New Ministry Study Journey

New Ministry Study Journey at CLI

Hello, my name is Cynita Slater, and I am on a new ministry study journey at CLI. I am from the United States by way of Texas. Soon, I will relocate to sunny Arizona. I am a proud mother of five beautiful children, four boys, and a girl. Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, I hold a Bachelor’s and a Master of Arts degree. I have been in and out of church all my life, until approximately three years ago, where I recommitted my heart to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Early Church Experience

I did not grow up in a church. When I was young, I attended a Baptist church with my mom. That lasted for a while, but it faded out, and she stopped going, I never knew why. God seemed to have a better plan for me. Around the age of ten, I found myself back in church, but this time my mom was not involved. I went to Vacation Bible School with a friend. I was so excited to learn about Jesus, so I continued to attend church after VBS was over. As a young child, I walked to church on Sundays. It was only a few blocks from my house. I was baptized in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit on August 17, 1983.

God Provides

All my life, I have been in and out of the church, however, mostly out. My life has been one struggle after another. I married the first time for thirteen years. He spent the majority of those years in jail, so I raised children on my own. Through every struggle, God always provided a way through, from being homeless with five kids, low income, and bad credit. Yet, God provided me with an apartment, made sure my bills were paid every month, and my family had food on the table. It was God because I barely made enough for my rent.

Even as I made one wrong decision after another in the marriage field, God always picked me up and started me on my way again. He never left me. At the time, I did not pay attention to Him covering me. It wasn’t until I was really in the world, enjoying all the world had to offer, that I found God again. A friend I worked with asked me to visit her church. I went a few times and felt comfortable and at home. My children and I started attending regularly. We became invested in the church as a family. That is where my real walk with God began.

Spiritual Warfare and Growth

I married an elder of the church. Then, I became more invested in my walk with God. It wasn’t because I was married to an elder. I had to cover my husband in prayer. I did not see how disconnected from his walk he was until after we married. In that long year, I spent more time on my knees praying for my husband and our marriage. I did not know what a prayer closet was, but I had one. Through the preacher and author, Tony Evans, I learned about spiritual warfare. I needed to know how-to put-on God’s armor and fight a good fight.

On May 15, 2017, I came home from work to a half-empty house and no husband. He left me for another woman. I could not believe it, but God was with me. Many days, I spent crying like a baby. I was a strong woman at work and in the world, but cradled in my Father’s arms, like a baby, when I was at home.

Then one day, when I was praying and crying to my Father, he told me, “Get up, I built you for this.” I couldn’t argue with God, so I got up and dusted myself off and turned it over to God. I have been trying to follow God’s plan ever since. I am a sinner, so I have faltered, but I dust myself off, ask for forgiveness, and try again.

New Direction and New Ministry Study Journey for Free at CLI

God has not blessed me with a husband, but I am being patient and waiting on Him. It is no longer my will but His. He blessed me with a best friend of over twenty years, who is a pastor. I have supported her in her ministry for many years, but that was her thing, not mine. She started a church in Arizona and asked me to join her to help her out. I was very reluctant at first. I thought that I was not good enough to be a servant of God, but I was wrong. As I read the Bible and asked questions, I learned differently. I will be moving to Arizona in July.

Then, I started looking for a way to gain more knowledge of ministry and being part of a church. I could not afford to attend another college because of all the debt I already had from college. So, I turned to the internet, and I found the Christian Leaders Institute. I started to read about the organization and asked my friend if she had heard of CLI. She had, so I started classes. I am so excited about my new ministry study journey and what it holds for me. I walk my new ministry study journey day by day, step by step.

Learn about degree programs at the CLI’s Leadership Excellence School. Learn about ordination with the Christian Leaders Alliance.