Have you ever wondered how others see you? I must confess that, at this time in my life, I often ponder that question.
There was a period in my life that I did not think about values and how they reflected who I actually was. During this time, I was enjoying success in my career, as well as many other events that took precedence over evaluating who I was as a person. Did I mention everyday stress, unexpected events and overindulging habits? And therein, my friends, lies the culprit, “ME”. It was all about me. When I felt I could, I worked in time for family, friends, church and exercise. I’m sure you get the picture…..our lives are filled with “stuff” that takes priority over the quality of life.
There is a group of people I would like us to consider today as we are celebrating Memorial Day week. They are our Military service people.
They are consistently self-disciplined, proactive about their health and stamina, know their limits even when pushed beyond them and basically know who they are and where they are going. Most importantly, their focus is usually never about themselves but all about someone else. They see the road and are willing to take the journey. They run the race until they cross the finish line. Voluntarily! A shining example of Personal Best!
We are able to pursue a similar life, a life of peace and happiness, good health and quality relationships and the freedom to worship God because of their sacrifice.
How do we want others to see us? What will we be remembered for? This Memorial Day Holiday would be a great time to remember to honor and pray for those who have paid the price and are continuing to serve to allow us the freedom to choose how we will answer these questions.
Galatians 5:13 (New Living Translation)
13 For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.
Free to Choose
Coaching for Personal Development
Do you have a clear vision of what your personal values are and how they affect your true life purpose? Do you often long for simplicity in your life so you can experience balance to enjoy relationships, career, and good health? Do you have a dream that is encumbered by financial barriers that keeps you from realizing that reality?
A Personal Development plan can help someone:
~ explore personal values while seeking their true life purpose
~develop organizational skills
~improve health
~enhance spiritual growth
~develop and implement time management proficiencies
~create financial freedom through planned spending and debt reduction
~build relationships to last
~develop self-discipline, just to name a few.
A Personal Development Coach will journey with a client to accomplish their plan as they set specific goals within a measurable timeframe that will define their progress. The coach provides encouragement, focus and accountability and above all, inspiration for goals achieved and dreams fulfilled. A Personal Development Coach assists others in refining an area of life they are desire to improve.
Today, consider if a personal development plan could benefit you and if so contact me at evelyn@coachingforlife.com
A Season of Hope
Behold..Spring has arrived!! This morning, I hear birds chattering in cheerful conversation, the sun is shining warmly on my face as I stand admiring green everywhere. I think back to the months just past, that have seemingly crept by with short, dark days and long, cold nights. I am reminded, as a Life Coach, that changing seasons of our life follows much like Winter to Spring or Summer to Fall. It is the very essence of change that makes us aware and hopeful for something better and brighter. A renewal of sorts.
Our vision is impaired somewhat when we are uncomfortable or experiencing a valley in our life. Financial overload, loss of a loved one through divorce or death, even job loss or news of a serious health problem makes us feel like the winter of our pain will never end. Yet, God gives us Hope in Psalm 30:5B (NIV) weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. His promise to us is to hold on and trust Him and soon our winter nights will dawn into our beautiful spring mornings. It may come through someone helping you put your finances in order and showing you a way to set goals for future spending, a new friend or relationship to help you through the dark days of grief, a new and better job opportunity when you least expected it or a breakthrough in your health crisis.
Seasons change,trials end and we wake up to the Hope of a new day, a new season of life!
Seek God today and ask Him to provide for your need during the winters of your life, and then rejoice as He fulfills His promise.
Hebrews 10:23
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful
Creating a Game Plan
I love Football and I’m sure that sentiment is shared by most who are reading this!!
My “bonus” son is head football coach for a local high school football team and in a few days we start the season with our first scrimmage game. How time flies from one season to the next!
I admire Jeff’s coaching abilities as he leads these young men year after year. The same principles he uses to coach football also carries over to living life. Throughout the season he walks alongside his team, encourages them, helps keep them in focus, strategizes for the correct plays and holds them accountable to perform their personal best. As a coach, I’m sure he always prefers to see a “win”. However, at the end of the game, it comes down to the player and did he use the skills he learned from the coach, to play with heart and right attitude? Did he play to win? Was he focused on the game and did he use his best judgment on the plays he was taught?
These are exactly the same principles used in Life Coaching. However, a Christian Life Coach takes it one more very important step by providing a Biblical foundation for the coach/client relationship. We journey with our client in a more complex game, the game of life. At the end of our final day, we will meet with our Head Coach, God!
The same questions may be asked of us. Did we run the race to win? Did we play with the right attitude and heart? Did we seek to fulfill God’s game plan for our life and, did we perform to the best of our ability?
1 Corinthians 9:24-25 (NLT) Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize
Plant the Seed
It has been said that “timing is everything”. I certainly agree with that perspective when it comes to planting and caring for flowers. This morning as I rocked on my screened porch enjoying a cup of steaming coffee, my eyes fell upon an almost dead hibiscus tree that once yielded beautiful yellow blossoms. However, I was very late planting this season and with the excessive heat wave and very little rain, no amount of tender loving care helped. It had truly bitten the dust so to speak! In fact, because my deck was being readied for new stain, the other plants and herbs became root bound or stunted as well. Last year because I had planted on time, everything burst forth again and again in luscious color and we had an abundance of herbs for Fall cooking.
I believe life is like that example. We delay meaningful relationships for one reason or another, like our time with God, home life with children or special moments with our spouse. Then when we feel that there is danger of losing them or a need to be closer, we try to nourish and revive those relationships. Sometimes, we are just a little too late! Today, is your life beaming with the color of love? Sow the seed of time for the most beautiful creation God gifted us with: the people He has placed in your life to love! Sow, tend and nourish and your harvest will be huge.
Matthew 13:23 (NLT)
The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s word and
produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted
