Ray Robinson
The United States of America
I am a single father of two beautiful children. My son is starting college and my daughter just started 4th grade. I am in what I call a transitional period. After many years in sales and sales management, last year I got honest with myself about how unhappy I was. My unhappiness had taken a serious toll on my life, and it was time I stopped trying to do things “my way.” I accepted that “my way” did not work, and that I needed Jesus to take the lead in my life. I could write a book about all the circumstances in play at the time, but for now, I will say that once I surrendered, God showed me much! The months that followed were nothing short of amazing and I am thankful for the opportunity I have had. While He was there over all the years, I never let Him fully in or fully lead. I had a way of stepping in front of Him or turning away from Him. Surrendering to God and His leading has made all the difference.
I was baptized October 26, 2003. If I took the time to write about all the struggles I had with sin and with the life of “sex, drugs and rock and roll,” you might be waiting to hear about how my baptism changed my life. The truth is, a big part of those stories would be from the period SINCE my baptism! Part of what I learned last year was how the shame and guilt from this perpetuated my struggles and my unhappiness. Last year, on the 11th anniversary of my baptism, I laid the “baggage” of shame and guilt down. In a blessed experience at my dad’s grave, I felt both his spirit and my Heavenly Father’s Spirit and, for the first time, felt the love of both. You see, another struggle that came to light last year was I had never personalized God’s love, possibly because I never heard my earthly father tell me that he loved me. I went graveside to write love letters from both my dad and God to myself (an idea given to me after watching the Ragamuffin movie). On a side note, a friend shared the movie with me because she felt lead to do so. Fantastic stuff! That IS what God is all about!
In short, the story goes on with me pursuing a childhood interest to drive a semi truck. After so many years working daily with dozens of people, I needed some quiet time with the Lord and a time to draw closer. It has been nothing short of incredible. I have been home for some weeks now and through conversations found that an old calling was present again. I felt the tug on my heart that I am to share the love I now know, with the passion that I have, with those He places before me. I have felt like I am supposed to be used as a bridge to connect hurting people to God and His Gospel. There have been some particular things that have been on my heart, and I accepted that He has placed them there for me to deal with them. I hope to use this experience with CLI, and the education, to do this work. I feel blessed!
How will the scholarship help me achieve my goals? Well, without the scholarship, I would not be able to pursue any training. Financially, I can’t afford any training. I am currently not working, but that should change in the next few weeks. Over the past 15 months or so, my means have drastically changed! While it is a change in my entire lifestyle, it has been an ongoing blessing. I can’t help but believe it too has been a part of His plan.
I want to add a paragraph to share my gratitude. I am grateful to God for this life He has given me. For salvation, but also the grace and mercy He has shown me since. I am thankful that He has never forsaken me and for His love. I want to thank CLI for this wonderful program and for all of those that make this opportunity possible for me and all of those around the world like me. I am thankful that God finds me useful and grateful for the opportunity to be used by God. And for whoever is reading at this point, I am thankful for you! May God bless you! 🙂
Hi, my name is Ithamar Rodriguez was born on July 26, 1984, on the north side of Philadelphia, PA at Temple University Hospital. My parents are Martha Lopez and Samuel Pimentel. They had my brother a few years later. Later my father married a lovely woman who had four kids from a previous marriage. Years later my dad and step-mother had a baby girl, making me the third oldest of seven siblings.
The Lord gave me the ability to sing, and so I began singing and playing the piano at the age of 5. After being elected the president of the children’s group in my church, I started singing at local churches. At ten years old I moved to Springfield, MA to live with my mother and brother Joshua. Four years later, I made a confession of faith to serve the Lord with all my heart. It was then that I began working at a Christian Radio Station, called Radio Transformation WACM 1490 AM in West Springfield, MA as a receptionist. I went from answering phones to making jingles, to singing intros for programmes, and, finally, became one of the youngest disc jockeys. It was then that I was given the opportunity to minister to the prisoners, ex-convict, and people in rehabilitation centers. That Ministry opened doors for a local television channel called, “Ministrio Palabra Dura” Channel 13 in Indian Orchard, MA. I sang intros and answered incoming phone calls.
I grew up under the care of my father in the north end of Philly from ages 2 to 9. Then I was under the care of my mother in Springfield, MA from ages 10 to 18. I went to seven elementary schools, four middle schools and two high schools. My education suffered due to the instability. At the age of 16, I became homeless and struggled to attend high school. My grades were low, and I ended up taking the 9th grade five years in a row.
One day, the school counselor called me into her office to talk about my options because once you turn 19 years old you can no longer stay in high school. She asked me, “Is everything okay with you? Why are you 19 years old and still in 9th grade?” I put my head down in silence. I felt ashamed and scared. She looked at me and said, “I don’t know why you are in this situation, but you have never caused any problems, never got into trouble and, for some reason, I believe in you. So here is what I’m going to do. I’m going to give you your high school diploma under one condition. You must go to college.” Talk about God’s favor. So I promised her I would go, and when college started, I went to my first class and didn’t understand anything the professor was saying and ended up dropping out the next day.
I was feeling hopeless until that same year, when I was at the lowest point of my life, I was invited to sing a song I wrote at a New York Women’s Revival Service. It was the day the Lord had appointed to anoint me for the ministry.
A year later I moved back to Philadelphia, PA and was signed on with Most High Records Productions. I began singing hooks and writing songs for Christian rappers and reggaeton. I also was elected to sing at the USA vs. Puerto Rico once a year event in New Jersey, the ATCO Speed Raceway. That same year I was offered a 2-year contract with Sony Productions and denied it because I would have to sing secular music. Three months later I was offered it once again and denied it again.
In 2008, I attended AMLA Music School in Philadelphia, PA to increase my singing abilities. In that same year, I signed with All Honor and Glory Production Inc., where I had the opportunity to write my own songs and produce, sing and finish my first album. After my album’s release, I have been worshiping and ministering in many events including churches, events, and special invitations. I have been on numerous radio interviews and have traveled throughout the US and other countries.
When I got married, that was when everything got serious. On April 23, 2011, I got married to Pastor Rev. Jason Omar Rodriguez. Yes… a Pastor! Not only was he a pastor, but he was the son of a Bishop of Assembly of Christian Church or AIC, a counsel that was running almost 5,000 churches worldwide. So to make a long story short, I am now the Associate Pastor with NO education and functioning on my local church Sunday School education that I picked up along the way. That is why I have chosen to take classes at Christian Leaders Institute. I want to work side by side in the ministry with my husband and to grow in the knowledge of God.
Please keep my family and me in prayer. God knows I’m going to need all the prayer I can get… ☺