Ordained Deacon Ministry Journey
Ordained Deacon Ministry Journey
My name is Tracy Linderman and I have been on an ordained deacon ministry journey. I am married to Chris Linderman and I have two adult children and three grandchildren. Chris and I moved to Lubbock, Texas, 4 years ago to be near my daughter, her husband, and my grandson, Miles. I have been a Registered Nurse for 38 years. I was recently elected to a Moderator position on the Board of Servants at my local church. My husband and I also serve as Small Group/Bible Study leaders, and I lead our Prayer Ministry.
I was born in Texas in 1956 and I am the oldest of 5 children. My father was a Baptist minister for many years and my parents continue to be an example of strong faith and service. In college, I parted from my traditional Southern Baptist upbringing and explored other Christian faiths before joining the Roman Catholic church as a young adult. I currently attend a non-denominational church in Lubbock.
I gave my heart to Jesus and was saved at 8 years old. I was involved in my local church throughout my childhood and teen years. I received a calling from God to serve Him in some special capacity as a teenager and felt strongly that the Holy Spirit called me to care for others. When God called me to the ministry came in my early teenage years, I envisioned missionary work in some faraway land. Through pray and encouragement from my parents and others, I continued seeking God and His call on my life. I had thought of becoming a nurse since I was a child and eventually the Holy Spirit convinced me that this was the place I was needed to serve the Lord and others.
I attended Texas Women’s University and Texas A&M. I married and settled in San Angelo, Texas. Unfortunately, my marriage ended shortly after I enrolled in nursing school at Angelo State University. Although I struggled as a single mother, this adversity made me stronger and I was able to finish my Nursing Degree in 1982. I worked many years caring for patients with HIV/AIDS in San Antonio, Texas. I also worked in hospitals, outpatient clinics, and emergency nursing in other locations in Texas.
As long as I can remember, I have wanted to learn and study deeper in some area of the ministry on my ordained deacon ministry journey. I thought perhaps Theology. I found the Christian Leaders Institute (CLI) online while searching for an affordable Christian college. CLI has given me a renewed interest in developing ministry and leadership skills. I am very excited about the Deacon Ministry Ordination with Christian Leaders Alliance. I firmly believe it will expand and give credibility to my current servant calling at my church and community on my ordained deacon ministry journey. Since enrolling at CLI, the Lord has opened many doors for me. For example, we have expanded our Prayer Ministry and now have a strong Facebook Prayer Warriors group with members all over the United States! My election as a Moderator of our Board of Servants was a surprise and an honor. Our church is challenged with maintaining membership and some much-needed building repairs. I am excited about the possibilities! I have learned so much from the CLI courses so far, especially about developing as a true Servant Leader.
Please pray for me to continue to learn and develop the skills I need to continue my ministry wherever this journey leads me! With God’s help, I am ready to move on to the next phase of my Ministry Training at Christian Leaders Institute!
