Hi, my name is Angela Trevino, and I am training for ministry service at the Christian Leaders Institute (Learn more about online Bible courses, Click Here). I am a mom of four grown children and 17 grandchildren. Married for 20 years, my husband passed 8 years ago. I since remarried. Currently, I am from Michigan, although my biological father and his family live in Tenessee. So I get to hang out there from time to time to visit that side of my family.
Early Experiences with God
My dad’s side was Christian; my mom’s side was not. Yet, I was not raised as a Christian. When I was a very young child, my father’s parents took me to church until around four or five. Sadly, I do not remember that, but the Holy Spirit sure does! When I was around eight, a church bus came around to our house in Florida, where I lived with my mom and new stepdad. My mom allowed me to attend their Bible school that summer, where we learned to memorize scripture.
A few years later, I started to walk to a church about four to six blocks from our house (we moved around a lot when I was a kid). The church was called the First Church of the Nazarene. Because I learned that Jesus was a Nazarene, I thought that I must be in the right church. My mom had five children, and I was the only one of us going to church at that time. I had a longing in my heart. But at that time, I did not understand the message of Jesus Christ. However, when the pastor made an altar call, though scared and by myself, I felt the need in my heart to go up there and give my heart to God.
Sidetracked
I wish I could say I then followed the Lord with all my heart. But that is not what happened. Life as a teenager happened, and then as a young adult. When I thought about the things I was doing in my life, I felt guilty but lived for myself anyway.
Many times, as I lived my life, the Holy Spirit would draw me back. Then, I would go to church, pray, and do more to allow the Lord to move again in my life. However, I always fell. Even when I thought I was doing all the right things, I was not living to please my heavenly Father. At that time, I thought I was. No Bible reading or going to church every Sunday, I walked in the flesh. I did not understand that we were to walk a different way than the world. I was still blind to that fact.
Open Eyes
Just two years ago, the Holy Spirit opened my eyes to many things. I felt a calling throughout my lifetime—the scriptures about feeding the hungry and helping those in need really stuck out to me. Through owning a daycare for children and foster care, I tried to do those things through the years. I even took in teenagers my children would bring home when they had nowhere else to go. God put all kinds of information into my hands these past few years. So, He has taught me and gotten through to me.
Training for Ministry Service at CLI
One day I cried out to Him, “Take me deeper, Lord, teach me! What is my calling?” When I got up from my prayers (as if my body was not my own), I picked up my phone and somehow went directly to Christian Leaders Institute. As I was reading about CLI, I knew God was telling me to enroll. So I did, and here I am training for ministry service. I love my classes. My husband is not a Christian and never would have allowed me to spend money to go to college. He doesn’t believe I will do anything with it.
At 57 years old, I felt like a burden to everyone because I do not work since not many people will hire me with my age and lack of experience. However, God has a purpose for me! I have found new hope! Until my dying day, I pray to take with me to heaven a multitude of saved and redeemed sinners by planting as many seeds as the Lord will allow! God bless CLI!
