Ordination Path

Ordination Path

My name is Georgianna Stryker and I have been on an ordination path. I am an only child and my parents are separated but remain good friends. I did not grow up in a religious home. My mother believed in God but never pushed anything upon me. I was not baptized as a baby because my father is not religious at all. But, don’t worry, I’m working on him. My mother always wanted me to make the decision myself.

I officially accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior when I was 17. I received a Christmas miracle and that was what really made me believe. I had been driving a car to work and to college that was absolutely falling apart. Some of the malfunctions were quite dangerous. Mechanical issues put me in danger of tires falling off while driving and it had a tendency to stall in the middle of intersections. I had to get to school and work and it was the only means of transportation for me.

So, it was Christmas Day, and my boyfriend Shawn and I were at my grandparent’s house for Christmas dinner. After dinner, I went to leave and the car would not start at all. We were supposed to go to my mother’s for the rest of Christmas, and I was very upset that we were stuck. My uncle Billy came out of the house and saw me struggling with the car. He asked me about it ascertaining that it was indeed a hunk of junk. He told me that I needed something more reliable for school and he had just the thing. He literally drove to his house and brought a car back that was used but in beautiful condition. He gave it to me right there on the spot. He said that he had bought it for his daughter but she didn’t like it so I could just have it, no strings attached. I cannot even explain how taken aback I was. I was absolutely blown away by his generosity. I sat in my new car and I realized it wasn’t just my uncle I should thank. It was Christmas after all. I burst into tears and thanked God for this most gracious gift. That was the moment I became a Christian.

I wasn’t baptized until I was 23. I studied for a year or so and then was confirmed into the Episcopal church. For many years I went to an Episcopal church, but I have never taken much stock in specific denominations. I believe that what is important is your relationship with God, not what you label yourself as. I go to a different church each week to see how others worship.

On May 19th, 2012, Shawn and I got married. We had been together since we were teenagers. He died in a car accident October 30th, 2012, only five months later. I became a young widow overnight. My faith was certainly shaken. I wanted nothing more than to be with Shawn and I couldn’t understand for the life of me why God had taken him and left me behind. I prayed to go home to heaven more than anything. The world moved on around me and I stayed where I was.

As time went on I had a friend draw me out of the abyss. This friend and I became closer and it developed into something more. My faith actually grew during this period and continues to grow today. Shawn’s death actually brought me closer to God in the long run. Sometimes we must walk through fire to be refined.

I have been on this ordination path for a while, but I was reluctant to do it online because everything I found seemed too easy. Many websites cost a lot of money for what seemed to me to be no more than a piece of paper. I want to reach people and teach people about God. I already preach to my friends and family. I am thinking about starting my own church right out of my home at first. I want to give sermons that young people can relate to.

Free ministry training at Christian Leaders Institute will help me on my ordination path so that I am able to reach the people. It will provide me with the proper training and not just a piece of paper. I am not able to afford to go to a traditional seminary. I already have three college degrees that I was only able to get through financial aid. I have a bachelors in English and psychology and an associate in psychology and I have yet to be able to work in either field. Since I have already been through college, I don’t believe I could get any more aid. This CLI training will afford me an opportunity to become the person that God intends me to be on this ordination path.

November 2018 Update
I have been taking courses with CLI for close to four years now. I will be 32 in a month. At the beginning my vision was clear and I felt that God was leading me to something in particular. Somewhere along the way, I got off track. I took a hiatus from classes for a while. I lost the job I had for 6 and a half years one month after buying a house. The house was a fixer-upper so there was a lot of work to be done. After completing the work required by my mortgage, I was able to go into my classes every day.

I thought at first that losing my job might be God pushing me in a direction for ministry. I applied for all kinds of jobs that had to do with the ministry or Christian counseling or even working for a company connected to religious activities. All of my searchings were to no avail. I was on unemployment for 6 months and unable to find a ministry job or one that used either of my college degrees. I was losing my unemployment and had to get a job. I work at the Post Office now. I love my job, but I am part time so I do not get all the benefits. When things settled back down, I resumed working on my CLI classes.

When I started the ordination path at CLI, there were like six or so classes you had to take to get ordained. When I signed back in, there were only a few. I had already done all but one before and now I just had to do the ordination class, so I started that class. That class is now coming to an end and I am finishing up everything. But at this point in my life, I am confused as to what it is that God wants me to do. I seek to win souls over with my family and friends and even bought a case of Bibles to give out. I put tracts in the shopping bags at the food bank I volunteer at. At this point, I am finishing this class and hoping that God shows me what I am supposed to do for Him. I could certainly use prayer for direction both for my ministry and for my life.

I am thankful for this opportunity to take these classes and further my understanding of ministry. I plan on taking more classes in the future. But right now, I think I will take a break and wait for God to guide me further on this ordination path, knowing that He always does. He just does it on his timing not my own. God Bless!

Learn more about ordination at Christian Leaders Alliance.

Author: Henry Reyenga

Henry Reyenga is president of Christian Leaders Institute and Christian Leaders Alliance.