Home Discipleship and Women’s Ministry

This Ministry Award graduate believes in home discipleship and women’s ministry. She is applying her Christian Leaders Institute education to her community, church, and family. Here is her story.

My Mess; God’s Masterpiece

My name is Heather, and God is calling me to home discipleship and women’s ministry. Born in 1982, I was raised by my parents in a small country town in New Jersey, USA. Now, I live in Middleburg, FL. I have only one sister, and we are not super close, but God is working on that. We were raised Catholic, and while I felt a certain peace at church and out in nature, I did not have a relationship with God until later on in my adult life. My mom strongly believed in God, but my father strongly questioned.

First Step with God

As I went off to college to study psychology, I was not concerned with God. I never thought to ask him what his plan for my life was, and I started to make some bad decisions.

However, these bad decisions brought me to my knees one dark and lonely night in my living room. As I begged for forgiveness from a God I was not sure I believed in, I heard him speak to me, saying, “Heather, I have already forgiven you. You must forgive yourself.”  As I type this, the magnitude of what God said to me hits me harder now as I truly understand what God meant by that.

After that, my life started to change. I went back to church and started to get to know God. But I still did not fully understand and had not given my life to Jesus.

Further Growth

At this point, I had moved to Jacksonville, Florida, where my spiritual life began to blossom. I met many believers. I started reading the word and writing in a prayer journal. Life threw more challenges my way, but God renewed my heart and mind, and I overcame them. I met my husband, gave my life to Christ, and then the enemy really attacked and continues to do so. But God is so good, and every attack is a lesson learned. Every day he renews me and strengthens me.

Home Discipleship and Women’s Ministry

Currently, I am a homeschool mom of three beautiful blessings. I take my role as their spiritual advisor very seriously.  My first ministry dream is to pour into my children. I pray they have a lifelong relationship with Christ and that he is their guide in all they do. I pray they then turn around and pour that love into others.

My other ministry dream is to help women understand abortion awareness, prevention, and healing. I want to build up the women of this country to stand firm in who they are in Christ. I would love to take over the pro-choice slogan and relate it to women’s choices before getting pregnant. Pregnancy is a consequence of an action. As someone who has been down this road, I would love to share Christ with other women. I want them to know he does love them, they can heal, and they can let go of the past.

Home Discipleship and Women’s Ministry

This class at the Christian Leaders Institute (Learn more about Studying the Bible, Click Here) has strengthened my walk with God in a few ways. First, it gives me more time with him. I have my Bible study time and class time. God has been revealing to me my heart, which allows me to make some big changes! It has gotten my husband back involved in our home discipleship time and convicted me. My walk with God needs to be a daily priority.

A small group leader is what I identify with. I am naturally a leader. Throughout my life, I have been captain of my teams, team mom for my son’s soccer team, and co-leader of a small group. Somehow I end up in a leadership role without even trying. Now, I am focusing on being a leader amongst the people in my world and being intentional about it.

God Working in My Life

God has done so many amazing things in my life. If I had to narrow it down to one, it would be when I went through counseling and abortion healing. It was at First Coast Women’s Services while I was pregnant with my second child. My mentor at the time and the entire experience was such a blessing. It showed me how others could be the hands and feet of God. I personally experienced God’s healing, and I want to share and help others like myself.

I started reading my Bible before I gave my life to Christ while my firstborn napped. At first, I had no idea what I was doing, but I just started reading. Amazingly, as I started to read the Bible, God started to reveal himself to me. I will never forget the first time I read God is love. Wow! That revelation opened my eyes wide. And from that moment on, I just wanted to know more.

Seven years later, the Bible still is so exciting to read! Reading the Bible has transformed my life. It has helped me to get to know God, to understand I am a sinner, to understand who Jesus is and what he did. It has helped me renew my mind, heal my heart, and give me faith in the Lord. I would not be where I am today if I never opened that book.

Support from Church and My Family

My local church has helped by providing opportunities to lead and be a part of small groups. It also provides some leadership training, support, and prayer.

My family’s role in ministry training is important. I pray to share what I learn with my family to minister and serve others individually and as a family.

Free ministry training at the Christian Leaders Institute is important to me for many reasons. I am passionate about sharing the Love of Jesus with others, but I want to be fully equipped and prepared. Having a biblically sound foundation helps me I know that what I am sharing is correct. I also want God to continue to mold me into who He has created me to be. Sharing God’s Word and my experiences, I want to have confidence when so his Glory can shine through me.

I would love prayer for my marriage and family life as I continue to study that we would strengthen as a Christian family. Please, pray for opportunities to share and minister, for wisdom and discernment. Also, pray for the women God wants to bring into my life, and that I would grow closer and stronger in Christ. Thank you!

Learn more about ordination at the Christian Leaders Alliance. Interested in a low-cost degree? Check out the CLI’s Leadership Excellence School.