As I embarked on a new adventure of becoming professionally certified as a coach after spending years removed from a career in consulting and years wrapped wonderfully in parenting, being mentored, mentoring, learning from and teaching women in Bible studies and other small group growth experiences, I couldn’t help but see natural revelation of truth in my training.
Be not knowing, they said. Be not judging, they said. Be present, they said. What they were saying to me, or perhaps what God was saying to me, was be like Jesus.
This is how he showed up with people.
Even though he is all-knowing, I’ll never forget my first experience with Jesus, reading his word in my bedroom as an anxious, high-performing teen-ager. I was blown away by his winsome and wise questions, even when he knew the answers, he was free to ask the questions as if he didn’t know. How would they answer? He was curious.
Even though Jesus will ultimately judge all the world, he opened himself up to receive all and offer life to all who will receive him. He became like us, setting aside his godliness to experience human joy, pain, loss, laughter and love. Regardless of position or place or past choices or race, he was free to not judge a person by such things. He was respectful to all.
Finally, even though Jesus had a world of people wanting a piece of him at any given moment, he was free to truly be with the people he was with at any given moment, present and undistracted by what was to come. He was confidently expectant.
We can show up free like Jesus by being more curious, by offering more respect, by looking forward with greater expectancy. By being not knowing, not judging and present. These things they said are the life and breath of a trained, professional coach.
But they weren’t intentionally teaching me to be like Jesus; they were intentionally teaching me to be a high-performing professional coach - for which I’m grateful. If they were teaching me to be like Jesus, however, they would have also said, deeply rest. God placed this on my heart throughout my training. As a coach, show up being all the things that are the heart-beat of a masterful coach, and because of the freedom we have in Jesus, be at rest.
Rest deeper than sleep delivers. Rest beyond what your schedule allows. Rest in the midst of your daily experience of joy, pain, loss, laughter and love. Rest in the unique, intentional design of your maker in you. How? Take Jesus at his word, Matthew 11: 28, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” He sets us free to feel deeply and keep moving forward.
What I learned as I embarked on this new adventure being trained as a professional coach is that to be a coach is to Be curious, Offer respect, Loosen demand and Deepen rest.
And so, BOLD was named. BOLD is to me a reminder not only to show up with others, but of how to show up with them. It’s a reminder that I am designed by God Himself and you are, too. I am free to offer me - just as I am - and you are too. I am free to know and love others - just as they are. And you are too.
I learned as a coach, my job is to be free like Jesus, take him at his word, and lead others to do the same.
Figuring out how to do this is a process of growth. And many of us high-achieving, driven women, men and teens in leadership aren’t used to being the ones asking for help. I hope you’ll choose to partner with me, daring to develop potential in yourself, others and your work. Pursuing freedom together and depending on the power of God — for life!
As my daughter says, “Team BOLD means if I join the team, you’re BOLD and I can be too.”