Become Ordained in New York

Although my husband and I had always believed in God, the busyness of marriage, work, and raising a family drew us away from regular church involvement. However, we soon realized that something was missing in our lives and in the lives of our young children. Around that time, my mother became gravely ill. I remember stepping out of the hospital to pray for her. Standing near a water fountain, I heard the sound of the flowing water and distinctly felt Jesus speaking to me, assuring me that she would recover and return to our family. This powerful experience brought us back to church. We joined a spirit-filled local congregation where my husband, our children, and I gave our lives to Jesus Christ and were baptized. We became actively involved in the church’s youth group and prayer ministry, where we witnessed God’s power working in people’s lives.

As our family grew and we moved to different states, we joined various churches of different denominations. For us, it wasn’t about the name on the church sign—it was about the message being taught from the pulpit and in the church groups. Through the years, we faced many trials as a family. Each time, we leaned on our faith in Jesus Christ to see us through. It’s hard to imagine how people without that relationship survive such challenges. We feel incredibly blessed to have His presence in our lives.

Many years ago, our family became involved in raising and training guide dogs for the blind and for military veterans. This mission became a family effort for over 16 years, and it was a tremendous blessing. Seeing the dogs we raised become life-changing companions was incredibly powerful. Some of these dogs went on to ski with their owners, others traveled on cruises—one even has its own life jacket!

As an adult, I experienced more accidents, including one that resulted in a traumatic brain injury. This injury left me with memory issues and occasional balance problems. Amazingly, shortly before the accident, a guide dog I had raised was returned to me because her original match decided not to keep her. This was clearly a God-ordained moment, as she became my service dog. She keeps me steady and has given me back my independence. Truly, “dog” is “God” spelled backward.

I believe God has called me to minister to people facing challenges similar to mine. My dream is to be an encouragement to others, sharing what God’s power and grace can do in their lives. I want people to know they are not alone, and that with God, there is always hope. Without God’s grace, I would be lost. I believe He has placed me here for this purpose: to share His love and to help others see that He is with them, no matter what.

I am thrilled to be a Licensed Wedding Officiant. As part of my calling, I look forward to helping couples fulfill their dreams of having a Christ-centered wedding that honors God. This is another way for me to glorify Him through service. God led my husband and me to Christian Leaders Institute as a way to fulfill His calling on our lives. We are grateful to everyone who has made CLI possible and are excited to see how God will use us next as we minister to others.

There is no way these few paragraphs can capture everything God has done for me and my family. From the blessings of family to the opportunities to serve, we are excited to see what He has in store for us next. With God’s guidance, we are ready to embrace the journey ahead!