God bless you who are reading this profile. My name is Jackie and I live in the United States. I am blessed to have a great husband and two beautiful children. God has really been good to me and my family! He is the source of my joy and He has given me strength, and peace that surpasses everything! I am so excited about Christian Leaders Institute. I truly believe this is a great opportunity and a great ministry that God is using to allow people that otherwise would not be able to attend or afford to study at a Bible institute, an opportunity pursue further ministry education!
Let me tell you a little bit about myself. Born in Puerto Rico, I came to the United States when I was six years old after my parents decided to go separate ways. I came to the United States with my mom and my brother stayed behind with my dad for a while. My mom, who I saw active in church as a worshipper, had planted the seed of faith in God in my brother and I since we were little, and I grew up with a knowledge and fear of God, though I did not know Him like I do now. I now realize that because God chose me from my mother’s womb, and He had and still has a plan for my life, the enemy started to do things early from my childhood that would make me question God, and pull me away from Him and His plans, and throw me into depression and low self esteem issues through my youth and on to adulthood. I constantly managed on my own by suppressing tears and pain and shame. I always looked happy on the outside, but on the inside I was depressed, lonely, and had a very low self esteem. I thank God for his grace and mercy, because although I tried to do good, I was by no means perfect. I made plenty of poor choices in life. I ended up in an abusive relationship that lasted 10 years, mainly because I did not feel worthy of something better. Soon I would end up using alcohol occasionally to numb my pains. I contemplated taking my life on more than one occasion but I knew that I couldn’t because I knew what my fate would be, based on what my mother had taught us when we were younger. One day I had enough and heeded to the warnings and red flags that my mother and stepfather warned me about. I broke off the 10 year ordeal.
Shortly after that, in 2007, I met my now husband Christian. We became friends through my brother and Christian’s sister who were dating. Christian had recently come home to live with his sister after he graduated from a Christian drug rehabilitation/discipleship program, and he was trying to continue his walk with God. He had been visiting the church of our now Pastors Jose & Iris DeLaRosa (whom I had known since childhood). I always respected them and looked up to them. I always said that whenever I got married I wanted Pastor DeLaRosa to do the ceremony. Some time went by and Christian stopped visiting the church and he relapsed again. We had already started dating when he began using alcohol again and later I found out that he was doing heavy drugs. I tried to help him and stuck by him because I could see something different in him, he was good, he was just doing the same things I had done all my life which was masking his pain. One day we went to the church together and The Lord spoke to Him and told him that I was the one that was going to be his wife. We continued our relationship with our struggles of course, him battling addiction and me trying not to take the abuse I had suffered out on him. Christian was also suffering from hepatitis C and the doctors had told him that there was only up to a 15% chance that he could have children. We had our first son Jonathan in 2008. We got married in 2010. Pastors DeLaRosa did our wedding as I had always wanted. My mom and stepfather whom I give thanks to God for, paid for our honeymoon, but also put on a condition that I attend a retreat at the church after returning home from the honeymoon in 06/2010. See I had also been going through a stressful emotional time in my life between the stress in my job, the stress of wedding planning, being approximately two months pregnant with my daughter Rosailly, which I found out after I had already had my dress altered, wedding drama, and the things I had been suppressing all my life, with the life changing event that was about to occur started to resurface and I thought I was going crazy. On top of that I had been diagnosed with hyperthyroidism which threw my whole system off. I was a mess. I was put on depression and anxiety pills, pills for the thyroid, and I went to a therapist, but nothing helped. I did not have God in my life and I knew I needed Him. And as I look back now I can see that it was Satan’s attempt at stopping something great that was about to happen…the union of two people who would by God’s grace would work to expand his kingdom.
So I accepted to go to the retreat. I mean I tried everything else and nothing helped. God had set me up. God spoke to me in that retreat. I knew undeniably that He was real. Something that only I asked him in my mind that night, he answered directly in the morning! I accepted the Lord at the retreat. I asked my husband to come to the closing service on Sunday and encouraged our friend Victor to come as well. I praise God and all the glory goes to Him that he used my Pastors with these retreats. Glory be to God, not only I came to Christ but soon after so did my husband, my brother, my sister in law, Victor, my friend from work and others to come in Jesus name!
My husband was cured from Hepatitis C in 2011. And has been clean from drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes since 2008. My heart is healed and I was able to forgive those who hurt me. I have great peace in my heart. My husband told the Lord, while he was in the Christian drug rehabilitation program, that if He wanted him to preach His word, that he wanted a wife that sings. It had always been my dream to sing, but I did not see it as possible. I’m somewhat shy. But to make the story short God made it happen without me even realizing what He was doing. I am now the worship leader at my church, and Sunday after Sunday The Lord gives me the courage to stand in front of the whole church. The awesome thing is too, that when my Husband has gone out to preach, I have also been with him to sing and minister with him. I have now been able to minister here in New Jersey, Mexico, Miami, and Pennsylvania. God is amazing! In addition to leading worship, I also have the privilege to teach and be an official at my church, helping our Pastors in all we can.
I believe God put both my husband and I in leadership and has had us work in different areas of the church because he is preparing us for a special task. God has opened doors for the church and has allowed my husband to preaching and give bible studies at the State Prison now since 2014 as a chaplain, and most recently God opened doors allowing us to enter the local hospital to pray for the sick. From early on our Pastors have seen that we have a calling to be Pastors as well.
We have a passion for the lost, especially for those who are lost in drugs and alcohol. Our vision/dream is to work with our Pastors and local church and jointly with our Pastors open a discipleship/ drug and alcohol rehabilitation program where lives will be healed from addiction and abuse through God and his Word. I believe this training is going to help us greatly to become the leaders we were called to be. To help the people we want to serve. Having a scholarship at Christian Leaders Institute will help us achieve our goals, to have a deeper knowledge of our role as leaders and a deeper knowledge of God’s Word, so we may help and serve others well and expand God’s kingdom. I have been wanting for a long time now to attend a Bible institute, but due to the cost and the schedule I had seen it as almost impossible. I work full time, my husband works full time, and we have our two young children as well as being active in the church. The ability to also study at my own pace is a true blessing, let alone that the classes are free. Please help us pray for the strength we will need going forward, confiding that God will finish the work he has started in us.
I am so excited about this opportunity and thank my Pastors, and the founders of this online institute for letting themselves be used by God! May God continue to Bless you and use you!
My name is Jose Tavares and I am 28 years old. I reside in the U.S.A. I currently live in Pennsylvania. Ministry in our country is service. Leadership in our country is service. People of faith in our country are very blessed and very generous. Kindness and generosity are characteristics of American ministry.
I was raised a Roman Catholic and a non-denominational Born-Again Christian. I met the lord when I was in elementary school. My Sunday school teacher, Anna, prayed the sinner’s prayer with me. I graduated from Moravian College in 2009 and was conferred my Bachelor’s Degree in Health Science. I’m currently pursuing my Master’s Degree at Liberty University. My ministry dream is to form a non-profit faith based volunteer organization that provides spiritual formation, spiritual direction and counseling to members of my community. I was ordained in 2014 as an interfaith minister and I studied pastoral counseling at Moravian Theological Seminary for 1.5 years prior to coming to Liberty University as well as the Christian Leaders Institute. I most closely identify with the roles of Pastor and Counselor.
During my college years I left the church and subscribed to many secular as well as atheistic philosophies. One or two years after I graduated I experienced a private faith conversion and began studying the scriptures as well as mystical experiences with Christ. I started searching for the most high. 3 ½ years after graduating from college I felt deeply called to study counseling at Seminary. The Seminary became a refuge and acted as an oasis amidst the decay of secular society. As I grew in faith I also grew in understanding. I felt more compassion and empathy for others especially those who are different than I. I desired to become ordained, certified and to serve others of every race, religion and faith background inspired by the great love of God. My experience as a Seminarian inspired me to pursue ministry.
My geographical area, Lehigh Valley,PA , is experiencing gentrification. Our neighborhoods are becoming more populated, more ethnically/racially diverse, and more religiously diverse. Costs are rising. Our school districts are quickly becoming more racially integrated which is causing some tension and distress in the Lehigh Valley population. There is an influx of Spanish speaking immigrants and migrants who are having difficulty assimilating. They are not always easily embraced by natives. As our neighborhoods grow gentrified tensions between socio-economic classes are at an all- time high. Sadly Upper class, middle class and low socio-economic status populations have never felt more isolated or fearful of each other.
While we are at the brink of a unique opportunity in Lehigh Valley history to celebrate diversity only the chants of anti-social and anti-Christian voices seem to prevail. My geographic area is in desperate need of a revival or restoration that can bring natives, migrants, immigrants, believers and non-believers together. We need a touch from God that will transcend racial, ethnic, socio-economic, religious and political divides in order to accommodate some of the wonderful cultural changes that are coming about here.
I have been blessed to make friends/clergy-members of diverse faith backgrounds. The local churches have supported me in my call to serve both corporately and individually. Individual clergy members have volunteered their time and even monetary resources to counsel me. Churches and generous people of faith have donated money to scholarships that I’ve benefited from. I’ve meet with many pastors for spiritual direction and for spiritual advising free of charge. Over the past few years I’ve had numerous sponsors and counselors who have mentored me.
I am single and was never married. My paternal grandfather has been an Usher at his parish in New York since the late 1960’s. My maternal grandfather (May he rest in peace) was a Pastor, Missionary and Christian Contemporary musician until he went to be with the lord in 2014. My mother was an unwed, teen mother who raised me with the help of my grandparents. They both supported me in my educational and spiritual pursuits my entire life. It has given me great self-confidence. Because of my grandfathers I have faith in God and faith in myself (as an adult).
My advancement in academia have also caused me to incur some debt. A Scholarship to the Christian Leadership Institute is important to my ministry dream. I want to dedicate my life to the service of others. The Christian Leadership Institute will provide me with the advance ministry training that I need. CLI can consider this scholarship an investment. It will be a “gift that keeps on giving” as I go in faith to serve populations who may be considered “the least of us” inspired by love of Christ Jesus. Please pray for me and for my endurance in my particular faith walk of ministry.
Ednalyn Lebrino Story and Journey in Ministry Training
Ednalyn Lebrino – “There are a lot of poor people, the streets are dirty and a lot of slum area”. These are the answers I got from an Iranian Muslim Dentistry Student when I asked her regarding her impression on my country. I was grieved. She added that the Philippines is the only Christian country in Asia. Another bullet shot straight to my chest.
It is true that there are a lot of poor people here despite the fact that we are rich in natural resources. It is also true that the streets are dirty especially during the rainy days. It is absolutely true that there are a lot of slum areas because I experience living there for 11 years.
Many Filipinos blame the corrupt politicians for the dirty image we impress upon the foreigners. But the real problem is-our moral bankruptcy.
Though there are a lot of religions in the country: Roman Catholic, Iglesia ni Cristo (Church of Christ), Islam, Buddhism, ” Dating Daan” and sects like Rizalistas and counting, ministries are greatly needed due to the great number of people who are blinded by the world and living in the darkness.no
I, Ednalyn Lebrino, was in that same darkness before. Born as a second child, I lost my father at an early age. After one week, our house was burned in a residential fire. Relatives helped us to start again from scratch by giving us monetary help and temporary lodging. Being the middle child, I was often neglected and less-loved. When I started school, I was bullied by my classmates because I was an orphan.I tried to fight back resulting a numerous streets fights. I blamed and hated God for all the miseries. I cried every night to sleep and tried to commit suicide several times until I reached teenage years but often fail. During High School, I focused on studying well even getting high honors. But still, I am depressed. In college, I learned how to drink alcohol, skipped classes and often times involved in numerous heated arguments with my classmates. I also failed my major subject due to my computer games addiction. My soul was never at ease with what I was doing with my life. Thinking of death was my only comfort not until Jesus seeked me. A high school acquaintance invited me to a Bible Study. At first I hesitated but because I wanted to get away from home for a meanwhile, I went. There were series of singing and talking which I was not accustomed to. Then, the moment of truth. The woman shared with me the gospel and asked me if I want Jesus in my life. The gospel sounds great and I am dying for peace so I said yes. True enough, I found Peace. Now, I am an active member of an evangelical church and a volunteer in the Kid’s church.
Living the life Jesus has given me is a gift. This gift is meant to be shared. After gaining wisdom about His faithfulness, I was burdened by God to do ministry to help other people like me who was living in darkness to find the light. It is my deepest desire to share this hope that I have.
This is the same hope the people needs. In Laperal, (the slum area I came from before I was adopted by my Aunt) I saw a lot of teenagers who got pregnant as early as 14. Prostitution and theft are normal things for them. Gambling and drugs are there way of life. My heart ached for them. Only Jesus can lift up their burden. His gospel is the only thing that could destroy the leash of Satan over them.
I was serving in a ministry before in that area and faced a lot of opposition. Some people stoned us and even throw manure at us. Other members of our ministry were even beaten. Still, there are few who stepped up and proclaim Jesus as their Lord and Savior. But our ministry ended last 2014 due to many factors and that includes lack of training.
CLI is so important for me to revive the ministry in Laperal. For me, finding this free scholarship was an answered prayer. I was discouraged to study in a Bible School because of large tuition fee. But now, I am always excited to study online at my own pace. I am only using my android phone but the wisdom I am gaining is vast.
God is faithful and true to His promises. I asked and I received. I pray that I will be fully equipped to do ministry again. Through CLI, God’s kingdom will be proclaimed even in the heart of Satan’s Lair. I am claiming Romans 16:20 “The Lord of Peace will soon crush Satan under your feet”.