06/24/2025
Class of 2023 & 2024
New Hope School of Ministries Graduate Spotlight
Denise Nickel:
I was a fairly new believer when I went into the New Hope school of ministries. I asked Jesus into my heart in 2015 and went to church most sunday mornings, but I desired to know more. I wanted to help in the church but I was terrified someone would ask me something, then I heard Pastor Grant share that's why he had started the school of ministries, that's why so many people don't step out because they're afraid they'll be asked a question… that was me! So I started reading through the New Testament, and some of the Old. I just felt a little lost in the Old. Even some parts in the NT I had a hard time grasping. So I started going to the Bible studies at our church and that opened up a whole new understanding that I was definitely not getting reading it myself.
The Bible studies were amazing, I loved the fellowship too and met some amazing women, heard the Word taught, and did dive in deeper- but I still felt i did not have the tools to study on my own. I would hear Pastor Grant preaching and saying what the translations actually meant and I wanted to raise my hand and say 'how do we find this out', 'how do we look this up'?!? I had known there was a concordance but I had no idea how to use it. There was such a depth of love that the Lord has for us that I would hear from others, that to be honest, I wasn't really understanding. Even comments like 'He is the same yesterday as He is today'- i would think... really because I only read a few OT stories and I didn't see God the same. It actually makes me feel bad to say it, because now I know… I know that I know how deep His love is for us. That He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
My first year classes started, during covid, wow did I need this right then, and I graduated 2nd year 2023/2024. I received years and years of wisdom packed into 3 years (I was part time), I made lifelong friends, but the greatest gift of all is that I have the knowledge and tools needed to share Jesus. One of the things you see happening with so many different people today (I am a hairstylist) is there's a lot of fearful and hurting people out there, and just showing them love and letting them know about Jesus, with confidence, is unbelievable and life changing. I've always had a passion to want to help, and a natural empathy for people, now I know it's one of my gifts (mercy) and now I can point them to the only One who can help them. The amount of knowledge, wisdom, experiences, time, and study these teachers put into this is amazing. Every single class was vital in my learning,
I'm forever grateful to the Lord, the staff, teachers, Pastor and Susan, and all those involved, for putting these classes together, recognizing gifts in others and using wisdom to help others grow, for sharing all of your personal stories to help us understand and the examples that were given- wow, thank you all! I truly feel every believer should attend the NHSM. To say this changed my life would be an understatement! I was lost, I was searching, and now I know that when I seek Him, and I knock, He will always answer. I now know the truth, and it has set me free 💜!!! I know what my Heavenly Father says about me- I am never alone, I am saved, loved, chosen, forgiven, healed, and I am a disciple of Jesus! Thank you all!!