Enroll in Free Ministry Schooling

Enroll in Free Ministry Schooling at CLI

My name is Jamin Bush, and I am glad to enroll in free ministry schooling at CLI. I grew up in the small farm town of Wapakoneta, Ohio. At the age of two, my parents got a divorce, and I lived with my mom. She ended up marrying the mailman, and my dad married the divorce lawyer (it was a small town).

My Early Years

My mother raised me in the church. At the age of eight, I remember one Sunday morning at church. It was when I went down to the altar to give my life to Christ. I was more of a wallflower at church, never really getting involved. I didn’t have a relationship with Christ. It was more knowledge of Christ, not knowing Christ personally.

I had my first asthma attack when I was six months old. On average, I was in the hospital once a month and missed a lot of school time as I got older. The doctor said I was not allowed out in weather under 40 degrees because of my breathing difficulties. Also, living on a farm didn’t help my breathing issues either. I was mainly in my room. That is where I discovered my love for art.

According to the courts, my father had visitation rights every second weekend. In all honesty, I remember years that I would go from one Christmas to the next without seeing him. He was an absent father.

Grown-Up Struggles

I went away to art school when I was 18. It was my first experience away from home, and soon I was joining the party life. I got involved with drugs and alcohol. Depression was also setting in. While I was away, my Mom and stepfather got a divorce. Soon after, my mom got a rare disease called RSD, with which her muscles were slowly atrophying. I left school to care for her. She could do very little physical activity. My mom saw how my life was spiraling out of control.

I started dating a girl and fell in love. Soon we got engaged, bought a house, and moved in together. My mom was upset that we were living together and not married. We had been together for around three years when she left me for my best friend. Their relationship had been going on for a while without my knowledge. Through this loss, my friends sided with her. They told me I should accept it.

So, I decided to move on, and thus, I lost all my friends. At the age of 24, my only friend was my mom. My depression got worse. Besides work, I spent all my time either at my mom’s or in an art studio I had in my basement. Mom always encouraged me to go to church, but I did not listen.

Reconnecting with God and the Church

Then, one Saturday night, I drove around looking for a church that was having Saturday night service. There is a road in my hometown with 15 churches on it. So, I drove down that road. It seemed all of them were closed until I reached the last church. People were going into the church, so I did too. I loved it. It was a very warm and welcoming place.

The senior pastor reminded me of my college professors. I learned a lot from the service and continued to go every Saturday night from then on. A couple of months after going back to church, I was sitting in my basement one night crying. I prayed and surrendered to God’s will as I asked God to use me and make my life worth living. I rededicated my life to Christ.

Marriage and Ministry Service

Two years later, at the age of 28, I met Lindsey. She was the children’s pastor at the church I was attending. I wasn’t sure at first if she was just a pastor reaching out because she felt bad for me or if she liked me. It turns out she liked me! We married on December 28th, 2012. She’s fantastic and a true blessing from God.

In 2015, we moved to Highlands Ranch, Colorado, where we both came on staff at a large church. She was the children’s ministry coordinator, and I was an events supervisor. It was an amazing adventure. Colorado is beautiful, but we were working anywhere from 50 – 75 hours a week. The work and life balance was a struggle.

Then, we discovered an excellent opportunity in Virginia Beach for Lindsey that would fit her skillset, so we moved. We found a new church there. Currently, I assist my wife, who is the children’s ministry director.

God Adventures and Enroll in Free Ministry Schooling at CLI

I have seen God completely flip my life from so much darkness and despair to joy and adventure. The adventure is continuing as I enroll in free ministry schooling at the Christian Leaders Institute. I want to change the world for Christ, and I’m so excited to see what God has in store!

Learn about low-cost college degrees at CLI’s Leadership Excellence School.