I am Jacquelyne Kancir from the United States of America. As an American and a wife of a USMC Purple Heart Veteran with post-combat PTSD, I’d like to apply my ministry to spouses and families of other veterans affected by the recent OIF and OEF conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. Our VA system offers counseling, medication, and other worldly helps, but true healing requires a strong spiritual fight against the deceiver’s lies. I want to help equip wives to become that spiritual help for their suffering husbands. These veterans signed up for a physical war, but many had no idea the spiritual war that would await them when they returned home.
While I had known the Lord for as long as I could remember, I was introduced to legalistic doctrine early in my childhood. I was raised in a home that taught of a punishing God and rules of religion. In my twenties, I fell from my faith after a series of significant traumas. My mother-in-law introduced me to the truth of the Lord, modeled a beautiful loving relationship with our Father, and I was born again in my thirties. From there on, I sought a relationship with the Lord. My entire mindset and way of life changed. I truly have been renewed, and I seek daily for a continual renewal.
My ministry dream is to help others that may currently be in a place of darkness or suffering from traumas or relationship pains come to see the great miracles of healing that can only come through a relationship with our Savoir. I have been abundantly blessed and filled with the Spirit, and I want to be a willing vessel for the Lord to use me to spread His loving message to others.
I identify most as a small group leader. I’m often finding women’s Bible studies to attend, conferences, and I’ll purchase materials and invite other women in my life that can share in the experience with me. I also lead a Christian support group for wives and family of OIF/OEF post-combat PTSD veterans.
My husband and I suffered for years through the effects of PTSD before I turned it all over to the Lord and allowed him to work miracles in our lives. Women like Stormie Omartian, Joyce Meyer, and Katie Souza were instrumental vessels in getting me to hear the message of surrender to God, the Father. As in I Peter 4:8, I learned to love my husband fervently, to provide him the charity of love, (even in times I personally didn’t feel him deserving), and that covered a multitude of sins, both his and mine. I learned that I could be strengthened through Christ in ways I couldn’t fathom. I experienced amazing peace in midst of the most tremendous storms. I became very difficult to offend and quick to forgive (Meyer, “Power Thoughts”). I watched God melt my husband’s heart and bring him, me, and our entire family into alignment with His will. I became a warrior for a spiritual battle that my husband was suffering in versus battling him. We became a team for God’s plan. As I watched other women continue to suffer in their marriages from the post-war effects, I felt a yearning to share this good news, that healing was possible!
In my area of ministry, my main challenge is the secrecy and shame often associated with PTSD in veterans. Many are unwilling to admit they have a problem, and even for those that do, often they try to suffer on their own, instead of allowing their wives to help. Thus, there are many wives that aren’t even aware what is causing their marriage such difficulties or changing the love of their life. In my experience, hearing from even one other wife that they are not alone can help ignite a flame that fuels these women to find hope and healing.
A scholarship at CLI will give me the support, knowledge, wisdom, and growth I need to remove the callouses from my eyes and ears to better see and hear the will of God, to allow myself to be molded into a true working vessel of the Lord’s message. My ministry spiritually arms and supports people walking in incredible darkness with strong demons. It is absolutely imperative I maintain a very close walk with the Lord. Please pray that I may remain strong to help others.
Ministry in Ghana
Ministry in Ghana – I am Leslie Armah a Ghanaian, and I do ministry in Ghana, West Africa and a holder of Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.
I always have the desire to worship and most of all work for our Lord and Master Jesus Christ, but yet I always desired the flesh (i.e. the sinful nature). As a matter of fact in those days before I go to sleep I always pray to Jesus Christ to have mercy on me and change me before I die, and should not be when I am aged as my father but rather in my youthful age as I am.
On the 6th June, 2010, I went for a youth program in my local church at about 7pm and on that day we listen to a revelation about Heaven and Hell by an Ecuadorian girl named Angelica Zambrano.
At dawn on the 7th June, 2010 at about 2am the Holy Spirit woke me up and He was reminding me of all that I heard from the lady’s revelation and I was asked do I know that if I should have died my place would have been in hell.
I cried all dawn to 5am asking for forgiveness of my sins and disobedience. On the following Sunday, I confessed Jesus Christ before the church, and I was prayed for. Since then I have been working for the Lord.
Since I was not working for Jesus Christ, I was working for Satan, so till the day I was visited by the Holy Spirit and was forgiven I promised Him that I would work ten times for Him.
Ministry in Ghana is difficult. People in my locality are hard ears to the truth, and Muslims and traditionalist are also invoking and deceiving others these are the challenges that I face.
I am recognized as the head of the evangelism team in my local church, and now I am known as an Evangelist and I like it because that is the work that I do most. In some few years to come, I will be made the youth pastor in my local church. I am also a Sunday school teacher for some adults and the youth in my church.
My family including my sweet wife helps me in prayers and encourages me in my calling. My dedication to Jesus Christ has empowered one out of three of my siblings to be zealous for Christ.
Since my graduation from my University in 2012, I decided not to work for any organization which will take most of my time from working for Jesus Christ but rather do my own business so I can have time for the work of Jesus Christ. As at now I am helping in a family business and I do have some time to work as will for Jesus Christ, I hope the Lord will open way for me to own my own business some few time to come.
The fact is that I do not have enough money now which I would use to pay for a Bible school in my country. CLI has helped me to receive a Christian Basic Certificate in studying the Bible free of charge that I never dreamt of. I am so excited about ministry in Ghana now. CLI has also increased my knowledge about the word of God and given me understanding of the Holy Scripture which I use for teaching in church and on the field when I go out with my team to proclaim the Gospel.
I will plead with CLI to help me by praying to God over my lost neighbors in my locality to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance in the Kingdom of God.
I am grateful for being a student in CLI. The Godhead richly bless you in all that you are doing for us all, not forgetting those who are giving donations to the Institute for such a wonderful and beneficial program to be kept running for the growth of the living church.
Hello my name is Gary Taylor, and I live in the city of Livonia, which is a suburb of Detroit Michigan. I am married to a wonderful woman of God, Rachel, and work in a rehab center as the EHR administrator.
My story is not one of always being with the Lord. Although I was raised in a home of Godly people, it was not totally God seeking when looking for direction. My youth was spent looking for God and my place with Him, but looking back through the years, I have come to realize that God was not lost or far away from me, but rather I was trying to fit Him into what I wanted. I have always believed in Him and understood what is expected of me, but I spent my time looking for convenient ways to serve Him without sacrificing my desires. This led to many different walks with Him or rather away from Him. I now understand that He was always calling, but I was not answering.
My life changed for me when I walked into a church call Evangel Ministries and heard Pastor Bogle preach on forgiveness. I didn’t answer the alter call that day, but the seed was planted. I continued attending church at Cornerstone Family Worship Center (where I presently attend) where that seed was watered and cultivated until it blossomed into a wonderful relationship with our Lord.
A CLI scholarship would help me continue down the path He has laid out for me by providing a means to become more effective in God’s work. I do feel called to the ministry and am presently leading a Men’s ministry for my church. What the getting started class has helped me to see is the validity of my feelings in being called into the ministry it has also helped me to see how to be more effective not only in my local church body, but also in my first ministry, my home.