God’s Faithfulness: My Spiritual Journey
Hello, my name is Ruth Anderson, and I live in a small town in southern Minnesota, USA. I’m a business owner, wife, mother of five adult children, and many others who like to think of me as mom or Nana. I have been in various ministry roles in the church and community through the years. Further, I am studying Minister credential training and Bible courses at the Christian Leaders Institute.
The Early Years
My spiritual legacy began when I was a toddler. My parents sought to know God more personally, and He used me to demonstrate His power. I suffered a severe accident with a toy box that caused brain damage. The doctors told my parents there was little to no hope of me surviving or waking up when God miraculously touched and healed me! Later that evening, I told my mom what happened and that Jesus was watching me. There were no signs of brain impairment, but I grew up knowing God had a purpose and plan for my life.
I placed my faith in Jesus at seven. After graduating from a Christian high school, I attended Christ for the Nations Institute, earning an Associate Degree in Practical Theology.
Spiritual Dreams
I felt the call of God on my life to be in ministry from an early age. I thought I would marry a pastor or a missionary. However, when I graduated from Bible school, I was still single. Therefore, I traveled with a Christian drama team for a while, doing street evangelism and church ministry. Then, I became engaged. However, I took a short-term mission trip to Mexico while doing wedding prep. I realized that marriage to that man was not in God’s plan for my life there. After the breakup, I returned to college at the local university to study Elementary Education and minor in Spanish, thinking God would send me to the mission field.
However, God had other plans! While I was in college and involved in leading a singles ministry, I met my husband. We’ve been married for over 30 years. Further, we have been actively involved in volunteer ministry in the upper Midwest.
Bumps in the Road
Life hasn’t always been easy. I’ve had many tests on my faith. In college, I suffered a traumatic event that I had to work through with a Christian counselor. During that time, I also developed an eating disorder and suffered from depression to the brink of suicide. But, by the grace of God, my life was spared, and I found healing.
After I married my husband, life didn’t go as we expected, either. Our daughter was born a year later – just two weeks after I graduated. Therefore, I did not become a classroom teacher but a stay-at-home mom. Over the next few years, we had two boys. However, that second pregnancy had four months of complications before our son’s birth. I was content, but God still had plans for me.
My husband was offered a job in the town where I had that painful memory. I did not want to move. However, I knew it was where God was leading us. Pregnant with our fourth baby, as we were packing to move, I found out our baby no longer had a heartbeat. We would never see him take a breath. Oh, the anguish! Several months later, I was expecting again, with a due date on the anniversary of our loss. However, we had another miscarriage on the day of the due date of the other baby. I really struggled with grief for a while after losing both babies.
Meanwhile, living in a small town, I frequently saw the person who caused the painful memory from the past. As hard as it was, I know God’s purpose was for me to learn how to forgive on a deeper level so I could live in freedom.
Restoration
A year later, God blessed us with a surprise pregnancy! I trusted Jesus to carry us through. We passed the point of each of the miscarriages and the date of the history of complications without trouble. Then, my doctor scheduled an ultrasound to put my mind at ease. On that day, my youngest woke up with a fever. During my ultrasound, I found out I was pregnant with twins, AND we received our son’s test results that he was seriously ill with meningitis. I went through a whole range of emotions in the ambulance while we transported our son to another hospital! Through it all, God proved Himself faithful again! He healed our son, and my pregnancy went full term without complications. I raised two more boys who have also grown up to be men of God like their siblings.
Real Life
I could go on with more stories of God’s faithfulness throughout my life…through a spinal cord injury, a house fire tragedy, challenges in church ministry, getting another Associate Degree in graphic design/photography, battling chronic Lyme disease, starting a business, the death of my dad, devastating job loss, a lawsuit, severely injuring both ankles, etc. However, this isn’t the place for a book. Through it all, God is faithful! He held me and never let go! Yes, there were wounds and battle scars, but He is the Healer!
CLI Minister Credential Training
Recently, I’ve been working with a Faith-based Equine Assisted Philosophy organization. This position brings together my history and all my training in practical theology, education, and graphic design. It also fulfills a childhood dream of working with horses to help people heal from trauma in their lives. Redemption! All things work together for good! Nothing wasted!
My trainer in this ministry encouraged me to become credentialed, to have that “piece of paper” to show what I know. I wanted to find a credible place where I could study while still running my business full-time and paying off our debts. Thankfully, Christian Leaders Institute minister credential training and Bible courses are available online. Therefore, I can fit the minister credential classes into my busy schedule. It is also a blessing that it is affordable because with the other debts I have, and at my age, I could not afford college a fourth time! I’m very thankful CLI is available!
I hope to use the minister credential training and Bible courses I study here to continue to work with people coming out of trauma, in counseling, and wherever God leads! I know He has a plan and purpose for my life, and He is faithful every step of the way!
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.
