December 19

From Brokenness to Bold Leadership: Jennifer’s Testimony

My name is Jennifer C. Valerie from the island of Dominica in the Caribbean (not the Republic). I am married to Pastor Drewdolph Valerie and we have two young adult sons. 

My first experience with Christ was as a child. My paternal grandfather was a pastor and he took me to church with him. When I was 9yrs old I had to choose and began going to the Catholic church with my mom. For ten years I was out doing things that were not pleasing to God and struggling to be an obedient child to my parents. Though I remained a virgin I was by no means sexually pure and I used profanity regularly, went to discos with my cousin, and many other shameful things.

In His graciousness, the Lord brought me back to Himself at age 19. At that point, my life changed so drastically that people in my village were making comments such as, "If she can get saved anybody can get saved."  Peace came into my heart and I no longer struggled to do right. My zeal for the Lord had me going to church each time the doors were opened. My mentor took me to all crusades, prayer walks, and anything she was involved in. I was thoroughly immersed in ministry training almost from the beginning. My friends were pastors and preachers and ministers.  From there my desire to be in full-time ministry was birthed.

I have been involved both as a single young adult and a married woman in just about every ministry except Men's Ministry.  I have served on the Youth Leadership Team, taught Sunday School, Women's Ministry Director, Assistant Women's Ministry Director, usher, cleaner, secretary of different groups, outreach team, prayer team, counseling, deliverance ministry, and marriage counseling.  Whatever my hands found to do, I did because one of my spiritual gifts is that of helps. 

As led by the Lord I have been the Christian Education Coordinator in our island district for a number of years now. I also serve as the Regional Director of Christian Education for our denomination. For several years I served as the Administrative Pastor of our previous church and have been serving as the Secretary of the Dominica Association of Evangelical Churches here on our island for the past 6 years to current.

As of 2019, I am now an ordained minister with our denomination. All this was made possible because of the high level of theological and ministry training I received here at CLI in addition to my ministry involvement. 

Thanks be to our Father in heaven for allowing me to accomplish all to His glory and honor. I continue to pursue higher studies with CLI in my journey to become all that the Father has ordained for me to become.

I love serving the Lord and his people. My primary calling is that of a teacher to the body of Christ but do all kinds of ministry alongside my husband. One of my other predominant spiritual gifts is that of administration and I supremely enjoy operating in both spheres - teaching and administration. I plan to serve the Lord in whatever way he opens the door for me to do so for the rest of my life.

My husband and I founded and operate a ministry called Valerie Global Ministries. We provide pre-marriage guidance to couples looking to be married. We also help married couples to fine tune their marriage relationship and do interventions where needed. 

At this point I am now a Certified Life Coach Minister with Specialization in Marriage and Intimacy here at CLI as well as a Romance Officiant and a Wedding Officiant. I am also a Mental Health Coach and Advocate as well.

I am thankful to the Father for all that He has enabled me to do and is equipping me to continue to do. To God be the glory always.

Will you help support students like Jennifer by paying it forward and/or praying for CLI's success?