My name is Silver-Leigh Barrows, and I reside in Toronto, Ontario in Canada. Before enrolling as a Christian Leaders Institute student, I obtained diplomas through ICS Canada in Occupational Therapy Aide, Child Psychology, and Business Management. I feel honored to be at the Christian Leaders Institute (Learn more about online Bible classes, Click Here). It has been the best decision I have made. The CLI courses in ministry have captivated me, and I feel encouraged to continue my studies at this excellent institute. Being a part of CLI makes me feel like I am working towards my purpose in Ministry. Also, I have learned so much about what it means to walk the path of the Lord and proclaim His gospel through their courses in ministry.
Childhood
From my youngest of memories, I remember talking openly and freely with God. I remember God revealing my purpose and the blessings he would grant me in having a brother and a sister. I always felt delighted in talking to the Lord. In my heart, I knew that God was my best friend and Father. God loved and cared for me so much. He was a constant comfort in my life from a tender age.
At the age of four, I knew that I would help a lot of people. God planted that seed inside of me. I eagerly wanted to help and was excited for what the Lord revealed. God also told me that I would have many hardships but that he would still be with me. Being so happy that I could help many people, I didn’t dwell on the difficulties. The end goal was to help people, and that was more important.
As a little girl, I delighted to go to my grandma’s church and sing my heart out for the Lord. At the age of eleven, I was an altar server girl. I remember feeling assured, just like when I was four, that I was meant to be a preacher. So, I told my mom. In elementary school, I received the Christian Living Award on graduation day for the service I did in the church and the school as a peer mediator. I desired to be close to God and serve.
Humbled
In my mid-twenties, I thought I had it made. I had a career in downtown Toronto, my own place, a great social life, and could afford everything. However, I gave myself credit for all my success as I lived on my own since 16. I felt like I didn’t need anyone because I was an independent woman doing it all for myself. Thankfully, the Lord humbled me. I had three recurring dreams where the Lord revealed I would lose everything but gain everything. God showed me that I would stop working, give up everything in my apartment, and downsize to a room rental. I also would lose all of my friends.
I tried to bargain and reason with God. However, in the third dream, God told me that I must go through this, and I’m so happy He allowed for all of it to happen. In losing everything, I learned that God is the one that gives opportunities, provides, and blesses. Everything I am and every opportunity are because of the Lord and His love and mercy for me. All of the glory and honor belong to the Lord God.
Saving Grace
I’ve dealt with many hardships from the time I was a little girl until my adulthood. Sexual abuse, physical abuse, and verbal/emotional abuse, to name a few of them. I’ve been bullied within my family, elementary school, and in the workplace. By the age of 27, it was the second attempt I made to end my life. Wanting to end the suffering, I didn’t see a way out.
Then, I had a compelling spiritual experience in which the Lord God affirmed that He exists and that He had a lot of work for me to do. I asked God, “What is my purpose?” Shortly after that, I received a spiritual dream. It was my call to ministry. At the age of 30, I spoke to a pastor about my dream, and he affirmed that I received a call to minister and recommended that I take courses in ministry. Then, I revealed the vision to my mom, and she, too, confirmed that it was a call to ministry. My call was the most beautiful spiritual experience.
My Spiritual Dream
The following is the experience I had. I was taken to this place above the clouds. There were people of all nationalities and ages. Yet, I instinctively knew that we were all one. There was a large crowd of people, and we could hear each other without speaking a word. People were being called one by one as the chatter continued amongst the people waiting. An elder man said, “Family, come forth,” and all was silent. I was surprised that my body began moving forward. Three men I had never met were alongside me. Everyone around us came closer in a circle, and all were silent.
Twin girls aged six approached the elder man and asked if they could be a part of the family. Everyone smiled at their enthusiasm. The elder man bent down to the girls and said, “I have another special assignment for you.” The girls gave the elder man a big smile, nodded, and stepped back. I was led to a gate and saw a golden city, the most beautiful site I had ever seen. Words cannot define the city’s beauty.
My Spiritual Dream Continued
The gate was opened, and I was brought to a shiny castle. I was taken to an elevator and brought before a court of a council of men of an ancient time in robes. Then, I was guided to a room, and immediately, I felt the presence of God. There was a great light that shone brighter than the sun, but it didn’t burn my eyes. I felt the most incredible love, the love of a Father that has my best interest at heart.
I was asked to come forward, and I was presented with a book. Instinctively, I knew it was the book of my life story. There was one section lit up for me to see. I wanted to see more but dared not ask. When I first looked down to read, the writing was not in a language I understood. However, in a blink of an eye, I was able to see it in English that I understood. I read that I was to lead a Revolution and serve God greatly and lead his people.
The Challenge
However, I was shocked and took a step back. I told God that He had the wrong girl! He knew how I was and what I’d done. Although Id always wanted to help people, this was much more than what I asked for! I couldn’t do it! God chuckled at me like when a father chuckles at his little girl. God told me that I liked to be challenged and that I chose this. At that moment, I knew this dream was real because my mother had told me once that I always preferred the most challenging assignments. I like to be challenged, and my mom liked that about me. God told me that I had agreed to this, that I would do this as it is written. Then, I woke up.
Free Courses in Ministry at CLI
I still didn’t believe I could fulfill my purpose until the age of 33. Now I am working towards my calling. I feel as if I’ve been born again just now, starting my life. Clearly, the Lord called me to serve! My memories of being four and eleven years old surfaced, reminding me that all things are possible through God! If God has ordained me to serve, I will serve Him and fulfill that burning desire to help people. I remember a time when I read in the New Testament about the disciples and how they spread the gospel. I was so inspired and wanted to do that very same thing. In prophecy, the Lord told me that I would be a fisherman of souls. Now, I believe it!
When I’m taking the Christian Leaders Institute courses in ministry, I am taking steps forward to live in my purpose and calling. These are the best courses in ministry I have ever taken! I’m excited about this spiritual journey and am thankful for God’s grace, direction, and love. I am a living testament of God’s mercy and grace. To God be the glory!
Learn more about ordination at the Christian Leaders Alliance. Interested in a low-cost college degree? Check out the CLI’s Leadership Excellence School.
My name is Damien Gagne, and I am learning the Bible free at the Christian Leaders Institute (Learn more about online Bible classes, Click Here). I am from Manitoba, Canada. My parents grew up during the cultural upheaval of the 60s and 70s. WW2 and its impacts were still affecting a generation of men and women, and the cold war was in full swing. Even in Canada, we were heavily influenced by the more affluent, stronger, and more influential American superpower. Culturally, my parents joined most of their peers and were leaving the church on mass. A new age was here. An era of freedom, rock, free love, long hair, and resistance to established social norms.
My Troubled Youth
My parents married young before they were ready, and before long, they split up. It traumatized my sister and me. Mom got full custody. However, she lived wildly and partied. We saw too much and were exposed to too much. Dealing with these things in my childhood taught me that too much freedom, selfishness, and disrespect of family history negatively impact the family. My parents also spoke of the oppression from the strict French Catholic church that they grew up with. There were the fear of a vengeful God and the rigidity of priests and nuns who made them resent the church and God. These lessons taught me that excessive, rigid dogma was also harmful to society and the family.
With these lessons, I grew up a troubled youth. I had addiction issues and prone to anger and violent outbursts. By the time I was 16, I had hurt my brain and left God behind. How could God allow me to suffer in this way?
Finding New Direction
One day, I read a story of someone’s near-death experience. It led me to believe in God again, but I still was skeptical about Jesus. When I was in my mid-20s, I was laid off from another dead-end job. Depressed and confused, I wondered what my future held. I volunteered at the Boys and Girls Clubs of Winnipeg. Within a month, I was hooked! I found one of my callings in life to help others. I used my life experience to help kids who were worse off than I was when I was young. So, I tried to teach them good from evil and help them grow into good people.
For the next 12 years, I worked at various non-profit organizations helping others. It is what I needed to feel whole. But, of course, something was missing. I still didn’t know God the way that I wanted to. I always thought of him as a vengeful God who punishes severely. Still traumatized from my youth, I was a sick sinner.
The Truth and Learning the Bible Free Online at CLI
One day, after I had just lost my job due to stupid mistakes, I was sitting across from my wife. I told her, “Babe, I feel like Jesus is real, but I can’t understand how.” Then, I asked Jesus, “Jesus, if you are real, please show me.” As soon as the words left my mouth, Jesus showed us a sign that he was genuine! I accepted him in my heart. After 20 years of running from Jesus, searching for God in other places and other religions, I thank God he opened my eyes to the truth.
My life has since stabilized. I still have hard times, but I can face them with Christ. I feel so loved and so forgiven for my imperfections. Now, I am hopeful for the future. The classes with the Christian Leaders Institute will help me reach all my educational and spiritual goals. Learning the Bible and ministry skills free at CLI will aid me in my ministry calling.
Learn more about ordination at the Christian Leaders Alliance. Interested in a low-cost degree? Check out the CLI’s Leadership Excellence School.
My name is Heather Christina Tuttle, and I am excited to study God’s Word online at the Christian Leaders Institute (Learn more about online Bible classes, Click Here). I am in Pinellas Park, Florida (Tampa Bay area), USA. I am 35 years old and married to my best friend, Billy, for almost 14 years. Together we have three daughters, Kacey-Jo Ashton (13), Rebekka Lynn (12), and Jordan Nicole (11). I also have two stepchildren, Riley Alexander (15) and Destiny Rose (14).
My Youth and Early Challenges
I was born in Tampa, Florida, but spent most of my early childhood (ages 4-12) in a small town in Western PA called Slippery Rock (yes, it is okay to laugh). It was a small college town with a population of around 3,000 people. It also had more churches than restaurants. At one of these, a large Presbyterian church, I was introduced to Jesus for the first time. I attended Sunday school there for several years with my best friend and her family.
I was not a regular attendee, and my parents were not big churchgoers. My mother was raised in a strict Italian Catholic household and shied away from faith as an adult. My dad was never a regular church attendee. When I was 12, my parents went through a terrible separation, which resulted in my mother leaving. My father moved my younger sister and me to Tampa, Florida, to live with my paternal grandmother. I went to church a few times when I first moved there. However, I did not stay going for long. I spent a lot of time in my teenage years angry with God for my mother leaving and for many other injustices I felt were done to me as I struggled through my teenage years.
My Marriage and Challenges
My husband and I both started going to church early in our relationship. However, there was always a reason that we did not stick with going. We had to work on Sundays, or it was too much once we had kids, etc. I would not say there was ever a time in my life that I was not a believer. But, I can say that I have not spent most of my life walking with the Lord or in the study of God’s Word.
Last year, we experienced what was by far the most challenging year we have been through in all our years together. Two of our daughters were victims of sexual assault. That led to many months of investigations and challenging conversations. Then, in late Sept, my husband and I were both driven to confess our indiscretions during our marriage to each other. After everything we had already been through that year, it felt like the nail in the coffin for both of us. We had hit the lowest point of our marriage.
Coming to the Lord
Despite the heartache we both felt, we love each other deeply. So we determined to work on fixing our marriage. I will never forget the moment he looked at me after a long night of talking, trying to make sense of the mess we had put each other in. He said, “We can no longer carry this weight ourselves. We need to go to church.” I immediately felt a sense of peace and knew at that moment that we were going to be okay. One month after joining the Calvary St. Pete church family, my husband and I, along with our three daughters, gave our lives to the Lord. It was as if the Lord himself had wrapped his arms around us and said, “I got you, it is going to be okay. You are not alone in this.”
Study God’s Word at CLI
Since then, we have stopped trying to fit the Lord into our lives and begun to live our lives for the Lord. This change is what has driven me to where I am right now. I want to be able to help guide and lead people to Christ. I want to share the good news of a King that is beautiful and wonderful! He is worthy of all the glory!
I always had a heart for helping people and feel the Christian Leaders Institute is where the Lord wants me right now. I am unsure of what he has planned for me in the future. However, until God reveals that to me, I will continue to study and learn all that I can at CLI. Then, I will be ready when he does.
As a working mom of five, going back to school and being able to afford to was very far in my future. What CLI is offering me is a chance to study God’s Word in-depth and expand my education with God as the center. And it is without the added stress financially that it would put on my family. I am so blessed that the Lord has allowed this opportunity into my life. God is good, all the time!
Learn more about ordination at the Christian Leaders Alliance. Interested in a low-cost degree? Check out the CLI’s Leadership Excellence School.