Advent Calendar 2025
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CLI Advent Calendar 2025
Stories of Hope & Multiplication
This Advent season, as we prepare our hearts to celebrate the coming of Christ—the greatest gift of hope—we’re highlighting how God is moving through the global Christian Leaders community. Each day of Advent, our CLI Advent Calendar will feature a new student story of hope, transformation, and multiplication in ministry.
You’re also invited to share your own story with us. If your studies have helped you grow, serve, or impact others, we would love to hear from you. Send your testimony to amunroe@christianleaders.net & adominiak@christianleaders.net —your story may be featured in a future Advent post!
Our hope is that these daily stories keep you encouraged, inspired, and connected to your CLI community this holiday season as we celebrate the light of Christ shining through Christian leaders everywhere. ✨
“Glory to God in the highest…” Luke 2:14 -
✨ Equipped to Shepherd: A Pastor's Story from Nairobi ✨
I am deeply honored and humbled to share my testimony as a graduate of Christian Leaders Institute. Receiving my Associate of Divinity degree is both a spiritual milestone and a powerful equipping for the ministry God has entrusted to me.
As the Lead Pastor of The Sanctuary of Nations in Nairobi, I witness daily the transformational power of sound doctrine, Spirit-led leadership, and compassionate shepherding. The training I received through CLI has strengthened my biblical foundation, enhanced my leadership, and empowered me to serve with greater confidence and clarity.
This journey was made possible by the Pool of Bethesda Scholarship, and I am truly grateful. It is a testimony of God’s faithfulness and the generosity of the Christian Leaders community who believe in raising up global Kingdom leaders, regardless of geography or financial ability.
This degree is not just a certificate—it represents growth, answered prayer, and a renewed mandate to impact lives for the glory of God. I am already applying what I’ve learned to disciple others, expand the church’s mission, and reach the nations—starting right here in Nairobi.
To the donors, faculty, and supporters of CLI: thank you. Your obedience and generosity are making an eternal impact. May the Lord bless you abundantly for your faithfulness.
🎁 Are you called to support a scholarship student this holiday season? Click here to launch a called student as they wait for their degree !
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✨ A Testimony of Belonging and Hope: Jasmine’s Story ✨
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you…” — Jeremiah 1:5
My name is Jasmine B. I was born in New Jersey and now live in Pennsylvania. When I look back on my life, I can clearly see that God knew me, had a plan for me, and was holding me long before I understood it.
My childhood was marked by instability. My mother had been a foster child and struggled to stay rooted, so my grandmother—her foster mother—raised me in the church. Though I was loved, I often felt a loneliness I couldn’t explain.
When my grandmother passed, I went to live with my mother. I met my biological father at age eleven, and by age twelve, my mother had also passed away. I felt like I didn’t belong anywhere.
Yet even then, God placed something in me. I was always the one others leaned on, offering encouragement, wisdom, and faith. I didn’t fit in with groups, but I stood out for being myself.
After many years of searching, I realized that I had always belonged to God. Through death, pain, rejection, poverty, abandonment, abuse, heartbreak, betrayal, and uncertainty, He never let go of me. I am still a work in progress, but I trust this: God makes no mistakes.
Today, I feel called to become a Faith-Based Life Coach to help others heal. People often carry silent pain, and our testimony may be the very thing that helps them find hope again.
This past year has been especially difficult. I am a stay-at-home mother and full-time caregiver to my spouse, who lost his limbs after a severe illness and spent over eight months in the hospital. Even so, God has allowed me to serve as the Women’s Ministry Leader at my church.
That is why I am so grateful for Christian Leaders Institute. CLI is giving me the opportunity to grow spiritually, learn, and be equipped to minister to God’s people— even in one of the hardest seasons of my life. The lessons are excellent, and the interactive church services have been such a blessing.
Interested in learning more about CLI's Coaching program? Click here!
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On Mission at the Border: Susan’s Story
Serving Christ among the needy along the Texas–Mexico border
Hello! This is Susan F. My husband and I are missionaries living and ministering to the needy on the border of Texas and Mexico, in the Rio Grande Valley.
I have always loved studying, especially the Word of God. I received an associate’s degree to become an RDH in 1987, during my 25-year career in the dental field. Then in 2017, I received a BA in Ministry from PTBI.
Born into a wonderful Christian home in Washington State, I was very blessed to be taught about the things of God from early childhood. I have loved Jesus ever since I can remember. When I was nine, my parents became foreign missionaries. They took our family on a summer trip to the interior of Mexico. While visiting there, I completely fell in love with the country, the people, the language, and the culture!
My earliest role in ministry was as a Sunday School teacher at the age of 17. I discovered a love and gift for teaching. It was during high school that I felt a call to the mission field, like my parents.
I met and married Kim, my first husband and the father of our four children, at age 19 in Seattle while we were attending Bible school. After a year, we made a poor decision to end our studies prematurely in response to a call to minister as paid staff for his home church. Unfortunately, we were not yet equipped properly to succeed, and that did not end well.
In later years, we did minister together in the various churches where our family attended. We were tested and tried over decades with problems, but especially so when my husband developed cancer, which recurred years later. After a very long and difficult time of disability, he passed away at only 53 years old. So, in 2012, I found myself a widow, left alone with our autistic 12-year-old son.
Although I had never given up hope to answer the call from my youth, it wasn’t until after Wayne and I were married in 2019 that God provided the means and opportunity to enter full-time ministry. The next year, Wayne and I felt compelled one evening to answer the biblical call to “go.” And so, like Abraham, we decided to obey, stepping out totally in faith. After retiring in 2021, we sold our home in the Dallas area, said goodbye to family, and made our way 550 miles south.
Many adventures ensued over the next four years! We have learned a lot about ministry, too often the hard way. It has not been easy ministering in a totally different culture and in a foreign language. But God has always been faithful, even during times of discouragement and setbacks.
Our ministry began primarily by finding ways to love those in the church and community who were in need of love the most, and that in the most practical ways possible. Secondarily, we came alongside other ministries who were actively serving God, to encourage and support them. At times this has seemed a humanly impossible task, making our “Mission to Love” seem more like “Mission Impossible”! But somehow, God has given us grace to stay faithful to the vision and keep plugging away.
In recent years, we have been privileged to become leaders of a blossoming ministry which includes a bustling area-wide bulk food distribution routine, weekly home discipleship/Bible study meetings, youth outreach in our neighborhood, and most importantly, early morning intercessory prayer with our faithful team on video chat six days a week.
The answers to prayer have been astounding! We are now beginning to see some of the rewards of our labors with increasing numbers of souls coming to Christ and new believers maturing. It’s been the adventure of a lifetime!
With our ongoing training at Christian Leaders Institute, we hope to become yet more effective in our ministry as a couple. My husband and I are both studying with the goal of becoming ordained ministers. Starting with the Wedding and Funeral Officiant training, I have since been able to finish studies up to the Ordained Minister level, for which I praise God.
We are thankful for CLI, as it enables us to continue to minister full-time and conserve more of our limited resources to help with the pressing needs of others.
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A Tradition of Fellowship and God's Faithfulness
I do this every year. I cook and have some of the residents over for fellowship— especially those who have no one to spend the holiday with. One lady had just lost her husband in October, yet she laughed instead of crying. Another resident is 97; who knows if this Thanksgiving might be her last. It is a lot of work, but such a huge blessing to me.
I'm not in the pictures because I can't hold the camera steady enough for group selfies. Three of the people are from the Bible studies I teach on Tuesday and Thursday. Two came from outreach. I love where I live, but I can’t get a larger table—there simply isn’t space. Still, more than ten others picked up meals to go.
Please enjoy seeing how someone as old as me, in a wheelchair, living in assisted care—a graduate of CLI/CLC and a member of CLA—can still be used by God. I would never have done any of this before CLI.
God can use you powerfully in every season of life.
Do you have an impacful holiday ministry story to share? Please email us!
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From “You’ll Never Make It” to Divinity Graduate
My kindergarten teacher once told me I would never be “college material” because I couldn’t cut a straight line with scissors. I believed that lie for more than 40 years.
Years later, when I first considered seminary, all those old words came back. I talked myself out of it—convinced I couldn’t go to college, move to a new city, support my family, and study full time. I shelved the dream and, for a long time, assumed it was over.
Then, while thinking about seminary again, I came across Christian Leaders Institute online. My curiosity got the better of me, and I started looking into it. At that time, because I lived in Wyoming, I couldn’t enroll in a degree program—but I believed the word God had given me and began taking the free courses anyway. I prayed constantly, asking if this was the right way to use my “free time.”
In God’s perfect timing, Wyoming was added to the list, and I was finally able to enroll in a degree track. I have now completed all my required courses and am waiting for my final evaluation. Soon, I will have earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Divinity. No one from my past would have believed it—but by God’s grace, I did it.
I would never have been able to attend, much less graduate with a degree, without CLI. I am so thankful for the opportunity to study tuition-free and still work toward a fully recognized degree. CLI has been a tremendous blessing in my life and ministry.
Today, I help lead a men’s group at my local church and host a weekly Saturday morning Scripture, fellowship, and coffee time at a local coffee shop. I’ve been invited to provide pulpit supply and to lead Wednesday Bible studies when my pastor is away. I’m still growing in the knowledge, tools, and skills I’ve gained through the excellent courses at CLI—and I may even pursue a master’s degree someday!
As we move through this Advent season, I’m reminded that God’s plans are greater than any label spoken over us. I’ll keep trusting the path the Lord has set before me and submit to His calling as His servant.
Thank you to all the staff, administrators, instructors, and everyone who has helped make CLI what it is and opened doors for people like me. I have truly been blessed—and I intend to pass that blessing on to everyone I encounter.
God bless you all! - Aaron O.
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Have you explored our Soul Center Program?
Through seasons of prayer, fasting, surrender, and spiritual testing, God gave birth to this vision. Through Redeemed Calvary Church, we have seen lives healed, faith restored, and souls recommitted to Christ, proving again that God’s power is not limited by distance, walls, or circumstances. This journey has transformed me not only as a pastor, but as a husband and father. I thank God for my wonderful, supportive wife and our children, whose love, prayers, and encouragement strengthen me daily. As we celebrate this Christmas season, I extend heartfelt gratitude and encouragement to every leader, intercessor, volunteer, and souls connected to this ministry.View Robert's full Soul Center listing here!
Interested in registering your own ministry as a Soul Center? Check out the Registration class.
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From Darkness to Light: Jess’s Testimony
“For healing will be found in your home, saith the Lord our God.”
17 years ago I was radically saved from tormenting spirits. I had sold my soul to the devil and the tormenting began. I thought I had ‘ghosts’ in my house. I thought I was going absolutely mad. I had even gone so far as to ask a Dr. for medication because I was ‘seeing things’, but I didn’t follow through. Weeks went by, I couldn’t sleep. A giant 10 ft black figure would hover over me in bed, every night, I was beyond scared to be in my home. My dog Herbie would lay on my chest and growl at the demon, protecting me in bed. It would make nosies and move things in the house, slam doors, toss dog food across the room, you name it, it happened.
When my students that came to my house for singing lessons began to ask me, “Jessica, do you have ghosts?” “Jessica, a man just walked down your hallway!” “Jessica, why is there an old fashioned phone ringing in your living room, you don’t have a phone in your living room” I began to realize I wasn’t going crazy. They were all seeing and hearing these things too. For a while I would laugh it off, and was scared to confirm what they were seeing and hearing was true, but when the phone incident happened with a client named Julie, I admitted it, Yes, I have a ghost. We ran to the living room, looking to see if anyone had left a phone there. We tore that place apart. There was no phone, of course. She left and never came back.
I tried everything to get rid of that thing. Crystals, sage, tarot cards. My friend Duane. God bless him, performed an American Indian prayer vigil and healing ceremony. He tried but he said he has never felt something that dark before. I felt like I exhausted every religion, every friend, I didn’t know what to do.
One day I was talking to my Mom about it. She said honey, “ the only way I know how to get rid of spirits is the Holy Spirit” I still didn’t try Jesus but a mustard seed was planted. I didn’t try Jesus because I was a non-believer at that time. I had a hard childhood, was wild in my 20’s and I couldn’t believe in something that would allow bad things to happen to me, so I stayed away from Church even though I went to Church as a child.
The torment continued… and on November 8, 2008, I hadn’t slept or ate a thing in days, and I finally had an emotional breakdown and dropped to my knees in my living room. I SCREAMED TO GOD, “IF YOU ARE REAL SHOW UP!”Crying and yelling at him with my arms in the air, in my house with my Cavalier Herbie. I was exhausted and finally broken. I screamed to him over and over “I need peace in my home! I need peace in my home! I need peace in my HOME!” He didn’t show up that night, but he was about to.
The next morning, November 9th, randomly my brothers girlfriend ( now wife - who knew what was going on for a couple months), called me that morning and asked if I wanted to go to Church. I just said, “sure” What the heck. She picked me up and we went to Christ Church on Old Hickory In Nashville, Tennessee. We got there early, as she hadn’t been there in so long, they changed the time of the service to later.
The Church was empty and we went in and sat down in the front-middle section of the pews; maybe 8 rows back. Since we had time, she opened up her bible and there were highlighted lines. She casually said, “oh this is interesting, have you ever heard anyone speak in tongues?” I said ‘no’ and she read me the scripture. We thought nothing more about it. People started coming in, the Church got filled up. The Choir took their place in their green robes, maybe 80 of them, and they began to singing. On the last song, the congregation sang a Hymn “I Will Serve The” and everyone was asked to stand for it. After the song was over, a man standing with lifted hands, over in the section to the right of me, began speaking in tongues. Everyone did as the Bible said, it was quiet and they waited for an interpreter. A few moments later, the only African American guy in the Choir, right strait in front of me, dead center, began to interpret the tongues. He said:
For I’ve heard your cries, saith The Lord I have seen your sorrow, I’ve seen your pain With joy shall I return unto the Saith the Lord our God
But this is my desire That you will rejoice in my righteousness and my hand of mercy This day is the day of joy, that I shall fill my house and rejoicing shall be your portion
For there is healing in my wings There is a mighty word of confidence that shall fulfill the promises that I have promised you
Promises in the private Promises of prophet Promises of hope And promises of faith shall be accomplished in this place.
Let your eyes look up and look high, and see the righteousness and salvation of our God For this is a day that hands will be lifted and hearts will rejoice For healing will be found in your home Healing will be found in your home Healing will be found in your home Saith the Lord Our God
The 3rd time he said that, I grabbed Hannahs arm and cried “did you hear what he said?” Over and over crying. I felt something come inside me, and I began shaking and fell over, as they say - slain in the Holy Spirt, trembling on the ground. Down I went. People were laying hands on me, praying on me. I don’t remember getting up, but I do remember leaving. People were staring at me and smiling but I was in shock. I went back home and it was like light was shining through the roof into my home. I wasn’t quite sure of what happened to me at that time but I was shaking like a bell for a couple weeks. I felt like a brand new baby. My sisters Pastor got on the phone with me and said, “you received the holy spirit”! I asked him how long was I gonna keep shaking? I was cold! He said, “ I don’t know, but you’ll miss it when it’s done” He told me it the Torah it says, you will shake like a bell. I’ve never found a scripture with those exact words, but I knew what he meant and I realized, I became born again. THIS is what that means. I hadn’t asked Jesus into my heart, as Pastors say you should. I was overtaken with the Holy Spirit and KNEW God brought me to a Church that preaches the words of Jesus. I knew then, I was going to follow Jesus for the rest of my life. I was a born again Christian.
I’ve asked him into my heart a million times since then because some Pastors tell you too, so I go along with it, but I KNEW when I received the Holy Spirit I was saved, and forgiven, and a new creation. I was put on this earth to serve Jesus and my singing needed to also.
I have those amazing words from God written because I went back to that Church a couple years later and asked for the video of that service. I have the important clip of it on my computer and the service on a CD. I’ve also typed out Gods words given through interpretation and printed and framed them for my viewing pleasure .
Very few people know my testimony, and I know it’s time. Demonic strongholds are very real and tormenting spirits are real. I am a testimony of that and what Jesus can do, literally save you from going to the lake of fire and a life of torment.
Now, after so many years, the world has tried so hard to pull me back, but I keep on fighting, I keep on sharing, and for most of it, by myself. I have never had a spiritual mentor and I don’t have one now. I would love one, but God has never given that to me. I do have very strong Christians around me finally, but it has been very lonely for most of my walk in regards to humans and people In my life. I don’t have a lot of family support. When I got saved, I lost most of my friends, and I stay busy working, spending time with my husband and loving on young people and Volunteering, I hadn’t had time for much else.
I have stayed the course, I’ve made mistakes, I’ve questioned so many things and I have now, FINALLY read the entire New Testament, working through the Old, and have my path set forth for me. The closer I get to Jesus the more friends I loose, and then stronger, new Christians friends come into my life that I align with. Gifts they are! I have been, for all intensive purposes, Pastoring or mentoring for a while which lead me to desire to get a deeper level of what that means in my Christian world. I need to make sure I’m always honoring God and saying the right things, and guiding them in the right way, so I found CLI. Currently I teach voice, lead Worship at Churches who need me and I do desire to speak about my testimony if God wants to open the door for that in the future. I teach Master Classes at Churches often on singing, worship and giving vocal techniques and spiritual focus on why we are there while helping them be better singers for the kingdom.
Last year I gave up on secular music completely leaving a multi award winning band to fully obey and honor what God is telling me to do. Give him my voice as a living sacrifice. He wanted everything, every part of me not just some of me. Once he spoke, I left my band in the middle of an album release. Yikes, I did not make people very happy with that decision but I knew it was my calling, calling me. I have been writing and putting out Christian music ever since, under the name Jess Ford because everyone at every church, for some reason, they only ever call me Jess, so Jess it is. Releasing music is part of my worship and ministry, I am sharing the Gospel. All my songs as of late have been written about important stories and people in the Bible. For instance, I wrote a song called “Holy Water” which is literally about the baptism of Jesus with KJV scripture built in and most recently I am almost finished with a song called “I’m The Woman At The Well” which will tell her story, and at the same time let everyone know, I was her, and now I am also her, a sinner and now an evangelist going to tell the world about Jesus, he gives us spiritual water, ah! I am acting as her in the forthcoming music video to tell her story and bring her to life. I’m sharing scripture through songs.
10 years ago when I moved back to California, I dedicated my teaching business to Jesus. I changed my website over to a Christian business and wow, has God showed up! Every since I did that, I have had 18 clients on American Idol and 4 on The Voice, one is currently on this season. Jesus continues to bless me. My goal is to become a Minister through your program and even if I have to continue to do it alone, I will get it done, because I know there are people who will need my strength and through your program I feel like I’ll be better will be better equipped to share, to quote scripture, to mentor, to lead worship and to share the good news.
💚 “The closer I get to Jesus, the more I want my whole life and voice to belong to Him.” ❤️
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A Model Built on Your Generosity
The funding model of CLI is so incredible it’s hard to fathom.
The idea of a free education for Christians to grow their faith and multiply it is truly a gift from God. I believe CLI is doing God’s work here on Earth and I am humbled to be able to experience it. Living in a single-income household with two toddlers to care for leaves no funding available for me to pursue Christian studies if not for CLI.
I plan to pay it forward and to pray for the program’s success. - Meagan M.
Will you join Meagan in paying it forward and/or praying for CLI's success?