually with whom he was unfaithful to me. To make this long story short, that experience kind of jaded me as far as churches go.

New Direction

I met my current husband in August of 2012, and we began a relationship. He was by no means an every Sunday attender, but he did go to a Christian High School and knew a lot about scripture. We dated for a few years and married in 2017. Roundabout late 2014, I met a local pastor at a cookout, and she invited us to her church. I hesitated for weeks, even months, and then finally went. I went alone for several weeks, and then my husband began attending with me. We have been attending this same church ever since. I am on the Praise Team and put together our music. I am also the Treasurer at our church. My husband is the “sound guy” and Bible Study teacher.

Calling Later in Life

I have had many things happen in my life that can only be explained by the grace of God. My life was saved on more than one occasion. I know that is was my Lord and Savior doing the saving. My call to ministry began about a year ago when we experienced an immense tragedy. One among several in our lives, I know that these events were not caused by God but were there as tests to our faith. I genuinely believe that our youth of today need guidance, and they need it now. Although I love to sing, I want to give back to God by providing teaching and counsel to teenagers and adolescents who need hearing God’s Word.

With the tragedies that my husband and I experienced over the past two years, we suffered mentally, physically, and financially. With that said, we have ALWAYS had what we NEEDED. How is that possible? By the grace of GOD. The free classes at the Christian Leaders Institute will help me to continue on this calling later in life journey and walk the path put before by my Lord. I know that He will never leave me nor forsake me. Life and breath belong to Him.