Early Life And Calling
Good day! My name is Justin Short, and I have been running from my call for a long time. Recently, I became a student at the Christian Leaders Institute to get education and training for ministry. I currently live in Georgia with my wife of nearly seven years. My wife and I have been growing in godliness, and we desire to be all God would have us to be. We want to be transformed from glory to glory into His likeness.
My Story
I grew up in a family that went to church and called on Jesus, but they also had struggles that often seemed contradictory to their profession of faith. Constantly being around church and ministers permitted me to receive many words about the calling on my life. Since I was in Middle School, strangers would give me words of knowledge about what I would do in future ministry for God. It all sounded great and wonderful, but I was too shy to be used by God. I also grew up without a father, and I struggled to understand God as my Father. This misunderstanding often led to misunderstandings between God and me.
When I graduated from High School, I went to school for theology. I wanted to help people and was informed that being a minister was the only way to help people. However, when I struggled in Greek, I changed my major to psychology. I continued my psychology study and worked in psychology and nonprofits for the past decade or so. I feel like I have helped people but have not felt like I was doing what I am “supposed to do” with my life.
A Change Of Mind
Over the years, I participated in church. I taught an adult Sunday School in one of the churches I attended. Furthermore, I have been a greeter, on the prayer team, supported with a food ministry, and served as a deacon. I wanted to please God with my life. However, I have not entirely walked in what was spoken over me. I dreamed of ministering since my childhood but was not equipped to speak. Like Moses, I often feel ill-equipped for ministry. At nearly forty years of age and many years past the words spoken over me, I have yet to move into ministry fully.
What changed for me was that my father died. I did not have a good relationship with him, but he died at fifty-five years old. Then, my youngest sister died from cancer. Finally, I got a mysterious illness that made my body extremely weak, and I felt as though I was going to die, too. It took over a year for me to get back to normal, but I knew I couldn’t just go back to normal. One of the desires of my heart is that I wanted to make “His name great.” I am aware He is already great without me, but I wanted to be a vessel of His glory so that people would worship God and desire Him. I wanted to be included in what God is doing in the earth.
Why CLI: Education and Training for Ministry
It has become abundantly clear that God is calling me to ministry. However, I never felt I was charismatic, gifted, or bold enough. I also feared that I would make His name foolish, which is not what I ever wanted. Further, I was afraid of looking bad and making God look bad. I wanted to make His name great before men so that they would glorify Him, serve Him, and love Him. My biggest fear was that I would be like Schindler, at the end of Schindler’s List, wishing I had helped just one more.
This is why CLI is a blessing. My past sickness placed me in a situation where I currently do not have much money. My wife and I moved to Georgia only two months ago and are still trying to get on our feet. However, I want to learn how to rightly divide the word of truth and how to express that word so that people will come to know God as He truly is. Education and training for ministry and evangelizing will allow me to move in the direction God is pulling me to. I dream pieces of what God has in store for my life, but I have to start again as a student.
Thank you, CLI, and all who contributed to this fantastic gift!
Register a Study Account
Register for a free study account, automatically enrolling 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, Diplomas, and Degrees with the Christian Leaders Institute.
- 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 Ash’Lee White, and I live in the United States, in Michigan, to be exact. I love my home state. However, I could do without so much snow. I am studying at the Christian Leaders Institute to learn more about God and be equipped for His calling.
My Journey
My journey started with Christ when I was baptized at nine years old. So, I knew how important it was to walk with Christ at a young age. My parents were both absent from the home. Therefore, my four siblings and I lived with our aunt. That is where I was introduced to the church. My aunt didn’t go, but we kids did. They used it as a daycare for us on Sundays. Little did I know it would change my life.
Fast forward to my teen years, I bounced in and out of foster homes until I was adopted at 16 years of age. I still believed in God but never got into or followed His Word. However, I still prayed to Him every night. Sadly, I never submitted to Him in obedience. Therefore, I struggled through many ups and downs but was always taken care of.
My Calling
Fast forward to 2020, when my calling started when I was 38. One night in January 2020, I went to bed as usual. However, I had a vision from the Lord. He told me to gather my people together. I remember waking up and saying, “I don’t know what you mean.” I continued life, studied the Bible, and grew very close to Him. One day in February, I was on my bed in prayer. I was praying for the safety of my children; it was the time of COVID-19. All of a sudden, my body started bursting with love. That is the only way I can explain it. I was in tears. Then, God said, “I created you before you were in your mother’s womb; I know every hair on your head and everything will be okay.” I was so amazed and wanted to feel God’s LOVE all the time.
Fast forward to 2023, so many things have happened, with the Lord leading them all. I was invited to the September Send in Grand Rapids, MI. I enjoyed Francis Chen, a speaker there. Two months later, he would play a role in my life. Then, while at work in October, I saw the number 777. I thought nothing of it until it happened five times close together. With no clue what God was planning for me, I was looking for a study Bible and couldn’t find one. One day, my dad called and said the Lord placed on his heart to give me his study Bible. I was so excited!!!
Study at CLI to Learn About God
The Holy Spirit was leading me, and signs kept appearing. My dad said, “You’re going to teach one day. Have you looked into schooling?” I hadn’t since I didn’t have the money. Furthermore, I didn’t want to take a math class to learn about God. I just wanted to know about God.
So, one day, I started looking into online schools and came across the Christian Leaders Institute. I took a leap of faith and signed up for classes. When I started my first class, I saw Francis Chen! God is so amazing! Then, after an assignment, I scrolled to the bottom of the page and saw the address for CLI; it was 17771! There were the three 7s! At that moment, I knew I had a purpose, and God was guiding me this whole time! It all started three years ago, in 2020. That is when God instructed me to gather my people all together. Here I am! It is what God called me to do. Thank you, Lord!
Register a Study Account
Register for a free study account, automatically enrolling 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, Diplomas, and Degrees with the Christian Leaders Institute.
- 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.
I am “Rick,” Richard D. Price, and I live in Purcell, Oklahoma, United States of America. My story covers many states and countries. Because of that, I will shorten it to fit what is going on now. There isn’t anything special about me, except that I am a disciple of Christ and love my Lord and Savior. I have a great desire to serve Him and others for His glory. Therefore, I am at the Christian Leaders Institute studying courses for ministry and ordination.
My History
I am sixty-four years old. Born in Reedley, California, I moved to Texas at the age of five or six months. I also lived in New Mexico and Australia while growing up. Then, I moved back to California a month before turning seventeen. I lived with my father for about a year before joining the US Army. I dropped out of high school to enlist in the service. After seven years and three months, I ended active duty. A year later, I joined the Army National Guard and then retired after sixteen years.
As I think more about this, I was baptized in the Catholic Church when I was seven years of age to pass first grade in a Catholic school. Then, I had to undergo their catechism curriculum to proceed to the next grade. I believe that Jesus died for my sins then and still do. I became a believer in Christ Jesus around the age of fourteen. Sadly, I did not walk the walk, nor did I try to make others believe in Christ during the following years. When I was eighteen, I wanted to experience all the world had to offer.
While growing up, I went to church on my own. That started when I was about eleven. I went to different churches and denominations. The non-denominational and Pentecostal churches resonated with me the most. Therefore, I am more apostolic in the way I minister.
My Marriage and Surrender
I met the girl I later married when I was fifteen. She was my best friend’s younger sister. I visited her on leave while on active duty and then married her. We were married for thirty-seven years before she passed away in our home. I remarried shortly afterward to a wonderful and smart woman. It has been over seven years and going strong in Christ Jesus. If it was not for our faith and Jesus, I would not be here.
My story is long and covers many years and states and countries. In March of 1995, I told the Lord in a prayer that if He would remove the addiction of tobacco from me, I would serve Him for the rest of my years. In March of 1996, I fully surrendered my life to the Lord. It is an awesome thing when the Lord delivers a person from anything. I have been serving Him since.
Courses for Ministry and Ordination
My dream is to grow deeper in God and share and lead others to Christ. I want to lead them to a deeper relationship with Christ Jesus, God the Father, and the Holy Spirit. It is through the Christian Leaders Institute and Alliance that I have the programs and courses for ministry and ordination. Being able to take these free courses is a blessing as I am on a fixed income.
I am fully retired and on a fixed income. I never received any true college courses or a degree. However, the degree of hard knocks I have mastered in. I have taken some courses with CLI, and now I am taking courses for ministry, licensing, and ordination to continue with the burning in my heart to serve and minister overseas. I looked at other resources but the cost was out of my reach. CLI put things in reach for me! The free courses are not easy. I must pay attention and do a lot of good reading. However, I am thankful for this study opportunity!
Register a Study Account
Register for a free study account, automatically enrolling 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, Diplomas, and Degrees with the Christian Leaders Institute.
- 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.