My name is Veronica Bishop. I am called to a Children and Family Ministry. Free children and family ministry training at the Christian Leaders Institute is a blessing for me (Learn more about online Bible courses, Click Here).
My Early Years
I was born in Glendale, CA, USA, in 1982. Both my parents were Mexican immigrants that moved to the United States in 1979. We were your average middle-class family until my parents divorced when I was 9 years old. After their divorce, my mother worked two jobs to keep our family afloat. This made our family time very minimal. Also as a result of their divorce, I had to grow up quickly. I took charge of many household chores and duties, including caring for my younger brother. Our mother struggled to make ends meet and ended up engaging in illegal activities for income.
In 1994, we moved to Tennessee, in hopes of a fresh start and change in lifestyle. Mother continued to work several jobs and found a new husband. They had my sister, Cindy, in 1996, and I loved her as my own. My mom and her husband worked the third shift. So, I cared for my sister and my brother at night while they were at work. I became very close to my siblings. Our family never attended church on a regular basis. There are actually very few times I remember attending church. However, I always felt a connection with my heavenly Father, not a strong connection, but nonetheless, a connection.
Growing Up Quickly
In 1997, at 15 years old, I ran away from home with my boyfriend who was 20 at the time. He took me with him to Texas. I quickly regretted my decision two months after running away. However, it was too late. I had already become pregnant. As I said earlier, I never really went to church growing up, but I always felt a connection to God. So, I made up my mind that if I decided to be with this man and was having a baby with him, I needed to make my relationship work for the sake of my daughter. So, I ended up staying with him.
We moved back to Tennessee so that I could be closer to my mom. We married and had two more kids together. My mother forgave me, and we became closer than ever. I shared with her all my troubles in my marriage and looked to her for support. My mom became my only and best friend.
Challenges
In 2000, my mom had my sister, Jessica. My mom saw some changes in her breasts after she stopped breastfeeding her. In 2002, she was diagnosed with a very aggressive and rare type of breast cancer, inflammatory breast cancer. She was given two months to live. We were all devastated. For the first time, I saw my mom turn to God for help. She started going to the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses. She was constantly praying and reading her Bible. I was right there next to her every step of the way. She fought for two years. In February 2004, she lost her battle against this unforgiving illness. Just like that, I lost my best friend and was now the mother of six kids. Three kids of my own, my two sisters, and my brother.
That same year in April 2004, my husband started to physically abuse me. I believe he did this after my mom passed away because he knew I didn’t have anyone to defend me anymore. I knew I couldn’t stay in that situation with my kids and my siblings. So I moved out with all my kids and started the long process of divorce. It was one of the lowest times in my life, and unfortunately, I turned away from God and turned to alcohol instead.
God Spoke
For the next seven months, I slowly became an alcoholic. However, in November of that year, I cried in my closet one night. I begged God to bring my mother back and take me instead. God spoke to me. I will never forget that night. He said, “Veronica, what are you doing?! You have six kids in the other room that need you and are depending on you! You are stronger than this! Now pick yourself up and take care of all those kids in there that are looking to you for help.” And, I did. I stopped drinking and smoking. Then, a week later I met my husband. He is an amazing man of God. He adopted all of my kids and my siblings as his own. We also had four more kids together as well, three boys are living and one boy passed away in 2006. In all, we are a family of ten. We are so blessed!
In 2017, I took the role of Children’s Director at Lewisburg First Assembly of God Church. Since then, my husband and I have worked together in ministry as Children’s Pastors and are currently at New Life Church in Lewisburg, TN. My road has not been easy. There is so much more to my story but it would take too much time to go through. However, through every situation in my life, God was there. And He continues to guide me and my family as we walk with Him.
Free Children and Family Ministry Training at CLI
My spiritual dream is that I can continue to be a humble servant for Christ. Thank you for this wonderful study opportunity. I pray that this opportunity of free children and family ministry training with Christian Leaders Institute equips me with the tools I need to carry out His will for my life and those around me. That I can use this training to share the good news of His mercy and forgiveness with the families I am entrusted with. I pray that these classes help me to continue to grow closer to God and strengthen my relationship with Him. As I grow closer to Him, may others see Christ in me. I also pray that my family and I bring Him honor and glory in everything we do.
God bless you! My name is Juan Gonzalez from the USA, and I am studying Chaplaincy service ministry training at the Christian Leaders Institute (Learn more about online Bible courses, Click Here). In 1974, I was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico, to a fervent Christian mother and an apathetic father.
My Spiritual Journey
My baptism was by immersion at the age of nine with Jesus as my Savior. However, I did not fully understand what I was getting myself into. I praise God for my grandmother Feliz and my sister Noemí. They were faithful and fervent in prayer on my behalf before the Lord.
Getting to know Jesus as my Savior was one thing. Accepting Christ as Lord of my life was a different story. It has been a long, rocky, and slow but continuous process. However, my “aha!” moment came in a very dark time in my life. After a failed marriage and pretending to be an upright elder in my old church in Puerto Rico, my fraudulent character was revealed to me by the Spirit.
Even though I never committed adultery with another woman, my loyalty was rooted in my career and my “Churchianity.” When my wife left me, I dug myself deeper and deeper into my own deception. Finally, in 2008, after I hit bottom, I was divorced and had nothing to my name. I completely gave up and surrendered totally to the Lordship of Christ Jesus.
Chaplaincy Service Ministry Training at CLI
Since then, even with all the ups and downs, I never looked back. Currently married to Laura and father to Alison, Alexandria, and Emmylou, I am a Military Service member in the US Army and hold a BS degree in Mechanical Engineering.
My vision in ministry is Chaplaincy service. My spiritual focus is in Christian Apologetics, Eschatology, Men’s Ministry, and Blended/Step-Family Support.
Therefore, my spiritual dream is to see each Christian ready to meet their Creator spiritually in their daily devotions and physically before the Lord on the last day. I want to see believers “rightly dividing the Word of Truth” and “ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.”
May we see each other on that sweet day, before the throne of God.
My name is Christie Kreischer. I am 46 years old from Knoxville, Tn, USA. I am a mother to three amazing children and a widow. Recently, I began my studies in Biblical teaching at the Christian Leaders Institute (Learn more about online Bible courses, Click Here).
My Journey to My Calling
I grew up in the church where my aunt and uncle were Youth Leaders, and I have always known the Lord. However, I lost my way after losing my husband to Leukemia several years ago. This led me down a road to destruction with alcohol and a few very dark years.
In 2017, I rededicated my life to the Lord. He delivered me from alcohol, anxiety, depression, anger, grief, self-destruction, and so much more. Since 2017, rebuilt my life on God’s Word and His direction for my life. I want to share my story in depth with those who are living in darkness. Then, perhaps they can have hope and they too can be delivered from the negativity and evils of this world.
Further Education in Biblical Teaching at CLI
I am excited to be furthering my education so that I can be more equipped as a disciple and share my testimony wherever God leads me. My goal is to continue my education as a social worker and gain biblical teaching and direction from CLI. I have no doubt that God led me to CLI.
My journey started from the ground up. After I lost everything, I can say that I am so thankful for the lesson. It has taught me that I am nothing without God. I am saved by the grace of God!
There is so much more to my testimony, and I hope to share it with those who are seeking hope in a dark world. Don’t lose hope, God is always on time! Though suffering and pain may endure for a night, joy cometh in the morning!
God will never fail you! He loves you and you are never alone or never too far gone to be redeemed, healed, and forgiven. You are loved! Praise the Lord!