It's time to make time count! As you can easily see from the dates of my previous posts, blogging has not been a timely venture for me. We'll see if anything is really changing as I attempt to become a more consistent contributor. One way I have protected myself from having to be disciplined with this tool is just not to make it public...that is, until now. There's no cover like no-one knowing you're there. Kinda like hiding in the bushes. Not a lot of risk when you're under the radar.
Another reason not to be public is if you have no contribution to make. I believe that I have something very significant to share in circles that might read me. The recent discovery of Life Coaching has been a huge addition to my life. This tool has been a boon for my life perhaps even terming it an awakening of sorts. What most of realize at some point in our pilgrimages is that we can only go so far with out outside help. We know we are assisted by parents and friends and even by some over the course of our lives that we'll never even be aware of their contributions. But there's more that's needed for us to become what we were designed to be.
Our loving Heavenly Father made man perfect except for one thing...we could not remain that way without complete dependence on Him as the only God in our lives. From that moment in the perfect environment (think Garden of Eden), that we dared to consider that we could make decisions independent and contrary to what He willed for us, that brief encounter with having our own way resulted with us being cast from that perfect place and having to live in a cursed world. Knowing beforehand our course of action, He provided a way back through giving Himself as a sacrifice that would cover our sins. In addition, He would come to live within us if we opened ourselves to Him.
That self affliction of wanting to direct our own lives apart from Him is never too far away. Even receiving His grace on a regular basis, we find ourselves dropping the ball, or more aptly, deciding to call our own plays, rather than letting Him. We not only can not live independent of Him, we can not live independent of one another. He designed us to live in community with others and to be open to their input and support. There are family and friends we may listen to and we will benefit if we do. Recently, Life Coaches have begun to provide an additional track of support as we strive to move forward.
Life Coaching enables the coachee to identify not only many areas in which they have been "stuck" but also surfaces new potential they have not been aware was there all along. The coach, through focused listening and asking powerful questions, assists the coachee in seeing their own plan of forward progress including appropriate action steps to move them in that preferred direction. The coach supports them as they move to follow through with their self selected action steps.
None of us naturally like advice. There's a implied "You're not quite good enough to figure this out by yourself." The truth is, we do need help. We can't see the forest for the trees. Our ruts deep in the forest feel safer than moving ahead into thick growth we can't see though. It's scary out there. BUT, there is freedom and fulfillment as we become "unstuck" and make progress. Plus, there are new experiences that we'll never see deep in our ruts.
I know for me, it's time to move on. I am being coached on a regular basis and it is enabling me to move forward. I find coaching others exciting as they climb out of stuck places and courageously take responsibility in new ways and become more of what our God has designed for them to be in this world. All of us could benefit from coaching. If you don't know a coach, contact me and I can connect you with a network that will allow to experience what coaching is like then you can decide for yourself.
You might also consider the Life/Faith Coach Academy in Beaumont, Texas, September 13 - 15, 2010, for training as a Life Coach yourself or to explore this avenue. Information is available at www.gtba.org or by calling 409.898.8797.
