Someone said it again this week. In speaking of a trial they were going through, they said, “Well, God must want me to learn something.” For sure, tragedy has a way of adjusting our perspective. Someone has said, “Deep suffering makes theologians of us all.” I am more and more convinced, however, that it is not so much what you learn, like “I won’t do that again!” but what God reveals about himself in the midst of our suffering.
My husband and I were recently involved in a two motorcycle accident. While we sustained minor injuries, one of the other rider’s injuries was life-threatening. After any incident like this, those precarious moments are often replayed over and over in our minds, wondering how things could have been played out differently. As I reflected on the incident that day I began to see God’s mercy and grace punctuated throughout those moments. For sure, it could have been worse in many ways. I now “see” evidence, multiplied over and over, that it was sheer grace that it wasn’t. What appeared to be catastrophic was in reality life-saving. What shouldn’t have been (like cell phone coverage in a destitute place) was.
1 Peter 5:10 defines God as the “God of all grace.” This verse has come alive in my heart. Our self-revealing God is not outside our suffering, he is in the middle of it, revealing himself in ways we’ve yet to comprehend as the God of all grace. Beyond the pain is active, abundant, life-giving grace for those who are willing to look for it. This gives us great hope that no matter what lies ahead, our lives need not be defined by tragedy but by grace.
If you are going through a trial, don’t miss how God is revealing himself to you in the midst of it by focusing only on the pain. God wants to be your healer and your provider but also wants to be so much more. Adjust your gaze to see the grace that is around every corner.
Gail, I am also recovering from a motorcycle accident that could have easily claimed my life, but I can see God is so many things since the accident. One of the really cool things was an event that we do every year in Austin, Tx. At the Republic of Texas rally we have been doing a free bike wash, but there was no way I could get there. So two churches, that had never worked together on an outreach even though they were in the same town, came together to make sure that our event went off without missing a beat. The pooled together the equipment so I did not have to send anything down there. Not only did it bring two churches closer together, the even was as good or better than when I am there. Plus, best of all, six people came to know Christ.
There have been so many things where we have seen the hand of God operate even in our current difficult situation. 1%ers who have called to check on me. Opportunities to do ministry over the phone and via the internet that normally I would not have time for. Being able to contact more ministries about the free Book of Hope – Road Edition that Light For The Lost has funded so that we can provide these free to motorcycle ministries all over the US. Yep! God is still working.
Wholehearted living is really about living courageously. It’s about pushing past all those things that inhibit, undermine, and distract, us and cause us to live life tucked in.
Wholehearted Life Coaching is about helping you find your focus, embrace your uniqueness and respond to all the ways God is inviting you to live more fully alive.
Professional coaching is a powerful, personal, transformational tool. Your custom coaching experience will propel your life and leadership to levels of effectiveness and richness you might not achieve on your own.
Coaching helps move us out of a place of complacency, promotes self-discovery and awareness, and provides support to help you move forward with an agreed plan of action and follow through to get you where you want to go. A Coach will challenge and hold you accountable to be the best person you can possible be.
Each of our lives is marked by this desire to live wholeheartedly. We know there is more to life than we are experiencing. Many times, however, we just settle back into our comfortable routines and never really push ourselves to find out what exactly that “more” is.
The Holy Spirit is already dynamically and creatively at work in your heart: calling, teaching, redeeming, healing, guiding you…and so much more. My job is to come alongside of you and help you discover and then respond this on-going work of grace. I consider myself a partner and guide on your faith journey.
I trust your ability to hear the Holy Spirit for yourself and to think for yourself. I will assist your ability to listen and discern where you need to be. Your own insight is much more powerful than my advice.
I coach the person, not the problem. Coaching is not about “fixing.” I am more interested how you can develop the skills and rhythms needed to live from a place of self-awareness, clarity, confidence, and courage.
I follow your agenda. You are the expert, not me. We start were you are. I do not come to the coaching relationship with a prescribed plan or agenda. I don’t know what God is doing in your life but desire to walk alongside of you as you self-discover what your next steps are.
I genuinely care about you and earnestly desire for you discover and experience wholehearted living. You will not be treated as a “project” but as a fellow pilgrim on a journey to discover a way of living that is congruent with your deepest desires.
The hard work is yours, not mine. I believe you are capable of stewarding your own life. Follow through on your part on agreed plans of action are essential to sustained growth and transformation.
Wholehearted Life Coaching is typically provided by phone but can be provided face-to-face or via Skype. Each session is 45-60 minutes in length. This service is provided by contractual appointment only.
Are you living a guarded or cautious (maybe even fear-based) life and you’d like to take your foot off the brake and step on the gas?
Are you wasting time and energy dealing with negative emotions that keep you from living a healthy joyful life?
Do you have this nagging sense that there’s more…more for you to do…more for you to be…more for you to experience in your primary relationships?
Are you ready to be honest, to go deeper, to explore new perspectives and possibilities, or to be challenged? Are you ready to take responsibility for your life?
Would you like to experience the benefits of having a support structure for change; a thinking partner, a cheerleader, a confidential/safe listener, a questioner, a truth-teller, a co-explorer of your life’s terrain?
Life coaching is not professional therapy. It’s not about an expert telling you what to do. It’s not looking backwards. In coaching you, the client, are the expert. It’s about self-discover. Coaching focuses forward and helps you identify where you want to go (clarity), discover key issues, determine priorities and evaluate action steps.
Client/Coach dialog – I will create a safe, listening environment to let you do thinking out loud and to bring self-awareness about where you are and where you want to be.
Coaching questions – I will ask open-ended questions to aid in self-discovery, clarity and priority to keep you moving forward.
Generate – I will help you generate and evaluate multiple potential options to reach your desired outcome.
Create an action plan – I will help you decide which course of action you want to pursue. We will develop an agreed upon action plan with practical and reasonable goals.
Discuss an accountability plan – I will help you identify and develop a system of support, encouragement and accountability.
This program is perfect if you’re not quite ready to commit to six months but want to check out if Wholehearted Life Coaching is what you need and/or have specific areas you want to address.
This program is available after completing the 1-Month Discovery Program and want to keep going but aren’t ready to commit to a full six months.
Because change happens over time, this is my most popular and successful program. Six months is the perfect amount of time to fully integrate small but powerful changes into your life…changes that over time lead to complete paradigm shifts in how you approach life.
This program is available after completing my 6-Month Program and desire additional support to keep you on track.