Worshipping Through the Storm
Hello! My name is Riley Boehmer, and I am excited to share my life with you! The tuition-free online ministry and biblical courses at the Christian Leaders Institute are a blessing!
Born and raised in California, I still live here. After graduating high school, I struggled with the concept that “maybe school just wasn’t for me.” I decided to step away after failing my first semester in college. After prayer and consideration, I felt God calling me to focus more on ministry. We will come back to this topic, but first, I want to share a bit of what my home was like growing up.
My Spiritual Journey
At age six, my parents divorced after my mom had an affair with an old friend. However, neither my sisters nor I knew the reason at the time. Through this experience, I did not have a personal relationship with God despite knowing about Him. However, I was not far from one. Between two to four years later, I accepted Christ in my heart, sitting in the backyard of my father’s house. God began working in my life as He brought some peace into my hectic life of switching between my parents’ houses every other week.
Eventually, my life started to shift gears. In 6th grade, I was somewhat forced (although grateful) to play piano on the worship team in our middle school ministry. It brought me anxiety. However, I knew God could use it for His glory, and I held onto this hope! There I began to grow in my faith and my gifts quickly.
As amazing as this was at church, things grew more difficult at home. On my dad’s side, he developed a gambling addiction (which he kept us kids pretty sheltered from). On my mom’s side, she decided we would move in with her boyfriend (the man from the affair). This was difficult for my sisters and me to navigate as the boyfriend was also an alcoholic! Their relationship was on and off, almost weekly, but all of this played a crucial role in my faith!
Growing in God
My life was still the same when I entered high school. I was progressing in some areas at church and in my relationship with God but struggling with my complicated situation at home. This trend continued for a while. However, throughout all of this, the Lord was working through me. I honestly found what it meant to have a relationship with Him.
Eventually, my mom and her boyfriend, although still together on and off, no longer lived together. In the same way, although my dad was in debt, he no longer gambled. Towards what seemed to be the end of these things, I turned eighteen and decided to live with my father full-time. This helped my schedule and my relationship with my mom and God. Random bumps still occurred, such as friends of mine taking their lives and a worldwide pandemic. However, God was working through all of it.
After graduating high school, I worked at a local restaurant while volunteering in the worship ministries. I planned and led most of the youth worship services. With God as my best friend and mentor, I leaned on Him through prayer and reading scripture to see where He wanted to lead me.
Called to Ministry
Eventually, my parents told me to prioritize college over my work. However, this plan did not sit right with me. I felt God’s leading to reach out to the close pastors in my life. They were working at the church where I led worship. So, I asked if there was any position that I could fill. After many conversations, there was! Not just any position, but one I felt called–the worship ministry!
Therefore, I quit my job at the restaurant and started working at the church. I was raising up students (just as I was raised up), teaching them how to lead worship and develop their relationship with God in the process, and sharing the importance of both. With this new job, I dropped out of college. My focus was solely on the ministry work God had placed right before me.
Tuition-Free Biblical Courses at CLI
Ending where we started, I feel God’s calling to return to school. Now that I can see the benefit and am motivated to accomplish this goal, I chose Christian Leaders Institute. CLI offers tuition-free ministry and biblical courses. CLI is where I can dive deeper into my faith while working towards a college degree.
Register a Study Account
Register for a free study account that automatically enrolls 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, and Diplomas with the Christian Leaders Institute.
- College Degrees with the CLI’s Leadership Excellence School.
- 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
My name is David Moxon. I live in upstate New York, USA. The ordination and biblical classes online at the Christian Leaders Institute are preparing me for wherever God leads me.
My Story: God Was There All Along
I grew up in a broken home, but I never knew it as a child due to the amount of love I received from my parents. Baptized and raised Catholic, it was more out of ritual than a relationship with our Lord and Savior. We only attended church on Easter and Christmas. Fear and intimidation were part of the teaching of God. I always had a good sense of right and wrong, but I lacked knowing what a genuine relationship with the Lord meant. It kept me in a place of feeling I would never be good enough, so why bother?
I followed the world and lived according to what made me happy. I chased desires and dreams of worldly possessions and worldly recognition. Successful in the things of this world, enough was never enough. I married, started a family, and gave my kids everything the world said they needed. However, I was still foolish in my ways. Just like my father, I followed the rules. I had my children baptized, and we went to church on holidays. I even enrolled them in Sunday school, but I still didn’t know what being a child of God meant.
New Life
In 2014, a gentleman I met through many business meetings invited me to his church. Over many weeks, he continued to ask me, and I continued to make excuses. Until one Friday, I figured if I just showed up on Sunday with my family, he would stop asking, and that would be the end. Little did I know how the Lord had guided this event way before I knew He was involved. We went to his Christian church. However, it wasn’t the church environment I knew. I remember thinking, why are all these folks so happy and pleasant? Surely this must be some sort of cult. My children enjoyed the kid’s ministry, my wife enjoyed the worship music, and the message wasn’t bad.
Therefore, we returned the following Sunday. That was when the Holy Spirit hit me. I found myself crying during the message. I am 37 years old, 6 ft tall, and 230 lbs. I’m a tattooed and bearded tough guy of this world, and I was crying in public. This didn’t happen, but I couldn’t stop it. Then the man who invited me touched my shoulder and asked if I was alright. I said I was confused and didn’t know what was happening. He noted that it was the weight of the Holy Spirit.
From that day forward, I’ve never looked back. Only to see all the milestones in my life that I foolishly thought, wow, look what I have done. Only to realize, wow, look what the Lord has blessed me with and guided me through! How foolish I was to think I accomplished everything on my own. Looking back, I can now see everywhere the Lord touched my life and continues to do so.
CLI: Ordination and Biblical Classes
This all started a passion for giving back what the Lord has blessed me with. I volunteer heavily in many different church organizations. I serve at church and lead small groups for men and married couples. Further, I led my family to Christ, and we all received baptism.
My oldest of four daughters will be married this year. She asked me to officiate. I found Christian Leaders Institute looking into ordination and biblical classes. I wanted a more biblical and Godly structure rather than just any online payment for your ordination certificate to marry people. Therefore, I thank the Lord for opening this door.
I have felt the calling that the Lord has bigger plans for me. After going through the getting started classes at CLI, I am going to discover just what that means. Through prayer and CLI instruction, I’m confident the Lord will reveal the direction I will head. I am so very thankful for this opportunity. God bless you all!
Register a Study Account
Register for a free study account that automatically enrolls 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, and Diplomas with the Christian Leaders Institute.
- College Degrees with the CLI’s Leadership Excellence School.
- 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
Bachelor of Chaplaincy Journey
My name is Felicia Miller, a 45-year-old single mother of two beautiful girls. I have been attending Christian Leaders Institute since 2017, currently working towards a Bachelor of Chaplaincy Degree. I have worked as a Juvenile Probation Officer for the past eight years. In 2016, I completed my Master’s Program at Liberty University, obtaining a Master of Art in Human Service Counseling: Cognate Addiction and Recovery. I have also completed a Graduate Certificate from Liberty University in Criminal Justice (2018) and Christian Ministry (2019). Furthermore, I am a CASA volunteer as well as a Hospice Volunteer.
Early Life and Conversion
I started attending church at 10 and accepted Christ in my life at 12. Being active in church kept me away from a lot of the temptations of the world at a young age. In my young adult years, I gave in to the temptations of the world. Angry at God after my divorce, I thought I didn’t want to have anything else to do with Him due to the pain my divorce caused me. Then, I began to drink, go out all the time and engage in all sorts of bad things.
Calling to Ministry
I never could find my place in the world when I was doing what I wanted. God continued to tug on my heart until I went back to the church and repented. Seeking God for what my exact calling is, as of right now, I continue to work in the church until God leads me to that. I desire to work as a Chaplain in a prison or hospital setting.
Personal Life Journey
After years of trying to fit into a world I did not belong in, I realized that I could not do this life without God. I found my way back to God and the church. Everything was going great, I even found love again. The man God sent me made me forget about all the pain and hurt that ever happened to me. Then BOOM, he got stomach cancer. My world was turned upside down, but I know God is a healer. He completed chemo in August 2019, we rang the bell, and no more cancer.
Fast forward to May 2021, cancer is back but this time more aggressively. I watched him go through radiation and chemo treatments, lose his hair, lose weight, etc. Daily, I saw his faith waiver. However, my faith remained strong. I knew God was not about to take him from me. He healed him once, so I knew He was going to do it again.
On February 5, 2022, my heart was shattered into a million pieces. God decided He wanted him more than I needed him. Feeling lost, confused, and angry at God, I continued to go to church, but honestly, I could not tell you why. I was just there going through the motions. Sunday after Sunday, I left the same way I came, broken and bitter. God broke my heart, and I had no idea how it could be repaired.
My Breakthrough
I smiled and laughed with my friends so that they would think I was okay. However, what they didn’t know was I was spending every spare moment at the cemetery. I would sit there for hours crying and asking God why. There were many days I would go to the store. I would turn down an aisle, and a memory would hit me. Then, I would break down crying, having to run out of the store.
The very moment you think God has forgotten about you, He shows up to let you know He is there! It was during prayer time at church, I was sitting in my seat. Suddenly, this woman visiting our church came up to me and asked if she could pray for me. She began to minister to me, telling me things that no one knew, things about how I had been feeling. She said that God wanted me to know that He had not forgotten about me. He was still there and ready to take the pain away. I just needed to give it to Him. I broke down and the tears would not stop flowing. Thank God, I did not leave the church the same way I entered. I left a lot lighter that day!
Ministry Journey and Training: Bachelor of Chaplaincy
I have been attending church for the majority of my life. My foundation is the Church of God in Christ. However, I have served under Baptist leadership and am currently serving at the True Gospel Pentecostal Church. I have always been active in the church. I have served as a Sunday School Teacher, Church Secretary, Sunday School Secretary, Vacation Bible School Teacher/Administrator, Usher, and Kitchen Ministry.
In 2019, I obtained a Graduate Certificate in Christian Ministry through Liberty University. I have earned a Continuing Ministry (2021) and Christian Marriage (2022) diploma from Christian Leaders Institute. Further, I have several Certificates: Continuing Ministry (2017), Christian Leaders (2018), Chaplaincy (2022), and Women’s Ministry (2022). I have also earned several Awards. The Bachelor of Chaplaincy degree is my current endeavor.
Register a Study Account
Register for a free study account that automatically enrolls 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, and Diplomas with the Christian Leaders Institute.
- College Degrees with the CLI’s Leadership Excellence School.
- 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