Vision For The Youth – CLI Raising Up Christian Leaders

Vision For The Youth – CLI Raising Up Christian Leaders

CLI Graduate, Samone Johnson has a vision for the youth to be mighty warriors for Christ. Samone has had challenges that have strengthened her vision for the youth for God.

I currently live in the United States of America, in the very liberal state of California. There was a time when you could openly evangelize and spread hope in through the Gospel, but now it is harder to say the name, Jesus, without someone condemning you or giving you negative feedback.

I came to know the Lord for myself in my early twenties, after living a life filled with sin. I was involved in drinking, smoking marijuana, and premarital relations. I knew of God as a child, but I didn’t grow up in a home with Christ at the center. I grew tired of living in a state of despair because of the sin filled decisions I was making, and surrendered my life and began pursuing discipleship and then a Biblical education.

Samone is starting to achieve her vision for the youth through being a mentor and author.

I currently mentor, and I have written curriculum for young people coming to know the Lord. It would be my ministry dream to work alongside my husband evangelizing to young people through conferences and concerts for the Kingdom. I also am an author, so I pray that I can continue to reach people through my books. I write Christian Fiction novels, with real life situations. I’d like to see one of those books reach the broken and make a difference in their life, the way that Christ has made an enormous difference in mine.

I identify the most with evangelist, small group leader, and youth leader. These are all roles that I have been in before and currently exercise my gifts in those capacities. I get the most fulfillment mentoring young women and even some mature women that are young in their faith and walk with God.

Samone’s vision for the youth has come from her growing up without anyone ministering to her.

After God got a hold of my heart and I stopped running from my calling, I knew right off the back that I wanted to work with young people. I wished that there had been someone that invested in me at a young age. I had tons of people around, but no took the time to invest truly in me and bring Christ and hope to my life. I love having the opportunity to sow into my kids at this time.

The challenges that I see in my geographical area are those that come with a purpose and identity crisis. Many young and mature people don’t know their true identity in the Lord, and by that, they do not have a clear vision for their purpose in life. So many fall prey to gang violence, prostitution, drugs, and alcohol, to soothe their broken spirits. Those are the ones that my husband and I so desperately try to reach through our ministry.

Samone’s local church as been encouraging her in her vision for the youth and giving her opportunities for her to grow.

My local church has supported my ministry by first grooming me to be a leader. I’ve gone through leadership training but never an ordination. I was able to work with young people, inside the walls of the church and also outside. I have been entrusted with a degree of authority within the leadership chain.

My family is my first ministry. Before any title is given, I am a wife and mother to three amazing kids. My husband and I share a ministry together, and we support one another on every level possible. Our children are very much a part of that, and in the home we introduce them to the love, knowledge, and Word of God. We pray together and also play together in ways that instill Christian values. Christ is center, in our home.

CLI, has given Samone the ability to get an education that will give her more knowledge as her vision for the youth progress.

Finding CLI is a blessing to me on many levels. I started pursuing a ministerial degree at one point, but I was hit within many years of sickness that lead me to step away from the Bible College I was attending. I acquire a lot of debt with student loans, for an education that I was never able to complete. Now that I walk in my total healing and a new season, I was aching to find the right opportunity to fit the lifestyle for my family and myself. I want others in the secular realm to know that I am certified in my studies. Also, I have the validation to back up what has been given through His Word and Spirit, and all that has been poured into me by others.

Please pray for support. My husband and I have labored for many years together and at times we get discouraged. Others use the resources, but never fully support the vision that God has given us to steward. We love to network and support other ministries, and we have yet to make lasting relationships to build from for the Kingdom.